Review of The Other Alberta: Decoding a Political Enigma by Doreen Barrie

Doreen Barrie should have subtitled this book "Advocating a Different Identity" because this is its basic thrust. In Barrie's view, today's wealthy, modern, and expansive Alberta should abandon its historic grievances and hostility towards Ottawa. Instead, it should embrace a new narrative emphasizing "the positive qualities Albertans possess . . . the contributions the province has made to the country . . . and that Albertans share fundamental Canadian values with people in other parts of Canada and are eager to playa larger role on the national stage."

Enhancing Problem Solving Through Math Clubs

This action research paper was about a mandatory math club of seventh graders that met once per week over a 12-week period. The students gathered in the classroom during their regularly scheduled math class. The focus of the math club was to solve challenging math problems, usually cooperatively, and sometimes competitively. The math club activities varied from week to week to offer an element of surprise. Frequently, the students presented their solutions to peers, along with an explanation of the way they solved the problem. Instruments were used to collect information about problem-solving accuracy, student attitudes, and student and teacher behaviors. I discovered a slight improvement in problem solving. Also, on Math Club days, the teaching was less teacher-centered and more student-centered. As a result of this research, I plan to offer my middle school students more problem-solving opportunities and I plan to allow my students to work cooperatively on a regular basis.