


Mimico Village BIA Mural Project at Oak Learners
Together with Oak Learners, the Mimico Village BIA has undertaken the commission of an innovative and inspirational for the community.

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.

A Natural Way to Learn
On a beautiful spring afternoon in mid-May, we noticed that our local park was blanketing in gorgeous yellow dandelions. The fields of green and yellow seemed to stretch forever, providing us an opportunity to reflect on the absolute beauty of the natural world around us.

Creating a Culture of Inclusivity: How Our School Values Diversity and Equity
At its core, inclusivity means recognizing and valuing the diversity of our students and ensuring that each and every one of them feels welcome, supported, and included in our learning community. This includes students of all races, ethnicities, religions, genders, sexual orientations, and abilities.

The Healing Power of Music: How Learning an Instrument Can Improve Mental Health
Music has been used as a form of expression for centuries. It is a powerful tool that can convey emotions and feelings in both a verbal and non-verbal setting. Learning to play an instrument allows individuals to express themselves in a limitless creative way, providing a sense of fulfillment and accomplishment. This is especially important for children and teenagers who may struggle expressing themselves or have many stressors and anxiety in their life.

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!

How Small Class Sizes can Help Children Prepare for High School
As parents and educators, we all want our students to succeed in high school and beyond. At Oak Learners, we believe that small class sizes play an integral role in preparing students for success in their academic journey. In this post, we will explore and outline the benefits of smaller class sizes and how they can impact high school preparation.

How to Pick the Right Summer Camp for your Child
Summer is just around the corner and parents, it’s time to start thinking about summer camps for your kids. With so many options available both locally, and around the GTA, it can be overwhelming to choose the right one for your child. But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! In this post, we’ll guide you through the process of choosing the perfect summer camp for your child that will ensure their best summer yet.

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...
Top 10 Skills Middle Schoolers Need to Learn
Middle school is an important period in a student’s academic journey as it lays the foundation for future success in high school and beyond. During this time, students are faced with new challenges and responsibilities, and it is essential for them to develop certain skills to ensure their academic success. Here are the top 10 skills middle schoolers should learn for school success.

Local Hikes and Hidden Gems for Family Fun
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 Etobicoke has to offer. Here are my top 3 local hikes to explore with my own family and our students at Oak Learners!

Pink Shirt Day Fundraiser 2023 – Oak Learners
Pink Shirt Day is a day of awareness and inclusion that takes place annually in Canada to inform and take a stand against bullying. This year Pink Shirt Day is Wednesday, February 22nd. At Oak Learners, we believe that it is important to take part in this day to promote kindness, acceptance, and to highlight the importance of inclusion and community.

2023 Top Choice Awards: Best Private School In Etobicoke
Oak Learners was voted Best Private School In Etobicoke in the 2023 Top Choice Awards.

Oak Learners Summer Camp 2023
Oak Learners Summer Camp overview. Spots are filling up quickly for our new 2023 Summer Camps and the time to act is now! We offer a unique summer camp experience designed to engage children and make them want to return year after year. Check out our new specialty camps!

The Benefits of Kids Learning to Dance
Dancing is great exercise and form of self expression that promotes physical fitness, creativity, social connections and learning. Not only it is fun and enjoyable, but it also offers a variety of benefits that can contribute to a child’s overall health and well-being. Find out why it’s important for kids to learn how to dance!

Questions to Ask When Choosing the Right Education for Your Child
The question of which school should my child go to causes a great dilemma in a parent’s mind when choosing the right school for their child. When will the school of your choice become the perfect fit?

How To Help Children Develop Achievable New Years Goals
Setting goals is an important skill for children to learn, but it’s important to make sure their goals are realistic. Here are some strategies and tips to help children create a realistic New Year’s goal!

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.

Partner Showcase: Humber College Placement Student
Oak Learners has teamed up with Humber College and various other colleges to gather talented students from across Canada to work inside the school. Nick started at Oak Learners in the summer of 2022 as a placement student on the administration team. Nick shared what he has learned from working at Oak Learners and what takeaways he has from the placement.

