This Week in Ontario Edublogs

Good Friday morning. Can it be spring now?

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Noticed #SOL24 19/31

• Amanda Potts
• https://persistenceandpedagogy.com/2024/03/19/noticed-sol24-19-31/

Amanda continues with her Slice of Live 31 Writing streak. This from Tuesday is something that they don’t teach you at Teachers’ College – the kids are always watching.

In her case, fingernails and a hair cut caught their curiosity.

Her story has a happier ending than this one.

Teacher says she was fired for rapping

I remember the first time I was shocked to see a teacher out of school. I was at university and shopping at Kmart in Waterloo when I ran into a former mathematics teacher. I remember being a poor student and having to shop at Kmart. Do teachers really shop at Kmart too? I guess I was blown away to be in the same place at the same time. What are the odds?

My fondest memory was getting a coffee at the Tim’s in Lasalle and a former student came up from the back of the line to pay for it.

So, yeah, they’re always watching! Thanks for watching and blogging about it, Amanda.

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What’s your o t h e r interest?

• Vicky Loras
• https://vickyloras.substack.com/p/whats-your-o-t-h-e-r-interest

This follows Amanda’s post nicely. Do teachers or PhD candidates actually have another life?

Vicky was inspired to think about this after listening to a podcast

Listening to a great podcast I discovered a week ago (the episodes are awesome and about 5 minutes long), Before Breakfast, I got to thinking – a lot. The episode was called Develop a taste for quality and the host, Laura Vanderkam, was talking about how much it helps us in all aspects of our lives to surround ourselves with good quality materials

And, as a result, I learned one more thing about Vicky. She loves history and, in particular, the Cold War. I don’t know about the Cold War but if she ever visits my town there’s enough references to the War of 1812 around here to choke a horse.

It’s inspired an activity for the grandkids – cannon riding.

For me, personally, now that I don’t have to go to a school to teach, I’m trying to learn how to be a better photographer. I think I’ve straightened out ny problem with finding the horizon after my son who went to college for this sort of thing noted that I was doing a lousy job. I’m inspired by a quote I read once about the difference between an artist and people like me – artists see things that people like me would normally just walk by. In my case, I’m keeping an eye out for nature pictures. I took this one last night while out dog walking.

If you look carefully, there’s something there that thumbs its nose at nature.

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Hearts & Heroes: Exploring Mythology in a Cross-Curricular Odyssey

• Zoe Branigan-Pipe
• https://www.pipedreams-education.ca/post/hearts-heroes-exploring-mythology-in-a-cross-curricular-odyssey

Zoe makes it clear that the student artwork that she shares in this post is not for sharing beyond so you’ll have to click through and check it out yourself.

The post is both philosophical and practical as Zoe shares with us her interest in Greek Mythology and then the lesson plan including the Culminating Activity.

I’ll steal this one thing from Zoe’s post to share here via screen capture.

Thanks for the wonderful post, Zoe, and Happy Birthday!

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Menopause, Women’s Art & Taboo

• Colleen Rose
• https://colleenkr.wordpress.com/2024/03/03/menopause-womens-art-taboo/

I need to read carefully. When I saw the title to this post, I thought that my friend Colleen got a tattoo. I think it probably would be spectacular since she does awesome artwork. Imagine what she could come up with.

Read her blog and look at what she shares on social media and you’ll see her skill. I have one of her works hanging on the wall. It has a partner that’s in St. Marys.

In this post, she weaves a story of her current challenges, her husband helping out, and a piece of artwork that helped her through things.

It may not be one of my prettiest artworks, but it means so much to me.

When it means so much to you, that says everything Colleen, and far be it for anyone else to have an opinion.

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OTF Rejects Request from Ontario to Let Retired Teachers Work More

• Peter Beens
• https://www.beens.ca/otf-rejects-request-from-ontario-to-let-retired-teachers-work-more/

I’ll admit, I’m not sitting around waiting for the phone to ring. Peter shares this story with us. I wonder if my old school still has the keypunch that we used my first years of teacher Computer Science! I could still do this but then I’ll have an afternoon nap and realize that that skill is probably not desirable for any school.

I’ve got to agree with the OTF on this one. Ontario has made a mess of our profession. I was so lucky; I got hire directly from Teachers’ College, got a permanent contract after two years, and worked my way through my career.

It makes me feel so bad to read the games that are played now to avoid having new teachers follow the same route even though with two years of Teachers’ College, they’re far more qualified on paper to enter the profession than I ever was.

While you’re at Peter’s Blog, check out his conversation with ChatGPT as they wrestle with this question.

What does Spring Arrive? (According to ChatGPT)

I had a similar conversation with an AI engine (can’t remember which one) when I wanted to know the answer to a legitimate question since I always buy chocolate for my wife for Easter. When is Good Friday and Easter? I was surprised to find out that the engine suggested the second week of April. Fortunately, I looked at the calendar on the fridge to get the real answer. I would have messed up royally if I’d put all my eggs in the AI basket this time.

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Please find the time to click through and read all this wonderful content.

This is a regular Friday morning post around here and has been for a long time. You can check out all the previous posts here.