News & Announcements
Catch up on news, events and trending topics at Oak Learners.
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...
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 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!
Squash Exploration
Comparing and contrasting food is a great way to ask exploratory open-ended questions about how a food engages our senses and later transition to questions on taste. Encourage curiosity and critical thinking by listing observations and making predictions about the squash varieties before you start cooking. Here are some examples from our recent Urban Farming & Cooking Class:
Personalized Guacamole
The key to promoting open-mindedness and excitement over trying new foods with kids is providing them as much control and decision-making power as possible. Trust is reciprocal, and as your child feels trusted with decisions and contributing to the cooking process, they’ll feel like they can trust the space to openly assess how they taste something
Baked Zoodle Cups
Zoodles are an accessible way to put your child in charge of the meal’s main event, while making something visually interesting and with a firmer texture then sliced or chopped options. Engage in some sensory exploration by challenging them to make and find the longest zoodle they can, and count the rings remaining on the end of a spiralized zucchini. This recipe is as great for exploring tastes as it is for enhancing fine and gross motor skills!
Snowflake Cooking Coleslaw
The versatility of cabbage when cooking with kids cannot be emphasized enough. Whether you’re lighting roasting or sautéing the leaves to introduce some oil and salt tastes, searing cabbage-steaks to absorb some Dijon and maple flavours, or munching on it raw in this egg-free coleslaw recipe, kids have ample opportunities to focus on the many ways it can be prepared and their reaction to the variations, rather than deciding the foods merit based on one flavour profile.
2022-23 Diversity Unit: Snorkeling in the Bahamas
Through watching a mini documentary on the Bahamas, our students grew interested in the world’s oceans! We asked as series of questions to guide their learning and launch us into a cross-curriuclar study.
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.
Resources & Activities
Learn at home with ideas, activities and helpful content from Oak Learners.
What’s The Time, Mr. Wolf? Fun & Educational Games for Students
What Time is It, Mr.Wolf is a classic game that lots of teachers introduce to their students as a beginner game. There’s lots of games that are not only fun, but can be very educational to younger students at the same time. Today we’re going to get into 4 in-school games that we recommend or that you can even try at home with your children!
5 Reasons Your Child Should Learn a New Language
Children take in new information and find new things out everyday. Ensuring they receive all the information needed throughout their lives must start at a young age. Language learning is a direct reflection of a child’s brain changing. In fact, during the first six years of life, a child’s brain changes the most during language acquisition in comparison to any other cognitive ability that is also being acquired! So, here are 5 reasons why your child should learn a new language.
4 Tips to Get Ready for Back to School
With summer ending and back to school coming around the corner, the talks about classrooms begin to arise once again. Kelly Ferrell, Oak Learners Principal, was a special guest on the Etobicoke Lakeshore Podcast to talk more about back-to-school and getting your kids ready for classrooms again. Click the link above or here to listen to the podcast! With that being said, here are 4 tips you can do to get your kids ready for back-to-school.
Adapted Books
"Literacy opens doors to understanding, empathy, critical thinking, and the capacity for lifelong learning" (Canadian Children's Literacy...
Language Learning: What’s Your Child’s Learning Style?
Every child has their own way of retaining information through each of their senses. Before embarking on the language learning journey, it may be a good idea to figure out what your child’s learning style is. This can be done simply by observing their actions and interests.
The Benefits of Weighted Blankets
Sometimes when a child is feeling stressed or anxious, they just want a big hug, but at the same time they don’t want to be touched. So how can you help them? Have you ever heard of or tried weighted blankets? It feels like a comforting hug and can help a child feel secure.
Arts & Crafts: Superhero Clothespin!
Superheroes are often seen as someone who has superpowers and saves our world from bad! However, our mothers, fathers, grandparents, teachers, friends and even our neighbours are superheroes too! Who is your favourite superhero?!
Arts & Crafts: Paper Pinwheels
Have you ever seen tall towers that look like fans? Those are called, windmills (or wind turbines)! Windmills are large structures that use wind to produce electricity. Similar to windmills, today, we will make paper pinwheels. If it is a windy day, you can bring it outside to see it in action!
The Benefits of Yoga
Yoga is an exercise that includes movement of the body into specific poses combined with slow deep breathing. It is a healthy and active way to relax your body and mind, but the list of benefits goes far beyond relaxation.
Coping with Grief and Loss
Grief and loss are a natural part of life, so why do most adults try to hide it from children? I understand it is not an easy subject to discuss with children, but they are more capable of handling it than most adults give them credit for. Children are very resilient and very intuitive, even when we hide the truth, they can usually sense something has happen.
Benefits of Meditation
The world is an unfamiliar place right now causing stress and anxiety to rise in everyone, including our children. Finding time and ways to reduce these is imperative to our children mental health. Meditation has many benefits to improve overall health and well-being.
Incorporating Physical Activity During Online Learning
Have you ever noticed that after a long day at work, staring at a computer all physical activity day you feel cranky, sometimes your body feels stiff, or you have a headache? Well, the same thing happens with our children but it usually doesn’t require a full day of screen time to cause these negative effects.