January 31

The SAN Script – the week of February 1 – 5

The History of the Holstee Manifesto

In our first step as a company, Holstee’s founders, Dave, Mike and Fabian sat together on the steps of Union Square in New York to write down how they define success. The goal was to create something they could reflect back on if they ever felt stuck or found themselves living according to someone else’s definition of happiness.

In 2009, the words of the Holstee Manifesto took form in a bold letterpress poster with the help of designer, Rachael Beresh. Not long after it began to take the internet by storm, with the Washington Post calling it “The Next Just Do It”.

In 2010, we created the Lifecycle Video above as a homage to Manifesto while celebrating the diversity of bicycle riding in New York City.

The Manifesto has been translated into 13 languages (and counting!) with the help of our worldwide community, including Spanish, Japanese, Korean, Polish, and Hebrew and Arabic.

In 2012 we launched MyLife to collect the many stories people were sending in about how they chase their dreams, live their best lives and how they have chosen to redefine success in their own terms. Years later, it is monumentally encouraging and inspiring to see how many people with which the words of The Holstee Manifesto have resonated. We are honored, proud and humbled to have such a remarkable community that surrounds and supports Holstee.

Above all else, creating the Holstee Manifesto has confirmed for us that with genuine positive intentions, anything is possible.

26
a great idea of integrating digital programs – the grade 3-4 class works with the grade 1’s exploring Mathletics

Etextiles

click Etextiles – to see how to make these – a whole host of maker projects available 

 

 

 

PhotoGrid_1402495930234examples of some of the simple designs that can be made using textiles, batteries and diodes – we will soon have a great collection of these materials for use at school

St. Anthony this Week

Monday, February 1

Winter Walk:

Students go out for first recess.  They eat snack and go to the washroom BEFORE going out. 
After recess the students line up and we go for one lap around the playground with the kindergartens. 
We then proceed out the gates onto Booth Street and walk to Dows Lake. I can lead with my class and maybe have the Grade 6 class bring up the back. 
When we get to Dow’s lake we will take a walk around and see if there are any sculptures or sights to see. 
Then we will head back up Booth street HOME!
*This is a working document so changes can be made:)
Not sure yet where the mascot will be so that will be worked into our plans. 
When we return there will be cups with hot chocolate waiting in your classrooms.  Hot water will need to be added to the mix.  Then serve!
Students will eat their lunch and talk about the wonderful walk they just experienced!
This probably sounds a lot like our Terry Fox Walk – because it is!!!
That’s all!!!
Thanks Sandra for putting this together!!

Tuesday, February 2

Dorothy Stanyar, volunteer, in Mrs. Rupnik’s class PM only

Table Tennis

Orkidstra

Innovation Committee meeting – University of Ottawa – Cathy and Paul attending 4:00PM

Wednesday February 3

Paul out all day – CLL

Wastefree Wednesday Today

Rosary visit
St.Anthony Catholic School
Every 1st Wednesday of the month

Rosary schedule
10:30 to 11:15 JK & FDK Natalie Schlesak
12:15 to 12:40 Grades 2 Shannon Draper

12:45 to 1:05 Grade 1 Meg Myers
12:15-1:30 Grade 4/5 French: Sylvain Girard
1:45-2:15 Grade 3/4: Maria Manzoli
2:20 -3:00 Grade 5/6: Nora Colaiacovo /Denis Chartrand

Thursday, February 4

Recycle Day at St. Anthony Catholic School- PLEASE recycle today!

Student Services Angela Davidson to visit Mrs. Rupnik- student observation

Orkidstra Today

Friday, February 5

Papa Jack Popcorn

Another great video for your class on World Population

Watch human population grow from 1 CE to present and see projected growth in under six minutes. One dot = 1 million people.

World Population from Population Education on Vimeo.

January 29

The SAN Script Friday, January 28

Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.

Abraham Lincoln

 

Beaver Creek ski patroller Brendan McCue took this beautiful photo earlier this month and it was later posted to the mountain resort’s Facebook page. Of course nothing compares to first tracks in some fresh, steep powder, but this groomer looks pretty inviting! Located in beautiful Colorado, Beaver Creek offers 1,832 skiable acres, 3,340 ft of vertical rise, 25 lifts and over 150 different trails. For more information check out their official website and Facebook page.

