Last month on Twitter, a Tweet about “Crazy Hair Day” sparked interesting conversations around words, hair, and spirit. A long-standing practice in schools has been “Spirit Days”. Centered around themes that are supposed to demonstrate school or community “spirit”, these days have been around for as long as I have been in education. As a […]
Making a Difference Through Education
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 […]
The screens of silence
I am wondering whether the title of this post should be “The screams of silence” because that’s how it feels some days. It’s week four of emergency distance learning and I am feeling weaker for it. Is anyone else feeling this way from staring at their screen(s) all day? If asked, I’ve been responding with […]
Turning to Twitter when tested in #onted
Without dipping too far into my bag of clichés this month, I wanted to focus on the incredible work coming from educators in respose to the “new normal” brought by the COVID 19 pandemic. The same educators who were standing up for the future of our students last month have been working hard to support […]
May the 4th be with your students
Anyone else feeling a bit gutted after hearing the news that we will not be back in our classrooms until May the 4th? (writer raises hand) While listening to the Minister of Education deliver this news today I ran a range of emotions. Firstly, I am thankful that the government was proactive when it came […]
6/194 and cross-curricular life learning
6/194 and cross-curricular life learning. This blog title could also read, “Why a small fraction means so much to the future?” I am trying to make sense out of some pretty important numbers that are affecting us. By us, I mean students, their families, and educators. “Us” also means the entire fabric of society that […]
Class Size Matters: Then and Now
As I look back on my 1973/1974 grade 5 classroom of 29 students, there are significant differences in how we were taught. Teacher Qualifications: Our teacher did not have a university degree and only one year of teachers’ training. (I looked her up). Today’s teachers must complete a 4 year university degree and two years […]