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. 

I am super excited to participate in this one day workshop in Berlin with Sean Walker and Anne van Dam.  If you know about international early years education, you know they are the best. 

Why am I taking this workshop?  I am not an early years educator, but I want to apply it back to my practice as a third-grade teacher.  I can't wait to learn more. 

To register, click here. 

I recently had the priviledge of leading an Evidencing Learning workshop with the team at Nord Anglia Dublin school along with Jack Odey, the PYP coordinator.  This lively bunch of educators got me thinking deeper about what it means to evidence the learning journey and how it might look differently to each child.  

This is why I love leading IB workshops so much.  They allow me the opportunity to engage with others who are equally passionate about the PYP and give me food for thought. 

I had an amazing time connecting with so many people during the IB Global Conference.  My mind is still buzzing with excitement as I reflect on the memories.  What a gift to the soul!

These two people make my heart happy, Taylan Çeltik and A. Merve Korkmaz.  I had the pleasure of meeting both of them as part of a project for the IB Exchange.  Through our project, I came to love them so much, although our roles are so different ranging from DP maths to early years.  The only one who is missing our friend Shannon.  We miss you!

There are other people that I was able to connect with, but I don't have pictures for some reason.  

• Ali Hassan was as delightful in-person as he has been on-screen. 
• Dalit Halevi's gave me the biggest hug and it put a smile on my face.
• Allison Garrett Navas was simply her charming Texas self. 
• Ali Ezzedine had a calm energy that made me feel so relaxed. 
• Jules and Grant were as kind as ever.  
• Lucy Elliott made me laugh out load due to her sassiness. 
• Dianne Blackburn was my listening ear. 
• Dimitra Milioni and Isabel Dykes, I don't know where our pictures went, but you made me smile so much. 
• Deepanshu Arora gave the best Toddle party ever.  The snacks were epic.

The last person on this journey was John Nicholls, who used to work with the IB and host IBEN development trainings in the Africa, Europe and Middle East region.  He is one of the key players that made it possible that I might become a workshop leader.  I will forever be grateful to him and his support.  It was wonderful to see him again after all of these years.  A full circle moment. 

I missed seeing several people at the conference too and know that you were missed.  I can't wait to catch up again next year in The Hague. ​

​Welcome to my break out session at the IB Global Conference in Budapest.  I began this journey, because I wanted to support teachers that are usually not represented.  This was my mission and I hope it was successful. 

I took a risk and presented on the Concrete Pictorial Abstract approach to making transdisciplinary connections.  I first showed how this approach might look in a single subject and how it could go more conceptual in nature.  

In some ways, I wish I had stayed with my traditional topic of central ideas, lines of inquiry, choosing specified and additional concepts, and ATL.  This would have been more meaningful for planning.  But, I went for the more abstract thinking and I don't know if it resonated with everyone else.  I hope so. 

Here we are unpacking the ideas together.  My wish was to have created this together, but we ran out of time.  As you can tell, I felt a little bummed.  I don't think I did a good job at this global conference.  Hopefully, I helped someone make deeper connections. 

I had the pleasure of attending a session with two men that I admire so much, Ali and Ali.  They have varied backgrounds, but add so much to the PYP landscape of teaching and learning. 

During their pre-conference session, we explored how we can personalize learning, so our learners are engaged and feel heard.  It was wonderful to engage interact with others whom I have only heard about online.  ​

Here are some of my highlights from the pre-conference with this dynamic duo.  Although we engaged through inquiry and used some tools, I didn't feel overwhelmed by the content.  I think this is a valuable lesson when creating a conference session that might include a broad range of people that serve in various roles and come from different countries. 
​

Personalized learning is focused on the learner.  When you think about this, it's all about agency, differentiation, and inquiry wrapped into one.  I really appreicated this list of features, so we can know if we are on the right track.  Oftentimes, it feels like we are winging it until some validates us.  
​

My bags are packed and I'm ready to head to the IB Global Conference in Budapest.  It's going to be three intense days of learning, presenting, and catching up with old friends.  

​I can't wait!

One thing I learned from a great leader: always provide snacks, drinks, and time.  This is has stayed with me as I've gone throughout my career. 

After several days of intense training, my school provide a lovely lunch of pizzas that just hit the spot.  We could have eaten regular cafeteria food, but this made the staff feel valued.  

These little things make all the difference in a professional development.  Let's invest in our people. 

Don't ask, but one of the places I've always wanted to visit is Akron, Ohio.  I finally got the chance by presenting the IB workshop: Engaging Collaborative Communities. 

The community is experiencing some change, but the spirit is high.  The participants were eager to learn and apply back to their practice.  This is the dream of a workshop leader.  

I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to Akron, which is a hidden artistic gem in the Midwest.  If you have a chance to visit, go there. 

