Salon
Salon is the quarterly digital newsletter of the Social Studies Educators Network of Canada (SSENC). It features classroom strategies, critical reflections connecting research and practice, organization news, sponsored content, and commentary on current themes in history and social studies education. Salon fosters community building among Canadian educators through relevant information and curated resources.
Salon Autumn 2026
Past Articles
President’s message – Summer 2026
We’re so excited to share our new publications with teachers across the country! While I hope that you will take the time you need over the summer to rest and recharge, I also hope that you will find some time to explore these two new resources, and those of our partners and get inspired for the next school year.
Social studies as ‘neutral?’
With a world literally and figuratively burning around them, high school social studies teachers are charged with engaging students in sensitive topics.
Chinese Canadian National Council for Social Justice
Every Heritage Month arrives with familiar gestures: classroom displays, cultural performances, and celebrations of food, language, migration, and achievement. But these recognitions emerged from histories shaped by racism, exclusion, war, imperialism, and colonialism.
Teacher Discussion Guide for Valley of the Birdtail
This guide encourages educators to use Valley of the Birdtail as a meaningful opportunity to explore the connected histories of the communities of Rossburn and Waywayseecappo, examining themes of racism, resilience, and reconciliation. Through dialogue and reflection, readers are invited to confront difficult truths, deepen cultural understanding,and strengthen their practices as compassionate, inclusive educators.
Bring real-world human rights into your classroom with Amnesty International
Looking for meaningful, curriculum-aligned resources that truly engage students? Amnesty International offers free, ready-to-use tools designed for Canadian classrooms.
Operation Black Vote Canada
Black Canadians have been running for and serving in elected office for more than 150 years, but most of us know almost nothing about their experiences.
A New Resource for Social Studies Teachers: Inquiry, Agency, and Korean Women’s History
Increasingly, teachers are asked to develop lesson plans and resources that engage students in critical thinking, analysing multiple perspectives, encourage student voice and inquiry and are culturally responsive. A newly released resource from SSENC does exactly that.
President’s Message – Spring 2026
President’s Message Rachel CollishawFor many social studies teachers,...
Dialogue & Democracy
Classroom conversations begin by overtly and intentionally speaking about how we communicate. Before starting any dialogue or deliberation, take time to establish group norms.
Meet an Economic Expert
Do you really know what economists do? Or even wondered how the global economy works? In an effort to clarify the economy — and to dispel the myth that economics is mostly “math and boring work” — the Bank of Canada Museum has launched The Central Bank in Your Classroom, a new speaker series that brings an economist or data analyst into high school and university classrooms.
Reclaiming Civic Engagement in an Age of Distrust
Recently, I attended an event in Calgary reminiscent of the French Revolutionary salons—small gatherings fostering spirited discussion. Our small group met in a private home to reflect upon the future of democracy in Canada.
BCSSTA Provincial Specialist Association Pro-D Day
On Friday October 24th, the BCSSTA held its annual conference at Simon Fraser University for the second time in four years. 500+ educators from across the province took part in both online as well as in-person workshops and speaker sessions delivered by teachers, professors, non-profit organizations, and experts on a variety of topics related to primarily secondary level Social Studies courses. We also hosted 30 exhibitors and vendors providing opportunities from educational travel and museum experiences to government and non-governmental civic interest groups.
These are our archived issues of Salon, our newsletter.









