I am in week two of learning in our Ontario Additional Qualification course: First Nation, Métis and Inuit Studies. This week we have four questions to consider, summarize and reflect upon. How are First Nation, Métis and Inuit People distinct from one another? First Nation people include both Status (registered as an Indian under the … Continue reading First Nation, Métis and Inuit Studies AQ – Response #2
What are Indigenous Pedagogies and how can we use them to support all learners?
The "living teachings" of the Ojibwe people, also known as the seven good life teachings, or Seven Grandfather Teachings, nurture the physical, emotional-mental, intellectual and spiritual self-esteem of our students. Minwaadendamowin – Respect Valuing all others, and considering their needs before yours. Zaagiidiwin – Love Caring for self, in order to be able to care … Continue reading What are Indigenous Pedagogies and how can we use them to support all learners?
At-Home Learning – an initial reflection
Four weeks ago I embarked on a new journey in a new school board and in a new model of online learning. In a board with a large geographical area, much of which cannot reliably access the Internet, the model is very different from that which I experienced earlier this year. While many of the … Continue reading At-Home Learning – an initial reflection
Beginning a New Job
Today is the first day of my new job. As a teacher, this is only my second school board, so it's been a long time since I was truly walking into a brand-new organization. And it is very different from my first day back in 1983. You need a lot more "stuff" to begin work … Continue reading Beginning a New Job
Junior Kindergarten Online – Journal – Days 17, 18 and 19
Despite our best intentions, our plans to go "screen-free" lasted until late in the day on Wednesday. By then we had been busy all day, and we needed a break from each other. And we decided that Netflix as a reward was working, so our screen time on Thursday and Friday featured "Go Dog. Go", … Continue reading Junior Kindergarten Online – Journal – Days 17, 18 and 19
Junior Kindergarten Online – Journal – Day 16
Today was a "no screens" day. Except for a search for a bread recipe, a Cricut project, and "window shopping" for Lego for C's upcoming 5th birthday, we kept all computers, tablets, and phones out of sight. Generally it went very well. We observed a lot more singing, imaginative play, conversations with both of us, … Continue reading Junior Kindergarten Online – Journal – Day 16
Junior Kindergarten Online – Journal – Day 15
It's week 5 of online school for C, and his fourth with me. We decided that he should check in with his class, to begin the week, despite having been asynchronous for much of last week. He was ready at 8:30, and the 45 minute wait was filled with music and videos, and you can … Continue reading Junior Kindergarten Online – Journal – Day 15
Junior Kindergarten Online – Journal – Days 13 & 14
C awoke ready to make breakfast. Of course he needed a recipe, so he drew each item, and then labelled them: bread, butter, cinnamon and raisins. The last two he copied from the packages, and as you can see in one of the images above, he's beginning to adopt a traditional pen grip and trying … Continue reading Junior Kindergarten Online – Journal – Days 13 & 14
Junior Kindergarten Online – Journal – Day 12
As promised, today we are not going to try the synchronous Google Meet, as it seems to be more stress than success. C was happy with this decision, and happy to head to the Virtual Classroom (Bitmoji) where he had listened to one story and viewed a video on volcanoes yesterday. I was happy that … Continue reading Junior Kindergarten Online – Journal – Day 12
Junior Kindergarten Online – Journal – Day 11
I was awakened this morning by the sound of C laughing in his sleep. When I told him this, once he awoke, he was very angry, and insisted that he hadn't been laughing. I wonder why the idea of laughing in his sleep is so troubling to him. With almost two hours before school begins, … Continue reading Junior Kindergarten Online – Journal – Day 11
