Month: September 2021

This year, school district 57 hosted an Indigenous day of learning, that I was thankful to be able to attend two amazing sessions.

I was able to listen to Ashley Callingbull’s empowering keynote speech her own personal experiences on the impacts of intergenerational trauma on mental health and wellbeing. In addition, the call to action that she put forward through her own story about the impact that one person can have on the world if we try.

I was also fortunate to attend Nikki Sanchez’s session on way 10 ways to live sustainably in a time of climate change. In her session Nikki described that one way that we can do better to live sustainably is to be mindful. I feel like so often we go to the store and go on autopilot mode, and buy thing wrapped in multiple layers of garbage, or we go to Tim Hortons and forget our re-usable cup,etc. However, being mindful to place creates a connection where we notice the changes, where notice what it needs. I think this connection is going to help us feel be mindful in all aspects of our life outside of being in nature and the impact of our choices on that relationship.

I think that the biggest take away or underlying theme was that learning involves recognizing the consequences of our actions. In both the way that we treat people, and treat our world, there are going to be lasting consequences. We need to look at our own underlying biases and belief systems if we want to make the changes so that the consequences of our actions are not as negative. My call to action is going to follow in Ashley’s and Nikki’s lead and use my voice to support suggested in using your voice for good, and to support others and our world.

My main goals this semester centered around three main areas of my practice as an educator.

1.Implement building thinking classrooms. — To start, I want to improve my ability to scaffold learning so that it has an entry point for all students but also, so that each stage of moving along the learning progress is taken as a challenge rather than intimidating. In addition, I want to focus on creating extension opportunities for students who are excelling in the learning. Secondly, I want to utilize the vertical non-permanent surfaces to scaffold math skills and work in groups to help reduce students stress around the idea of math and make it more approachable and interesting.

2. Holistic assessment in math .– I would also like an opportunity to further look at implementation of gradeless and holistic assessment in math and science. More specifically the application of learning sequences to allow students a chance to self-assess growth in their skills. I think this will be helpful in creating transparent assessments and having students see a pathway in how they can improve.

 3. To continue placing First Peoples Principles of Learning at the center of my practice — I want to represent the principle that learning requires the exploration of one’s identity. More specifically, that we need to determine our own strengths, weaknesses to determine how we learn best. So, my goal is to create assignments that allow for this individuality and that valuing different ways of knowing and representing learning and understanding (outside of a standard test).

For example, in my grade 8 math where I am focusing on the curricular competencies, I want to give them the opportunity to show me their learning in their own way. What we have planned so far is to have students work on problem solving skills and represent their solution and ways of knowing in a way that is meaningful for them.

Another way that I am Incorporating FPPL into my pedagogy is based on the idea that everyone learns at their own pace and adding this into the structure of the class through the means of no grade is final until the end of the course. This means that by the end of the semester if they can show me their understanding that is all that matters rather than following a strict timeline. At this point, students can write the test, and assignments however they can rewrite the concepts that are necessary to show their knowledge later on. This ensures that these isn’t a penalty on the student for arriving at the learning at their own pace.