Happy Spring, even though it doesn't seem to have changed seasons here in Toronto! I hope that you are all staying warm and safe with today's icy road conditions.
When I think of Spring, I envision dandelions blowing in the wind, caterpillars squiggling across a branch, rain dripping on a windowsill, and many curious children inquiring about the changes that surround them!
With this picture in mind, I am excited to re-announce your chance to join our #CTInquiry network!
#CTInquiry stands for Connected through inquiry: A curious community of learners. If you are interested in participating in this free network, it will be an opportunity to visit different classrooms and exchange ideas with educators across Ontario. It is my hope that together we will inspire and guide our inquiry work from Kindergarten and beyond!
CTI sessions normally alternate from face-to-face to online Twitterchats, every other month. However, since sessions were cancelled in the Fall due to the labour disruption and my pregnancy, I have planned for several consecutive face-to-face sessions. We will resume online chats in the Fall 2016, but promise to tweet out relevant content during our meetings. There is also a community that has formed via Instagram with the #CTInquiry hashtag that shares their inquiry work, as it unfolds. You are welcome to use the hashtag and connect with us throughout the remainder of the school year and into the next.
Please note that everyone is invited to be a part of CTI (no matter the grade or role), and registration is not necessary (unless indicated for special events/socials). If you are able to commit to all sessions than that will maximize your networking, collaboration, and growth, however, we are happy to have those who may only attend once. So just show up either in person or online and let's start learning and inspiring one another!
The most up to date schedule of sessions will be listed within the #CTInquiry page of this blog. It can be accessed at the top of the blog or here.
The most up to date schedule of sessions will be listed within the #CTInquiry page of this blog. It can be accessed at the top of the blog or here.
 |
| Image from Lana O'Reilly's classroom at Pape Avenue P.S. (TDSB) |
CTI Session 1: Wednesday, March 30th, 2016
Face-to-Face 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Location - Pape Avenue P.S. (TDSB)
220 Langley Ave., Toronto, ON, M4K 3H9
Read: Your image of the child: Where teaching begins by Loris Malaguzzi (print pdf here)
220 Langley Ave., Toronto, ON, M4K 3H9
Read: Your image of the child: Where teaching begins by Loris Malaguzzi (print pdf here)
Join us for our first session to discuss how we might like to run our face-to-face community and to visit an inspiring classroom!
All you need to bring is yourself!
 | |
|
Face-to-Face 6:00-8:00 p.m. St. Cecilia Catholic School (YCDSB)
300 Peter Rupert Ave., Maple, ON, L6A 4P3
Read: From Policing to participation: Overturning the rules and creating amiable classrooms by Carol Anne Wien (print pdf here)
300 Peter Rupert Ave., Maple, ON, L6A 4P3
Read: From Policing to participation: Overturning the rules and creating amiable classrooms by Carol Anne Wien (print pdf here)
Share some of your inquiry work (can bring documentation or share a story). We will try to study the pedagogical documentation that you bring (photo, transcription of student talk, work samples from inquiry work).
 | |
|
Face-to-Face 6:00-8:00 p.m. Maurice Cody P.S. (TDSB)
364 Belsize Dr., Toronto, ON, M4S 1N2
Read: Natural Curiosity, The Early Years: Carol's Story Focus of Inquiry Trees, Plants, Roots Starting the Environmental Inquiry Process pg. 63-73 (link is for entire downloadable book - we are only reading a small section)
Read: Natural Curiosity, The Early Years: Carol's Story Focus of Inquiry Trees, Plants, Roots Starting the Environmental Inquiry Process pg. 63-73 (link is for entire downloadable book - we are only reading a small section)
Share some of your inquiry work (can bring documentation or share a story). We will try to study the pedagogical documentation that you bring (photo, transcription of student talk, work samples from inquiry work).
 | |
|
Face-to-Face 6:00-8:00 p.m. Moraine Hills P.S. (YRDSB)
85 Rollinghill Rd, Richmond Hill, ON, L4E 4C7
Read: Reggio Emilia as cultural activity theory in practice by Rebecca S. New (print pdf here)
85 Rollinghill Rd, Richmond Hill, ON, L4E 4C7
Read: Reggio Emilia as cultural activity theory in practice by Rebecca S. New (print pdf here)
Share some of your inquiry work (can bring documentation or share a story). We will try to study the pedagogical documentation that you bring (photo, transcription of student talk, work samples from inquiry work).
