Mindful Ed

"And today, fresh discoveries in cognition, inquiry, and collaboration show us even betters ways to help learners engage with ideas and drive each others' thinking- not just to remember information, but to build knowledge, to care, to act" (Harvey and Daniels, 2009, p. 7). How does what I know about teaching and learning in primary apply to the intermediate division? What structures and supports are necessary in the classroom environment to evoke the kind of thinking required for learning? My own "puzzle drive" led me to this book written by Stephanie Harvey and Harvey Daniels.  It came highly recommended by  @JennyLoebsack , a friend and mentor who I consider to be an inquiry-guru! What struck me instantly about this text, is the manner in which theory and practice are examined and explored. The authors share information and their own thinking in a highly conversational way. Part 1 lays the foundation, explains the why , of small group inquiry projects. ...

I was recently asked this following question: Can educators / do educators transfer effective literacy strategies to support student achievement in numeracy? My initial response: Of course!   However describing what this looks likes, sounds like, even feels like in the classroom is a more challenging of a task.  As described by Fiore, LeBar, & Scott-Dunne (2014) in the  4 Roles of the Numerate Learner , it begins with building relationships and cultivating a classroom community. This transcends content areas and provides the foundation for learning. Daily community circles where students have the opportunity to share their thinking and perspectives is central. Students begin to recognize that it is a safe place to share and connect. They take on the role of listener and speaker and feel their way through these roles.  In community circle, we share our triumphs and our failures, each equally celebrated knowing that we learn the most through our...

What do a box of recycling and an excerpt from a Bailey School Kids chapter book have in common? They can both lead to "Just In Time" learning.  Embracing the spontaneous learning moments that happen throughout the day is not always an easy task. Thoughts about 'what's next' and time pressures often get in the way of this. What I have come to find is that when we stop, think, act, and reflect on these moments we are not only facilitating meaningful learning for our students, but also modelling an inquiry stance. This is what it looks like and sounds like to be a critical thinker and learner in the world.    In Literacy, we are learning to Stop and Jot about our thinking. This includes making predictions, asking questions, connecting with characters, and identifying themes. Think Alouds and guided reading sessions are helping students maintain meaning as they read and 'think about their thinking'. We are currently reading a Bailey School Kids ...

The Power of Integrated Learning I have been curious about what integrated learning might look like in a primary classroom and the impact it may have on student engagement and learning. The Olympics seemed to be a perfect opportunity to give it a try. Relinquishing control over the what and how of learning enabled the students to explore topics that interested them. Their own "wonderings" guided our daily activities. These included researching how Olympians train for various sports, the meaning of symbols such as the Olympic rings, and Sochi Olympic mascots. We also agreed that tracking Olympics metals was very important. Using the Sochi iPad app, we translated raw data into pictographs and bar graphs. Towards the end of the Olympics during a classroom community circle, a student shared how they felt they had learned a lot but it was never boring and they liked doing the same 'kind of stuff' throughout the day. It wasn't just doing math, or readin...