Merry Christmas from the Challenge Centre at Brock Elementary

This term has been one of great change for myself at the Challenge Centre.  There has been many changes in the back end of our programming, however, our program delivery has remained the same and we are in full swing!

I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful new year.  See you in 2014! 

The Amazing Brain

In October we hosted the Amazing Brain Workshop for Grade 6 and 7 students. What was the Amazing Brain about?  This workshop was for students who have an Individual Education Plan and want to learn more about themselves as learners.

On the first day, we looked at the brain in order to understand how we learn.

 On the second day, we looked at ourselves as learners...what are out strengths and weaknesses as learners.

 On the third day, we looked at IEP's:  what they are, what they contain, and 
what this document means.  Realizing that our students learn in many different contexts and have many different situations, (some students have never seen their IEP,) we used this as a session to talk generally about goals.

 What goals to they have for themselves as learners?  What areas do they have to work on is school?  What areas do they need to be "stretched" in?  What areas do they need support?

 Finally, we wanted students to discover how to be advocates for themselves:  how to understand their needs as learners, and how to shape their education.

 Here students are creating art: self portraits.

 Time lines about their lives:  present, one year from now, 3 years from now, 5 years from now, and as an adult.

Creating Programs around need

This year we have asked for schools to submit applications for students who are in need of programming, and our team has decided to create programs around the interests and abilities of these students.  So, we asked schools to have conversations about their high ability students.....who needs a program?  Who would benefit from an enrichment program? Who needs to meet other like minded students in order to make connections in their learning?  Who would benefit from being challenged in an intellectual environment?

From there we have grouped students via their area of needing enrichment and extension.   We have found, via this process, that the interests fall into some common academic areas such as writing, math, science, critical and creative thinking, reading, and leadership.  So, instead of publishing our programs and schools signing up for the programs, we are creating programs based on need.

Over the next two weeks, schools will be sent invitations for our programs.  We are starting the year by servicing our grade 6 and 7 students and we will be offering the following programs:

Speech Arts
Math
Writing
Engineering
Book club
Special projects

We will be letting schools know about grade 4 and 5 programs and the primary programs over the next week.

Programs will begin in early November.  We look forward to working with students!

Deadline for Applications for Programs: October 10th, 2013

For classroom, resource teachers, and administrators that could not attend one of our nine Family of Schools Contact Meetings, our deadline for all programs this year is October 10, 2013.  

We have chosen this date early in the year so that we can place students in programs and let the schools know by mid November whether or not a student has received programming for the 2013-14 school year.  Unlike previous years, we want to let the schools know their programming options for the entire year, and not staggered, like before.  This is part of our job to refine our servicing model for schools.

So please tell your schools to be mindful of the deadline:  October 10th, 2013!

Deadline for Applications for Programs: October 10th, 2013

For classroom, resource teachers, and administrators that could not attend one of our nine Family of Schools Contact Meetings, our deadline for all programs this year is October 10, 2013.  

We have chosen this date early in the year so that we can place students in programs and let the schools know by mid November whether or not a student has received programming for the 2013-14 school year.  Unlike previous years, we want to let the schools know their programming options for the entire year, and not staggered, like before.  This is part of our job to refine our servicing model for schools.

So please tell your schools to be mindful of the deadline:  October 10th, 2013!

A great Blog for Our Twice Exceptional Learners

Part of my job is to help program, teach, and provide support for our Twice Exceptional Learners, which are our gifted students that have another exceptionality.  A great link is this blog called the 2e Newsletter.  This blog has links to articles, current research, and events in the 2e community.  It is a great resource for teachers, counsellors, and parents.

As well, you can subscribe to the newsletter, which will be sent to you in pdf format.  Here's a link to the actual  2e newsletter.

Happy Teaching!

Changes in the Challenge Centre Program

As we finish off our first three weeks of school, our team has met with resource, classroom teachers, and administrators in an attempt to discuss program options and how we are developing our response to the needs of schools.   

