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Acknowledging the Land: #o34melearns

5/17/2022

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The Ottawa Zone for Mathematics Education is situated on the traditional and unceded territory of the divided nation of the Algonquin Peoples.

We are aware that Land claim negotiations between the Governments of Canada and Ontario, and the Algonquins of Ontario continue to this day (
Algonquin Land Claim).

​As a result of these negotiations, the First Peoples of this Land, who have been stewards of this land for millenia and who have been petitioning the government for nearly 2 1/2 centuries
Map of Indigenous Territories
native-land.ca
to establish a proper agreement (Keeptwo, 2021) will be able to experience "...[restoration of] historically significant sites…; contributions to the social and cultural objectives of [their] communities; and a foundation for economic development for the region" (Algonquin Land Claim).

This is exciting news, yet as inspiring as it all sounds, we must recognize that as settlers, we have much work to do to decolonize our own approaches to teaching and learning, and to share this with our membership. 

Much of this work will be rooted in listening, in feeling, in honoring the land and its people, and co-creating welcoming and safe spaces, with our Indigenous partners. Our work will also involve engaging with various mathematical perspectives that we might all "circulate together" (Wiseman et al, 2017).

We are thankful for the examples of Indigenous stewardship--that is, of the land and of relationships within and across peoples--that we have the opportunity to learn and work as a Council, and to provide leadership for our colleagues in Math Education.
​
Niá:wen, Miigwech, Nakurmiik, Thank you.

New Web Resource

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Periodically, we will be posting artefacts of our Council's journey into Reconciliation through Indigenous Education to this site. 

Our intention, with utmost sincerity and respect, is to share our learning about how we see ourselves becoming Treaty people--certainly, as we all move closer to finally experiencing a Land agreement for the Algonquins of Ontario. As leaders in Mathematics Education, it is also important that we share our openness and vulnerability towards new learning for the benefit of our members.

Before continuing to the next section, please take a moment to acknowledge the land you’re on, its people, and your own connections to the land.

Artefacts of Learning & Leadership

Below, you will find examples of Land Acknowledgements we have constructed and used to open our meetings and events. Notably, each one is of considerable length. Our purpose is simple, yet incredibly powerful and so important. As a chapter, we have decided that we will research and embed historical perspectives, stories, and examples of how we can encourage our members to counter oppressive narratives, thus making new spaces and opportunities for our Chapter to truly make good on its vision:
Making teaching and learning mathematics accessible for all
An incredibly important aspect to achieving this vision must and will involve partnerships and collaborations with First Peoples groups in the Ottawa Zone.
​
If you have questions or comments, do feel free to reach out to our Executive. As a courtesy, we also ask that you innovate from any insights drawn from our activities and writings: it's important that we each do the work of understanding ways of knowing, being, and doing for ourselves. If you are interested in using any part of an Acknowledgment or other resource, please reach out to us using the contact form provided.
Acknowledgements:
Open to Learn
Indigenous Math
On Becoming
Our Relations

    Contact

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Sources:
Keeptwo, S. (2021). We all go back to the land: The who, why, and how of land acknowledgements. Brush Education Inc. 

The Algonquin Land Claim. ontario.ca. (n.d.). Retrieved May 17, 2022, from https://www.ontario.ca/page/algonquin-land-claim  

Wiseman, D., Glanfield, F., & Lunney Borden, L. (2017, September 11). How we are coming to know: Report. Show Me Your Math. Retrieved May 6, 2022, from https://showmeyourmath.ca/comingtoknow/report/
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Celebrating Excellence & Reflecting Forward: A Year-in-Review, O34ME 2021-22

5/11/2022

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The Ottawa Zone for Mathematics Educators (O34ME) had another successful year thanks to our Executive and Council Members. As a result of their dedication to collaboration and commitment to leading with the Chapter’s Mission, Values and Objectives, we were able to continue building capacity within our Chapter for leadership in mathematics education. We also continued to bring awareness to membership of our strategic priorities through ongoing communication and support for professional learning experiences.
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Mission: Fostering enthusiasm, innovation, and growth in mathematics education.

Vision: We value making teaching and learning mathematics accessible for all.

Strategic Priorities:
  • To promote meaningful and actionable reflections on practice
  • To connect research with pedagogical practice
  • To establish and enhance mathematical learning networks in the Greater Ottawa Region

We recognize, as a Chapter, that the 2021/22 school year was wrought with exceptional challenges (i.e., COVID19)--circumstances atypical for most educational organizations to navigate with their membership. Despite the challenges faced, Council and its membership worked together to ensure that members’ were supported accordingly--e.g., supporting members’ development and refinement of their pedagogical practices through a mini-conference featuring Nat Banting and Laura Masterson (uManitoba). 

