Langue(s), Éducation et Pluralisme : Quelques réflexions d’une praticienne-chercheure (in French with bilingual Q&A)
Feb 2, 2024 — 10 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.
The Canadian Centre for Studies and Research on Bilingualism and Language Planning (CCERBAL) is hosting a research forum, Langue(s), Éducation et Pluralisme : Quelques réflexions d’une praticienne-chercheure presented by Nathalie Sirois, Senior Manager of Education at the Global Centre for Pluralism.
Abstract
Nathalie Sirois began her teaching career in Ontario French immersion programs, before deciding to get involved with French-language minority school boards. Language matters have thus been an integral part of her experience, whether questions of identity or very practical issues regarding the effects of recommended teaching approaches and tools on the learning and growth of students representing all aspects of our diversity. She will use pluralism as the prism through which to share observations based on years of critical reflective practice in education and outline potential areas of scholarly inquiry regarding linguistic justice and injustice.
Nathalie Sirois
Senior Manager, Education
Nathalie leads the Global Centre for Pluralism’s efforts to support educators and system leaders in making pluralism a lived experience in their specific contexts with a view to building inclusive societies resilient to fear and hate.
She spent over 20 years in K-12 public education, having worked with several French and some English school boards in Ontario in a variety of roles, including community worker, teacher, instructional coach, consultant, and system leader. Beyond her work in Canada, Nathalie has contributed to a variety of collaborative learning initiatives with K-12 teachers and other educational leaders internationally in contexts such as Haiti, Lebanon, France, Morocco, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In each role, she placed the practical issues of advancing social justice and human flourishing at the centre of her work and learning. She intentionally developed her own critically-informed practice by weaving together her experiences and observations, insights offered from wide-ranging scholarly publications and research, and the grounded knowledge of people experiencing systemic injustices – beginning with her students, their families, and her colleagues.
As one of the first Senior Advisors for Equity, Human Rights and Pluralism in a French-language school board in Canada, Nathalie’s contended daily with the systemic effects of the double minoritization of francophone students and staff from historically marginalized communities. Becoming a Brené Brown certified Dare to Lead facilitator has further equipped her to delve into the dynamics that either hinder or boost our ability to implement organizational change when seeking to create more equitable and pluralistic education systems. Her journey has also brought her to offer training and publish various resources on trauma-informed practice for educators and on educational leadership.