Special Interest Discussion and Action Groups
U of T Family Care Groups | OISE Groups | University of Toronto Toastmasters
U of T Family Care Office Ongoing Groups and Events
Monthly sessions (attend at your convenience)– first meeting on October 11, other dates TBA
This lunchtime series consists of brief interactive sessions customized for students with family responsibilities. Students will have an opportunity to learn, share, and find support by exchanging ideas and stories in a supportive and inclusive environment. Lunch provided. Registration required.
Dates: Wednesdays, September 19, October 3rd. 17th & 24th, November 14th & 28th
Time: 3:30 to 5:00 pm
Location: 214 College St., Room 313
Are you becoming a parent?
Do you feel you would like to learn about body changes during pregnancy, your baby, and what comes next? Learn more about pregnancy and life with a new baby with guest speakers, other parents-to-be and new parents at bi-weekly meetings. Ask questions, relax and chat about what is important for you now. Come to gain insight into various aspects of pregnancy, including health, nutrition, changes in the developing body, emotional and physical changes, labour and delivery, and post-partum issues; find support and access resources; and exchange ideas and stories regarding various aspects of pregnancy, your feelings as a partner/parent, and life with baby.
New and expectant U of T students and their partners, staff, faculty, and post-doctoral fellows are welcome; online pre-registration at www.familycare.utoronto.ca.
Fall Program Facilitator: Jody McDonald, Senior Lecturer, Lawrence Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing
Fall dates: Wednesdays, October 17, November 21 and December 19
Time: 12:00 to 1:30 p.m.
Location: 214 College St., Lobster Room
Parenting your Awesome Toddler!
Compare notes and share your triumphs and frustrations of raising a toddler with other parents in a safe and supportive environment. This group is open to caregivers of babies and toddlers (1-3 years). We will discuss various aspects of toddler parenting including nutrition, sleep, language development, behaviour and discipline. Please feel free to send us your specific topics of interest via email.
All University of Toronto students, staff, faculty and postdoctoral fellows are welcome.
Dates: Thursdays September 27, October 25, and November 29
Time: 12 to 2 p.m. (you are welcome to attend all or part of the meeting)
Location: 214 College Street, Room 313
This open and non-facilitated support group is for parents of children with learning disabilities including dyslexia, ADHD and Asperger Syndrome and autism. Parents will meet once a month to discuss issues such as parenting, schools and options, navigating the system and where to find resources. Occasional guest speakers may also attend. All University of Toronto students, staff, faculty and postdoctoral fellows are welcome to attend.
Location: U of T Family Resource Centre, 7 Glen Morris St .
An opportunity for U of T student parents and their significant others to connect and network in a relaxed setting, while their children (up to 5 years of age) interact and play in the same room.
Registration not required.
Other resources for students with family responsibilities:
♦ Peer Support - Student parents helping student parents - a peer support program for student parents who have just started at the University of Toronto (or have just had their first baby since being at the university), so that they can connect by email or in person with another student parent, who has been studying here for at least one year; please email family.care@utoronto.ca if interested.
♦Student stories so you can listen to the experiences of student parents at U of T
OISE Groups
♦ Greening OISE
Environmental and Sustainability Education at OISE
The Environmental and Sustainability Education (ESE) Infusion Initiative aims to broaden and deepen support for OISE’s institutional goal of social and ecological Responsibilityand help to embed ESE into all learning programs at OISE. It provides a nexus for ESE-related groups at OISE to share information, develop events and programs, and build a stronger presence to achieve their common goal of creating a culture of sustainability in the institution and its partner communities. A range of events, talks, and sustainability projects will be happening throughout the year; students are encouraged to join the Greening OISE student group or the ESE Grad Student Group to learn more about this important area of education. For more information and a list of upcoming events, visit OISE’s ESE website at:
To register for workshops, please visit MYSS http://www.studentservices.oise.utoronto.ca/workshops.aspx
♦ IETCs (Internationally Educated Teacher Candidates) Discussion Group
This group is designed for those who have attended school, lived or worked outside of Canada for an extended period of time, and who may be experiencing linguistic and cultural challenges in the teacher education program at OISE. The group is to build a support network among IETCs through sharing resources and strategies on issues including: cultural conventions in Ontario classrooms, linguistic and cultural resources for New Canadian and/or non-native English-speaking teachers, strategies for succeeding in the pre-service program, job search, etc.. The group will meet once a month for about an hour. We will e-mail you to let you know about our first meeting.
♦ Addressing the Questions and Concerns of LGBTI2SQ Teacher Candidates
Are you an OISE Teacher Candidate?
Do you identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, trangendered, intersexed, 2-spirited, queer or questioning?
Beginning October 17, 2012, there will be a series of meetings to address many of the questions and concerns that LGBTI2SQ teacher candidates may have. These meetings are meant to provide a positive and affirming space to discuss issues that are pertinent to LGBTI2SQ educators.
Should I come out?
How do I come out?
Should my students know?
How will my principal react?
What will the community say?
How do I navigate various school systems as a queer person?
What do I do if I experience harassment?
Although there are no clear-cut answers to these questions, we can learn a lot from the experiences and perspectives of other educators like you.
When: October 17th, 20112
Where:Room 11-164 Time: 4:30 pm– 5:45 p.m.
♦ The Future Teachers Initiative
We are pleased to introduce the Future Teachers Initiative. The Future Teachers initiative is an outreach program at OISE that encourages high school students, particularly from underrepresented groups to become teachers. The aim of the Future Teachers Initiative is to:
Promote equity in the teaching profession;
Encourage underrepresented youth to consider teaching as a career;
Create awareness of community and societal needs; and
Provide opportunities for teacher candidates to grow and develop as professionals and role models.
Teacher candidates will be invited at a later date to participate in the Future Teachers' Initiative as part of their internship requirement at OISE.
