We all have learning moments that are so powerful that they stay with us for quite some time.  Mine is an Edu-Retreat with Misty Paterson in Brussels, Belgium.  I wanted to revisit this moment and see what has stayed the same and evolved, since this magical expeirence. 

I've known for quite some time that Misty Paterson is rather brilliant.  Anyone who has read her book, Pop-Studio: Responsive Teaching for Today's Learners, will find plenty of examples of this in action.  But, there is a difference between reading Misty's book and attending one of her in-person workshops.  My respect for her creativity and intuition went up 1000% after attending her Edu-Retreat.  ​

Learning intentions are everything.  Materials play a powerful part in setting those intentions.  

As I reflect on a recent workshop with Sean Walker and Anne van Dam, they talked alot about loose parts, intelligent materials, and intentional proposals. 

I see the ink engagement as an invitation to be playful.  Personally, I wish we had more of these moments throughout the day in upper pimary/elementary school.  Imagine how it might help learners to reduce their anxiety while increasing their enthusiasm for learning.  As a participant in the workshop, you might consider it a fun activity.  This is where a pedagogical artist like Misty sprinkles her magic.  She has an intention for our playful encounter and will use it wrap up and synthesize the experience.  

I know you want to skip to the end now, but her process is equally important to understand. 

As I sat back to observe the workshop in progress, I couldn't help but to see the CME model in action through our experience and the intentional use of materials.  Misty knew how to curate experiences that would allow for natural connections to be made. 

For those who are scratching their heads, the CME model is a balanced approach to using concepts, materials, and experiences to helps learners deeply understand ideas.  The concepts help learners to tell the story of how the materials are use to shape the experience.  I know this sounds abstract.  You can listen to my linked podcast for more information or better yet buy a copy of Misty's book.  She has so many examples from early years to high school.  She also offers alot of tools on her website. 

To be honest, when I was packing for the Edu-Retreat, I didn't know what to expect.  All I read was that it would be a more personalized workshop experience.  Misty definitely set the tone by asking us to bring the following materials.  What questions do you have as you read through this list?  

 
Funnily enough, we used all of the materials in different ways than I intended.  For instance, we used our personal artifact to connect with eachother as learners, teachers, and dreamers.  I rather enjoyed using a ball of string to literally connect to someone else's experiences.  Whenever I made a connection, I had to write it down on a small piece of paper and put it on the white line.  It taught me how to carefully listen to details about other people's stories and seek ways to connect.    

The power of this web is that we went beyond our individual connections by searching for patterns. When there was an aha moment or a generalization about a bigger idea, we would write it on colored post-it notes, like this one above.  This was a powerful tool that we kept coming back to again and again throughout the two days of learning.  Once it was finished, it was amazing to see how our learning and conceptual understanding evolved. 

What are you already doing to help your learners to come to those AHA moments with each other and on their own?  How do they know it is an AHA? 

Learning transfer is one of the hardest things to master.  As a trainer, you want your participants to walk away with tools that they can use right away, but also build up to a deeper understanding of an idea.  

The beautiful masterpieces that we created in the beginning of the Edu-Retreat with the ink were cut into strips as shown here.  I won't lie, I gasped.  My masterpiece was cut up and handed out to other people to enjoy.  Once I got over my shock, I finally understood Misty's genius.  

If we want to create a beautiful work of art in our classrooms, we have to experiment.  We have to let go of the old picture in our mind of what "good teaching" looks like.  Instead, we need to take a chance and chop up ideas together, so it allows for more learner voice to be added to create something even more beautiful. 

To synthesize the learning experience, we took some time to read a part of Pop-Up Studio and write down lines that resonated with us.  Then, we wove the strips together to create a tapestry of ideas.  We highlighted the bits that literally stuck out to us and wrote a generalization or main idea statement. 

How often are we doing this with our learners?  Letting them decide what it might look like?  This is definitely something I plan to use next week with my learners.  

How might you adapt these ideas to help your learners to synthesize and come up with their own big ideas? ​

​Sean Walker

One of the best things about the Edu-Retreat was about making meaningful connections with others.  There was special something about meeting people in-person that you had admired from afar for so long.   

