Thank you to our partners in education for an incredible 2016

The Robertson Program would like to thank everyone we work alongside for a truly exciting year full of creativity, ingenuity and adventure. We feel incredibly fortunate to be invited into schools, communities and even homes – all in the name of making math and science more accessible to learners of all ages.

2016 was an incredible year! Please have a look at some of the remarkable teaching and learning that you helped make possible.

We wish everyone a happy holiday season and look forward to another inventive year in 2017.

With great admiration for work you do!
Best wishes,

Bev, Joan, Zack, Zach, Jisoo, Larisa and Mischa

Robertson’s Year in Review

September

• The Robertson Program launches its new website!
• Rainy River District School Board (RRDSB) educators Nicole Thomson and Michelle Cain present their research at the prestigious International Mind, Brain and Education Society conference in Toronto – Sept. 15, 16, 17

October

• Our new friends from Teach for Canada present their program to MA education candidates at the Dr. Eric Jackman Institute of Child Study (JICS) – Oct. 13

Seven Generations Education Institute:

• The Robertson team continues our math collaboration with educators and students at Pegamigaabo School in Big Grassy First Nation – Oct. 17 & 18
• The Robertson team continues our math collaboration with educators and students at Mikinaak Onigaming School in Onigaming First Nation – Oct. 19 & 20

Rainy River District School Board:

• The Robertson team begins a new partnership with educators at Donald Young P.S. in Emo, Ont. – Oct. 24 – 25
• The Robertson team continues our math PD with educators at Robert Moore P.S. in Fort Frances, Ont. – Oct. 26
• The Robertson team explores inquiry-based science with educators at North Star P.S. in Atikokan, Ont. – Oct. 27
• Jones Family hosts the Robertson team and Caswell family members at Otter Lake
• Kabatay Family hosts Caswell family in Seine River First Nation

November

• Janette Hughes and Dr. George Gadanidis host the Robertson team and JICS Lab School teachers at Maker Lab, University of Ontario Institute of Technology – Nov. 9
• Robertson team begins collaboration with educators at Johnny Therriault School in Aroland First Nation – Nov. 15 & 16
• Robertson team visits Migizi Wazisin Elementary School in Long Lake #58 First Nation and is inspired by the indigenous educational leadership of Principal Valerie Pheasant and Education Director Clare Obigon – Nov. 17, 18
• Educators with Seven Generations spend three days in Toronto with educators at the JICS Lab School. Visit includes classroom visits, co-designing new math lessons, a Natural Curiosity workshop with Haley Higdon, and a visit to First Nation School of Toronto (TDSB) – Miigwech to Principal Jonathan Kakegamic! – Nov. 28 – 30
• Bev Caswell attends OISE’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission panel discussion – Nov. 30

December

• Robertson team Skypes with educational partners at Robert Moore P.S. – such impressive work being done there! – Dec. 7
• Robertson team and educational partners at Johnny Thierrault School share ideas via Skype and hear about the amazing work teachers are doing – Dec. 13
• Bev Caswell is a guest speaker in an OISE AQ course held at Havergal College in Toronto – Dec. 8
• Robertson team begins collaborative inquiry project with Jack Nigro and Sherry Mattson from Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board (KPRDSB), along with Indigenous education managers from Curve Lake First Nation, Alderville First Nation, Hiawatha First Nation, and Anishinaabemowin teachers and educators from five KPRDSB schools – Dec. 15

Earlier this year…

January

• Robertson team continues collaborative inquiry/Natural Curiosity workshop with educators from Curve Lake First Nation School – Jan. 12
• Robertson team, JICS Lab School teachers and Natural Curiosity collaborate with KPRDSB educators and Indigenous instructional leaders – Jan. 21
• Robertson team begins collaboration with Toronto District School Board (TDSB) early years instructional leaders, led by Darlene Avis-Pottinger – Jan. 19
• Robertson team leads math PD with early years teachers at St. Andrew Catholic School (TCDSB) with Principal Debbie Culotta – Jan. 26

February

• Robertson team travels to Fort Frances area for collaborative math Professional Development with Seven Generations PD and RRDSB PD – Jan. 31 – Feb. 12
• We are invited to present our Year 2013-2016 Research Results to FNMI Advisory Board at RRDSB – Feb. 8
• Robertson team works with TDSB educators on computational thinking and coding in the early years PD – Feb. 17
• Robertson team begins partnership with University of Toronto Engineering Department – Feb. 19
• Robertson team works with educators from St. Andrew Catholic School – Feb. 22
• JICS Lab School and the Robertson team host educators from Curve Lake First Nation School– Feb. 29 

March

• JICS Lab School teachers and the Robertson team work with TDSB educators on computational thinking and coding in the early years at JICS – March 9
• Robertson team collaborates with TDSB early years educators to present coding in the early years PD sessions – beginning March 23
• Robertson Program and JICS host a three-day Coding Think Tank at OISE – March 30, 31 & April 1

April

• Joan Moss, Bev Caswell and Zack Hawes present at the annual National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM)in San Francisco, California, USA – April 11 – 13
• Robertson team and educational partners at Seven Generations Education Institute and the RRDSB keep the learning momentum alive via Skype PD – April 19, 22 & 25
• Robertson team explores land-based pedagogy with educators at Curve Lake First Nation School

May

• Robertson team visits the Alderville Black Oak Savanna with partners from the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board and Alderville First Nation in Alderville, Ont. – May 3
• Joan Moss delivers keynote, summarizing our work in spatial reasoning at the 2016 Ontario Association for Mathematics Education (OAME) conference at Georgian College in Barrie, Ont. – May 5 – 7
• Zack Hawes presents at OAME 2016  – May 5
• Robertson team visits educators at Pegamigaabo School and Mikinaak Onigaming School in Northwestern Ontario for continued collaborative PD in early years mathematics– May 16 – 20
• JICS Lab School teacher Carol Stephenson and the Robertson team work with K-3 students at Curve Lake First Nation School for outdoor PD at Henry’s Gaming Boardwalk – May 24

June

• Robertson team hosts a Public Forum: High quality mathematics + Indigenous educational leadership = First Nation student success! A Forum celebrating The Math for Young Children – North West Gaa-maamawi-asigagindaasoyang Collective with partners from Seven Generations Education Institute and RRDDSB – June 1
• Robertson team attends Canadian Mathematics Educators Study Group annual meeting in Kingston, Ont. – June 3 – 6
• Robertson team returns to RRDSB in Fort Frances, Ont. for collaborative PD and data collection – June 12 – 17