Professional Learning and Growth

January 28, 2018 Arianna Lambert Constant Learning, Professional Learning and Growth

#PDThatWorks

It’s no secret…I’m a lover of professional development! I’ve always been of the mindset that learning is a continuous process that is afforded to all of us in a variety of ways and we should take advantage of as many opportunities as we can. That being said, over the past couple of years, I’ve been on a hunt for #PDThatWorks. It’s a hashtag that we used last year as part of our STEM Certificate Course hosted at RJ Lang Elementary and Middle School for K – 8 Teachers. We too were interested in finding a model for professional development that would inspire teachers to continue the work outside of the session and build capacity in their schools and over-time, the board. I think that I finally found what works for me:

Building a community with participants

Time for implementation and reflection

An opportunity to celebrate and look for next steps

Building A Community With Participants

Our module was 4 days long, over a 4 month period (1 day per month), and this time afforded us the opportunity to get to know the colleagues that we were working with on a deeper level. It wasn’t just one session where we learned something to take back in isolation, but over the course of even the first day or 2, we were quickly realizing that we could leverage the skills in the group in order to learn from one another. As a facilitator, it was exciting to see relationships being built based on reflecting on experiences and connections we might be able to make with the students we have the opportunity to serve. Amongst facilitators, it was great to be able to understand the skills that each of us brought to the course and how we were able to form a great team because of the diversity in our skills. Once the course was finished, we simply couldn’t stop there. As facilitators, we decided that we wanted an opportunity to continue our work together with like-minded educators who were just as excited about learning and growing professionally as we were. #TinkeringThursdays was born out of this idea.

Time For Implementation And Reflection

Ever participated in a PD session where you received many handouts and great ideas to take back to the classroom without any real follow-up, accountability or commitment to implementation? I have. Ultimately, as educators it’s our responsibility to take the learning back to the classroom to implement but often times, without accountability, things fall by the wayside. Good intentions exist but follow-through doesn’t always happen. Being a part of a workshop or course such as this, allowed for participants to take the time needed to implement, reflect and return to have discussions on successes and areas of need. I know that there should be some intrinsic motivation for implementing our learning but let’s face it, collaborating with colleagues who have also had the chance to implement ideas in their own spaces, provides a better opportunity for success. There are many times that I’ve seen ideas that worked well in one learning space and then when brought into my own have had different results. What’s the difference? The students. When we take an idea and make pivots based on the needs of our learners and share, there’s even more learning that can be gleaned.

An Opportunity To Celebrate and Look For Next Steps

On the last day of the course, participants showcased the work that they did with students based on their learning during the course. It was phenomenal. Some participants even went as far as bringing their students so that their actual voices were heard through the projects and tasks that were created. Not only were the presentations or projects diverse, but they spoke to the true learning and teachers were excited to share with one another their next steps for implementing the Engineering Design process. Again, there was the gathering of ideas and an excitement about having been able to learn with such an amazing group over a 4 month period.

Now that I know the type of #PDThatWorks for me, I’m better able to tailor my learning experiences and find sessions that truly honor my style of learning and speak to me as an educator. What type of #PDThatWorks will you find?

January 17, 2018January 17, 2018 Laura Bottrell Classroom Management, General, Professional Learning and Growth

Guiding Principles

I’ve been doing some self-directed professional development on behaviour management lately. I have a personal interest in the psychology behind learning and development, and as a Kindergarten teacher this is my main area of focus on a daily basis. Before my students will learn literacy and math, I need to ensure their social and emotional well-being.

I recently took a PD session through my board where I was inspired to take a step back and think about my language in the classroom. How do my words and actions influence the behaviour and well-being of my students? After all, behaviour management in a classroom is influenced the greatest by the teacher’s words and actions, rather than those of the children.

