Thoughts and reflections on teaching and learning – Cohort 21 Member Blog
Written by Garth Nichols
What does “Student Voice” look like? What does it sound like? What does it feel like? The answers aren’t always comfortable – sometimes these answer can be downright problematic. And sometimes not. If I’ve learned one thing over the last two weeks, it’s that student voice is the thread that keeps the culture of the […]
Written by Garth Nichols
UPDATE: on Dec. 2nd @sethgodin published this on his blog: I’m reading a book – by all accounts a great, award winning book – but I just can’t get into it. I don’t see the greatness, and I don’t connect with it. Is it the book, or the fact my kids are jumping around me, […]
Written by Garth Nichols
I have never been closer to the excitement, energy and enthusiasm that comes with students embarking on experiential learning opportunities. These opportunities can take on many forms, and look very different from to the next; but they all share the ability to channel into the very being of the students – whether that is through pursuing a […]
Written by Garth Nichols
Last week, 8 Havergal students and some 4 faculty took part in the 6 Degrees Toronto Conference. This conference was put together by the Institute for Canadian Citizenship to answer the challenge put forth by Rt. Hon. Adrienne Clarkson: This was a three-day experience to explore the greatest social and political issues of our time: climate […]
Written by Garth Nichols
I’ve done a lot of reading over the last month and few days, and I’ve compiled a healthy catalogue of book reviews. I felt it was time to synthesize them into something more ‘whole’: what is the thread that runs through these books? I’m going to connect this with my new role at Havergal as […]
Written by Garth Nichols
V.U.C.A. originated as a military term to describe the context in which soldiers operate in a theatre of war. It stands for: Volitility Uncertainty Complexity Ambiguity It is the new normal for our students, and (as the authors of this book do a great job of emphasizing) it is the new normal for our teachers […]
Written by Garth Nichols
Many of us have already been exposed to the concepts behind Creating Cultures of Thinking; with my new start at Havergal, it has served as a great reminder of the moral imperative of education. Creating Cultures of Thinking, by Ron Ritchhart outlines the 8 forces “we must master to truly transform our schools”. These are: […]
Written by Garth Nichols
How Might We…make innovation a routine in our school, for our student and for our faculty? This is a question that I’ve tried to tackle in my work with The Teacher’s Guild. And it is a burning question that this book picks up on in a very concrete way. You would read this book to: […]
Written by Garth Nichols
Having just finished “The Dorito Effect” by Mark Schatzker, I am hungry…but a new kind of hungry. I want barred rock chicken. This book is a great read for its tone, and the journey that the author has been on for years (Mark’s first book is entitled “Steak”) trying to uncover the human condition and […]
Written by Garth Nichols
Many educators and parents will ask how they can best prepare our children for the future. Tony Wagner and Ted Dintersmith’s book “Most Likely to Succeed” is a great place to begin to answer this question. Having just read Creating Innovators, and The End of Average, this book was the perfect end to a […]
