by Chris Alexiou
Self published, 2020
ISBN 9781777058500
139 pp.
Now retired, Chris Alexiou has drawn on his 35 years experience as a teacher and school principal to write Lessons from the Schoolyard as a guide for educators seeking to create a positive learning environment for all students. Subtitled What the Principal Learned from the Kids about Creating a Great School, the book describes the process of developing programs, activities, approaches, and philosophies in two Ontario schools with the very conscious goal of helping every student succeed. The staff of these schools worked hard to engage all the stakeholders within the school community to make them feel that “this is my school.” They identified individual students at risk of being left behind and found innovative ways to meet their needs. This is an honest account of real schools’ initiatives, some successful and some that didn’t work out quite as hoped for, that will be an inspiration for new and veteran educators as they work to create welcoming and effective schools. Lessons from the Schoolyard can be purchased from Amazon or directly from Chris at chrisalexiou.com.
Review by Diana Mumford.
This review is featured in Canadian Teacher Magazine’s Winter 2021 issue.