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Diane Kim English As Second Language (ESL), English Language Learners (ELLs), General, Language Learning

Sponge Blog

Just immerse Multilingual Language Learners in English, they’ll soak it up before you know it.

Don’t worry, children are wired for language acquisition; they’ll pick up English quickly.

Young children are like sponges! Just keep talking, they’ll absorb whatever you say.

I have heard these types of statements my entire career. They pop up not infrequently in ESL discussions and seem to imply (at least on some level) that when you have a beginner MLL in your class, it’s fine to carry on as usual. That a classroom teacher can continue instructing and speaking as they normally would. That mere exposure to words will result in the eventual learning of them. That English is largely being “soaked up” with no intentional scaffolding or supports necessary. While young children do have some inherent advantages in acquiring language, the “sponge” approach to language acquisition may require some unpacking… Consider the following excerpt from a grade 4 science lesson:

Look at this big rock everyone! This is obsidian. It is a deep, rich black and very smooth. And this smaller one, it’s called sandstone. It feels rough but I love its vibrant orange. Over here we have another smaller one, lapis lazuli. What a vivid blue! And glossy… Look at how the light reflects off it. Oh, and feel the rock’s texture…it’s smooth isn’t it? Not at all like this one, it’s name is pumice… so sharp and porous and rough! This pointy pink one over here is named quartz…

The above lesson intro seems fine so far. The teacher is using realia, holding up actual rocks and minerals as they speak. Perfect for engaging students and demonstrating concepts. There are also some rich and varied Tier 2 and Tier 3 vocabulary in there, always helpful for expanding student lexicons. Yes, by all accounts, this short script could effectively begin a grade 4 lesson on rocks.

But what about a beginner MLL sitting in the class? Would any of this rich language and meaning be accessible to them? Maybe. Maybe not…

Notice how the grammatical structure changes in every sentence – the teacher uses five different grammar constructs to achieve one purpose: introducing rock names (this is obsidian … it is called sandstone, here we have lapis, it’s name is pumice, this one over here is named quartz…). While fluent speakers of English may follow this chain of sentences easily, a beginner MLL may find this jumble of constructs confusing. They may be able to expertly name items in varied ways in their first language but may not yet have learned even one way in English and need support to do so. And notice how the teacher jumps about from colour to size to texture to lustre… So is “pointy” a colour? Is “blue” a texture? Is “smooth” a size? What may be a language-rich description for fluent speakers of English soon becomes a confusing maze for MLLs, with so many linguistic twists and turns it may be difficult to glean any new words from it.

Instead, at least for part of the lesson, the classroom teacher could use a patterned, repeated, and predictable construct to introduce rock names.  In addition, if the learning task involves sorting by texture, an initial focus on those adjectives rather than an onslaught of all descriptors at once may help beginner MLLs understand more linguistic and academic content in the lesson:

This is obsidian. It is smooth. This is lapis lazuli. It is smooth. This is sandstone. It is rough. This is pumice. It is rough.

Couple the above with gestures, choral reads for emphasis, and sorting of physical rocks by trait on a graphic organizer, and you have a turbo-charged recipe for language acquisition and curriculum access. And the above speech need not be a robotic read either. I have seen teachers deliver patterned sentences like this with panache, slowing their rate of speech, pausing dramatically, and adding expression and flair that would engage even the most determined naysayer. Some are more subdued, adding the sentences with natural ease. Everyone finds their own style eventually.

So how do we determine which language to intentionally highlight in our lessons? Establishing the level of English proficiency of your student, in collaboration with your ESL teacher or system ESL staff, is a first step. From there, Jim Cummins and Margaret Early offer a helpful planner for teachers, that assists in isolating not only the academic content they deliver to the whole class, but also the related language and linguistics objective:

I love this planner because it encourages consideration of the types of tasks and texts that occur during lessons, and which vocabulary and language structures are likely to emerge from them, that the MLL will need to know. The planner helps us to clearly identify both the curriculum and language objectives in any given lesson and emphasizes that they are related. Learning language and curriculum hand-in-hand, as the saying goes… And if you want to explore this type of planning further, ETFO offers an excellent guide: Program Adaptations for MLLs.

