April 2, 2018 Michelle Fenn Classroom Management, Combined Grade Classes, Constant Learning, Curriculum Planning, Differentiated Instruction, General, Inquiry, Inspiring Students, Integration, Math, Modern Learning, Questioning, Resilience, Resources, Technology in school, The Global Competencies

Deep Learning in Inquiry (Part 2)

In reading part one of my inquiry blog, one might think, “That’s all lots of fun, but building a bee house isn’t exactly something that I can write on the report card.” You would be absolutely right. The learning is imbedded in the exciting things. It is intentional and it is authentic. Connecting with a local expert, using technology for research and having hands on activities with students engaged scratches the surface of inquiry. Our deep learning with this unit began with the types of questions that we were asking. I noticed that when the students began asking questions on Padlet that Siri could have easily answered many of their questions with one or two word answers. This lead to a series of lessons on “THICK” vs. “Thin” questions. We added better questioning to our goals.

The students also noticed that I had included a lot of infographics on the Padlet. Infographics are seen everywhere in social media to communicate information efficiently and visually. However, students need to know how to use this information, how to synthesize it, how to put it into their own words and how to source it. We spent a significant amount of our language periods on reading and interpreting infographics.

Source:Visual.ly

Our learning goals and success criteria went way beyond making houses for bees and honey tasting. Students wanted to DO something to help bees. We created our learning goals and criteria together:

Early on in the inquiry we watched an informative YouTube video called, We Can Save the Bees Together. Sarah Red-Laird, bee enthusiast and scientist, gave us a number of ideas of actions that we could take. The students decided that one of the things that they wanted to do was to call for stronger legislation about mono cropping and pesticide use in farming. They wanted to write letters to politicians and change makers. In addition, when Susan Chan, local bee researcher visited, she “planted the seed” about creating a non-stinging bee friendly garden in our school yard. This prompted students to write letters to local school officials to solicit assistance and guidance. One of our students from Curve Lake First Nation decided to write the Chief and Band Council to ask them to consider building a bee friendly garden in their community. The desire for letter writing lead to a series of lessons on how to write a professional letter, how to proofread and how to edit in a meaningful and authentic learning context for students. The students also felt that educating others about conservation of bees was important so they are now working on developing presentations that they can take to other classes as well as media advertising to share their learning and call others to action.

In math, we had been focusing on data management. It fit in perfectly to what we were doing with our inquiry! There is an incredible amount of data about bees on the Statistics Canada website. We read real graphs with information that the students cared about, we labelled the important parts of the graphs and we will be creating our own surveys and graphing the information from different areas of our inquiry.

Statistics Canada

Honestly, the best part of inquiry is when the students start to direct their own learning. I guide them. I provide thought provoking questions and “what if” scenarios. They make choices and feel good about doing something that is affecting real change. Inquiry is empowerment for students. This students aren’t done with this inquiry yet-they have many more plans ahead! Stay tuned.

March 31, 2018 Tammy Axt General, The Arts

Music Centres to support guided instruction

Just like reading and writing, music is a subject that needs built in time for guided instruction to meet students’ needs. While I have been doing guided instruction with a small group of students, the rest of my students have been working on skills that they needs to refine at Centres.

Here is what a lesson plan looks like in my class with Music Centres:

Grade: 4

Assessment for learning that informed this lesson: Students have written one piece of music on the staff 3 weeks ago. After individually performing their piece for the teacher, I have identified that playing the correct rhythm and blowing less on the lower notes are two areas of need with this class.

Grouping of Students: Students have been placed in heterogeneous grouping in order to support learning when doing independent practice.

Duration: This lesson will take between 3-4 classes to complete.

Curriculum Expectations:

Grade 4 music expectations: C1.3 create musical compositions for specific purposes and audiences (e.g., write a composition for recorder using musical notation on the five-line staff)

Minds-On Activity:

Think-Pair-Share

Ask students “When you have a new piece of music to learn, how should you learn it?

Review the following steps to learning a new song.

Read and say the rhythm of the song. (Ta, ti ti)
Read the notes of the song (B, G, E)
Read the notes according to the rhythm
Finger the song on the recorder
Play the song

Apply the steps to an eight-beat piece of music

Action:

Students will participate in 6 centres that focus on the development of skills required to write compositions on the 5 line staff.

