RSCON4

It was a great pleasure to find that I had been invited to present at RSCON4 a global, free online conference where educators - those in the trenches - from around the world share their innovative practices. The conference takes place from from October 11 - 13 and the sessions look fabulous.

I have a soft spot for Reform Symposium. When Web 2.0 was an incredibly new and exciting world and we were discovering the power of being globally connected educators, it was at RSCON2 that I presented my first ever online session. I don't think I even had a proper microphone at the time, but I remember being awed when people actually show up, some from other continents, to hear me.  I have come a long way since then and I feel a depth of gratitude towards every single person, platform and forum that has allowed me to reinvent my practice. Being globally connected is an incredible gift that has provided benefits that go well beyond my role as an educator.

I have learned a great deal since then. When I first presented, my education world was all about the technology and the potential it offered for creating truly meaningful learning environments. I saw first hand  the positive impact Web 2.0 tools had on my students and was enamored by its glittery offerings. I have since then developed a more tempered view. 3rd party collection of student data; privacy rights and concern about the long term impact on students of having their opinions on controversial topics being permanently recorded has caused me to be more circumspect in how I use these wonderful tools within my classroom.

More than that though, I have come to realize that it is in constructing a learning environment where deep thinking occurs - with or without online tools - that the richness lies. My practice, advanced by the work my students and I have been doing as we explore Inquiry and Integrative Thinking has provided me with a  deeper understanding of what it means to facilitate learning and it is that that I wish to share with you during my RSCON4 presentation. I hope you can join me.

Art as Inquiry: Lessons in Persistence

Thank you Lisa Robson, for the activities and suggestions that made this a fabulous inquiry!


I realized this month just how dramatically my teaching practice has changed when confronted with the reality that I must now teach Art to my grade 6 students.  At Dundas Central we have had the luxury of a subject specialist teaching Art and Drama to middle school students for many years, but our staffing was reduced this year and that has had an impact on programming. Hence ... me ... Art Teacher. It's not that I haven't had to teach Art in the past, but it has been a long time and my art lessons then were more like weekly craft lessons. Students followed instructions to complete an activity, many of which turned out quite beautifully, however,  I wouldn't say that there was any enduring understanding or insight gained by those students.

Our fist day began with a discussion - How do you feel about Art as a subject? This is something that would never have occurred to me to ask in the past and marks a clear shift in practice - trying to diagnose not just skill levels, but attitudes and possible barriers to fully engaging with a subject.

There was a range of attitudes. Many students love Art. Many students find Art a frustrating subject. When students expressed dislike for the subject, I countered with "Tell me more" - that simple but useful phrase I learned to use from the work we have been doing with Integrative Thinking - that helps students think more deeply and clarify thoughts without my coming to conclusions and interpreting their thoughts for them. They eventually figured out that the reason why they don't like the subject is not just because they are not good at it, but because they begin with an idea in their heads and become frustrated when their works of Art look nothing like what they had visualized. This helped me begin to think about how I might facilitate their learning.

Setting that discovery aside for the moment, we began with the introductory lesson: Types of Line. I asked students to think about different types of line and draw them on the board which they did with enthusiasm. I then posted a Types of Line sheet, similar to this, and students had to fill a grid with different line designs.

When we came back together next Art class we again began with a discussion, "What is it that actually causes Art to look bad?" We figured out that at a certain point students begin to lose focus and rush in order to finish. Students examined their efforts and those of their peers with a critical eye to try to see where they had lost focus. I introduced them to the idea of persistence and asked them what would happen if they slowed down, maintained concentration to the end of an activity, and persisted when things became difficult. We decided to find out. I gave them a simple line design task that another teacher, Kelly Dunford, had found on Pinterest, and asked them to concentrate and persist. First however, we talked about tracing hands and how difficult it is to trace a hand. Students had to figure out independently how to hold a pencil in order to get an accurate tracing. This took some time for many of them. Once they were satisfied, they attempted to create a line design that makes the hand look 3-D.

From this students discovered that focus, reduced speed and persistence are key to producing quality pieces of art.

Next students used this discovery to create a line design of their names (picture to be added)  applying what they had learned. It was delightful to watch their commitment to producing quality work and to see their sense of satisfaction when the finished products were put on the board. They were proud of what they had accomplished.

We were not yet finished with line though. We shifted our learning to how artists use line. Thank you, Rodriguez Art, for uploading this Slideshare so I didn't have to create this myself!

