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It’s that time of the year where I reflect on my practice, and think about THREE major lessons to take away. Here are my lessons from last year, if you are curious! 

This year felt like a lot. Being a combined grade primary-junior teacher (Grade 3/4) combined with starting off in a brand new school took a lot of energy. I felt capable when a lesson was successful and both grades were engaged. Some days I felt more tired.

But I showed up. Every day. And now it’s June, and I’m reflecting on what this year taught me.

1. Positive Self-Talk Matters… so everyone puts forth their best! 

Positive self-talk is about being kind to yourself and building resiliency through hard tasks. By modelling self-talk as an educator, it helps students experience growth and success, especially during times they feel stuck in the learning cycle.

2. STEM Matters… now more than ever!

Building identity, relations, and connection to STEM is important. It helps build resiliency, reasoning and critical thinking skills. By helping students see current diverse role models in STEM, students get the message that “we belong in these spaces.”

3. Handwriting Matters… to build neural pathways ,

In the times of technology, and as wonderful as it is… I reverted back to more pencil-paper tasks. I saw students slow down when they wrote by hand. They thought more. They remembered more (especially capitals and punctuation!). Of course technology is provided as support (or if it was outlined in an IEP).  But by pushing more handwriting tasks, students shared their own thinking more. Their notes, their reflections, their drafts – they approached the work differently. 

It wasn’t a perfect year but it was full of growth and moments where I surprised myself. And for me, that’s more than enough! 

What are your three lessons from this school year?

Dear Readers,

Thank you for supporting the Heart and Art of Teaching and Learning by reading, sharing and commenting. After several  years of contributing to the blog, this is a new moment for another member to have the opportunity to learn and grow as a teacher and writer. This is my final blog.

The challenge of blog writing is very similar to growing a garden and I hope the seeds I have planted will continue to blossom over the years. If you found some useful teaching tips in my blogs, please share so that the growth can continue!

The garden metaphor also applies to teaching as our students realize that growth requires patience, care, and resilience. As children learn a new concept or skill they will need a safe and nurturing space for it to become a deeper level of understanding, one that stays with them. Similarly, the water, soil, compost, sunlight and temperature will impact how well a plant can thrive. I am sure that if you are reading this blog you are constantly reflecting on your own practice and exploring ways to grow professionally in order to benefit your students.

One of the biggest influences on my teaching career has been the Every Child Matters movement and hearing the truth about residential schools. Keeping in mind that I am a guest on Turtle Island as a first generation Scots/Irish-Canadian, I have written about my role as an ally to Indigenous Peoples and promoted Indigenous authors. The teachings I have had from people who are First Nations, Métis and Inuit are close to my heart. I am building a stronger relationship with the land and a better understanding of all our relatives. When I say relatives I am including the soil, rocks, plants, swimmers, crawlers, walkers, and flyers. Every day I am grateful to the water, the air, the sun and the Earth for all the gifts they share. I find it reassuring to see changes in schools as Indigenous teachings are being applied and supported. It is my hope that we can move together on a path of reconciliation and have a brighter future.

In the garden I have plants that thrive when there are a variety of species planted together. They are more successful when integrated then if they were segregated into separate growing areas. I hope my blogs encourage teachers to read a great variety of books to their students. I hope those books then launch into experiential learning experiences that include the arts, making learning more meaningful. Igniting student curiosity and giving purposeful tasks often have the greatest success!

The Heart and Art of Teaching and Learning has reinforced my belief that effective teaching is both intentional and relational. It is about creating conditions where students feel safe to explore, create, and grow. It is about listening carefully and adapting thoughtfully.  Like any garden, teaching requires ongoing care and attention. The rewards, however, are extraordinary. Every season brings new possibilities, and every learner has the potential to flourish when given the right conditions to grow.

Big Thanks to All!

Brenda

In Part 1 of this series, I explored the importance of social-emotional learning in mathematics and how developing a positive mathematical identity can help students build confidence and perseverance. Once students begin to see themselves as capable mathematicians, we can further support their success by strengthening their foundational numeracy skills.

One of the most important aspects of foundational numeracy is helping students see numbers as flexible quantities that can be composed and decomposed in multiple ways. Developing this understanding allows students to think more efficiently, make connections between concepts, and approach problems with confidence.

From Kindergarten to approximately grade 3, we spend a lot of time focusing on the foundations of math. Creating opportunities for number talks/math talks and teaching a variety of strategies to help students solve problems quickly and build their number sense. Skills such as composing and decomposing numbers, calculating efficiently, and understanding place value are essential building blocks for future learning.