So, should classroom teachers speak in patterned and repetitious ways throughout the entire lesson? No, of course not. I have seen brilliant educators seamlessly weave in highlighted and intentional patterns of speaking in their lessons, at just the right moments, ensuring there are entry points and growth in the lesson for everyone. It just takes a little practice to find your stride. And so with use of realia, gestures, and language scaffolding, MLLs do begin to “soak up” the language … but not because of mere proximity. Rather, they absorb it because the teacher makes it comprehensible.

There are many ways to intentionally highlight language in lessons, the above is just one example. But beyond improved curriculum access and linguistic development, perhaps the most important benefit of such lesson delivery is student well-being. Being able to understand and participate in the same lesson as your peers is essential to belonging, and knowing you have a place in the classroom community. So whether you are teaching students in the classroom, ESL tutorial groups, or a pineapple under the sea, good luck highlighting those beautiful words that welcome all your students into the lesson.

References

Cummins, J., & Early, M. (2015). Big ideas for expanding minds: Teaching English language learners across the curriculum. Pearson Canada.

Rashmee Karnad-Jani Advocacy for change, Advocacy for public education, Classroom Layouts, First Week Reflections, Learning About Your Students

September Blossoms

Hello Fellow Travellers,

Welcome back to you and me in our schools, classrooms, to our routines and to this special place where we connect and converse.

To those who are just coming to this space, welcome also. I am delighted to be able to return to The Heart and Art of Teaching and Learning for the 3rd term of writing as it gives me an opportunity to learn from and with you, my colleagues who write alongside, as well as everyone else who reads and responds to my writing.

Why This Greeting?

Like many students, families and colleagues in Ontario, I too am multilingual and in one of the my languages the word for people who are on the same journey especially metaphorically, are referred to as hum-suh-fur or fellow traveller. This is why I often address you as my fellow traveller.  We carry similar loads, sometimes more, sometimes less. We travel routes left for us by educators who taught our students previously and we will leave our footprints for others to look at and determine if they want to walk alongside or take a different route.

The Map for the Read Ahead

The map for the road ahead appears to be a fluid one and we get to determine with our students and colleagues how we would like to proceed. That said, there are many supports available to me and you from ETFO resources of which some key ones, I am sharing below.  Please visit, review and share with early career colleagues and those who have taught longer because just like we want our students to be lifelong learners, we too need to keep learning.

Register on ETFO Website and Login

When you register and/or update your contact information on the ETFO website, you can access a variety of rich resources created by members for members.

Also, you can get prompt access to the latest information from ETFO even if there is a time lag in getting it from the school-based stewards of your local.

Open Access Resources

These are some key ones that you and others will find helpful.

Pedagogy and Professional Judgement Series 

Thoughtful Assessment: Equitable Practices to Improve Student Learning in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

Some Previous Conversations

In the 2 years I have been connecting with you through this space, I am sharing some conversations that were well received ny colleagues that you may browse through to get to know me better.

Please write back and share what you want to talk about.

Welcome to ETFO

Of Lawn Signs and Talking to People

Leave Your Shoes At The Door

Supporting Special Education Needs: Part 3

As I say bye for now, please know that you are not alone though sometimes it may feel that way.

A light pink cosmos flower held between finger and thumb by the gardener who is wearing silver rings. The flower is set against background of green foliage.
September Blossoms

With You, In Solidarity

Rashmee Karnad-Jani

Diane Kim English As Second Language (ESL), English Language Learners (ELLs), General

Equitable Read-Alouds

Read-alouds have always been one of the more magical parts of teaching for me. Pictures and words bring rich stories to life, and suddenly the class is immersed in tales that might be whimsical, moving, hilarious, suspenseful, heart-breaking, or uplifting… It’s hard to imagine a more powerful learning medium.  As a new teacher I remember marveling at the hush that would fall across a carpet full of students when I took out a book, held it up, and began reading to a suddenly-motionless class. And I remember my own school days, sitting on similar carpets, similarly enthralled.

