The recent rise of modern antisemitism in Canadian schools through social media left the Jewish community at a loss in finding a suitable answer. Believing that education is the required response and following much research, CHES initiated “Unpacking Complexity in the Classroom”, a unique educational project and perhaps the first of its kind in Canada.
The program was initiated by CHES in response to the reports by educators, parents and students at Ottawa and Kingston high schools of becoming targets of online harassment and antisemitic abuse connected directly to events in Israel last May. Modern antisemitism is having an increasingly significant and negative impact on Jewish youth who continue to feel that they are under attack and alone when many of their teachers lack an understanding and are fearful of addressing this issue.
“Unpacking Complexity in the Classroom” was created in collaboration with the Equity and Diversity team at the OCDSB. It includes a series of webinars that address the many challenges facing the OCDSB’s Equity and Diversity team. The approach is built on an extraordinary program from Israel called Unpacked for Educators which focuses on content creation for training educators around the world to lead difficult conversations on complicated subjects.
The webinars were open to administrators, educators and Equity and Diversity staff of the Ottawa Carleton District School Board (OCDSB).
Workshop facilitator:
Avi Posen, senior director of Unpacked for Educators, a division of OpenDor Media (OpenDor Media – Media for the Jewish Future)
CHESAdm
Hello Helen and thanks for the message,
We received your message regarding “Unpacking Complexity in the Classroom”. There are 3 workshops scheduled for March 30th, April 13th, and May 18th and they will address the many challenges facing the schools today. These workshops are open to educators of the Ottawa Carleton District School Board (OCDSB).
We will be happy to adapt this program for the needs of the boards of education in BC. Please feel free to share the information with them.
I hope this is helpful,
Mina Cohn
CHESAdm
Hello Ariella,
We received your message regarding “Unpacking Complexity in the Classroom”. There are 3 workshops scheduled for March 30th, April 13th, and May 18th and they will address the many challenges facing the schools today. These workshops are open to educators of the OCDSB.
I hope this is helpful,
Mina Cohn
helen waldstein wilkes
As a retired educator with strong roots in Ontario where I attended school to Grade 13, followed by 4 years at McMaster and teacher training at OISE, I have been observing with dismay the current rise in antisemitism in Ontario and elsewhere in Canada. I deplore the lack of teacher preparedness, the huge gaps in curricular materials and the inadequate learning objectives that all contribute to the problem.
Is Unpacked for Educators available in a print format or only in the proposed 3 webinars? Either way, please notify me of the dates. of the webinars. I am eager to put my shoulder to the wheel and I am in touch with a number of educators here in BC who are also seeking to effect change.
Ariella Getrajhendler
Is there a presentation or workshop and if so how do I attend it? Or how do I get a hold of the material?