With the onset of another school year quickly approaching and another summer almost behind us, I always find myself getting excited to plan my program and design my classroom environment after much dialogue and reflection! I like to look at each new school year as a blank canvas and thus, I often find myself making a handful of "wish lists" for a variety of new materials, opportunities, and ideas that I'd like to bring forth into my program in the Fall. 

When Joanne Babalis invited #4EverInspired to reunite and visit the amazing showroom at Louise Kool & Galt, I didn't waste anytime ensuring my busy summer schedule was free so I could attend!  Having browsed through their catalogue many times before, I knew this was going to be an exciting opportunity for all of us and we couldn't be more excited to share our discoveries with all of you!

Once we arrived, we were greeted by Cathy Elliot and Sonia Polak, two wonderful sales representatives that share a passion for creating classroom environments that ignite every learner's imagination, creativity, thinking and learning. 

They kindly lead us through their Showroom and highlighted a variety of different catalogue items from new furniture pieces and open-ended manipulatives to magnetic blocks and outdoor play materials. As we were tinkering and messing about, it was evident how versatile and engaging their materials were!

Here is a list of my top ten "Wish List" items for back to school (even though I could've easily shared over 100)! Each item title is linked directly to Louise Kool & Galt's website to provide you with more information: 

Item images are from www.louisekool.com

1. Nature Wooden Disc Set

These wooden discs are the perfect natural material to bring learning outdoors! Not only are they incredibly versatile and cross-curricular (bug hunts, sorting, matching, counting, etc), but they would add much excitement to any outdoor learning environment!  

2. Tree Blocks (set of 36)

These natural building materials make a great addition to any building and construction area! They would also be great to take outdoors since they are light weight and come in an easy-to-carry cloth bag. 

3. Wooden Dominoes

Math is everywhere and I can only imagine the possibilities of bringing a simple material like these large wooden dominoes outdoors! 

4. Sheet Magnifier

This simple tool could excite many when exploring the natural learning environment around your school! While magnifying glasses are fun, this easy to use magnifying sheet makes it fun to look closely at a variety of different objects! 

5. Wooden Uppercase Letters (set of 29)

I love the versatility and tactile experience of these wooden letters! From play-dough and pipe cleaners to using beads and even your finger, this would make learning the letters of the alphabet fun for all the senses!

6. Round Sand Tray

This sand tray provides students with the wonderful opportunity to practice pre-handwriting skills, promote concentration and creativity! I love how it also has a built-in slot underneath the glass base where coloured paper and other materials can be inserted for added effect! 

7. Luxy Luminescent Building Blocks

These small but versatile building blocks could be added to any area of your classroom! From the light table to open exploration, they would be a wonderful add-on to any structure or design!

8. Rattan Sorting Trays

These incredibly sturdy trays can be used in a multitude of ways! From storing materials on a shelf to bringing them outside! They come in a round or square framework however, both have four sections allowing for a variety of materials to be on display. 

9. "The Great Outdoors" by Mary S. Rivkin 

I actually won this professional resource during an outdoor education workshop this summer and couldn't put it down! I was so happy to see that it was available for others to purchase through Louise Kool & Galt since it truly explains how children benefit from learning and playing in outdoor environments. 

10. Outlast Ramps, Blocks and Flow Pan

These outdoor learning materials would be an amazing addition to any outdoor learning environment when exploring water and different liquid materials! Problem-solving, experimentation and open-ended play are only some of the many opportunities that I can foresee when using these materials!

Not only did we get to see firsthand all of their incredible products, but it was also a wonderful opportunity to dialogue with the ladies of #4EverInspired once we left around how the materials at Louise Kool & Galt reflect the importance of creating strong foundations for student learning. 

Every corner of their showroom made visible their strong value and beliefs around creating spaces for child-centred, innovative learning experiences and we couldn't help but feel inspired! Don't forget to check out the other ladies of #4EverInspired to read about their top ten "Wish List" items by visiting their blogs:

For Vanessa's Top Ten list: "Too (Louise) Kool for School"

For Joanne's Top Ten list: "Royal Treatment at Louise Kool & Galt"

For Trista's Top Ten list: "Louise Kool for Back to School"

As a way of sharing our experience with all of you, Louise Kool & Galt generously donated four $50 gift certificates to give away with hopes of inspiring your classroom design and program planning for September! Be sure to check out our Instagram pages to read more about contest details and enter for your chance to win! 

Vanessa's Instagram: follow @evolvingeducator

Joanne's Instagram page: follow @joannebabalis

Trista's Instagram page: follow @kindiekorner

Jocelyn's Instagram page: follow @ourkindergartenjourney

A sincere thank you to Cathy, Sonia and Louise Kool & Galt for opening up your doors to #4EverInspired and giving us the wonderful opportunity to share your products with our readers! We truly can't wait to reveal the many exciting things in store for #4EverInspired this coming year!

