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E L V E S T E M B E

How to create a Statement of Inquiry

Dear teachers Happy New Year to you all! We hope that 2024 brings you amazing experiences. To kick off the year, we will be focusing on one of the most crucial aspects of MYP units: the statement of inquiry. In this short video, I will discuss how you can create a great statement of inquiry. […]

27
Mar

What Makes a “Best” Parent-Teacher Conference?

When you think things cannot get any better, life surprises you. I’ve been teaching for nine years, but six months after joining this school, I told my department: “This is already my best experience ever.” It’s because of the amazing team I work with every day and the leadership we have, they inspire me and […]

08
Mar

UDL: Our Journey with The Shift to Student-Led

For our recent professional development day, Dayna and I dived into a book popular in the UDL (Universal Design for Learning) community: The Shift to Student-Led by Catlin R. Tucker and Katie Novak. Our goal was simple: to improve our daily practices and find ways to make a deeper, more positive impact on our students. […]

18
Dec

Identity: Who We Are

The first time I consciously reflected on identity outside of education was before my TEDx experience. A colleague and friend, Mr Luvinzu, approached me with a simple yet powerful question about my hair. He then shared that he was hosting a TEDx event with the theme Identity and suggested that my story, through my hair, […]

11
Dec

Day 1 — Entering the Territory: My Reflection on the Adaptive Schools Seminar

Today, during our department meeting, we were asked to share our biggest highlights and main takeaways from the Adaptive Schools Seminar.For me, it was the first time attending, completely new territory. I walked in not knowing what to expect. And interestingly, the room where I heard this question today is the same room where, months […]

18
Oct

The Power of a Second Chance

This is a true story. This season, I started coaching a middle school football team with the goal of preparing the students for an interprovincial tournament. I was new to the students, and they were new to me. Out of more than fifty athletes, one student quickly stood out, not because of talent, but because […]

04
Jul

How Observations Made Me a Better Teacher!

Since I began my journey as an international teacher in 2019, one of the most unexpected joys has been being observed while teaching. Yes, I enjoy being observed. And if you’re a teacher, you probably find that strange. But here’s why: each observation has offered me insights that reshaped my teaching. Over time, these small […]

08
Jun

Why Me? My Journey Through OSC, and Beyond

I landed in Sri Lanka in 2022 with a suitcase full of dreams and a heart racing with hope. The moment my feet touched Colombo soil; I told myself, this deserves a book. Not because I was starting a new job. Not because I had crossed continents. But because, in that single moment, I had […]

04
Jun

No Thinking in PE? Think Again.

Recently, I had a parent request a meeting to discuss his daughter’s grade in Grade 9 Physical and Health Education (PHE). What began as a routine academic discussion turned into a moment of powerful reflection about education, perception, and the place of PHE in our schools. The student had expressed concern about her grade and […]

21
May

The Perfect Paragraph in PHE: When Students Just Want to Play – Are We Missing the Point, or Are They?

Have you ever created something meaningful something that made you feel proud, excited, and deeply connected to your purpose? Maybe it was a lesson plan, a project, or even a conversation that sparked new possibilities. You could see its value, you knew its potential. But when you shared it, the reception was… underwhelming. That is […]

14
May

How to introduce a MYP PHE unit to students!

You started to create your MYP PHE units and need help introducing the unit to students. Today I will share with you what you can do to ensure students understand the unit you created for them and give them a sense of belonging.  If we introduce the unit well, the students will have a clear […]

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