Centre 1: (with Ms. Axt) Students will have guided practice in writing and performing their own 8 beat piece of music on the recorder following the steps for learning a new song. The requirements of their created song will be in line with their next steps from their previous assignment.

Centre 2: Roll and Compose. Students will compose their own piece of music by rolling a dice. They will record their piece on an Ipad with an introduction about how they make a good sound on the recorder.

Centre 3: Rhythm BINGO. One student will be the BINGO caller as others try to find their rhythm on the BINGO card.

Centre 4: Students will play the game musical snakes and ladders. This will help them review the beat quantities for each rhythm symbol.

Centre 5: Creating and recording their compositions. Students use cards provided by the teacher to write their own piece of music and record each other on the iPad for the teacher to review after class. Students will add an introduction about how they read the notes on the staff.

Centre 6: Rhythm Cat: Students will use the app on the iPad called rhythm cat. This app gets progressively harder as students can play more difficult rhythms. Each student will have their own tablet and headphones.

March 31, 2018March 31, 2018 Tammy Axt Differentiated Instruction, Diverse Learning Needs, General

Setting Students with Special Needs Up For Success in Music

For the past eight years, in my role as a planning time teacher, I have had the privilege of working with over 50 students with a variety of special needs. Our school has been fortunate to have 4 different types of contained classes and students with a variety of special needs in the mainstream classes. It has been important to me to ensure that all of my students are successful regardless of their needs. I have set them up for success by implementing some consistent practices in my program.

Students have come with a variety of needs to my classroom. In addressing those needs, I have set goals for their alternative and modified IEPs, followed PBIPs and helped to create social stories. The contributions to these documents have ensured that students’ needs are addressed and that their best interests are taken into account. Goals have been academic, social, and life skills oriented. For example, skills such as taking turns, coping with a noisy environment, and transitioning between spaces have been areas that my students have worked on. If you are not sure how to write IEPs or contribute to behaviour plans I recommend the following resource from the ministry of education which will be helpful for writing your first IEP. IEP Resource Guide

ERFs have been important teammates in positively impacting student learning in my class. I don’t know what I would do without their talents. It is important to be able communicate effectively your expectations for the students they are assisting. I know that I am responsible for planning for my students with special needs but I am open to the ideas and suggestions of our ERFs, as they know the students they work with very well. ERFs are an integral part of my classroom and are included in the structure of our day to day activities and routines.

For students with special needs, a predictable environment is very important. Knowing what will take place during their day helps them to feel safe and secure. This feeling of security minimizes the chances of students having outbursts and other behavioural challenges. I have used visual schedules, verbal, individualized prompts, and clear instructions and expectations to ensure that students know what to expect.

With my music and drama background, I provide an engaging and interactive environment for students. Singing songs and movement are incorporated into many activities. They are encouraged to show their creativity and their individuality. Planning is done to include materials and activities that highlight students’ strengths. Humour is an essential part of my classroom environment.

In making all of these elements a part of my practice, I know that I have set up my students with special needs, both past and present, for success.

March 31, 2018March 31, 2018 Will Gourley Assessment, Constant Learning, Differentiated Instruction, General, Inquiry, Modern Learning, Technology in school, Use of Technology

Define and defying (smart) device use

There’s more to Modern Learning than delivering lessons on to smartphones.
There’s more to Modern Learning than having a paperless class.
There’s more to Modern Learning because there just is…
And I’m fine with that because there is more to Modern Learning.
So much so, that we are seeing more and more educators trying to define it even if others seem to be defying it.

Walk into a K- 8 classroom and you’ll most likely see students and teachers using smartphones, tablets, MS desktops, Apples, and Chromebooks. Perhaps they’re inquiring about a recent lesson, or digging deeper into a passion project during Genius Hour? Maybe the whole class is playing Kahoot with their French teacher?

From a distance it looks amazing. I have been the teacher who has witnessed all of the above and I’ll throw in a Google Classroom, TED Ed Lessons, Padlet, and raise you a Twitter. Can you hear the government types and administrators applauding and patting themselves on the back for allowing it to happen. However the applause should be for the educators who have led the charge to implement Modern Learning into their spaces. They are willing to take risks, try new things, and make mistakes to reach their Modern Learners. Teachers are in the trenches of learning everyday and understand the what, why, and how of their classrooms.

