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What Does Special Education Look Like in International Contexts?
We had the privilege of having Dr. Steve Sider, from Wilfred Laurier University, speak to us at our Spring Conference. His vast experience as a classroom teacher, school administrator, special education teacher and consultant, and university professor helped us to see...
Reading Fluency: Is it at Risk Or Even Endangered?
The World Wildlife Federation sends me literature on animals at risk or endangered. Recently I read that the little Brown Bat and the Blanding’s Turtle, both located in Ontario are endangered due to loss of environment and disease. The increasing network of roads...
Rooting our Children through Real Life Experiences
My windowsill is full of tiny bedding plants- tomatoes, kale and basil. Actually, they are not so tiny any more, as some are growing out of their pots, with their roots creeping through the cracks. They appear ready for the vegetable garden, but the garden is not...
Exploring New Vistas: Going for the Gold!
Life is all about learning! The annual conference for NILD Canada held on April 22 and 23 at Tyndale University College was an amazing event! Educators, educational therapists, parents, administrators and others interested in education met together to learn and share,...
Write Local: Reflecting on Motivating Students to Write
I got a mug for my birthday which says “Read Local”. As I’m reflecting on the concept while sipping my morning coffee, I’m thinking how the “eating local” movement has spread into so many areas. Why don’t we track down our local authors more often? How do we write...
March Mania: Read, Rhyme and Write
In the book I Can Read with My Eyes Shut, Dr. Seuss wrote, "The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more things that you learn, the more places you'll go." March is a month of change. The weather changes as the cheerful robin returns to build her...
The Positive Case for Labeling Our Children
Many parents are hesitant to have their children undergo an assessment because of the stigma associated with labels. People worry about being judged themselves, or they worry that their child will be put into a “box” or categorized negatively. Believe me, I have been...
FANTASTIC FEBRUARY FUN
February is a short month, but it’s a punchy one! It is filled with special days to spark interest in learning, in the classroom, the special education room, or at home. It starts with the wily groundhog, coming out of its burrow on February 2 to predict how soon...
Walk a Day in Their Shoes
What would it be like to walk a day in the shoes of a child (or adult) who has ADD? What would it feel like? How would others react to us? How would our perspective change by the end of the day? Would we treat others in a different way following this experience? Many...
On setting goals with our students: chopping wood or reading?
It’s January, the ground has a fresh coat of sparkling snow, the blue jays are once again fighting over the bird seed, and our students are back at school. It’s a fresh start, and with any new start, I like to work with the idea of setting goals. The purpose of a goal...