The summer has been beautiful in Vancouver, and I hope that everyone has been enjoying the break. Three weeks until the school year begins ( I hope that we will be returning on schedule) and I am posting our tentative challenge centre programming for the 2014-15 school year:Challenge Centre Programs 2014-15: Tentative ScheduleIn June, we began the process of casting students for programs, based on school need and a good fit between student strengths and programming options. Due to job action, we could not send out the information to schools, so hopefully we will be able to do this at the beginning of the school year. Therefore, we are hoping that schools will get the information about programming in the first few weeks of school. Fingers crossed we will be back!
Hello from the Challenge Centre. I have been away for a while because of skiing: both sons are involved in ski racing and since January, I really have not had any time on the weekends to do anything but get the boys out the door with all their race gear, ski, and get them home to a good dinner. 5:30 wake up times are difficult!
The Challenge Centre has gone through many changes this year...and feedback that has come my way has shown that sending out the invitations for programs in November has had it's challenges. I know that there is a great deal of delay in finding out your child has a program spot, and the program not beginning for months and months. So, we are working on this glitch, by reminding school contacts about the programs coming up. Right now I am contacting schools about Parent Permission forms I have not yet received.
Besides that, the programs are running at full speed: I just finished Marvellous Math Grades 4/5 and I am in the middle of teaching Creative and Poetic Pursuits Grades 4/5. This will take us to Spring Break, which begins at the end of this week.
The above picture is a snapshot of a wonderful workshop I was part of two weeks ago: The International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme Training. A goal and dream of mine has been to teach the IB program someday, so I now have the training, and I am waiting for the right opportunity to present itself! I love the philosophy of IB, and it fits well with the work I have done in the challenge centre. Most notably, I try to incorporate the Learner Profile that IB schools use into our programming. So students may see and hear me talking about the kind of learner that we focus on being: reflective, inquisitive, balanced, knowledgeable, and caring learners (to name a few!)
Happy Spring Break, and I am looking forward to working with students in term three! I will soon be showing the work done with students in the last few programs!
Hello teachers, parents, students, and colleagues! I am looking forward to 2014. Yesterday, in line at the grocery store, I ran into a parent of one of my former students....and I found out that this student is 27 years old and is getting married!
It made me think...how long have I been teaching? How long have I been doing this? Sometimes it seems like FOREVER, and other times it seems like I am just beginning my career. How can my job one day make me think...."I know what I am doing and I am the expert", and the next day..."I have absolutely no idea what I am doing!"? Hmm...seems a lot like parenting...just one step ahead of the game at all times.
Well, that is the beauty of teaching...it is an ever changing and evolving job.
So, this term.... we are focusing on our grade 4-7 intermediate learners. Here are the programs being offered up to spring break.
1. Mind Your Math Gr. 6/7 January 7, 8, 14, 15/ 2014
2. Individual Projects Gr. 5/6/7 February 4, 5, 11, 12/ 2014
3. Marvellous Math Gr. 4/5 February 24, 25, 26/ 2014
4. Creative and Poetic Gr. 4/5 March 4, 5 11, 12/ 2014
Pursuits
5. Readers are Leaders Gr. 4/5/6/7 Feb. 6/ Mar. 6/ Apr. 10/ May 8/2014
For those of you new to our process, we have already accepted students for our programs this year.
In May, we will be accepting applications for the following school year - we will keep you informed about this in the spring.
Also to note: we are working with gifted and gifted twice exceptional students in our programs and we are not separating the students into different groups. We are working with all students, focusing on strengths and interests.
Next week we are learning about famous mathematicians and their theories. Welcome to 2014!
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.
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!
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.
Due to technical difficulties with my computer this week, I have been very slow in figuring out students for the last four challenge centre programs this year. I am behind...notoriously behind this year. I am learning that this is a part of life that I will have to accept this state of affairs for now. However, teachers and parents want to know if their child has been accepted. So, if you have heard by today, then the student has a spot in Design Your Universe. If you haven't heard.....then I didn't have room for your student/child!!! (I wish I did...)Here I am finally sending the emails.Boris is keeping me company, though. Thank you Boris my dear doggy.Thank you teachers and parents for waiting so patiently.
Don't you just love it....students at work...sharing ideas and projects..the best learning ever!! Loved this final project....makes me want to go to Paris and show my own kids this fantastic structure!!! For the final project, the students were given the following criteria: Design and build a strong, sturdy original structure that serves a particular purpose, and meets these criteria and specifications:- your structure must be a stationary building that serves a useful purpose
- the structure may serve either a practical or a fanciful function ( for example, it may be the eighth great wonder of the world or an underwater house that can be lived in year round)
- your structure must be freestanding
When you are finished building you must present your structure to the class. You must:- name your structure and explain its purpose
- explain how you dealt with areas of tension and compression
- show evidence of a least 3 engineering techniques
- proved reasons for your choice of materials
- tell ow your estimate of "needed materials" compares with the amount of materials actually used.
Whew! The students had all morning to build their structures, and presented them in the afternoon.We used materials that I could round up in class, and if students wanted to bring in other materials, they were allowed to do so. I provided the glue guns, although only a few students wanted to use them (I allowed them to use the glue guns only under supervision and if they were familiar with them; otherwise I wouldn't let kids use them....they can easily burn themselves).
I provided the following materials: - skewers (be careful with these so that the students do not make weapons with them....most of the students were okay with this but sometimes you get that student who is a weapon fanatic and wants to make something dangerous)
- straws, popsicle sticks, cardboard, boxes, foam core, styrofoam
- glue: white glue and paste
- all types of tape: masking, electrical, duct tape, scotch tape
- coloured paper of all sorts and textured paper
- tin foil, saran wrap, plastic baggies, coloured tissue paper and clear paper
- playing cards, poster board, modelling clay, pipe-cleaners
- boxes
Below this student created a stadium...Here we have about three projects put together...a tower with a bridge, a robot car, Here's a house with a retractable roof....H
All were original and creative....thank you Engineering students! You did a great job and you should be proud of your efforts!
