Somebody POOPED in class yesterday!

Yes, the hazards of having a four legged "guest speaker" in class. Daryle Mills brought in 2 of his sled dogs to meet our class and one of them made themselves at home. We had a great lesson from Daryle though, about survival skills, dog sledding and Cree culture. He finished the lesson with a story about Spider Woman. A super cool day in class, despite the poop.

What? No cellphones in class?

Yes, it's true. There will be no cell phones, iPods, MP3 players allowed in class anymore. I have allowed these devices in class in the past, for the students to play music while they work. However, I'm finding it increasingly difficult for the students to manage their useage of their devices. They've been texting each other, playing games, watching videos, "snapchatting" DURING class when they should be listening, engaging in discussions or working. If a student needs a computer to type or research, I will provide a computer for them. I'd rather spend my time with my students teaching them and helping them learn, rather than policing their device useage.

Aboriginal 101

Here's some videos that I love to show at the beginning of my Aboriginal unit. The racism and stereotypes that I hear in class are shocking and I wonder how my students have such strong opinions. I'm aboriginal and I do not like the stereotypes I hear about myself. These videos address the lack of knowledge many Canadians have about Aboriginal people and the racism that Aboriginals face. Enjoy!

Here's 2 links (I can't figure out how to link it like the first video). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmYu-Wppp3c http://www.cbc.ca/8thfire/2012/01/aboriginal-101.html

Happy New Year!

Hello and welcome back to school in 2014! I hope everyone had a great break. I was up to my eyeballs in drywall dust, paint and boxes as we madly tried to finish our renovation before Christmas. Thankfully we got enough done to put up the tree in time and have family over for dinner.

We are hitting the ground running here at Isfeld. My Socials 11 will be preparing for their Provincial Exam at the end of January. We are starting the new year with the government unit.

My Humanities 9s are starting the Aboriginal Unit. The big question is: "What does it mean to be Aboriginal?" My hope is to dispell myths and rumors, reduce racism and teach about the rich culture and heritage of Canada's Aboriginal people.