After my time with George in March I was able to reflect on my practice as an educator. I read the second chapter and was drawn to the points about having empathy for our students in how they learn best. “Do the learning experiences you create mimic the type of learning you expect to engage in?” (p.39) “Is there a better way?” (p. 42) Since the beginning of the school year I have really been pushing myself to change my math practice to create more hands on learning. Not just hands on learning in terms of having math materials on shelves but allowing the students to make their own discoveries around a main topic. I have been allowing groups of students to visit a math centre based around a question posted i.e. “What can you discover about capacity?” I had various containers, paper, pencils and materials such as water, beans and cotton balls laid out for them to discover with. During this time I would have the others students working independently while I could listen to the conversations that were going on at the math centre and record what I was hearing. At the end of math I would invite some of those students to share what they discovered at the math centre that day with the rest of the class. The student’s were so engaged in their conversations and were excited to share what they discovered with the class.
I think I am moving in the right direction in terms of the innovator’s mindset. I want my students to have more than just worksheet experiences in math and sitting at the carpet and me telling them how to solve math facts. If I go back to decision that made me change my practice, it probably was from my own experience as a new mom, what would I want from my own daughter’s early years teacher? A teacher who believed in play based learning with hands on experiences or a teacher who was old fashioned in her teaching style? The first one would appeal to me more as a mom. I’m excited to see what else I can come up with for my math practice in the classroom. I’m sure George’s book and the conversations we will have during these sessions will inspire me with more ideas. 
Shannon McMurtry
Grade 1 Teacher
Grosvenor School
Cluster 1996