Outside looking in

To outsiders, visions of devices and technology in every hand sum up their understandings of modern learning. A cynic may equate Modern Learning as simply a shift from text books and worksheets to students completing digital versions of the same old thing.

Keep in mind, “Modern learning” is not limited to tech use alone, but will be for this post. Technology in the hands of educators and learners has now become the conduit through which learning takes place. When modern tools and passionate instruction are paired, learning becomes more relevant and engaging to students. Imagine being able to ask a question and have time to search for the answer immediately with only a few keystrokes and clicks?

“Technology’s primary effect is to amplify human forces, so in education, technologies amplify whatever pedagogical capacity is already there.” Jørgen MORTENSEN

Board wide access to WiFi means more and more students are taking notes during lessons using the technology at their fingertips. At the same time, teachers are gathering evidence of learning too. And, still others are watching a cool cat video or streaming music? It’s all possible in the modern learning classroom. However, as many educators have already discovered, the use of smartphones can be a friend and foe in the classroom and comes with a few caveats.

A smart device is a tool in the learning toolbox not a cure all. It is not the only one and as such should never be relied upon for a quick fix or for ushering in the ‘educational renaissance’. Consider what Jason Lodge writes,

Enhancing education is a complex, wicked problem because learning and teaching are multifaceted phenomena, involving biological, technological, psychological, social, economic and pedagogical factors.

Reading this provides little comfort to my understanding of Modern Learning. In fact it leads me deeper down the rabbit hole in pursuit of understanding it better. Despite the wonder promised by all of this technology, students are still engaging with it far more often to connect and communicate rather than curate, create, and collaborate on content.

True story time

The other day I observed a grade 6 student using a device at an inappropriate time. As I approached, she quickly hid it(an iPhone 6+). Like a phablet that size can be hidden. I asked what she was so consumed by on her device that she was defying school policy? She shared it was a fan site for Ariana Grande.

Not the worst use of WiFi by a student, but off topic to be sure. After a few more questions I asked her to explain to me what she liked about Ariana Grande. We chatted about the March For Our Lives rally and about her performance. The convo continued and I got to know more about the student rather than defaulting to a YOU SHOULD KNOW BETTER moment, followed by the standard lecture on appropriate use of technology.

Maybe this approach can be considered as Modern Learning too. If not, we can call it Modern Pedagogy that builds relationships and connections before asking students to fall into curricular compliance without context. Maybe Modern Learning has to be willing to defy convention?

By taking the time to discover her interests, some barriers were taken down. It was only afterwards that I suggested that classtime was intended for curriculum, and that I would suggest a Genius Hour activity in the near future where she could combine learning with her personal interest in Ms Grande – all the while helping other students discover, scratch, and share their own intellectual itches.

Another approach

At other schools, students are now required to lock their smartphones away for the learning day as an effort to reduce misuse and device distractions. What the link did not mention was that the school probably has students on computers or tablets as part of the instructional space. Anyone who has booked a computer cart or lab knows that students can become as easily distracted by these tools too.

So what ends up happening are these absolutes and dictums from class to class and school to school. It is obvious that some teachers are more open to embrace this more easily than others. Perhaps it is an admin or system issue, but there does not appear to be a consistent policy about device useage in schools. The dissonance in all of this for me is that we ask our students to innovate, we give them the most amazing and powerful learning/communication devices on the planet and then expect them to be able to put them aside to listen to a lesson that is being pulled from a text book or source older than they are. In other cases, students are creating multi-modal masterpieces of identity and ingenuity.

How about engaging and empowering them to use their devices for everything that is possible, trusting them to make good decisions, and having them create the criteria for use in classrooms? At the same time, educators can model appropriate use by sharing documents, links, updates, and evidence of learning via Twitter or class web sites.

The technology is not going away. The when, where, why, and how it will be used needs some defining so that students are not seen as defying school when they use their devices. Then maybe Modern Learning can be more than just more with technology.

Extra Fuel for your Modern Learning fire;

Teaching in a 1:1 Classroom from John Woodring

https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2015/06/why-technology-alone-wont-fix-schools/394727/

March 30, 2018 Michelle Fenn General

“Bee”ginning Inquiry Part 1

The Provocation

After many years of marriage my husband realizes that any trip outside the house might result in bringing home something that will inevitably end up in my classroom. Generally a trip to Costco is pretty safe. I might come home with a few books for the classroom library. A few weeks ago, however, we came home with a bee house.

