December #Peel21st Blog Hop - A few of My Favourite Things

It's hard to believe that it's already December. Mother Nature is still giving us fall weather (Thanks Mother Nature!) and it feels like we haven't been at school all that long.  And.... we're onto our 2nd #peel21st Blog Hop!

This month's topic is "A Few of My Favourite Things." So here, in no apparent order, are some of my favourite things.

Right now, my favourite website as a go-to on inquiry based learning is www.makinggoodhumans.wordpress.com   This is a great website to answer questions on IB learning, finding out about how to build an IB classroom, or just to gain some much needed affirmation about IB learning.

My favourite Tweeters are The York Region Nature Collaborative (@YRNature) and Diane Kashin (@DianeKashin1).  They both give meaning to outdoor play and exploration and post great articles about bringing nature to the classroom and the classroom to nature.

My favourite professional book right now is "Black Ants and Buddhists" by Mary Cowhey.  This book is about bringing critical thinking and social justice to primary classrooms. A great read with lots of real world experiences. 

My favourite Pinterest Board is to follow any kind of Reggio inspired boards from educators from around the world. There are lots of great pins about ideas for the Reggio classroom.

My favourite hashtag is #reggioplc.  A group of like-minded educators post pics, articles and ideas using this hashtag. Another great resource!

So that's about it! Join in the #peel21st December Blog Hop to see the favourite things of other #peel21st educators! Here are just a few listed below!

	Heather Lye	http://teachinginspirations.blogspot.com/2015/12/my-favourite-things-december-bloghop.html
	Amit Mehrotra	http://mramitmehrotra.blogspot.ca/
	Jason Wigmore	https://jwigmore.wordpress.com/2015/12/15/a-few-of-my-favourite-things/
	Jonathan So	http://mrsoclassroom.blogspot.com/2015/12/5-favourite-things.html
	Jim Cash	http://makelearn.org/2015/12/15/a-few-of-my-favourite-things/
	Tina Zita	https://misszita.wordpress.com/2015/12/16/peel21st-blog-hop-a-few-of-my-favourite-things/
	Maggie Fay	https://www.dropbox.com/s/vusno76viphg63c/My%20favourite%20things%20post%20%20for%20Peel21st.mov?dl=0
	Gina Loutrianakis	https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Fp2u3s801ZLXGnGOS6h2gtYkYPDaya-b1rbFjPdnn5Y/edit

Stay mindful this holiday season! 

Yours,
Pam

#Peel21st Blog Hop - What Has Been Your Most Memorable Moment This Fall?

My most memorable moment this fall happened yesterday - and it wasn't planned, and it wasn't something that I was expecting to happen until much later on in the school year. The day before I began a writing and reading workshop with my students about inquiry questions. We have done some open ended inquiry within the class, but this was the first time I am asking my students to do some "research". I gave them the prompts of "I want to learn about...."  and "My question is...."  I then helped each student to narrow his/her question down to something that was attainable and that we knew there was information on.  The students got books from the school LLC and some of them have been able to ascertain some information to answer his/her question.

The next day, during our Morning Meeting, the topic of snow came up. We looked at a map on my laptop of Denver and the Rocky mountains where they were in a middle of a blizzard. All of a sudden, the inquiry questions came flying at me. "Why do we have snow?" "Why do we need rain?" "Why are there seasons?" "Why is the sun hot?" "Why do we have celebrations?"  (not sure how that one has to do with snow, but we take all questions!)  It's like the parents of my class gave them all a copy of the science curriculum and said, "Go and ask your teacher these questions." I was blown away. With only one example to go by, they gave me 5 or 6 great inquiry questions that we can work on as a class, that are all related to the grade 1 and 2 science curriculum. It made my heart sing to realize we may have some critical questioners in my class. And that can lead to some critical thinking and some 21st century learning. 

And that's why I teach. For those memorable moments!!  

Check out these other #peel21st bloggers to find out about their memorable moments of Fall 2015!

