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UFLI has been a wonderful addition to my classroom. It offers clear access points for every learner, making it easy to identify who may benefit from the intervention. I've seen incredible growth in literacy skills across the class, and it's exciting to watch all students gain confidence as readers and writers.

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One of the highlights this year was the “Me Museum” project. Students showcased their culture, skills, interests, and connections to our class community. It was a wonderful way for the class to come together and share their stories—everyone had something meaningful to contribute. We all discovered new things about each other, even about students we thought we knew well. They especially loved having their teacher from last year come by to visit.

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I have two students from Afghanistan. When they first came here, they didn't even know how to read or write in their home language. We started with alphabets and sounds and how to print letters. It was a lot for them to learn and catch up. The work with them has been intensive. I have also worked on differentiation with my co-teacher to support them. Through our small group and my collaborative work with the classroom teacher, they have grown so much academically. They can understand, and they can communicate their basic needs now. They started to write and sound out words more independently. We even created a book for simple machines with pictures to showcase their learning and understanding.

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One strategy I really enjoy using is the Book Creator program. I had a mini Pro-D session with Tara on how to use it to support students’ reading, and it’s made a big difference—especially for one of my students who struggles with emotional regulation. With Book Creator, he’s now able to engage with more challenging texts without becoming overwhelmed, and he’s even started sharing what he reads with others. It’s been a great tool for building both confidence and connection.

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I have a student who was reading at level B at the beginning of the school year in Grade 4. With one-on-one and small group interventions, such as UFLI, phonic program and guided reading, she has made significant improvement in her reading. She is now reading at level H. She can also write more independently.

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I have a student in my class with a designation. We went to the P.N.E. for our field trip, and he was so afraid of the rides in the beginning. Many kids from my class invited him to go on rides with them, and he ended up having the best day in grade 5. He wrote about it in his writing, and his mom read it, felt deeply touched and cried.

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I have a student, sometimes he is really lonely. We asked a boy who played basketball to see if he could spend some time with him and teach him how to play. The boy was really patient, loving and caring. He took time explaining to my student how to hold the ball, how to move. He showed him how to play. They play every day now. When they see each other at the playground, they get excited. Other kids who felt lonely also came to join them.

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I have two girls in my class who didn’t have many friends, so I spoke with Juna and together we started a small friendship lunch group to support them. Each of us brought in two girls who could use a little help building connections. It’s been so heartwarming to see genuine friendships blossom among the four of them.

What’s even more special is watching their bond extend beyond our lunch group—they get so excited to see each other, and it’s clear they’ve formed a meaningful connection. It’s been a really rewarding experience for all of us.

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One strategy I’ve found especially effective for my students is incorporating sensory supports—like textured items, calming sounds, and noise-canceling headphones. These tools help students stay focused, calm, and ready to learn. It also reduces the likelihood of emotional overwhelm or meltdowns.

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At the start of Grade 3, I had three students who were unable to read or write. With the support of RTI and consistent small-group instruction, they’ve made incredible progress. One student is now reading at an instructional level E, and all three are engaging with decodable texts and developing their writing skills. Stacie and I have been working closely together to support their growth, and the results have been really encouraging.

Another student, who initially struggled to function in the classroom, has also made significant strides. With SEA support, she’s learning to make safe choices, manage disappointment better, and accept feedback—even some constructive criticism. She’s now completing some classroom work, something she was previously unable to do.

We’ve built in structured support like break times and use a “first-then” approach to help her regulate and remain flexible. She’s even able to wait calmly when she can’t be with a preferred person, which is a huge step forward.

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I’m currently teaching Grade 3, and this is my first full year using the Heggerty program. I’ve been very consistent with it—using it at least four times a week—and the students absolutely love it. It’s quick and easy to implement, but incredibly effective in developing their phonemic and phonological awareness.

One of the things I appreciate most is how accessible it is for all learners. Even a student who is still emerging in language arts is able to participate and engage meaningfully. I’ve seen significant growth across the class, and it’s become a valuable part of my overall language arts curriculum.

I would definitely encourage intermediate teachers to consider using Heggerty—it’s a small time investment with a big impact on student learning.

