Wow, it’s still dark outside as I write this and I read about a winter storm warning for Alberta for today. Could it be?
Me commenting on Peter Cameron’s post could have two things happen.
- More people get involved with Peter’s current project
- The project gets so big that it becomes unmanageable
Of course, there’s a third option but I’d prefer not to think about it.
Peter has been known for a while for initiating and getting involved with projects that extend his classroom walls – a long way. I’m a big fan of the ideas that he has and how he shares them so openly.
This time, he’s sharing an exploration project world-wide where classes check in
Seeking Ts interested in establishing an explorer mindset with their students
Click through to see how you can get involved. The mapping aspect of the results is really intriguing to me and I look forward to seeing this project unfold.
Reflection and Self-indulgence
Much has been written and said about the concept of #EDUknowns and #EDUcelebrities.
In this post, Jennifer Brown shares her thoughts on the issue. I found the post to be very open with her thoughts and interesting to think about her perspective. She’s also brutally honest and I’ve never seen any of the social media compatants mention this at all…
But I also enjoy the attention that posting gives me. I appreciate the comments, the “likes”, the retweets. My ego is fuelled by these digital interactions. Posting THIS is an inherently self-indulgent act.
So, are all of us who are active on social media guilty at some level in this?
Does it make a difference when there’s money involved for some and not for others?
While I don’t have any t-shirts to sell, I’m currently wearing a Tilley shirt that is no longer available for sale on their site. I wonder if I can promote it and sell it on social media?
From the ETFO Heart and Art blog comes an interesting post from Kelly McLaughlin.
Now, given everything that is currently happening in the province, it would be like shooting fish in a barrel to complain about the way things are shaping up. She does anything but complain.
Instead, she share a story about the great things that are happening in her start to the school year. There’s a really positive collection of things and ideas. But one really caught my attention.
I have offered students homework to complete every night which will help them prepare for grade nine. 19 out of the 26 students have taken this homework and completed it each night
Now, kids are not immune to what’s going on and couldn’t be blamed for acting accordingly but this success is remarkable. After all, beyond the fact that kids are kids, it’s been a wonderfully warm fall. I’m not sure that, even if I was that age, I would be concerned about next year’s Grade 9 this early in Grade 8. I’d still be outside swimming, biking, playing football, … until the sun went down.
I hope that the success rate continues. Hopefully, she shares updates with us.
Leadership & Goal Setting for Math Learning
You can’t help but feel a bit smarter every time that Deborah McCallum blogs and you read it. I feel that way about this post.
I’ll admit that whenever someone else mentions “Goal Setting”, I pause and the hair goes up on the back of my neck. Methinks someone just went to a seminar and is now prepared to let me know ways that I can improve myself.
It’s not that I don’t set goals personally. I do it all the time. It’s a way that I ensure that I don’t lose sight of the prize and that I’m not spinning my wheels and wasting time. And, after all, if you don’t know where you’re headed, how will you know when you get there?
She nails my thoughts about going beyond working with myself.
I find it can also be very difficult to co-construct goals sometimes.
Maybe it’s the thought that I have to be judgy or maybe that I have to be accountable to someone else. But Deborah’s post does make me feel that there is rationale and reason for wanting to give this a shot.
Then, she takes the topic to mathematics and offers a scenario for all teachers. I like what she has to say.
Wondering About WHMIS: When Compliance Training Makes You Reflect On Assessment & Evaluation
It was with a goofy mindset that I dug into Aviva Dunsiger’s post. I tried to think of all of the great WHMIS sessions that I’ve attended over the years.
And drew a blank.
I remember my first one and this will date me. I went with a friend of mine who was a science teacher and gave me the advice “Don’t drink the ditto fluid”.
Over the years, I’ve become accustomed to the importance of WHMIS but Aviva takes us on a trip about assessment and delivery that hasn’t kept up with the current thoughts. In her district, she must score 80% on a test within three attempts. (she doesn’t share the consequences though)
I do like the thinking of Aviva and her principal about assessment, evaluation, and testing. Could the same principles be applied board wide on WHMIS training? Despite everything, it can’t be an easy job certainly without the supports everyone else has.
It was kind of a big event around here a couple of weeks ago…
Snowbirds to make a Windsor fly-in visit Thursday
Stuff like that doesn’t happen every day. I’ve never seen them take off or land so whether they do it in formation remains a secret to me!
Peter Beens grabbed his good camera and headed out to take some photos when they visited Niagara Falls recently. This post has a link to a Google Photos collection where Peter shows off his photography expertise with some really good pictures.
Do yourself a favour and check them all out. You’ve got to admire the clarity and crispness of the images.
This is definitely going to be a great way to start your day.
Hallway Connections: Autism and Coding via @maggiefay_
On his blog, Brian Aspinall shares the news of Maggie Ray releasing the book she has written dealing with Autism and Coding.
“Follow Lucas and Liam’s coding adventure as they make a new friend! Lucas and Liam have been assigned a coding project by their teacher. At first they are more excited about working in the hallway than doing the project, until they meet Lily, a girl who has autism. The boys learn that not everyone communicates in the same way, but with the hallway coding activity, making friends is easy and fun!”
Now, I haven’t read the book but the whole premise not only sounds interesting but sounds important. I think we all have seen students in the hallway working on coding activities. But the element of inclusion of all students makes me wonder if this isn’t a book that should be in the libraries of every school in the province.
And, there’s your Friday collection of great writing from around the province. Please click through and enjoy the original posts.
Then, follow these people on Twitter.
- @cherandpete
- @jennmacbrown
- @Bigideasinedu
- @avivaloca
- @pbeens
- @mraspinall
- @maggiefay_
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doug -- off the record 
Please share your thoughts here. I’d enjoy reading them.