As adults, we are tempted to flood our children with rules. These rules make us feel better. If we redirect our students constantly, we will keep them safe and ensure they are doing what we want, right? Well, this isn’t always the case. Think of how many commands, comments or redirection you dole out to your student on a daily basis. These phrases may sound familiar to you:

“Don’t run in the hall”

“Quiet voices inside”

“Don’t build that tower too high”

“Get down from that chair”

“Careful with those scissors”

“Hands to yourself”

“That wasn’t very nice”

“I don’t like to hear those words”

The list goes on, and on, and on, and on. But what if we don’t need to spew out these phrases repeatedly? What if there was a way to get that message across without overloading our kids with what, will inevitably, become white noise to them? We know that overloading kids with language can be overwhelming and as a result, can bring about even more behaviours.

This is where guiding principles come in. For your classroom, choose a phrase or a few words that define what you believe to be the most important rules. In our classroom, we use:

“At school, we are safe and kind”.

Rather than throwing out constant redirection and comments as listed above, we simply repeat this statement to our class. Why is this effective? We’re using simple language with words that are clear and effective. Almost any situation that could come up in your classroom can be successfully redirected using this phrase. For students who are ready, it can be turned into a question to get kids thinking and reflecting about problems as they arise. For example, if a student is running in the hallway I might stop them and say, “At school we are safe. Are you being safe?”, rather than giving the command, “Stop running in the halls”. For a group of students that are not including someone in their play, I might remind them, “At school we are kind. Are you being kind?”. I think of the two words as umbrellas that all desirable and undesirable behaviours can be categorised under.

This method has worked wonders in our Kindergarten classroom. I always know my strategies are effective when I hear my students repeating my language. Since beginning using guiding principles, I hear my students guiding each other through situations by using the exact same phrase, “At school we are safe and kind!”. Undesirable behaviours are being stopped much faster and I’m noticing more mindful students.

I do believe that there is never a “perfect” or “correct” method for anything in teaching, as we know, every group of children is different. This particular method has really changed how I think and interact with my students and has been a wonderful guide to my own approach to behaviour management. I encourage you to give it a try!

January 13, 2018February 1, 2018 Michelle Fenn Constant Learning, Curriculum Planning, Inspiring Students, Inspiring Teachers, Occasional Teachers, Occasional Teaching, Professional Learning and Growth, Resources, The Arts

Teaching Dramatic Arts-Resource Recommendations

My first Additional Qualification Specialist was in Dramatic Arts. When I signed on at my current school board I worked as an overlay teacher between two schools and taught whatever I was assigned by the Teachers for whom I provided preparation time. I was mostly asked to teach art, drama, dance, and music. These curriculum areas are my passions but not all Teachers feel qualified or comfortable teaching these subjects. Drama seems to be one of those courses that some Teachers “tack on” for a week or two just before a reporting period and with good reason, they aren’t comfortable teaching it and it can become difficult to manage behaviour during dramatic arts.

Drama lends itself well to all areas of the language curriculum. There is a misconception that Drama and Theatre are the same thing and that scripts and plays are the end goal of the Dramatic Arts curriculum. However, there are many ways in which to incorporate Dramatic Arts activities into the daily language curriculum and you don’t ever have to mount a full scale production. Drama doesn’t have to be scary.

One of the best resources that I recommend to Teachers who have Dramatic Arts Anxiety is the DramaNotebook website. It has all of the Drama games you will ever need all in one place and is especially handy for Occasional Teachers for transition times. In addition, it has poems and scripts that you can access from 2 parts up to 30 parts. There is a sign up for a cost, but there is also many free items including 40 drama games for teachers.

Another great Canadian source for drama lessons is Larry Swartz. He is an Educational Consultant, author, speaker and Dramatic Arts specialist. His book, “Dramathemes” is in it’s 3rd edition and is used in many Education Faculties in Ontario. It not only provides “activities” but it creates units that are easily integrated into the language curriculum.

The Council of Drama and Dance Educators has a fantastic website and there are many free resources which are written by educators and can be accessed even if you are not a member of CODE. In addition, they have a conference each year held in the fall which provides opportunities to learn along with other Educators.

I would also highly recommend the Arts resources from ETFO. The Primary ETFO Arts and Revised ETFO Arts resources provide an integrated approach to all of the Arts. You can find them at Shop ETFO on the website by following the link below.

http://www.etfo.ca/SupportingMembers/Resources/pages/shopetfo.aspx

Revised ETFO Arts (2014) $23

Ref. #91.129 The Revised ETFO Arts book is a practical step-by-step handbook for junior/intermediate grade teachers who want to include the Arts in their classroom program by introducing all the elements of dance, drama, music and visual arts.