I'm very excited for Denise Kraft and her team as they welcome Trevor MacKenzie to their Igniting Inquiry conference in Middletown, Connecticut on June 27-29, 2024.  

For more information, please watch this video!

 
I had the priviledge of leading Making the PYP Happen with this amazing group of passionate educators in Lima, Peru.  They were so open-minded to the programme and willing to apply the understandings to their practice.  They stand out in my mind, because of their passion to be better.  This to me is a World Changer. 

Who do you know is a world changer? 

In the summer of 2022, I began following Walter's LinkedIn page, because his passion for creating community education touched me so much.  His primary purpose was to support fellow Black creatives to discover their voice and find their unique niche in the marketplace. 

​More than anything, I remember the amount of patience that Walter and Chris had with me.  They didn't get frustrated by my endless questions nor my ignorance. Instead, they met me where I was at and helped me to design the next steps.  It had been a long time, since I learned something new for the first time and it really humbled me as a workshop leader and consultant.  It put me back in the role of the learner, which I needed.

Around the same time, Walter launched a podcast called Working While Black.  The platform was designed for Black creatives and entreprenuers, to share their ideas and discuss obstacles they faced while trying to reach their dreams.  This spoke to my heart, because the podcast was all about raising each other up in a time when the world was tearing others apart.  It's still going strong today. 

Every community needs a space where their ideas can be seen and heard.  Walter identified a missing niche and went to work to create it.  Although I am not a member of the Black community, I still listen to his podcasts and videos.  It helps me to see situations from a different lens and be aware of my own ignorance.  

For instance, Walter was on an episode of the Changing Lenses podcast where he openly discussed black hair discrimination.  As a non-Black person, this doesn't come up in my daily context, so this statement struck a chord.  "You may be successful, but also at the same time you're still Black.  So if they have a problem with your hair, they're more than likely going to have a problem with you being Black as well."  I am still speechless that we are still having these issues in 2024, but I'm grateful to Walter for bringing it to our attention. 

There are many words to describe Walter and his actions, but I think risk-taker encompasses them all.  The International Baccalaureate (IB), the teaching program that I follow, defines a risk-taker as a person who: 

• Approaches uncertainty with forethought and determination
• Works independently and cooperatively to explore new ideas and innovative strategies
• Is resourceful and resilient in the face of challenges and change.

It is not easy to share your voice in the digitial space.  There are voices that criticize your work, which can lead to imposter syndrome.  Whenever I feel this way, I listen to Walter's words and they buoy me up.  

We all need a Walter in our lives.  A person that we might not know well, but their reach is far and deep.  I've been blessed to meet Walter in-person on a recent work trip to Atlanta.  It was like I was meeting up with an old friend that wanted to know the status of my progress.  I felt emotionally full after our dinner and motivated to keep doing my thing.  

Who is your Walter?  How do they support you to meet your goals? 

​
There is something special at Florida IB Schools conference.  I always find the participants are so open-minded and willing to take risks. 

Since 2018, there is alot more flexibility of how the PYPX is operated.  It can be:

• a unit that last six weeks and follows a theme
• a unit that go throughout the duration of the year and follows a theme
• it can be outside of your programme of inquiry 
• it can be outside of your programme of inquiry and run all year long

I'm sure if you were creative, you could find the right solution for your campus.  In these pictures, these teachers are creating their PYPX calendar for the year ahead.  They are considering what would be meet the needs of their learners.

If you had a choice, how would you run the PYPX calendar? 

Personally, I would take Who We Are or How We Express Ourselves and run them throughout the year.  This would add depth to the units and allow for more in-depth exploration of the other five units.  

To give focus on the year-long unit, I would begin the year with them and unpack  the big ideas.  This will help to set the intention of the year-long exploration.  At the same time, I would embed the skills required outside of normal teaching to be planned into the curriculum.  

​So many options to choose from. 

I'm excited to lead a session at the IB Global Conference in Dublin, Ireland on Oct 7th.  This will be my first time leading a session at the AEM conference, where I began my PYP journey.  It feels like a full circle moment. 

The IB was kind enough to respond to my post, which made my day. 

I had the enormous priviledge of being the coach to these amazing humans along their IB workshop leader journey.  Each and everyone of them put their passion into process, which was not easy.  

How did we get the group name?  Part of the process is to ask the team to come up with the name.  This is what the group presented to me.  Someone made the visual and we became Lu's Lucky Sevens. 

Since this experience, I've had the priviledge of seeing Scott, Sophie, Roberto, and Roxana in-person at various workshops in Lima, Peru, San Jose, Costa Rica, St. Pete Beach, Florida, and Vancouver, Canada.  What a blessing to know this dynamic group!

I've known Mondrea Mitchell for the past eight years.  She was my first work colleague and friend that I met in Houston after spending a decade teaching abroad.  After a few months, I knew that she was a kindred spirit, because she was equally excitable about the PYP and constructivist teaching.  