Element of Art - Line from RodriguezArt

We had great fun discussing the lines and  I asked students to see if they could use their learning to create a picture using line. The goal was not to produce a quality piece of art, but to experiment. This immediately reduced the risk factor and allowed students to enter into the pleasure of drawing. Many students discovered that they could actually draw. (note, I have not drawn or modeled anything up to this point).

One student used pencil to draw a skyscraper with looming clouds and rain coming down to represent how he feels in a large city, which provided me with the idea of looking at skycraper paintings. Thank you google images. We scrolled through the paintings and began to see the many different ways artists use line to create completely different effects. This was eye-opening to my students, that just with line they could actually create mood and suggest movement.

There is so much more I could write about that occurred during this inquiry.  Below are 3 things that stand out for me.

1.  The number of students who said, "I never used to think about line and now I see lines everywhere."

2. The number of reluctant artists who are now asking if they can have time to draw and coming to discuss their ideas about what they would like to draw next.

3. Our librarian mentioned a conversation she had with some of my grade 6 students about what we are doing in class. They told her that they are learning about persistence and concentration.

Scaling Integrative Thinking

We have encountered a few challenges in expanding the teaching of integrative thinking to all grade 7 and 8 students. Our initial plan was to introduce the tools collectively over the course of a few weeks and have each class complete the same activities so that students and teachers develop understanding of how the tools work.

This has proved difficult. Interruptions due to sports and assemblies; scheduling issues and the pace at which each class moves have placed roadblocks in our way. The mental model maker space worked well, but it has taken too long to move all classes through the activities. To truly allow students to develop their thinking, they need consistency and teachers need flexibility.

It was Nogah from Rotman who helped us clarify why we were struggling. It came down to this: integrative thinking provides a set of tools which help learners think with greater complexity, develop empathy for other points of view, contend with opposable ideas and ultimately find creative solutions to complex problems. There is no right or wrong way to use the tools and each teacher will develop uses for the tools in ways that are appropriate to their particular contexts. The thinking of each class will be different and will evolve in unique directions. There really is no need for all students to be using the tools in the same way. That was very freeing!

We have decided, instead, to meet regularly. I will explain the tools, share how I used them, and then assist my colleagues in devising ways to use the tools within the contexts of their programs. In the end we will have a much richer understanding of integrative thinking and a greater variety of ways to explore the tools. Everyone's learning will be better.

Not Your Mother's Physic's Class

"I love physics!!!!!!!!!!!

That was the response I received from my daughter who started university this fall. As a parent very much aware of the shifting world of post-secondary education, I can't tell you how relieved I was to hear this.

So what's different? Everything!

The class has about 150 students, but right from the beginning the prof organized students into collaborative groups based on their residences so that students would have a support network from day 1.

There is no lecture. The entire course is based on collaborative problem solving. At the start of each class a question or problem is posted and the groups have to collectively solve the problem. The students have clickers and no one in a group is allowed to submit a response until the group has come to an agreement. When groups cannot agree, the prof is there to assist their thinking. The environment is lively and engaging and so very, very different from what I experienced in first year. (Look to your left, look to your right - 2 of you won't be in this course by Christmas. I was one of the students who quit science.)

The labs are dynamic and the prof  and TAs work as a team. When my daughter's computer wasn't functioning, it was the prof who came to her aid.

The final exam will include a section, worth 30 percent of the mark, that will require students to work collaboratively to solve a problem.  Apparently the room dynamics are a sight to behold during that portion of the exam.

I remember reading that this shift to inquiry began in British Columbia when a professor noticed that although students were scoring high marks on exams, they did not actually have conceptual understanding. A decision was made to experiment with inquiry-based learning and the results were so astounding that the entire physics program was revamped. To what degree this is being replicated in other science domains, I don't know. All I know is that I have a daughter who has gone from liking physics to being passionate about physics.

This is such a stark contrast to how she experienced science during high school and as a parent I can't help but wonder why.

Technology is Making Kids Smarter

A while ago Clive Thompson, writer for Wired and The New York Times Magazine paid a visit to my classroom.  He spent the day observing and talking with students as part of his research for a book he was working on. It was a fun day - blogpost about it is here.

Clive's book, Smarter Than You Think, is now out. What Clive has discovered is that social media and technology are making kids smarter. You can read about some of his discoveries in this Globe and Mail article, The Dumbest Generation?

 Congratulations, Clive, on your new book. I am looking forward to reading it.