Primary ETFO Arts (2013) $20

Ref. #91.169 Primary ETFO Arts is a publication that features 10 picture books that will pique children’s interest with their universal themes, issues and questions. Each section of Primary ETFO Arts includes engaging verbal and non-verbal activities to stimulate imagination, communication and critical thinking.

I hope that these resources provide you with some ideas and inspiration. I am always looking for more. If you have some other resources to recommend; please add a comment.

December 31, 2017 Arianna Lambert Inspiring Students, Inspiring Teachers, Professional Learning and Growth, Resources

Goal Setting

As the year winds down, I take time to reflect on the year that has past and consider setting a few goals for the year to come. Not only do I do this personally but I’ve often seen the new year as a great opportunity to work with students to consider what they might like to achieve moving forward in the school year.

Over the years, I’ve considered different types of goal setting but have found SMART Goals as being the most effective, personally and in my work with students. SMART Goals are: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely. This year, I created a SMART Goal Action Plan to work on with my students. Using this Google Doc, students will decide on a goal that they would like to accomplish and answer questions to make sure that their goals are indeed SMART. Now I know that I’ve made New Year’s Resolutions in the past that were easily forgotten by January 3rd, but I also know that an essential part of achieving our goals is support and accountability. By having students turn-in their work in Google Classroom, I’ll have the opportunity to conference with them on their action plan and have ongoing discussions as they progress. Part of the learning is going through the process. I’m really excited to support students in achieving something that is of importance to them and the hope is that by participating in this process, they may gain the skills necessary to continue to set SMART goals, personally and academically.

What goals are you setting for yourself and for your students this year? All the best for 2018!

November 30, 2017November 30, 2017 Arianna Lambert Constant Learning, Equity, General, Inspiring Teachers, Making a Difference Through Education, Professional Learning and Growth

The Workshop Presenter’s Palette

In my last post, I blogged about attending and presenting at workshops. And well…perhaps I should have waited a few weeks before sharing about that topic. Hindsight is always 20-20 and I’m grateful for the opportunity to share with you on this topic once again.

That being said, I must admit that I am coming off of a high that I haven’t had the pleasure of experiencing enough of as of late. This past Monday and Tuesday, I had the privilege of participating in ETFO’s The Workshop Presenter’s Palette. I walked in not knowing quite what to expect but prepared to work on something and in all honesty, quickly realized that I was really working on myself. I’ve said it before, I love sharing the work that I get to do with amazing students and this session was really for me to be able to improve on something that I already enjoy doing.

Screenshot 2017-11-30 at 7.10.16 PM Much thanks to the “Terrific ETFO Trio” – Ruth Dawson, Joanne Myers, and Jane Bennett. Not only was it inspiring to watch these 3 women share strategies – with intentionality – but I also felt as though they gave to us on every level. From remembering our names to making sure there were yummy treats, they hosted us so well and reminded me of the importance of making my audience feel as though they matter every time that I present. I walked away wishing that I had more time to sit down and learn from them. Thank you!

Now you’re probably wondering what was so magical. Well, here are a few tips that I picked up over the 2 days. Now I can’t go giving away all of their amazing secrets, you’ll have to stay tuned and try to get in on the fun next year.

The Environment Makes A Huge Difference

We were in a large room with great acoustics so it was clear to hear the presenters. Everything was already set up for us and it was inviting because it made me feel as though they were welcoming me not just a group of people. If you know who your audience is and have time to prepare for them in advance, do it! Make it obvious that you have thought of them in planning your session.

Not sure who will be joining your session? Not to worry. Play some music. I learned that the number of beats matters. Aim for 120 beats per minute. It’s uplifting and raises the energy in the room. Consider playing a game to get started. We started with a Meet Three activity where we were asked to meet 3 new people and were given prompts for each new person we met. Each prompt was timed and eased participants from a place that was familiar to them – what they plan on doing over the holiday – to the deeper purpose of the workshop – what made a workshop memorable.

