About my students …
I know it’s only March, but already I am thinking about the end of the school. Our school year ends sooner than most. It’s grade 6 and EQAO looms. In a few weeks our focus
Category: NPDL
Rapid Fail in Action
“I want to be a really great IDEO thinker.” Students are embracing the practice of testing ideas as soon as possible and “rapid fail” has entered the classroom lexicon in a meaningful way. One group
Improving My Practice in Real Time
This week during our Design Thinking Challenge I’ve tweeted and blogged about our work in progress. Jennifer Chan of Exhibit Change and Nogah Kornberg of Rotman Ithink chimed in with comments and suggestions that caused
When Students Understand Collaboration Theory
It is one thing to have students work in groups. It is another to have students strategically seek feedback so that their own ideas can be improved. It is entirely another to watch students who
Coming to Terms with Promising Ideas
We have begun to grapple with several fundamentals of knowledge building. Monica Resendes suggested that our “Rise Above” work also reflects Promising Ideas and so today I created
Creating Conditions for Collaboration
Students who’ve spent the large part of their lives in teacher-directed classrooms, don’t suddenly become incredible collaborators simply by placing them in groups and asking them to work together on an inquiry. Teachers must create
The Opportunity Question
Today’s lesson was designed based on observations and comments students have been making during our inquiry into grit, tenacity, perseverance and resilience. I drew upon several ideas. 1. One student’s brother’s advice to the class:
Getting to Bigger Questions
My grade 6 students have been engaged in an inquiry on grit, tenacity, perseverance and resilience. In inquiry, one starts with a question. and as the inquiry progresses and thinking deepens new questions should arise,