My husband and I are proud graduates of the Queen’s University Faculty of Education (the Trent/Queen’s Concurrent program), so what better place to take the girls for a mini-break than the beautiful city of Kingston, Ontario? We started our visit with some creative fun at Crockadoodle. The girls each chose an item of pottery from […] Read more…
Kate’s Picks: Books, TV and Movies
I’ve been doing a lot of mini-reviews on social media lately (which is why, if you have accounts, you might want to follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram) but today I’m offering a quick recap. In keeping with the title of my blog, I’m sharing what I actually liked…no sense harping on the negative, […] Read more…
Fun and Educational March Break Activities
Last night on CHEX Daily I chatted with hosts Teresa Kaszuba and Mike Judson about fun and educational March Break activities for kids and families. While some specific suggestions are local, you don’t have to live in Peterborough (or even Canada) to make use of most of the ideas. Plus, chances are, if our mall […] Read more…
An Interview With Cate Blanchett: Cinderella’s Evil Stepmother
A star of stage and screen, Academy Award winner Cate Blanchett turns evil in her latest role as the stepmother in Walt Disney’s highly anticipated new film, Cinderella. It may be a sign that I’m in denial about aging when I could still envision Cate as the princess, not the stepmother! However, she certainly is […] Read more…
The Highlight of My Week (or All About My Class Reading Program)
Bear with me here, but I get pretty excited when it comes to reading. This week, I assessed most of my students on their reading levels (with help from my awesome Trent University Teacher Candidate), and I was absolutely thrilled to see the progress they’ve made. (I’m sure I’m supposed to maintain a neutral expression […] Read more…
Why Your Kid Needs To Be At School (with my CHEX Daily segment)
What’s the magic number of days considered “normal” for a student to miss in a school year? What do you do if your child doesn’t want to go to school? What if you just have to book appointments during the school day? I discuss these questions and more with CHEX Daily hosts Teresa Kaszuba and […] Read more…
Montreal: Habs + Shopping = Fabulous Family Trip
I am so thankful for the wonderful Family Day weekend we just enjoyed. We planned a trip to Montreal with my parents and my brother’s family, and it went off without a hitch! The highlights: We hit the road directly from school on Friday, grabbing a fast-food dinner along the way, and arriving at our […] Read more…
How Much Do You Know About the Ontario College of Teachers?
I know a fair bit about the Ontario College of Teachers, probably because I’ve been a proud card-carrying member since 2000. I was surprised to learn, however, that a lot of Ontario parents don’t know that not only are their children’s teachers regulated by the College, but that there is also a range of parent resources available […] Read more…
Truly “Heart”felt Valentine’s Day Gifts from SickKids
Incredible work happens at SickKids in Toronto. I have several friends and family members whose children’s lives were changed and even saved by the wonderful work done by the SickKids team, so when I was asked to help share this original Valentine’s Day gift idea, I just couldn’t turn down the opportunity. Before I pass […] Read more…
It’s Report Card Time!
Term 1 report cards go home this month for elementary students in Ontario, which made it the perfect topic for my latest visit to CHEX Daily. What’s covered on the report card? How is it different from the progress report that was sent home earlier in the year? And how can you use it to […] Read more…