Jason Richea - http://beyondangrybirds.blogspot.ca/2015/11/best-moment.html

Jonathan So - http://mrsoclassroom.blogspot.ca/2015/11/the-best-learning-moment-this-fall.html

Amit Mehrota - http://mramitmehrotra.blogspot.ca/2015/11/peel21st-november-blog-hop-my-best.html

Tina Zita - https://misszita.wordpress.com/2015/11/17/peel21st-blog-hop-my-one-best-thing/

Jim Cash - http://makelearn.org/2015/11/15/memorable-learning-moment/

Melanie Mulcaster - http://valleyslearningcommons.blogspot.ca/2015/11/my-best-moments-so-far-in-2015-happen.html

Heather Lye - http://teachinginspirations.blogspot.com/2015/11/learning-moments-peel21st-blog-hop.html

Erica Armstrong - http://msarmstrong.ca/2015/11/17/my-most-memorable-learning-moment-of-this-fall/

Matt Fletcher - https://heymrfletcher.wordpress.com/2015/11/17/peel21st-november-blog-hop-my-best-moment/ 

Jason Wigmore - https://jwigmore.wordpress.com/2015/11/16/peel21st-blog-hop-my-most-memorable-moment

Shivonne Lewis-Young - https://slewisyoung.wordpress.com/

Matthew Forestieri - http://www.matthewforestieri.com/2015/11/18/peel21st-blog-hop-most-memorable-learning-experience-this-fall/

Mindfully Yours,

Pam

Being Mindful in a Difficult Time

To say that the world of Public Elementary school teaching has been a little zany over the last few months is an understatment. Teachers in the province of Ontario have been bashed in the media on almost a daily basis since September. Teachers have been raked over the coals by the Government, by the Ontario Public School Boards Association (OPSBA) and  by parents and other Internet persona that feel that teachers are overpaid, underworked and glorified babysitters for their kids. All of this can bring a girl down. It can make one re-think their career. It can make one cry at night, knowing that you are putting it all out there, day after day, and there are few out there that appreciate your efforts. 

So, I am going to try and stop looking at the media. I am going to think about what I feel my purpose is in the classroom - to teach. To focus on the students and their learning, because that is why I am here. I will be mindfully authentic:  I will pay attention, in the present moment to the truthfulness of the students' origins, sincerity and intentions in a non-judgemental way.   This is a difficult task, but one I am going to focus on during the next few months. 

The transition from FDK to the grade 1/2 class has been a challenge. At first, I started with what I would do during the first few weeks of FDK - allow for open inquiry and play so the students can start to work together and so I can see their strengths. And it worked - for a while. We found an inquiry we were all interested in (restaurants) so we, as a class, had a pop-up restaurant for staff, parents and lunchroom supervisors during our lunch times and during class times. Overall, it was very successful and a lot of learning was done during this inquiry. But then we lost focus. Many of my students were using the open inquiry time to do very little. They didn't know how to inquire. They just thought they had "free time".  So I have changed tactics, being mindful of what these students need to learn at this time. 

I have started a Reading Workshop and a Writing Workshop time period where students can use that time for reading and writing about topics they are interested in. We are looking at high frequency words and different word origins during Word Study. We are having a dedicated Math lesson and each day. I feel we need to have some structure and some of the basics down before we can explore some more topics in a deeper way. We will work our way back to open inquiry - but with some structure in place. And I found some of my answers in the following book. 

Upon a recommendation from one of my PLN colleagues on Twitter, I purchased the book "Black Ants and Buddhists" by Mary Cowhey. 

I was skeptical about another professional resource, as I have several on the go and although there are parts that speak to me, I have never found a professional resource that  has really changed my way of thinking. This book has changed the way I teach. I highly recommmend it as a great read for all teachers. It's practical, humorous and insightful without feeling like it's not attainable. It's definitely worth the money (and it's only 28.00 from Amazon!)

So that's it for now. I will keep you up to date. My apologies for the lack of posts in October, but it was way too zany. It will get better....

Mindfully yours, 
Pam 

Looking for A Pot of Gold in an Unfamiliar World

It's been a week since I turned my own world upside down. Not only did I move schools, but I went against some sage advice I received years ago from a seasoned teacher - I moved schools and I changed grades. She always told me, "Change grades in your current school or do the same grade at a new school. That way something is familiar." Well, I guess I went for the gusto.

So here I am, in a 1/2 class. The upside is that I know a few of the students from last year, as they attended the school I used to be at. (It's complicated, but in a nutshell, my previous school was in a neighbourhood that had no children yet, as there were no houses built. We had to ship them in from a neighbourhood that had kids, but no school yet.)  I think I've achieved rock star status though, as I am waved at and stared at from students from every grade as I walk through the halls.

