Will Gourley Advocacy for public education, Challenging Topics, General, Inspiring Teachers, Making a Difference Through Education, Social Justice, solidarity, Teaching as a public profession, Why unions matter

Bursting bubbles

POP!
What’s
that sound?
Fear and loss,
dreams – on hold,
watching, without a
voice as opportunity
is cut and cancelled.
For the people, or
for their bank
accounts?

Doubts – fill the staffroom.
Murmurs – echo down the halls.
Uncertainties – buzz through minds.

Bubbles – bursting before they are even formed.
Cuts like needles meant to pierce hearts and minds.

Are preparations being made for a classless class war?
Why has education been made the enemy in our province?

They say the bitter pills prescribed in government cuts must be taken or else there won’t be a future and that everyone must sacrifice because this mess is nobody’s and everybody’s fault. Yet, why aren’t elected officials in line for the same medicine that they’re prescribing? We hear tonnes of sound bites and sound bluffs. We see posturing on every stump, but where are the planters and peace makers after the forest that is public education has been razed?

We see fingers pointing in every direction because everyone is worried more about the colour of the ink on the spreadsheet than the lives that it will stain to change it.

What message is being sent to our youth by the adults, who cannot get along? The same adults making decisions about their futures? We ask our students to advocate, invest, and dedicate to their potential. We teach them to think critically, consider the facts, and make good choices. We expect students to buy into a better system, but it has already been sold out by the ones elected to take care of it.

Investing in our youth and their education should never come at a cost of denying them anything less than what their predecessors and parents had before them. Opportunity cost may be a term from an Economics textbook to understand the potential for a loss by doing something else. When we consider where things are heading in schools over the next few years, the money saved will never make up for the lost opportunity, innovation, and productivity, or the imminent financial and social costs.

Remember. Quality only hurts once. Our students are worth it. The work we provide prepares and protects them to possess a future. Our youth cannot be blamed for the mistakes of those who leveraged their futures before they were ever born. We cannot let another bubble burst and expect their children to pay for it.

Kelly.McLaughlin Celebrating Success, Inspiring Students, Inspiring Teachers, Teacher Appreciation

Prom Project Hamilton

On Saturday, April 13th at Delta High school in Hamilton, the Prom Project held an amazing event. This event is supported by the same foundation who gave my students our grant for our inquiry project, the Hamilton Foundation for Student Success.

The Prom Project allows students to pick out outfits free of charge to wear to their upcoming school events such as grad or prom. There were thousands of dresses, suits, shoes, accessories, hair stylists, make up artists and even on site seamstresses to help kids who needed their pants hemmed or their dresses taken in. I was able to volunteer at this amazing event along with many other teachers, principals and other adults from around Hamilton. The event was record breaking with almost 500 students walking away with new outfits. These outfits help increase their confidence knowing that they will have an outfit to wear to these events.

Among those 500 students who received outfits were 12 students from my own school. With the help of the prom project volunteers, the boys and girls found outfits that were their size, got these outfits altered and even left with their hair and makeup done. They received a swag bag full of helpful treats for their lives such as soap and other beauty products. It was awesome to see all the community partners there who donated their time, products and style capabilities to make the event the success it was.

You can still volunteer for the May 4th event by visiting http://www.promprojecthamilton.ca/. Follow the hashtags #PPH2019 and #promprojecthamilton for more info about the event. Pictured below is myself along with six students from my school who went home with Copley suits, Michael Kors suits and much more! An amazing event that really benefited so many children in our city!

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Kim Cousin 21st Century Learning, Advocacy for change, Advocacy for public education, Black History Month, Building Inclusion, Celebrating Success, Equity, Gender stereotypes, Genius Hour, Inspiring Students, Inspiring Teachers, Literacy, Math, Science, Social Justice, Women at Work

Social Advocate through Children’s Story

While many are marching to show the Ford Government our thoughts about the budget cuts, I am reflecting on how we can safely ride out this storm. As a Social Advocate for equal rights and positive outcomes for our children and this world, I am with my sisters and brothers at Queens Park today in spirit and via social media. I find myself planning ways to help the education team and students get through this next tumultuous time while supporting each other and focusing on self care. #ETFOstrong

This week I was privileged to be part of an audience engaged by the “beautiful” and talented writer, Helaine Becker. http://www.helainebecker.com/abouttheauthor.html

She presented to our school community to Grades 4-8 and then to Grades K-4.  I always enjoy an inspiring hero and artist who can inform and bring all those social justice issues that I am passionate about to the forefront with the power of words and books.

