Mindful Ed

In our session today,  +Michelle Booth  and I shared our learning journeys using digital tools (D2L ePortfolio and Blogger) to create professional portfolios. We examined portfolios as reflection-in-action (on going) and reflection-on-action (showcasing).  It is not a one or other thing - I personally use blog feeds to curate, capture, and reflect and pages within Blogger for portfolio building. The image to the right is a live shot taken while presenting as a way to demonstrate the ease of adding artifacts. Check out our Slide Deck below: After our session I went to the Learning Space area to talk about Periscope in the classroom - an app that allows for real-time broadcasting and social sharing. The discussion was vibrant and thought-provoking. My biggest 'ah-ha' was the need for digital citizenship to be embedded within decision making in the classroom as it happens. Discussions of the pros and cons of apps and digital tools are necessary for stude...

The purpose of this post is to reflect upon my first experiences with spiral math and document the initial process of teacher learning and planning. As an educator new to intermediate this year, I feel grateful to be a part of this learning journey with my teaching partners. Last spring we gathered together with our consultant to develop a conceptual understanding of spiral math. What is spiral math? How is it planned and implemented and why? How might it benefit student learning? The prezi below gives a great snapshot of some of the theoretical understandings that support this approach. During this session, we dove into the curriculum and began extracting big ideas that would be the foundation of our spirals - common threads weaving concepts and processes together.  Grant Wiggins podcast  on big ideas offers insights into the pedagogy of big ideas. Our BIG IDEAS collection:  -We represent our thinking in many ways -We identify, connect and compare relationship...

I have had many friends and colleagues ask about my first weeks teaching in the intermediate division. All I can say is GREAT! It truly has been a great experience so far. I feel a renewed sense of energy and excitement for teaching. It has been busy. I spend many evenings late at work as I did in my first years teaching - figuring out the perfect hook to kick-start a lesson, finding relevant and captivating materials for reading and inquiry, moderating with my wonderful teaching partners as I navigate assessment. I have loved every minute! Why you ask? It's the kids! They have been so kind, so patient, so understanding. From the very first day when they walked into an empty classroom, they have had open minds and open hearts. We have created a cozy physical space where we all enjoy working and learning together. The wooden table and bench my grandpa made many years ago is perched under the window. It fills me with joy when I see students sitting at it side by side. I have made m...

It's the night before school starts and it amazes me that even after 9 years teaching I still get the back to school jitters. I know I am not alone in feelings of excitement, apprehension, and restlessness. The tangible and intangible drawing nearer - Are my introductory lessons prepared? How will they be received? Do I have all materials ready? How are the students feeling? What barriers will have to be overcome? How can I best make connections with these new individuals - based on trust, respect, kindness? This year is slightly different, as tomorrow marks my first day teaching in the intermediate division. After a summer of reading and reflecting on overarching pedagogical practices, I am attempting to put a vision to life. Part of this reflection has included thoughts on how to establish community with students at this grade level. I made a conscious decision to leave the walls bare, desks pushed to the side, and chairs in a circle. It is my hope that together we can create...

"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. ...

Change has been a central tenet in my life over the past few months. I have come to embrace it, appreciate the subtle ways change alters our thinking, our perceptions, our hopes, our motivations. In my personal experience, the process of change is easy compared to the strife of deciding to actually make the change. This has been true personally and professionally. For all of those wonderful people in my life who have been there with a listening ear, I thank you! The decision to change divisions has been something I have been contemplating since last September. As I worked away on my Masters of Education, I benefited from linking theory with practice in a grade level I was comfortable with. I was able to integrate changing pedagogical beliefs into my practice because of my familiarity with the content and developmental level of the students. I now feel I am ready to apply what I have learned to another realm. My practice as a primary educator has evolved over the course of a decade. ...

This past weekend I had the opportunity to attend the Math + Coding Symposium at Western University. It was a three day event filled with lively discussions, opportunities to 'make' and play, as well as keynotes by expert in the field. These experts included  Celia Hoyles , Richard Noss , and Yasmin B. Kafai . For more information on the outline of the symposium as well as detailed descriptions of the keynote addresses please click on the link:   http://researchideas.ca/coding/ Throughout the weekend, three main themes emerged for me: - Coding as Literacy - Computational Thinking and Mathematical Processes - Energizing and Supporting the Grassroots Movements in Ontario CODING AS LITERACY In her keynote address, Dr. Yasmin Kafai discussed how understanding code relates to our abilities to contribute and connect in today's society on functional, political, and personal levels. In this way, viewing coding as an essential literacy skill in order to interact mean...