I took off the label and took it into the classroom. I set it on the desk at the front of the classroom. When the students came in the next day I asked them to write about what they thought it was used for and I got quite a few different answers.

Made with Popplet

When they came to the conclusion that it was indeed a “bee house” for non-stinging, solitary bees; the students then began asking questions and the biggest, burning question was, “Why do bees need houses?” Why indeed? I suppose we’ll have to find that out! I am not an entomologist. This is new territory for me but I was interested in the whole “Save the Bees” movement myself. Knowing that this provocation would quite like lead to a burning question for inquiry, I had already created a Padlet with all kinds of links to videos that were relevant and that I had screened and removed advertising. You can purify videos using a website called Pureview . Of course, this was only the beginning.

One of the websites included an article about a local researcher; Susan Chan. We went about contacting Susan to ask a few questions but as inquiries often take a life of their own; it got much bigger! Susan offered to come in so the students could make their own bee houses. So my husband and I were off to the local ditches to find and cut the plants needed for the task. My husband knows not to ask questions when I say things like; “I need to go and find and cut some grass that grows near swampy areas in ditches.” He is a committed husband of an elementary teacher.

After a few hours, we had enough for each student to make their own home for a non-stinging solitary bee. Likely, a mason bee. It didn’t take them long to make and it made them feel as though they were really doing something to help save some non-stinging native bees.

The students were thrilled with their bee homes for solitary mason bees. They took them home and hung them up in their backyards with the instructions to take photos so we could post them on Twitter and Seesaw. However, the students didn’t think it was enough to make 20 bee homes. They had much more planned. Stay tuned for part two of our quest to “Save the Bees.”

March 29, 2018March 29, 2018 Will Gourley Classroom Management, General, Mental Health, Outdoor Learning, Wellness

Distraction

It’s Spring. At least that’s what the calender and the weather are telling us. Dust has replaced the snow on the playground. Tell that to our playground grass fields still resisting the urge to grow too soon. Judging by the pale straw colour a field of green is still 6 weeks out. Somehow nature has equipped itself for a chilling frost or Spring blizzard that could be only a Colorado Low or Polar Vortex away.

Hopefully, March exits like a lamb and not like a lamb being chased by a lion. At this time of year, hope, like the temperature rises and with it the rain to wash away the remnants of Winter. Hope is the promise of Spring. Warm temps, more sunshine, daylight savings, chirping birds, sap running, and buds bursting on trees cannot be missed. There are great things waiting outside the doors of our classrooms. Teachers need to enjoy them. Our students need Spring and all of its promises even more.

To no one’s surprise since the Vernal Equinox, the classroom has become a livelier place each time the warm breezes blow. Students are absorbing the Vitamin D and converting it into boundless energy. It’s like an alarm goes off the moment the snow melts and the clocks move forward. March Break has come and gone and the realization that nearly 70 percent of the school year is in and out of the books. It’s as if that once the weight of snow suits and winter boots is shed, our students have been given permission to chirp, run, and burst with energy. It should not be missed.

With all of this vivacious vim and vigour I am planning ways to take advantage of outdoor learning, walkabouts, and a little more time in the fresh air. Along with this re-invigoration comes opportunity for distraction too. How we make use of our time outdoors can be a balancing act of classroom management amidst chaos. How we harness that natural energy with our students can lead to effective outdoor fun, positive mental health activities, and memorable learning opportunities.

What this looks like can depend on a number of factors: location, mobility, and volition. In my class we are taking advantage of the good weather by shifting some of our time outside. This is not limited to Physical Education either. Sure it’s fun to do, but there is also room for book talks, journal writing, guided reading/Math groups, and Science.

What I have enjoyed sharing with students on our walk and talkabouts are the changes going on all around us. It has been fun to ask them to comment on something they’ve noticed and to create a broader awareness of the habitats and spaces they occupy at school.

As we venture out, the eyes, ears, and lungs of learners are filled. It may appear that they’ve become distracted by it all, but it is not a distraction. It is more of an awakening of the senses instead and students are excited to discover it again for another year.