I am a woman science and mathematics teacher. This book excites me. It encompasses so many issues that I am passionate about.  “Counting on Katherine” tells the story of Katherine Johnson and the societal blocks she faced through her life.  She faced racism and sexism at every turn yet never stopped believing in herself. This story brings the truth to us about how she improved the world. She is one of the many previously unknown hero’s of my time.

countingonkatherinerevised_cover

During the very “beautiful” and talented Helaine’s presentation, I found myself and the school population, captivated with her presentation. She spoke of so many subjects which excite me. These topics open opportunities and possibilities for the many I educate. Helaine spoke of how she wrote about feminism, racism and suppression. She included topics of mathematics, science, space, and the “power of the pen”. She introduced the dream of writing to many during her amazing and dynamic presentation of her children’s books.

Thank you, Helaine for introducing me to another hero. I will now share Katherine Johnson’s story with many for years to come.

Arianna Lambert Challenging Topics, General, Inspiring Teachers, Making a Difference Through Education

It’s About Relationships!

Over my 10-year career as an educator, there have been a number of times of uncertainty in education. These are the times that drive us to reflect on why we became educators: to have an impact. There have been some great posts within this platform with fantastic tips on how to thrive during these times. For this piece, I’m thinking about relationships.

We all know that at the forefront of education is the power that comes from building meaningful relationships, both with our students and colleagues. It’s was fuels the work that we do and empowers us to see the impact that we can have, are having and will have. It’s through relationships that we keep the lines of communication open when parents and students who don’t always know what the impacts may be a school community.

When I think about relationships I think about creating spaces that are:

 

  • Open to dialogue
  • Safe to try, fail and try again
  • Real

 

Open to Dialogue

Ever been in a quiet classroom or one where the main voice was that of the teacher? How did it feel? On the other hand, have you ever been in a classroom that was loud and slightly chaotic with meaningful dialogue happening amongst students? How did that feel? I’m sure that both spaces feel very different.

I believe that “the rules” we have in the classroom, set the tone for the way in which our students converse with each other. When students feel free to be able to bring their experiences, thoughts and ideas into the classroom, there’s a sense of freedom that comes from being who you are with people who care. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’ve been in buildings where administrators wondered about the noise happening in my classroom but when they can come in, spoke to students and saw that it was purposeful, some of the questioning dissipated. Many would also drop in for our times when we were connecting on things that were meaningful to students and had an impact both in within the classroom and the world around us.

I believe that classrooms should be spaces for students and educators to have open dialogue about what is being learned within the classroom which should also include real connections to what is happening in the world. These are sometimes courageous conversations that need to be met with students having the opportunity to share their concerns and having a non-judgemental adult being there to help guide with facts and information.  We want students to be asking rich and meaningful questions of each other and understanding that communication is a skill that they can work to develop with each other. That means that they don’t necessarily have to agree with the thoughts and ideas of another but they understand that they have to respect that diversity of thought exists.

Safe Spaces to Try, Fail and Try Again

Growing up, I always felt that at school, I had to be perfect and show what I knew. Failure wasn’t embraced and there was a culture around making sure that what was shared was the right answer for that was most important. The stress that this puts on students when they should be in a space where learning and the progression of skills and knowledge is embraced is unbelievable. As such, I tried to create spaces where students could present themselves as is and we could work towards helping them to improve where needed.