Beaver Creek ski patroller Brendan McCue took this beautiful photo earlier this month and it was later posted to the mountain resort’s Facebook page. Of course nothing compares to first tracks in some fresh, steep powder, but this groomer looks pretty inviting!
Located in beautiful Colorado, Beaver Creek offers 1,832 skiable acres, 3,340 ft of vertical rise, 25 lifts and over 150 different trails. For more information check out their official website and Facebook page.

 

St. Anthony Today

Grade photo retake day

Pizza Day

 

Hapara Tutorial – Teacher Dashboard Search from Hapara Team on Vimeo. – more to come over the next week

January 28

The SAN Script – Thursday, January 28

My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.
Maya Angelou

pipe

If you see Bob today, please see thank-you!  Because of Bob, a major pipe burst that necessitated the shut down (late in the day) of most of our washrooms was fixed by an emergency plumbing company.  Without his quick action, we wouldn’t be in school today!

Thanks Bob!!

St. Anthony Today

SEA trainer meeting with IT here at school – Geraldine and Paul

Young Rembrandts today

Recycle Day at St. Anthony Catholic School- PLEASE recycle today!

2-1pm at SWCHC (30 Rosemount, Wellington Room, 2nd Floor) for an inter-agency brown bag lunch. – Paul out

Orkidstra Today

Today, working on ordering materials for paper circuits

paper circuits

Paper Circuits Tutorial

 

 

January 27

The SAN Script Wednesday, January 27

IMG_0560

I will be featuring a number of videos this week on Minecraftedu and Hapara – two of the important innovations that we have introduced this week.  

St. Anthony Today

Paul in late

Geraldine away

Today is Literacy Day at St. Anthony!  Schedule?

Blog-Banner-Take-3

Wastefree Wednesday Today – the recycle bin key is right beside the phone in the staff room

January 26

The SAN Script Tuesday, January 26

minecraft

We just purchased a Minecraft Server – there are great resources to teach everyone more about Minecraft – here are two of them

8 ways Minecraft works on your brain

Recently I’ve spent some time reading parenting websites about Minecraft. What is said is often repetitive, aggregated and lacks much substance. If you are a parent, or Minecraft player, then I hope this post will provide you with some further ideas about how the game works on our minds.

The thing which most articles omit is understanding of why imagination is a primary trigger for learning. Wherever we are, in school or at home, the immediate environment can either support or stifle children’s imaginative abilities. For example, copying notes from a wipeboard is submissive. Additionally, our brain has to workreally hard to keep our imagination under control, as while we’re copying it down, our imagination is kicking and screaming to be let out, and we’re not thinking about all about the importance or significance of the information. This is why they invented photocopiers, mobile phone cameras and dropbox.

Minecraft puts players to work by providing the imagination with images and metaphors that give it direction. The blocks represents a random open world and the challenge to control it. Players learn which resources help them to thrive and what dangers need to be overcome. Next, kids use their imagination to make sense of the real world – more than facts or information. Ever wondered why parents say the same thing over and over and the kid does it anyway? … so Minecraft is a game which helps kids make sense of the real world – even though to the adult brain, it’s a lego world and nothing like real life – or the things kids need to know to thrive. Wrong, yes it is, just like kids in ancient cultures learned about hunting, or in the 1800s kids recited facts as in a factory reciting facts is was all that was needed for most kids.

The methods commonly applied in classroom towards what teachers call ‘learning out comes’ today routinely omit the word imagination from tasks and exercises. Schools like more measurable things such as list, find, calculate, show and so on. They can mark this … but marking Minecraft – what would be the point? Well the point is, for most people marks and league tables have been proven to de-motivate and train us to be submissive. So if you like freedom and liberty a kid playing Minecraft is unlikely to be submissive – hence why they wont’ get off it when you demand.

Academics have shown how important imaginative play is to child development for hundreds of years . This hasn’t stopped schools ignoring it. From the age of 9 or 10, a child’s day become less and less imaginative and more standardised as the great hammer of measuring kids by test scores emerges. There comes a tipping point where imaginative becomes day-dreaming and off with the faeries rather than a stand up student getting straight A’s. This is a social rule, the way we begin to define who is seen as a success and who isn’t. Again, ignore the fact many of the worlds biggest corporations and most valuable inventions were developed by people who dropped out of school, or crisscrossed it – like Einstein and Jobs.

