It seems each year there is a new buzzword in education. You will be familiar with words such as differentiation, flipped learning, growth mindset, grit, innovation and more recently student agency. With each new concept there is an expectancy of implementing and mastering the concept quickly, often without really understanding what the buzzword actually means. Defined by Grace on the Knewton blog: ‘Student agency refers … Continue reading Student Agency, Change and Pushing Boundaries

Historically “school” is a building where learning takes place. Recently, building relationships between staff and community members and navigating those relationships often eclipse the learning. Building relationships with students is easy: most educators enter the profession with the innate ability to help and connect to students of all ages. But for some educators, building relationships with each other and the adults within the community can … Continue reading Communication within Schools; Tips for Fostering Better Communication

The Elijah Tupling Fun run is an annual event that takes place in a small town of Stayner, Ontario, Canada.  Stayner, a town of 4,100 is a small rural town approximately 130 kms north of Toronto. The town consists of a small elementary school and high school, a library and a hockey arena.  Why is this run so special?  The Elijah Tupling Fun run was … Continue reading The Elijah Tupling Fun Run

“At its very heart, inquiry is about investigation. It occurs when the learner seeks to discover/resolve/create/uncover/understand something. Inquirers are most often driven by questions.” Kath Murdoch, Blog: JustWondering  If inquiry learning is the act of discovering something new, how do Early Years teachers facilitate uncovering new discoveries when the whole experience of learning, school and life is so exciting? Every Early Years teacher (and parent) knows … Continue reading Inquiring into Inquiry; an Early Years Guide to Discovery

Student Agency in the Early Years; A step by step approach Student agency is the hot buzzword in education at the moment, the importance of it is definite, especially as the enhanced PYP has embedded it into the core.  However, with every new buzzword there comes a feeling of of dread and anxiety to implement it and master it immediately from already over-burdened teachers. The … Continue reading Student Agency in the Early Years