through a forest wilderness

musings on change and creation

Author

Ms Smith

Some people are born great …

… but most of us have to work really, really hard at it. While wandering around the Twitterverse, I came across the 9 characteristics of a great teacher. I don’t disagree with any of their choices, but I don’t know… Continue Reading →

#SurreysupportsPINK

Most people know that the now-international Pink Shirt Day campaign started in Canada – in Nova Scotia, to be precise, when a boy was bullied for wearing a pink shirt and David Shepherd and Travis Price brought 50 pink tank… Continue Reading →

Winter Festivities: Celebration Without Exclusion

The first year that my family stopped going to Van Dusen Botanical Garden’s Festival of Lights as a family, I was devastated. We had gone every year since I was a little girl, and it was one of my favourite… Continue Reading →

The Learning Cycle: Prepare, Present, Ponder

It takes real planning to organize this kind of chaos! – Mel Odum This past Friday was the kind of day that exemplified this quote. Picture 73 grade 8-12 students with gifted designations running around in groups in a very… Continue Reading →

Draft Picks: Fantasy School Edition

Some time ago, the internet-wide book club for The Innovator’s Mindset by George Couros was challenged to consider what their ideal school would look like. One of the blog prompts for #IMMOOC Week 1. If you would to start a school… Continue Reading →

Clothing, identity and teacher professionalism

The idea that clothing in some way creates a person’s identity is not a new one. Erasmus, in the 16th century, pointed out that “vestis virum facit” (clothes make the man), referencing a medieval writer who was himself referring to… Continue Reading →

Inquiring minds want to know: Unpacking the question

Inquiry is a difficult skill for students to learn, but in many ways, it’s an even more difficult one for teachers to learn.  On the surface, it looks like a teacher presents a question (or even just a topic where students… Continue Reading →

Privacy in the Smartphone Age

Recently, my principal came over the intercom to explain to students that they were not allowed to live-broadcast their school experiences – either in or out of class. It seemed like an obvious statement, something that shouldn’t need to be… Continue Reading →

The art of leadership

“The art of leadership is saying no, not yes. It is very easy to say yes.” – Tony Blair With all respect to Mr. Blair, I have to disagree. Perhaps it is appropriate in politics; in education, however, we need… Continue Reading →

I think, therefore I learn

(Crossposted to the Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary Professional Development website.)   Thinking is intricately connected to content; and for every type or act of thinking, we can discern levels or performance. – Making Thinking Visible: Ron Ritchhart, Mark Church and Karin Morrison… Continue Reading →

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