Oh my goodness. Have yourself a day, Bluejays #WantItAll

This past week was really challenging at times in the classroom—but at the same time, I kept reminding myself to not give into that challenge with my own actions. Something that helped? Having some "uplift moves" in the tool belt as a teacher. Here are four of my favorites:

Asking questions is brave—especially for kids in a world of AI, bias, and peer pressure. In this post, I share 7 play-based ways to help students practice curiosity, take risks, and feel safe wondering, experimenting, and learning together.

Adelaide hit by two fast-moving tornadoes this morning. Didn’t have that on my Friday bingo card…

Somehow, I’ve managed to work four weeks in the past two weeks. I think that might be a new record.

Anyone recognise this guy? Love working with Ss from SA’s new Technical College which helps year 10-12 Ss to fast-track qualifications into early years education. These Ss have a noticeably different relationship with nature compared to past generations. Trying to bridge that nature connection.

SA public education is undergoing a transformational systems change led by CEO, Prof. Martin Westwell. Good for anyone looking for a good news story, about how a shared focus on knowledge, dispositions and capabilities can create meaningful learning. www.thelearningfuture.com/the-learning...

South Australia has seen some 120,000 sea creatures die and wash up on local beaches in the past few months due to an Algal Bloom. The algae involved, which is naturally occurring, may have been caused by a marine heatwave. Unfortunately, nothing can be done to dilute or dissipate the bloom.

10.

I am very proud to finally get this up and out into the world.

Smiles and Frowns @montesyrie.bsky.social

Ran a PD today around educators having permission to play, and we made 5-minute-fires. Everyone spent 10mins trying different techniques to spark their fires, no luck. I was invited to have a go 💥 first time up, I throw a spark like a boss. Boom. Fire. Applause. That will never happen again 😂

Today’s Odd One Out brought to you by my kids’ curiosity. Just your standard Sunday morning breakfast at our house discussing exoskeletons and arthropods 😂

Learn to Nature Journal! Nature journaling offers numerous benefits, including enhanced observational skills, improved mental and emotional well-being, and a deeper connection to the natural world. It can also boost cognitive functions like critical thinking and creativity. Additionally, nature…

Finished up an 8 week nature journaling pilot with upper primary students this week. It was so much fun and learners actually engaged with the program even more than we hoped. I don’t get out of the office too often these days, but these fab young people made me miss the classroom!

Australia & France share top spot on this unwanted measure. It's interesting to watch some states in AUS trying to 'explicit instruction' their way out of this. EI has a place, but alongside developing dispositions & capabilities, fostering curiosity, creativity etc www.nature.com/articles/d41...

“I did it! I made fire!” Imagine being 12 and making a fire for the first time. The was so much challenge and persistence as learners used flint and steel to spark a flame. We explored the connection between emus and fire to the Tjilbruke Dreaming Story, at the nearby sacred Tulukutangga.

We tried doing a soundscape journal entry this week, tuning into nature by listening through the noise.

This is a classroom. This is a really good classroom. It supports health and wellbeing, curiosity, agency, challenge, and countless other dispositions, skills and areas of impact and knowledge.

This was the best classroom I visited this week. Imagine being 5 years old and meeting and playing in this space for bush kindy. Gorgeous.

On the home stretch of a 1400km road trip to support remote schools establishing outdoor learning and bush kindy programs. A week of curiosity, problem-solving, resilience, and joy weaved into play experiences. How good are early years educators!

Kids do not get addicted to their phones and they do not get addicted to gaming and they do not get addicted to social media... They are desperate for freedom from us, and they are desperate for attention. Our attention. medium.com/teachers-on-...

Sometimes, bravery is taking 500 learners, parents and caregivers, and educators into a national park with no structured program and just letting them be. The only lessons on the timetable today were curiosity, resilience, exploration, and awe. Leave the stuff at home, let nature lead. #edusky

At The Greene School in Rhode Island, a daily connection to nature and a deep culture of trust and autonomy are transforming how students learn—and who they become. 🌲🌤️ #EduSky #education #SchoolLeaders

Just what I needed to read today, Bevan. I’ve been kicking this around all week. Measuring/grading knowledge is so engrained in schooling, that educators here are seeking to do the same with dispositions and capabilities, now they have an elevated importance in curriculum. But can we? Should we?

#learningstories #learningdispositions

Took some DfE friends on a misty autumn nature walk today. How good is our backyard?!?! I hope you got some time in nature this week.

