Analogical Problem-Solving ™ is what I call teaching by living inside a story such as the Us and Them unit. Students have agency/voice to make decisions inside their class story, an analogy of life. As teachers, we carefully follow their suggestions and integrate lessons as we plan strategies that allow them to discover their learning. Students learn real-life lessons without real-life consequences. They realize at a profound level that we have so much in common. We are all connected. Ultimately the students decide war is not worth the enormous human cost. And they internalize that we are all part of the human race.

Analogical Problem-Solving ™ is what I call teaching by living inside a story such as the Us and Them unit. Students have agency/voice to make decisions inside their class story, an analogy of life. As teachers, we carefully follow their suggestions and integrate lessons as we plan strategies that allow them to discover their learning. Students learn real-life lessons without real-life consequences. They realize at a profound level that we have so much in common. We are all connected. Ultimately the students decide war is not worth the enormous human cost. And they internalize that we are all part of the human race.

For years we thought the primary emphasis in school should be to teach digital technology to our students. The Information Era would solve everything! Mind you, tech skills are absolutely essential. But, this emphasis, at the exclusion of something else, has placed a couple of generations at a major disadvantage! How do you say? Let’s explore in our latest SEL Blog below where Margaret Boersma, an instructional coach and education consultant, writes about the importance of emotional well-being in classrooms. #SocialEmotionalLearning

Past and present speaker at the Reading for the Love of It conference, Margaret Boersma prepared a reading list specific to the issues of this past year, to work on mindful practices that focus on creating well-being and focus for students and teachers alike. Take the time to check out these web links…

When students have the opportunity to defend their point of view or articulate their ideas more fully, I often become aware of their inability to communicate. Even with ample “wait time,” they stammer, can’t find the words or don’t express their ideas in full. The listener is left guessing at the meaning and several exchanges are needed to clarify rather simple thoughts.

Children learn best through discovery. So inductive teaching helps deepen retention. With inductive learning, students experience things and draw their own conclusions. Wrestling with the concepts allows them to uncover their learning. As teachers, we often wonder why our students haven’t retained the basics from year to year. Students retain when they discover their learning.

Andy Hargreaves suggests in Canada we have an unspoken culture of social class in which diversity issues are not addressed. When rethinking schools, he says, “We must teach working-class identity as history and culture of pride involving the dignity of labour, solidarity with one’s fellows, the value of hard work, and the importance of self-improvement. [We must] rethink everything [we] do on social class lines, as much as [we] have in relation to all other aspects of diversity.”

Focusing on academics can create a disempowering context when we are not able to get our students to learn the specific concepts for the grade within the time given. Our stress transfers to our students and causes them to react, setting up a situation in which social and emotional learning (SEL) skills are urgently needed. Then we resign ourselves to reacting to behaviours inconducive to learning. However, the SEL skills we teach don’t go deep enough, in part because they are reactive, rather than pro-active, and therefore, ineffective.

As you self-select your current state, you may find you have a solid working relationship with a number of your students who are thriving, as individuals. And, with the same class, you may find yourself in a state of dysfunction with a number of students. Allow yourself to think of your class as a whole. Consider the observable behaviours I am about to share, as they pertain to your students in general. And, also consider your own experience.

Consider, that many adults are children in adult bodies. And it is not their fault. Emotionally they have not matured. Often, something happens in childhood and we decide something about ourselves e.g. I’m not smart enough or I’m not loveable. Then we spend the rest of our lives looking for evidence to prove our point of view. And it has us reacting instead of responding to life

I am 18 years old, at a fancy garden party of 2,500 people behind the Parliament Building in Prince Edward Island. There were lessons in learning to curtsey formally and how to be with royalty. I feel like royalty as my family, and I have been invited by Prince Philip and Her Majesty the Queen to a once-in-a-lifetime celebration.

Support for Teachers and Parents/Guardians. · Do you feel like you’re doing everything you can in a climate of constant change but yet you experience stress and overwhelm? · Is your own personal self-care constantly pushed to the side? · Does everything feel unattainable right now…balance, self-care, removing the stress? Here are eight ways to empower yourself and your students.

Free Lessons Available in Social Emotional Learning for Children.. Every lesson has an affirmation that students can memorize to remind themselves of their ability to influence themselves and others in positive ways.

Emotions can feel like a roller coaster ride with ups and downs and sudden turns. The uncertainty of COVID and the changing rules require constant adjusting. And not being able to make plans, we can experience a complete lack of control.