All these things are set aside in ‘Minecraft is evil’ posts – not because it’s not true, but because life feels somewhat easier to adults who long ago submitted their imagination to someone else. The use iPhone apps, rather than imagine themselves making them so to speak. Kids don’t. In Minecraft, they can build anything … the imagination light is lit up like a 20,000 watt light the whole time they play.

Imaginative behaviors in Minecraft

Imaginative behavior is based on the brain’s ability to draw upon and combine elements from our previous experiences. Educational scholar Len Vygotsky wrote in 1930 …

The brain is not only the organ that stores and retrieves our previous experience, it is also the organ that combines and creatively reworks elements of this past experience and uses them to generate new propositions and new behavior. …This creative activity, based on the ability of our brain to combine elements, is called imagination or fantasy in psychology. (p. 9)

So here are eight things I see happening when children and adolescents play Minecraft.

  • Sensation – Learning as sense-pleasure
  • Fantasy – Learning as make-believe
  • Narrative – Learning as unfolding story
  • Challenge – Learning as obstacle course
  • Fellowship – Learning as social framework
  • Discovery – Learning as uncharted territory
  • Expression –  Learning as soap box
  • Submission – Learning as mindless pastime

Note that of these eight ways of playing Minecraft, children switch between them. One minute they are searching a cavern (Discovery), the next they are building a Library (Expression). At times, when they lack direction or motivation with other ways to learn, they wander about the open world in a state of Submission until something happens.

To me, parents can be the something happens. Even if they don’t play the game. Asking “how high can you build a tower” switches the child’s effort from submission to challenge for example. In many ways, a teacher or parent in a world without games used to do this all the time.

Like it or not, games now do it too. Minecraft is very special because unlike something like Tetris or even Grand Theft Auto, it has all 8 of these facets firing all the time. When it becomes multiplayer, kids stimulate each other constantly – not to make new things – but to change state.

This to me is why they find classrooms boring – they don’t change state in the way games do. Or rather they can, if the classroom is designed to change state and I don’t mean from ‘listen to me talk’ to ‘write this in your book’ – that leads to learning as a mindless pastime. Of course, when mass education was invented, being a submissive worker, following instructions and not ‘day dreaming’ was what school was all about.

So if your kid is playing Minecraft, then according to deeply respected academic research and principles, she is not undertaking a mindless pastime. I’d argue playing Minecraft now might be one of the things that saves them from it in the future too.

The trick is to know how to design day to day learning the way Minecraft works … or to say it isn’t possible and write another ‘Minecraft sucks post’.

I say it is …

Thank-you all for your responses to the January survey – I will be discussing the cleaning comments with Bob today 
January 23

The SAN Script the week of January 25 – 29

Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.

Mark Twain

 

one of the very cool programmable robots I saw at FETC - we are buy a whole bunch of kits to make these.

one of the very cool programmable robots I saw at FETC – we are buy a whole bunch of kits to make these.

I haven’t included all of this post – some of the tips are pretty complex, however, this is an excellent resource that you can hold on to when you are ready to start blogging in your classroom.

Paul

24 STEPS TO CREATING AN AWESOME TEACHER BLOG

blog

Interested in starting a teacher blog or do you want to learn something more specific? Then I’ve got your back. These how-to tips will help you get your blog up and running so that you can share your teaching tips with the world. However, you can always simply share them right here from the Teach Junkie community too and skip right to the sharing part {wink}.

These tips will mainly focus on “how to” tips for using blogger.com since it is the most popular choice among teacher bloggers. If you are interested in using WordPress, then I recommend checking out Blogging With Amy for some starter tips. If you are wondering about the limitations of Blogger then you can also find that information out – otherwise it’ll be personal preference to make your decision.

 

24 STEPS TO CREATING AN AWESOME TEACHER BLOG

Walk yourself through these steps as you take it day by day. Start small and work you way up! I didn’t give any specific blog design advice, but if you are feeling in need of some – check out steps 9 and 18. You can design your blogger.com blog yourself and be happy with it {wink} Many of us have done it! Take the early stages of your blogging days to work on defining who you are as your new awesome bloggy self.