The information that follows in Tables 1 and 2 of the President's Report to Members describes a year-in-review and prospective activities, respectively, as well as areas for growth--some of them taking into account any learning the Chapter has experienced this past year.

In closing, it has been an absolute pleasure and privilege to have served as Chair, working alongside such a focused, creative, open and collaborative group of professionals. I am both excited and delighted that Karyn Hepburn--our outgoing Vice-president--will be beginning a two-year term as Chapter President (2022-24). The growth that we’re experiencing internally, as an Executive and Council, is a testament to the relational trust we have for one another and the internal capacity we have built as a Chapter.

​Although we identify with this time of year as being our chapter’s year-end, the work continues. We will keep you all apprised of next steps regarding O34ME-related professional learning for the coming year.

Chris Stewart
2019-22 O34ME President (Outgoing)
View Report

Your 2022-23 Council Executive

Your elected executives for 2022-23 are as follows. To learn about your Chapter leadership, check out their bios and educational aspirations in this post.
Meet Your Executive
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Members, Missed the AGM?
Members, if you missed the AGM:
  • You can access a video recording of the meeting. Just send an email to o34mecounts@gmail.com (including your name, membership number and status, and request), and we'll send you a link to view the video. 
  • See both President's Report and Treasurer's Report here.
  • Check out the slide presentation used during the meeting (below).
  • A membership survey should have arrived to your inbox (early June). We want to hear from you!
AGM Slide Presentation
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O34ME Supports! Building Towards Thinking Classrooms

6/13/2021

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Using Dr. Peter Liljedahl’s Building Thinking Classrooms, the Chapter ran its first book study with incredible success!
Screen capture of book study participants during a Zoom meeting
To support our members’ participation:
  • books were purchased for OAME-O34ME members;
  • bi-weekly meetings were held from late March to mid-June, 2021 to explore the Introduction and Chapters 1 to 11 (of 15 chapters); and
  • meetings were held on Zoom, with interactive components (e.g., Jamboard), and small and whole-group discussions based on focus questions associated with each chapter.
Box filled with copies of the book, Building Thinking Classrooms
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A Jamboard from Session 2

Our Impact!
All sessions were built upon participant feedback, which modeled openness to co-constructing and mobilizing knowledge across the group. 

All members were open to sharing their thoughts and ideas both in- and post-session--even their challenges to practice and successes in trying different pedagogical strategies.

Overall, all members were open with sharing how much they appreciated and learned through the study, including their shifts in practice, as well as wonderings and challenges to the strategies detailed in the book. This provided a backdrop for respectful discussion, and on occasion, outreach to the committee for further support. 
Book study exit poll
What else? Membership has grown through the study; new relationships have been built; continued interest in the study and chapter’s activities have been expressed; and opportunities for members to join Council have been created and shared.
Looking Ahead: Fall 2021
2021 Calendar

​Although it was not possible, at this time, to study all chapters of the book, many members have expressed a desire to continue working with Building Thinking Classrooms during the 2021-22 school year. And we’ll be doing our very best to meet our members’ professional learning needs!

What to expect? With more educators exploring this pedagogy in their own practices, we'll be enriching our shared time with practical findings from the field--in the #OttawaZone!

​In the meantime, we'd like to offer up some encouragement! And a sample of resources as insight to some of the ‘how’ and ‘what’ of the study’s organization, facilitation, and degree of participation.
Encouragement!
  • Check out our latest book study tweet on Twitter. Follow us :)
  • Join our Facebook Math Sharing Group! We're almost at 100 members!!
  • Bookmark our website! and blog!! 
Invite a friend/colleague! Bring someone along to the next iteration of the book study. Recall: If they're an OAME member, we'll buy them the book! There's so much value in becoming an OAME member!! Here's how.
Sampling of Resources:
  • Session 1 slides (complete with active links embedded)
  • Free Book Study Guide from Corwin Education (includes an amazing set of focus questions)
Let's Connect!
On behalf of the O34ME Council and Professional Learning Committee, we wish you all the very best for a strong finish to the year and for a relaxing Summer.
​
Contact: Need to connect with O34ME? Use our Contact Form to ask questions, share concerns, and/or provide suggestions.
Contact
Yours in #mathedu

Chris Stewart
2019-22 O34ME President
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    • Annual General Meeting
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