News (continued)

Awards for Canadian Teachers
A number of national and provincial/territorial awards are given to Canadian teachers each year to recognize their outstanding dedication or innovative contributions to the field of education. For more information see the "Other Teaching Awards" link on the Prime Minister's Awards website.

Family Literacy Day
Family Literacy DayŽ (FLD) is a national awareness initiative created by ABC CANADA Literacy Foundation and Honda Canada in 1999, and held each year on January 27. This special day promotes the importance of reading and engaging in other literacy-related activities as a family. Last year more than 275,000 Canadians attended more than 1300 events across the country at schools, libraries or literacy organizations. Schools and teachers can get involved in FLD by planning your own creative, fun and educational event to help students get excited about reading and writing both at school and at home. Visit www.abc-canada.org/fld to find more information and tips on Family Literacy Day activities and to list your event.

New Bullying Prevention Software
Quest for the Golden Rule is bullying-prevention software—a classroom video game that simulates experiences where students, grades 2 to 5, practise and rehearse prosocial skills by intervening in bullying situations. The system was designed with teacher input in Ontario, piloted first in Ontario and empirically validated at York University. The software aims to prevent behavioural problems and is built to be hassle-free with ready-to-go lesson plans. It provides automated reporting so teachers can follow up with at-risk children. For more information, visit www.practiquest.com. If you decide to order, say you saw it in Canadian Teacher Magazine and take 15% off your order!