We are starting to get pretty good at this nature journaling stuff! Incredible Autumn weather in our classroom today. I wish this type of experience for all learners - not fancy journals at the beach - just the chance to go outside and follow their curiosity and wonderings. #edusky #natureplay

We were on a bike ride, but my little mate needed some sensory play time in the sand. Happy Friday, all. Hope you got some time in nature today.

Last few years, I forgot to invoice the school for the “Must Should Could” domain that’s still in my name. In lieu of payment, I am pleased to announce I am the official sponsor for year 5/6 at Hallett Cove South PS 😂

How do these creatures 'see'? Which is the #OddOneOut? Did you know scallops & clams have around 200 eyes which closely resemble the telescopes on the JWST? 🤯 Explore more nature inspired provocations at ooo.education

Enjoyed Guy Claxton's lecture at Melb Uni yesterday. There’s no such thing as the Science of Learning; just many sciences, many lenses. No single method, no universal best practice. Teaching is more than delivery; it’s an epistemic apprenticeship. You catch ways of thinking from those you’re with.

Incredible convo at the Ohio Jennings gathering! HRP trained students who led 130+ peer discussions on reimagining education. We identified 4300+ insights showing clear desire for self-directed learning, PBL, and restorative practices which directly leads into *action*. @humrespro.bsky.social

I promise I will get back to educational content eventually, but right now my heart and brain are still in the Tetons taking photos.

This was NOT in my lesson plan. Fortunately, it WAS in my learning intention, so that’s lucky.

Ah, the perpetual hamster wheel that is not-for-profit funding.

Beach detectives session yesterday included some more nature journaling. Once again, we overplanned. Learners were so engaged pursuing their own curiosities and digging challenges in the sand, that we parked our lesson and followed them. www.edutopia.org/article/bene...

Went exploring deep in Belair National Park, friends found a “secret forest”. I’m sworn to secrecy, can’t tell anyone about it. Hang on… Also saw an Emu scat, looks like an up-side-down ice cream cone. I was excited, friends, less excited 😆

First Canada, now Australia. Been counting votes for less than two hours, and it’s all over. Thanks, Donald.

Looking for a way to help your students grow their curiosity and attention muscles? Check out this article. PS: this is also play, of the intellectual kind. #learningdispositions #eduplay

Play is learning. Knowledge, skills, dispositions, all can be developed through play. Academic learning & play aren’t mutually exclusive. I just visited a school providing learners a full day of bush skills & nature play each wk. Exceptional academics despite the narrative of “lost learning.”

Probably could’ve included butterflies like the Dainty Swallowtail, whose caterpillars eat their own eggshells as their first meal. Nature’s zero-waste policy at work. #OddOneOut

A cuppa and a @pammoran1.bsky.social book recommendation (I haven’t “read” a book in ages). Audiobooks: Turning walks and chores into literary adventures since forever. Physical books: “Wait, you want me to read… with my eyes? No Steven Fry narration? What even is this?”

Got to celebrate 10 years of Bush Kindy with the amazing team from Loberhal Community Kindy. Imagine being 5 and having this place as your classroom and playground. I wish this opportunity for every child and family!

Every day ends with a few quiet questions. No script. No shame. Just a chance to reflect on who we were—and who we want to be. Two minutes, tops. But it’s become one of the most powerful parts of our day. Want to try it? I shared the questions we use.

Dins — love this … so many ways to be curious about biomimicry as design challenge — structures, patterns, textures, colors, shapes, sizes, movement, sound, odor — know the book The Immense World?

Design brief for a 5th grade biomimicry design challenge starts with appreciative inquiry and continues to soar with novel insights. Discovering anew means oppty to ‘dive in’ & ‘step out’ - a mode of co-learning with nature and peers. Environment as abundant catalyst!

And sometimes you wrap the day with a dusk scooter on the beach. We love tech in our house. It isn’t ’nature good’ and ‘screens bad’, just trying to find a healthy balance.

Took a hike today searching for Rain Moths which have emerge for two days after 5 years underground. Didn’t find any moths, did find a sweet swing which gave the kids no end of joy for the arvo. Thanks, Forest people.

Recomiendo seguir la cuenta @oooeducation.bsky.social . Unas propuestas muy interesantes para el inicio de una secuencia didáctica y para la evaluación inicial #followfriday