Now I can’t say that this is an easy task but imagine if students felt safe failing and viewed it as an opportunity to get back up and grow. A place where talking about what they believed to be correct and working to identify misconceptions and helping students to consider what other options might be correct. Or better yet, having their peers work towards helping to change misconceptions. What if we offered students the freedom to fail and then the opportunity to try again after providing feedback and clarification for them? This takes work, time and effort but how might the climate in our classrooms change and how might they help to deepen connections made with each other? What outcome could this provide for students in the long term?

Real

People naturally gravitate to those who are real and genuine. Colleagues are genuinely navigating uncomfortable spaces at the moment and it’s important to be able to have at least one critical friend with whom we can share our concerns but who will also empower us to continue with the goal that we know is most important, our students and their success. Have you found a critical friend? One with whom you can be real and know will help to encourage you on those tough days?  

While we are uncertain of what the outcome of the changes in education may be, we do know that through relationships, we can stay true to what we believe to be the most valuable part of our role: having an impact in education.

Kim Cousin Assessment, Building Inclusion, Challenging Topics, Classroom Layouts, Combined Grade Classes, Constant Learning, Differentiated Instruction, Diverse Learning Needs, Flexible Classroom, General, Inquiry, Inspiring Students, Inspiring Teachers, Interviews, Learning About Your Students, Math, Planning, Play-Based Learning, Questioning, Resources, Students as Teachers

Create Success in Intermediate Math through Play….

“What are you doing in Math today?” the VP inquires of my grade 5,6,7 and 8 students.

“We’re playing games.”

“You’re playing games?”

“Yes, we always play in math.”

The assessments gathered from these classes provide me insight of where everyone is in their learning. My experience with assessments are that individual conversations to understand the thinking process provides the most valuable information. The range of each of my classes is from a low elementary level to a low secondary level.  This is quite a span. As a school we have been, “Landscaping” these students using; Fosnots– Landscape of Learning.  http://thelearningexchange.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Creating-Conditions-for-Learning-Math-Viewers-Guide.pdf This provides an great snapshot of where your learners are on a continuum. Our board has developed some very specific assessment questions for all grade levels which include strategic numbers to help determine the strategies individuals use.

How do I managed this?

It took me a while with the continuous disruptions to the daily routine. The way, I have adopted my assessment sessions this year is similar to how a reading group would be managed.  Provide the lesson, give the class expectations, then work with a small group on a rotating basis. The entire class already understands the rules and class expectations which have been familiar routines followed to date.

Now what?

I find creating a growth mindset is most important. This is developed through creating a comfort zone for all, including the teacher. Each year I am challenged to ensure my learners grow and develop forward on the continuum. I use a variety of resources such as Sherry Parrish’s-Number Talks http://www.meaningfulmathmoments.com/number-talks.html This is a great beginning to each class.

I resource Dr. Small’s-Big Ideas https://search.library.utoronto.ca/details?7785153&uuid=5d3e7d21-dfef-4e3a-a3d3-9f33f13418b9 for different activities to compliment the concept of study.

Presently I am using, From Patterns to Algebra, by Dr. Beatty and Dr. Bruce https://school.nelson.com/from-patterns-to-algebra-book/

Play, yes these resources include play which I implement on a regular basis.  The students enjoy learning with and from each other while I guide them. During my classes, Play creates a class dynamic for success.

Michelle Fenn Challenging Topics, Constant Learning, Inspiring Teachers, Mental Health, Mindfulness, Professional Learning and Growth, Resilience, self reflection, Teacher Appreciation, Teacher Wellness, Teaching as a public profession, Wellness, wellness

Let’s Talk About Shame

Author Brené Brown from her book “The Gifts of Imperfection” writes that there are three things that people need to understand about shame:

1.  We all have it.  Shame is universal and one of the most primitive human emotions that we experience.  The only people who don’t experience shame lack the capacity for empathy and human connection.