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One thing I’m especially proud of is how my students took the lead in organizing the Remembrance Day assembly. They wrote the script, interviewed a veteran, and coordinated the speaking order for each student presenting in front of the school. They led the entire event with confidence and pride—it was a powerful display of leadership.

I’m also deeply impressed by their dedication to collecting items for the school hamper. It’s a big job, but they’ve taken it on with so much enthusiasm and responsibility. Their commitment and teamwork have truly stood out.

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I did a Social Studies and ADST project with my Grade 1 and 2 students called Meow Meow Town. Each student chose a unique job in our pretend city—no repeats allowed! This project aligns with the social studies curriculum, focusing on community helpers in Grade 1 and exploring different types of communities and their functions in Grade 2.

Students planned and built their own buildings; then we connected them to create one big town. They also explained why their job was important—either by typing or, telling me or sharing their work with the class and families.

It was especially helpful for my ELL students, who got lots of chances to speak and express their ideas. Our big buddies visited, and the kids proudly explained how their part of the town worked. It was such a fun and meaningful learning experience!

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We have been working with a student who came in with no spelling ability and a strong reluctance to write because he didn’t want to look "stupid." But this morning, during our spelling session, he got everything correct. He understood the patterns, and we built on that success to support both his learning and behaviour.

We've also been helping him build a relationship with his potential grade 4 teacher. We worked together to consistently point out the good we see in him. That connection has made a big difference, especially given how much he’s struggled in the past. His goal for the third term is to take on a leadership role for the class community—not for recognition but because he genuinely wants to contribute.

At the second term meeting, his mom was moved to tears because there was nothing negative to share, and she was surprised and overwhelmed with happiness. Now, he’s excited to write, and that shift has been incredible to witness.

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Our literacy program has been going really well. During the first term, we focused on letters and sounds and letter formation. As the year progressed, we moved to decoding and spelling rules. I noticed a lot of them are utilizing the spelling rules. For example, we learned about three different sounds for a. Now they know how to spell mall. Knowing the different sounds of a really helped them understand. So they don't just memorize it.

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I have a student who used to climb on class furniture a lot, but he hasn't been doing it lately. That is positive. One-on-one support is helping him build relationships—it takes time, but the strategy is working. Today, he started at the Kindergarten playground but ran to the big playground. I know what can motivate him to follow directions, so I was able to guide him to follow directions in a fun and engaging way. He would never respond to "let's go back to our playground" but he would do it if I say "let's see who will get to our playground first!"

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We took the students off campus for a nature walk, and they absolutely loved it when they returned. They wrote pages and pages about the experience. We gave them the freedom to explore and play—they ran into the field and created their own little spaces. It was incredible how much they noticed. What surprised us most was that they picked up on details we completely missed.

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I’ve been working with students on taking ownership of their actions. I make it clear that I’m not mad at them—I'm there to help them reflect and identify the part they played in the situation. Because of this approach, students have been honest with me; they don’t feel the need to lie. It's all about building strong relationships. Once they understand what they did was wrong, they’re more likely to learn from it and not repeat it.

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We recently completed a "Box Project" where students were asked to find a box at home and transform it into something new. Tied to Earth Day themes of recycling, reusing, and reducing, the project encouraged creativity and environmental awareness. Students documented their process in a STEM journal using guided reflection questions.

It was a great opportunity for them to use their imagination, turning something old into something new while reflecting on their work and sharing it with the school community. The project helped open their minds to new possibilities and supported skills like reviewing, evaluating, and thinking critically. It also encouraged family engagement, as students worked closely with their families at home. We get to know about students' families a bit more too through this project.

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I organized an Elementary District Choral Festival.

It started small, with 3 choirs & will hopefully become an annual event with increasing numbers of schools participating each year.

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One strategy I use with a student I support in the mornings is offering a soft start to the day. He enjoys using the three-wheel bike, which supports his gross motor development and gives him a chance to get some fresh air—something that really benefits him.

It also creates opportunities for connection, as other students coming out of the sensory room often show interest and want to try the bike too, encouraging sharing and positive peer interactions.

