October 2020

Every morning starts a new page in your story. Make it a great one today – Doe Zantamata.

I want to contribute something positive to all educators who are truly doing everything they can to support students and communities during such a difficult time. Enriching and engaging themselves and their students can take so much more effort and energy than it ever has. We all need to find ways to inspire ourselves and others to love life, love learning and see the beauty in our world. Every. Single. Day. The above quote reminds me that no matter how hard the days may seem or how long, there are always ways to feed ourselves with new knowledge, ideas and wisdom. Small or big ideas, deep or surface learning, minutes or hours – it is truly one step, one idea, one thought, one discussion at a time. Doing nothing is not an option.

LINK TO THE “DAILYS”.

I am an Enrichment Teacher in Hamilton, Ontario, with the job of supporting hundreds of students, teachers and families across the district. But, I am also a global educator who wishes to contribute to others’ wellness beyond my own life, school, and city.

In uncertain, worrisome and social distancing times, I hope that the following project and daily puzzles, quotes, stories, articles and resources may boost the brain and enrich your day.

I suggest that ALL students and learners (whether at home or in-school) consider using a journal. These are unprecedented times and history in the making. For this reason (and many other great reasons), I will ask my students (and own children) to pick a “Daily” (or two, or three) every sing day and add to their journal. Soon, a habit (staying engaged, staying joyful, being self-directed, enriching your life) will be formed.

Share this with your students, use it in your own lessons, or use it for yourself. The content will be updated daily (for ease of use, links will be on the side-bar of this blog).

October is International Women’s Month. I am going to try to feature one woman per day – someone who has impacted my life, my thinking and my path. Jane Jacobs (1916-2006) has influenced my thinking about cities for many years. She was an urbanist and activist whose writings championed a community-based approach to city building. Have you heard of Jane’s Walk? People around the world are sharing information and history about cities and neighbourhoods through Jane Walks. Check out: http://janeswalk.org/about/about-jane-jacobs/.

“Jacobs saw cities as integrated systems that had their own logic and dynamism which would change over time according to how they were used. With an eye for detail, she wrote eloquently about sidewalks, parks, retail design and self-organization. She promoted higher density in cities, short blocks, local economies and mixed uses. Jacobs helped derail the car-centered approach to urban planning in both New York and Toronto, invigorating neighborhood activism by helping stop the expansion of expressways and roads. She lived in Greenwich Village for decades, then moved to Toronto in 1968 where she continued her work and writing on urbanism, economies and social issues until her death in April 2006. – https://centerforthelivingcity.org/janejacobs#info

I have a love for cities. I am grateful that my family (kids, life partner) love to travel as much as I do. I find it incredibly interesting to see how different countries worldwide invest in their cities and neighbourhoods. We rarely stay in hotels, and in fact, some of our favourite visits have been in hostels or shared homes. And It is why we open our home to international visitors (and students). The pandemic, while it has been very hard, has given us a chance to explore our own city more (always running). A favourite talk (I’ve shown my students a few times) is from Kent Larson, who looks at how cities are changing and reinforces the idea that cities are ultimately about people. As noted in Ted, “Humanity’s future is the future of cities.

Before I sign off, I do need to share TVO’s Life Sized City at https://www.tvo.org/programs/the-life-sized-city

WORTH THE WATCH!

In a couple of weeks, Hamilton, Ontario (my city) will be featured (and guess who might appear in the episode?). Note, the above picture is not Hamilton. 🙂

Sincerely,

Zoe

Month: October 2020

“The Daily” ~ Daily exercise for the brain, body, heart and spirit.

Celebrating Women – Jane Jacobs, urbanist and activist.

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