The Optania blog
Caring technologies are at the heart of the Optania blog. You are a teacher, a school administrator, a parent or a student and are interested in education? Follow us to learn more about the integration of technologies in the classroom, innovative pedagogies, the school of the future and more...
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Choosing a therapist
Alexandra Verreault,
In a previous post, I offered you some food for thought regarding the right time to see a therapist. If you decided to go for it, good job! That takes a lot of courage. Now that you've made your choice, you have a few not-so-easy steps to take before your first appointment. Here is a series of posts meant to help demystify the process by explaining what you can expect once you’ve decided to seek the help of a therapist.
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Supporting My Child’s Teacher
Julie Palin,
My child tells me about an injustice that happened at school. My protective instinct quickly kicks in and urges me to defend my child and, in my emotional state, I agree that he is completely in the right. So, I pick up the phone to defend my little one…
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Knowing How to Listen
Alexandra Verreault,
How many times have you felt powerless when faced with the suffering of another person? How many times have you looked for the right thing to say, the right gesture, or the right attitude? How do you cheer someone up without seeming dismissive, or show your compassion without being over the top?
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Shining a light of kindness
Nancy Boisvert,
September 10, 2018, will be the 16th World Suicide Prevention Day. This year’s theme is Working Together to Prevent Suicide. As you may already know, this theme strikes a chord with me on both a personal and professional level. Last year I talked about my experience as a mother dealing with a child in distress. I believe that every challenge helps us grow, leads us forward and opens us to new possibilities. I have had the opportunity to use that experience in my work and to transform a challenge into an achievement.
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Dear Teachers...
Carolanne Tremblay,
Since September, you’ve been through thick and thin with your students. You’ve guided them in their educational journey and tried to plant the seed of knowledge within their fertile minds.
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The Art of Setting Your Mind at Rest During the Holidays
Carolanne Tremblay,
Summer holidays are just around the corner or might have even started already! The energy of the end of classes manages to keep you well anchored in the present moment and allows you to continue accompanying your students in a dynamic way. But once summer arrives, it's not necessarily easy to set your mind at rest. Personally, when the school year ended, I needed several weeks to completely let go of my school year and really enjoy my holiday.
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I am an educator...
Carolanne Tremblay,
What does it mean to be an educator? In French, we often hear teachers talking about being a good educator, but what do they mean by that?
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When is the Right Moment to See a Mental Health Professional?
Alexandra Verreault,
This May 7-13 is the 67th Mental Health Week and this year’s theme is “Take Action to Find Meaning.” For the occasion, we at Optania decided to talk about psychotherapy, which is a great way to help find meaning in our choices, our behaviour and our emotions, and also to take care of ourselves and our mental health.
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The Importance of Being a Role Model
Carolanne Tremblay,
My mother always told me that the important thing in life is to “practice what you preach”, meaning that if you expect something from others, you should also live up to those expectations.
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Ode to My Former Students
Carolanne Tremblay,
Quick background: I quit teaching less than two years ago. For 10 years, I taught a program called Responsible Citizenship to 12- to 17-year-old students for five consecutive years. These students were particularly committed to changing the world and left an indelible mark in my professional life.
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