“Butterfly Hug” Technique
Life events and our daily stressors can have the potential to create a situation in which our emotions become a destructive form of anxiety. These destructive emotions include but are not limited to a racing heart, obsessive thinking and, inability to breathe. The...
🍀 St. Patricks Day Leprechaun Trap STEM Activity! 🍀
HAPPY ST. PATRICKS DAY! 🍀 St Patrick’s Day is here! What better way to celebrate than to make your very own Leprechaun TRAP?! You will need the following: Construction paper Pipe Cleaners Lucky Charms/Gold Chocolate Stickers Glue Shamrocks: You can use shamrock...
Outdoor Activities: Paint the Snow!
We have been getting a lot of snow the past couple of weeks and this particular activity looked like so much fun to me! All you need is a bin filled with snow and some paint or markers! With the use of paint brushes, sponges, and any other crafty tools to use, the...
Local Hikes and Hidden Gems for Family Fun
Love Local – Feb Article for Etobicoke Lakeshore Press Winter lockdown doesn’t have to mean endless screen time and being stuck indoors. There are plenty of ways to get outside and explore the amazing secret hot spots of nature, art and culture that South...
Screen Time: Scary or Necessary?
If you’re like me, you have likely spent your child’s early years making extraordinary efforts to limit screen time and avoid the 80’s “TV Babysitter”. Yet, here we are in 2021 faced with the necessity of doing almost everything in our days on a screen. No longer do...
5 Tips to help make Virtual Learning a more positive experience
Having the whole family at home and trying to engage with virtual learning and work activities can be beyond frustrating. Keep in mind the following tips to help make the most of your at-home learning experience and help encourage more independent learning skills from your child.
Support Local, Support Learning
First published in the Etobicoke-Lakeshore Magazine, November Edition The Pandemic has taught us to value many local resources we may previously have taken for granted. We have been forced to shop local, eat local and enjoy the hidden gems in our community. These...
Meet Donna Reed, Yoga Instructor
Life has thrown me a few thorns. A PE teacher in grade school taught Yoga and I found all aspects of Yoga helped me to deal with the trauma I had experienced growing up. I grew up with an alcoholic father, who beat my mother; and at age 11, I talked the knife out of...
A Parent’s Guide to Google Classroom
Firstly, I want to COMMEND all parents and guardians for being amazing and stepping into this new digital world of emergency distance learning. This has not been an easy process, and I want to begin by saying a sincerest THANK YOU for all that you are doing for your...
Interactive Online Learning Opportunities for Preschoolers
Oak Learners is dedicated to bringing creativity to education and confidence to learning for all children. This begins with our youngest learners.
7 Strategies every parent can use to support their child’s at-home learning
At-home learning can be a huge change from the daily grind of regular school but it’s not impossible to adjust and make the most of the experience. With the global pandemic of COVID-19 shutting down schools, support systems and businesses around the world, many...
Bridging the Gap with Virtual Classrooms and Online Learning
COVID-19 has shut down school buildings around the world, but the teaching and learning goes on for students of Oak Learners. Children are naturally good at learning – it’s what they do from the moment they are born! Children learn language, culture, social norms,...
Spring Wonder Walks
The weather is getting warmer and the sun is shining brighter and it helps us all feel a little bit better each day. It’s the perfect time to get outside and take a walk!
COVID-19 Update from Oak Learners
Updated: March 17, 2020, 9:00am Dear Oak Learners Community, It is with a heavy heart that I follow-up my previous communication with a new announcement that Oak Learners will be closed for in-person programming until further notice. This announcement follows the...
Teaching Young Children about Community Activism and Awareness
Special days of recognition are celebrated in our communities throughout the year and these present unique opportunities to have profound and enlightening conversations with the young people in our lives. Some of these days could include International Women’s...
Students at Oak Learners talk to CBC The National about Coronavirus in the News
This week, Oak Learners hosted Andrew Chang and his team from CBC News: The National to film a segment about what children are hearing and thinking about the current issues surrounding the Coronavirus outbreak. Current students of our day school as well as PA Day Camp...
