Flexible grouping in the classroom is a powerful approach to enhance overall student learning and engagement. To build a flexibly grouped classroom, it is crucial to create a solid foundation by fostering a culture of … Read more

Flexibly grouped classrooms use a strategic approach to education that focuses on the strengths of each student, building their confidence and allowing for deeper collaboration among peers. In this type of classroom, students are organized … Read more

As a teacher, allowing students to explore subject-specific content starts with modeling personal connections to the material. By demonstrating your own curiosity and interest in the subject matter, students are more likely to engage in … Read more

Allowing a challenging student to visually represent their thinking is a powerful tool in helping them appreciate their own thought process while building their confidence. By starting small and personal, educators can help students identify … Read more

Visible thinking is an approach that allows learning to be individual yet Purposeful. Initially, some teachers may feel hesitant about this approach, thinking that it is too open and unstructured for their students. However, visible … Read more

In a visible thinking classroom, differentiation takes on a unique form. The goal is to provide all learners with a way to represent their thinking visually, which can help them build confidence to deepen their … Read more

This is an extraordinary example of effective collaboration, student engagement and cross-curricular tasks coming to life! Teachers and students used an authentic audience to deepen learning and increase community connection.  The Vault and the Flip … Read more

Place-based learning is an innovative educational approach that leverages the local community and environment to enhance the learning experience for students. By incorporating real-world experiences and hands-on activities, this approach brings the curriculum to life, … Read more

In order to find the seeds of brilliance in everyone 400 students and 50 staff members at Westmount School collaborated to design and produce a drama production. The Collaborative Drama Production has a profound impact … Read more

Developing mathematical flexibility is critical in developing math fact fluency among students. As students advance through different grades in math, they are exposed to new concepts and strategies that expand their overall numerical understanding. As … Read more

Flexible grouping in the classroom is a powerful approach to enhancing overall student learning and engagement. To build a flexibly grouped classroom, it is crucial to create a solid foundation by fostering a culture of … Read more

Flexibly grouped classrooms use a strategic approach to education that focuses on the strengths of each student, building their confidence and allowing for deeper collaboration among peers. In this type of classroom, students are organized … Read more

In an educational setting where students have the freedom to choose their own learning path, it may seem counterintuitive for them to opt for a high-pressure cooking class that pushes them to their limits every … Read more

Intentionality: For Strathmore Grade 5/6 and High School Fine Arts teachers, the opportunity to create a First Nations mural at Ecole Brentwood Elementary School was a process of intentional collaboration with one another, Siksika Elder … Read more

In our academic courses, new vocabulary is coming at us all the time. It can be hard to keep up with all of the new words, and to sort through them in a meaningful way. … Read more

The following information supports educators who are interested in incorporating Métis culture, language & ways of knowing into their classrooms. What is Métis Week? Each year on November 16, people across Canada pay tribute to … Read more

Differentiated instruction is more than a strategy. It is a way of thinking about teaching and learning that utilizes evidence-based practices that meets students where they are at. If you have ever heard yourself saying, … Read more

Read and Write is a literacy software with tools designed for reading, writing, study and research support.  Read and Write for Google Chrome is an extension that works with PC-Microsoft, Mac-Apple (including Ipads), and Chromebooks to … Read more

Watch this video to learn about shifts in practice that occurred in a grade 5 and 6 math classroom. The teachers (Lesley Riep and Jordan Trentham) in this video knew that in order to become more … Read more

Everyone would agree that learning math facts is important. The ability to automatically retrieve math facts helps free up memory resources to give more attention to complex and more advanced mathematics.   Research evidence confirms that rote memorization and timed flash cards are not the best way for … Read more

Also called Sketchnoting or Graphic Visualization You may be looking for ways to help your students remember what they are reading. Here is an excellent strategy that your students will love and allows for creativity. … Read more

Special Thanks to Jenny Bakken and her grade 7 class for sharing this Powerful Story Imagine that your students are so engaged and so excited by a novel that they cannot wait to come to … Read more

“We do not stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing”– George Bernard Show  Play is a naturally occurring phenomenon. Some researchers define play as “an activity that is intrinsically motivated, entails … Read more

June is National Indigenous History Month, and it provides an opportunity to recognize not only the historic contributions of Indigenous peoples to the development of Canada, but also the strength of present-day Indigenous communities and … Read more

June… wondering about how to keep students engaged? Read aloud. Teachers know the importance of students reading as much as possible, every day. Reading opens doors, not only to new ideas but to their future. … Read more

“Find one place in your natural world that you visit all the time and get to know it as your best friend. Let this be a place where you learn to sit still- alone, often, … Read more

How can we create school environments that harness strength based assessment practices and create a culture of valuable assessment? Assessment researchers would argue that there are steps that can be taken to ensure that assessment … Read more

The Pandemic has brought to life the need for educators to create more inclusive, responsive and stimulating learning environments that meet the needs of all learners, no matter their background, culture, or learning needs. Engagement … Read more

The physical environment has the potential to dramatically alter what learning looks like for students. It communicates who and what is valued in learning. It is the physical space that  sets up expectations for a … Read more

Group work… it has its benefits in the classroom and it has its headaches. But the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages, and we know that collaboration is a key competency our students need for the … Read more

A common conversation teachers and parents are currently having is about learner engagement. Students can appear apathetic towards completing assignments, diving into the material and really digging into the work at hand. How can we … Read more

