TL;DR: New experiences shape who we are and who we become. Struggles push you to grow. Treasure the memories and life adventures. New Experiences A long hike in the woods, following paths of yellow blazes on tall evergreens, and passing through nature in rural spaces provide everything I need to restore my weary soul. There is something to be said … Read More
Circle The Wagons: Embracing Conflict
TL;DR: Having productive debates and conflicts can help teams move beyond the status quo. This can be difficult because, unlike the corporate world, teachers have little time within the day to collaborate. Constructive collaboration is necessary to move teachers forward rather than avoiding conflict because it is easier. Show me which topic or issues cause your school staff to “Circle … Read More
Lessons from the Faculty of Education
TL;DR: Knowing yourself as a teacher is an important consideration. The importance of knowing you will face or witness racism is a consideration. Teamwork opportunities and reflection afterward are other important considerations. Equity and Inclusion Reflection Questions Do you know yourself really well as an educator? What kind of institutional racism have you witnessed in education? How have you set … Read More
Leaders, Here’s How To Support Interdisciplinary Unit Planning
TL;DR: Interdisciplinary units deepen students’ learning experiences. Have teachers decide what they want to focus on for an interdisciplinary unit. Hold a planning meeting to talk about the unit and co-plan. Plan on meeting throughout the unit with other teachers to see how it’s going and tweak things. Allow teachers to teach what they’re excited about. Celebrate your successes! Interdisciplinary … Read More
Be Prepared for Last-Minute Changes!
TL;DR: Educators are always adjusting to changes to meet the needs of those they are serving. Support others by asking prompting questions and extending grace. As educators, we’ve learned to be on our feet in case of last-minute changes. Two years ago, we learned to adjust when there were students out for Covid or quarantines. We had to adjust to … Read More