Demystifying Headlines: How to talk to kids about the news
It’s important to pay close attention to what children see in the news because studies have shown that kids are more afraid of violence in news coverage than in any other media content. By creating a proper perspective and context for news and current events programs,...
2nd Annual Lakeshore Moms Shoebox Project Supply Drive
Local Moms donate over $7500 in supplies and 149 showboxes in the 2nd Annual Lakeshore Moms Shoebox Project Supply Drive as well as over 1000 pieces of menstrual products for the Twelve Donations project.
Oak Learners director nominated for the 2020 Mompreneur Awards
Oak Learners Founder and Director, Kelly Farrell, is in the running for the 2020 Mompreneur Awards! Kelly has a passion for providing children with a unique and alternative learning environment.
Oak Learners Kindergarten Teacher Nominated for ECE of the Year by HiMama
Oak Learners’ Kindergarten teacher and Camp Director, Emma Van der Jagt was nominated for ECE of the Year on HiMama.com.
Smaller Classroom Ratios Bring Measurable Results
At Oak Learners, we believe that small classes benefit everyone. Students receive more individual attention and are able to build constructive relationships with both teachers and peers.
Raising Monarch butterflies with children
Oak Learners founder, Kelly Farrell, first experienced the magic of raising monarch butterflies as a student in Second Grade. Her teacher at the time, Ms. Thoeny, raised Monarchs in her classroom each year, introducing her students to the magical life cycle and...
A Natural Way to Learn
“Let Nature be your teacher.” – William Wordsworth If I told you that we made Dandelion Play Dough today, you may well wonder what it had to do with the curriculum, but in fact it was one of the best learning experiences for students and teachers alike! For the past...Mimico Tulip Festival 2019 and the Oak Learners Tulip
May 28, 2019 marked the 17th AnnualMimico Tulip Festival. This was the fourth year that Oak Learners had the honour of participating in the festival and the second year that our students participated in the Mimico Village Street Art Project. The Street Art project has...
This is your brain on music
Neuroeducation is playing a key role in the future of education, where the curriculum is based not just on teaching subjects but on preparing brains for learning. Research over the past several years has strongly identified links between language and music within the...
Shifting Families from Chaos to Calm
The Secret Tool that Can Instantly Shift Families from Chaos to Calm (and for some reason, nobody seems to ever talk about it) “Did you brush your teeth?” “Don’t forget to pack your gym clothes.” No TV right now, hurry up and eat your cereal.” “Did you put your trip...
Kindness is Worthy
Every small act of kindness matters and has the potential to make a huge impact in the lives of others. During our final week of summer camp, our theme was “Be The Change”. Students were inspired to share kindness with their friends and family and even...
21st Century Literacies and Evolving Pedagogy
“If we teach today the way we were taught yesterday, we aren’t preparing students for today or tomorrow.” Curriculum and educational pedagogy have been rewritten innumerable times from age to age, but the essential skills students have been taught have remained the...
Supporting Teacher Development is the Key to Student Success
We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future.” ~ Franklin D. Roosevelt At Oak Learners, our mandate includes helping all learners reach their potential through creativity, confidence and community. This mandate goes...
Oak Learners is Bridging the Gap for Ontario Students through Arts and Mindfulness based Elementary Education
Oak Learners is Bridging the Gap for Ontario Students through Arts and Mindfulness-based Elementary Education Anxiety levels are up and test scores are down. Ontario students are experiencing record levels of stress, anxiety and suicidal rates are higher than ever...
How hatching ducklings cultivated a rich learning opportunity
How do some eggs hatch when others don’t? Why are eggs different colours? Can I have a duck as a pet? Why do ducks have feathers? Where do ducks live in the winter? These are a few of the questions our students asked when we presented them with an incubator full of...
The Importance of Teaching Kids Mental Monologues
Written by: Kelly Letros – Behaviour Therapist During spring break, I was enthused to spend my week with children who had registered for a week-long camp program. Daily, they were running to and fro through the corridors of the centre, from one pre-planned...
Celebrating Earth Day, Every Day
We live in a changing world, where it is becoming ever-important to take steps towards conserving the Earth’s resources for generations to come. At our school, environmental awareness has always been a priority for both staff and students alike. Through participation...
