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O34ME Supports! Building Towards Thinking Classrooms

6/13/2021

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Using Dr. Peter Liljedahl’s Building Thinking Classrooms, the Chapter ran its first book study with incredible success!
Screen capture of book study participants during a Zoom meeting
To support our members’ participation:
  • books were purchased for OAME-O34ME members;
  • bi-weekly meetings were held from late March to mid-June, 2021 to explore the Introduction and Chapters 1 to 11 (of 15 chapters); and
  • meetings were held on Zoom, with interactive components (e.g., Jamboard), and small and whole-group discussions based on focus questions associated with each chapter.
Box filled with copies of the book, Building Thinking Classrooms
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A Jamboard from Session 2

Our Impact!
All sessions were built upon participant feedback, which modeled openness to co-constructing and mobilizing knowledge across the group. 

All members were open to sharing their thoughts and ideas both in- and post-session--even their challenges to practice and successes in trying different pedagogical strategies.

Overall, all members were open with sharing how much they appreciated and learned through the study, including their shifts in practice, as well as wonderings and challenges to the strategies detailed in the book. This provided a backdrop for respectful discussion, and on occasion, outreach to the committee for further support. 
Book study exit poll
What else? Membership has grown through the study; new relationships have been built; continued interest in the study and chapter’s activities have been expressed; and opportunities for members to join Council have been created and shared.
Looking Ahead: Fall 2021
2021 Calendar

​Although it was not possible, at this time, to study all chapters of the book, many members have expressed a desire to continue working with Building Thinking Classrooms during the 2021-22 school year. And we’ll be doing our very best to meet our members’ professional learning needs!

What to expect? With more educators exploring this pedagogy in their own practices, we'll be enriching our shared time with practical findings from the field--in the #OttawaZone!

​In the meantime, we'd like to offer up some encouragement! And a sample of resources as insight to some of the ‘how’ and ‘what’ of the study’s organization, facilitation, and degree of participation.
Encouragement!
  • Check out our latest book study tweet on Twitter. Follow us :)
  • Join our Facebook Math Sharing Group! We're almost at 100 members!!
  • Bookmark our website! and blog!! 
Invite a friend/colleague! Bring someone along to the next iteration of the book study. Recall: If they're an OAME member, we'll buy them the book! There's so much value in becoming an OAME member!! Here's how.
Sampling of Resources:
  • Session 1 slides (complete with active links embedded)
  • Free Book Study Guide from Corwin Education (includes an amazing set of focus questions)
Let's Connect!
On behalf of the O34ME Council and Professional Learning Committee, we wish you all the very best for a strong finish to the year and for a relaxing Summer.
​
Contact: Need to connect with O34ME? Use our Contact Form to ask questions, share concerns, and/or provide suggestions.
Contact
Yours in #mathedu

Chris Stewart
2019-22 O34ME President
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Who Are We? Meet Your O34ME Executive

6/5/2021

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Welcome: The Ottawa Zone for Mathematics Education (O34ME)

On behalf of O34ME (The Ottawa Zone for Mathematics Education, Ottawa Chapter of OAME) Executive & Council, I'd like to start by introducing the members of the 2022/23 Executive. I am both privileged and honored to be working alongside such an enthusiastic, committed and dynamic group of educators serving Mathematics Educators in the Greater Ottawa Region.

Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with each of our Executive members.

Yours in #mathedu,

​​Chris Stewart, OCT
O34ME 2019-22 President

Your 2022/23 Executive
Karyn Hepburn, OCT
Role: President
  • In collaboration with the Chapter Vice-president, provide leadership—aligned to O34ME's guiding principles—necessary to keeping the Chapter operational and effective

​Current Roles in Math Education:
  • Math and Science Teacher in the Education and Community Partnership Program at M. F. McHugh Education Centre in Ottawa (Teaching and supporting teachers, Gr 9 to 12)
Karyn Hepburn
Perspectives & Aspirations:
  • I believe in giving students many chances to show their learning in math and to use the classroom environment and the outdoors as a way to encourage students to see the math around them.
  • I'm Interested in improving my assessment practices in mathematics--valuing process as well as product.​
Stephanie Bishop, OCT
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Role: Vice-president
  • In collaboration with the Chapter President, provide leadership to the organization

Current Role in Math Education:
  • Board-based Math Lead, Program and Learning Department, Ottawa-Carleton DSB​
Perspectives & Aspirations:
  • Details are on the way!​ ​
​
Tony Alexander, OCT
Role: Membership Coordinator
  • Maintains a current listing of members, communicates with membership as directed by the Executive, and makes proposals for expanding membership

Current Role in Math Education:
  • Secondary Occasional Teacher

​
Perspectives & Aspirations:
  • I believe that we make the greatest strides in learning when we are frustrated and confused. I find this notion exciting!
Tony Alexander
  • My current goal is to continue to learn as much as I can about Mathematics Education: participating in seminars, talking to other teachers, and learning everything about the amazing online tools being used in classrooms today!
Gregory Taylor, OCT
Gregory Taylor
Role: Secretary
  • Handles all correspondence of the organization as directed by the Executive

Current Role in Math Education:
  • Secondary Mathematics Educator

Perspectives & Aspirations:
  • Given enough motivation and time, anyone can learn anything.
  • ​Motivate as much as possible and try to do the best with the time that’s available.
Chris Stewart, OCT
Role: OAME Chapter Representative
  • Prepares and presents chapter reports at OAME Board of Directors meetings; reports to the O34ME Executive on the business of OAME
  • Attends OAME council meetings as required, representing the interests of O34ME​
Chris Stewart
Current Role in Math Education:
  • Secondary Math Educator, North Grenville DHS, Kemptville, Upper Canada DSB), @math_inquirer​