I am beyond excited to work alongside Mondrea at the Igniting Inquiry conference happening next month, because I know she will bring a wealth of experience and excitement to the conference. 

I'm a naturally curious person, which is why I'm in trouble half of the time.  I can't help myself, because I still have that innate question bubbling inside of me, "WHY?"  I want answers. 

In preparation for Igniting Inquiry, I was very curious about the surroundings of Middletown, CT itself.  Denise Kraft has assured me several times that it's quite adorable, but I wanted to see it for myself 

First of all, look at this Hallmark movie setting of a downtown district.  I so can see a Christmas tree lighting happening at the end of the street and local citizens gathering to solve a major obstacle to the town's annual festivities.  

Then, I wanted to see the relative location of the city to anything else.  I didn't realize that a river ran through it, which makes it more interesting in my eyes.  I love being near any body of water. 

I adore New England towns, because they have a quaint atmosphere.  I can't wait to explore every nook and cranny of this community and NYC.  Who will join me? 

For the past four days, I've had the pleasure of working with this fabulous group of educators around the United States, who are trying to making the PYP happen with fidelity despite major obstacles. 

It's not easy to being open-minded to a process that requires a lot of work and a mindset shift.  Even with their challenges, this group was open to new ideas and embraced how they can adapt the process to their context.  This is all we can ask. 

A big thanks to Alexis and Ahmad from UWC-USA for their encouragement, support, and systems to make this workshop a success!

Like most educators, I have been muddling through my journey trying to put the pieces together to make sense of what is best for learners.  I'm continuously trying to stretch myself through various trainings, engaging with thought leaders, and trying out new strategies.  I just think this good teaching practice...nothing usually special. 

One day, you are asked to help co-facilitate an inquiry conference and you are stunned.  Why would anyone want me to help them?  I'm just a normal person.  I'm not published or particularly gifted...or am I? 

These have been the questions that have floated through my mind as I've prepared for the Igniting Inquiry conference this upcoming April.  I can't believe my face in on a poster featuring some big inquiry thought leaders. 

I believe we are our own worst critics.  We all have unique gifts to share with the world.  I may not be a published author or a famous person, but I do have my own unique perspectives to share.  

I'd love for you to join me, so I know there will be friends in the audience. 

Who knew that an online IB workshop would completely change my life.  I met Denise Kraft while leading the Your Exhibition workshop with her team.  That group of educators was so special and I've made bonds with several of them since the event.  Sometimes, you just meet people who put in a smile in your heart that stay for a long time.  

Move forward a year, Denise meets my friend Mondrea Mitchell through her school's verification visit.  One thing leads to another. I'm invited to help plan an inquiry conference with Kath Murdoch. 

Everyone is on a different part of their inquiry journey, so if you haven't heard of Kath Murdoch, it's okay.  Legend is a word I'd describe her.  When I first began my PYP journey, I was completely lost.  I can still hear my colleague Karen Roddis tell me repeatedly to make learning more inquiry-driven and to use more conceptually driven questions.  I didn't know that any of that meant until I took a workshop with Kath in the fall of 2014.  Within two days, the shackles of confusion left my eyes and I finally understood what this inquiry-based learning was all about.  No surprise, I had been doing it wrong, but it was part of my journey in becoming better. 

I'll never forget that learning opportunity, because it began the change within my mindset of how education could look and feel.  Since that moment, I've had a chance to be guided by Kath and her books, The Power of Inquiry and Getting Personal with Inquiry Learning.  This past summer, Kath gave me permission to podcast my thought s and reflections about her book after participating in a book club.  To have a listen, click here. 

I've had the pleasure to engage with Kath online and meet her in-person at the Crafting Inquiry conference in Portland in October 2022.  What a treat!

In 2021, I received a message on Twitter from a woman named Misty Paterson.  She had seen some of my posts and wanted to connect with a like-minded person.  Soon, our friendship blossomed and I knew that she was a keeper. 

Pedagogically, I realized her brilliance when I received a copy of her book Pop-Up Studio:  Responsive Teaching for Today's Learners.  I participated in a book club, which opened up my eyes to Misty's ability to weave ideas together to share a unique story.  

A couple weeks ago, I was able to participate in an Edu-retreat with Misty in Brussels.  This was a transformative experience, because I saw ideas from the page come to life in real practice.  I know that I will continue to learn new ideas at the upcoming conference. 

I've had the chance to learn and explore with the two other inquiry leaders, Mondrea Mitchell and Michael Medvinsky in a variety of capacities, but mainly as good friends and thought leaders.  They are both modest in their abilities to craft ideas that make me pause and reflect.  Every time I engage with these two, I walk away feeling full of new ideas that I had not considered before.  Truly blessed. 