When I say that there was intentionality behind every part of the workshop, there really was. Down to the variety of tools to get the attention of participants such as clappers and other noise makers. I felt heard, never screamed over but gently brought back to the larger conversation. Small things that made a huge difference in the learning space.

Help A Friend!

Ever been in a session where people were offering feedback on something you were creating? Have you ever gotten the feeling of being overwhelmed by capturing all of the amazing feedback? Well, I think I was just given the solution. We were asked to get into Mentor Groups where we shared our workshop ideas and were given the opportunity to get feedback and answers to some of the questions we may still have about our work. Rather than frantically trying to write down the wealth of information shared, the person to the right of the presenter took notes while the presenter was able to actually engage in active listening. Sound simple? It really is and believe it or not, I never thought of it. I think this is a strategy that I will take back to the classroom and use with students in peer feedback sessions.

Equity

Language matters and the idea of intention vs. impact was made so clear to me. No matter my intentions, the impact of my words is what participants and those around me actually feel. Adam Peer was our presenter for this portion of the day and he addressed the importance of being conscious of the images that are shown in our sessions. Do they show the diversity that exists in terms of abilities, skin colour, religion, age, family, and genders? Still saying girls and boys or ladies and gentlemen? Consider using children, everyone or using the person’s name instead.

I feel as though I’ve just touched the surface of all that was incredible about this 2-day session but at the same time given away a few tips that you may chose to take back to your classrooms or even workshops. I’m refreshed and excited to implement my learning into my sessions and classroom. Remember to stay tuned to ETFO’s Upcoming Events to sign up for amazing PD that is sure to change your life.

November 23, 2017 Kelly.McLaughlin Celebrating Success, Challenging Topics, Constant Learning, Diverse Learning Needs, Inspiring Teachers, Learning About Your Students, Making a Difference Through Education, Mental Health, Mentorship, Mindfulness, Professional Learning and Growth, Questioning, Resources, Wellness, wellness

Book group

A colleague of mine started a book club for educators in our school. We read the book “The boy who was raised as a dog” which takes you on the journey of various stories from the child psychiatrist, Bruce D. Perry. The book group involved seven to eight educators discussing the assigned chapters we had read for the week. I highly recommend this read for any teachers who have ever struggled with a “challenging” student. The book details the accounts of many children Perry encountered whose traumatic past altered their future. The book teaches all teachers to have a compassion that is so necessary for these traumatized children.

We discussed many things during our meetings each week. We started discussing the chapters but the conversations always had a way of covering anything and everything. The meetings helped me go into each day with an open mind and a compassion for a child’s situation that I did not have before. You rarely think of the reason someone behaves “badly” or defiantly. We may just assume that that is the way that child is. Many of us may have not stopped to think of the reason for that action. Realistically, we all have a lot on our plates that day and we may be thinking of a quick way to discipline the child. The book helped our book group members to think of ways to help these children in class so that they may have a successful future outside of it.

Today was our last meeting and we took the last twenty minutes to reflect on our love for teaching. How amazing of a feeling it is when you have that moment in the classroom (or outside) when you just get that feeling of “this is the most incredible job on earth!” We all discussed moments we have felt like that and how incredibly lucky we are to be teachers. The book group was a great way to celebrate and to continue our love for learning. If anyone would like more information about this book, please let me know. The book could change your entire outlook on those “tough” situations, reminding us never to give up on a child or to jump to negative conclusions especially when we do not know their entire situation.

November 21, 2017November 22, 2017 Arianna Lambert Constant Learning, General, Inspiring Teachers, Professional Learning and Growth

It’s Conference Time!

My presenter journey started a couple of years ago when I thought, “why not take a chance and share my work with other educators?”. My first conference was Bring It Together in 2015. Funnily enough, I find myself starting to write this blog from this year’s BIT conference.

In 2015 our school was involved in a school-wide Water Inquiry and I had just begun working with students on Entrepreneurial Thinking in the classroom. It was something new in our board and I was excited about this work and naturally thought the conference would be a great way to share it.