As students move into the Junior grades, the focus naturally shifts from developing foundational skills to applying mathematical thinking in more complex ways. Students arrive with a wide range of experiences and levels of understanding, and when foundational concepts are not yet secure, new learning can feel overwhelming or stressful. This presents an opportunity for educators to reflect on instructional design, consider how time is allocated for revisiting key concepts, and identify the strategies and supports that will help students develop confidence, fluency, and long-term success in mathematics.

In the primary grades, this often involves providing rich experiences with concrete manipulatives such as ten-frames, rekenreks, connecting cubes, and counters. These tools help students visualize quantities, recognize patterns, and develop a deeper understanding of how numbers are constructed and related to one another.

As students move into the junior grades, these foundational understandings continue to support increasingly sophisticated mathematical thinking. Regular opportunities to explore numbers in different ways help students develop flexibility and efficiency. For example, students can recognize that 12 can be represented as 10 + 2, 6 + 6, 8 + 4, or 5 + 5 + 2. This ability to break apart and recombine numbers strengthens mental math strategies and supports success with increasingly complex operations.

Place value remains one of the most important concepts in elementary mathematics. A strong understanding of place value provides students with a powerful tool for reasoning, estimating, calculating, and communicating mathematical thinking. It supports not only whole-number operations but also future learning involving decimals, fractions, and proportional reasoning.

One effective approach is encouraging students to represent numbers in expanded form when solving problems. Rather than relying solely on procedures, students can use place value reasoning to make their thinking visible.

For example, when solving 57 + 36, students might think of the problem as:

(50 + 30) + (7 + 6)

which can then be recomposed as:

80 + 13 = 93

Approaches such as these help students understand the value of each digit and the relationships between numbers. They encourage conceptual understanding while simultaneously supporting procedural fluency.

Foundational numeracy can be strengthened through a variety of instructional approaches. Number talks, math games, small-group instruction, problem-solving tasks, and targeted mini-lessons all provide opportunities for students to deepen their understanding of number relationships and develop efficient strategies. These experiences are most effective when they occur regularly and are embedded within daily mathematics instruction.

Professional judgment also plays an important role. There will be times when students benefit from additional opportunities to consolidate foundational concepts before moving forward to new learning. Providing this time ensures that students have the necessary understanding to access increasingly complex mathematical ideas with confidence.

When we prioritize foundational numeracy, we are setting students up for long-term success. Strong number sense helps students approach math with confidence, flexibility, and independence. When combined with a positive mathematical identity, these skills create a strong foundation for deeper learning and help students see themselves as capable mathematicians.

Over the last few months, I have been reflecting on my time spent supporting students in classrooms and working with small groups in junior grades, particularly during math instruction. Two observations have remained consistent: many students benefit from developing a stronger growth mindset in mathematics, and many are benefiting from additional opportunities to strengthen their foundational numeracy skills.

Before focusing on targeted instruction and specific mathematical concepts, one of the ways I begin mathematics learning at the start of the school year is by recognizing and drawing attention to the emotional side of learning math. Many students approach math with uncertainty, anxiety, or a lack of confidence based on previous experiences. Sometimes a seemingly small interaction can have a significant impact. A student who hears a peer quickly solve a problem and say, “That’s so easy,” may begin to internalize the idea that they are not good at math. Over time, these experiences can shape how students see themselves as mathematicians.

One of the most powerful things educators can do is help students develop a positive mathematical identity. When students believe they are capable of learning mathematics, they are more likely to persevere through challenges, take risks, and engage in meaningful problem-solving.

Strand A: Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Skills in the Ontario Mathematics Curriculum provides a strong foundation for this work. The curriculum encourages educators to integrate self-awareness, perseverance, resilience, and healthy coping strategies directly into mathematics learning. By intentionally creating classroom environments where mistakes are valued as part of the learning process, we can help students develop confidence and strengthen their willingness to engage with challenging tasks.

So how do we create those productive opportunities?

As educators, we know that building a positive mathematical mindset develops over time through consistent modelling, classroom routines, as well as opportunities for reflection. When students begin to view mathematics as a space for exploration rather than simply arriving at the correct answer, they become more willing to share their thinking, take risks, and learn from mistakes.

