How can you support mathematical thinking using blocks?
A solution to that question – and many others – was presented at the Maple Ridge – Pitt Meadows School District (No. 42) resource fair held at Riverside Centre last week.
Dozens of interactive educational displays filled the gym as educators from across the district had a chance to sample a variety of instructional resources that can be used in the classroom to help support the implementation of the redesigned BC curriculum.
Topics covered at the fair included: Aboriginal Education, Applied Design, Skills, and Technologies (ADST), Fine Arts, French, Inquiry, Exploration and Play Based Learning, Literacy, Numeracy, Science, Social Emotional Learning, Social Studies, and Technology and Coding.
Kindergarten through Grade 12 teachers and administrators attended the fair, which was hosted by the school district’s helping teachers.
“The purpose of the fair was to have school representatives visit and check out possible resources they may be interested in purchasing,” said David Vandergugten, director of instruction at School District No. 42. “This was a unique opportunity to see resources hands on, and to consult with helping teachers and other educators about how these resources could be used in their classroom.”
Jovo Bikic, director of instruction at School District No. 42, said one of the highlights of the event was seeing how the resources could actually be used.
“Teachers were not just looking at a list. They had the opportunity to engage in professional educational conversation with each other, and come away with teaching ideas as well as what resources would support that teaching.”
Bikic said the feedback from attendees was overwhelmingly positive.
“They appreciated the time to see the materials hands on, and to connect with other educators about how the resources could be used,” he said, adding that the resource fair was the first of its kind for the district.
“Helping teachers, teachers, educational leaders and many others came together very quickly and were able to create thoughtful and engaging displays, and be fully present for conversations that supported the redesigned curriculum for staff and students.”