CTI Session 5: Wednesday, July 27th, 2016
Face-to-face: 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Location: North Thornhill Community Centre Art Studio
300 Pleasant Ridge Ave., Thornhill
300 Pleasant Ridge Ave., Thornhill
*Special social and creative event must RSVP
Details will follow. Only space for 30 participants!
Share some of your inquiry work (can bring documentation or share a story). We will try to study the pedagogical documentation that you bring (photo, transcription of student talk, work samples from inquiry work).
CTI Session 6: Wednesday, August 24th, 2016
Face-to-Face 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Location - TBD
Potentially visiting the Louise Kool & Galt Showroom to prepare our learning environments for September!
Read: Designing the environment to build connection to place by Carol Anne Wien (print pdf here)
Potentially visiting the Louise Kool & Galt Showroom to prepare our learning environments for September!
Read: Designing the environment to build connection to place by Carol Anne Wien (print pdf here)
Bring with you any of your planning resources to share with other colleagues and have discussions around a strong September start! You may also bring images of your classroom and how you will to transform it. It will be a wonderful opportunity to inspire each other and seek feedback.
 |
| Image from @richlandacademy, private school in Richmond Hill. |
CTI Session 7: Wednesday, September 28th, 2016
Face-to-Face 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Location: Richland Academy
11570 Yonge Street, Richmond Hill, ON L4E 3N7
Read: Aesthetic codes in early childhood classrooms: What art educators can learn from Reggio Emilia by Patricia Tarr (print pdf here)
We will be building on August's discussion on planning and the learning environment. Try to bring some documentation of how your students have interacted within your carefully created space of possibilities!
11570 Yonge Street, Richmond Hill, ON L4E 3N7
Read: Aesthetic codes in early childhood classrooms: What art educators can learn from Reggio Emilia by Patricia Tarr (print pdf here)
We will be building on August's discussion on planning and the learning environment. Try to bring some documentation of how your students have interacted within your carefully created space of possibilities!
You are also welcome to share some of your inquiry work (can bring documentation or share a story). We will try to study the pedagogical documentation that you bring (photo, transcription of student talk, work samples from inquiry work).
 |
| Image from Michelle van Heugten's classroom at St. Joseph's P.S. (WECDSB) |
CTI Session 8: Wednesday, October 26th, 2016
Online: 9:00-10:00 p.m. via Twitter #CTInquiry
Virtual tour of @creative_explorations classroom in River Canard, Ontario which is close to Windsor. (WECDSB)
*Stay tuned for instructions on how
we will connect prior to the Twitterchat!
Read: Think, Feel, Act Lessons from Research about Young Children, Ontario Ministry of Education - Making Learning Visible through Pedagogical Documentation pg. 27 (link is for entire downloadable resource - we are only reading one small section)
Share some of your inquiry work online (can bring documentation or share a story). We will try to study the pedagogical documentation that you share (photo, transcription of student talk, work samples from inquiry work).
CTI Session 9: Wednesday, November 30th, 2016
Face-to-Face 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Location - TBD (participant will sign-up)
You are also welcome to share some of your inquiry work (can bring documentation or share a story). We will try to study the pedagogical documentation that you bring (photo, transcription of student talk, work samples from inquiry work).
#CTInquiry will resume again in January with an online chat and our first face-to-face session of 2017 will be in February. Details will be updated on the #CTInquiry page, as they become available.
I hope that you don't miss out on this amazing chance to stay connected through inquiry! Special thank you to the educator teams for opening up their classrooms for us to learn together!
I have no special talents.
I am only passionately curious.
-Albert Einstein
Share your thoughts :