News & Announcements
Catch up on news, events and trending topics at Oak Learners.
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: A New Take on Outdoor Education with Larchwood Nature OT Programming
At Larchwood Nature OT we are developing courage, confidence, coordination and deep care for our precious environment in all of our clients. Nature offers many opportunities for supporting development of the mind, muscles, senses, and emotions.
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!
Resources & Activities
Learn at home with ideas, activities and helpful content from Oak Learners.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Children have just as much stress, frustration, and/or anxiety as most adults but are not able to understand or control it in the moment. During moments of stress and anxiety children tend to tense up certain muscle groups unknowingly and have a challenging time relaxing them. This can lead to the children being in a state of high anxiety for longer periods of time.
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...
Games for Virtual Learning: For Teachers and Caregivers of Children (3-12yrs)
As a camp counsellor turned Kindergarten teacher, I use “back pocket games” to build a variety of skills and maximize engagement for my students. Staying active and connected is one of the best ways to focus on ours and our children’s mental health, but has been harder to do while staying home.
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...
Promoting Community Involvement & Volunteering from Home
One of the most consistent messages we’ve heard throughout this pandemic is to stay at home, but what can we do when “home” starts to feel like a...
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...
Popsicle Stick Snowflake Ornaments
The holiday season is here and what better way to enjoy it than creating beautiful crafts for you and your family. Whether you are decorating your...
Raised Salt Painting
Art is a very important part of learning and creative expression. This raised salt painting activity is a great DIY activity to try at home!
Learning Healthy Living In “Fun With Fitness” Class
Last week our “Fun with Fitness” class emphasized the importance of healthy living. Our virtual lesson highlighted that healthy foods are...
“I Spy” Is More Than Just A Game
“I Spy” aims to help children improve language development, stimulate their minds and get familiar with their surroundings. It is also a great opportunity to work on their social skills when they play alongside other students in the classroom. They learn to take turns and practice amongst one another.
COVID-19 Survival Guide For Teens
As we all know, adjusting to life in a pandemic can be difficult. For teenagers, this can be especially difficult as summer events were cancelled...