“We don’t know what we don’t know” was something that Chantelle  Morvay-Adams said during her recent presentation and this is ringing very true for me this week…

Up until last week’s class I had been enjoying the process of Inquiry, learning about planning and illustrating children’s books.  The assignment provided me with an excuse to make art (during a term when I desperately need it)  and research something that I am interested in. I expanded my teaching tool box; exploring fairytales,  experimenting with illustration techniques and materials, playing with writing, and investigating different graphic novel apps/platforms- all providing  me with a greater understanding of how  inquiry based learning might Feel for students.  But, “we don’t know what we don’t know” and now that I am better informed, having had the opportunity to listen to Morvay-Adams and look over the BCEdAccess webpage (specifically the inclusions tracker),  my inquiry feels a little frivolous/uncomfortable…

As a result, I am trying to focus on “we don’t know what we don’t know” as a reminder, that as teachers (and humans) will never know everything,  nor will we ever reach a place where we feel like we’ve ‘made it’ within our profession (and life?), but rather that  we can “do better when we know better” and to always keep learning. Always.

I am sharing Shelly Moore’s TedTalk, “Under the Table -The Importance of Assuming Competence”,   because she is fantastic +  a great source of information around these important  issues of integration/inclusion  & listening to her talk made me feel a little less overwhelmed…