By Anna Panunto In general, one can agree that perception of time can create the biggest clashes among people.  As an Adult Education teacher, the world enters my classroom.  Although this is a culturally enriching experience, the challenge has always been   having my adult learners conform to North America’s linear time culture as “learners.”  What does it mean to be punctual and to respect deadlines?  Most of my students come from a Flex-time culture and this means that in their native countries, time is elastic and so delays are not only anticipated but also, tolerated.  The notion of “late” is not punishable as it is here in North America. Now, having been an adult educator for over 20 years, this has been my greatest challenge in the classroom. My perception of time is rigid and this is due to my learned behaviour as a North American.  Late assignments in the 1980’s and 1990’s  were punished and not even accepted at times. Class attendance was mandatory and punctuality was not on

  The students at Lester B. Pearson High School were unstoppable at their 1 st Robotics and Engineering Fair. For this process, the student teams had to find a day-to-day need for a robot to perform a needed task. Here is a bird’s eye view of just two student projects which described their robot engineered prototype and process. §   Using Robots to Perform Lifting Tasks §   Robotics Referee At Lester B. Pearson High School, the Secondary IV students have an option course as an, Introduction to Robotics and Coding. This course has a more in-depth practical application process stemming from the Mathematics, Science & Technology curriculum. The main focus is on learning the basic concepts around design thinking, the engineering process and technology world. Among other concepts, this course offers the opportunity to approach multi-faceted team-based engineering designed projects with needed solution.   The students at Royal We

By  Kathleen Victoria  Lefevre   A ginger cat met me at the door of Casa d’Italia as I gingerly approached her to enter the historic landmark. I was brimming with anticipation to see Where the Heart is: 1979 , written and produced by Anna Panunto and directed by Joe Cacchione. Both long-time beloved members of the English Montreal School Board (EMSB) community, Ms. Panunto has been teaching in the adult education sector since 1998 and has been publishing poetry and short stories internationally since 2003. Mr. Cacchione is on a one year sabbatical as Principal of the Shadd Health and Business Centre as well as a comedian, magician, actor, and director with over 30 years of experience in the performing arts. As I swung the door open, the ginger cat followed me on my heels, almost acting protective of the historical sanctuary I was now a guest of. I am not Italian nor from Montreal, so I was humbled by knowing what I don’t know. Many an Italian and French reference or joke was lost o

By Kristin McNeill Montreal , June 29,  2021 - For many students this pandemic school year, EMSB Virtual Learning was a resounding success. Some were enrolled because of their own health considerations, others to minimize risks to a vulnerable family member at home. Complete with its own principal, vice principal, teachers and helpers, the virtual school finished the year with 575 registered students .  Each student would have experienced learning from home in different ways, from different standpoints: physical, emotional and mental. Some come out of it with a preference to in-person school; others thrived in the online school setting and wish it could always be an option.  Virtual Learning student Allesia. “[It was a] dream come true,” said one mother. “Her true self came out,” said another. The experience was “amazing,” said another. “We were grateful for the opportunity,” said a dad. In this article, families share their reflections about a year with EMSB Virtual Learning. A year o

Montreal, June 18, 2021 - Over the course of the last several months, Jason Bixby and Valerie Honig, the two designated STEAM (Science Technology Engineering Arts and Mathematics) consultants at the EMSB, have been busy with the rollout of their latest professional development initiative, entitled: “STEAM Team Collaboration & Project Building.”  The purpose of this initiative was to allow time for teachers interested in STEAM to build a Learning and Evaluation Situation (LES) based on the fundamental tenets of STEAM. Saving the bees at Pierre Elliott Trudeau Elementary School. STEAM LES’s must be developed through collaboration between two or more teachers of the same grade, but of different disciplines.  They are normally grounded in the solving of a real world problem or challenge, and through the employment of a design process.  If this process is correctly employed, a prototype will be built to help illustrate how the problem can be solved.  Research indicates that correct use

By Kristin McNeill The English Montreal School Board marked Black History Month in February across its network. This was the first time schools with the EMSB  could access a specially created Black History Month Unit to use throughout the official Black History Month in February – and all year long. Designed by the board’s Spiritual and Community Animation Service (SCA), the material was designed as an entry point into a conversation about Black history, where students and teachers could engage in stories and videos about Black Canadians, through the lens of character strengths, and take part in activities that encourage reflection on identity and representation.  “The feedback from the animators who implemented the unit was very positive,” said Danika Swanson, Spiritual and Community Animation Service Consultant. “Teachers and students alike appreciated learning about the purpose, importance, and history behind Black History Month, as well as learning about the challenges and accompli