I am really pleased to announce that imaginED is collaborating with the Outdoor Classroom Day initiative! Expect to see our imagination-focused outdoor learning activities (like the Walking Curriculum resource) shared on their network and information on the Outdoor Classroom Day initiative shared here. Read on to learn about this great event. Believe in the power of outdoor […]
By Tara Scott (LiD teacher/facilitator) Mar Jok Elementary school recently celebrated its 4thyear of wondering, exploring and learning through LiD with an annual school community showcase. Ryan and Kaydn ~ Electricity and Oceans Questions surrounding how students are going to communicate their learning begin to surface at this time and students have, in the past, […]
By David Futter (Retired IE Teacher, MED in IE alumni) On a lazy Sunday afternoon in my local coffee shop, I was reading Thomas King’s book, The Truth about Stories, in which he observed, “The truth about stories is, that’s all we are.” Contemplate this thought, the phrase, “My God, it’s full of stars!” popped […]
What is the role of imagination in educational leadership? How does it fuel innovation and creativity and how do we maximize it? How can the imagination deepen school leaders’ understanding of educational issues? How can the imagination support the generation of new ideas in educational leadership? How can school leaders employ tools of imagination to […]
If one is master of one thing and understands one thing well, one has, at the same time, insight into and understanding of many things. (Vincent Van Gogh) In many schools, libraries are being renamed; their roles in the learning process are changing. The school library is increasingly being referred to as the “learning commons” to […]
By Katie White (Educational consultant, Author, Assessment Associate, & Art Instructor) In an earlier blog post, I discussed the necessity of assessment to propel imagination and creativity forward. I made the case that assessment, imagination, and creativity cannot live in isolation from each other. Rather, each makes the other better. “…the most successful individuals today are those […]
By Ed Ezzie (Grade 3/4 Teacher, Australia) To teach graphing this week I used the stunning text Uno’s Garden (2006) by Graeme Base. The text basically shows how as the number of people and buildings increase in Uno’s garden the number of plants and animals decrease. However, this story does much more than show data! […]
Carrie Lundy (Governor Semple Elementary School, 7 Oaks School Division, Manitoba) Highlights from Room 7: On our week outside we walked to K.P. Park to go cross-country skiing. We all took turns skiing, most of us for the first time! We spent a lot of time playing in the snow using our Snow Saws. We […]
Welcome Message From Dr. Mark Fettes Dear IERG friends and colleagues, Wherever we find ourselves these days, a glance around confirms how much the world is in need of “education that connects.” Bridging old animosities and divides, re-grounding students in the places and ecosystems where they live, tracing the links between person and planet – […]
From: Griffiths, D. & Lowry, S. (Eds.). The Leader Reader: Narratives of Experience – An International Collection. (Word & Deed Publishing). Available Spring 2018. “That’s not a real word, Gillian.” I recently participated in a seminar on “student engagement” with new and experienced teachers, principals, vice-principals, and district-level educational leaders. We started with a basic ice-breaker activity. We […]
(This post was recently published on the Nexus Education blog) We don’t talk much about feelings in education. There are many reasons for that, but I think one of the most important is that many people don’t see what feelings have to do with “serious” learning—that is, the serious learning of the 5-year-old making sense of colour, the […]
By Dina Lenning (Grade 3/4 Montessori teacher, MEd student in Imaginative Education) I recently tried the “Surfaces Walk” from the Walking Curriculum with my students. It was a great learning experience for all of us. Here are a few of my reflections. My colleague and I first gathered our two classes in my room. I spoke to […]
Being a “newish” administrator in an elementary school is a continually daunting task. You are attempting to learn the role of an educational leader, while at the same time managing the administrative tasks that go along with the role. It really becomes a precarious balancing act which many new administrators can struggle with. Being an […]
Dear imaginED readers/supporters–and contributors! imaginED was created just over two years ago. Honestly, it’s a bit of a blur for me. A steep learning curve, lots of writing, but also lots of fun. I am really pleased by the wide range of topics, ideas, resources, and insights we have been able to offer educators (PreK-Higher Education). […]
“Don’t worry, they aren’t hoarders.” How’s that for a catchy title? I published a post in 2017 reassuring readers that their children’s/students’ seeming obsession with collecting things should not cause alarm. Indeed, an interest in collecting is completely normal. No need for an intervention! The post outlined the imaginative interest that children (and adults) often […]