Reflectively yours,

#4EverInspired xoxo

Always Learning; Four-Ever Inspired

February is a month that celebrates family, love and friendship! Of all these things, I am extremely fortunate to have so many inspiring colleagues that are also wonderful friends. Within the realm of education, practices and pedagogy are constantly evolving and it is because of these friends that I continue to push my own thinking and learning, reflect, and take risks for myself, my program and with my students. Whether it be lunchtime conversations, after-school workshops or casual coffee dates, three friends in particular have allowed me to pave new roads in my journey which I couldn't be more excited about!

Trista Dutt, Joanne Babalis, Vanessa Bianchi, and myself are all teachers, bloggers and passionate risk-takers who have enjoyed connecting as colleagues but also as friends, through networks like #CTInquiry: Connected through inquiry: A curious community of learners, social media (twitter, blogs), and in person.    

“Four-ever Inspired” was created out of these unique, organic and inspiring conversations and connections that I've been fortunate enough to have created over the last four years of teaching within the York Region District School Board. To begin this exciting new chapter, the ladies of Fourever Inspired met at the Indigo Starbucks in Yorkdale Mall to brainstorm, collaborate and develop a plan for what we wanted our blogging community to be about...

A mosaic of creativity, learning and dreaming.

Each member of Fourever Inspired is colourful, creative, and dynamic in their own unique way. But...when together, the colours, creativity and passion that comes alive paints the most beautiful picture of collaborative learning.

-Vanessa Bianchi-

The Evolving Educator

Vanessa Bianchi is an educator for the York Region District School Board, who is currently serving as a Grade 5 Homeroom Teacher. Through various leadership opportunities, workshops, conferences and collaborative efforts with colleagues, she has gained an interest in building positive and collaborative climates within the school environment. This collaboration allows for the design of intriguing spaces for students and teachers to learn, as well as construct curricular expectations around student-interest and passions, allowing for a dynamic educational experience.

Vanessa Bianchi and I became quick friends while teaching at the same school for the past three years. She is an extremely passionate, dedicated and driven Junior/Intermediate teacher, and we discovered quickly that we had lots in common and shared philosophies when it came to teaching, friendship, love and life. Our journey together as educators and friends continues to grow as we bounce ideas off each other constantly, share the many celebrations going on in our classrooms, and seek outside learning opportunities to fuel our passions.

-Trista Dutt-

Kindie Korner

Trista Dutt has a degree in Early Childhood Education, as well as her Bachelor of Education in Primary/Junior divisions and Kindergarten Specialist. She is currently teaching FDK at Moraine Hills PS, where she is a K-2 Lead Teacher and Learning @ Schools Classroom. She is passionate about the early years and exploring the world of play- and inquiry-based learning.

Trista and I had the privilege of meeting each other four years ago when we both landed our permanent contract positions with the York Region District School Board. I think back then we already had inklings that we would be seeing each other lots in the future! We were fortunate to be involved in a collaborative Math Hub with our two schools at the time which led to some wonderful new learning as we began our kindergarten journeys. I was instantly drawn to how passionate and knowledgeable Trista was, how eager she was to take risks in her learning and try new things within her program. We soon came to realize that we had lots of mutual friends within the field and I feel very lucky to have her within my Professional Learning Network.

-Joanne Marie Babalis-

TransformEd: Transforming our Learning Environment into a Space of Possibilities

Joanne Marie Babalis is a Teacher-Librarian, Early Years/Inquiry Lead Teacher, PhD student, and Kindergarten Additional Qualification instructor at York University.  She is passionate about designing spaces that inspire inquiry-based learning and creative innovation for twenty-first century learners.  Her blog, "TransformEd: Transforming our Learning Environment into a Space of Possibilities" www.myclassroomtransformation.blogspot.ca continues to reach educators throughout Canada and beyond. With each post, she hopes to make visible the power of inquiry, as well as the strong potential of all learners.

I was first introduced to the incredible work of Joanne Babalis by my old teaching partner, Heidi Theis who was an avid follower of her blog. After visiting Joanne's first Open House session, I witnessed firsthand the endless possibilities that classroom environments and the kindergarten curriculum can have on our youngest learners and how the practise of inquiry-based learning can have such a profound impact within the walls of our classrooms.

And so the journey begins...

We look forward to having you follow our journey!

Reflectively Yours,

#4EverInspired

xoxo

“Four” more on the ladies of Fourever Inspired and the unique stories that brought them together, including those essential “work bag” items...

