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SFSS considers Issues Policies
Abandoning the suburban dream
SFU’s trial week schedule
Elf on the Shelf has gone rogue
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THE PEAK PUBLICATIONS SOCIETY
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North Vancouver to remove park space to build new school
The importance of Jewish and Palestinian solidarity
The skill we call creativity
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ABOUT US
SPORTS
In the stands for Christine Sinclair’s final game
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HUMOUR
Mr. Grade Genie can grant all your easy-A wishes
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January 15, 2024
NEWS
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NEWS
SHRINKING GREEN SPACE
STOP THE SWEEPS
News Editor Karissa Ketter · News Writers Eden Chipperfield and Olivia Sherman · news@the-peak.ca
OPINIONS
January 15, 2024
NOT IN OUR NAME
We must not make the mistake of equating solidarity with the Palestinian people with antisemitic hatred.
HIGH RISES
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Opinions Editor Michelle Young · opinions@the-peak.ca
OPINIONS
FREE PALESTINE
Canada’s complicity extends beyond history and continues through contemporary support for Israel.
Be friendly and approachable This may seem like it goes without saying, but navigating a classroom of students requires that you are a pleasant person to be around. Go out of your way to get to know the students and address their needs. Each student should feel valued and comfortable in the classroom. With that being said, you are there to be their teacher, not their friend — any relationships you form with your students should be kept professional. However, this doesn’t mean you have to completely isolate yourself from your students and maintain a rigid, authoritarian style of teaching in the classroom; students want to feel like their TA actually wants to be there. Make a good first impression by appearing energetic and enthusiastic about not only the course material, but your students as well.
Focus on materials that will be tested While it’s good to take a break and talk about topics other than course materials, we still have tests to study for, so emphasis should be placed on what will be on exam s. There are so many ways of doing this beyond having a rand om in-class assignment that counts for a measly participation grade. In my communication courses, I’ve found that I benefitted the most from tutorials when activities included hands-on computer labs that allowed me to practice technical skills under guidance . In my criminology courses, low-stakes pop quizzes in the form of trivia games or mock debates have been a great way to get to know course concepts in a lowpressure environment. By focusing on the concepts that will likely be on midterms, finals, or assignments, students will feel as though they are gaining something out of atten ding tutorials and will be more likely to participate in class discu ssions.
Ask your students how they want tutorials to be structured not all students Every group of students will be different, and ods of teaching. have the same needs or relate to the same meth the class how they Personally, I find it helpful when my TA asks of teaching works prefer tutorials to be structured and what style are getting the most best for them. It’s important that your students by surveying your out of being in your class. Start off the semester trying to get a sense students, asking what they’re studying, and dingly. Understanding of their backgrounds so you can adjust accor styles of past TAs will what they’ve liked or disliked about teaching , but will also give not only make tutorials more enjoyable for them teaching methods to you an idea about ways you could shift your nts. accommodate this particular group of stude
Share your personal experiences Students want to hear about your academic journey! The TAs I built the best connections with were those who shared small tidbits from their personal lives and academic journeys. When I found out one of my TAs was interested in similar fields as myself in undergrad, it made me feel more motivated in class. Learning from someone who obtained a degree in the discipline I’m studying makes me aspire to delve deeper into my studies, and incites motivation. Beyond teaching course material, the role of a TA should also be about inspiring your students to make the most of their time in tutorial. This can be done through open conversation with students, structured time for assignment workblocks, and periods where students can freely ask questions beyond the course materials. We want to know how to be successful students, not just memorize course work.
Incorporate work periods for essay writing or group projects For those commuting to campus, it can be easy to zone out in class after a long drive or bus ride. During midterms and finals, your students may feel like they are being stretched super thin. They’re likely worrying about their assignments, plus they also need to study for their exams while still attending and participating in lectures and tutorials. Making tutorials a space where students can freely study or work on assignments is such a beneficial way for them to make the most of their time in your class. This way, you can be there for students to ask questions or explain difficult concepts. Being present and approachable during more “study block” structured classes is an essential component that will get students to use this time wisely.
