EDFT, FEB.5Th

Discussion of potential class cancellation due to personal injury (hamstring).
Encouragement to appreciate wellness and enjoy outdoor activities despite potential personal health issues.
Acknowledgment of illness impacting family (e.g., son’s illness).
Commentary on how illness can disrupt planned routines, leading to necessary adjustments.

Personal anecdote of reduced sleep due to son’s illness (coughing).
Admission that lack of sleep might affect clarity of thought and articulate speech.

Workshop Opportunity:
- Aim: Fine-tune topics and strategize for information gathering.
- Importance of identifying and sourcing information effectively.
- Recommendation to create a clear action plan for tasks leading to symposium preparation.
Class Structure:
- Next week’s schedule includes reading meetings, without dedicated group time for work.
- Importance of preparation for class discussions and maintaining engagement despite reduced structured time.

Anxiety often stems from feeling stuck or unclear about tasks and deadlines.
Clarity in task division and responsibility helps mitigate anxiety in group contexts.
Emphasis on the enjoyment and positive aspects of collaborative work on topics of interest.

Introduction of the fourth theme of the term, highlighting a narrative arc throughout the course.
Encouragement to engage in open-ended inquiry and reflective questioning about education and self-belief.
Invitation to connect experiences with professional questions and insights.

Education’s impactful role in society acknowledged; discussion on historical context of public education’s purpose.
Reference to early architects of public education and notions of indoctrination as foundational concepts.
Examination of individual teachers' potential impact on multiple students and, by extension, entire schools or divisions.
Reflective consideration of the responsibility of educators in understanding their influence within the education system.

Introduction to educational foundations courses, focusing on societal impact and prospective engagement.
Recommended broad perspective on educational inquiry from a learning theory standpoint.
Description of the dual focus on specific topics alongside broader strategic approaches to education.

Engagement with difficult questions as a natural part of educational inquiry.
- Recognition of emotional resistance when confronting challenging themes.
- Strategies necessary for educators to manage strong feelings encountered in these areas.
Anecdote from speaker's experience in a master’s program regarding identifying a "prophetic vision" for education.
- Definition: Understanding one's ideal of the good in education, as articulated by Maxine Greene.

Identification of key inquiry areas under an umbrella framework:
- Emphasis on Social Justice and Environmental Education.
- Relevant areas include Equity, Diversity, Inclusion (EDI), Indigeneity, Decolonization, and Reconciliation.
- Recognition of how these fields intersect and support each other.

Two primary lines of inquiry framework:
- What kind of world do we want to build? (Universal goodwill question)
- Tensions and contradictions existing within systems that impede progress toward that world.
- Necessity of interrogating underlying beliefs, values, and structures that may obstruct transformation.

Identification of universal values in education, including:
- Care, compassion, dignity, belonging, and justice.
- Importance of nurturing a sense of belonging for children and youth in educational environments.
- Recognition of mutual understanding in interpersonal relationships and education.

System health includes:
- Diverse health factors affecting individual, family, community, and ecological balances.
- Reinforcement of the idea that no individual would advocate for unhealthy systems or conditions.
Dynamic balance as essential for maintaining systemic health and avoiding collapse due to disruption.

Intergenerational protection as a guiding principle for educators.
- Focus on developing systems that support health and sustainability for future generations.

Recognition of the paradox regarding the difficulty of engaging with themes of social and ecological justice in education.
Exploration of barriers to learning and inquiry in this realm and the necessity of ongoing discussion among students in future sessions.

Invitation for students to workshop their symposium topics in groups, with encouragement to ask questions.