|
The Learning Centre is a community-based adult literacy
and education program in Edmonton, Alberta. Whether we are drawn to the Centre
to learn to write, to tutor reading, to facilitate, coordinate or do research,
learning is at the centre of what we do. Learning at the Centre Press was born
from a desire to share what we learn.
The first Learning at the Centre Press publications were
launched in 1996. Now sold out, Getting our own education reported on
research about a participatory peer tutoring project and undertaken at the
Centre. In an accompanying book, Tutor and learn, peer tutors described their
experiences and approaches to helping others learn to read and write.
The publication of Tutor and learn seeded the idea for
Voices Rising. This imprint reflects the Centre’s history of community
writing and publishing. Since the first publishing club was organized in the
late 1980s, the Centre has regularly published The Writer and
occasionally published small runs of participants’ life stories. With the
launch of Voices Rising, our community of writers expanded to include
storytellers and poets from across Alberta.
Many of our publications are produced through projects funded by
the National Literacy Secretariat, in partnership with Alberta Learning, and
through grants from foundations and organizations. Project funding has enabled
us to produce and distribute quality books that appeal to the eye as well as to
the mind (and heart). As well as distributing a limited number of complimentary
copies we sell books to raise funds for further publications and to support the
Centre’s work. We are delighted to have this opportunity to tell readers
about our publications. For more information about Learning at the Centre Press
or about any of the following publications, contact
Mary_Norton@aaal.ab.ca
 |
Learning for our Health. A
resource for participatory literacy and health education (1998) Developed
with women in literacy programs, this resource outlines work-shops on such
topics as stress, saying no, weight, healthy eating, menopause, and living with
welfare. The resource also includes discussion about literacy and determinants
of health, a description and reflections on a participatory education model,
and suggestions for supporting literacy development in health workshops.
($25.00) |
|
Women getting together (1998)
This photo story
describes a women’s health group at The Learning Centre. Participants talk
about health and the importance of getting together with other women to share
and build knowledge. ($5.00) |
 |
Learning about participatory
approaches in adult literacy education. Six research in practice studies
(2000)
As part of a participatory approaches project, six facilitators
and groups of adult learners initiated participatory projects in their literacy
programs. The facilitators also did research about participatory approaches.
Their research is published in this book, along with chapters about
participatory approaches, research in practice, and the project itself.
($25.00) |
 |
Students meeting students.
Putting a student conference together (2000)
The authors tell how they
organized and hosted a student conference, from choosing a site to inviting
workshop leaders and preparing a brochure. The book provides details for other
students who are organizing a conference. ($8.00) |
 |
Students training students. An
action research project to help people use computers (2000)
An action
research group found out why people did not use computers at The Learning
Centre and organized basic computer training. The authors wrote this book to
tell others about their research and share what they learned. ($6.00) |
 |
Fearless freewriting (2000)
Sharron, Barb and Alice used to be afraid to write. Freewriting helped
them overcome their fears and learn to love writing. The authors invite you to
put your writing fears aside, pick up a pencil and just write. ($6.00) |
 |
Acimowina. Storytelling
(2000) Acimowina is a collection of stories by people of Wabasca Desmarais.
While some incidents are recalled with warmth and humour, tragedies and sad
events are also remembered. Acimowina invites readers to hear the stories and
to tell their own. ($8.00) |
|
Glimpses of Who We Are (2002)
These two
volumes are collections of stories, poems and songs written by aboriginal
Canadians. In each volume, writers explore a range of topics - tales of where
they were born, their first jobs, and stories of successful and not so
successful hunting trips. These heartfelt explorations of success, failure, joy
and despair - these glimpses of who we are - invite readers to explore a rich
array of aboriginal experiences. ($9.50 for each volume) |
|
Points of departure (2002)
This book suggests
ways to use Glimpses of who we are as starting points for teaching and learning
in literacy programs. The theme units and activities were developed to engage
people in reading, writing and discussion about themselves, about each other,
and about their worlds. The resource includes nine theme units which were
developed and tried out by teachers and learners in literacy programs.
|
 |
Then and now (2001)
This is a selection of writings from Yolande Herman’s journals.
Yolande started to keep a journal when she joined The Learning Centre in 1995.
In the following years, she filled several notebooks with records of current
events and recollections of growing up in a Chipweyan speaking community. As
well as appealing to all readers who enjoy a good story, Then and now will
encourage others who are learning to read and write. Yolande’s stories
cover a range of topics and are illustrated by her drawings and photos. ($6.00)
|
Note: To order books, contact The
Learning Centre, 10116 105 Avenue, Edmonton, AB, T5H 0K2, Fax (780) 425-2205.
For orders from outside Canada, prices are in US dollars. For all orders,
please add 20% for shipping and handling. |
