learner voice

ENGAGE . INSPIRE . CONNECT

Welcome to the REiL Blog

How can "tricky" situations teach us about flexibility, creative approaches, and being connected with ourselves and others? How can acknowledging what unsettles us carve out space for insight, humor, and calm? In the REiL Blog, we take a closer look at these and other questions.

For more information, e-mail Katy at REiLlearning@gmail.com

Katy Bigsby

Jun 27
2 min

The power (and frustration!) of "No"

I was asked for my thoughts on the notion of never saying "no" to a child at a session I facilitated recently. I responded that I was not...

Katy Bigsby

Jan 4
1 min

What we can learn from the Arts

The Arts provide a bridge to being heard, sharing one's truth, being connected with others and working to change structural inequities....

Katy Bigsby

Oct 7, 2022
1 min

Co-creating learning

In sessions I facilitate I'm often asked two questions when it comes to co-creating learning: 1) Is it okay to co-create learning with...

Katy Bigsby

Sep 16, 2022
2 min

Sister song

I'm so pleased to share my first guest post written by my mom! I'm grateful to her for sharing her piece and to Sister Song for their...

Katy Bigsby

Apr 29, 2022
1 min

What is REiL Learning?

A play on words for what is “real” – infusing imagination & creativity into the experience of learning. Think BIG picture. REiL Learning...

Katy Bigsby

Apr 14, 2022
1 min

Being proactive

Proactive approaches, such as co-creating guidelines do not eliminate challenging behaviors, but can reduce the number of occurrences....

Is your default learning model empowering?

Katy Bigsby

Apr 7, 2022
1 min

Is your default learning model empowering?

You may have heard of Paulo Freire's banking model. Here, the teacher or instructor holds all the wisdom and knowledge. The student is...

Katy Bigsby

Mar 31, 2022
1 min

Building rapport

Rapport can be dismissed or seen as not essential in some spaces. My research found it is key to facilitating engaging, meaningful...

Katy Bigsby

Mar 24, 2022
1 min

Rapport - the ground we walk on

In the work I do supporting learning facilitators, I've noticed that they tend to have a strong capacity to build rapport. I define...

Infusing imagination & creativity into practice

Katy Bigsby

Mar 17, 2022
1 min

Infusing imagination & creativity into practice

I'm an educational consultant, but a more apt title would be learning designer. I’m like an interior designer, except instead of...

Katy Bigsby

Mar 9, 2022
1 min

Reclaiming creativity

In grade 3, I was not chosen to be part of the Gifted, Talented, and Creative ("GTC") group at school - and I so wanted to be. I remember...

Katy Bigsby

Mar 2, 2022
1 min

Engagement in action

Many years ago, when I was an educator, I sat watching a school play and thought – what if the students created the story and wrote the...

Katy Bigsby

Feb 24, 2022
1 min

Engagement - Beyond participation

So glad you’re reading my first REiL learning Blog entry! Every Thursday, I’ll post a new one. Something about learning, the magic of...

Welcome to the REiL Blog

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