Our wreath turned out beautifully.  The Core Competencies in the B.C. Curriculum highlight the importance of working together to achieve a common goal.  In making this wreath, we had to problem solve and get through small frustrations while showing our flexible thinking.  I wasn’t sure if the students realised how many obstacles we had overcome, as a group, to arrive at our finished wreath as not all students were aware of individual stumbling blocks.  To make this learning and our actions more evident, I decided to display many of our challenges in a way that we could see it from each other’s perspectives.  Ultimately, it was a teachable moment that helped us build our understanding of perseverance.  Congratulations to Div. 9!

Our Remembrance Day Wreath

Mrs. Marto and Mrs. Andrew’s Class (our buddy class), in a choral recitation, performed this poem at our assembly on Friday.

For those who left

Never to return

For those who returned

But were never the same

Poppy

Little poppy

As red as can be

To show that we REMEMBER

Those that fought

To make us free

• Back in June of 2023, Mrs. Marto’s grade 2/3’s and Mrs. Andrew’s 4/5 classes joined forces to design and construct a backpack using Makedo tools and a lot of cardboard
• The objective was to design a wearable and fully functioning backpack, using only the Makedo tools and screws
• The students did not use any tape to construct these backpacks
• this design project followed on the heels of our Geometry Unit and, at its core, the backpack design had to show understanding of cube net so that the cardboard could be folded and formed from a singular cut of cardboard
• Although this post comes late (my daughter’s high school graduation kept me hopping in those final weeks) I’m still hoping enough of my former parents are subscribed and are able to see what the students created.  It was such a rewarding project!

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It’s been an exciting day!

Div. 6 and Div. 7 students had the opportunity to play board games under the guidance of Burnaby North Leadership students. As well, they did a building challenge today with their Buddy Class.  Lastly, our butterflies also began emerging today from their chrysalis.  Also, check out our beautiful Spring art.

It was a fabulous day and the Parkcrest kids were amazing.  Have a look at some of the highlights.  A big thank you to all the parents that helped supervise.

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Div. 6 Parents,

In the second term overview that is about to go home with the recent report card, I mentioned that this term, the students had been involved in dialogical learning/Philosophical Discussions to enhance Critical and Reflective thinking (Core Competencies).  I used this approach in our Friendship Unit, using three anchor picture books as a jumping-off point to reflective discussions.  Below you will find some links to videos and some information about this approach that, as an educator, I found compelling and grounded. I ‘listened to learn’ and found the students’ perspectives, as they discussed their opinions and thoughts, engaging.

For me, the journey started on the October pro-d day this year:

Presenter:

“Why Teach Philosophy for Children”, Dr. Susan T. Gardner (Capilano University) 

And, just in case you’re thinking what I was thinking, “this all seems a bit high brow for young kids”, I came across a video (link below) that captured my imagination and made the teaching approach and reason for it, relatable.  The magic in the video isn’t in the adult speakers-it’s in watching the clips of the young children, in class, as they discussed the picture books presented to them. 

click here

I also found this Ted Talk: Dr. Sara Goering:  Philosophy for Kids: “Sparking a Love of Learning” very helpful in understanding the importance of discussion, dialogue, and philosophy in the development of critical thinking skills.

click here

Goals of Philosophy with kids: 

1. Enhance Cognitive Skills, critical thinking,
2. Learn to Build an argument
3. Evaluate an argument using logic
4. How to Respond to objections to their positions
5. Think Creatively
6. Behavioural Skills: converse with peers, listen to them carefully, take them seriously, and disagree with them without fighting or feeling hurt
7. Philosophical Skills:  think for themselves, realize that questions matter, language and literacy      Dr. Sara Goering

 “Dialogic teaching harnesses the power of talk to stimulate and extend pupils’ thinking and advance their learning and understanding.       Robin Alexander

There it is in a nutshell.  The three books we used had endless possibilities for perspective-taking, questioning, inferencing, and overall wonderful discussions.  The simplicity of the titles can be deceiving.  These books were layered with the complexity of human nature.   “Norman Didn’t Do It! (Yes, He Did)”  by Ryan T. Higgins,  “How to Apologize” by David LaRochelle, and “I Can Help” by  Reem Faruqi.