2.  We’re all afraid to talk about shame.

3.  The less we talk about shame, the more control it has over our lives.

While reading this it resonated with me as a teacher.  How many have you experienced Professional Learning Shame?  I’m a professional learning hoarder.  I consume professional learning whenever possible and yet, often I feel shame while experiencing professional learning.  I listen to another teacher who is courageous in sharing strategies and ideas that are meant to help me in my job and ultimately I end up thinking that I must be a poor teacher because I don’t do those things in my classroom. Often I come away feeling worse about myself.  I’ll think, “Well great, obviously everything that I’ve been doing has been ineffective and I need to add THIS onto everything else.” or “I haven’t been doing THAT in my classroom. Clearly I’m not working hard enough. What must my colleagues think of me?”

Shame makes us think that we are somehow not worthy.  I know that I’ve convinced myself of not feeling worthy when I compare my work to other teachers in my school, on Twitter or (cringe)…Pinterest.  I find it difficult to look at myself professionally through an asset lens.  The best way to stop feeling that shame is to talk about it.  Once shame is talked about it tends to lose power and it is easier to let it go.  So, I’m talking about it in a public forum so I can work on building up that resiliency.

I’ve felt shame as a teacher in social situations with people who aren’t educators.  I’ve felt judged, compared and found unworthy.  More than once I’ve heard, “Teachers are paid too much and have far too many holidays and benefits and they’re really just babysitters.”  Whenever a Provincial Government talks about making cuts to education, it sends a message that teachers aren’t worthy of maintaining the current working conditions and fuels the public perception held by some that teachers are unworthy of what we earn.

In our school, whenever EQAO results are returned and we have our fall meeting to talk about the school improvement plan for the year, we celebrate for a nano second the areas in which the student have succeeded and focus intently on the shortcomings.  As a school we know that we all share in the responsibility for the cumulative education of students and feel shame when we look at where we didn’t succeed, but some of my grade 3 and 6 colleagues have told me about how they feel solely responsible for EQAO scores and consequently, feel shame.

Well, this is a downer of a subject, get over it Fenn.  What can we do?  It’s the nature of our job right?  Nope.  There are some great pointers that Brené Brown shares about becoming shame resilient:

1.  Understand when you are feeling shame and recognize what messages and experiences trigger shame for you.

2.  Remember not to equate being imperfect with being inadequate.

3.  Share your stories with people you trust and own your stories.

4.  If you feel shame, name it.  Talk about how your feeling and ask for what you need.

Teachers are constantly in receipt of feedback about their job; from parents, students, administrators, colleagues, the public and themselves.  Staying open to criticism and feedback is what helps us improve education for our students.  We need to take risks to remain open so that we can experience improvement.  However, what we should also try to remember is that everyone is flawed and imperfect but that doesn’t mean that we are lacking.

 

 

 

Michelle Fenn 21st Century Learning, Coding, Constant Learning, Inquiry, Inspiring Students, Inspiring Teachers, Integration, Learning in a Real Life Context, Modern Learning, Resilience, Robotics, Technology, Technology in school, The Global Competencies, Use of Technology, Using technology well

Coding with Microbits

Twice I have attended the Ontario Teachers’ Federation “Pedagogy before Technology” conference in the summer.  This year I attended a design workshop that the InkSmith company provided and would never have been able to predict the chain of events that would follow.  In the workshop we were grouped with people at our table to come up with a design concept and present it in the manner of a “Dragon’s Den” pitch.  As we discussed the concept and made diagrams on chart paper, I put the visuals together in a small Google Slide presentation and added an entertaining video.  I have my drama specialist and I’m not afraid to ham it up in front of a crowd.  When it came time for the presentation we wowed the InkSmith team and ended up presenting to the entire group.  We then went to lunch and I didn’t really think too much more about it.  However, because I had so loudly and visibly put myself out there in an entertaining way, I was contacted by the team at InkSmith and then connected with kidscodejeunesse team.  Kids Code is a federally funded program that helps students learn to code.  They provide free workshops to classrooms across the country using handheld, programmable micro-computers called micro:bits. The coding program is web based and is in the blockly format but can also be switched to html for more advanced coders.  When a workshop is provided to a classroom, the teacher is provided with ten microbits for the class to use and keep.  You can visit the website kidscodejeunesse to sign up for a workshop for your classroom.

microbit

                                                                                                                                 This is the microbit connected to a battery pack.

