Advocacy for change

Who Am I?

Gary Stewart
October 13, 2021
2SLGBTQ+, Advocacy for change, Advocacy for public education, Anti-Racism, Black Lives Matter, Inspiring Students, Inspiring Teachers, Making a Difference Through Education, Social Justice
4 Comments

If I have learned anything from the last year and a half is that the only thing that matters is NOW. Now is the time to laugh louder, now is the time to reach a bit higher and now is the time to hold on to loved ones just a little bit longer. For me […]

Mentoring Moments: Importance of Our Names

Nilmini Ratwatte Henstridge
October 8, 2021
Advocacy for change, Differentiated Instruction, Diverse Learning Needs, English As Second Language (ESL), English Language Learners (ELLs)
1 Comment

I always wanted to write why the name each of us are given is important to consider. Each year we have the privilege as an educator to touch and impact families as we teach their children. I emphasize as a teacher we teach children that belong to many cultures and backgrounds…As a teacher we have […]

Before you summer, take time to D.E.A.L

Will Gourley
June 30, 2021
Advocacy for change, Challenging Topics, Constant Learning, First Nations, Indigenous Perspectives, Indigneous Ways of Knowing, Making a Difference Through Education, self reflection, Social Justice, Social Studies, Truth and Reconciliation
1 Comment

Drop Everything and Learn This week, I hit the stop button on my life inside of the classroom for another school year. To quote the Grateful Dead. “What a long strange trip it’s been.” Yet, before shutting down, I need to D.E.A.L. more about how to deepen my understanding and leverage my white settler privilege […]

Break open…and rise up!

Velvet Lacasse
May 23, 2021
Advocacy for change, Anti-Racism, Challenging Topics, Constant Learning, Equity, Indigenous Perspectives, Mindfulness, Professional Learning and Growth, Remote Learning, Social Justice
2 Comments

Spring is a good time to reflect and pay attention to growth, change and transformation. After a long year of isolation and stillness, everyone is hopeful about the promise of movement and possibility. Planting seeds is a wonderful metaphor of the learning that we are doing together in our school communities. Planting Seeds:Jenny Davis is […]

Point of View

Velvet Lacasse
May 1, 2021
Advocacy for change, Anti-bullying, COVID19, Curriculum Planning, Gender Equity, Inclusion, Indigenous Perspectives, Integration, Learning in a Real Life Context, Literacy, Media Literacy, Music, Play-Based Learning, Remote Learning, Social Justice, The Arts
Comments

This month, we are exploring different points of view through reading and writing a variety of texts. This “big idea” has many possibilities for critical thinking and cross-curricular integration with Media Literacy, Social Studies, Science, Visual Arts, Music and Drama. In my Grade 2 class, we have used point of view to explore issues of […]

Gender Splendour!

Velvet Lacasse
March 30, 2021
Advocacy for change, Anti-bullying, Anti-Racism, Building Inclusion, Equity, Gender Equity, General, Inquiry, LGBTQ2S, Music, Social Justice
2 Comments

This year, our school community will celebrate Gender Splendour from April 6-9, 2021.  It will be our 11th year implementing arts-based curriculum that explores gender identity and equity, 2SLGBTQ+ communities, inclusive families, and disrupts homophobia and transphobia.  Over the years, the Kindergarten-Grade 6 students have participated in several inclusive and intersectional workshops, including: Love Makes […]

International Women’s Day

Melissa Turnbull
March 8, 2021
21st Century Learning, Advocacy for change, Building Inclusion, Gender Equity, Inclusion, LGBTQ2S, Social Justice
Comments

Happy International Women’s Day!   What does this mean to you? What does this mean to your teaching practice?   Feminism is for everyone “Eighty-one percent of the members of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) are women and, in many ways, the history of women teachers reflects the struggles of all Canadian women” […]

About next month

Will Gourley
February 28, 2021
Advocacy for change, Anti-Racism, Black History Month, Black Lives Matter, Equity, General, Making a Difference Through Education, Social Justice
Comments

Do not go gently into that next month. Do not close the book on the last one, and not open it up until the same time next year. Do not look at your checklist and think it is complete. There are still boxes to tick and more are being added each day. There is work […]

G.L.O.W.

Velvet Lacasse
February 28, 2021
Advocacy for change, Anti-bullying, Anti-Racism, Building Inclusion, Gender Equity, General, Inclusion, LGBTQ2S, Media Literacy, Social Justice
Comments

GLOW (Gay, Lesbian or Whatever) is an extracurricular club for Grades 6-8 students to explore issues related to the 2SLGBTQ+ community and their allies. We have been meeting on-line every week since April 2020. Before COVID-19, we would meet during lunch at school. GLOW is a proud and positive space for students and educators to […]

Student-Led Conferences

Velvet Lacasse
February 20, 2021
Advocacy for change, Assessment and Evaluation, Building Inclusion, Celebrating Success, Communication with Parents and Guardians, Curriculum Planning, Equity, Inclusion, Inquiry, Interviews, Report Cards, Year End Activities
Comments

Writing report cards and IEPs during COVID-19 was frustrating and stressful. COVID-19 has exposed deep inequities that affect families disproportionately, and it has impacted teaching, learning and assessment in significant ways. There are so many challenges to assessing and evaluating students on-line, and there are many strengths/skills that cannot be measured on a report card. […]

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