Positive building blocks

These values for our learners are highlighted in the Dr Seuss book Hooray for Diffendoofer Day! The book tells the story of Diffendoofer School, a school that is unlike any other, and celebrates the unique and creative ways in which students learn and teachers teach. The book encourages creativity and thinking outside the box, as evidenced by the following quotes from Miss Bonkers, “We’ve taught you that the sky’s the limit, and now we want to see you fly!” and “something else that matters more — we’ve taught you how to think”. The book concludes with a celebration of the school and its unique approach to education.

As the Dean of Teaching and Learning at Strathcona, connection to both staff and students across the Junior School, Tay Creggan and Senior School is an important part of my role. As an educational leader in schools, I am passionate about working with teachers to create learning environments for our students that inspires their curiosity and excitement for learning.

This is what we aim to continue to inspire in our classrooms at Strathcona every day. To fulfill our aims at Strathcona of creating innovative and enriching experiences, our leaders and teachers also take time to collaborate and reflect. Margaret Wheatley asserts that, “without reflection, we go blindly on our way, creating more unintended consequences, and failing to achieve anything useful” which highlights the importance of reflection in our teaching. In changing how we deliver professional learning this year has allowed more opportunity for teachers to have the time to reflect and learn from each other. It is amazing to hear from our teachers as well as students, of the buzz that occurs in our classrooms when new learning experiences are initiated.

As a teacher, I believe that making connections is essential to student learning. The renowned Maya Angelou states, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel” which highlights the importance of creating a positive and supportive learning environment where students feel connected to their teachers and their peers. When students feel connected, they are more engaged in their learning, which leads to better academic outcomes. Our teachers across the School provide this feeling of inclusion, which is so important for our students in achieving their best. Collaboration and teamwork are also essential in creating connections within the classroom. Our students work together on projects right through the School which enables the forming of effective communication skills, sharing of ideas, and building relationships with one another.

As a leader of teaching and learning, making connections is essential in creating a supportive and collaborative environment. I look forward to continuing to create meaningful learning experiences with our teachers and forming further connections throughout the Strathcona community.

KARA BAXTER Dean of Teaching and Learning