Oak Learners and LEGS – A Perfect Match!
Oak Learners is proud to have developed a partnership with long-time members of LEGS (Lakeshore Environmental Gardening Society), a local community-based gardening organization, that provides outdoor education and stewardship enrichment programs for our students! This...
Truth and Reconciliation – Orange Shirt Day
Truth and Reconciliation Day is approaching on September 30, to honor the Survivors of Residential Schools and the Native Community. Oak Learners is lucky to have a diverse group of dedicated teachers, including Doran Reed, who identifies as a Non-Status Metis. Doran...
Oak Learners Arts and Adventures Summer Camp 2022
The Oak Learner’s summer didn’t stop at the Eco Adventures Camp! We also had our Arts and Adventures Camp running for 8 weeks in Summer 2022. The Arts and Adventures Camp focuses on an indoor and outdoor summer. Following themed weeks, the campers are able to spend...
The Oak Learners Eco Adventures Summer Camp 2022
Oak Learners had another amazing summer! Our Eco Adventures Camp focused on themed activities, and most importantly, the entire day spent outside! The children have a ratio of 6:1 with their counselors, for a more hands-on experience. We focus on team building,...
The Benefits Of Summer Camp For Your Children
Kids that are more active in summer camp learning, exploring nature, and having memories at camps tend to develop lifelong skills that can be carried over into many aspects of their life.

Partner Showcase – Seneca College Internship with Oak Learners
The concept of teaching and learning matching is that it impacts learning in a way that encourages students to respond more positively to instructional methods while informing faculty about effective teaching practices. This encourages collaboration between the teacher and student which in turn reduces classroom management issues.
Recent research has shown that it is not as effective for a teacher to change their teaching preferences to suit the students in their classroom because they may not be as comfortable teaching in that manner.

Back to School 20% Off with Mabel’s Labels Fundraising
Looking for school supplies going back to school, summer camp, or for extracurricular work? Look no further! Mabel’s Labels Fundraising back-to-school sale on all school label packs starts now until the end of July!

Oak Learners Classroom Teacher Interview #2 – Emma van der Jagt
The concept of teaching and learning matching is that it impacts learning in a way that encourages students to respond more positively to instructional methods while informing faculty about effective teaching practices. This encourages collaboration between the teacher and student which in turn reduces classroom management issues.
Recent research has shown that it is not as effective for a teacher to change their teaching preferences to suit the students in their classroom because they may not be as comfortable teaching in that manner.

Music Lessons – Oak Learners Class Showcase
Oak Learners is dedicated to inspiring minds through Arts Education and our Love of Music! We offer a supportive learning atmosphere, working with your child’s unique learning style to inspire their strengths and interests.
Private music lessons are available to learners of all ages from young to old in a variety of disciplines, including Piano, Guitar, Voice, Ukulele, Drums, Percussion, and Composition.

Oak Learners Classroom Teacher Interview – Maggie Robertson
At the heart of Oak Learners are the teachers that work with students every day to create an environment for the learners to excel with every project, task, and endeavor they complete. We wanted to interview some of our teachers to see their perspectives on their teaching field, get to know them better, and see what inspired them to become a teacher. The first interview we did is with Maggie Robertson, a teacher at Oak Learners wanting to share her experiences! Enjoy!

Oak Learners Before & After-Care Showcase
Oak Learners offers a before and after-care program that has all kinds of exciting activities for your children to be a part of! Before-care starts inside the Oak Learners school between 7 AM-9 AM. After-care starts inside the Oak Learners school between 3 PM-6 PM.

Importance of Matching Students with the Right Teacher
The concept of teaching and learning matching is that it impacts learning in a way that encourages students to respond more positively to instructional methods while informing faculty about effective teaching practices. This encourages collaboration between the teacher and student which in turn reduces classroom management issues.
Recent research has shown that it is not as effective for a teacher to change their teaching preferences to suit the students in their classroom because they may not be as comfortable teaching in that manner.

Partner Showcase: Humber College
Oak Learners has teamed up with Humber College and various other colleges to gather talented students across Canada to work inside the school. We interviewed one intern student from Humber College that joined the Oak Learners team, Joshua, to speak more on what they have learned whilst working with Oak Learners, how their experience went, how Humber College saw the experience, and what takeaways they have from the internship with Oak Learners.