Kids Code Jeunesse provided me with training and as part of my job as an innovations consultant, I now go into classrooms within my school board to deliver workshops to students.  The only coding that I had done up to this point was with Spheros and Ozobots which was quite rudimentary.  I am now immersed into the coding culture. Which means that sometimes my kitchen counter looks like this:

IMG_6320 It was a little out of my comfort zone to be sure.  As I have gone into classrooms I have admitted to students that I’m not an expert on microbit   technology and I have learned from some of the students that have been engaged in complex coding on their own time.  With a quick conversation with   the classroom teacher I can usually make some decisions around differentiating the program to keep students engaged.

 You might be wondering what it is these little computers can do.  The LED lights on the front can be programmed to light up in patterns which create   animations.  Students can create dice or rock, paper, scissors games and with a few alligator clips and a small speaker or headphones, microbits can be   programmed to create music. With a little innovation and some adaptation it can be programmed to water plants automatically or become a pedometer.   It can also be paired with a robot called K8 which can be purchased from Inksmith and assembled.  The microbit website itself is where the coding takes   place and it has easy to follow tutorials and ideas for projects to code.

The initial workshop is only the beginning.  The only limit to these little computers is the limits of your student’s imagination.  Microbits would be incredibly useful in a maker space or genius hour environment.  The students develop design and critical thinking skills and problem solving techniques as they create and de-bug programs.  It is an amazing way to introduce coding to students-especially if you are a teacher who is brand new to coding.  Be warned: coding is extremely engaging and you and your students may have an inordinate amount of fun while learning.

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Laura Bottrell General, Inspiring Teachers, Professional Learning and Growth

New Year, New Reading List

Something about the fresh beginning of a new year is inspiring. In my own personal reflection, I feel like I’ve really got the hang of all the wonders of being a classroom teacher. I’m in my third full-year LTO and I feel that I’m moving past the stage of “learning as I go” and “figuring it out”. I now want to spend more time refining and defining myself as an educator.

This is a list of books that I want to read this year as part of my self-guided professional development – a sort of New Year’s Resolution to myself. They are titles that I’ve heard of from colleagues or from other online sources and they have all been reviewed highly. A few of them I already own, but admittedly, have only skimmed through or read the chapters pertaining to what I needed at the time. This time, I’m focusing in and reading with the intention of building capacity and growing myself as a teacher.

If you’re looking to do the same, I recommend checking out a few of the titles listed below. They’ve been selected with primary grades in mind, but the basic principles covered by them could (and in my opinion, should) be applied to all grades.

Happy New Year and happy reading!

 

Beyond Behaviour Management: The Six Life Skills Children Need by Jenna Blimes  *This book has already totally changed my teaching, and is my highest recommendation to you!

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Calm, Alert and Learning: Classroom Strategies for Self-Regulation by Stuart Shanker

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Self-Reg: How to Help Your Child (and You) Break the Stress Cycle and Successfully Engage with Life by Stuart Shanker

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Mathematical Mindsets by Jo Boaler

Mathematical-Mindsets

 Balanced and Barefoot: How Unrestricted Outdoor Play Makes for Strong, Confident and Capable Children by Angela J. Hanscom and Richard Louv

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Inquiry Mindset: Nurturing the Dreams, Wonders, and Curiosities of Our Youngest Learners by Trevor MacKenzie and Rebecca Bathurst-Hunt 

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Will Gourley Celebrating Success, General, Inspiring Teachers, Making a Difference Through Education

Best to you in all you do (an alphabetic acronym for educators)

Happy New Year! Well at least the Gregorian one. What’s really neat about teaching in Ontario is the amount of cultural sharing that occurs as part of our school calender. January 1st marks the start of 2019 on most calenders and in the spirit of rebirth, new beginnings, and good will I wanted to share a prosaic attempt to encourage you all to savour the good from 2018 and prepare to embrace the awesome potential of another new year.