1.  First of all, the "advanced differentiation team" as we now call ourselves (we are trying to phase out the term 'gifted') is in the process of holding nine different meetings throughout the district informing resource teachers, classroom teachers, and administrators about our new programs and the new process for applying to our programs.  We have moved forward from holding "one" information meeting at the end of September to branching out and meeting elementary school teams in their "family of schools" areas. We are trying to meet with teams to dialogue, answer questions, and to make the connection around our highly able students who need programming.    We have already held five meetings and we are in the process of meeting with more schools in the upcoming week.  Here is our schedule:

We are asking elementary schools to come in their Family of Schools area - basically under the umbrella of the high school they are part of.

         Date:                 Location of Meeting:      Elementary Schools Serviced
                                                                   Under Family of Schools
                                                                   Umbrella: 

 1.  September 11th:  Sexsmith Elementary       Hamber/Churchill schools

 2.  September 12th:  Kerrisdale Elementary      Point Grey/Prince of Wales/
                                                                   Magee schools

 3.  September 16th:  Mackenzie Elementary      Kitsilano/King George schools

 4.  September 17th:  Mackenzie Elementary      Killarney/Windemere schools

 5.  September 18th:  Mackenzie Elementary      Britannia/Templeton/Van Tech 

 6.  September 23rd:  Mackenzie Elementary     David Thompson/Gladstone 

 7.  September 24th:  Mackenzie Elementary     John Oliver/Tupper schools

 8. September 25th:  Dr. A. R. Lord Elementary  Family of Schools Catch Up 

 9.   September 26th:  Queen Mary Elementary   Lord Byng/ Uhill schools


2.  We have significantly revised our application form for programs.  Traditionally, an application was filled out for each program for each student, and for some schools, we would receive many applications that would take an vast amount of time to complete.  So we have made the application process more stream-lined, and we have asked the schools to submit applications once the schools have talked about the needs of their students.  We are trying to change the process.   Often, teachers are searching for a "grade specific" program for their students, and fill out applications so that "something" is done for the students.  We are asking the schools to look closely at the needs of their pupils, and create a learning profile of their kids, and submit the application to us with a priority list that details who really needs the service.  Thus, we are not asking schools to apply to a particular program, but rather, to apply to a specific area of interest for the child, and we will create the program around the needs of the students. 

These two major changes are what we are working on right now.  We will fill you in with updates as we move through the year.  We are also in the process of developing a newsletter that will provide information about programs, resources, and professional development opportunities throughout the year.  

Thank you for bearing with us during these exciting times.  We will continually keep you updated with our new processes this fall.  Welcome to  Autumn!

Welcome Back to the 2013-2014 School Year

Welcome back to the school year.  There will be significant changes in our programming in 2013-14, and we will be letting the schools know about these exciting developments soon.

I hope everyone had a restful summer.  I took a break from blogging, as I needed to regroup and disappear for a while.

I am well rested and ready to begin the year.  Have a wonderful first week, everyone!

Goodbye to the school year and hello to summer!

 This year has gone so quickly....I am in need of a lovely summer break to spend time with family.  On reflection, I saw approximately 250 students in the challenge centre!  It was great to work with students and their families, and I met lots of fantastic people.

 Next year, I have lots in store for students, and teachers!  We are refining and tweaking our services, and are making it more easier for teachers to refer students to programs.  We are changing our referral practices, and I will be updating schools about this in August.

It is going to be an exciting year!  Thank you to all our students, teachers, and parents in Vancouver...I wish you a relaxing summer vacation!  

The Finish Line is Near

As we near June, we are winding down the Challenge Centre Program.  This year, I worked 4 days, and I serviced 265 students - more than I have ever worked with before.  Consequently, this year has been busy, and I have had a difficult time keeping on top of the administrative duties of my job.  I chose to service students over paperwork, and now the paperwork is looming.

If you have not yet received a "challenge centre certificate", you will be receiving one by mid June. My goal is that the certificates will go home with the child's final report.