Art Class (Ages 6+) – Oak Learners Class Showcase
Oak Learners is hosting an Art Class for ages 6 and up every Saturday from 12:45pm-1:30pm! If you’re looking for an art class for your child, look no further! Our art teachers are passionate, enthusiastic, and knowledgable. Oak Learners provides a safe environment for the kids and allow them to experience the satisfaction that comes from guided self-expression. The focus of our art classes is exploring artistic skills, exploring creativity, and so much more!

Oak Learners Summer Camp 2022
Oak Learners Summer Camp overview. Spots are filling up quickly for our Summer Camps and the time to act is now! We offer a unique summer camp experience designed to engage children and make them want to return year after year.

How To Keep Your Child Safe While On The Internet
The internet is a great place for younger kids to get extremely valuable resources and can be a great source of knowledge. However, there are parts of the internet that can be quite dangerous for younger kids to be. In this blog, we’ll talk about some of the steps you can take including setting parental controls, monitoring your children, and keeping them safe on the internet.

Strategies For Tackling Homework at Home
Homework at home is truly one of the first things children get tasked with when working outside of school. This defines their habits as the children grow up, and establishing good work habits early can significantly impact those habits progressively in their life.

4 Tips for 2022 New Years Resolution Planning
Happy 2022 New Year! It’s that time again to start planning for your yearly resolutions! To start you off with some goals, or to just inspire you, here are 4 tips to get your New Year started.

4 Tips for Overcoming Procrastination
Procrastinating is something everyone struggles with from time to time. Here are 4 tips to help with your procrastination!

Discussing the Topic of Mental Health
What size is your cup today? What will make your cup overflow? These are questions everyone can ask themselves when considering how they’re feeling on a daily basis. Mental health is an internal resource that helps us balance our feelings, how we cope with daily stresses and how we build resilience and grow from these experiences.

Why Is Personalized Learning So Effective?
Personalized learning empowers students and teachers to take control of their learning experience. In a student-focused classroom, students learn at their own pace, whether they’re ahead of their learning curve or need a bit of extra time to work through certain subjects. Not only does personalized learning give tools for curriculum success, but it maximizes student engagement and interest.

Effective Musical Instrument Practice at Home
Most people understand that the more practice on your instrument, the better you become. When it comes to habits, consistency is an important factor in making routines for practice. Some wonder how you can improve your practice habits without causing too much stress? Let’s look at six ways you can make better use of your time when practicing your musical instruments at home.

The Importance of Remembrance Day
On November 11th, we remember and commemorate all of those who fought and died in their line of duty to serve our country and keep peace.

Partner Showcase: Make Music Magical with Little Rebels and Oak Learners
If there’s one thing we love, it’s educational spaces that are totally aligned. The Little Rebels mandate and vision line up magically with the Oak Learners vision to inspire creativity, foster technique and encourage confidence.

5 Mindfulness Activities for Kids
Mindfulness is a human ability that allows one to be present and aware of their surroundings and their own being, allowing them to not be overly reactive or overwhelmed by the world that surrounds them. When you bring awareness to what you’re experiencing, through your emotions and thoughts, you are being mindful.

Virtual Games for Elementary School Students
There are a lot of virtual games that can be played in-class. Young students have thousands of games now a days, with easy access on the internet. There are many to choose from, with some being educational and some that aren’t as much. We’ve compiled 5 educational and fun interactive games for young students to try out for themselves!

World Mental Health Day 2021 | Making Mental Health a Priority
World Mental Health Day is about raising awareness and educating the young minds of this globe about mental health issues and maintaining mental health.

More Than Just an Orange Shirt
n 1973, 6-year-old, Phyllis Webstad lived on the Dog Creek reserve and was sent to “The Mission”, a residential school. As she prepared to leave home, her grandmother managed to buy her a new outfit for her first day and Phyllis chose a bright and beautiful orange shirt. However, when she got to the residential school, they stripped her of all her clothes, and she never saw the orange shirt again.

Encourage Creativity and Self-Expression in Young Children
The benefits of letting your children explore creativity and self-expression are quite clear. Their mental and personal growth will shine day to day the more they’re willing to express themselves. Here are 4 methods to help encourage creativity and self-expression in young children.

Apps Every Student Should Download on their Phone
There are certain apps that every student should download on their phone. There are thousands of apps accessible and thousands created every single day. It may be hard to find ones that benefit students, but no worries! We’re here to help! Here are 5 top apps we recommend all students should download right now!