Across Grade Levels, Should Learning Be a Lot More Playful?

 EDUTOPIA Article:

PLAY & RECESS

Across Grade Levels, Should Learning Be a Lot More Playful?

Denmark has fully embraced playful learning in its K–12 schools. We visited two schools to see the pedagogical approach in action.

Paige Tutt

Read more by clicking here >>>>> Fun Wow!

Trauma Informed Lens

Trauma informed teaching isn't always easy, it requires a great deal of regulation from the educator and the ability to be mindful enough through various types of behaviours to understand the deeper meaning. 

When we meet children who are acting from an activated nervous system with empathy, understanding and make them feel safe we are able to co-regulate with them. The more we co-regulate and role model what that looks like, the more likely they are to demonstrate the ability to self-regulate on their own in the future. 

Here is a great little cheat sheet from Whole Hearted School Counselling (one of my favourite SEL resource go to's!) for you to keep in your back pocket that helps paint a picture of what various types of trauma responses can look like. 

I hope this resource serves you well in the important work you do everyday.

Kristen M@NUO-cohort18 

Mastering the Pace and Tone of Your Questions to Students

 EDUTOPIA article:

TEACHING STRATEGIES

Mastering the Pace and Tone of Your Questions to Students

Teaching students effectively means helping them advance through the moments of discomfort they experience when faced with challenging questions. 

- Andrew Boryga

Read more at: Getting Better

Courtesy of Friend@OISE

Diversity Corner

 Diversity Corner

In our kindergarten classroom to display diversity, equity and inclusiveness the teaching team came up with the diversity corner that changes based on the cultural relevance of the students. At the beginning of the year, we were learning about self-autonomy. 

We read the story "The Name Jar" by Yangsook Choi. Each child then went home and spoke to parents about what their names meant and put them in a jar. Each week one two students would pick from the jar one name and we would explore what that students name means and display it on the wall. 

The children enjoyed it, made them feel special and were so excited to explain how their name described who they were. 

(((Click the image to read the story)))

Courtesy of Alysha@NUO