Always take time to reflect on the impact you are having on the lives of others.
Being present is the best present.
Channel your energy into lifting others up and creating community in your classroom.
Dedicate to change and learning even when it is uncomfortable.
Everyone matters, most importantly you.
Forget past hurts and move forward.
Give freely of your time and resources.
Homework doesn’t have to be a worksheet.
It can be a conversation or a chance to play.
Jump up and show your students why movement is important while learning.
Kinesthetic learners need to move. So do their teachers.
Leave the answers in the back of the book to explore other responses.
Make room for culturally responsive pedagogy.
Never doubt the impact you are making on the lives of others.
Open your mind to innovative practices and take risks trying something new.
Play + timely relevant instruction = learning.
Questions are bricks to build a solid foundation in learning. They are not meant to be thrown.
Respect is at the forefront of all we do. It presumes positive intentions in everyone.
Some days, some people are going to push your buttons. See R, Q, F, and C
“Tough times don’t last. Tough people do.” Robert Shuller In case R, Q, F and C don’t work.
Understanding includes everyone. We need to seek it, model it, and share it daily.
Victories come in many forms. Somedays it will look different than others.
Wonder is the rocket fuel of enagement in education. We have the ability to send our students to the moon and beyond.
Xenophobia is an enemy that can only be defeated by dedicated educators.
You are a dedicated educator who has accomplished great things and will do so again in 2019
Zzzzzz. Sleep is your friend. Rest you deserve it.

Thank you for all you do to make education awesome. It is a privilege to share with you on this platform. Cheers to many great things in 2018, the many lessons too, and to all of the amazing potential that is to unfold in 2019. Will

Will Gourley General, Great Gifts for Teachers, Inspiring Students, Inspiring Teachers, Making a Difference Through Education

The best present is one you can give year round

https://www.flickr.com/photos/72153088@N08/6510934443 CC BY 2.0
https://www.flickr.com/photos/72153088@N08/6510934443 CC BY 2.0

Like many gifts wrapped up during this Christmas/Winter Holiday season, this post could take a lot of forms. Whether it is with a bow, within a kindly worded card or if it is hidden in a neatly wrapped gift the feeling of giving and receiving gifts is a special one.

Classrooms can be gifts that keep on giving

Although, traditional presents are nice, it has been my experience to savour the moments when we are able to strengthen our class community through quality time together. Long after the sweetness of a treat or period off for a movie has been forgotten, students remember being part of something special that benefitted others.

When classrooms unite for a cause bigger than themselves, that is where true giving occurs. Raising funds to support schools in need of resources, supporting clean water projects, or collecting food/clothing for local charities are all ways for students to give. The holidays serve as a perfect time to make it happen, but the need does not stop in January. So why not make giving the focus year round?

Getting started is easy. Start by setting aside a little time to gather/chat about needs and goals for giving in support of others instead of getting down to the business of learning every period. There are numerous NGOs for a class to support such as Ryan’s Well, Plan Canada or Right to Play to name a few, but in 2019 I think it would be great for us to seek justice and equitable funding and access to education for our First Nations families. Most of our classrooms are embarassments of riches in my school board. I know there is room for us all to be generous.

What if we all provided time to interact and set our minds to support a common goal? Encouragement and a space to make it happen are simple gifts that teachers can offer their students. Then let them co-create and negotiate where they want to concentrate their efforts. Your class can divvy up responsibilities such as organizing awareness parties / fundraisers / whole-school events for everyone to look forward. They can plan and host inter-grade social games to include younger and older students. This way, everyone becomes connected to the event(s) in one form or another. That connection allows the community to grow closer together as they work on a common goal. Each time students work together to achieve something or are kind to one another is like a gift that keeps on giving beyond the moment. Start small, think locally, take some time, and grow from there. Remember to have fun. It will be like a breath of fresh air from the regular learning at school.

Although this post was shared in December, its message stretches well beyond any season. I’m hoping that it will serve as a reminder of the give and take that exists in our schools, as well.And, like most gifts, it is better to give than to receive. Especially in the classroom. Keep on giving your best to everyone and in all that you do.

Thank you for reading. Here’s to an amazing 2019 at the speed of learning and life.