In Marketplace style, I set up my booth and had an hour filled with inspiring conversations with other educators about similar work that they were doing with students in their classrooms. Initially I thought I was there to present our work but found such value in learning from the experiences of others and gained great insight on how to take this work further. I caught the conference bug then, I’ve still got it, and I’m not letting go.

Over the years, I’ve learned 3 things as a presenter and attendee:

The Power of Story
Being Open to New Learning
Network, Network, and Network

The Power of Story

Sessions that have inspired and impacted me the most have been ones where the presenter has connected with me through the power of story. Either through taking me on their journey or sharing their students’ journey, these sessions have brought life to the material that the presenter is sharing. Seeing a real application and/or the humanness and messiness behind the implementation of ideas or projects makes it real and tangible. As an educator, I’ve realized, the realness of the struggle and the ability to overcome makes the process inspiring. I’ve tried to implement this in my presentations and am learning that it’s not just about me, but more so the amazing students who I am privileged to work with and whose work I am sharing that are the power in my presentation. As I presented at STAO a couple of weeks ago, I realized that I was most passionate when I was sharing my students’ work on hurricane solutions and the learning that I gained from them. If ever you are considering presenting, tell your story; and with their permission, tell the story of your students. It’s some of the best PD I have ever experienced.

Being Open To New Learning

It’s inevitable. At every conference, I end up attending a session where I think it might be on a particular topic and find out that it’s really about something else. In the beginning I would get discouraged and tune out if I found that I wasn’t getting what I thought I was supposed to be. Then I learned that I could get up and find another session that might better suit my needs. While I thought the second “strategy” was effective/useful, I’m learning the importance of seeing a session through and finding new learning. Whether there is a new tip or trick used by the presenter or participants or a strategy to avoid, there is always something that I can learn. Fortunately, this happened a couple of weeks ago during a session. I learned that it’s essential to test a demonstration before facilitating a session and to ensure that I truly understand all the steps involved when I’m asking participants to take a risk and try something new with me. Presentations can be tough and many of us are just learning about how to give them. Bear with us. Consider sticking it out and perhaps you may just learn something that will be of value to you in the long run. By being there you’ve already opened the envelope. Why not read its contents to the end?

Network, Network, and Network

Ok…It may be no secret but I love Twitter. I have to say that all credit goes to my former Principal, Greg McLeod, who suggested I hop on a few years ago to participate in a Twitter chat. I hesitantly agreed to join the Twitterverse and little did I know, it would be a revolutionary tool that would connect me to educators all around the world. I’ve gained tips and ideas by seeing the work of others online and during conference time, it’s my opportunity to seek them out and meet them in person. It’s also my chance to find new people to connect with and learn from. Last year, I attended a workshop at STAO where I met Shari Green-Brown who is the Principal of RJ Lang Elementary & Middle School. Who would have thought that learning about hand tools during a session would lead to the opportunity to collaborate with her – and others – to help facilitate our STEM Certificate Course or our current PD series – Tinkering Thursdays? I’ve grown as a teacher, presenter and facilitator by building a relationship that began on Twitter, was strengthened through an experience at a conference and developed over time. If ever you decide to take advantage of presenting or attending a conference, take the leap! Talk to a stranger or a Twitter friend. You never know who you might meet & what journey you’ll have the chance to take with them.

Fall conference season is almost done for me. As I look forward to the fun of conferences this spring, I’ll keep in mind: The Power of Story; Being Open to New Learning; and Network, Network, and Network. Consider taking advantage of conferences and events offered by ETFO. Last year I had the opportunity to present at ETFO’s ICT Conference. The energy was simply amazing and the sessions offered many new learning opportunities for participants.

I look forward to learning from and with you soon!

November 19, 2017November 19, 2017 Michelle Fenn Celebrating Success, Combined Grade Classes, Constant Learning, General, Inspiring Students, Inspiring Teachers, Integration, Learning About Your Students, Math, Mentorship, Professional Learning and Growth, The Arts

Connecting Area and Perimeter to Art-Piet Mondrian

Whenever possible, I search for ways to integrate the curriculum to create deeper learning opportunities for students and connect to the world around them. It has always been easy to make connections between geometry and art. Measurement and art wasn’t something that I had integrated much before. However, in working with my Teacher Candidate from the Trent University Faculty of Education program, we were excited to see what the students would create. It only goes to show you that when teachers are able to work collaboratively, wonderful programming ensues for students.

