Building on the success of our previous partnerships with schools and communities in the Rainy River District School Board, we were invited to collaborate with Seven Generations Education Institute’s First Nation Student Success Program. For two weeks at the beginning of October, OISE‘s Jackman ICS/Robertson team travelled throughout Northwestern Ontario along with Anna Demchuk and Kim Kirk (Seven Gens) to provide teacher professional development in spatial reasoning and geometry. We also collaborated with early years teachers and students in four First Nation communities: Pegamigaabo School (Big Grassy First Nation), Lac La Croix First Nations School, Windigo Island First Nation and Mikinaak School (Onigaming First Nation).
The ICS/Robertson/Seven Gens team at Pegamigaabo School
The ICS/Robertson/Seven Gens team with Windigo Island School
- The ICS/Robertson/Seven Gens team at Lac La Croix School
We are very grateful for the opportunity to build knowledge alongside elders, Indigenous educators, Ojibwe language teachers, community members and Kindergarten to Grade 3 educators in the areas of geometry and spatial reasoning. In each school, we worked together to create engaging “Family Math Parties,” connecting with the community as a whole.
This project is an extension of the Math for Young Children (M4YC) project and examines how young children learn geometry – a fundamental pillar of mathematics – and how teachers can best support the development and enrichment of the students’ spatial reasoning skills through playful mathematical activities and lessons.
Kim Kirk and Jisoo Seo with educators, students and families at the Mikinaak School Family Math Party
Dr. Bev Caswell with a student at the Mikinaak School Family Math Party
Live music at the Mikinaak School Family Math Party!
Lac La Croix principal Debbie Attatise at the Family Math Party
A student builds the CN Tower at the Lac La Croix Family Math Party
JICS kindergarten teacher Carol Stephenson at the Pegamigaabo Family Math Party!
Former ICS JK teacher Julie Comay and a Windigo Island student play with pentominos
Windigo Island students play with pentominos
- Family fun at the Pegamigaabo Family Math Party!
We felt welcomed, inspired, and excited to continue our work together. We had a great time and look forward to seeing everyone again!
Participating OISE’s Jackman ICS/Robertson team members: Dr. Bev Caswell, Dr. Joan Moss, Carol Stephenson, Zach Pedersen, Jisoo Seo, Larisa Lam, Julie Comay, Zack Hawes, Mischa Berlin.
