What's it like to teach science and conservation to both adults and children? This week we chat with Cari Ritzenthaler, co-host of the Bugs & Stuff podcast. She is a scientist, adjunct instructor and works in an elementary school in the United States. Cari also co-hosts the Bugs & Stuff Podcast, a show all about... Continue Reading →
Making Better Teachers Podcast 20: Becoming a Google Certified Innovator
Creating innovative solutions to real-world problems. That's the name of the game when you become a Google Certified Innovator. This week, Adam Hill shares his experiences about his journey to becoming a Google Certified Innovator. What did he have to do in order to apply and what was the Google Innovator Academy like? Adam shares... Continue Reading →
Making Better Teachers Podcast Episode 19: International Leadership
What's it like to have a leadership role in a Canadian school versus an international school? What challenges and rewards are there when someone in a leadership role transitions to an international education setting? This week we chat with Ann Marie Luce, Elementary Principal at a large international school in Beijing, China. We learn about... Continue Reading →
Making Better Teachers Podcast Episode 16: ALT Training and Teaching English
What is an Assistant Language Teacher and what do they do? If you're teaching English abroad, where can you get professional development? This week we chat with David Hayter from ALT Training Online. We learn about the job and free PD opportunities for teachers across Japan and elsewhere. Listen to the Making Better Teachers... Continue Reading →
Making Better Teachers Podcast Episode 12: Building Community with PYPconnectED
Why is it important to build community as teachers? What are the benefits? This week we chat with David Towse. He is a technology coach based in Tokyo and the person behind PYP ConnectED. What is PYP ConnectED and how is it bringing teachers around the world together? Listen to the Making Better Teachers... Continue Reading →
Teaching Goals for 2019
2018 is drawing to a close and I wanted to look forward to the new year. When classes commence for me on January 7th, I will be halfway through the school year. The year began in a bumpy fashion, but with a great deal of patience, through, support from colleagues and my family, things turned... Continue Reading →
Outdoor Learning: Connecting Kids with Nature
Playing outside is essential to the healthy growth of children. Children need to get outside, get dirty and discover the natural world around them. They need to, but they are not. In a recent article in “The Guardian”, a survey in the U.K. showed that 74% of children spent less than 60 minutes a day playing... Continue Reading →
Math Outdoors: Even and Odd Numbers
I have always been a huge advocate of outdoor learning and outdoor play. I think it stems from my upbringing in rural Canada and I grew up with a close connection to the outdoors and nature. That coupled with the sadness I have felt my entire international teaching career, working in large cities where... Continue Reading →