We have been working on perimeter and area for a little while, but students were still having trouble figuring out the difference between the two concepts. We started by giving the students 9 square tiles. Students were asked to create a 3 x 3 array of square tiles and determine the perimeter and the area. The perimeter was determined to be 12 and the area determined to be 9. From there, students were given a number of different challenges to reduce the area but maintain the perimeter of 12. The challenges grew increasingly difficult.

1. Reduce the area by one square unit but maintain the perimeter of 12 units.

2. Reduce the area to 7 square units while maintaining the perimeter of 12 units.

3. Reduce the area to 6 square units while maintaining the perimeter of 12 units.

4. Reduce the area to 5 square units while maintaining the perimeter of 12 units.

5. Reduce the area to 4 square units while maintaining the perimeter of 12 units.

6. Reduce the area to 3 square units while maintaining the perimeter of 12 units.

After having the students share their different solutions we thought we would show the students artwork that Ms. Marchiori created inspired by Ellsworth Kelly’s “Colors for a Large Wall”. In a guided math lesson the students figured out the area and perimeter of different parts of the artwork. The way in which students figured out the answers to the area demonstrated that they had a much better understanding of the difference between area and perimeter than they had previously.

At this point, we wanted to get into the artwork and considered the work of Piet Mondrian. Piet Mondrian is famous for the work that he created using primary colours, horizontal and vertical lines and squares and rectangles. Perfect for working with area and perimeter and for incorporating the different elements of art.

Ms. Marchiori showed the YouTube video of Piet Mondrian’s artistic life in a nutshell. Afterwards, the students then created their own Mondrian inspired artwork using chart sized grid paper (6’X6′) and crayon. To continue our math focus, the students then had to calculate the area of each of the colours that they used and write that on the back of their art “plan”. From there, the students used acrylic paint on canvas with grids drawn in pencil to recreate their “plan” for their art.

A few of the finished artwork samples;

This artwork would also connect to fractions. Students could express their colour content in a fraction, reducing it to it’s simplest form and then compare which colours covered the largest fraction of the area of the painting. When the artwork is complete, the students will be adding an artist’s message about what they learned during the process about area and perimeter, about the elements of line, colour and shape and about Piet Mondrian. This week we will be creating Mondrian inspired artwork while exploring balance and colour in art using much of the same grid technique but with the medium of crayon resist and watercolours.

October 28, 2017October 29, 2017 Arianna Lambert Challenging Topics, Constant Learning, Indigneous Ways of Knowing, Inspiring Students, Inspiring Teachers, Professional Learning and Growth, Truth and Reconciliation

Courageous Conversations: Indigenous Perspectives In The Classroom

Over the last year and a half I’ve had the privilege of co-moderating #tdsbEd – Twitter chats for TDSB Educators. It has become a community of teachers – well beyond our board – who are sharing their thoughts and ideas around trends in education in order to ensure student success, well-being and achievement. Throughout this time, I’ve been fortunate to work with amazing educators who have been guest moderators for our chats.

I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with Christina Saunders – a TDSB Indigenous Education Instructional Leader – on a chat entitled, Courageous Conversations: Indigenous Perspectives In The Classroom. Last Thursday we had our chat and it was refreshing to take time to both reflect on my own practice as well as be inspired to take specific actions to evolve in this area. Our chat had 7 questions that focused on Indigenous knowledge in the classroom as well as reflecting on our practice and learning spaces through checklists.