This is brand new territory for me. I've never taught grade 1. I've never taught grade 2. And I've never taught a split. I know - I'm crazy. But what a great opportunity to learn along with my students and to think mindfully and authentically about their learning. We are all in it together and I couldn't be happier. I'm a little frightened, but I'm also doing a lot of learning. The current pile of professional reading keeps growing and growing. Will I find my pot of gold? Will I reach the end of the rainbow and know that this rainbow leads to educational wealth and knowledge? Only time will tell.

So I will continue to journey on. I will keep you abreast of what's happening in my new class and how we are fairing.

Mindfully yours,
Pam

Highway...to...the...Comfort Zone......

Life begins at the end of your comfort zone. -Neale Donald Walsch

To quote Dinah Washington, "What a difference a day makes." And what a day it has been. The winds of change swept through my current school location and for once, I didn't back down. A critical friend (who also happens to be my husband) tells me frequently that I live in my comfort zone. I don't like to try new things very often (unless it's food). I am very happy in my own little world I have created for myself with my happy people and my happy work and my happy children and my happy life. 

A few days ago, I decided to shake things up a bit. I approached my administrator with an idea that I thought would never happen. I was sure nothing was going to change, but I would at least feel better about having explained myself. Well, my idea became reality today. 

So, my comfort zone has stretched a little today. I guess my life is going to be begin again on Monday, when I enter a new school after declaring myself excess at my present school. I will have to start anew. But you know what? I feel good about it. I feel it was the right choice to make. And for once, I can say that I am trying something new on my terms. And that feels like a mindful thing to do. 

Mindfully yours,
Pam

Winds of Change.....

You can feel it in the air.... the winds of change are coming. A new school year, a new classroom, new students and you may feel like this picture - the calm before the storm.

(Fairlain Lake, Penetanguishene)

But then, it happens. The unexpected. The proverbial wrench in the works. And the winds of change shift and blow and nothing seems to be the same.

(Fairlain Lake - 12 hours earlier)

How we handle change and stressors say a lot about who we are as professionals. Do you retreat into our favourite jammies and hide under a blanket until it passes over? Do you face it head on, your hair whipping in the wind a la Captain Dan from Forest Gump shouting at the sky, "Is that the best that you've got?? Come and get me!!!" Or are you laid back and let the chips fall as they may? 

When you are mindfully in the moment, and are aware of what the winds of change can bring and the excitement they can hold, do you embrace it, or do you run?  What can you do as a professional, to support the winds of change in your school? Or in your classroom? How can you harness the power of the wind to provide energy in the wake of chaos?  Keep these things in mind during a turbulent day or week in your school to see how you can be mindful and authentic to yourself and to your profession. 

Mindfully yours,

Pam

So...... after many months of humming and hawing, thinking of excuses and generally avoiding this, I have decided to start writing. I'm still working on the exact purpose of this blog. There are a few different reasons that I have been thinking about, in no particular order:

1) In order to stop all of these thoughts from rolling around in my head and interfering with my dreams and sleep habits, I can write them down and have them for others to ponder as well;

2) It will keep me accountable to myself and to my profession;

3) It will help me to engage in more professional dialogue with colleagues around the province and around the globe;

4) It scares the living bejeezers out of me and I am told repeatedly that I need to step out of my comfort zone.

5) My friend and colleague Tina (misszita.wordpress.com) issued a challenge entitled      "The #20hourproject" and it sounded to me like she was calling me out to try something new. 

A word about the name/title of the blog - somewhere in my trolling/perusal of the Twitterverse, I came across the term "mindful authenticity".  Those 2 words sparked something in me that had me thinking. So I looked up the definitions of both words:

Mindful - paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgementally

Authenticity - truthfulness of origins, attributions, commitments, sincerity and intentions.

I put the two definitions together and came up with this:

Mindful authenticity - Paying attention in the present moment to the truthfulness of origins, sincerity and intentions in a non-judgemental way.

This definition speaks to me and the way that I teach in my classroom. Each and every day, I want to pay attention, in the present moment, with each child, to his or her origins, sincerity and intentions in play, without judgement.  Easier said than done, I know, but not a bad goal to strive towards either. Posted in my classroom is the question, 

"Why this learning, for this child, at this time, in this way?" 

I try to be cognizant of this question when I interact with my students and look at ways to help them become successful. 

So, here it is. I am not guaranteeing any mind-blowing, earth shattering knowledge. I'm just writing what's on my mind and sharing interesting things that I come across that relate to Inquiry based learning, Kindergarten, Reggio-inspired learning or things that I think are kind of neat. 


Thanks for checking this out!

Mindfully yours, 
Pam