FALL 2020 NEWSLETTER
Welcome back to a new academic year! The well-being of our community is one of OISE's top priorities. This newsletter is intended to connect students, faculty and staff to our wellness programming and respond to our community's diverse needs, particularly during these challenging and uncertain times. We are committed to promoting learning and practice opportunities that contribute to both individual and collective healing and change. This year, be sure to devote time to self-care by adding some of these OISE-based or University-wide opportunities and events to your calendar.
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This year we are excited to offer the following OISE-based activities to practice and build community.
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Join us as we launch both the OISE Wellness - Living & Working and The Mindful Teacher/Educator Lunch and Learn Series
Jack Miller: Curious about Mindfulness?
Tuesday, September 22, 2020 | 12:10 - 12:50 pm
Jack will share beginner-friendly mindfulness meditation practices along with his experience in teaching this practice. Jack teaches courses in holistic education and contemplative education at OISE. He is author and editor of 20 books including, The Holistic Curriculum, The Contemplative Practitioner, and Love and Compassion: Exploring their Role in Education. His writing has been translated into nine languages.
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Agnes Hsin (Health & Wellness Centre, U of T): 5 Ways to Well Being | Tuesday, October 13, 2020 | View Description | Register
Lindsay DuPre: Ka ootshapatamihk: Envisioning healthier futures through Indigenous understandings of wellness | Tuesday, October 27, 2020 | View Description | Register
Shelley Murphy: Mindfulness as a Training Ground for Presence and Resilience in the midst of challenge and change | Tuesday, January 12, 2021 | View Description | Register
Rose Mina Munjee: How Can We Transform Racism And Create Inclusion And Belonging With Mindfulness And Compassion? | Tuesday, February 9, 2021 | View Description | Register
Naraindra Prashad: Too Busy to Be Still? Learn Simple Techniques to Calm Your Distractions | Tuesday, March 9, 2021 | View Description | Register
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Rose Mina Munjee: How Can We Transform Racism And Create Inclusion And Belonging With Mindfulness And Compassion? | Thursday, October 29, 2020 | View Description | Register
Elli Weisbaum: Building & Broadening Resiliency: Integrating Mindfulness into Education – An Introduction | Thursday, December 3, 2020 | View Description | Register
Dana Chapman: Practical and Inclusive Considerations for Bringing Mindfulness into the Elementary Classroom | Thursday, April 1, 2021 | View Description | Register
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Join us for weekly drop-in sessions to help you reconnect with your body, mind, and emotions. Learn techniques, including mindfulness and yoga, for increasing our capacity to be reflective, strengthen our resilience, and improve our relationships with others. |
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Offered every Thursday, 12:10-12:50 pm
Sept. 10, 2020 - April 8, 2021
These mindful moments sessions are open to all staff, students, and faculty. It is 45 minutes with five to 10 minutes at the beginning and end of the session for informal sharing and questions, allowing students some flexibility in arriving and departing. The session includes a short introduction, 20 to 30 minutes of practice (breath meditation, body scan, mindful walking or movement, compassion and loving kindness, and gratitude practices), sharing and Q&A. There may also be some discussion about stress management, the benefits of mindfulness meditation, and the latest research findings about mindfulness in mental health, including physiology and neuroscience.
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Offered every Monday, 8:00-8:30 am September 14, 2020 - April 5, 2021
Facilitator: Jennifer Baradi, MAET, M.Ed, OCT, Level 2 iRest Teacher, 400 RYT Yoga Teacher
This 30-minute meditation/yoga session is open to all members of the OISE community. Participants may discover rejuvenation as well as ease as they start their day and week with practices of gentle yoga, mindfulness and meditation, meaningful discussion and sharing. As participants may have classes or meetings scheduled, they may arrive or depart quietly and respectfully during the session.
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FOR STAFF & FACULTY ONLY
Offered every Monday, 12:00-12:30 pm
September 14, 2020 - April 5, 2021
Facilitator: Jennifer Baradi, MAET, M.Ed, OCT, Level 2 iRest Teacher, 400 RYT Yoga Teacher
This 30-minute meditation session is open to all staff and faculty. During this time together, participants may find restoration through movement as well as calm with opportunities for gentle yoga, mindfulness and meditation, discussion, and sharing. As participants may have classes or meetings scheduled, they may arrive or depart quietly and respectfully during the session.
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Meetings are held monthly on Mondays from 7:00 - 8:00 pm
September 28, October 26, November 30, December 21, January 25, February 22, March 29, April 26
Facilitator: Shelley Murphy, PhD
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This monthly Mindfulness Community of Practice meeting is open to teachers, educators, teacher candidates, and teacher educators interested in being a part of an ongoing community of support focused on: |
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(1) cultivating and deepening a personal mindfulness practice;
(2) sharing understandings and experiences;
(3) engaging in critical inquiry and reflection;
(4) exploring pedagogical applications of mindfulness;
(5) engaging in opportunities for discussion and ongoing connection.