Don’t implement “mandatory” activities Tutorials are all about practice, and giving your studen ts the opportunity to do this without being penalized will provid e them with a safe space to learn. Instead of introducing manda tory activities that students must submit by the end of class, place more emphasis on discussion and interactive learning “games” like trivia. Many students will try to rush through manda tory assignments just to get that mark towards their partic ipation grade, but they may not actually be gaining anything valuable from that task. Certain aspects of in-class discussion may be more likely to stay rooted in their memory as opposed to an assignment they were required to submit and promptly forgot about .
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Arts & Culture Editor Petra Chase · arts@the-peak.ca
ARTS & CULTURE
The Firehall presents Pants
Lunch Poems
PuSh Festival
When: January 17–20, 7:30 p.m. Where: Firehall Arts Centre
When: January 17, 12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m. Where: Online
When: Various times from January 18–February 4 Where: Various art centres around Vancouver
Tara Cheyenne Friedenberg, artistic director of her self-named performance company and experimental dance veteran, uses comedy, dance, and theatre to explore what makes a simple garment so contentious: Pants will take audiences outside of the gender binary by crawling “inside our ‘packaging’” and asking “what happens to one’s flimsy identity, built on blending, when one’s offspring sheds the binary before recess?”
Two poets will perform readings of their work for the SFU community for this intimate event. Pushparaj Acharya is a poet and literary scholar born in Nepal. His poetry collections are in Nepali and English. Gillian Sze is a Montrealbased poet and childrens’ book author with multiple award-winning poetry collections under her belt, including Peeling Rambutan and Redrafting Winter. She’s currently an instructor at Concordia University and just published her latest childrens’ book, I Drew A Heart. Lunch Poems is a monthly recurring event that happens on the third Wednesday of every month, so if you miss this one, you can still make the next one!
The annual international performing arts festival (PuSh) features “edgy, controversial explorations of the new frontiers of performance in the blended arts.” Highlights include Dear Laila, an immersive experience by Basel Zaraa recreating his home in a refugee camp, and L’amour telle une cathédrale ensevelie, which “tells the story of exiled Haitian families through opera-theatre.” Youth passes are available for audiences up to 24 years old for $20. Explore other options, including a digital pass, on their website.
Ruby Waters
Babe Corner
Hotel Mira
Aysanabee
For fans of Tash Sultana, Jessie Reyez, and Lights
For fans of Wolf Alice, Alvvays, and The Runaways
For fans of Said the Whale, Arkells, and Dear Rouge
For fans of Digging Roots, Dan Mangan, and Bon Iver
Indie rock Métis singer-songwriter Ruby Waters is back with more soulful singles including 2023’s “Flash Flood,” which delivered to the expectations set with heavy guitar-picking tunes like “Supernatural” (2019) and “Open Arms” (2022). From Shelburne, Ontario, Waters recently opened for City and Colour’s 2023 fall European tour, which continues this February, including a Vancouver show. As a Junonominee with a knack for rhythm, her raspy sound is raw and refreshing.
Vancouver is home to the harmonizing altrock supergroup, Babe Corner. We hope they regroup after their 2023 album, CryBaby, and their North American summer tour. Made up of five members — indie pop icon Haley Blais, synthpop duo Doohickey Cubicle, and vocalist/guitarist Lindsay Sjoberg — there’s no telling what their enmeshed styles will bring. We hope to see more drifty dream pop like “Bianca” and screeching garage rock like “Summer Slaughter;” showpiece works in babecore, a genre coined by the band. If you want to pretend you’re living in an early 2000s indie movie this year, we suggest adding babecore to your lexicon.
Hailing from Vancouver, alternative rock band Hotel Mira is in for another big year. Fresh off the heels of their 2023 album, I Am Not Myself, the band is about to embark on their latest tour. Having formed in 2010, they’ve been resurging on Canadian alt-radio charts in recent years. With hit singles including “The Eyes On You” and “This Could Be It for Me” from Perfectionism (2020) followed by 2023 releases such as “Fever Pitch” and “Dancing With the Moonlight,” their electro-rock sound is full of catchy hooks and captivating lyrics. Hotel Mira has toured with bands including Billy Talent and The Beaches.
