Hello World,
In each edition of this newsletter, I will share five inspiring web resources from the education sector that I have curated after hours and hours of research to ensure that you have the best education coffee in your inbox.
The future of online learning post the pandemic on CBC News: The National
This video includes some interesting perspectives on the online learning experiences of students and teachers during the recent pandemic. It looks at the experience of students within Ontario, but I feel it would apply to most learning contexts. It made me re-think my practice as an educator and made me think about what would be most effective for my students in an online learning environment. I was a supply teacher for around 40 students in an online learning environment recently. I prioritized relationships and engagement on Day 1 and Day 2, before jumping into the content. I highly recommend mixing things up throughout the day and giving students enough time to relax when you design online learning experiences for your students.
‘The Advantages of Working with a Student Teacher’ by Dan Rose on Edutopia
I completed four student teaching placements at public schools in London, Ontario within the Thames Valley District School Board of Education between August 2019 and April 2021. I had some wonderful associate teachers and was able to learn something new and insightful every day in their presence. I often asked these teachers about the books that influenced their practice and the mentors that guided them along the way. You can learn a lot by just observing and understanding a competent practitioner in their natural setting. I loved how the author of this article spoke about the mutual learning experience in this relationship in the following quotation within this article,
That contemplation helped me see that I was in the habit of falling back on tried and true teaching methods and comfortable curriculum material in order to support acceptable, grade-level learning—to the point where I was a bit too relaxed. Last year’s lesson plan had become good enough.
Thanks to her, I was reminded that my journey to perfect my teaching should never end—and of the value of opening my heart, mind, and classroom to student teachers to begin with.
Curriculum Snapshots - Grade 11 and Grade 12 Ontario English Language Arts Curriculum
I really enjoy reading well drafter curriculum documents and I refer to the above document in my classroom practice as a high school English teacher in Ontario several times during each day. Here are two snapshots from Page 4 and Page 5 that stood out to me recently.
Blog Recommendation - ‘All Things Learning’ by Radhika Zahedi
Radhika Zahedi who is the School Director at the Green Acres Academy in Mumbai, India recently started an education blog titled, “All Things Learning”. I really enjoyed her first post about effective coaching conversations and when feedback is really meaningful. Do review the same when you get some time. Oh! I love teacher blogs and I think this one is definitely worth reading and following.
Learning Stories Episode 6 - Dr. Vinayak Prakash Thattaruparambil
I started a YouTube Channel called ‘Learning Stories’. This is a show where we interview a diverse set of learners from the 21st century. Each guest profiled here has a unique story to share about how they acquired a set of valuable skills and knowledge in a creative and innovative manner. In the process, we hope to uncover a new understanding of learning as conceptualized, imagined, and narrated in these learning stories.
On Episode 6 of #LearningStories we chat with Dr. Vinayak Prakash Thattaruparambil Vinayak is in the process of training to accomplish his lifelong dream of being a fetal surgeon. He completed his MBBS from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhubaneswar. Apart from his profession, he is also passionate about painting and dancing. He also expresses himself through writing with poetry being his favorite. He loves gardening and is a star-crossed animal activist. He believes that one day he can pioneer in saving lives even before they are born. You can follow him on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vp_doc/.
Abhishek16th July 2021