by Anuk Harvey | Jul 22, 2019 | Inspiration
A ‘Green New Deal’ has been proposed in the US by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Edward Markey. It has many facets, but one of the main aims of the proposal would be to achieve net-zero greenhouse emissions by creating millions of green jobs and investing in a...
by Anuk Harvey | Jul 22, 2019 | Inspiration
Thankfully more and more institutions and organizations are embracing environmental responsibly and becoming advocates for sustainability. That’s fantastic, and not a moment too soon, but how as educators, can we inspire and motivate our students to take action in...
by Anuk Harvey | Jul 15, 2019 | Inspiration
When educators were asked how intentionally planned school construction or renovation projects were evaluated, the largest percentage groups of note, at 30%, said they were evaluated most often for whether they attracted more students. An additional 30% of teachers...
by Anuk Harvey | Jul 15, 2019 | Inspiration
There has been some interesting research carried out recently named ‘Humans Wanted’. It looks at the quiet crisis happening in job markets all around the globe. The research acknowledges that yes, automation is taking over many roles: mostly ones that are highly...
by Anuk Harvey | Jul 3, 2019 | Inspiration
Why, when there is now so much evidence that students engage and focus better when they aren’t stuck in rigid rows of desks, is mainstream education still full of those rows of desks from the industrial era?Well, there are a few reasons. The first is obviously cost:...
by Anuk Harvey | Jul 3, 2019 | Inspiration
‘Intentional design’ means taking into consideration how students learn when designing learning environments to enable their success. The following research looks at whether there should be learning goals associated with planned projects; if pedagogical...
by Anuk Harvey | Jul 3, 2019 | Inspiration
Part Three of this Three Part Series: This is the last section of sharing our manifesto with you, and diving deeper into how it guides our company vision and purpose, and how that can positively impact your work and your students. Manifesto: a public declaration of...
by Anuk Harvey | Jul 3, 2019 | Inspiration
This week we’re diving into a book whose content is very close to our heart: ‘Redesigning Learning Spaces’. It explores how learning-space design can positively impact classroom learning, the culture of a school, healthy communities, and systems and structures that...
by Anuk Harvey | Jun 25, 2019 | Inspiration
Part Two of a Three Part Series: Following on from Part One and the recent interview with our CEO, Bridgitte Alomes and Douglas Magazine – this is the second part of sharing our better learning manifesto diving deeper into how it guides our company vision and purpose,...
by Anuk Harvey | Jun 24, 2019 | Inspiration
Many educational leaders are finding that traditional forms of education are not keeping students engaged, nor assisting students in taking responsibility for their own learning or providing opportunities for students to work together. Equipping learners with the...
by Anuk Harvey | Jun 20, 2019 | Inspiration
Part One of a Three Part Series: You may have read the recent interview with our CEO, Bridgitte Alomes and Douglas Magazine – it has inspired us to go deeper into our story about why Natural Pod does what it does. Manifesto: a public declaration of policy and...
by Anuk Harvey | Jun 20, 2019 | Inspiration
Research shows that ‘green’ schools provide better environments for learning because they keep students healthy and increase their focus, attention span, and memory. When teachers were asked to rate the importance of certain school features regarding sustainability...
by Anuk Harvey | Jun 11, 2019 | Inspiration
You may have heard the term ‘Green Ribbon Schools’. The Green Ribbon Schools prestigious awards program was created by the U.S. Department of Education in 2011 with the aim of recognizing select K–12 schools, K–12 districts and postsecondary institutions for a deep...
by Anuk Harvey | Jun 11, 2019 | Inspiration
Why does Natural Pod do what it does? – A conversation with the founder and CEO of Natural Pod and Alex Van Tol from Douglas Magazine. Natural Pod started out as a natural toy company in 2007 by co-founders Bridgitte Alomes and Allan Alomes. From the very...
by Anuk Harvey | Jun 4, 2019 | Inspiration
When it comes to being an authority on transforming learning spaces you may have heard of Dr. Robert Dillon. He’s worked with many teachers on how to make their classrooms more student-centred and learner friendly and has co-authored a book about the subject:...
by Anuk Harvey | Jun 4, 2019 | Inspiration
Today’s students are digital natives, meaning they were born with sophisticated technology, and will never know what it’s like to live without it. Digital literacy, however, demands more than just understanding how to use technology; it requires the ability to think...
by Anuk Harvey | May 22, 2019 | Inspiration
Why when there’s so much focus on the benefits to children of being outside in a natural environment, is there so little focus on extending those same benefits within classrooms?We recently visited a school that had a beautiful amazing outdoor space with trees and...
by Anuk Harvey | May 14, 2019 | Inspiration
Many educators are recognizing that students sitting at rows of desks for the majority of the day while a teacher lectures at the front of the room is not optimal in developing skills that foster students’ personal growth in communication, collaboration, creativity...
by Anuk Harvey | May 14, 2019 | Inspiration
Most teachers usually have the ability to change the desk configuration of their classroom. Sometimes rows work for formal instruction. Sometimes a circular formation works to conduct a class-wide conversation or other activity. And sometimes, clusters of desks allow...
by Anuk Harvey | May 7, 2019 | Inspiration
When talking about climate change, it’s our children and their children’s children that are going to be most impacted and yet many know very little about it, if anything. So who is teaching them about it? Parents or educators? One of the first surveys of its kind was...
How Young People Feel About The ‘Green New Deal’
Easy Steps To Creating A Sustainable Green Classroom
Research: How Satisfied Are Educators With School Renovation Projects
The Top Skills Students Need For Tomorrow’s Jobs
Moving Away From Those Rigid Rows Of Desks
Research: Considering Pedagogical Goals When Designing Learning Spaces
Why Purposeful Business Is Better For Everyone
‘Redesigning Learning Spaces’ – Book Review
How Shaping Learning Environments, Shapes Learning
Research: New Learning Environments Support New Styles Of Learning
Why Good Design Is Important For Education
Research: What Do Teachers Think About School Sustainability Initiatives?
Celebrating Green Ribbon Schools
It’s Only Natural – Douglas Magazine Features Interview with Natural Pod CEO, Bridgitte Alomes
How To Make Your Classroom More Learner Friendly