Category: Mental Health
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W is for Wonder
won·der/ˈwəndər/ noun 1. a feeling of surprise mingled with admiration, caused by something beautiful, unexpected, unfamiliar, or inexplicable. verb desire or be curious to know something. feel doubt. Wonder is an interesting word full of star-struck awe to curious exploration to inexplicable confusion. More than anything right now, I vacillate amongst all three wonders. Perhaps…
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Remote Learning: Am I Doing it Right?
Any nagging feelings I may have about whether I am doing this right fade away because as long as I am taking my students’ well-being into account, it can only be right.
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U is for Unhappy? Not Anymore…
I recently attended a book launch open house where my friend Rob Dunlop celebrated the culmination of four years of work on his book STRIVE for Happiness in Education. Rob is totally on the right track with this book. In a time of such significant upheaval on multiple fronts, his book serves as a balm.…
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T is for Teaching & Time
As a student, I loved learning about everything. I read voraciously which allowed me to see places and meet people I wouldn’t ever be exposed to in real life. I saw patterns and madeconnections across subjects and disciplines which then drove me to learn more. It sparked a curiosity in me about the world which…
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Q is for Questions and Not Getting Caught in the Quagmire
A teacher’s job is full of questions; that’s what we do really, live in questions. Answering, asking, composing, rephrasing — all those questions fill our day. And then we ask some more questions — questions that we hope will challenge our students, push them deeper, and foster critical thinking. We perfect our questioning skills to…
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P is for Patience
“If we want to live wider and deeper lives, not just faster ones, we have to practice patience — patience with ourselves, with other people, and with the big and small circumstances of life itself.” M. J. Ryan Have you ever felt frustrated? Exasperated? I think those are pretty natural feelings to experience occasionally but…
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M is for Mindset
There is a lot of talk about mindset in education today, and I agree, it is important; I just think that we put too much emphasis on only one type of mindset and we need to broaden our scope. I see mindset on three levels that are interdependent, picture three concentric circles if you will.…
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J is for Jawbreakers and the Jabberwock
My tongue was a different colour every other day for more than two weeks that summer. The day I saw that jawbreaker I knew I had to get it. It was HUGE! Talk about bang for your buck or quarter as the case may be. I was so excited when Mom let me get it.…
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H is for Happy
Happy makes the learning happen As parents we all voice the same sentiment for our children: “I just want them to be happy.” But do we actively practice that sentiment? Do we teach the frames of mind that would ensure happiness in our children? Do we really know what being happy actually means? Much research…
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The Class of 2030, What Skills Will They Need?
The biggest challenges students in kindergarten right now will face when they graduate is a rapidly changing work environment so being flexible is essential, and flexibility requires confidence. Confidence is the by-product of strong emotional intelligence and it will be necessary to successfully navigate the work-world of the future. Social-emotional intelligence ensures students are self…
