Welcome to our summer issue! We are highlighting teachers – and the triumphs and challenges they've faced during the ongoing pandemic. In the stories to come, educators and experts offer insight into matters affecting education right now, including the reopening of schools in Ontario and the transition to online learning. Here, adjunct professor Emis Akbari explores how coronavirus school closures could widen inequities for our youngest students. Read more .
What's New at OISE

The pandemic has forced teachers at Jackman ICS to change their workflow and curriculum, and they have done so smoothly, but shifting online came with a unique set of challenges. Read more.

Fernanda Yanchapaxi has lost so much. Family members in her homeland Ecuador had died due to COVID-19. She wanted to find a way to grieve and to help others in some way, so she started making masks. Read more. 

OISE's Robertson Program sat down with K-6 teachers to hear about their experiences teaching during a pandemic. They share opinions about student engagement and well-being, solutions to help students transition to online learning, and more. Read more. 

Carol Campbell, an associate professor of leadership and educational change at OISE, joins AM640 radio to discuss what is needed for a successful return to school this September. Listen now.

In his Netflix debut, Kang Lee appears on the docuseries, Babies , to share his developmental neuroscience research on racial bias in six- and nine-month-old babies. From nature to nurture, the series explores the groundbreaking science that reveals how infants discover life during their very first year. Read more. 

Math education prof. Ron Lancaster says nature is a wonderful classroom for learning math. In this Toronto Star article, he shares practical tips to help get children outside to explore how math can be found almost anywhere. Read more. 

Christina Tjandra says she gained much insight from refugees as she explored her master's thesis at OISE – about newcomer English language learner children's perspectives on, and interpretations of, their multilingual linguistic landscape. Read more. 

At OISE, we believe that one of the most powerful weapons in the fight against racism is education. That why we are launching the OISE Black Excellence Education Initiative. Funds from the initiative will help remove financial barriers to success for Black students at OISE and support students conducting anti-Black racism research. Learn more .

Every dollar donated to the fund to a maximum of $25,000 will be matched by OISE. Together, we will stand up to racism and bring about positive change.
Celebrating Our Own: Alumni Spotlight

An administrator who thinks with her heart and her head: Prof. Tara Goldstein (PhD '92) has been appointed to Vice Principal of New College at the University of Toronto. Goldstein, who has been at OISE since 1985, has spent her career pursuing equity and change in education. Read more.


Douglas Gosse (PhD '05) has been appointed as Nipissing University's new teaching chair in learning outcomes. Gosse, a faculty member, formerly taught in schools during which he was recognized by the Governor General of Canada for Excellence in Teaching Canadian History. Read more.


As Canada Research Chair in Critical Studies in Indigenous Health and Social Action on Suicide, OISE Prof. Jeffrey Ansloos (non-alumni) will help to establish critical research on the structural dimensions of suicide for Indigenous youth and communities. Read more.


Staff members Neil Tinker and Gladys Lim, and faculty Carol Rolheiser, Elizabeth Smyth (BEd '77, EdD '90) and Antoinette Gagne (PhD '94) are this year's recipients of OISE's Long Service Awards for their loyalty and many contributions to OISE and the University of Toronto. Read more.

Virtual Events & Webcasts
Bring the fun of camp to your kids! Sign them up for Couch Camp, five days of short, fun webinars by experts from U of T. Register now.

We invite parents, educators and students to join education experts Annie Kidder, Dr. Kwame McKenzie, Ann Lopez and Mary Reid as they tackle critical questions related to schools reopening in Ontario, with moderator Charles Pascal. Register now.

Watch OISE's Centre for Integrative Anti-Racism Studies' (CIARS) recent panel featuring Olivia Chow, Cheryl Prescod, Paul Taylor, Dr. Onye Nnorom and more, with moderator Ezi Odozor. Watch now.

Tune in to the Indigenous Education Network's new read-along series! Episode two brings you author Brenda Wastasecoot reading "Granny's Giant Bannock." Watch episode two.

We want to keep the community connected and the learning experience thriving during the COVID-19 pandemic. The OISE Stay At Home Club features alumni and friends leading interactive lessons – for children and adults alike! You do not need to sign up to access the club sessions. Watch upcoming episodes.

In times of uncertainty, mentorship can offer guidance, support and friendship. While this year's OISE Mentorship Program for alumni and students may feel a little different due to the ongoing pandemic, we hope you choose to mentor a student virtually. Please stay tuned via our website and your email about this year's program. Learn more.
Alumni Giving Back
Rumeet Billan, an author, entrepreneur and humanitarian, has been named by Optimyz magazine as one of Canada's Top 10 Power Women. She joins Theresa Tam, Patty Hajdu, Wanda Bernard and Bianca Andreescu, among others, on the Top 10 list. Meet Rumeet.
In a web episode for OISE with nearly 10k views, alum Dr. Karen Edge and her 9 year old son Isaac sat down for a candid conversation about their experiences with racism as mixed race family living in the UK. Watch Karen and Isaac.
Alumni Perks

Bring the fun of camp to your kids! Sign them up for Couch Camp, five days of short, fun webinars by experts from U of T. Learn more.

To support recent grads and alumni in the career development process, U of T is offering a range of career services including job opportunities. Learn more.

Did you know you can enjoy better credit that supports OISE initiatives with an MBNA Mastercard®? Earn the rewards you want with an OISE branded credit card! Just ask upon your application. Learn more.

U of T Hub on Ten Thousand Coffees is a career networking platform with over 3,000 alumni professionals across a multitude fields . Connect with people or present a career webinar! Learn more.
What to Read

Willa’s House, David Booth’s final book, is a tribute to women teachers, life’s small moments and home. Proceeds from book sales go toward the Professor David Booth Memorial Bursary in support of OISE students. Learn more.
We hope you enjoyed this edition of the OISE Alumni and Friends Newsletter. Until next time...stay connected! Come to a virtual event , join our new Facebook community group , or follow us on social media.