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Come with me to my backyard. 

A once unloved, unused space of my home was under transformation. I had a vision for a peaceful oasis for me and my children to “just be” ~ reflect, talk or listen, to feel. Wildflower seeds beginning to sprout where grass once struggled, patio lights strung across the old fence, and an added bird feeder attracting new sounds and visitors, my daily needs began to include at least a few quiet moments in my new, affectionately named swing, Eggy.

One June evening between the chaos of graduations, report card writing, and sports banquets, I was taking my few moments with Eggy, when I was taken by surprise by an unexpected visitor. Mkwa (a bear) appeared from behind the neighbour’s fence. As I laid eyes on him and jumped out of my swing, hurrying for the patio door, he left as peacefully and quietly as he came. Mkwa turned around and sauntered out of sight before I could even get in the house. 

As June returns and my nightly routine with Eggy extends in time, I am reminded of my visitor and continue to reflect on his message. Mkwa represents courage. And he reminded me of this courage. The courage to use my voice, to be vulnerable to share my story and also to inspire and help others find and use their voice. As I shared in my first few posts, writer is not an identity I held.

A few days after Mkwa’s appearance I received an email from ETFO which included a Call for Writer’s to write for Heart and Art. I knew it was time for me to step out of my comfort and respond to Mkwa’s nudge. 

It was very clear to me that my next step required courage; To put some of my energy into sharing my experiences, my knowledge and my passion with educators to foster positive change within our system. And this blog was a great forum, allowing me to share this with you, my valued reader. I hope you have found and continue to find some of my posts helpful to you professionally and/or personally, and you find your outlet to amplify your voice and use your experiences and knowledge to continue strengthening our public education. 

Ahhh Summer… A much anticipated, well-deserved time to rest, relax and recuperate for both educators and students. And a time when many educators can put their teaching hat to the side and take a seat on the other side of the classroom, as a student. 

 

In my last post I reflected on an ETFO program I participated in this school year and mentioned I would highlight another amazing program that I love, Summer Academy. In Arianna Lambert’s recent post ETFO’s Summer Academy Is Coming Soon, she shares her experiences with Summer Academy and an overview of one of over 40 amazing upcoming in-person and virtual 3-day courses planned this summer. 

 

From Math and Literacy programs, to Mental Health, Technology, Assessment and Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, there is something from everyone.  Working with locals across the province, ETFO is offering a number of in person sessions as well as virtual. Take a look and find one that suits your needs! 

 

Check out if there’s one happening locally for you, or maybe one of the many virtual sessions planned is more accessible. Or, try one of my favourite ways to narrow my own search, by finding a cool place to explore. What I mean is,  if you’ve always wanted to check out the capital, head to Ottawa for some learning during the day and city exploring in the evening! Or maybe Stratford is just the place for some Outdoor Exploration with Jacquline Whelan and Joanne Burbridge during the day and an evening play. Or Niagara-on-the-Lake might be for you with evening shopping and wineries after a day of learning how to better integrate and utilize technology in your classroom. Kingston is a beautiful old city with lots to see! Barry’s Bay, London, Brantford, Waterloo, Burlington, Barrie, and Toronto are all on this year’s Summer Academy in person locations! 

 

And I can’t miss this opportunity to give a shout out to my hometown, Sudbury, where the Rainbow Local is hosting what is expected to be an incredible learning opportunity titled The Art of Teaching Kindergarten. This will be led by ETFO member and Toronto Teacher, Marcia Bumbury. Just another reason why I love Summer Academy: The programs are facilitated by fellow educators and ETFO members. How great is that? To meet, learn and network with our educators from across the province. 

 

And finally, I would love to meet you in Toronto at Mindfulness in Education scheduled in mid-July!  This is my first year back facilitating since 2020 and am looking forward to offering this in person once again. Designed for educators at all levels who are looking for new or creative ways to bring mindfulness into their classroom and/or personal life, you will leave this three-day workshop with accessible, hands-on activities, read-alouds to introduce mindfulness concepts to students and practices to help you and your students.

 

While there is much to say about the individual programs, there is more to just giving one a go. For a nominal fee (some locals offer PD reimbursements), lunch and snacks included and incredible professional development from talented educators, I hope you find one that suits your needs this summer! 

