This week, I had the opportunity to present to various ADEs from across Canada during the ADE Academy in Quebec. It was a great honor to share our philosophy and perspectives on pedagogy with my colleague and fellow ADE class of 2023 member, Ginette Bourque.
During the workshop, we presented various approaches to empower students in the classroom using the AIM pedagogical approach. Our session, titled “AIMing for Creativity,” was featured in the creativity theme. It was divided into three sections: “AIM to Empower All Learners,” “Our Take on AIM,” and “Let’s AIM for Creativity.”
In the first section, participants discussed an AIMing question while being active: “How do we ensure that students are active and mindful in their learning?” This question is designed to empower teachers and leaders, encouraging them to reflect on and be mindful of the various pedagogical approaches they are already implementing.
During the second part of the workshop, we discussed how and why we should implement an AIM learning environment. We also shared how we are using this pedagogical approach in our school board. Please visit this Numbers document that outlines various elements of the AIM pedagogy and how to plan with everyone in mind. The participants also shared various action verbs describing the roles of students, teachers, and principals in an AIM learning environment.
In their creative task, we asked the participants to create an infographic representing how students are active, included, and mindful in their learning. This activity was taken from the “Everyone Can Create Drawing” resource. While they were creating, we collaborated with the participants to build the criteria, ensuring they remained mindful of their task.
As a final task, the participants were invited to present their work to a peer and receive feedback on how to iterate their creation. I invite YOU to share your thoughts in the comments on our AIMing question: How do we ensure that students are active, included, and mindful in their learning?