Most (if not all) of the read-aloud experience back then was in the listening. The teacher would simply open a picture book and start reading, usually without much introduction. Flipping through the pages one by one, the teacher’s voice was the only one that filled the room, until the final sentence was uttered and the cover firmly closed. The End. Back to your seats, everyone. And although that uninterrupted story time was a joyful experience, and valuable in and of itself, I love what we have added to that joy in more recent years: isolating and defining interesting vocabulary that pops up in the story, decoding key words from the text and studying their morphology, exploring curriculum connections found within the book, and using music, art, and drama to explore character, conflicts, connections, and solutions.

But all of that great learning starts with the first reading itself, listening to the tale for the simple and beautiful pleasure of it. In fact, many teaching guides recommend this as the first step: before diving into text study, just read the book for pure enjoyment, like the old days on the carpet.

And it would be heartbreaking if any student were excluded from that wondrous story time with their peers…

We tend to think of read-alouds as universally accessible, that anyone could sit through a cold reading and be included in the moment. But for a student new to English, it is difficult to imagine they would feel much inclusion in that initial read.  Words that fill the air with emotion and story for others may be incomprehensible to a beginner Multilingual Language Learner. Pictures that capture the imagination of everyone in the room may be culturally unfamiliar and equally perplexing – and even if they are familiar to the student, they have no access to the language that introduces and explains them. Instead of enjoying the story along with their classmates, MLLs may sit flummoxed, perhaps fidgeting or staring out the window while their peers listen to the tale, while we educators occasionally remind them to “pay attention” to what amounts to white noise.

So how do we make sure every student is included in that community? How do we make that first reading accessible to everyone, including MLLs? Here are some initial questions and considerations that may help:

 

Planning Stage – Background Knowledge

  • What aspects of the story I have chosen might be unfamiliar to the MLL?
  • If it is unfamiliar, how can I build schema around story content before the whole class reading?
  • Is there a different book I could choose that is more familiar to the student?
  • Is there a dual language book on a similar topic, written in both the language of instruction and the language of the student, that they could preview before the whole-class reading?
  • Can I translate parts of the book accurately for the student before the whole-class reading?
  • Can I use online storybooks that read picture books aloud in both English, French, and many other languages?

 

Planning Stage – Language Features

  • What vocabulary will the MLL need to understand the story?
  • Could I pre-teach this vocabulary with a simple picture walk before the whole-class read?
  • What simple, student-friendly definitions could I prepare for these words ahead of time?
  • Can students easily “chime in” or repeat language in the book for oral language practice?

 

Show Time – The Whole-class Reading

  1. Before the first read, do a short picture walk through the text with the whole class, simply pointing to vocabulary in the pictures and having the class repeat.
  2. Then point to that vocabulary again in the pictures as you read the story naturally to the class.
  3. Slow your rate of speech and add emphasis to highlight vocabulary.
  4. If your read-aloud has patterned, repeated, and predictable sentences, have the class “chime in” at key points for oral language practice.

 

These are just a few ways to make your read-alouds accessible to all students, no matter their level of language proficiency. And regardless of which ones work for your students, I wish you magical journeys into those story times for everyone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tracy Jansen-Sequeira General

What’s in a name? Oh so much!

A student enters a learning space for the first time, and a million thoughts run through your mind about how you can make them feel welcomed, safe and included.

There are many ways to make a space inclusive, but one of the simplest and most impactful ways is all in knowing, understanding and properly pronouncing students’ names. It sets a tone. It opens the door to discussion about identities as well as developing literacy. 

As I’ve mentioned to students whether in kindergarten or in high school, and even colleagues, the first and most special word should always be one’s name. To show respect and to honour identities, the pronunciation of names is so crucial. Sadly and quite often, when I’ve met students and colleagues, they’ll quite often shorten their name or tell me, “You can just say it this way” because that’s what their normal has become. You’ve probably heard, “Oh, it’s just a name” or “It’s too long to remember,” but that is not okay. It negates one’s identity rather than celebrating it. When learning about names, it reinforces mutual respect for each individuals’ identity and it encourages lived experiences and knowledge to be shared by not only students, but also their families. Here are some ways to help build an inclusive learning space by focusing on names.