Some ways to intentionally incorporate SEL opportunities into your mathematics classroom include:

• Incorporating regular reflection time through reading stories
• Using exit tickets that invite students to reflect on their mathematical experiences. Questions such as “How did you feel about math today?”, “What part felt successful?”, or “What challenged you?” can help students develop self-awareness and identify areas for growth.
• Modelling positive self-talk during instruction. Statements such as “I’m going to keep trying,” “I can work with a partner to solve this,” or “I can ask for help when I need it” demonstrate the mindset we hope students will adopt.
• Offering open-ended tasks that allow students to approach problems using different strategies and demonstrate multiple possible solutions. Open-ended tasks help students recognize that mathematics is not always about finding one correct pathway.
• Using social stories and mentor texts that model perseverance, resilience, and positive self-talk when encountering challenges.
• Celebrating learning through mistakes by encouraging students to record misconceptions, revisions, and new understandings in their math journals.

These practices help create a classroom culture where students feel safe taking risks and where mathematical thinking is valued as much as the final answer.

It is also important to recognize that math anxiety is not always rooted in mindset alone. For some students, feelings of frustration or avoidance may stem from gaps in foundational numeracy skills, language barriers, learning exceptionalities, or previous interruptions in learning. If you notice that a student is consistently struggling despite classroom supports, consider collaborating with your school’s Special Education or English as a Second Language /English Literacy Development resource teacher. These team members can help inform assessment practices, identify underlying needs, and suggest targeted supports that may help the student access mathematics more successfully.

Once students feel confident engaging in mathematical tasks and sharing their thinking, instructional focus can shift toward strengthening their understanding of numbers and foundational mathematical concepts. Students benefit from reflecting on how mathematics makes them feel and from developing a growth mindset. They also benefit from seeing what effective mathematicians do; ask questions, try different strategies, learn from mistakes, and persevere through challenges.

In Part 2 of this blog, we will explore how strengthening foundational numeracy skills can further support student confidence and mathematical success.

In November at … And Still We Rise, I had the incredible chance to listen to Elisapie speak.  Elisapie is an award winning Inuk musician and she shared with us about her life and her newest release titled, “Inuktitut”.  In this release, she has recorded the songs of her life and childhood that were important to her.  With permission from the original musicians, she sings each song in Inuktitut. Elisapie shared with us that the songs she chose to record each brought back a memory from her childhood; community dances, a moment shared with a friend, and other pieces of her life. The beautiful and familiar songs of my own childhood sung in Inuktitut remind me that life can be experienced so very differently; the same music can bring different memories for people.  

There’s a reflection activity I’ve used at different times of the year is the Soundtrack of My Life.  It’s a chance for myself and my students to share a little about each other in a fun way.  Firstly, we talk about what a soundtrack is and how music can communicate events or emotions. We brainstorm examples together and many students share popular or trending music tied to an event or a memory. So many conversations can stem from this activity and it really helps as a vehicle for us to get to know each other while having fun. 

Thinking back to this past school year, there were so many beautiful moments to take with me.  And just to balance those out, some challenging ones, too. At the beginning of the school year, I always feel so hopeful and excited to meet new students and try new lessons. Mid-year brings different emotions. We’re all in the midst of working hard through the winter as term one comes to an end.  I admit that the shorter days and gray skies weigh on me!  At this time of year, I try to bring more joy to the classroom and school.  We have some fun, hands-on experiments and time for community building activities. By the time spring comes, we have built a community in the classroom. I feel as though we know each other quite well and I hope they feel accepted in our classroom. 

These are all my hopes; my emotions.  They might be represented through some songs, like “True Colours” or “The Dock of the Bay”. These experiences and  songs define my important moments even though they might be different from the students. I try to ensure that the students feel safe enough to share a little something, but I also try to respect their privacy if needed.  Sharing music might mean sharing a story, but it can also mean just sharing a song that we really like and can enjoy together.  I invite you to think of which songs might help to build the soundtrack of your school year and which memories and hopes you will take forward with you to the next. 

I remember being a fairly new teacher and sitting in a professional learning session with a far more experienced educator. When break time came, he rolled his eyes and said to our administrator, who had accompanied us for the session: “Haven’t we been through this already? Didn’t we try this approach years ago?”

Now, as a much more experienced educator, I have suddenly found myself in a similar position. Across Ontario, there has been significant attention being paid to the Think SRSD approach, also known as “Releasing Writers”.

What is Think SRSD? In short, it is a framework of strategies that helps students at all ages to write structured texts, from analyses of non-fiction content to stories. It combines explicit writing instruction with self-regulation strategies to support developing writers. Students are taught clear writing strategies step-by-step. For example, they may learn how to plan an opinion paragraph using a mnemonic that reminds them to state an opinion, provide reasons, and add evidence. Teachers model the thinking process aloud before students practise collaboratively and independently. Graphic organizers, analyzing exemplars, summarizing, writing responses, and using transitions to organize writing are some the teaching strategies that comprise Think SRSD.