THE BASICS

1. How to Start a Blog – Video

Tip! Be sure to pick a name that you’ll want to use as a username, will fit nicely onto a small square blog button and be a match to your teacherpreneuer shops if you have one or are even entertaining the idea of opening one someday. Your name will become your brand and your button will be widely recognized along with your name. It’s important {wink}

3. How to Post

7. How to Embed Documents

MAKING IT YOUR OWN

9. How to Create a Photo

12. How to Link Text

13. How to Insert Photos

14. How to Edit Photos

REFINE IT

17. How to Get Searched Better

18. How to Organize Your Blog

22. Rules of the Teacher Blog niche

  • Give credit to others with links
  • Be nice and speak positive
  • Personal comments go a long way
  • Don’t share colleague or student names or identifiable features
  • Spam isn’t welcome in any niche

23. Be Prepared

Tip! You may face negative feedback, crickets {silence} or times of writers funk. That happens to everyone. No need to apologize for blogging absences… Refrain from posting negative. Seriously. {wink}

24. Make it Comment Friendly

Tip! The easier you make it to comment for a reader, the more likely you are to receive feedback and kudos. If you want comments, say so at the end of your post as the “call to action.”

Of course this list is compiled is just my personal opinion and the list isn’t meant to be the end all be all. So, feel free to create your own list and upload it to the Teach Junkie community. {wink} We’d love to read your blogging tips.

St. Anthony this week

Monday, January 25

Teresa at EQAO Kirsten in

SCPAR Meeting – Paul and Geraldine

Parent Meeting (Meg, Denis, Geraldine) 3:00 PM

Tuesday, January 26

Gr. 6 Grad Photos

Teresa at EQAO Kirsten in

Student from Dalhousie U to work with Mrs. Rupnik’s class

Dorothy Stanyar, volunteer, in Mrs. Rupnik’s class PM only

Really important day – our Hapara workshops

AM
Nora
Sylvain
Sandra
Shannon
PM
Meg
Maria
Natalie
Denis
Stephanie
Geraldine
Orkidstra Today

Wednesday, January 27

Waste-free Wednesday

Family Literacy Day – schedule to follow

Thursday, January 28

SEA Trainer visit – Geraldine and Paul 9:00 am

Theresa, SLP, visits Mrs. Rupnik’s class 

Recycle Day at St. Anthony Catholic School- PLEASE recycle today!

Orkidstra Today

Friday, January 29

Pizza Day!!

Grad photo retake day

 

 

 

what do you think of this logo??

what do you think of this logo??

 

January 21

The SAN Script – Thursday, January 21

A special thank-you!

Thanks for all the work you did yesterday to get ready for Peter’s visit.  He was really impressed by all the classrooms he saw and took lots of pictures – you all did a wonderful job at representing the true, innovative nature of our school – I wish he could have stayed longer to see all of you – you all are doing truly amazing things!!

 

Paul

 

voice of the day

As woman was the first to be tempted, so did God’s message of grace come first to a woman, and each time woman’s assent determined the destiny of humanity as a whole.

Edith Stein
prayer of the day

Holy God, just as our own mothers gave us life, so Mary, the mother of God, gave us the One who is Life. May we each seek to be like her, bringing forth life and hope and joy as your humble servants, O Lord.

AMsnowshoeing

Girls Who Code – a really wonderful initiative that we want to bring to Canada

 

Are you looking for student-centred and inclusive ways to incorporate creative movement into your classroom? Get ready to come out and have a blast while learning about how to engage the whole child: body, brain and being.  

All educators are invited to  participate in an after-school PD session by Toronto based company Groove Edgeucation.  No dance experience necessary, this is for the everyday teacher who is interested in fostering health, happiness, confidence and creativity through the power of music, movement and dance.

For participating in the Groove Session, your school will receive Groove EDGEucation’s Global Groove Adventure (grades 1-8) and/or the Early Years Groove (FDK) package. Please note, this resource is already available in some of our schools.

Please complete the following Google Form to RVSP before February 4, 2016. A minimum of 12 participants is required for the session.

