When my non-teacher friends describe teachers, words like type A, perfectionist, and control freak tend to be at the top of the list and although they may say it’s all in jest, I know that’s exactly how they see most educators. Truth be told that in conversation with colleagues and observing many classrooms, I have to […]
Financial literacy is defined as, “Having the knowledge and skills needed to make responsible economic and financial decisions with competence and confidence.” In A Sound Investment, 2010, a document released by the Ministry of Education, this is the definition according to leading experts called upon to look into the need to integrate financial literacy in the elementary and […]
One of my favourite moments in my practice are those times when I can sit for a few minutes and just reflect on what I’m doing, why I’m doing it, how I thought about things in the past and where my learning has taken me. Now, let’s be clear, these moments are few and far […]
Recently, our Grade 4 class began exploring habitats and communities in our Science unit. The children were very excited to share what they thought we would be learning about and which habitats and animals they were looking forward to researching. One student was eager to tell the class that she saw dolphins at a marine […]
This year I begin a new journey as I welcome the opportunity to teach Grade 4. For the record, I must admit that I was a bit nervous simply because I’ve been teaching Grade 6 and above for the past five years. However, the first week has proven that if we enjoy getting to know […]
As our school year winds down, I thought I’d share a few ideas I’ve used in the past along with some I’ve recently come across that can create fun and meaningful opportunities to reflect on the learning and overall experience in our classrooms this year. END OF YEAR BOOKLET: This booklet is geared toward junior […]
Ever since I can remember, I have always strived to surround myself with people and experiences that inspire and motivate me to question, learn, and celebrate the art of living. My teachers, or gurus, have manifested themselves in different forms. A parent, a sister, my son, a friend, poets and writers in my favourite books, […]
The last month has been a whirlwind of learning and creating social action in our classroom! It is amazing how a simple learning goal can transform into an inquiry project that takes us and our students to another level of understanding. Of course, those are the most unforgettable experiences which often lead to continual exploration […]
I love teaching writing. Let me be more specific. I loved teaching writing except when it came to poetry. For some reason, I’ve always managed to bring to life the other writing formats and genres with engaging lessons set upon a backdrop of real world contexts. The students, for the most part, ate it all […]
I am currently taking a Mentoring AQ course that is really impacting my understanding of equity in education and how I can work with my colleagues to explore this topic in our teaching practice. I truly believe that it is necessary for all of us to take a step back and explore equity as it pertains […]