Like all teachers, I genuinely find students to be so interesting! They have such a wondrous view of the world and how they formulate new ideas. Listening to them talk to one another and explain their thinking helps to build classroom community and confidence. They learn to discourse and disagree respectfully, but also how to change their thinking as they learn from one another. At the beginning of this year, I blogged about building community and that lists some strategies to start creating a safe classroom environment no matter what time of year. Building community and safe spaces is the first step toward creating an environment where students feel comfortable to share their thinking and learning out loud.

When I want to know more about student thinking, I always consider my intentions. I wonder what I think they might say and how I might respond to them. For example, if I am working in math on visible thinking and I want to elicit specific vocabulary, I might listen for those keywords. As importantly, I also think about what I might do if I don’t hear those words. How can I validate their thinking and also provide the words they need in a way that isn’t intimidating?

When I first started teaching, I always noted what students were saying. I was listening for the right answers. Now in large group discussions, I’m listening to who shares, trying to make space for those who don’t always share, give thinking time, and try to have students respond to each other instead of looking at me to see if they have the right answer. Sometimes that looks like think/pair/share time or I might have them write down two ideas before sharing. We explicitly practise sentence starters that allow for students to participate even if someone shares the same ideas first, such as “I agree with ___, and I also think ___” or “When ___ said that, it changed my thinking”. We also practise how to respond when we have different opinions, for example, “I didn’t think about it that way. My first thought was ….” or “Thank you for sharing. I wondered about….” I spend a lot of time teaching and modelling how to acknowledge each other’s ideas respectfully.

At times, small focus groups really help me to listen for specific ideas. Often, when I am looking for information I use this strategy to coach student learning. In small group literacy instruction, asking the right question gives me some insight into their thinking, such as “I wonder what this word might mean” or “I am not sure why that character might have said that. Do you have an idea?” These kinds of questions can be challenging for students so I find they are best given in a small group or one on one where I can coach students through conversation.

When I started to focus on listening as part of my practice, I learned so much more about students. They became more comfortable talking about their ideas and thinking with me and with their peers. I would often model my thinking process aloud, wondering about ideas, and questioning what I was thinking. I think it gave them the message that they could share imperfectly too – we don’t have to have exactly the right answer before we share some of our beginning ideas with one another. We can share the process and in this way, we can build a safe community together.

I know that I learn better when talking with other teachers.It helps me to develop my thoughts and gives me the opportunity to learn from others. One thing I have learned in all my years of teaching is how important that is for students, too: the space to think through ideas out loud. A space to learn with and from one another as a community.

It’s time, and I am excited! I will retire from full time teaching on June 30, 2023. Looking back I see all the adaptations educators have made over the past few decades. From handwritten report cards to sharing floppy disks to shared online documents.  Sometimes it is very challenging to be a teacher but the rewards of the job are immeasurable. I’d like to share 7 reflections during my retirement countdown.

1.Expect Change 

Policies, curriculum, class lists, grade assignments, and technology are just a few things that have changed regularly throughout my career. It was not always easy to take these changes in stride but as my career went on I found I could usually shake off my initial resistance and adapt. 

2. The days are long but the years are short

Some days drag, don’t they? And yet here I am looking back asking, where has the time gone?

3. Take care of yourself

There are times when someone might say to you, are you aware of the Employee Assistance Program? I encourage you to listen to those friends and go ahead and get some help with mental health. We all have internal struggles that can become overwhelming and impact our relationships and our job performance.  Getting advice, counseling and support from a therapist can be life-changing. 

Similarly, I have found it helpful to take charge of my physical health and make it a priority.

4. Lead by example

I discovered some simple tricks from my soft spoken friends. I bring the class energy up and down with my body language and voice. I also set the tone for kindness, manners and joyfulness  in my classes. 

5. Rest

It’s not always easy to make yourself a priority but it’s your #1 job to take care of yourself. So go to bed early or take a nap -after work! (It’s very uncomfortable to nap with your forehead on your desk, right?)

6. Rely on your colleagues for support

I’ve been blessed to work with so many awesome humans. Our union local has also been fantastic for providing support and learning opportunities. We are stronger together.

7. Celebrate!

Chances are you are teaching because you want to make the world a better place. Remind yourself constantly that you are doing just that.

I pass the torch to you. I see the eagerness and energy of new teachers and I hope you can enjoy all the magical moments ahead.  It’s been an incredible 31 years and I’m eager to see what else life has in store for me.  One of my retirement goals is to stay connected to education, so I hope to switch to the role of occasional teacher in September.  Beyond that I will be doing what my retired friends have suggested:  Anything I Want!

I wish you all the best in your year-end countdown!