Hope to see you on the Groove Floor!  

Here is the Registration form

 

Hapara Training Event – Tuesday, January 26th

Please let me know if you prefer AM or PM – this does not come out of your PD allotment.  This session is truly essential as we move forward.  If you do not want to be involved in this session, please let me know, thanks

St. Anthony Today

Paul at Board office to start discussions on the Aviva Project with Planning & Facilities

Theresa, SLP, visits Mrs. Rupnik’s class 

Recycle Day at St. Anthony Catholic School- PLEASE recycle today!

Electrical safety and conservation assembly – 9:00 am

Popcorn fundraiser today

Orkidstra after school

School social (after school)

School Council – 6:30 – 7:30 PM

Tomorrow:

7:30 AM Mass followed by coffee and snacks

report cards all day

purchasing  of Makerspace (robotics) and Minecraft resources with Telus Grant

Prodigy Chat – getting St. Anthony started – Paul and Prodigy – accounts will be set up for all staff

January 20

The SAN Script – Wednesday, January 20

You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You’re on your own, and you know what you know. And you are the guy who’ll decide where to go.

Dr. Seuss

 

 

Prodigy Math - I will be offering free accounts to any teachers who want to use this - good complement to Mathletics

Prodigy Math – I will be offering free accounts to any teachers who want to use this – good complement to Mathletics

Radio St. Antony - the grade ones take over the airwaves this week

Radio St. Antony – the grade ones take over the airwaves this week

We are going to make a push to get you some PD time on Hapara – most likely a half day.  This will get you started, but we will need more next year.  I should have more information on this next week.  Teachers will be able to sign up for a half-day session – morning or afternoon – details soon

Hapara Workspace Introduction July 2015 from Hapara Team on Vimeo.

 

St. Anthony Today

Paul out all AM – Family of School Meeting

Boys Badminton – Sandra out

Here are the notes from last night’s staff meeting – please add anything I missed

Visit from Peter – 1:30 – 3;00 PM

Here is our Popplet summarizing our SIPso – I have added all of you as collaborators – so please feel free to add stuff to it so we can make this a truly collaborative document!

Here is the Poplet link if you want to add things

http://popplet.com/app/#/2918006

Waste-free Wednesday

January 19

The SAN Script Tuesday, January 19

 

meme generator

Forgiveness is the name of love practiced among people who love poorly. The hard truth is that all people love poorly. We need to forgive and be forgiven every day, every hour increasingly. That is the great work of love among the fellowship of the weak that is the human family.

Henri J.M. Nouwen

prayer of the day

Jesus Christ, you offer forgiveness to us all, at every moment. Give us the humility to accept it, and the grace to extend that gift to others.

 

Meeting agenda – please add your items by noon, I will then create the agenda based on this padlet – thanks 

 

St. Anthony Today

Staff meeting today at 3:15 – see agenda above

Student from Dalhouise U to work with Mrs. Rupnik’s class

speech therapist in -CCAC

Orkidstra Today

Dorothy Stanyar, volunteer, in Mrs. Rupnik’s class PM only

 

 makerspace

Learning How to Knit

I’ve been a knitter since my best friend in college first gave me a set of needles and taught me the basic stitches. This was back in 2002. When I first started out, I needed a lot of help and guidance. I would check out books on knitting from the public library. I’d read tips in online forums. I’d watch tutorial videos online. And I followed lots of patterns. At first I would follow the patterns exactly, using the size needles and yarn recommended, the stitches, finishing techniques, etc. Gradually, following these patterns helped me to build my skillset. Then I started swapped out different types of stitches, experimented with knitting without seams, tried out different yarn textures. Eventually, the patterns became more like recipes that I could use to inspire interesting, creative projects.

If my friend had sat me down with the needles and yarn and just said “go figure it out”, I probably wouldn’t be a knitter today.  If I had absolutely no guidance, no advice, no instruction on how to knit and purl, I likely would have quickly given up from frustration.  Following patterns to the letter when I first got started helped me to learn the skills that I needed to be creative in my knitting.  I learned how to create different color patterns, how to cable, how to knit lace, how to knit in the round, how to seam correctly.  There were patterns that helped me see knitting in a new light, like when when dropped stitches (normally a mistake) created beautiful lace-like patterns.  And each of those experiences gave me more freedom to be creative in my future projects as I could apply what I’d learned.

