This week, our primary students took a fascinating journey back in time to explore Viking culture in their assembly. From their seafaring adventures to their daily lives, the students uncovered how the Vikings communicated, traded, and built communities—concepts that connect deeply with our broader learning goals across the school.
As educators, we continually seek ways to make learning engaging, relevant, and concept-driven. The Vikings offer a perfect example of how societies develop, adapt, and share knowledge, mirroring the way we encourage our students to collaborate and inquire. The assembly reminded us that history is not just about the past; it’s a powerful lens through which we can examine our own world, fostering curiosity and critical thinking.
How might we, like the Vikings, harness the power of exploration and communication in our learning journeys?
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Building Conceptual Understandings in Teaching and Learning
This afternoon, as part of our professional development, we explored how to craft meaningful conceptual understandings, drawing on the work of Erickson and Lanning. A key takeaway was the shift from merely stating topics to articulating deeper, transferable ideas that connect learning using concepts.
We discussed how strong conceptual understandings move beyond facts and processes, helping students make sense of the world by recognizing patterns, relationships, and broader principles. By refining the way we frame these understandings, we empower students to think critically and apply their learning in new contexts.
This session reinforced the importance of precision in our language—choosing words that invite inquiry, spark curiosity, and encourage deeper connections. As we continue this work we will be empowering our learners to do the heavy lifting rather than simply relying on the teacher to tell them the answer!