The word that best describes the social-emotional style of children with executive function weaknesses is reactive. Children with executive function weaknesses struggle to regulate the urges that originate in the lower brain center because they … Read more

Although parents understand the value of reading at home, they often wonder how best to help their child learn to read. Parents often ask teachers questions such as: “When should I step in to help? … Read more

Reading opens up a child’s imagination and ultimately opens up their world. Through reading children are introduced to new words, new ideas and new ways of thinking. Research has consistently demonstrated the importance and power of … Read more

Golden Hills School Division wants to support their staff and students in learning about Aboriginal groups across Canada and the impacts that Residential schools had on them. This resource provides teachers and students with voices … Read more

Dr. David Tranter, co-author of The Third Path: A Relationship–Based Approach to Student Well-Being and Achievement offers educators an approach to supporting students as they return to school this fall that is both informative and … Read more

To honor and celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day (June 21st) we would like to share our Blackfoot Students First Virtual Powwow Demonstration video. We would like to thank our First Nations Liaisons for all their … Read more

The Power of Parent Communication In any classroom setting (online, hybrid or in-person), fostering relationships with parents is key to an effective learning environment.  Setting up regular communication helps parents to be clear on expectations … Read more

Stress and Learning Teachers interact with students on a daily basis, and as a result, they can see how a student’s learning is impacted by various challenges, stress being one of them.  In order to … Read more

Working Memory: What is it? Working memory is one of the brain’s executive functions that allows us to remember something long enough to be able to use it or apply the information. It is unlike … Read more

What are Concept Circles? Concept circles are a great way to engage students in representing a variety of mathematical concepts.   Teachers and parents can use them to support children both inside and outside of the … Read more

There are a number of core prevention and interventions strategies that help students with weak executive function to thrive in your classroom. These strategies include the changes that can be made to the learning environment … Read more

Executive skills are skills required for the self-regulation and self-direction of our day to day and life functioning. Whenever people manage their thinking or behavior to achieve some desired outcome they are engaging the skills … Read more

The importance of teachers building productive and positive relationships with both parents and students has been widely recognized. Relationships form the foundation for trust, enabling students to feel a sense of belonging. Classrooms become a … Read more

Student engagement has become a pivotal issue for educators over the past year, with many students learning in a mix of online, hybrid, and in-person classes. While most students have had success, there are students … Read more

Specific Strategies to Differentiate Mathematics Instruction: Design Open Questions  Turning around a Question: Instead of giving the question- a teacher provides the answer and asks for the question.  Asking for Similarities and Differences: Teacher chooses … Read more

Assistive technology is any device, software, or equipment that helps people work around their learning challenges. When we think of assistive technology for students with learning difficulties, we often think of high-tech devices such as … Read more

How to Approach Differentiating Instruction in Mathematics:  Focus Instruction on Key Concepts One of the most effective ways to differentiate in mathematics is to focus on the key concepts (*big ideas) rather than a narrow, … Read more

What is Differentiation? It is an organized yet flexible way of proactively adjusting teaching and learning to meet kids where they are and help them to achieve maximum growth as learners. (Tomlinson, 1999) Differentiation in … Read more

Online platforms allow for increased individualized instruction for students and differentiated assessment. Students are able to demonstrate their understanding in a number of ways. Reference: https://www.thetechedvocate.org/USING-GOOGLE-CLASSROOM-TO-DIFFERENTIATE-INSTRUCTION/

Now more than ever, we are using technology to support our understanding of the world around us.  Assistive technology is a great tool to help ALL students learn and show what they know! Reference: https://www.understood.org/en/learning-thinking-differences/getting-started/what-you-need-to-know/common-myths-about-learning-and-thinking-differences?_ul=11chdbd9domain_userid*YW1wLWI3ZDdsRlpiNWFsdnV0am9vbm1LNHc

As parents, we want to support our children academically both inside and outside of the classroom. Understanding your child’s learning difficulties can help them to gain confidence with their school work and show their understanding.  … Read more

Understanding the difference between accommodation and modification can help teachers choose the best approach to support students in their classroom. Choosing the correct level of support can increase student confidence and help them to reach … Read more

As teachers, we have all witnessed students who sit idle in class, refuse to work, or do not complete assignments.  Time and time again we have heard,  “I know what I want to say, I … Read more

Teenagers want to read – if we let them (Kittle, 2013). Encouraging students to become lifelong readers is a goal of any Language Arts teacher.  Developing independent, engaged readers requires providing students with a variety … Read more

As teachers we are used to soothing, comforting, explaining and fixing. It is on our job description. ​ We need to remember that emotions won’t break us or your student, and in fact, avoiding some emotions like anxiety can make them grow. ​TIPS: If your student’s … Read more

There are a number of ideas and strategies you can implement in order to help your student become independent. First, begin by discussing what independence looks like and then develop routines and strategies that can … Read more

Being able to think, learn and make good choices independently remains one of the most important skills that your students can acquire.​ While “spoon feeding” students can sometimes offer the most direct route to observable progress, it is possible to … Read more

Issue: Questions in the classroom too often fails to engage powerful thinking. Questioning is an integral part of everyday life in the classroom. It is what teachers do all day long. Traditionally, questions are asked, … Read more

Do you want every voice in your classroom to be heard? Do you want each voice to be valued? Do you want maximum participation for all? Try one of these strategies in your classroom to … Read more