Cindy Halewood, Alumna, BEd '00 & Jackman ICS Teacher
With great sadness we share the news of Cindy Halewood's passing on November 8, 2018. Cindy was a former Lab School Teacher at the Dr. Eric Jackman Institute of Child Study since 2000. She taught Grade 2 and previously was the Junior Kindergarten Teacher. Cindy's work at the Institute began in 1995 as an Early Childhood Education Specialist in the licensed daycare prior to receiving her BEd degree at OISE in 2000.
Cindy will be remembered for many things including her loving rapport with children and her innovative curriculum, e.g. the study of birds, salmon restoration at Duffens Creek, the 鈥渃ardboard arcade鈥, and her innovative approach to introducing Shakespearean comedies to 7-year old children.
Cindy was fiercely committed to creating an inclusive learning environment, environmental education, and worked hard to make connections with local indigenous educators and from Aroland First Nation to incorporate indigenous knowledge and perspectives into her work. Her professional development experiences were included in both editions of 鈥淣atural Curiosity: A resource for Educators鈥 and serve as an inspiration for public school teachers.
Cindy understood the mission of the Lab School and was dedicated to mentoring teacher-candidates from the MA-CSE program and passionately presenting in their academic classes. She was deeply involved in research 鈥 Cindy was an early collaborator in the Knowledge Building / Knowledge Forum research of Dr. Marlene Scardamalia and Dr. Carl Bereiter and this work with the very young children has been published and presented at numerous conferences. Cindy welcomed local and international professional visitors into her class on a weekly basis.
In 2007-2008, Cindy was seconded to Mills College Children鈥檚 School, the lab school of the renowned teacher education program at Mills College, Oakland, California due to her reputation for deep knowledge in child-centered education. Unfortunately, Cindy needed to end her work at the Lab School in August 2016 but her surprise visits to JICS community events were a highlight for the children, teachers, and parents.
Her incredible laugh and razor-sharp wit will be missed by all at Jackman ICS.