For me, many of the approaches are reminiscent of teaching strategies we have been familiar with for some time. Like my more experienced colleague years ago, I am wondering if this is an old teaching method being revived as something new. Many of my colleagues are similarly skeptical when they learn the approach – questioning whether or not it really offers anything novel or interesting for their classrooms.

I also wondered how the Think SRSD approach would work with multilingual language learners, or MLLs. While proponents claim it is MLL friendly, it was difficult to see in the sample lessons how the strategies would be adapted to students learning to speak English for the first time.

As the old saying goes, “don’t knock it till you try it” – so I figured I would give Think SRSD a try with a few eager co-teaching partners and a group of MLLs in grades 4-8. Here are a few of my discoveries.

First of all, don’t underestimate the power of what has been tried and true. Yes, many approaches in Think SRSD are familiar, but the approach really pushes educators to take the time to unpack a graphic organizer and get students to be intentional with their writing. I noticed a shift in my thinking when using the Think SRSD “TIDE” graphic organizer that the purpose wasn’t simply to get students to articulate their ideas, but to really think carefully about what goes on the page. It’s not just about generating writing and then editing after, but getting students to think and act like writers. I realized that for many years I had not really been getting the most out of graphic organizers.

Secondly, explicit instruction in writing may need to be adapted serve the needs of MLLs. Particularly in the most recent iteration of foundational literacy instruction, the unique learning needs of MLLs are not always taken into consideration. In the context of Think SRSD, many of the strategies assume that learners arrive with a pre-existing base of English communication skills. When engaging in activities like finding the “gist” of an academic, content-heavy text, we may need to adjust the text so it is aligned with the student’s STEP or level of English language acquisition. When MLLs actually understand the texts they are reading, they will be much better positioned to use academic vocabulary and summarize their understanding.

Finally, it’s more rewarding to try new teaching strategies with your colleagues! I was fortunate enough to have two very patient educators working with me who had the instincts to change the activity, provide positive feedback, and help me to adjust the lessons I was teaching. We would take a few minutes after each lesson to talk about what went well, what didn’t go so well, and where we needed to backtrack to help students become stronger writers.

We have officially arrived at the beautiful part of the year where the sun is shining, students can feel the approach of summer, and you get to celebrate the culmination of a year’s worth of growth. While managing report cards, final tasks, and shifting routines takes a lot of energy, it is also a powerful time for reflection. If you are feeling this collective momentum of educators right now, you are in great company. These final weeks are a great chance to shift from wrapping things up into a period that is rich and deeply rewarding for both you and your students.

Because your classroom relationships are firmly established and students feel a sense of classroom community, you can flip your focus toward student-led experiences. I like to introduce passion projects or inquiry-based explorations where students take ownership and showcase their learning in ways that truly matter to them. Or you can also prioritize reflection over review by using digital learning portfolios where students showcase their favourite memories of the year and present them to different classrooms. Additionally, having students write letters to their future teachers or to themselves. This is also the perfect time for community building, outdoor learning, collaborative art, and cross-grade buddy activities to strengthen the bonds that make all your hard work worthwhile.

As you move into report card season, it is an opportunity to reflect on the comprehensive picture of student learning you have gathered over time. Focus on the most recent and relevant evidence, ensuring that your evaluations are grounded in a balanced triangulation of observations, conversations, and student products. Ongoing assessment and evaluation of subtasks throughout the term provides a strong foundation for final evaluation, helping to ensure that summative judgments are well-informed without the need for excessive last-minute tasks. You may find it helpful to streamline your report card writing by organizing your evidence, using clear comment structures, and refining templates that can be personalized to reflect each student’s learning accurately and professionally.

As the call of summer grows stronger, both you and your students are naturally feeling a shift in energy, which you can channel beautifully by protecting your personal non-negotiables like restorative sleep, joyful movement, and refreshing time outside. Make sure to intentionally celebrate the small wins, whether it’s a breakthrough moment for a student who has worked hard all year or a collaborative classroom moment that happens seamlessly, because these joyful highlights are some of the best parts of teaching.

This time of the year is also a meaningful time of transformation, especially for students preparing for a new grade, a new school, or exciting life changes. You can create a sense of closure and security by implementing a few thoughtful practices, such as sharing positive insights with next year’s teachers and introducing uplifting closure rituals like class celebration awards, memory books, or reflective talking circles. For students with IEPs, exceptionalities or our Multilingual language learners, consider connecting with the next year’s teacher or  hosting transition meetings ahead of the final week to ensure everyone feels confident, supported, and excited for the year ahead.

