As someone who is passionate and truly geeky about the power of technology in education, I often hear from my fellow teachers, “I’m not really a techie person.” Now, I get where they are coming from because technology can be intimidating. Many times I’ve said, “I’m not really a math person.” I can “do” math […]
Bitmoji Education
Love it or hate it, the app of Bitmoji has worked it’s way into education and particularly into distance learning. From “digital” stickers for feedback to entire Google Slide Classrooms with doors to other rooms, Bitmoji is everywhere. Bitmojis are dancing, pointing and fainting all over educational platforms. Confession time? I’m on the love it […]
Overwhelming Resources
As we engage in distance/remote/online/emergency learning Educators are being inundated with resources and tools to use in their virtual classrooms. It isn’t easy to decide which would be most effective and which ones are safe for teachers and students to use. There is no one size fits all answer to this but there are a […]
Inspiration During the COVID Crisis
I know that as I write this, I speak from a fortunate position. We are working safely from home and all of us are still healthy. Other than not being able to see extended family and friends, having some aches and pains from being in front of the computer and get out to the hair […]
Content and Copyright Considerations in Distance Learning
The move to distance learning has certainly had some pitfalls. On top of all of the programming changes and logistical considerations, we’re hearing horror stories of the inappropriate use of digital tools and teachers unintentionally violating copyright laws. It is crucial for teachers to make themselves aware of the privacy and security guidelines for their […]
Illness, Shame and the Educator Martyr Complex
A recent Twitter post from Liz Ryan @humanworkplace read: Coronavirus is teaching us that: Healthcare is a right Paid sick time is a right Many, many people could do their work from home (clearly not teachers) We are more dependent on a healthy society than we want to acknowledge This tweet got me thinking about a […]
Mindfulness in Education
There is a significant amount of research about the benefits of mindfulness in education. Much of the research shows that consistent mindfulness practices in classrooms lead to lower stress levels and higher test scores. It is a hot topic and wanting to to do the best for students, we are seeing more of it in […]
Say Less, Ask More
Sometimes the smallest change can make a huge difference, especially in education. Things such as greeting students individually upon arrival at school can set the tone for the entire day. Small changes in habitual behaviours can improve communication and relationships with students. Over the last few months I’ve been reading the work of Michael Bungay […]
Coding in Kindergarten
I have taught every grade from K-8 in some way, shape or form. I can say that without a doubt or apology I have more respect for Kindergarten teachers than any other grade level. Hands down. I have loved every grade I taught while I was teaching it. I was young and without children when […]