Classrooms as Think Tanks
Part 2: Greasing the Wheels of Cognitive Flexibility
I’m guilty of having spent a lot of time in my English class teaching students how to dig in to a particular stance and set conclusions. There were lessons on good thesis statements, on finding evidence that would support that thesis, and even lessons on...
Classrooms as Think Tanks: Setting the Conditions for a Thinking Classroom Part 1: The Values Causal Model
I spent the first part of my career working industriously to be what I thought was a really good English teacher: I carefully plotted and organized lessons and activities to ensure students could demonstrate their abilities and successfully complete the assignments...
Opening the Door to New Learning Opportunities
In secondary schools across Ontario, students traditionally graduate from one of three high school pathways. Students graduating with an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) earn a combination of 30 compulsory and elective high school credits. Essentially,...
Learning with an Asset Lens
All too often in education, we focus on the gaps in learning, what’s missing, and what a learner needs to do to be more successful. Instead, we can think of learners through an asset lens. When we view learners as capable, creative, communicative individuals...
Viva La Revolution! With Special Thanks to Jo Boaler
“Viva la revolution.”
A statement written by Jo Boaler as she signed an article I had written for the Fields Institute in Toronto about incorporating low floor, high ceiling tasks into my Grade 5 classroom. Viva la revolution... the words circled around...
Inquiry is more than an event; it is a way of thinking.
A Principal’s reflections on change:
When I hear people say, “ok we are going to start our inquiry time,” I am always a little concerned – ok, very concerned. Inquiry is not an event and I worry that when people treat it as an event the power of...
Classroom Assessment in Mathematics: Paying Attention to Students’ Mathematical Thinking
Assessment does not merely occur at the end of a unit or course. Rather, it occurs constantly and is an integral part of daily classroom practice. Assessment is at the heart of teachers’ work as it focuses on paying attention to students’ mathematical...
What Really Matters: Self-acceptance as the Key to Success
If I could go back and tell my teenage self just one thing, it would be: “Relax, stop trying so hard! You're good enough just as you are.” If I'd known then what I know now, I'd have forgiven myself when I faltered, stopped self-limiting thoughts in their...
How To Get Unstuck When Planning Your Lesson
You sit down with a cup of coffee and the best of intentions: to plan out your new unit or lessons for the week.
You Google your topic, consult Pinterest, and maybe look at a teacher’s guide for inspiration. Then you look up.
A half hour has passed.
“Enough!”...
ATTENDANCE MATTERS
ATTENDANCE MATTERS (and is our approach to attendance effective?)
Student attendance matters a lot. Regular attendance predicts student success. Schools can have a significant impact on attendance by assessing their practices and working with parents and...