News & Announcements
Catch up on news, events and trending topics at Oak Learners.
Cherry Blossom DIY Art Activity
This painting is a wonderful spring art project for kids with an added bonus of paiting with different textures!
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.
2022-23 Diversity Unit: North America
Students in our class each chose one spirit animal or First Nations image to paint. Following a “paint by colour” template, the children painted with traditional native American colours (black, red and blue) to form an image.
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
Oak Learners is dedicated to supporting parents on their journey to prepare their children for the future of the 21st Century. By adopting a variety of educational pedagogies that empower learners and encourage hands-on exploration, we are flexible to teach new skills as well as the foundational aspects of learning.
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!
Partner Showcase: Little Rebels
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Resources & Activities
Learn at home with ideas, activities and helpful content from 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!