In my class, we are playing social games where everyone is involved. This includes our version of Manhunt; now known as Person hunt, SPUD, Chain Tag, Kickball, and Grounders. If possible I try to play in every game rather than watch because it engages students even more to see their teacher(as able) running, laughing, getting caught, and playing alongside.

You’ve read enough. Time to go outside and get distracted with your class. Happy Spring.

Please share how your class enjoys its outdoor time in the comments section below. Thank you for reading.

February 27, 2018February 27, 2018 Tammy Axt Behaviour Management, Classroom Management, General

Students who don’t like to dance

Have a class that doesn’t like to dance? Me too! If my class had a choice, they would rather do anything other than dance! Instead of forcing this group of really reluctant kids to dance before they were ready, I decided to take a different approach this year. Below is how I managed to get my group of anti-dancers moving and shaking one month into term two.

The very first day together all we did was talk about their feelings towards dance. I listened closely to their concerns that dance is very embarrassing. I also listening to their concerns that they would be made to move to music that they found boring or really, really awful, as my one student put it. All in all, I spent day one with my students just listening to their reasons why they didn’t like dance.
On day two, I came back to them and honestly told them that learning dance was not an option at school but that I had heard all of their concerns and had some ideas on how to address their problems with dance. I made a commitment that they could always choose their own moves, own music and that they wouldn’t have to share until they were ready. (The music comes from a pre-approved list of songs that students submitted to me.)
On day three, I reassured them again that I would never put them in a position where they would be forced to dance in front of other people until they were ready.
On days four and five, everyone made a dance on an app. There is a free dance app that is hilarious, called Toca Dance. Everyone’s dance was hilarious and we laughed and began to look at some of the movements that the dancers made on the app.
On day six, Students watched videos of dances that they liked and shared and spoke about what they liked about the dance.
On day seven, we watched a VERY simple dance together and analyzed it. We saw that there were five moves, some locomotor and some non-locomotor. Their job was to create their own dances with five moves, both locomotor and non-locomotor. Some kids chose funny moves like those from the app and some chose serious moves. All students choose their own music.
On day eight, students created their own dance with a partner to a piece of music of their choosing.

The most important lesson for me was taking the time to understand my students’ feelings. This was a group of students that really wanted to make their own creations and not have their creative process dictated by the teacher. They also really needed a safe place to make their creations. Once both of these needs were met, lots of boogieing and shaking started to happen.

February 27, 2018 Tammy Axt General, Indigenous Perspectives, Indigneous Ways of Knowing

Introducing Indigenous Music through the Junos

3 weeks. 6 days. 23 hours. 5 minutes and 6 seconds.

As of the writing of this blog, that is exactly how much time there is until the unveiling of the 2018 Junos.

In preparation for this monumental event, my grade four classes and I have been focusing on one particular category. We will be taking on the role of “judge” and making our own decisions about who we think should win the Juno in the category of Indigenous Music Album of The Year.

For those who are unfamiliar with this category at the Juno, to win the award, 50% of your album music must include either traditional forms, hand drums/flutes, Inuit throat singing or Métis and other fiddling. The nominees may also fuse contemporary music with traditional styles and/or reflect the aboriginal experience in Canada through words or music.

There is an incredibly musically diverse group of nominees this year in this category. The nominees are fantastic examples of a variety of musical genres, diverse instruments and singing styles.

I have focused on two curriculum expectations when introducing the music:

C2.1 express detailed personal responses to musical performances in a variety of ways

C3.2 demonstrate an awareness, through listening, of the characteristics of musical forms and traditions of diverse times, places, and communities

In each class, we have listened to one piece of music for each performer and the students have had a choice to draw, write or orally share their thoughts about the music. I have given them some guiding questions for them to think about during their response: “How does this performance make you feel?” “What do you think is the message of this song?” “Why do you think the composer wrote this piece?” “Describe the music elements that you are hearing.” “How do the elements help create the mood of the music?” I also stress with them the idea that their personal response must be detailed and the phrase “I like the music” is not enough.

After we have shared our responses, I introduce one aspect about the characteristics of indigenous music that no one shared in the class. Some examples include explanations about PowWow music, historical context for some of the lyrics, singing style, or instruments included. Below are the five nominees for this year’s Juno awards, the music videos I used in class, and a bit of information and links to get you started in preparing your class for a fun Indigenous music exploration.

