Brian's Blog

In recent years, the concept of student voice and choice has gained significant traction in education. Teachers and educators have increasingly recognised the importance of involving students in decision-making and providing them with opportunities to actively participate in their learning ( Miliband, 2006) . This shift in pedagogy not only enhances the educational experience but also empowers students to become more engaged, creative, and critical thinkers (Watanabe-Crockett, 2018; Paul & Elder, 2019). As a result, student-created material has gained recognition and prominence as a valuable tool for fostering an environment of exploration, inquiry, and personalised learning. When students are given the opportunity to create their own learning materials, it ignites their creativity and allows them to take ownership of their education. They can express their ideas and perspectives through various mediums such as writing, multimedia projects, presentations, and more. By engaging in t...

The world is changing rapidly, and the education landscape is no exception. Traditional educational systems and approaches are no longer adequate to prepare students for the future. The current era demands a shift in mindset and an openness to change. Rather than resisting or standing still, we must seize the opportunity to lead and respond to the evolving world. By embracing change, we can experience personal and professional growth, ride the wave of transformation, and become people worth following. Although change may not always be comfortable, it is through managing change that we find ourselves on a path of growth and development. Creativity is a vital skill in navigating the uncertainties of the future ( Robinson, 2006, 2013) . It involves possibility thinking and leveraging all our intelligences to envision and innovate (Craft, 2003) . By encouraging creativity, students can develop the ability to think beyond conventional boundaries, generate unique solutions, and engage in mea...

As educators, we face a myriad of challenges every day, from managing classroom behaviour to addressing individual student needs. While it's natural to feel overwhelmed at times, reframing these challenges as opportunities for growth can help us approach them with a positive and proactive mindset. By flipping our mindset and seeing challenges as opportunities, we can empower ourselves to make a positive impact on our students' learning.  I would encourage each one of us to embrace a growth mindset (Dweck 2008; 2012). A growth mindset is the belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed through dedication and hard work. When we adopt a growth mindset, we view challenges as opportunities to learn and grow, rather than as obstacles to overcome. By embracing a growth mindset, we can approach challenges with a sense of curiosity and a willingness to try new strategies.  Beyond embracing a growth mindset or taking on a positive outlook, we can focus on collaboration. When ...

Our work with students is not done, its work in progress! We always need to be looking for ways to challenge them and help them reach their capacity as citizens and as learners. We need to continue to raise the bar and providing them with the support to reach it.  This doesn't mean making things harder for students, but rather providing them with opportunities to learn and grow in new and challenging ways. There are many ways to begin to see students become more actively engaged and contributing citizens of our world, this can include encouraging students to engage, have a voice, be collaborative, supporting curiosity and boldness, to enhance our student's creativity and reflectiveness. This is not an exhaustive list; however, some educators may feel exhausted by it.  Just breathe! Encouraging students to be engaged in their learning is something many of us already do. This means giving them opportunities to participate in discussions, ask questions, and share their ideas ( Bo...

You don't need to be in education to see being a teacher is one of the most rewarding professions in the world. There is nothing quite like seeing the light bulb go off in a student's head when they finally understand a concept. Or watching them grow and mature in character and competency as they progress through their education. But teaching can also be challenging and complex. There are long hours, demanding parents, and ever-changing curriculum standards. Over the last few years, it can be easy to feel discouraged and want to give up. But I encourage you to never give up on your students. They are counting on you. They need you to be their champion, their guide, and their role model. Remember why you became a teacher in the first place. You wanted to make a difference in the lives of young people. You wanted to help them reach their full potential. You wanted to see them become people of character and influence. A mentor of mine recently reminded me, "you can do it, you...

  Education in today's world is a challenging environment, with the complexities of many competing demands brought on by political agendas, curriculum reforms, school strategic plans, budget restrictions, individual learning requirements, student wellbeing, programming, compliance and risk management. Reading this list, it could quite easily be seen as an overwhelming proposition if you were not able to see beyond the immediate.      As an educational leader, I often spend time with teachers who lose sight of why they came into teaching and get caught focusing on items contained in this list. Being honest, there are times where I too have fallen into this trap. When our eyes are down, we focus on the problems, we may become filled with frustration and anxiety.      If you are like me and many other educators, you came into education because you had a heart for making a difference and leaving an impact on the lives of students. Our students are the ...