I Think We've Created Edcamp Working Group

Our Inquiry Working Group Meets for the First Time


One of the common social media themes in the world of education is a repeated call for self-directed PD.
While I still feel there is a place for mandated professional development - who would voluntarily seek WHMS training after all - I am one of those advocates. Most of my professional development over the past few years has centered on opportunities that have arisen through the extensive sharing that occurs in social media. I see the value. I also know, however, that the face to face dialogue and sharing of practice that I've experienced through events such as EdcampHamilton, Everybody is a Teacher (if you haven't attended an educational event run by Jennifer Chan you are missing out) and through the work I am doing with Rotman
I-Think, have left me wanting more than what the realms of twitter and blogging can provide.  After three years of delving ever more deeply into inquiry-based learning, I was looking for a way to share in a more meaningful way what happens in my classroom and to learn and see how others are developing inquiry in their practices.

As I mulled over what I was looking for, I knew it wasn't an AQ course. What I wanted was a working group - people passionate and dedicated to learning more about inquiry who want to meet regularly to share and learn. I wanted the value of the Edcamp model, but I wanted more than just one day. So I created the Inquiry Working Group and invited others to join me on a new journey.

Today was our first meeting. 15 people were present. This included a Principal, Vice-Principal, Teachers, and Instructional Coaches. Most were from my own board, but one person drove 50 minutes after a day of teaching so he could participate. One person is on a 4/5 leave, but still chose to be a part of our group. There was no agenda, no powerpoint, no handouts, just conversation and sharing of ideas, practice and questions.  The discussion was stimulating and valuable. The hierarchy was absent. Having a principal present and asking, :How do I support and develop this kind of risk-taking in my own school?" was refreshing. Some of the members are new to inquiry; some are already well under way. It was exciting and energizing and I am already looking forward to our next meeting. We've decided to meet monthly.

My change in practice take away came from Tonya. When she is conducting large class lessons, students are free to write their questions on sticky notes - many of us do this. Tanya's twist, however, is the Question Board. All questions are posted on the board and discussed. Students who are intrigued by other students' questions  are free to take them and explore them more deeply. Clever!

I also came away with a book recommendation from Rick: Role Reversal

It was the pleasure of meeting with truly interested people and knowing that this will continue that brings the most satisfaction.

Our next meeting will take place in my classroom, but then we've decided to take our meetings on the road - to hold them in members' classrooms and schools so we have the opportunity to see a variety of set-ups.

This doesn't feel like work!

Using a Maker Space to Understand Mental Models

After introducing grade 7 and 8 students to Mental Models - a foundation concept for Integrative Thinking, our task now is to help them develop concrete understanding as well as the ability to recognize their own mental models and how those models can be limiting.

We decided to address this by holding a Maker Day. Students were asked to bring in 10 random objects that were of little value and that would not be returned. This was a frustrating task for many. Not knowing the purpose for the objects made it difficult for students to decide what might be appropriate. A few students were able to scrounge up some objects and I added an old toy telephone,  paper towel tubes, broken keyboards, old webcams, a shampoo bottle, and clothes pegs to the collection. Students soon got the idea. It took a week to fill our box.

Our school is fortunate to have a movable cart with building tools - glue guns, saws, clamps, hammers, hand drills etc. I supplemented this with a variety of fasteners, wrenches, screwdrivers, wires, and tape.

I introduced the lesson by holding up an empty cookie tin, asking what it was and receiving the expected "cookie tin" response to which I replied, "No it isn't it's a wheel," and rolled it across a desk. "What else is it?" It didn't take long for students to hop into play,

"a hat ... a frisbee ...a boat ...a chair ..."

I then explained the activity. Students were free to use the objects they had brought in to turn them into something else, commonly known as hacking.

Next I asked students to think about what objects actually do. We generated a long list that included concepts such as:

contain
support
hinge
flip
rotate
bounce
roll
open
close
slide
bend
flex
spring

I spoke about safety and that when taking things apart, the purpose was not to destroy, but to take apart carefully to see the components and to think about how the parts might be used differently.

Students then spread all the objects they had brought in across desks. They were to work with a partner and allowed to choose 5 objects to begin. The level of excitement was exceptional. Talk about engagement! For the next 75 minutes students took apart and built. Not once during that time did I have to redirect anyone - except to suggest choosing a work space farther away from our computers as the glue gun was dripping on the keyboard.

There has been much written about the value of Maker Spaces in schools, and it is not my intention to address that here except to say that:

1. Disengaged students who typically stare at the teacher become fully engaged, animated and readily enter into thinking and problem-solving.