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I taught a new grade this year and ended up loving it. I was apprehensive at first, but now I really don’t want to switch.

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This year, I brought a lot of nature into the classroom. We did gardening, raised butterflies, and even had ducklings. The students were fully engaged and learned about life cycles, responsibility, and empathy. We spent a lot of time outdoors, turning nature into a meaningful part of our learning.

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One thing that goes really well is supporting one of my students as they prepare to transition to middle school. My focus is on helping them build confidence and form connections, creating a bridge to support both the emotional and social aspects of the move.

I’ve found myself intrigued by the “tough stuff”—the deeper conversations and challenges that come up during this time. It’s been a meaningful opportunity to build trust, offer guidance, and watch the student grow through the process.

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One of the things I really value about our resource team is the way we celebrate and support one another. We make a point of recognizing each other’s birthdays—writing thoughtful cards and sharing small moments of appreciation. It’s a simple gesture, but it goes a long way in building a strong, caring team culture where everyone feels seen and valued.

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One of the literacy components we do in class is Story Workshop. We explore the difference between a sentence and a full story, and the students learn that a good story needs characters, setting, and plot.

We use loose parts and open-ended materials to help them create their stories. The kids love using their imagination. Then I glued their pictures to the blocks and asked my kids to use themselves as the main character in their story!

Many students made connections to their real lives, as many of their classmates are neighbours or friends, and they incorporated that into the stories. They orally share their stories, which helps develop their speaking skills and confidence. They often draw their stories, too, which supports vocabulary development and narrative structure.

It’s a powerful, creative way to support language and literacy growth for all learners.

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One thing I did really well this year was getting to know so many people in a short amount of time. I am new to the school, and we have a big staff. It is hard to know everyone and remember everybody's name. I made an effort to be mindful of opportunities to make a connection or initiate a conversation. This really helps me get to build a sense of belonging in our school community.

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One thing I’d like to celebrate is being back in the classroom once a week. After focusing so much on teaching at UBC for five years, it feels really refreshing to return to a school community and reconnect with students and staff. I get to have those casual hallway conversations with teachers, join other colleagues for lunch, and just feel part of the daily rhythm of school life again. Every Friday truly feels like a celebration.

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One thing that went well this year was our classroom meetings. I joined partway through the year, and meeting twice a week really helped me get to know the students personally. We talked about their lives outside of school, which helped me understand their needs better. We also included social-emotional learning with MindUP, Zones of Regulation, and the chime to start our mornings calmly and build a strong, supportive classroom community.

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I’m really proud of how I’ve solidified my literacy program this year. I pulled from a variety of approaches, such as traditional methods, kinesthetic activities, games, songs, and I blended them to create something that works for my students. Even though we have significant behaviours and frequent disruptions, almost all of my students are where they’re expected to be. Only three are still working on mastering their letters and sounds, which feels like a huge accomplishment.

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One highlight for me was organizing the Korean performance for our multicultural assembly. I saw it as a chance to be an advocate for my Korean students and help them shine on stage. One student even said, “I’m so lucky to have a Korean ELL teacher,” which meant a lot. It’s been meaningful to support both the students and their families as they adjust to a new culture and school system. Helping them feel seen, valued, and confident has been really rewarding.

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One highlight of my year has been incorporating our class mascot—a stuffed cow named Burrito into my classroom management, social-emotional learning, and overall class community. Burrito always has a smile on his face and has become a beloved part of our daily routines. He joins us on the carpet during lessons, modelling active listening, and helps students reflect on their choices for problem-solving through prompts like, “What would Burrito do in this situation?” This playful approach encourages positive behaviour in a gentle, engaging way.

Burrito is also a source of comfort and connection. Students often ask for a hug or high-five from him, and he frequently appears in birthday photos and special events, such as PJ and Stuffy Day. Our VIP of the week brings something special for Burrito, which adds to the excitement.

He also supports literacy development. Students are more enthusiastic about writing when they can include Burrito in their stories, and he often inspires our storytelling sessions. Burrito has helped build a joyful, inclusive classroom environment. Burrito brings smiles to all of us, including me.