1. Write out each students’ name phonetically. For example, you can write it like this: Tracy – (Tray-see).  Yes, it may take a little longer to go through the attendance that day, but it lays the foundation for respect and care.

2. Make it accessible, not just for you, but for students and colleagues, too. Post a list on the classroom wall, your desk, each student’s name/desk tag, in the attendance folder or digitally in an Learning Management System (LMS), like Brightspace or Google Classroom. Think of multimodal ways, such as a visual and and audio clip connected to a QR code on a classroom wall, email or within an LMS. The more places the names are, the more everyone feels included.

3. If students are co-creating the learning space with you through their art, name tags, scribe or have students write the phonetical pronunciation.

4. One of my favourite ways to learn about names is through an assignment or unit. However, it’s important to know the situation of home life before beginning. Be considerate of varied backgrounds and family structures, including limited to no connection to birth family. One way to support all students is through a research project. Learning about their names can be the first “research” they need to do, and it’s a great way to discuss the differences between primary and secondary resources, such as name dictionaries. 

5. Ask Administration and the Office to write the phonetical pronunciation of a student’s name on the information card, email or even a sticky note. It can change the culture in the school, not just a learning space within it.

When a student hears their name properly pronounced or is able to share how their name was chosen, it builds another way of community connection. It builds a positive learning community, one that is respectfully inclusive and welcoming in the simplest but kindest manner.

Jen Reid Before School Starts, Student voice

Time for Setup

I consider myself a novice gardener. I started four or five years ago when the teacher who ran the garden club at my school moved to another school, and I realized that we needed someone to coordinate and continue the work she had started.

A fellow teacher and I worked to keep the momentum going, and I realized how amazing it is to plant and grow vegetables. This realization led me to take a look at my own very neglected yard, and I started the journey of learning how to plant and maintain a garden. This past summer as I wandered around my yard, thinking about where things should go, planting vegetables and flowers, and digging out goutweed and other invasive species, it felt akin to setting up a classroom.

My inexperience often means it takes me time to make gardening decisions: I have to really think about what I am doing and where things should go. As a seasoned teacher, my classroom setup is faster: I have years of experience knowing what works, how I might tweak things, and an understanding that the classroom will evolve over time. The school year is long, and how the space is used by students and teachers is dynamic.

I remember my first year with a classroom: I spent two weeks setting up. I put fadeproof paper with borders on every bulletin board, purchased lots of supplies at the teacher’s store that I never really used, and spent a great deal of time arranging posters and areas on bulletin boards. A few weeks into the school year, a school reorganization happened—I was moved into a different classroom and all of that work was lost. I should have spent that time hanging out in my backyard, enjoying the last gasps of summer!

Looking back, I’ve realized that whether you teach 6-year-olds or 13-year-olds, setting up a room isn’t about filling empty wall space—it’s about deliberately preparing the ground for your students to take ownership.

Here is the essential setup to focus on before day one:

Desk Layout and Learning Zones: Set up desks as well as areas of the classroom where different types of learning can occur (e.g., reading area and books, building area, games, math manipulatives). A break spot for emotional self regulation can also be very helpful.

Material Management: Label student materials (e.g., lockers, duotangs/notebooks). Determine a plan and space for students to access school supplies such as pencils, rulers, scissors, glue sticks, and markers.

Anchor Walls (Not Decor): Keep bulletin boards mostly bare. Leave room to co-create class agreements, anchor charts, and display student work as the year unfolds. Organize a space for Jobs, and determine what those jobs are.

Visual Routines: Draft a daily schedule and calendar. Using green painter’s tape directly on a board creates clean grids that keep both you and students grounded. Make daily, weekly, and monthly routines visible and editable.

First-Week Foundations: Plan the initial community-building routines and draft your day-one home communication. If you have time, set up a parent/guardian communication binder and an Occasional Teacher binder.

