These days, those of us who care about the well-being of children can be deeply concerned about the effects of technology. It can seem like tech does not have a place in environmental education when students are already struggling with screen addictions....
At Natural Pod, we know the design and furnishing of learning spaces influences education outcomes. Recently, Fast Company published a great article outlining some of their own findings on this important topic. Students spend an average of 11,700 hours of their lives...
Teachers give us so much. A boost of confidence when we really need one. Extra help when we’re having trouble. A welcoming presence when everything else seems out of control. And though we know we can’t ever thank them enough, we can take a moment during National...
Over the years, the sustainable procurement movement has helped us reduce our use of virgin material, shrink our carbon impact, and procure more goods and services from local organizations. One thing the movement hasn’t done enough of is remind us to focus on the end...
Are you in the lower BC mainland area and working in the education field? Join us and numerous other vendors at the 2018 BC Primary Teachers’ Association Educational Marketplace. This is an outstanding opportunity to meet with and see many different kinds of...
The maker movement has taken on a life of its own over the last few years. K-12 schools are starting to jump on the bandwagon too, creating makerspaces of their own. What is a makerspace? Picture shop or industrial arts class only made over for 21st century learning....
A movement cannot rely on just one person or organization to grow and create change in the world. It requires many helping hands, working together, lifting each other up. At the Green Schools National Network (GSNN), nurturing long-lasting, meaningful partnerships...
Being a young person today is not easy. Many are under stress to perform well in school, get into a good college, or excel on the playing field. But what about students who are stressed because they need to earn money to put food on the table for their family? Or...
Today’s students are pretty tech savvy. From iPhones to tablets, most children attending school today have grown up with technology as part of their everyday lives. These “digital natives” know how to use these devices to communicate too – from texting to blogging to...
The majority of us have gone through the K-12 education system, and have studied many school subjects along the way—some may have interested us, others, maybe not. A recent Gallup study shows that mathematics is considered to be the most “valuable” subject...
Tomorrow’s work environments will likely bear little resemblance to the office spaces of yesterday and today. Open floor plans, co-op workspaces, and remote work are becoming the norm, and more employees are leaving the corporate world to freelance. The rise of the...
The role of teaching has evolved. No longer are we the carriers of knowledge, giving it to students and assessing if they can repeat facts successfully. We are, instead, tasked with teaching students how to find answers themselves. And it all starts with a simple...
The name Kepler is synonymous with discovery. From the Kepler Telescope NASA uses to discover distant planets to the namesake Johannes Kepler, who discovered the laws of planetary motion – “Kepler” means big things. At Kepler Academy, they use the same ambitious...
Brittany came to us in October 2015 inspired to open an all natural daycare in Maple Ridge for spring/summer of 2016. As a new business start up in a new geographical location – we worked together to create the dream space that Brittany was envisioning. From...
Some might argue that creativity in the classroom is a lost art. In many classrooms, this truth is playing out on a daily basis. High stakes testing and meeting local/state/provincial/national standards has put a damper on creativity in our schools and that is not a...
The 1000 Women Child Care Centre, operated by the Intercultural Child and Family Centre, offers a total of 56 spaces for children 12 months to five years of age. Spaces are open to children of NorQuest College students and employees, and the general community. As part...
On a recent trip to Toronto we were delighted to be able to visit one of our clients projects at Richland Academy. Richland Academy are a warm and welcoming International Baccalaureate candidate school in Richmond Hill, Ontario. They are a 21st century learning...
Watch the students in the Flexible Studies Program at École Secondaire Reynolds Secondary School work together to create their new Natural Pod better learning environment. Flexible Studies Program is designed for students interested in a structured inquiry-based...
Making learning meaningful is important to children’s understanding of the learning concepts and the world around them. Teachers make learning meaningful when they, link new learning to children’s previous experience, relate concepts to children’s lives and provide...
Creating change at the school district level is hard. Systemic changes need to be implemented. Educational programs and teaching and learning focus needs to be shifted. Culture needs to be created and supported. These efforts require careful coordination and change...
Indoor Air Quality: Why it’s Critical for Healthy Learning Environments + Young Learners