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A Co-Curricular Credit Opportunity for Students:
Cultivating Personal Health & Wellness through Mindfulness
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The Cultivating Personal Health & Wellness through Mindfulness program is an opportunity for students to become aware of, develop knowledge about, and practice mindfulness for their overall health and well being. The program is intended to improve one's general well-being to impact both their academic and personal lives. Successful students will have attended 10 or more of the available OISE Wellness sessions throughout the year. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, students can view up to five recorded sessions as part of the 10-session requirement. Attendance will be verified using Zoom attendance reports. Sessions can include Mindful Moments, Lunch & Learn sessions, yoga or other pre-approved activities for this program. There is no time limit to complete the program as long as you are a registered student. This opportunity is available to all OISE students.
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A WELLNESS OPPORTUNITY FOR STAFF & FACULTY
Cultivating Your Personal Health & Wellness
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ALL OISE staff and faculty are invited to a meeting on Monday, September 21, 12:30 - 1:30 pm to learn about a new pilot program that we will be launching this fall. This program, modelled after the student CCR, provides staff and faculty opportunities to become aware of, develop knowledge about, and engage in wellness activities, including practicing mindfulness, for their overall health and wellbeing.
Participants are encouraged, but not required, to attend the Restorative Reset session, facilitated by Jennifer Baradi, prior to attending this meeting.
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OISE's ACADEMIC SOCIAL CLUB
(AcSoC)
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OISE's Academic Social Club (AcSoC) is a peer-led group that organizes curated activities and social events, hosts student-focused discussions, and leads excursions throughout Toronto. Members share information about activities, events, and services that are relevant to graduate students at OISE. Events are low-or-no-cost and membership is free. |
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Environmental and Sustainability Education (ESE) |
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The Environmental and Sustainability Education (ESE) Initiative provides OISE students, TDSB educators and many others with an introduction to the concepts and practices of ESE to integrate in your teaching and learning at OISE, our partner schools and beyond!
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UPCOMING EVENTS
Presented by TDSB EcoSchools & OISE ESE
Time: Tuesday, September 22 - 4:00 - 5:00 PM
Location: Online via Zoom (register via link)
While COVID-19 has taken centre stage as schools re-open, how can educators continue to address the climate crisis through environmental education during this pandemic? Join EcoSchools staff Pam Miller and Jenn Vetter to discuss the challenges and opportunities for environmental learning in the TDSB this year. Please register and you will receive a confirmation with Zoom details.
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Workshops for
Faculty & Staff
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“Celebrate It” at U of T, Canada’s Healthy Workplace Month, October 1-31, 2020
Join us for “Celebrate It”, our annual celebration of Canada’s Healthy Workplace Month featuring events and activities to support you in maintaining and improving your wellness as you work from home, or on campus.
Sessions include mental health, ergonomics, nutrition, fitness, and parenting.
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Sign up for U of T’s 10,000 Steps Challenge for Staff
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October 1 - 31
We are pleased to run another Team Steps Challenge this year and encourage you to participate despite the challenges of COVID-19, which may require some additional creativity and planning.
Register your Team by September 24th
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Webinar: Reflect. Restore. Action
Taking Up Space: Fortifying Racialized Community Through Movement and Dialogue
October 1, 2020, 11:00 - 1:30 pm
Addressing racial violence and the impacts of daily experiences of racism requires a multifaceted collective approach including action planning and education. The Restore Program @ U of T is an invitation to community to center and prioritize self-care, restoration and healing throughout the navigation of the lived realities of being Black, Indigenous and racialized during such uncertain and traumatic times.
We invite you to join us for the opening of the Restore Program, as we boldly answer the calls for liberation and justice through the channels of care and compassion of one’s self.
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Access your Inner Calm
Meditation with Randi Mae Stanford-Leibold
11:00 – 11:30 a.m
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Activate your Energy
Movement with Rochelle Miller
12:00 – 12:30 p.m.
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Tune into your Inner Voice
Conversation with Yami Msosa / Allison Hill
1:00 – 1:30 p.m.
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The University of Toronto Health and Wellness Centre provides students with a range of health services for your physical and mental health, wellness programs, and information to help support you in achieving your personal and academic goals. |
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The University of Toronto is committed to supporting a culture that promotes mental health. The "Identify, Assist, Refer" approach guides you in identifying someone experiencing a mental health challenge, offering assistance, and facilitating help-seeking behaviour.
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The IAR Online a great training for students, faculty and staff, and only takes about 30 minute to complete! |
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True Blue Recognitions
Take two minutes and recognize the everyday contributions of OISE faculty and staff!
This recognition program aims to profile staff and faculty who in their own way make invaluable contributions to OISE and the University of Toronto each and every day.
U of T wants to hear from you about the amazing people you know at OISE! This award is designed to showcase and acknowledge our staff and faculty who are loyal and committed to making this University a great place to be. They are ‘True Blue'.
The nomination process is simple: all it takes is a couple of minutes to complete this short online form. Selection criteria is listed on the True Blue Award page.
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Subscribe to the Our Mindful Campus Newsletter
This newsletter connects students, faculty and staff to opportunities to practice, learn and participate in the mindfulness movement at the University of Toronto.
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ABOUT OISE WELLNESS COMMITTEE |
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As a priority outlined in the OISE Academic Plan 2017-2022, we established the OISE Wellness committee in 2018 to develop a wellness program that supports the health and well-being of the OISE community. Learn more about the OISE Wellness Committee and have your say on the work we do to serve the community.
If you would like to subscribe to the OISE Wellness Listserv, send a message to [email protected] and ask to be put on the list.
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