February Monthly Objectives: The Flexibility Factor

Image from Resilient Educator

Across Canada, Provincial Ministries of Education are responding to the realities of our complex, rapidly changing world and embracing a flexible learning environment that sets the stage for student success. In Ontario, the Ministry of Education has created a document, Creating Pathways to Success, that outlines exactly how educators in the province can set students up for future success.

“Creating Pathways to Success is based on the understanding that education and career/life planning is now a lifelong process that requires all learners to be flexible and able to adapt to changes in themselves and in the world around them.” (Creating Pathways to Success, pg. 6)

This February, use myBlueprint’s All About Me and Education Planner platforms to help make learning flexible in your classroom. Scroll down to the bottom of today’s blog post to learn more!

K-6 Newsletter (or K-7)

Title: The Flexibility Factor

It is well recognised that a central component of learning comes from interacting with others — helping a peer solve a problem or being challenged to think differently.

These social interactions may not seem like opportunities for learning, but they are! They help to develop communication skills, manage emotions, make good decisions and foster a positive sense of self. Research has shown that this process, called social-emotional learning, improves academic outcomes and quality of life.

Ideally, the classroom environment should mirror what students will encounter in their future careers. Collaboration, problem-solving, and meaning-making are at the forefront of most job descriptions and having traditional desks situated in rows do not foster open communication or collaboration easily.

Here are some great resources to support flexibility using All About Me:

1. Download the All About Me Make Learning Accessible — Infographic Poster to see 3 easy ways that you can make your classroom more accessible for all learners.
2. The Create Custom Activities: How-to Guide provides detailed steps in creating All About Me Class Activities to support documentation of student learning while providing flexibility to your students.

Implementation Ideas for FEBRUARY!

1. Start off the new year by exploring the All About Me: Implementation Ideas resource. Full of many great ideas, you may want to consider implementing an “All About Me Learning Centre” in your classroom where students can have the flexibility to add a box to their All About Me Portfolio to share a bit more about themselves (strengths, values, favourite subject, etc)
2. New January-April webinar offerings have been scheduled. Sign-up for a live webinar session today. Your First Class with All About Me is offered on February 15 and is a great webinar to learn more about supporting student success. Register here!
3. Help students mindfully build essential competencies — February’s focus is Flexible Planning. There are at least two ways to achieve every goal — develop your flexibility muscles. Have students watch S1E13 of Competencies without a Classroom and engage them in a discussion using the accompanying slide deck, teacher guide, and student handout

7–12 Newsletter (or 8–12)

Title: The Flexibility Factor

As we move into the second half of the school year, many students are likely thinking about their plans for next year and beyond. As educators, you can strategically support students along the way as they set goals and consider what their future may hold!

We know that students’ plans may be ever-changing, and therefore, it is important to promote a flexible mindset when it comes to post-secondary pathway planning.

myBlueprint recognizes the importance of flexible learning and has created resources to support this. By using our Forwards and Backwards Planning materials with your students, they can investigate their future by following one of two pathways depending on their aspirations after high school: the Forwards Plan is for those who do not yet have a long-term occupation-related goal, and the Backwards Plan is for those who know where they want to end up but are unsure how to get there.

Here are helpful resources to support Forwards & Backwards planning in your classroom using Education Planner:

1. Download the Education Planner Forwards & Backwards Planning Guide. These PDF posters can be printed and placed in your classroom to help you visually outline the steps for your students
2. Forwards & Backwards Planning Lesson & Slideshow: Help students investigate one of two pathways depending on their aspirations after high school. Check out the new ready-to-use slideshow!
3. Forwards and Backwards Planning Implementation Video: Introduces you to the forwards and backwards planning lesson as well as outlines the steps a student will take to complete this activity to explore future pathways
4. NEW Vision Board Resource: We have created a new lesson plan & slideshow to support your students as they create a vision board to set goals for their future plans

Implementation Ideas for FEBRUARY!

1. Scholarship Portfolio Contest: Students and educators have the chance to win $1,100 in total prize value. Portfolios are an excellent way for your students to customize their scholarship applications by purposefully selecting artifacts that showcase their growth and potential. They can include extracurricular activities, community connections, accomplishments, and much more.

• The Contest is open from January 9-February 17, 2023. Click here to learn more & here to enter!

2. New January-April webinar offerings have been scheduled: Click here to sign up for a live webinar session

• NEW Supporting Special Education Using Digital Portfolios starting on Monday, February 13 at 6:00 PM EST. Click here to register.

3. Help students mindfully build essential competencies — February’s focus is Flexible Planning. There are at least two ways to achieve every goal — develop your flexibility muscles. Have students watch S1E13 of Competencies without a Classroom and engage them in a discussion using the accompanying slide deck, teacher guide, and student handout.

Important Updates

myBlueprint x Scotiabank Scholarships

• Once again, myBlueprint is excited to be partnering with Scotiabank to support students across Canada with financing their post-secondary education
• There is $60,000 worth of scholarships available for students in their final year of high school. For more information and to apply, click here

Join the myBlueprint Community to stay up to date with all things myBlueprint, and interact with educators across Canada sharing implementation ideas and success stories.

Want to learn more? Email support@myBlueprint.ca, sign up for a drop-in webinar or watch our bite-sized video tutorials.