Think deliberately about the spaces you want, and remember that the classroom environment should be developed collaboratively with the students. A conversation about classroom agreements and learning starts on the first day and continues throughout the year, and so the walls and spaces of the classroom should reflect the students’ work and ideas. Like a garden, the students will change and grow, and the classroom space should reflect that transformation over time.
Sharon Ethier General

Beauty and Joy in Mathematics

As a student, I would venture to say that math was felt very different. There were a lot of equations and my teacher would write examples on the board to help us to find the right answer to the problems. I could follow along with the examples and formulas and felt confident in completing my homework and worksheets. 

As an adult in university, I had a really great professor. He was so passionate about mathematics and often talked about the “beauty” of math. Things shifted for me as we spent a lot of time trying different strategies to get the right answers. This was the beauty my professor kept talking about!  Thinking about problems and trying out new ideas for solutions. 

Fast forward a few more years and as a teacher candidate, I was now responsible for helping students to understand math. This was a catalyst for me! I wanted my students to have amazing math experiences that would empower them to become mathematicians. It seemed like some things never changed; I was a math student again, in a different way this time. I had a wonderful professor while studying my Bachelor of Education. His classes were all hands on; there were visuals and there were experiences and he chatted with us about our thinking and learning. He made space for us to explore, to question, to articulate what we saw and thought and wondered about. 

Math continued to be beautiful as I used representations and manipulatives.  Mathematics lived here between what I saw and experienced in magnitude and measurement and what I wrote down on the page.  It wasn’t just magic or following examples, it was a language that helped me to communicate what I was doing and what I saw happening. 

In those early days of my career, I engaged in a lot professional learning opportunities including co-planning and co-teaching with colleagues, watching videos of classrooms, reading research and new resources, and even observed some amazing teacher mentors doing amazing math.  I earned a Math Specialist as an AQ through ETFO and it was such an inspirational experience to engage in thinking about building my knowledge as a math teacher. Teaching math was  was exciting and a space where my teacher colleagues and I found joy. 

At this stage of my math journey, I still find math beautiful, but also enjoy a sense of curiosity and wonder. When I’m planning and reading the curriculum expectations, I always make sure to click on the teacher supports found under the specific expectations. The examples show the kinds of things students might write to demonstrate their thinking and the manipulatives they might use to represent their ideas. I take my time with the key concepts too; they help me deepen my own understanding of the math I want students to explore. The sample tasks are a great tool as well. They paint a picture of what the learning experience could look like in the classroom and spark ideas for how I can frame those moments so students have the chance to experience math in a way that leads them to make sense of the mathematics. All of these supports are there to help math feel vibrant and alive.  

While I’m not a mathematician like Sophie Germain or Maryam Mirzakhani, I find beauty and wonder in math. Of all possibilities, this journey has led me to becoming a math teacher and maybe that’s the kind of mathematician that students need.

Sharon Ethier General

Taking a Break

There is a moment in the classroom when the students are curious.  You’ve probably noticed this moment because it changes the energy of the entire room.  There’s a certain buzz of anticipation; maybe it’s the moment when they are waiting to see what happens next in a science experiment or listening for the next exciting part in the shared reading.  It’s the moment of pure engagement. 

On the other hand, there are other moments when it seems like the students feel disengaged. The classroom feels sleepy and dull, the students are clearly disinterested. I’m sure you’ve felt that moment, too.  The vibe in the room feels like I’m putting on a performance and getting a one star review. 

It’s at these moments that I recognize we need to take a break; we need something to re-energize our systems and get us back on track.  Over my years in teaching, I’ve learned the importance of breaks.  As a student, I can remember many moments of just listening to information or sitting and working for (what felt like) hours and eventually being unable to absorb any more information. My students feel the same way sometimes!  I’m not always the best ‘edutainer’ and sometimes I’m focussed on getting stuff done, but deep down I know that if the students are hitting a plateau then they are no longer in a place of learning. 

This is a great opportunity to take a break!  Reading the body language and emotions of students also means that we can respond to them.  If you’re feeling the energy start to dip or frustration start to grow, consider taking a break to bring the students back to a learning stance. I know that when I’ve spent a lot of time in heavy thinking, a break is always welcome.  While there are many different kinds of breaks to offer, there are a few of my stand by favourites that can easily be incorporated into the classroom.

