Welcome to Ms. Nedai's Classroom

One of the most inspirational videos I came across during teacher's college was Rita Pierson's Ted Talk video! Her message reminds educators to never give up on your students and to never forget the human connection we all share. I remember in teacher's college, one of my professor's asked us to share who inspired us to become a teacher. By the time everyone in the class finished answering the question, everyone's reason for choosing  a teacher who inspired them could be attributed to the teacher's soft skills. My classmates responses all reflected how a teacher they once had was kind, empathetic, compassionate, helpful and caring. Whenever anyone asks me who inspired me to become a teacher, I always tell them it was my first teacher when I arrived to Canada. The care, warmth and compassion she conveyed made me feel like everything was going to be okay.

Practicing Conscious Awareness in the Classroom At the beginning of every class, I would take a few minutes to do a brain break with my students. As demonstrated in the video, students would take a moment to focus on their breathing. This helps students connect with the present moment.  After a  brain break, students are in a calm and relaxed state of conscious awareness. I found students focus and attention improve overtime. Initially, when I started doing brain breaks with my class, some students were skeptical and not keen on trying it. However, overtime, most students tried the brain break and started enjoying how it made them feel. In fact, one of my students asked for a brain break before a test because it helped her stay calm during the test.  One of the most rewarding elements of incorporating certain pillars of the MindUp curriculum into my daily lessons such as a brain break is that it teaches students to practice being present in the moment. Practicing being pr

Tyler DeWitt reminds us all of the importance of engaging our students in a fun and creative way. Whenever our students are engaged in their own learning process, they will learn because of the meaningful connections they are able to make. So, always keep lessons fun and engaging!

 Angela Kurmey presented on how teachers can create a positive presence on social media. They were several amazing examples of young students who have used social media as a platform for change and to inspire others in remarkable ways. The work of Joshua Williams and his team of young volunteers working to provide food for those who need it was inspirational to see the care and dedication young people have for those in need.

Tribes education focuses on human development and learning. The fives pillars of Tribes education include a focus on developing students intellectual, social, emotional, physical and spiritual aspects. I have tried some of the Tribes activities with my students and I have observed a strong sense of belonging and camaraderie between the students. In the video below, Jeanne Gibbs, founder of Tribes Learning Communities, speaks about educating the whole child.

At the top of Bloom's taxonomy is creating which involves producing new or original work. There are several different ways teachers' can achieve this with their students such as providing students with a choice when it comes to projects. Genius hour is another platform for students to unleash their creativity. Students get an opportunity to work on a passion project. One way to incorporate genius hour is when some students finish a task early, they can use their extra time to work on their genius hour project. Genius hour is one way to ensure students are intrinsically motivated and self-directed learners. When students take ownership of their own learning, they will feel empowered and confident in their own abilities.

One of the most important lessons I have taken away from our Integration of Information and Computer Technology class is the importance of networking. Now that I am on twitter and I have a blog, I see the benefits of networking from a professional perspective. As seen in Sylvia Duckworth's sketch-note, when you network with other professionals you will always be learning from each other. The advantages of networking are endless, from sharing resources to learning the latest trends in education.  As a teacher starting out, I am really looking forward to collaborating globally with other classes on projects. As a student, I always imagined how it would be like to work with other students overseas. Now, I hope to make this a reality for my students to collaborate and connect globally with other students. 

Here is my EDpuzzle on Basilisk Lizards!

Teacher: Course: SBI3C Date: Unit: Biology-Anatomy of Mammals Topic: Virtual Frog Dissection Timeframe: 75 minutes Rationale Students will investigate the external and internal anatomy of frogs through virtual frog dissection. Learning Goal(s) By the end of this lesson, students will be able to: 1) Identify the organs found in mammals. 2) Describe the relationship between the structures and functions of body systems. Identify relevant overall Learning Expectation(s) for this lesson: E2. investigate, through laboratory inquiry or computer simulation, the anatomy, physiology, and response mechanisms of mammals Related Specific Expectations E2.4 perform a laboratory or computer-simulated dissection of a mammal to identify organs and explain the relationships between the structures and functions of body systems Activity ·          Students will go to https://goo.gl/3QOHz to conduct

Teacher: Course: SNC1D Date: Unit: Chemistry Topic: The Periodic Table Timeframe: 75 minutes Rationale Students are introduced to major groups of elements in the periodic table. Learning Goal(s) By the end of this lesson, students will be able to: 1) Describe the difference between groups and periods. 2) Describe the main characteristics of major groups of elements. Identify relevant overall Learning Expectation(s) for this lesson: C3. Demonstrate an understanding of the properties of common elements and simple compounds and general features of the organization of the periodic table. Related Specific Expectations C3.7 compare and contrast the physical properties of elements within a group (e.g., alkali metals) and between groups (e.g., the carbon group and noble gases) in the periodic table Activity ·           Play the periodic table eleme

Teacher: Course: Science 8 Date: Unit: Understanding Matter and Energy: Fluids Topic: Viscosity and Temperature Timeframe: 40 minutes Rationale Students are introduced to viscosity and temperature.   Learning Goal(s) By the end of this lesson, students will be able to: 1) Describe the effect of temperature on the viscosity of substances. Identify relevant overall Learning Expectation(s) for this lesson: Investigate the properties of fluids Demonstrate an understanding of the properties and uses of fluids. Related Specific Expectations 3.1 Demonstrate an understanding of viscosity and compare the viscosity of various liquids (e.g., water, syrup, oil, shampoo, ketchup) Activity ·          Students will conduct a virtual lab on the effect of temperature on the viscosity of various liquids by going to this link  https://goo.gl/nTGcP6  

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