June is Indigenous History Month and on June 21, Indigenous Peoples Day. Many Indigenous groups celebrate their culture during this time and it is a wonderful time to honour and celebrate the contributions of Indigenous Peoples. 

If you are looking for ways to learn about and include Indigenous ways of knowing and being with your students, you are in the right place. 

 

As you may or may not know, ETFO has a plethora of resources that can be found at etfofnmi.ca. With links to ETFO publications including posters, resources and webinars as well as links to great bookstores, relevant and appropriate Truth and Reconciliation and residential school resources, ministry documents, and many other Indigenous organizations, etfofnmi.ca is a great resource to check out when you have some time to devote to exploring this site!

Another great resource I want to share is published by the Indigenous Family Literacy Circle of the Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington Children and Youth Services planning Committee. The resource titled Come Walk in my Moccasins Newsletter is published once a month. I have absolutely love the consistent format and ease of use of this newsletter. Each issue includes the following categories Books, Our Music, Our Words, Our Stories, Our Traditions, and Recipe. Our Arts, and other categories are sometimes included as well.  

In the Books section there are always at least a few books recommendations, each with a brief description, image of the book cover and the age/grade level the book is geared towards. Our Music highlights a song, often with many Indigenous words or phrases and teachings. For example, this month’s song is “Wichita” ~ the water song. The newsletter provides a link to the a short (under 3 minutes) video from the Ontario Native Women’s Association’s Virtual Drum Book. In the Our Words section, you will learn some Indigenous vocabulary. I have noticed that much of the language lessons are Mohawk, however, some also include other Indigenous languages such as Ojibwe. In the April Newsletter, for example, Animal names are introduced in Mohawk and Ojibwe languages through the use of puppets, and in under 2 minutes. Our Stories, again with links to other sites, will provide you with stories that will help you understand the worldview of many Indigenous People as stories are always connected to the land, animals, plants, and the natural world around us. Want to learn more about traditions and ceremonies? Our Traditions is the section to go to. With teachings including Sunrise Ceremonies, Berry Fasts, Star Blanket Making and Baby’s First Moccasins you’re sure to deepen your understanding of Indigenous ways of being and knowing.  Recipes and Indigenous Infusion offers just that: An Indigenous infused recipe. March’s Issue shared Pork Chops with Pears and Sweet Onions from the Indigenous Diabetes Health Circle Recipe Collection.  Additional information is often found at the bottom of the newsletter, which may include upcoming courses, community events (local to the Kingston area), other relevant resources. 

What I really appreciate about this newsletter is the accessibility of each issue. It is geared toward anyone interested in learning, regardless of entry point. The content is well organized, and with relevant, up to date and short videos, busy educators can quickly find inspiration for a short lesson or additional information for a lesson already planned. If you’re interested, subscribe using the link below and each month you will have access to curated Indigenous content. https://kflachildrenandyouthservices.ca/indigenouslearningcircle/

I hope you find opportunities to recognize, honour and celebrate Indigenous ways of knowing and being with your students as we continue to work towards Reconciliation, throughout the month of June and beyond!

Asian Heritage Month is an opportunity for us to learn more about the diverse culture and history of Asian communities in Canada, as well as to acknowledge the many achievements and contributions of people of Asian origin who, throughout our history, have done so much to make Canada the country we know and love. (Government of Canada, www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/asian-heritage-month.html)

Working with some junior teachers in May, we wanted to make sure we highlighted Asian Heritage Month as a celebration. The theme for 2023 is “Stories of Determination” to celebrate the contributions of Asians while recognizing the challenges that have been faced by the Asian community. We wanted to be aware of any student who identified as Asian in the classroom and to ensure they saw themselves represented in the discussions.

As in primary, we began by asking the students to name Asian countries that they knew. They knew more than the primary students were able to name, such as India, the Philippines, and Thailand. When we showed them a map of the continent of Asia, it helped encourage their thinking and vocabulary of Asia as it’s own continent. Many times, people refer to Western Asia as the Middle East and this language centralizes Europe on a map. Looking at the continent of Asia developed the idea of Western Asia which is a more accurate geographical description that centres Asia as it’s own continent.

Students were surprised to see how close Asian countries were to Europe, Africa, and even Russia. It was interesting to listen to them think through this concept. Comments such as, “I always thought Asia was so far from everything” were evidence of the new learning that was taking place. We also looked at how British Colombia was the closest province to Asia and talked about how that might influence immigration patterns here in Canada. We were fascinated listening to their thinking and to share our own wonderings as co-learners about Asia.