Teaching is an impactful profession, and our dedication to navigating class dynamics, workload, and student readiness is incredibly admirable. As you move through these final weeks, embrace self-compassion, celebrate your massive victories, and let go of the rest, knowing that the incredible work you’ve done this year, both seen and unseen, has made a lasting, positive difference!

Last month, I was chatting with a colleague of mine.  We work down the hall from each other and, as in the nature of education, we rarely get a chance to talk during our busy days.  But this time we learned a little about each other. 

As it turns out, Marc is a pretty cool guy.  He is an expert in audio/visual everything and plays three different instruments. I also learned that he recently started playing with a band.  Though he hasn’t played with others in awhile, Marc and his bandmates were in the beginning stages of getting together.  There’s been jam sessions, practicing, playing at his friend’s parties and the like. He shared that he was quite enjoying this return to music in his free time, but he especially loves it now that he feels he and his bandmates are getting better at playing together. 

Marc shared that the first few months were rough.  The bandmates were still figuring each other out. It was tough to learn to play together and support each other while learning new music and getting used to the new routine of weekly practice. There was a lot of frustration mixed in with the excitement of coming together, but now it feels fun and light and enjoyable.

I think it’s a similar story for every collective.  In the beginning of the year, school staff might have a shift; perhaps new grades or divisions for some, new teaching partners for others.  For some of us, we’re in completely different schools with an established staff and for others a completely new staff is coming together for the first time. Everyone in the school is working hard teaching and supporting the students in different capacities while simultaneously getting used to new routines, new curriculum, welcoming new students and families.   

The early days are filled with excitement and focus on students and curriculum. For me, I’m often so busy that I forget to make time to get to know my colleagues.  The days are long in the school year as I try to keep up with the pace and get to know students.  But it always seems to go better when I take the time to get to know my colleagues, as well.  We are each finding our own places on staff – who tells the funniest stories in the staff room, who is passionate about teaching math or drama or history.  As we find ways to support each other professionally, we also need to remember to support each other personally, too.  Getting to know each other and building community with our colleagues are all ways that help the entire school to feel fun and light and joyful.  

I wish I hadn’t taken so long to connect with Marc and learn a little more about him. While it’s hard to make time to build connections with my colleagues because of the busy, long days it is something that I need to make more effort to do. He reminded me that relationships with colleagues are important. A quick conversation or a shared laugh can shift the tone of an entire day. These connections don’t erase the long hours, but they do remind us that we are all human.

So as I face yet more changes in the coming year with another school move, I’m committing to noticing the people around me and to learn the stories behind the names on the classroom doors. When we build community together, our school becomes a place where laughter rings like music and joy has space to grow.

This was my first year in a long time that I taught a combined (Grade 3/ 4) class. Sometimes combined grades are also referred to as split grade classrooms. I had some ideas about planning and organization before the school year began, and since then I’ve refined them as I go in order to better meet the students in front of me and protect my own wellbeing. See below some tips and reflections I’ve made learned this year!

1. Considerations for the physical environment

I set up common bins for shared resources like manipulatives, art supplies, and reference books. When creating seating plans or groups, I try to mix the grades up using equitable strategies to support collaboration and learning skills.

2. Set expectations early and follow through! 

Co-create class rules, routines, expectations and transitions. It took time and reinforcement but it eventually led to independence so that I can do more complex tasks with each group, especially when we needed to separate between grades. I also focused a lot of community building and reinforced it regularly throughout the year, to ensure all students were treated equitably and respectfully.

3. Find Overall Expectations that Overlap!

During backwards design planning, I personally found that planning 60% of lessons together on big ideas led to more engagement because we were together. Fortunately the language and mathematics curriculum is framed like a continuum, so it is easier to find overlaps. When you backwards design for other subjects such as Science/Social Studies/Health, there are often overlaps, and then you can branch when there are specific expectations that differ by grade. Summative assessments with similar outcomes, but grade specific expectations, also made planning more manageable. 

4. Be intentional with differentiation

Differentiation became essential in a combined class. I used open-ended and choice tasks so students could work at different levels on the same big idea. This allowed me to meet grade-specific expectations while keeping the class together as much as possible. I also leaned on small groups and conferencing to target specific needs, whether it was extra support, extension, or practicing a particular skill.

These were some of the key takeaways this year. Do you have any tips to add?

Check out this resource from ETFO shop, if you’d like to learn more!