​Youri and Rafa

The hosts of the Edu-Retreat were Youri and Rafael.  They are co-directors of Bogaerts International School North Campus.  They are situated next to NATO on the outskirts of Brussels, Belgium.  Now, they are my co-directors. 

Little did I know at the time this photo was taken that I would work at Bogaerts with these leaders.  I love having Rafa so close to bounce around ideas and go into a concept-based rabbit hole together.  We can still talk for hours about pedagogy.  The best part, he gives the biggest hugs with his whole heart. 

Youri has introduced me to Kriek and lots of Belgian chocolate.  I'm kinda boushie now because of his influence, which is okay with me!

It's wonderful to be back in the classroom again and in place where I can create magic on my own, while being inspired to challenge my thinking and teaching.  I've grown so much in such a short period of time. 

As I reflect on this experience, I'm going back to ideas that I want to try out with my learners this year.  What is something that has caught your eye? 
​​

Misty has a gift of storytelling that is unique.  When I walked into this experience, I came as a friend.  When I left, I was a participant that felt full of ideas and enthusiasm to make change in my practice.  This is when you know you have just dont through a magical experience. 

If you want to have a similar experience, consider joining an Edu-Retreat.  Misty is beginning to host them all around the world.  She is always looking for schools who are willing to partner.  I know that I will join one next school year.  I just hope it is somewhere warm!

For more information, about Misty's Edu-Retreats and professional offerings, be sure to visit her website. 

If you love the blog post, then you will enjoy listening to the podcast even more.  The blog is the script that I have written, but the golden nuggets are in my ramblings on the podcast.  

As you might have guessed, I am a rambler and will remain so for the rest of my my days. 

This really brings forward the question of what stories are you sharing?  Are you doing it through strictly facts?  Do you add some personal touches?  Do you ramble like me?  

The stories that we share make a huge impact on young learners.  What stories are not being told, because of our bias or cultural lens?  This is not a bad thing, but we have to realize that there is more to our limited viewpoint. 

If you have a differing story, what is it?  How does it reflect who you are and your place within the world?  

These questions will be explored in the current podcast episode.  Just click over to the podcast link on this webpage for a free listen. 

​One thing I’ve been hearing over again by everyone that inspires me is that learning is intentional.  How are you being intentional with international mindedness as a specialist and supporting teacher?  Remember, we are trying in to look at the curriculum through a different lens to get the maximum amount of potential from our learners. 

Storytelling is one of the ways that we can really get our learners hooked into our content.  It makes the ideas more relatable, because they are required to feel with their hearts, instead of think with their heads.  It’s not so hard, but it requires practice. ​

If we don't share the unique stories, learners might find ones of their own that are not as well-crafted or misleading. 

Let’s learn how to storytell through PZ visible thinking routine: Stories.  

Stories
Consider how accounts of issues, events, people, society, etc. are presented; what has been left out, and how you might want to present the account. 
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• What is the story that is presented? What is the account that is told? 
• What is the untold story? What is left out in the account? What other angles are missing in the account? 
• What is your story? What is the account that you think should be the one told?

​What is the story that is presented? What is the account that is told? 

Let’s engage with an image, video, or piece of music. Ask learners to share that story that is presented from their point of view. 

Then, share the account that is told from the perspective of the artist and the time they were living.  Since artists often respond to social conditions, it should be relatively easy to determine the muse.  
​

What is the untold story?  What is left out in the account? What other angles are missing in the account?

Have learners examine the text again and try to determine the hidden story of the text and what it is trying to tell us based on stylistic choices, the lighting, focal point, etc. 

Learners try to interpret the piece of art based on their prior understanding and connect it to issues at the time. They can also connect it with present-day issues and how it reflects the patterns in society.  

To deepen the thinking, they can share what they think is missing from the story.  

• What is not being shared?  
• How does this impact the meaning of the text? 
• What should they add to make it more true to the actual events? 

What is your story? What is the account that you think should be the one told?

Thinking about the text being used, how can we connect it to the story of our learners?  Ask your learners to find connections to their everyday lives.  Find a story that they are willing and feel safe to share with the class. 

Having been in a similar situation with learners, it’s amazing how it just opens up the group and builds bonds.  Allowing learners to share their stories really helps them to see that they are the focus of the curriculum and not an end product of it. 

