News Release
Helping Teachers Connect With “At-Risk” Students
UWinnipeg educators explore mentoring in new book
FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE – THURSDAY, JULY 24, 2008
WINNIPEG, MB – A new book by four University of Winnipeg professors devoted to the art
of mentoring is based on the belief that all children deserve to be engaged, challenged
and supported, and teachers can play a vital role in preventing youth from
falling between the cracks.
“Many youth
don’t have a sense of belonging at home or in school,” said Alan Wiebe,
professor in the Faculty of Education, UWinnipeg’s Mentorship Program
Coordinator and one of the authors of Mentoring in a Canadian Context. “Kids who are not connected to their worlds
are vulnerable. They need to belong and
feel they have something to give.” The
book highlights projects built to serve specific “at-risk” youth, including
Aboriginal teens, war-affected youth, economically disadvantaged young people,
talented but troubled students and youth in the criminal justice system.
Along with Alan
Wiebe, Mentoring in a Canadian Context is authored by Ken McClusky, Dean and
Professor of Education at UWinnipeg, Philip Baker, Director of ACCESS Education
and Kevin Lamoureux, Professor of Education. Lamoureux, a former academic
advisor with UWinnipeg’s ACCESS programs and now a new faculty member, made especially
significant contributions as lead author. Released this month, 1,700 copies of the book
are available to educators and will be distributed to teachers at a national
conference devoted to resiliency this fall.
UWinnipeg
is leading the way in Canada
and is the only place in Manitoba
that recognizes mentoring and provides credit for it as a teaching skill as
part of the teaching degree program.
“Mentoring
is about developing a non-judgmental relationship,” said Wiebe. “We go on a journey together with students
and they set their own goals. Achieving
those goals is success. For students who
are at risk of disengaging, mentoring is an approach that works.”The
forward to Mentoring in a Canadian Context is written by Lloyd Axworthy,
President and Vice-Chancellor at UWinnipeg who notes, “I have challenged our
education team to develop the pedagogy and training of teachers to meet the
task of preparing young people to be sensitive to local, national and global
concerns. Located in the heart of Winnipeg’s inner-city,
our Faculty of Education has the unique opportunity to immerse itself into the
rich culture and heritage of the core area, weaving its own expertise, energy
and human-power into the fabric of the community. This book showcases some of the work being
done.”
FOR MORE
INFORMATION
Diane
Poulin, Communications Officer, The University
of Winnipeg
P:
204.988.7135 E: d.poulin@uwinnipeg.ca