Movement Breaks

Have a class that likes to get up a move?  A movement break is a great body break that helps students to move their bodies and have a little fun.  This could look like a dance break. Have your students choose a few of their favourite songs and have a moment of music and fun!  You might choose a movement break that gets them to use their imaginations, such as move around the room like you’re at 1.5 speed or 0.5 speed.  I’ve even had students share their own favourite movement break with me, whether it’s Simon Says or Silent Ball, honouring student voice is a great way to let them be creative and feel heard. 

Talking Activities

I love a good moment to chat with my friends.  You might try some talking breaks that incorporate movement, such as Would You Rather where students move to one side or another when making a decision and share their ideas with their peers.  Another fun talking break we use is Mingling to Music; students move about the room to music and when the music stops they must discuss a question or statement with a friend standing close to them. You might even ask students to create questions or topics that they would like to discuss with their peers.  You will likely find out some cool things about the students’ interests!

Brain Teasers

Not all breaks need to involve movement, sometimes a quick brain teaser or game will do the trick.   A fun strategy game we play are counting games, such as Count To  Ten, where students can strategize how to eliminate their friends from the game. One year my students loved a game we called Top Ten where we would try to guess the Top Ten of something, such as Top Ten Disney Movies, or Top Ten Animals You Would Find on a Farm.  I’d Google the answers beforehand and, in teams, the students would try to guess the answers on the top ten list. I learned a lot about what my students liked that year because they all wanted to submit their top ten subjects which ranged from baseball teams to R&B artists.  

In the rush to get through the lesson plan, these breaks might feel like time away from learning, but they’re actually part of the learning. I consider them an investment that helps students return to engagement, that energy we all feel when the room suddenly comes alive again. In all honesty, they help me return to that place too. We all benefit from a break when tasks feel heavy or our thoughts feel sluggish. Our brains need variety, our bodies need movement, and all of us need moments of connection and play.

When the room feels heavy or the energy dips, this is an opportunity to understand more about my students.  An invitation and a reminder that we are building a learning community together and these fun activities can help us to learn about one another and share some smiles. When we honour these moments, we make space for the magic to return. And that’s when the real learning begins.

Check out these links to some of the games in the post: 

Silent Ball: https://www.playworks.org/game-library/silent-ball/

Simon Says: https://www.playworks.org/game-library/simon-says/

Count To Ten: https://greatcampgames.ca/casual-games/ten/

Mingling to Music: https://www.eleducation.org/curriculum/protocols/musical-mingle/

Would You Rather: https://www.weareteachers.com/would-you-rather-scenarios-elementary/

 

Geeta Kumar General

Structured Literacy Shift Series: Final Thoughts

Over the past year I have been reflecting on my shifts in practice in relation to my literacy practice. You can see them all below:

There have been many more shifts, as I continue to learn about better and best practices. However I named these shifts because they are the ones that stayed in my practice in lasting ways and had a significant impact on student outcomes. Each shift was not an add on, but rather a better understanding that literacy development extend beyond phonics instruction to include other areas such as reading comprehension, vocabulary, morphology, writing.

What kept me motivated was the way my students decoded unfamiliar words with more confidence. I heard it in their dialogue and use of language during discussions. I noticed it when they make connections across texts and ideas. These were not isolated successes. This was the result of sustained, intentional shifts in instruction.

Through these shifts, I learned that meaningful change in literacy instruction (or any practice for that matter) is not about constantly adding something new. It is about strengthening and refining what works. It will not work well the first time (and most of the time quite frankly, it did not). Engaging in critical dialogue with peers, collaborating with colleagues and experts, and reflecting on assessment data helped me to refine these practices over time.

These shifts are not an endpoint. They are a foundation that I will keep refining. I know there will always be more to learn, more to refine, and more to shift. But perhaps the more important question is not what else we can add, but what we are willing to stay with long enough to see real change?