You can make a big impact as well as save time and energy without spending hours on class management. Learn how to raise academic achievement without being interrupted by behaviour problems. Reach those high needs students so they work to potential.

Sir Ken Robinson, you will be sorely missed. Sir Ken Robinson, may you continue to be a great source of encouragement for all of us as educators and teacher trainers who aspire to find innovative ways to teach the whole child.

My friend Annie Paraison shared some insightful ideas about racism in Part 1. Now I will discuss my thoughts on some of the points she raised. As well, I will challenge you to educate yourself and your students and have provided some ideas below.

Annie was in my group at Berkeley last summer, where we participated in an international conference for teachers on social and emotional learning (SEL). Our close-knit group still meets regularly on Zoom, supporting each other through breakdowns and celebrating breakthroughs. The other day I asked Annie, who lives in the U.S., what it is like being black with so much visible outrage boiling all around us. She gave some food for thought.

In the same way that the soil has to be rich and fertile to grow into strong, healthy plants, so do the relationships in students’ lives need to be fertile to raise strong, contributing human beings in society. It is critical to have relationships that work inside and outside of school. Administrators and teachers, caretakers and teachers, caretakers and students, parents and staff are all critical for nurturing young minds and setting examples.

Learn how the Deep Learning at Home series intentionally teaches social and emotional skills and character development through the arts. Know how each lesson can stimulate family or group discussion. Integrate the affirmation in each lesson and create precious moments during this time of change.

The students wanted to learn some English so, my colleague, who did not speak Dutch, did a great job teaching choreography for “Wavin Flag.” And the students learned to sing the chorus, which they loved. Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Skills, such as Making Decisions, is Best Learned, Retained and Transferred to Life by Living Inside a Story.

Your students need ways to move, be creative and learn deeply. I am creating a free teacher training series called Deep Learning at Home, where you can teach your students to think deeply while having fun. When it all passes, there will be a “new normal.” Contemplating these questions will inform our new normal.

I am checking in with you. Some of us are deeply impacted by the big change and others not as much. In conversation, many have shared that you are using this time to reflect on your career and ask some of the bigger questions like, "What is my purpose?". This is an opportunity for us to get away from the daily pressures and ask these questions. When it all passes, there will be a “new normal.” Contemplating these questions will inform our new normal.

After teaching a grade 6 class for half an hour, Josh approaches me with tears in his eyes. “Ms. Boersma, none of the kids like me. No one wants to work with me. The other boys always ignore me.” I notice many of the girls are quiet, and many of the boys are trying to fit in. The same few people are participating in class discussions. The students freely participate in “side conversations” and giggling at inappropriate times. They are not bad students. They just have a bad habit.

Co-teaching with the homeroom teachers brings out the most in the students. Teachers and students alike constantly switch in and out of role reflecting on how the story we are creating together is like real life. The discussions are often deep. Students learn to take responsibility for the way they are being so they can do what is expected (success criteria) so they can have the results from their hard work.

With teacher strikes looming all around us, are you able to find something great? As an adult, I am always learning. Here is my experience in a recent adventure. I hope it encourages you in your learning. Life is an adventure. I feel that I am at the peak of my career, and I want to make a significant contribution to society. So, off to New Zealand, we go to see the country the way the tourists do, travelling in a camper van. It is a fantastic experience that allows us to see this spectacular country and experience many highlights…

Spectrum Education has been hosting a Teachers Matter conference two-three times per year (throughout Australasia) since 2006, attended by 10,000+ teachers.  These are jam-packed with a professional focus of making teaching more effective in the classroom with practical learning strategies and teaching resources, plus a personal focus of teacher wellbeing and welfare.

“He won’t let me play soccer at recess.”  “She said she won’t be my friend.” “That’s not fair!” “He is always on the computer. It is my turn!” It seems every day after a recess break, students want me to solve their squabbles. Children have a good sense of fairness and equity. Why can’t they solve their own problems? As a teacher, I have asked students to “sort it out” between them before entering class. Later I realized children are not born with the ability to figure out these higher-order emotional skills on their own, just like they are not born with manners. They need pro-active, explicit instruction.

Do you ever remember how you felt but not exactly what was said? When my son was in elementary school, I was shocked at what came out of his mouth. We don’t speak like that at home and it was so forceful, with the precise attitude and tone appropriate to the situation. I felt triggered at first. Now I don’t remember what he said but I surely remember how it was delivered and the effect it had on me. Here is a blog post that will support you to empower students who are triggered.