How Guided Projects can Help Makers Learn

Guidelines and instructions are not the enemy of makerspaces.  Working through guided projects can help students to develop the skills that they need to further explore creatively.  It’s true that some students can just figure it out, but most need that gentle push to get them started.  While things like LEGOs and K’nex are intuitive, many other activities are not.  If you just sat me down in front of an Arduino with no guidance, I wouldn’t have a clue what to do.  But after following some example projects, I can start to feel more comfortable with branching out on my own.

The problem comes when all we ever do are guided projects.  Sylvia Martinez and Gary Stager warn against the “20 identical birdhouses” style class projects, where there is zero creativity involved.  It’s very easy to fall into the trap of focusing too much on standards, rubrics and guided projects and zapping all the fun and creativity out, turning a makerspace into nothing more than another classroom.  It’s tempting for many educators to just print out a list of instructions, sit students down in front of a “maker kit” and check their e-mail while students work through the steps one by one.  This is obviously not what we want in our makerspaces.

But at the same time, Austin Kleon reminds us that “when it comes to creative work, limitations mean freedom.”  Providing some limitations, guidelines, restrictions can actually make us more creative, as we have to figure out how to make things work with what we’re given.  I’ve seen my students come up with amazing projects through design challenges: awesome phone stands with our K’nex club, catapults, crossbows and trebuchets for our Catapult Challenge, robots, reading caves and rockets for our Cardboard Challenge.  Giving them a little bit of guidance and limitation still providing plenty of room for creativity and imagination.  In fact, I think it probably enhanced it.

We have to find a balance between open-ended, free range exploration and guided learning in our makerspaces.  It can be tricky to figure out sometimes, but it’s worth putting the effort in.  A well-crafted design challenge can inspire amazing creativity.  Free-range learning gives students opportunities for imaginative play.  Both are crucial for creating an environment where students can discover, learn and grow.

What design challenges or guided projects have you used with your students?  What kinds of creative ideas did they come up with through them?

 

A great person to follow on Twitter:

Welcome to Renovated Learning! I’m Diana Rendina and this is my place where I share my journey with you. Click on over to my About page to learn more about me, and check out Our Makerspace Journey to learn more about how I started a Makerspace at Stewart Middle Magnet School. There’s lots of great resources and information on here, so make sure to click around. Have fun, and be awesome 🙂

@DianaLRendina

Created with Padlet
January 16

The SAN Script – the week of January 18-22

 

 

You have to have a big vision and take very small steps to get there. You have to be humble as you execute but visionary and gigantic in terms of your aspiration. In the Internet industry, it’s not about grand innovation, it’s about a lot of little innovations: every day, every week, every month, making something a little bit better.
Jason Calacanis

 

winter 012

Created with Padlet


gonoodle.com – a great tool to get your kids moving – go to the website to see more!

QR Code Generator – a free chrome extension – scan the code to see the hidden message (you need a QR Scanner – free app)

Great way to get information to students quickly or use as a formative assessment tool!

QR Code

 

This is a Popplet – a great tool, easy to use – this is a one page summary of our Sipsaw in preparation for Jan 20

 

St. Anthony This week

Monday, January 18

Paul – meeting at school 1:00 PM Nearpod

Kindergarten Registration Week

Tuesday, January 19

Dorothy Stanyar, volunteer, in Mrs. Rupnik’s class PM only

Orkidstra Today

Badminton after school

Speech Language Student from Dalhousie U to work with Mrs. Rupnik’s class

Staff Meeting – see padlet on this page

Wednesday, January 20

Waste free Wednesday Today

Boys Badminton Tournament

Paul out (AM)

Peter Atkinson visiting the school – 1:30 – 3:00

OECTA union meeting 4:30 PM

Thursday, January 21

Popcorn fundraiser

Theresa, SLP, visits Mrs. Rupnik’s class 

Recycle Day at St. Anthony Catholic School- PLEASE recycle today!

Electrical safety and conservation

Orkidstra Today

Friday, January 22

PG Day for report card writing – no scheduled events