As well, I hope to get back to the schools, information detailing:  the students we serviced from your school, the students that did not receive servicing, and the students that were tested this year.  It is hoped that this information will be used to track students at your school, to have discussions about students that need servicing next year, and finally, for schools to make collaborative decisions about students that need enrichment and inquiry based initiatives.  We are hoping to get this to the schools in June.

Finally, there was information circulating that applications for the challenge centre for next year are due on May 31st.  This is not the case, however, we would like it if schools are beginning to think about students that need servicing next year.  Since you have worked closely with the students and know their strengths, it is good to have discussions about these students now, instead of waiting until the fall when it takes a while to get routines established with a new teacher.

So, there will be information coming out to the schools shortly.

Cracking open the Idea of Nice Looking Projects

I just had grade one students create their own fairytales, design back drops, props, and puppets.  The entire process, although really open ended, was a messy one!    I provided some visual aides, but I did not provide templates for the puppets, or the backdrop.  I also did not provide a template for the script.  

I know that if I provided these templates, that it would have been a neater process for the kids.  But, I wanted to crack open their learning and see what they could do.  Basically, I wanted them to be stuck in the messy process of creating their own fairy tale and making their own props to demonstrate their learning.   

The students were engaged!  They were inspired to work really hard and finish their projects and share with the group.  When it came time to present the fairytales, it was not a polished affair.  The students were thinking on the spot, and were improvising, and trying to put it all together.  But, it was great for them.  They were directors, designers, writers, and artists. 

Now, if I had the kids for longer, I could have refined the process.  But, I really believe in giving kids the opportunity to work under a deadline, with a focus on the process, rather than a polished product.  I think we learn a great deal this way.  It is hard for teachers to allow this process, too!  Often, we are so focused on order and having students learn the objectives, and having projects fit into a neat orderly box.  This was a very different experience for the students, but creative and student driven.

Thank you grade ones...you were such a dynamic group of learners.  I enjoyed working with you and you taught me so much!

Design Your Own Universe

 The Grade Two's had a great time creating their own universe at the Challenge Centre!  We designed our own language, and flag, and we created our own passport so that we could visit other countries.

 We learned about cultural symbols, and geography, and government, and trade.  

 Many students created their own island community.

 It was nice seeing them put their ideas together in a cohesive manner, thinking about how a civilization could exist.

The best book to use, when thinking about creating a new universe is one of my favourite books, Weslandia by Paul Fleischman.   

In Weslandia, Wesley is an outcast in his community because he is different.  For his summer project, he grows his own staple crop and begins to live off the land - eating food, creating his own language, designing his own clothes, and using his own staple crop as a source of inspiration for himself.  Soon, the kids who had been bullying him are interested in his project, and Welsey has a new fan club!

 The most fun was sharing of projects and getting our passport stamped.

Great work, grade two's!

Animalia Program

 In late April I worked with a fantastic group of naturalist/ botanist/ scientists at Brock.    These students created their own creatures naturally adapted to a biome.

Their work, and their ideas were fantastic.  

 I enjoyed the presentations.  I felt as if I was listening to graduate students discuss their research proposals!!

Always wonderful to teach these students and to have them explore The Future is Wild.  Although this DVD collection is 10 years old, the idea behind the program is very current and accessible to all students.  From watching this series, we discussed the ideas of Charles Darwin, the concept of natural selection, continental drift theories, the ice age, and global warming.

The question we pondered was, "if humans are extinct, a 100 million years in the future, what animals will evolve and exist?"  This lead to all types of speculation.  We also learned about earth's biomes and how they would change, and what types of biomes could support life.

I am hoping that a newer version of this DVD will be released in the future.  

A big thank you to this group....you were such interesting and wonderful students to work with.  I couldn't believe the ideas that were being discussed at the grade 3/4 level...concepts about the after-life, and aging, and family, and what it means to be a person.   Some of the students wanted to stay in at recess and lunch and have philosophical discussions about life.  Wow!  Truly wonderful and refreshing and good to hear.