We wanted to maintain our focus on the theme “Stories of Determination” and use this opportunity to celebrate Asian Canadians. We invited the students to think first about any famous Asian Canadians that they knew. It was a fairly small list! We wondered out loud why that was and what we could do to learn more. Using technology, we invited the students to pair up and look through the Government of Canada’s website describing Noteworthy Canadians of Asian Heritage (https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/asian-heritage-month/noteworthy-figures.html#s8). This site is a curated list by the Canadian Government with short biographies of Asian Canadians. This list celebrates a variety of people, from politicians to writers to athletes and more. It has a diverse representation of Asian heritage, including individuals from the Asian countries that were ‘new’ to students. The biographies are shorter and in language that was manageable for most students to read and explore with their partners.

As we wrapped up our learning, we asked students to share one new Asian Canadian that they learned about from the website. We really wanted to allow space for them to think about Asian identity as diverse in culture and also in contributions. Building the idea that Asians have contributed to Canada in many different ways helps to dispel stereotypes that students may unknowingly hold about Asian identities.

Finding ways to engage students in learning during heritage months is one way students begin learning about identities that may differ from their own. If there are students in the classroom who are Asian, this is a great way to centre and celebrate their identity, too. For some students, this is new learning and for others it gives them a chance to learn even more. Whether it’s a first step or continued learning, I encourage you to think about celebrating heritage months in the classroom together!

I always look forward to May and June — and not just for the blue skies and glorious weather. They are also months of collaboration with secondary educators, when hopeful and nervous grade 8 students can tour the high school they will attend in September. 

One of the secondary schools in our area has an ESL program, among many other specialized courses. And although information nights are held for families throughout the year, in May the small group visits begin.  Parents and guardians of multilingual language learners are invited to join tours, and together we visit classrooms, meet teachers and students, and answer questions. Just a handful of students at a time … a teacher … a family member or two … the ESL department head. These small tours happen fairly often, to accommodate new students and family schedules. 

I accompanied a few grade 8 students on one such tour recently and, as usual, it was a great morning. The learning spaces were alive with creation and vibrant communication. We moved from class to class, watching theatre rehearsals, computer design classes, geography presentations … and all of the spaces incorporated multiple languages, in multiple ways. We chatted with educators and community partners who spoke Turkish, Ukrainian, Arabic, and a host of other languages. We passed signs and posters in Vietnamese, Mandarin, and Spanish. We watched classes full of students speaking, reading, and writing in multiple languages, switching back and forth between them as needed. 

As we moved through the hallways and classrooms, I could see the students from my schools slowly relax, the serious expressions gradually replaced with smiles. Some recognized siblings and friends who already attended the school, some noticed similar activities and learning contexts from their elementary school classes. Witnessing this happy transformation reinforced to me the value of supporting elementary students in transitions, and the central role collaboration among educators plays in this process. 

Towards the end of the tour, we dropped in on the fashion class. The teacher at the front was arranging gold-coloured cloth in front of her sewing machine, and students were looking from her to their devices, hunched over screens filled with translations. The teacher explained to us they were learning about textile quality and cuts, and checking the vocabulary on translation apps and dictionaries, to learn content in both English and home languages. 

As we listened to students talk about what they were making, one student quietly got up and went to the back of the class to retrieve something. As she turned and approached our group, she held out her cupped hands in offering. She said nothing but smiled brightly; in her hands sat a pincushion. Puffed and white and softly rectangular, it looked like a little fairy pillow. She had embroidered two words on its surface, the bold, colourful thread jumping out against the ivory cloth. It was the word “love” — once in English, in deep ruby letters, and once in Arabic, the script obsidian black. She stood silently and smiling and simply holding out the pincushion she had made. I wish I had a photo of that moment.

At times, popular rhetoric can become singularly focused on hard data and measurable results, on whether student learning is up to “standard”. And while reflection on pedagogical approaches and student success is undeniably important, perhaps we should also be asking a different kind of question: Are our schools places of love? In other words, are they places where everyone is welcome and safe and valued? Places where learning happens in ways that centre students’ strengths, experiences, and identities? I have heard educators ask this question in many ways, many times over the years — but the sentiment is always the same. We cannot learn if we are not safe. And we cannot learn optimally unless we are valued for everything we are.

Perhaps that little pincushion, held in the hands of a happy and proud student, can tell us more about teaching and learning than at first glance we might think.