Literacy · Teaching Reflections · Technology in Education · Topics for Parents and Students

Assistive Technology IS NOT the “answer” for students struggling with literacy skills

Literacy is central to success in life – academically, socially and financially, but like everything else in life it comes easy to some and much harder to others. Unfortunately, since it is literally the vehicle of education this becomes incredibly problematic if children struggle with literacy skills. We all desperately want a solution to support them in moving along with their classmates, but handing them a computer with assistive technology programming is not the solution we should be leaning towards – it should be intensive, evidence based instruction – both at home and school. For literacy intervention to be successful, there needs to be a “all hands on deck” approach. 

Literacy · Teaching Reflections · Topics for Parents and Students

5 Reasons Why Note Taking Rocks!

Before I became a teacher, I volunteered at my alma mater elementary school with a seasoned primary teacher who banned handouts in her grade 2 classroom.  Although it was a rough start, it was amazing to see the growth in her students’ penmanship and literacy skills as the year progressed. That experience stuck with me,… Continue reading 5 Reasons Why Note Taking Rocks!

Teaching Reflections · Topics for Parents and Students

Dear Lisa Thompson…

Yesterday was a disappointing day for Ontario’s teachers, parents and students. On a day when we reached out to begin good-faith consultations with Ontario’s Ford government, we instead  heard you blame teachers and unions for a student walkout at schools across the province, when in reality it was your government’s policies that sparked this action.

Teaching Reflections · Topics for Parents and Students

Why are ‘veteran’ teachers inherently more valuable to the education system? A serious question to consider in the wake of Ford’s planned decimation of young teachers in Ontario…

Why are young/less experienced teachers losing their jobs when there are veteran teachers that exist who are performing poorly or complacently, making more money, and don’t have to worry about a pink slip? It’s just not fair…

Literacy · Teaching Reflections · Topics for Parents and Students

5 easy ways to teach ‘inferencing’

Inferencing is much more than a reading skill; essentially, it is the process of training the brain to think metaphorically rather than literally. Many students have already acquired this skill as it has been modelled at home in the context of both reading materials and experiences, but for many of our students it is something completely foreign to them that needs to be explicitly taught. 

Teaching Reflections · Topics for Parents and Students

Why Educators Must Be Trained to Deal with Families in High Conflict Custody Disputes

This is a touchy subject, as it involves divorce and child custody issues. These topics rarely bring out the best in people, and quite usually very strong opinions and emotions. Everybody knows somebody who has experienced a messy divorce where children have been used as pawns; it’s not pretty to watch and much worse to… Continue reading Why Educators Must Be Trained to Deal with Families in High Conflict Custody Disputes

Literacy · Teaching Reflections · Teaching Topics/Activities · Topics for Parents and Students

Social Issues in Ontario will always have a home in English Class!

Over the past couple weeks, Ontario teachers have been up in arms in arms about the repealing then, re-structuring of the sex ed curriculum. As an observer, I’ve kind of shrugged my shoulders about this because as an English teacher I know that many of us tackle these topics in our classrooms regularly – regardless… Continue reading Social Issues in Ontario will always have a home in English Class!