March Break 2018
Enjoy these highlights from our 2018 March Break Camp at Oak Learners! Our campers explored so many exciting things this week, including endangered animals, music from around the world, handmade snacks and treats and so many wonderful walks through our...
Bullying or Teasing – Are they not the same?
Written by: Kelly Letros – Behaviour Therapist It started in a small Canadian community with two teenagers standing up for a boy getting mocked for wearing a pink shirt. Pink Shirt Day this year is on Feb 28th. It is now celebrated in countries around the world,...Oak Learners Students Raised over $500 for Homelessness
On February 24, 2018, a pair of Grade 6 students from Oak Learners walked in solidarity with thousands of people across Canada to raise money and awareness for the homeless as part of the Coldest Night of the Year. Amelie and Daniela became very passionate about...
Learning Styles and Student Differentiation
Unique Learning Styles Howard Gardner coined the term Multiple Intelligences first in 1983 to describe the evident fact that there are many different ways that people learn. Some people learn from listening, some from watching and others from doing. People also have...Oak Learners Grand Opening Celebration
Please join us for our Grand Opening Celebration, to be held on October 3rd at 6:30pm at Oak Learners, located at 394 Royal York Road. We want to recognize the efforts of so many people who have contributed to the expansion and new home of Oak Learners. Sperry Bilyea,...Fall’s in Full Swing at Oak Learners
Our Fall programs kicked off this week and our new centre is full of life, love and music! Children in our Day School began exploring Healthy Bodies and came up with some fantastic questions they wonder about our bodies. They also took a trip to Mimico Library and...Ease back into Back-to-School: Mindfulness Workshops to ease the mind
Anxiety is one of the fastest growing concerns among school-aged children and youth in the school system these days. Many teachers and parents agree that children are under increasing pressure to perform in the classroom to keep up with standardized curriculum, all...
Summer 2017 Camps at Oak Learners
Throughout the summer Oak Learners offered a unique camp experience designed to engage naturally inquisitive and active children. Themes throughout the summer included Maker Mania, Canada 150, Aboriginal Art Around the World, Junior Scientists and Music, Movement and...
New Beginnings at Oak Learners
Recognizing the need for increased support for students experience difficulty in the school system, Oak Learners brings together professionals to provide an enriched and supportive learning environment for their students. On July 6th, 2017, Oak Learners launches...Bridge the Gap with Summer Learning
Children are naturally good at learning – it’s what they do from the moment they are born! Children learn language, culture, social norms, and knowledge from everyone around them. For most children, learning doesn’t end when the school bell rings or when schools...Oak Learners is Moving! We’re expanding!
It is with great pride that we share our exciting news with you! Oak Learners is now a fully registered not-for-profit organization, enabling us to provide increased support and expanding programming to the vibrant families in and around our neighbourhood. We...Bridge the Gap at Oak Learners
At Oak Learners we understand that every child learns differently and we love that! Each of the founding partners at Oak Learners have experienced the trials of parenting a child who needs something “more” than what is traditionally offered by both public and private...Holiday Concert & Social, December 11 2016
On Sunday, December 11, 2016, Oak Learners was thrilled to welcome our friends and families together to celebrate the musical accomplishments of our students. We gathered at Placebo Place, a local lounge and live-music venue to listen to selections prepared by our...
Mindfulness Tips to Start Your Day
Whether you are the type of person who wakes up ready to take on the world, or the type of person who needs time and space to prepare for the day, adding a few moments of mindfulness practice to your morning routine can make all the difference to your mindset for the...
Nutritious Meals for Busy Families
Life is hectic! Meal planning, shopping, cooking and even finding time to eat together can be challenging. We worry or feel guilty if we don’t provide all the food groups, or if our children won’t eat them, never have time to read the food labels when shopping...
Mindfulness through Artistic Expression at Oak Learners!
Oak Learners Mindfulness programs are inclusive of the whole person, mind, body and spirit, promoting a calm, focused, alert, aware and creative state of mind contributing directly to the development of cognitive, performance and executive functioning skills. Think...
