Yesterday was International Dot Day and my class eagerly participated in the event. We began the morning by reading the story, The Dot, by Peter Reynolds. We discussed what the book meant, and the power of creativity and believing in yourself. Students were then given the opportunity to create their own dots. Using the app …
Sometimes I forget what the first week of school is like; the endless questions, the establishing of routines, trying to make connections with every student, and the feeling of exhaustion when I leave the building. This week has been all of that and more! Yesterday I set up my classroom blogs with my students. The …
For the past year I have solidly become an addict of twitter to build a professional network, and have experienced first hand the great abilities of it, the connections one can make, and the endless learning that is present. This year I decided to create a twitter account for my class, as a way for …
Family orientation is one of my favourite days of work. Besides the fact that I sometimes feel like a monotonous robot, I love meeting my new class for the year. I love seeing students on their “best behaviour,” watching them interact with their parents, the sense of self that they exude, and the instant first …
In the first chapter of Contemporary Theories of Learning, by K. Illeris, he outlines the four types of learning that individuals can experience: cumulative, assimilative, accommodative, and transformative. The one that peeked my interest and the level that I would like my students to attain is the transformative, as this is where reflection, perspective changing, …
This year I set the goal for myself to try to give more choice for my students within my classroom. I was feeling I was making decisions for students, in terms of their projects, seating plan, novel study, etc… and after reading numerous articles about the benefits of student choice in the classroom I decided …
A couple of weeks ago, all of our elementary schools in our district had an incredible day to celebrate our year of pro-kindness efforts with our K-4 students. During this morning, a student from each campus spoke and explained how his/her school has changed and the positive impacts it has had, and here is where …
Every student comes to us with a different story, a different life, and different experiences. No two are alike. It’s our job to learn their stories, which can be a challenging task on its own, but also allow that to influence our teaching. The best teachers are the ones who build strong relationships with their …
This week during our staff meeting, our admin had us discuss with a partner about our best and worst teacher; their name, qualities, and why we felt how we did about them. It was a moving discussion, in the fact that both memories brought very strong feelings for staff. It was very easy to remember …
Did you know that “In any given year, one in five Canadians will experience a mental health problem or illness,” (Mental Health Commission of Canada, 2014). January 28, 2014 marks the fourth year of the Bell Let’s Talk campaign. It’s an opportunity to start a discussion around mental health issues, reduce the stigma associated with …
Out With Erin 