Arbutus – Arbutus menziesii – qw əqw əy-íłch (Saanich)

Habitat: Dry, rocky sites exposed to sunlight, often grows with Garry oak. Grows with Douglas fir in deeper soil to reach maximum height. Traditional use: Leaves and bark were…

Garry Oak – Quercus garryana – Chəng’-éłch (Saanich)

Habitat: Small, scrubby specimens grow in dense groves on rocky hilltops, and large individuals in rich-soiled meadows and parkland Traditional use: Acorns were gathered and consumed. A tea was…

Free Inquiry: Effective Warmups for Skating

I’ve been scouring YouTube for videos outlining the best stretches to do before going skateboarding. I was looking at videos that seemed similar until I found one that…

Trevor MacKenzie’s Virtual Visit

Last week we had a visit from Oak Bay High teacher Trevor MacKenzie, who’s also the author of a new book on teaching with an inquiry-based approach called…

Free Inquiry: Progress + Setback

So I could say that, in a way, I made another small step forward at the skatepark this weekend. I learned how to boardslide down a rail, which…

Free Inquiry: Some Progress at the Skatepark

The other day I had a decent session at the skatepark. I felt a lot more confident on my board and was able to relearn some old tricks…

The Social Dilemma: Deeply Disturbing

The first time I tried to watch Netflix’s The Social Dilemma, a documentary about the ill effects of social media on both individuals and society, I wasn’t in the…

Jeff Hopkins and the New-School

On Friday we had a visit from Jeff Hopkins, founder of PSII, the Pacific School Innovation & Inquiry, who I had first seen speak in his compelling TedTalk…

Teachers and Social Media

This post is coming quite late, as I’ve had some time to think over the implications of what Jesse Miller talked about in his presentation for us a…

Free Inquiry: Show Me The Way

I’ve gotten a little behind in my free inquiry activities, partially because of the rainy weather and partially because my other classes have gotten progressively more hectic. Since…