Kelly Fraser Album: Sedna

Kelly Fraser rose to fame in my world with the viral video of her singing a cover of Rihanna’s Diamonds in Inuktitut. Learn more in the article Kelly Fraser-Revitalizing Inuktitut by singing Rihanna

She has been nominated this year for the album “Sedna” that includes the track “Fight for the Right”. The song is a combination of English and Inuktitut. This song has a direct message against land ownership. This was a song written in May 2016 to encourage people to vote “No” against the referendum happening in Nunavut that asked the question “Do you want the municipality of (city or hamlet name) to be able to sell municipal lands?”

Some additional resources for information about Kelly Fraser

Kelly Fraser

Kelly Fraser-Facebook page

DJ Shub Album-PowWow Step

DJ Shub has just started a solo career. He used to perform with the talented group a “Tribe Called Red” that fuses hip hop and electronic music with traditional drums and voice. DJ Shub has continued that tradition, and his video for Indomitable ft. Northern Cree Singers is a celebration of culture and community. An article with DJ Shub can be found at DJ Shub PowWow Step.

dj Shub’s Website

Buffy Sainte-Marie Album: Medicine Songs

Buffy Sainte-Marie’s new album is full of old and new songs that will encourage any young person to become an activist. Her new song “You Got To Run” from her Medicine Songs album has an amazing message about believing in one’s own power. Medicine Songs Article, Medicine Songs Article CBC

Buffy’s Website

IsKwé Album: The Fight Within

Iskwe is Cree and Irish, and the word “Iskwe” means “woman”. Iskwe has created her music to counter the stereotypes people have and push back against the idea that indigenous people won’t or can’t succeed.

Influences behind “The Fight Within”

Indian City Album: Here and Now

Indian City is a band that has performed all over North America. The band uses dancers, musicians and imagery to represent the vibrant indigenous culture in Canada.

Indian City’s Website

February 25, 2018February 25, 2018 Deb Weston Challenging Topics, General, Health & Safety, Learning About Your Students, Making a Difference Through Education, Mental Health, Mindfulness, Resilience, wellness

Building Self Care and Resiliency for Educators

Road rerouted to preserve 250 year old Bronte White Oak Tree

“The strongest oak of the forest is not the one that is protected from the storm and hidden from the sun. It is the one that stands in the open, where it is compelled to struggle for its existence against the winds and rains and the scorching sun.” Napoleon Hill (1883–1970)

Building Self Care and Resiliency for Educators

As educators, we deal with students and colleague who are under stress. As educators, we are at risk of being physically, mentally, and/or emotionally worn out due to our role as caregivers to our students. This feeling of being worn out can be referred to as compassion fatigue or secondary traumatic stress (Figley, 1995). Charles Figley states that “there is a cost to caring.”

The best way to deal with and limit compassion fatigue is through early recognition and self awareness.

A. Tips for Educators

(adapted from Charles Figley, 1995)

1. Be aware of the signs of compassion fatigue

increased irritability or impatience with students
difficulty planning classroom activities and lessons, decreased concentration
feeling numb or detached from students’ challenges
increased feelings and intrusive thoughts about school or dreams about challenges in school

2. Reach out for support – Don’t go it alone

isolation can impact ability to cope
get support from colleagues or your school teams
ask for support from administration

3. Recognize compassion fatigue as an occupational hazard

when educators open their hearts and ears to students’ trauma, compassion fatigue can occur
having a strong reaction to student trauma is not a sign of weakness or incompetence but instead it is means you care … it is the cost of caring

4. Seek help with your own trauma by seeking support for self

educators’ unresolved issues can put them at more risk of compassion fatigue or stress
seeking support for self can help educators deal with limiting compassion fatigue or stress

5. Attend to self care

self care is an effective way to guard against burn out from compassion fatigue or stress
self care helps educators deal with challenging workplace stress
key self care strategies include eating well, sleeping well, exercising, taking a break during the workday, taking time to self-reflect, making time to de-stress
know your triggers for stress

B. Stress management: Know your triggers/stressors

In order to manage stress better, you need to know your stressors or triggers. (Adapted from Mayo Clinic Staff, n.d.)