Treaties Recognition Week is coming up and we also took time to reflect on how we are unpacking the land acknowledgment with students. I must admit that I often found myself being able to recite the TDSB land acknowledgement but truly understanding the diversity of the Indigenous groups represented or even having an understanding of the Toronto Purchase, eluded me. If this is true for some of our educators, how much more so might this apply to our students? I decided to unpack it with my students by asking them to research the different groups of Indigenous Peoples, the Toronto Purchase and using Google My Maps, students had a chance to visualize the parcel of land referred to. This was an extremely beneficial learning opportunity for my students because they now have a deeper understanding of the peoples, the land and the agreements that set out the rights, responsibilities and relationships of Indigenous Peoples and the federal and provincial governments. If you are still looking for information on Treaties Recognition Week, please check out this amazing article written by Christina in ETFO Voice – Getting Ready for Treaties Recognition Week.

Land Acknowledgement (1) In my class this year, I’ve made it a goal to ensure that Indigenous perspectives are reflected in both my teaching and in our learning space. In the past I’ve struggled with months or days to celebrate a particular heritage or cultural group because I find that it leads to tokenism. While there is value in that celebration, I wonder how we might be able to go beyond and infuse this learning into our everyday experiences with students. I’m learning the importance of valuing inquiry as students start to investigate for themselves diverse experiences within Canada. Earlier this year, we read Jenny Kay Dupuis’ I AM NOT A NUMBER as we heard discussions around Orange Shirt Day and the experiences of Indigenous families and residential schools. Seeing my students question the actions of others based on ignorance and not respecting difference was invaluable. My hope is that this leads them to consider the way in which they treat others and ways in which they can become change makers to speak up when they see injustices.

One of the biggest takeaways from my chat was to ensure that I have contemporary representations of Indigenous Peoples in the reading materials that I introduce and that are a part of our classroom library. I’m learning to ensure that the stories told are being told by Indigenous Peoples rather than being told for them. I’m learning to take the time to do author studies to find out more about who is writing and the influences that impact and inform their writing. I have a long way yet to go but I think that beginning to have these courageous conversations is a step in the right direction.

If you are interested in finding out more about our chat on Courageous Conversations: Indigenous Perspectives In The Classroom, here is the archive.

October 12, 2017October 12, 2017 Kelly.McLaughlin Curriculum Planning, Professional Learning and Growth, self reflection, Start of the year, The Arts

A new year…three new assignments

Hello all,

It has been a busy start to this new year of teaching! I am now a permanent teacher after 3 years of amazing LTO placements at my school in Ancaster. I have moved on now to teach a new subject, instrumental music. This involved numerous music lessons over the summer, making sure I knew the ins and outs of each instrument. I was very excited to receive this job as I have such a huge passion for music, even though I have never explored the instrumental side of it.

Starting the year up was not as bad as I had thought because the LTO in the class before me had done an incredible job of organizing the room and making sure the school has all the necessary instruments and equipment. Getting the room decorated and organized was so exciting because for the first time, the room was mine and not someone’s that I was taking care of for them! The thrill of your first permanent placement is more than I could have ever hoped for.

The first few classes of music were interesting because although I would have loved to get right into letting the kids choose their instruments, I know I had to start with the basics. Having a mentor would have been helpful during this time because I had little to no clue where to start. I had to recall things previous teachers had done that I had worked with in the past as well as I had asked people at Long and McQuade for some helpful hints.

Now that October has come, my students have now selected their instruments and yesterday was our first day actually playing them! How cool it is to have purposeful noise in a classroom. All those years where I was so focused on students working quietly have now come to an end. The noise was incredible. Even some squeaks that I heard that were a little hard on the ears were exciting to hear because for someone, that was their first official squeak on the first instrument they have ever played. It will be such an exciting journey and I am so thankful it has just begun.

I was also offered a second permanent job as a librarian so now I have that to juggle into my weekly schedule. I am also teaching a 4/5 split this year. The planning has not been too hard so far but it is hard to think about the one job when you are in the one school without having your mind wander off to thinking about the other school.

I know this is the year where having a 0.4 permanent is necessary to make the next step into a 1.0 permanent world, so I am grateful for the opportunity. Some days my head is swimming with ideas for a wide variety of things but having a Staples day planner has been essential to keeping all my thoughts down on a page somewhere.

That is all I have to share for now! I am so excited for this year and it has already gone by so fast. I just hope I have time to do everything the kids and I want to accomplish this year.