Reflect back:  when was the last time that you used storytelling in your teaching?  No matter the content area, bringing about connections through stories is a powerful tool that learners respond to easily.  It’s about choosing the right hook and the right story. 

As I am pondering the use of the Stories routine, I am finding several connections to other specialist and supporting roles. 

ICT/ Computer Lab
As learners begin keyboarding the first time, share your personal experience with typing.  For me, it would have been on an electronic typewriter.  My typing teacher would not allow us to use correct film, so we had to perfect the typing assignments. What lesson did this teach me?  How does it impact my life today?  

For one thing, I am able to type regularly without looking at the keyboard.  I can type about 50 words per minute with some errors.  In a world of talk to text features, this is something to celebrate.  What is something that you are learning in a computer lab that is difficult, but you believe it will help you in the end?  How are you feeling about completing it? 

Music
When we explore various genres of music, we can uncover how the blues got its name.  What about this music brings about a sense of melancholy and the desire for the past.  What is our personal connection to music that makes us feel blue.  What genre makes us feel this way?  Any particular song that gets us at the heart? 

Science Lab  
Let’s look at the fifth state of matter and how a young Albert Einstein was ridiculed by his peers so badly that he rescinded his findings all together.  Only 20 years later, there was another team that replicated his procedure and proved that his theory was in fact correct. How might this connect to our world today?  How would you feel if you were mocked on social media for your ideas and everyone in your school knew about it.  How would you deal with this situation?  Would you hide like Albert or would you fight?  What might be the hidden message in this story? 

PE
The stories of team sports and how it brings a group of people together to achieve one goal.  What is the goal of each learner as they play team games?  What is the story that is being shared, hidden, and our personal connection. 

Now that you can see how it is used, consider how it might be adjusted for your next week’s lessons.  What will you change to make it more open-ended? 

One thing that I am constantly doing is getting caught up in the details of life.  But, I often wonder if the things that I choose to focus on are really the things that matter.  Becoming more intentional. 

A goal that I have made for this year is to invest my energy in building up others in small, simple ways.  This can be a simple smile, a tea break, or a long walk in the park.  It doesn't have to cost much money, only the investment of time and being present.  Being more intentional. 

Another moment that filled my heart this weekend was watching a special boy in my life play football.  He is passionate about the game and it made me happy to cheer him on in the crowd of parents and family members.  

Nothing is better than cheering on a child.  They have so much passion for what they do, but it's about continuously supporting them when the energy wains and frustration sets in.  These are the moments when a kind word of encouragement matters the most. 

This was my first football match in over a year.  As I reflect on this simple fact, it makes me want to invest more into his joy.  Being more intentional with how I spend my time. 

I still tend to get caught up in the silly things like fear and uncertainty.  An instant cure is to get out of my head by helping others.  It used to be that service was in fashion.  People helped each other, because it was the right thing to do.  I'm trying to make it more part of my life.  Emulating intentional behavior. 

What is something you want to be more intentional about that will bring more joy to others?

​As the new year comes about, there are heaps of people on social media that share their word of the year.  I find it quite amusing, because it has become a new type of resolution, but you shout it out to the world to hold you accountable.  

This year, I took a slower approach.  I gave 2025 time to find its feet before committing to my word.  It's amazing how it just finds you through numerous ways. 

My word this year is intentional.  I have heard being spoken at my school from planning sessions and our NEASC visit last week. Prior to that, I heard it at my workshop with Sean Walker and Anne van Dam in Berlin about creating responsive learning spaces. 

My goal for this word is to be an example of intentional decision-making.  Less scrolling on my Facebook video feed for tidbits from the Graham Norton show to creating ideas to share with my community.  

​We humans are great at wasting time and procrastinating on the things that really matter.  This is not the year to do that for me. 

I plan to use my time wiser.  Make more informed decisions, which means waiting and being less impulsive.  Take more time to invest in quality relationships at work and within the greater community.  More importantly, build a deeper love for myself and pursue a wider range of ways to showcase my talents and abilities.  Not to share with the world, but for my personal development. 

​What is your 2025 word?  I'm curious.