Sharon Ethier General

Community

Every year I start in my garden just a little bit later than the year before, not on purpose, but because May and June are so busy as a teacher. “Professional” gardeners on social media share helpful advice – from when to plant to when to close down the garden to what grows best in different light, soil, and other conditions.  Sometimes I’m even able to follow these best practices!

But my favourite ‘professionals’ are the real people in my circle. My friends, with whom I swap stories when they come for a visit.  My neighbours,  when we theorize about why we have the same plant but mine grows a lot bigger and wider while hers is a more manageable size. These conversations, as “amateur” gardeners, are as much about sharing as they are about gardening.  We try new strategies when we are rooting plants, move our leafy friends to different windows or places in the garden and chat about the differences we see in their growth and thriving. We’re trying new things, learning, sharing our results (for better or worse!) and thinking through challenges together.  It’s like ongoing science experiments that we partake in and share the results of in a never ending science fair.  

Our staff at school feels like the same kind of community. Colleagues come together in small but meaningful ways. Maybe it’s the conversation in the hallway, sharing strategies and resources that we felt worked well and ones where I need a little advice. It can be the scheduled prep time where we bring in student work and look at it together.  Sometimes it’s sharing the frustration when things didn’t go as planned and brainstorming together for a solution or a little shift that might make the difference. Every story about someone else’s classroom becomes a little cutting I can root in my own teaching. 

New ideas and resources take time to implement as we adjust, experiment, and observe together. I rarely teach a new lesson perfectly the first time. It can take awhile to work up to best practices, but it’s my colleagues that offer advice, and share their own stumbles that inspire me to keep trying. In teaching, as in gardening, there’s a joy in trying something new and seeing what happens. There’s comfort in knowing that I’m not on this learning journey alone. Just like gardening, teaching is ongoing, collaborative work where the results are never final, but always full of possibility.

Each spring, Annie starts her seeds indoors quite early and always saves some to share with us. Mal builds new structures and garden boxes and shows me her newest creations. Sandy always reminds me to just enjoy playing in the dirt and not to worry about perfection. I’m always late to the garden centres but it gives me the opportunity to get the best deals and share or swap what I find. My busiest time of year, as a teacher, falls during the optimum planting months, hence why I’m usually late to the party. Yet there’s no judgement from my little circle of gardeners, only support for my imperfect-but-always-trying practice. And through their encouragement, their joy, and their acceptance I’m reminded that growth always finds its way in community. 

Geeta Kumar Math

Good at math?

I can’t tell you how many times in my career I’ve heard students share with me “I’m not good at math!”. This often comes out of frustration when a task is challenging, students feel pressure or compare their performance to others. Math confidence is so important to foster as it’s tied to belonging, self-efficacy, and achievement. 

This year my school has been focused on improving students’ experiences in math, and helping them see themselves as successful mathematicians. In the fall, we collected some data to assess how students felt about math in different divisions. We found that as students moved into the junior and intermediate grades, their beliefs about themselves as mathematicians often shifted from positive to negative. It was a powerful reminder that students do not just learn math content over time; they also develop beliefs about whether math is ‘for them’.

As a school team, we decided to become more intentional about how we end each math lesson, whether it’s a 3-part lesson or a purposeful practice. At the end of each lesson, we now include a verbal self-assessment checklist. For example, students might hold up 5 fingers, and put a finger down if they tried more than one strategy, or used math talk, etc. This small routine gives students a chance to reflect on their learning,  notice the actions that support mathematicians. 

I have also been trying to make math feel more positive in my own classroom. I have found that when I normalize mistakes, students are more willing to take risks. I also praise perseverance, strategy use, and mathematical thinking rather than only correct answers. I also incorporate a self-assessment during exit tickets, so students can name how they are feeling about the learning. When students feel seen and supported, they are more likely to participate and try again.

“I’m not good at math” is not a complete sentence in our classroom anymore.  With the right structures, encouragement, and opportunities to reflect, students are beginning to extend the phrase “I am not good at math but or and… I can persevere and try different strategies.” When students begin to see themselves as capable thinkers, their relationship with math starts to change.

How do you respond when students say, “I’m not good at math!”?