Oji-Cree singer-songwriter Aysanabee’s 2023 EP Here and Now includes the title track smash-hit alongside songs such as “Alone” and “Waste My Time.” The EP has attained countless accolades and attests to his intimate acoustic style, and introspective lyrics. The album dives into how love is impacted by colonialism, saying, “Through this record, I wanted to be honest by facing my own fallibilities when it comes to building and keeping relationships.” Aysanabee will be the opening act for Allison Russell on her The Returner tour this February. He’s also set to perform at other shows and festivals this January.
See her open for City and Colour on Feb. 8 at Rogers Arena.
Babe Corner will be performing alongside Doohickey Cubicle on Feb. 1 at The Pearl.
Allison Russell
Néhémie
For fans of Rhiannon Giddens, Brandi Carlile, and Dominique Fils-Aimé
For fans of Destiny’s Child, Tinashe, and Jhené Aiko
Allison Russell will be embarking on her headlining tour this month, in support of her 2023 album The Returner. The immense success of the album has led Russell to receive worldwide accolades and applause, including three Grammy nominations. Russell’s rhythmic pop is captivating and sure to get you up off your feet. With recent releases such as up-beat, disco-influenced “Stay Right Here” and “Demons,” with harmonies dripping in soul, it’s easy to see all the hype.
Montreal singer-songwriter Néhémie has been consistently delivering smooth R&B and hip-hop tinged with nostalgic lofi loops. Since “Over,” her 2020 debut single about closure from a breakup, singles like 2023’s “Green” and this year’s “Run” bask in prosperity and self-empowerment, with notable ‘90s R&B influences and some French lyrics sprinkled in. We’re excited for more of Néhémie’s golden voice and heartfelt songwriting.
See her live at the Commodore Ballroom on Feb. 23.
Catch them play their hometown headliner at the Commodore Ballroom on Jan. 19.
Hua Li 化力
Jayda G
For fans of FKA twiggs, MARINA, and Rina Sawayama
For fans of Fred again . ., Disclosure, and Major Lazer
A springy synth bassline plucks over lush poppy poetry in Hua Li 化力’s freshest single, “Cherrier,” planting a seed for her upcoming project, ripe fruit falls but not in your mouth. Thematic track titles like “Peonies” and “Feed Me Petals” make us hopeful for a spring release. The Montrealbased “half-Chinese, half-militant, halfrapper of your heart” describes the album as her “crying at the club record.” A fusion of dance, R&B, jazz, and hip-hop, ripe fruit is sure to be, well, fruitful.
From Grand Forks, BC, Jayda G is a Grammynominated musician and DJ. Her electronic dance style elevates signature catchy pop rhythms. G’s 2023 album, Guy, takes on an introspective approach to songwriting ignited by techno beats. Singles such as “Circle Back Around” and “Scars” showcase G’s softer side while still keeping true to her up-beat style. G also performed heartfelt live sessions of many of the album’s songs this year. No Canadian tour dates are currently set, but 2024 is shaping up to be a big year for G as she’s set to perform in Spain and Australia this summer.
January 15, 2024
VERSES OF SOLIDARITY
ʔƏYX̓ WATƏNA:T
ARTS & CULTURE
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SPORTS
Sports Editor Isabella Urbani · Sports Writer Kaja Antic · sports@the-peak.ca
BON VOYAGE
Team Canada’s captain and Vancouverite Fraser Minten described the unanticipated loss as “feel[ing] like the world’s ending a bit.”
OPPORTUNITY’S KNOCKING
January 15, 2024
SPORTS
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FINAL HURRAH
Surrounded by the Canadian team — past and present — Sinclair entered the pitch in the maple leaf-adorned kit for the final time, and the tens of thousands in attendance roared for their champion.
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HUMOUR
Humour Editor C Icart · humour@the-peak.ca
January 15, 2024
HUMOUR
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Business Manager Yuri Zhou · business@the-peak.ca
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