Main types of stress: Stress is your body’s reaction to the demands of work and life. Stressors are events or conditions in your surroundings that may trigger stress. Your body responds to stressors differently depending on whether the stressor is new or short term (Acute stress) or whether the stressor has been around for a longer time (Chronic stress).

Acute stress: Also known as the fight-or-flight response, acute stress is your body’s immediate reaction to a perceived threat, challenge or scare. The acute-stress response is immediate and intense, and in certain circumstances it can be thrilling. Examples of acute stressors include having a job interview or getting a speeding ticket.
A single episode of acute stress generally doesn’t cause problems for healthy people. However, severe acute stress can cause mental health problems — such as post-traumatic stress disorder. It can also cause physical difficulties such as tension headaches, stomach problems or serious health issues — such as a heart attack.

Chronic stress: Mild acute stress can actually be beneficial — it can spur you into action, motivate and energize you. The problem occurs when stressors pile up and stick around. This persistent stress can lead to health problems, such as headaches and insomnia. The chronic-stress response is more subtle than is the acute-stress response, but the effects may be longer lasting and more problematic.

Effective stress management involves identifying and managing both acute and chronic stress. Check out developing a self care plan below!

C. Build Resiliency

(Adapted from CAMH Resiliency & Short Term Self Care, n.d. )

Resilience is frequently described as the capacity to thrive and fulfill one’s potential despite (or perhaps because of) stressful circumstances. All of us are resilient in one way or another, but some people seem to be more resilient. These people are inclined to see challenges as learning opportunities which can result in healthy emotional growth and development.

Factors that are characteristic of resilient people include:

a sense of closeness and connectedness to others
strong, dependable support from at least one significant other in their lives
attention to their own personal health and well-being
high self-esteem, a strong sense of personal identity
a sense of humor can help you overlook the unattractive, tolerate the unpleasant, cope with the unexpected and smile through the unbearable.
a realistic and balanced awareness of their strengths and limitations
the ability to be assertive and emotionally tough when necessary, but also sensitive and compassionate
a playful, lighthearted approach to life
a sense of direction and purpose in life
the ability to turn difficult experiences into valuable learning opportunities
the capacity to pick themselves up, shake themselves off and keep moving forward after traumatic and upsetting situations
the ability to adapt to and live comfortably with uncertainty and unpredictability
the ability to laugh at themselves. Resilient people do not “sweat the small stuff.”

D. Short-term Strategies: Putting on the brakes to relieve stress

Short-term strategies that help ease anxiety are unique to each person. List the quick wins that might be most helpful for you, and add to your list when something comes up that you find pleasant or re-energizing.

Here are some simple ways to relieve stress that I use:

Tweet more at #EdStressReliever

eat your lunch away from your classroom or workspace
talk to a colleague
help a colleague
tell a joke
take a walk
ask for help
ask for advice
stretch
4-7-8 breathing 4 in-7 hold-8 out
bake something and share it with colleagues
make jam
practice kindness for colleagues – do something kind for a colleague to make their day better

E. Making it Personal

Here are some quizzes you can do to help you know yourself and how you deal with stress!

Self Assessment for Stress and Burnout

“How Resilient Are You?” by A. Siebert (resiliencycenter.com)

“The Resiliency Quiz” by N. Henderson (resiliency.com/htm/resiliencyquiz.htm)

Making a self care plan that works for me

Write down strategies you use to relieve stress in your life. Self care is not just about the self, self care means looking out for other people who work with educators.

F. Connecting self care and Resiliency …

Ontario College of Teacher (OCT) Standards of Practice and Ontario Institute for Education Leadership (OLF)

Connect to OCT Standards of Practice and OLF

As educators we do more than “just teach”, we care for our students and our colleagues. Teaching is about relationships and caring. I became a teacher to make the world a better place one student at a time and one day at a time.

Be good to yourself so you can be there for your students. Be an oak tree!

Collaboratively Yours,

Deb Weston

References

Figley, C. R. (1995). Compassion fatigue: Secondary traumatic stress disorders from treating the traumatized. New York: Brunner/Mazel, 7.