...visit Vanessa’s post, “Fourever Inspired: A Collaboration”: http://www.vanessabianchi.com

...visit Trista's post, “The Start of Something Truly Inspirational”: http://www.kindiekorner.blogspot.ca

...visit Joanne’s post, “4Ever Friends”: http://www.myclassroomtransformation.blogspot.ca

What's in my work bag?

Kate Spade Spiral Notebook, Michael Kors Glasses, iPad Air with iPad Air Smart Cover, MacBook Air, Learning in the Early Years (ETFOpley professional resource), Classroom Keys, Staedtler Coloured Pens, Sharpie Highlighter and Pen.

New School Year, New Chapter of Learning

I'm so excited to be back to blogging after taking a break this summer! From getting married to sharing my practice as a co-instructor at York Region District School Board's "Great Beginnings" week long workshop for teachers and first ever Designated Early Childhood Educator workshop with my lovely friend, Heidi Theis, I wanted to share a more personal post to kick off this new school year since I've spent a lot of time reflecting and getting ready for all the exciting new beginnings. Over the past two weeks, I think it's safe to say that many emotions have come into play when adjusting to this new chapter along my own learning journey:

Before: Part 1

Nervous. Excited. Overwhelmed. Inspired. Anxious. Happy. Confused. Energetic. Frazzled. Open-minded ... 

(to name a few). 

Before: Part 2

I have found myself connecting these varied emotions to my own personal goals as a professional this year and in particular, in relation to this exciting new road I've embarked on as one of the new Full Day Kindergarten teachers at a brand new school, Robert Munsch Public School. 

After!

Coupling my nervousness with the reminder to stay open and reflective in my practice is something that I want to keep at the forefront of my work this year in particular for many reasons. To shed a brief light as to why, a new school means completely new students to which I have had no previous relationship with (yet!). Having always been used to our Junior Kindergarten students becoming our leaders once they enter Senior Kindergarten, this has been my first exciting challenge thus far since I've reminded myself many times to slow down and truly get to know them as individuals, their interests, previous knowledge and experiences and diverse abilities. Moreover, a new staff, new environment, new community and new routines has all-in-all been a tad overwhelming but at the same time, incredibly inspiring and full of excitement. That being said, over these past two weeks I've continued to remind myself that flexibility, transparency, openness, and reflective practice is key to my success and that of my students this year as we grow and learn together. With every new challenge that arises, I look truly forward to tackling it head on and with a growth mindset, since I believe this mentality to imperative when setting myself and students up for success. 

This year, I look forward to all the collaborative opportunities, networking, dialogue and support from my colleagues (both in person and online) and in particular, the ongoing dialogue with Heidi as we both continue to transform our practice as part of our new chapters. My feelings of excitement, inspiration, happiness and energy derive from the foundation Heidi and I built over the past three years spent together in our FDK classroom. While we are no longer together in the same space or school, our relationship continues to blossom in many new ways, shapes and forms outside the walls of our classroom. I am truly so fortunate to call her such an incredible friend and inspiring professional since I feel that it is because of our experiences together, that I can begin this new chapter with confidence, take new risks and always reach for the stars!

Our whole group meeting area:
- Morning & End of the Day meetings
- Math Congress
- Mini Lessons

Dramatic Play Area
- currently set up for a kitchen

Cubby Area and Art Gallery

Open Area
- different writing tools
- mirrors will be secured on the back of the shelf

To that point, I called on Heidi to come and assist me and my new partner Ashley Vieira, when setting up our new classroom environment at the end of August. After much reflection, dialogue and several room configurations later, the vision and beliefs that support my teaching philosophy took shape in this new space and we felt confident in the "second home" we had designed for our new students. We ensured that the space was set-up to invite curiosity, encourage risk-taking and promotes the idea of having the space act as the "third teacher" in the room. 

Building and Construction Area
- open-ended building materials
- clipboards / pencils

Discovery and Exploration Area- natural and found materials
- collected artifacts

Self-Moderated Snack Area

Reading Corner / Quiet Area

Discovery and Exploration Area
- open-ended materials
- loose parts

After seeing many other inspiring educators blog and post beautiful pictures of their classroom set-ups and designs, I wanted to share a similar post but also shed light on the reflections and dialogue behind it. 

Open-Ended Materials
- for Math Exploration, Free Exploration

Over the last two weeks, Ashley and I have witnessed firsthand the power of letting our students help make the space their own and make their "mark" in many different ways around the room. We couldn't feel more excited to see how the space has already sparked their creativity and wonder, and we know that upon our daily conversations, new transformations will continue to take shape as part of this wonderful new beginning!