“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 […]
Tag: #activeness
Deep Time Walk: A Powerful Tool To Connect With Life’s Story
“Walking… is how the body measures itself against the Earth”. (Rebecca Solnit, Wanderlust: A History of Walking) By Denise Curi Although I have a strong background in Science, since I have started practicing Yoga I have been looking for a more integrated and holistic approach to education, a way that does not separate body from head, […]
Activeness: Engaging The Body Through Stillness
By Andrea Leeburn (MEd in IE/French Immersion Kindergarten Teacher) I decided to introduce some basic yoga poses to my kindergarten students as part of my Imaginative Ecological Education practice. Practicing yoga can support Activeness by enhancing students’ awareness of their bodies and engaging mental imagery (Judson, 2015, p. 50). I taught yoga once a week for 5 weeks, three […]
Place-Based Education: Resources & Sources of Inspiration
Last year I was pleased to contribute two posts to a Place-Based Education Campaign initiated by Getting Smart. I wrote about Expanding And Enriching Relationships In Place-Based Education and Guidelines For Assessment In Place-Based Learning. The campaign is now finished and the three-part publication series is available for use by educators. I highly recommend you review/use these resources! Part One: What is […]
Activeness: Engaging The Physical Senses In The Natural World
By Andrea Leeburn (MEd in IE/French Immersion Kindergarten Teacher) Imaginative Ecological Education (IEE) aims to engage body, emotion and imagination in the natural context in which students live and learn (Judson, 2015). IEE proposes three principles to support this aim. The second principle, Activeness, involves tapping into the body’s emotional and sensory tools in learning such […]
Guidelines For Assessment Of Place-Based Learning
I’m really pleased to be a part of the Place-Based Education (PBE) Thought Leadership Campaign at GettingSmart. My first contribution to the campaign looked at the role of imagination and relationships in PBE; read it here. This post is about assessment in the context of place-based and imaginative learning: Assessment of learning is a complex and sensitive process. In the context of […]
Imaginative Education Brings Ecological Thinking To Life
By Dr. Jennifer M. Gidley All education is the development of genius… The three factors of genius are the habit of action, the vivid imagination, and the discipline of judgment. (Alfred North Whitehead, 1916) When we offer children a lifeless, stale education, we not only destroy their vitality, but we dumb them down. Through […]
Expanding & Enriching Relationships in Place-Based Education
No matter the program or topic, the context or curriculum, relationships matter in education. Educators know this. We know that the creation of positive relationships amongst all members of the school community is a foundation for student success. We know, too, that love of learning stems from students’ forming emotional connections with knowledge; relationships born […]
Feeling, Activeness, & Place: An Eco-Imaginative Pedagogy
This is a short presentation that provides a rationale for Feeling, Activeness, and Place to serve as guiding ecological education principles. I describe why employing these principles for teaching all subjects (Imaginative Ecological Education) can re-align the means and ends of eco education. I do apologize for the film quality–and the bad jokes–but I think it is useful and adds to […]
A Warp Speed Intro to Imaginative Ecological Education (IEE)
And that’s a very warp speed introduction to IEE. Stay tuned for a short workshop video on the principles and their importance for your ecological teaching. And, as always, enjoy the FREE resources on this blog: Walking Curriculum, Cultivating Curiosity, Learning To Live Attentively in a Media Mad World, A Worm/Soil Study and more! More information is also […]
Unearth The Secret Life of Worms (Part Two)
Worm Bodies & Movement & Celebration “Lowly worm” is a serious misnomer. Earthworms are soil scientists with incredible strength that contribute significantly to human survival. If you are just discovering this mini-unit on Worms & Soil then please go now to Part One where you will find the initial story-shaping lesson that frames the activities described here. (Learn more about the principles […]
Unearth The Secret Life of Worms (Part One)
Take A Wiggle On The Wild Side: Exploring Worms & Soil Use these easy and engaging lessons to teach about soil through the experiences of an earthworm, one of the soil’s most productive, and numerous, animal inhabitants. While you can teach about worms/soil anytime you like, March 15 might be a good day to start. March […]
Learn To Live Attentively In A Media Mad World (Part Two)
Just google it. Want to find out something new? What to research something old? Just google it. Everybody “googles” because it is a very quick and very handy means to access information. “Googling” is such a basic and widespread activity these days, that it has entered our vernacular. I am ambivalent when it comes to googling; I appreciate its […]