Mayo Clinic Staff, (n.d.) Stress management: Know your triggers http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-management/art-20044151

O’Grady, C. P., & Skinner, J. W., (2007) MSCAMH A Family Guide to Concurrent Disorders (CAMH Resiliency & Short Term Self Care) Downloaded from http://www.camh.ca/en/hospital/health_information/a_z_mental_health_and_addiction_information/concurrent_disorders/a_family_guide_to_concurrent_disorders/selfcare/Pages/shortterm_selfcare.aspx

Stress Cat (n.d.) http://www.lessons4living.com/stresscat.htm

February 18, 2018 Will Gourley Constant Learning, Differentiated Instruction, General, Genius Hour, Inquiry, Modern Learning, Students as Teachers, Use of Technology

Designated time a.k.a Genius Hour

#PinDropQuiet

It’s quiet in my classroom right now.
A little too quiet.

Did my students just have the most boring lesson ever?
I don’t hear snoring.

Did they all eat turkey for lunch?
Not today.

Are the students all out of the room during prep?
Nope. They are all here and engaged in something called Genius Hour.

Can You Hear the Pin Drop by Daniel CC BY NCSA 2.0

Here’s what led up to this moment.

Me: Have you ever wanted to study something on your terms and wasn’t in your text book?
Them: Yes. I do. Wait what? Followed by another 6 simultaneous comments in favour.
Me: Would anyone like to do that now?
Them: Yup. YES! Me! Followed by another 6 simultaneous comments and another 6 side conversations on top. All if favour of this strange, but intriguing opportunity.
Me: Okay, but here are the rules.
Them: Oh great, now here come the rules…(I only imagined this last line).

The Rules

1. Your topic must be declared and shared with the teacher before proceeding. That way some suggestions and direction may be offered if needed. Switching topics in not encouraged. See one idea/interest through, and chase after a new one next time. Ask them if this something they really want to share? Why is this interesting to you? Explain.
2.You must work quietly on your own. Don’t annoy your peers. They’re working too – so be cool.
3. You must be on task. Independent learning sounds easy, but carries a great deal of responsibility to those who are privileged with the gift of time. Use the present(see what I did there?) wisely.
4. You may use technology or texts or whatever you can gather information from to do your research. Interviews are cool too, but may require more than the time allotted. See teacher to negotiate.
5. You may use headphones to screen videos or audio content as long as it relates to your topic.
6. You may share your new learning in the format of your choice. This can include, but is not limited to; visual presentations, works of art, a performance, video, a poem/song/rant, research paper, or TED style talks.
7. You will become the in-class expert on your topic. So enjoy discovering the knowledge that is waiting for you to find it.

The certainty of uncertainty

When students are empowered and engaged, the resulting learning is immersed in intense inquiry and thought. The room is filled with nothing other than productive silence; barely broken by keystrokes and infrequent fidgeting as grade 5s are wont to do. Students’ questions are usually met with responses of redirection that affirm their instincts rather than direct answers. I want them to develop and trust their instincts as learners by stretching beyond their comfort zones. If that means answering a question with another question, then so be it. One thing’s for sure, it will be a stretch for everyone including you.

Me: Here’s your chance to discover something that you’ve always wanted to know more about. What do you think it should be? What did you discover when you were doing your research? Have you considered…?

Then there’s the momentarily unsure. Occasionally, there are students who are really stuck when given so much latitude in the classroom. It might be a good idea to have the class share some general ideas that can be used in the case of Genius Hour Learner’s Block. Keep in mind this is new for some students as they have been conditioned to learn what is being taught without ever having time to scratch their own intellectual itches. If a learner is still stuck, keep directing them back to what they are passionate about in their lives. Feel free to share what you might study if given a chance. My students always love when I share my own passion projects in learning. Here is my latest one about the Psychology of Accents.

Handing over the learning to students is a struggle for some educators. We are so used to having everything organized, on time, and in its place. If this is you? Don’t panic. Please keep in mind that it will be messy at times. Some educators will feel compelled to assess this somehow. I get it. Perhaps for the first time, you consider only assessing the presentation skills rather than the content. If this is truly to resemble self-driven inquiry in learning, students should not be afraid to take chances because a mark is hanging over their heads.

Take it as opportunity to construct the success criteria with your students. They will not let you down. Consider having students assess one another’s work for the purposes of learning. Maybe you can make it like a gallery walk where half of the class shares and the other goes from one presentation to the next. You can also model and post some guiding questions as prompts.

One more rule

8. Have fun and celebrate all of the new learning that your students have discovered.