Innovative Inquirers
  • Home
  • Blogs
    • My Professional Blog
    • My COETAIL Journey
    • My MALDT Progress
  • Publications
  • Videos
  • Curations
  • Coaching Stories
  • Connect

My Professional Reflections Blog

Adventures in EdTech, Student Agency, Inquiry, and Coaching.

Innovative Teachers, Innovative Parents?

1/7/2018

0 Comments

 
Following on from my "One Word" post/resolution to be more open, here is one of my current stumbles I have been thinking about over the Winter break.

​I've recently had a parent say to me "when I was in school, and I am sure when you were in school..." and proceed to tell me the way I learned when I was in school. Not only was this parent making assumptions about my past, but they were also making assumptions that these practices are still relevant for their child.
Picture
I just saw this post on Twitter posted by @daveschmittou which made me think about it even more.

"Are you preparing students for their futures or for your past?"

​To be fair, even as innovative, forward thinking educators we don't really know the answer to this question. Or at least don't definitely know the "how" of it. All we can do is try new strategies and hope our students are on the right path. However, I also think that a good follow up question is how to get parents fully on board and understanding this way of thinking? Most of the parents in my class are fully on board with the changes I am making and the ways I am pushing their children to be more responsible and independent. It is the 1-2 parents who are having trouble seeing eye to eye with how my strategies are supporting their child's future. I sit, I listen, I brainstorm... I can only do what I know how to do, and keep trying.

How are you, as an innovative educator, ensuring that your parents are on board with the changes you/your school are making? How do they get over their hurdles of "when I was in school..." or "I learned like this..." etc? How do you help them see if they really are preparing their children for their futures?

0 Comments

Being More Open in 2018

1/7/2018

0 Comments

 
​
2016 brought me a lot of challenges, which led to a lot of change in 2017. But, because I was brave and "dove in" to my gut feelings about a lot of things, 2018 is about to bring a lot of changes again! Even though I have just moved to Switzerland, I have decided to move on again in July. I am joining a team which I look up to and model a lot of my current practices off of. I am so excited to learn from and collaborate with this forward thinking group of colleagues. And, happily, back to the sun!

As a lot of other teachers on Twitter and blogs this month, I have chosen one word for 2018. A broader guidance through the year, as opposed to the standard resolutions to try to stick to. My one word for this year is open.
Picture
Open-minded (first one that comes to mind as a PYP teacher, of course)
Open doors for my students, coworkers, and others
Open with my sharing
Open to new experiences
Open to change
Open to routine
Open heart

​
It is not that I feel like I am doing a bad job at being open. I just want it to serve as a reminder to myself to always continue to be open. And hopefully to pass this onto my students and those around me while doing it.
0 Comments
    Picture

    Cindy Kaardal

    ​Passionate PYP Educator and EdTech Integration Coach in South Korea.

    Former PYP Coordinator and Head of Computing Curriculum/ICT.

    Apple Distinguished Educator 2019, Google Educator L2, Microsoft Innovative Educator, Book Creator and Seesaw Ambassador.


    Picture

    Picture

    Picture

    Picture

    Picture

    Picture

    Picture

    Picture

    Picture

    View my profile on LinkedIn


    Archives

    February 2023
    January 2023
    January 2022
    November 2021
    October 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    July 2020
    March 2020
    January 2020
    October 2019
    September 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    October 2018
    August 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    November 2017
    October 2017
    August 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017

    Categories

    All
    Apple Teacher
    App Review
    Collaboration Tools
    Google Certified Educator
    Inquiry
    Inquiry Cycle
    IPad
    PYP
    Student Examples
    Video

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
  • Blogs
    • My Professional Blog
    • My COETAIL Journey
    • My MALDT Progress
  • Publications
  • Videos
  • Curations
  • Coaching Stories
  • Connect