One of the main reasons that Design Thinking is the chosen facilitation process in designing NEXTschool is its integral focus on human needs.  In this case, the humans are students! In order to get past their own inevitable assumptions and biases, EXPLOREteachers have taken on a number of initiatives to listen to the student perspective, to dig deep on pulling out their insights and ideas, and to giving them the opportunity to help build and iterate their prototypes. 

This week, we explore the possibility of using modern board games in the classroom with a post by guest blogger Matt Pinchuk. These aren't your grandma's board games, and the new dynamics present in many popular games today may provide new ways of improving student engagement, empathy, and understanding in the classroom. 

Do Board Games Have a Place in Education? Go to site

Community Learning Centre (CLC) schools are implementing a community school approach to school-community improvement. This is a Maternity Leave replacement position for a Project Coordinator who will be responsible for offering support and professional development opportunities to CLC School and school board teams, as well as to the network at large. The Project Coordinator will also be responsible for supporting the development of provincial and local partnerships, which support the growth of the CLC network.

Consult the full job posting for more details Go to page

Our schools are richer places because of the community connections made. Read all about a classroom and their newfound love of birding, thanks to the passion of a community partner - and blogger Ben Loomer:

Inside Birding: How community partnerships can ignite student curiosity

Check out the way the class used technology and suggest other ways that technology could be deployed in this type of project!

When we picture educators, perhaps we most often usually imagine them in a classroom full of students, in front of a whiteboard, or working at a desk. Many of the teachers highlighted this week, are also appreciated for what they do outside of the classroom walls. Whether the teacher coaches sports, organizes clubs, or engages students in community activities, builds confidence along with academic skills or is an expert in home-school communication and connection, all of those highlighted below have stood out as AWESOME to the families who took time to send messages of appreciation this week. There is more to learning than what happens in the classroom! 

Expressing and recognizing gratitude has been shown to make one feel happier. It is all too easy to focus on the negative. Taking stock of all the things for which we have to be grateful will surely make us feel better.  Just think about how happy it would make someone if you shared that gratitude! 

LEARN more about the CEGEP experience in Quebec and what you can do to help prepare your child (and you!) for successful transition to post-secondary education. Special guests Karen Nesbitt, Academic Advisor at LBPSB and Sarah Dudley, Social Work Technician in Student Services at Vanier College

Nous ne cessons pas de jouer parce que nous sommes vieux; nous devenons vieux parce que nous cessons de jouer. George Bernard Shaw

Après avoir assisté à un atelier donné par Geneviève Ducharme et Emilie Laquerre sur la ludopédagogique, j’étais tellement emballée que j’ai décidé de vous partager leur excellent travail. Je les ai donc invitées à répondre à mes questions.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Compassion In Action Contest. Read the winning essays!

Putting herself in an unfamiliar learning setting, Christiane Dufour experienced first-hand what happens in the “making” process when one is unfamiliar with the materials and the techniques associated with them. It brought home what three teachers discovered when they implemented STEAM the Kindergarten Way through Play. Be sure to scroll all the way down to the video at the end.