My mom would always remind me that I reflected the company that I keep.  Every once in awhile, I'm curious who's company that I'm keeping on social media.  It was fun to see so many faces that I already recognize, but new ones that have added a spark of curiosity in my life these past few months.  I can't wait to check in six months time to see if there any changes.  

A big thank you to my professional learning network for add depth to my work and helping me to make deeper connections to yours. 

​After attending the Pop-Up Studio EduRetreat, I was on a mental high. The number #1 lesson that I learned is the old adage, "less is more."  We all know it, but do we live by it?

In preparation for the Making the PYP Happen: Implementing Agency workshop, I knew I wanted to transfer my learning.  Coupled with my recent IBEN development experiences, I knew I could make it so much more meaningful to my learners.  

In preparation, I followed some common steps over again to guide each session.  It always began with an experience, question, or open-ended task.  Here, we are using the materials mingler that was modeled by Misty while in Brussels.

The directions were simple:  Use the materials to show line and shape.  

Some participants took it quite literally while others created abstract works of art.  We picked up our papers and angled them differently so the ink would run together to create new shapes and lines.  Something so simple, but so needed to get our thinking to come alive. 

To support the thinking, we took random Dollar Store materials and sorted by use.  This was done through this question:  What scientific principles do you see? 

Concepts are the hardest things for new teachers to the PYP to grasp.  This is natural, since it's the moment abstract.  By sorting materials using scientific principles, we were then able to label the grouping with a related concept.  Poof...the light bulbs went on. 

To help us synthesize the big ideas of the workshop, we used the PYP Nano Resources to gather new ideas about inquiry, transdisciplinary learning, or central ideas. Each group chose their topic (agency) and captured their notes on the back of seven strips from our materials mingler with lines and shapes. 

Each group was able to capture the big ideas and weave their strips together.  I modeled how you can highlight the words that are peeking out to create a big idea of the Nano engagement. 

Here is an example of a teacher's summary statement:  "In the PYP school, students are not restricted to standards and have a peaceful learning environment." 

One major aha moment:  teachers realized that they had created a central idea for their PD Nano engagement.  We discussed how to deconstruct the process, so we don't add so much pressure on ourselves to have the perfect wording.  We are striving to create central ideas that are thoughtful, provoking, and worth researching. 

One of the best parts of this experience was reducing the number of extra slides that I had incorporated into my facilitation.  In all, I cut about 100 slides.  Less is definitely more. 

I can't wait to try it again!

​I was so inspired and motivated by the edu-retreat that I had to post it everywhere on social media.  I couldn't help myself!

After an amazing first day, I was didn't think anything would top my experiences.  It's amazing how you can be proven wrong so quickly.  

One benefit to my material mingler was having time to chat with Sean Walker.  I've been following him on social media and have been impressed with his work within early years.  He's all about the free use materials, play, and inquiry.  As a wannabe early years teacher, I rather marvel at the ease in which he creates art and puts ideas together. 

I may have fangirled just a little. 

One of the highlights for me was revisiting our watercolor paintings from yesterday.  Misty cut them into strips and we had to write down impressions, sentences, words, or phrases from a reading passage within Pop-Up Studio:  Responsive Teaching for Today's Learners.  

We took our ideas and wove them together into a tapestry of knowledge.  Every culture weaves together ideas and stories that shape their understanding of the world.  In this engagement, we reused materials from prior engagements in order to synthesize our ideas to create summary statements or found poems.  

The biggest takeaway is using less engagements and reusing materials from prior learning.  I plan to use these ideas in my future workshops. 

The sweetest part of the day was a chocolate lesson from Youri, one of our hosts from Bogaerts International School, North Campus.  He studied to be a professional chef and master chocolatier.  We tasted from a range of chocolates  - American to high grade Belgian - which I did not mind at all. 

The highlight of this experience was seeing the complete joy on Debbie's face as she chose the chocolate covered cherry.  We all were dying to get that one, but she was the lucky winner.  She was all smiles after that!

Here's the final group picture from the edu-retreat.  What a treat to meet so many wonderful new friends from around Europe and the world.  I can't wait for our paths to cross someday soon!

A big thanks to Misty Paterson for giving us her passion, ideas, and excitement for inquiry and concept-based learning.  I walked away with even more clarity on how to lead my own professional development.  

We always hear less is more.  This workshop reminded me to create less activities and reuse materials to extend the learning.  I can't wait to get started!

Within a few hours, I felt a kinship with Rafael and Youri, the heads of school of Bogaerts International School, North Campus and founds of Ampers and Consulting Group.  They are my kind of people.  Jovial, passionate, and open to new possibilities.  Together, they have lived all around the world and now they bring their passion to their learners in Brussels. 

After an amazing weekend of learning, the dynamic duo took us around Brussels and treated us to an authentic Belgian meal. 

I know this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship and many possibilities ahead!