President’s message
Rachel Collishaw
As social studies educators, we are often tuned in to the patterns of the past and the present. We can see the effect of the past on the present. Our role is to bring those effects to light for our students so that they can engage thoughtfully with the complexities of the present.
No big deal…
Luckily, you are not alone! SSENC and our partners are here to help! This issue of Salon offers thought-provoking reads to classroom-ready resources. You are part of the network of thousands of social studies educators heading to your classrooms across the country ready to tackle the big and small issues of the past, present and future.
In this issue you’ll find classroom resources to set you up for Remembrance Day (and beyond), debating policy issues, exploring great wall maps, and learning about Canada’s first internment operations. You’ll also find a thought-provoking book review of “Rescuing Reason: How History Education can Help Save Democracy”, by leading scholars Carla Peck and Alan Sears. You’ll also learn more about the remarkable learning and unlearning experience that SSENC directors undertook in Canada’s north this summer.
September is a busy month, especially now with the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30th. We have developed a teacher discussion guide for the book, The Valley of the Birdtail. This guide is meant to bring you together with your colleagues to deepen your own learning about the history of education for Indigenous students with an engaging read that feels supportive and hopeful.
We know teaching social studies is hard, we know it’s also essential, and we need to stay connected as educators so that we can do the best work for ourselves, our students and our world.
