The arrival of July brings a distinct rhythm—a welcome invitation to step out of the daily momentum of lesson plans and into a space of intentional restoration. Teaching is an act of profound emotional and intellectual output. To show up for our students each fall with an open heart, a regulated nervous system, and a commitment to equity, we must first allow ourselves the grace to pour back into our own reserves.

How do we transform reluctant students into inquisitive historians and make the past feel tangible? How do we spark a student’s journey into curiosity and develop an understanding about others as well as ourselves?  For me, centering learning around a meal is just the thing.

Poet Loryn Brantz's Inauguration 2025 has resonated deeply with me- and other educators- navigating these challenging times. Her words remind us that the daily work of teaching, building community, and creating spaces for critical thinking is itself an act of resistance.

In this blog post, experienced social studies classroom teacher and current lecturer with McGill University’s Faculty of Education, Dr. Kimberly Bartlett, shares how she prepares student teachers to navigate contentious issues.

I remember a moment 15 years ago when I thought there would be few opportunities to debate controversial topics in my class because the world seemed to be more and more accepting of different perspectives and lifestyles. How these facts have changed.

In this breathtaking storytelling, occasional English secondary teacher Val Carnaghan takes readers into her class to experience a captivating moment of poetry, connection, insight and magic.  Take a moment to listen to The Rungs, and then read on.  This post will have you intrigued to try the ideas, and watch the magic unfold for yourself.

As educators, we understand that learning goes beyond the curriculum. It's about creating a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment where students can bring their full selves and be respected and valued by everyone. In English courses like Contemporary First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Voices, we ask students to engage with difficult truths and stories that can carry significant emotional, cultural, and intergenerational weight.

This September I returned to the classroom after a leave and for the first time in my two decades of teaching, I worried I did not have one essential educational tool I had always taken for granted: hope. I had it on a personal scale, for myself, my family, my school community and students; however I did not have it in any abundance for the world at large.

"Over the years, I have learned – and had students tell me – how uncomfortable the first day and week of school are," observes Facing History and Ourselves (Canada) Teacher Fellow, and B.C. high school teacher Lindsay Hutchison. If this feels familiar, read on to see how Lindsay helps students ease in to the school year and how she builds trust and relationships for teaching and learning.

It’s not about what you do on the day of National Truth and Reconciliation, it’s about all that you have done leading up to the day, all the research, all the reading and learning.  The discussions and discovering of TRUTHs about this country’s history.  The day you put on that orange shirt is the day you acknowledge that you have listened and learned.