​Perspectives:

When students are inspired to share and discuss their thinking and reasoning, they become their own and others’ teachers! An educator's role is then to help guide their students to becoming better at this — the content students learn is a vehicle to serving conversations. How to engage in the process of learning is the core of all teaching and learning. rs in all subjects.
​ 
Aspirations:
  • Through classroom-, school-, and system-related work, I will be collaborating to create opportunities for educators and their students to experience the joy and wonder associated with learning mathematics. 
  • I'm curious as to how research intersects with pedagogical practice and have engaged in action-based research in the following areas: Professional Learning Communities, Student Voice, and Flipped Learning. Currently, I'm interested in exploring the impact of Thinking Classrooms, Culturally-Responsive & Relevant Pedagogy, Instructional Leadership, and Virtual Learning Environments on student learning.
Natalie Robinson, OCT
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Role: Treasurer 
  • Responsible for the accounting and banking of all funds of the organization

Current Role in Math Education:
  • Secondary Mathematics Educator
Perspectives & Aspirations:
  • I believe students need to struggle and then succeed, be challenged and then successful, be listeners and then share, be learners and then teach, be independent and collaborative, to truly learn and grow.  I enjoy providing them this environment!
  • ​​​I am interested in building teaching communities that can share and learn together with the goal of creating the best learning environment for all of our students.
Jimmy Pai, OCT
Role: Ex Officio Member
  • An OAME Director/President/VP who sits on the O34ME Council
  • Carries insight and wisdom on the history of OAME for input on any Executive meetings

Current Role in Math Education:
  • I teach secondary students by involving mathematics
Jimmy Pai
Perspectives:
  • It is imperative for Mathematics Education to be about people.  In other words, re-humanizing Mathematics is of paramount importance so that we can uplift students who have been oppressed throughout their circumstances and experiences, and open doors for students to be a part of the beauty and utility of mathematics - paradox of the mess and precision, of chaos and order.

Aspiration: 
  • To listen hermeneutically, at least once, to all that I encounter
Melissa Black, OCT
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Role: Ex Officio Member
  • An OAME Director/President/VP who sits on the O34ME Council
  • Carries insight and wisdom on the history of OAME for input on any Executive meetings

​Current Role in Math Education:
  • I currently teach Grade 9-11 math, with a particular love for the Grade 11 college math stream;
  • OAME VP for the 2021-2024 term.
Perspectives:
  • I believe all students have the right and desire to succeed in math, you just need to point out and focus on their strengths so that they feel confident in their abilities.
  • The college math students in particular need this in order to not limit their course choices for grade 12, developing good communication and connection with these students is of utmost importance to me.
Aspirations: 
  • To develop connections with students in the current virtual world.
  • To leave my mark in the math community when I retire.

Questions About O34ME? Support for Professional Learning?
Contact
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Looking Back to Lead Forward: Highlights from the 2021-22 Annual General Meeting

6/2/2021

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What a great way to celebrate our year-end and begin setting conditions for next year!

Your 2021-22 Executive & Council
Thank you Council for your ongoing commitment to supporting our membership throughout the year. And thanks to our membership for their interest and participation in O34ME and OAME activities.

Please join me in welcoming Teresa Weselake (Renfrew County DSB Representative) and Fatima Assaf (Post-secondary Representative) to our team! We’re excited to be working with you both!

​We’d also like to recognize all those who are continuing in their roles, and those who are stepping into other roles—Lara Eager (Social Chair), Melissa Black (Ottawa Catholic SB Representative), and Suhana Kadoura (OAME Chapter Representative). At this time, we'd also like to congratulate two of our members who will be serving with the OAME Executive--Melissa Black (OAME Vice-president) and Jimmy Pai (OAME Director). Both Melissa and Jimmy will continue to serve O34ME as ex officio members of our Executive.
2021-22 O34ME Executive
2021-22 O34ME Council
Join Us!
Note that some Teacher Representative positions remain to be filled. If you or someone you know are interested in finding out more about joining O34ME, please feel free to reach out to our Membership Coordinator.
Missed the AGM?
For your reflection, and if you were unable to join us for the AGM, you'll find everything you need.
  • Slideshow presentation​
  • Hear about our year-in-review and prospective activities.
    • See this year's President's Report.
    • ​​Review this year's Treasurer's Report.
We Want to Hear From You!
At O34ME, we endeavor to foster enthusiasm, innovation, and growth in Mathematics Education among teachers and their students. To better serve you--our Membership!--we want to better understand your professional learning needs moving forward.

We encourage you to complete the following survey. The results of the survey will then be used to shape educator supports, launching as early as the end of August, 2021.

Thank you so much for your participation in this survey, membership events, and ongoing support of teaching and learning of Mathematics in the Ottawa Zone.
​
Membership Survey
  • ​To better understand your professional learning needs moving forward
Final Remarks
The Ottawa Zone for Mathematics Educators had a successful year thanks to our Executive and Council Members. As a result of their dedication to collaboration and commitment to leading with the Chapter’s Mission, Values and Objectives, we were able to build capacity within our Chapter for leadership in mathematics education. We also brought awareness to membership of our strategic priorities through ongoing communication and support for professional learning experiences.

Although we identify with this time of year as being our chapter’s year-end, the work continues. We will keep you all apprised of next steps regarding O34ME-related professional learning for the coming year.

In closing, it has been an absolute pleasure and privilege to have served again as Chair, working alongside such a focused, creative, open and collaborative group of professionals.

All the best,

Chris Stewart, OCT 
2019-22 O34ME President 
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