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The Purpose in Grit
It’s been said, “Nobody likes a quitter.” Young people would typically be shielded from such statements today, but many of us hold very strong beliefs as to the importance of persistence and...
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You Keep What You Make
Just before Spring Break, students in outside45 built canoe paddles under the guidance of Ian Magrath, master craftsman and husband of BICS teacher Laura Magrath. Photo: Laura Magrath Students were...
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Is Environmental Education in the Why, What & How of BC’s Draft Curriculum?
Sustainability. Systems. Ecology. These are words you will not find in the Big Ideas of the Science and Social Studies Curriculum Drafts shared by the BC Ministry of Education. Several environmental...
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When is “Service Learning” Service?
Sea to Sky Outdoor School has long promoted the mantra of Wow, Wonder, and Work. After learners engage with a topic with an inspiring experience (Wow) and reflect on this experience (Wonder), students...
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Purpose-Giving People & Places
Paddling in another purpose-giving place, the Johnstone Strait. Photo: Chris Parslow Laura Magrath, a teacher of West Vancouver School District’s environmental education academy outside45, concluded a...
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Who are you learning from?
We learn most from those whose views are most unlike our own. Do you agree? I would answer, “It depends,” but over the years I have become more convinced that there is great value in deliberately...
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What are the Attributes of an Ideal Environmental Educator?
Photo: Jeff Morales Bowen Island Community School recently shared a job posting for an environmental educator teaching outside45, an ecological education program based on Bowen Island. Interested...
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Professional Growth Plan, 2014 – ?
My professional growth plan is very much linked to school growth plans. http://www.kidspot.com.au/ All schools in BC must prepare a school plan that sets one or more school goals for improving student...
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A New Beginning?
In January of 2005, I started my teaching career at Bowen Island Community School. It was a temporary assignment, just six months, teaching Grade 6-7. After leaving BICS, I taught Grade 5 for several...
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Happiness & Generosity
In 2012, the United Nations declared March 20th International Day of Happiness. Last Friday was the world’s third celebration where the United Nations stated, “The pursuit of happiness is a fundamental...
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Bigger Ideas: Connecting the Dots of BC’s New Curriculum
In BC’s Know-Understand-Do model, the “Do” is very clearly connected from grade to grade. In each grade and in various subjects within each grade, students will further develop their abilities to...
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