2. Students need time to think. I observed one student spend the first 30 minutes wandering - something that he might be chastised for by a teacher who doesn't really understand the importance of process. "Why aren't you building?" is a question that might shut a thinker down or cause him to begin building because he has to build something rather than because he has an idea. A teacher can easily destroy agency and the pleasure of thinking even in an activity as engaging as this. This student then took a keyboard and began taking it apart. He spent the next 20 minutes taking apart everything he could find. It was only during the last 10 minutes that he rejoined his partner and began building.

The Sound of Engagement

Creativity in Action

The Tool Center

Zombie Barbie

Reinventing Keyboards

This build ended up with a masking tape seat connecting two desks together - strong enough to hold a grade 7 student - and a mechanized jousting tool.

The Flipinator

After clean-up I received feedback:


Best Activity Ever Award


I asked students why they had enjoyed the activity so much. To which one student replied - "You trusted us. You gave us complete freedom and tools to build whatever we wanted. To use all our own ideas and we didn't have to follow any instructions. We never get to do that in school."


I then asked if they had learned during this task. All nodded. When I asked what, one girl replied with a bit of wonder and realization in her voice, "We learned we can make anything from anything." That was new to many of them.

The next day's debrief returned to the idea of Mental Models. Nogah Kornberg from Rotman was helpful in suggesting ways to frame the discussion. She suggested introducing The Visual Alphabet and having the students draw their stories of what had happened the previous day and then compare their models. They loved this activity but the significance of their partners having different mental models was too abstract a concept for many in the class.



I redirected the discussion with a new question: Had their understanding of what school can be - the model they hold in their heads of school - changed after experiencing The Maker Day? Several students were able to articulate a shift, but this was still too abstract for many.

I think for this age group this early in the year, a more concrete question would be sufficient. "How has your mental model of objects changed".

Next week the other grade 7 class as well as the 3 grade 8 classes will have the opportunity to participate in Maker Day.  We will debrief in different ways to see if there is a difference in conceptual understanding of Mental Models in different age groups. We are also curious about how the students who where introduced to Integrative Thinking last year will respond to the questions.

Introduction to Integrative Thinking Year 2

We are heading into year 2 of Integrative Thinking and our work with the Rotman I-Think initiative. Last year was very experimental and only 1 class got to experience the tools and challenges of Integrative Thinking. A full-day workshop for middle school teachers near the end of the year left the staff not only wanting to learn more, but also wanting to implement this approach to thinking and problem solving on a broader scale. We have decided to make teaching Integrative Thinking  a priority for all grade 7 and 8 students. Since Language teachers have the greatest flexibility when it comes to curriculum and schedules, Integrative Thinking will be taught during Language classes. Our goal now is to introduce the tools and strategies to all students while ensuring that those who experienced Integrative Thinking last year, remain challenged.

Today, we brought all 7s and 8s together in the gym for the introductory session.

The first part of the presentation focused on the why. Why are we bothering to do this. Below are a few of the slides.

Next, we introduced Mental Models, a foundation concept for Integrative Thinking which I've blogged about previously.

Tomorrow, Nogah from Rotman will be at our school to interview some of our grade 7 students at the start of the year, before they've begun to experience Integrative Thinking. She will conduct interviews at the end of the year to see what, if any transformations have occurred.

Inquiry Working Group and Integrative Thinking

Inquiry Working Group

I had mentioned at the end of the school year that I would be starting an Inquiry Working Group this fall with the goal of deepening understanding of the inquiry process sharing ideas, practices and iterations of inquiry in our classrooms. This will be an opportunity to meet face to face to  help each other develop practice.

The first meeting date for this will be Wednesday, September 18, 4:30 at Dundas Central.
If you are interested in joining us please DM me on twitter: @heidisiwak or email me heidi.siwak@hwdsb.on.ca

Integrative Thinking

Last spring our school administration released middle school teachers and invited Ellie Avishai and Nogah Kornberg from the Rotman School I-Think K-12 initiative to run a full-day in-service introducing  Integrative Thinking. It was a fabulous experience and we ended the day wanting more.
This fall our intermediate division will be working collaboratively to introduce all grade 7 and 8 students to the problem exploration and solving tools. Students who were introduced to them last year will act as a resource and help their teachers and peers understand and use them effectively.

This Monday, we will bring the 7's and 8's together to introduce them to Mental Models and help them develop an understanding of how we construct ideas.