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Day 71: Lori Gale, Learning Leader, Robert Thirsk High School

12/3/2015

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As the winter break slowly ambles toward us, the Students, Teachers, Learning Leaders and Admin are all quickly ramping up our various activities. Diploma exams are around the corner, various final and mid-term assessments are imminent. Teachers are finding ways to finish their respective programs of study; kids are scrambling to hand in work- maybe a little late sometimes.

We’re finishing up the semester with challenging tasks, wrapping up long term projects, and getting those all-important marks back to kids so that they can start applying to universities, colleges and other post-secondary destinations. We’ve got workshops to learn study habits, how to tackle the diploma exams, how to live on a budget when you’re off at school and out of the house for the first time, and how to write an effective valedictory speech. It’s only December but the kids are preparing to leave us behind. We’re figuring out ways to make that happen for them and with them. Sure we have another semester to go but in no time it’ll be time to plan for graduation (ya gotta rent that limo and buy a beautiful dress you know!). Kids will be receiving their acceptance letters to schools all over the world, or making travel plans for the summer or their hotly anticipated gap year.

We prepare to say goodbye to cherished colleagues as they move on to different challenges. We prepare to say goodbye to the students, for whom we have made meticulous lesson plans, organised fun class time activities, whose feet we’ve held to the fire, and who we have comforted, consoled and encouraged over the last three years. Here at Robert Thirsk High School, and at schools all over this city, province and country, we care about kids. We want them to move on to bigger and better challenges. We’ve offered them plenty of opportunity to succeed, challenge themselves, and yes- get plenty of help and encouragement from the adults in the building that deeply care about them. Yes, we do offer the chance to reassess, challenge outcomes, and develop competencies. In short- we offer them the chance to help themselves to become the successes that we know they can be.

It’s tough to think about saying goodbye, even when it’s seven months away, but that’s the job. That’s the hardest part of this whole endeavour- but that’s the job. So, for now we put a pin in it. We finish those diplomas, we mark the assignments and help kids plan for life after high school, and we both anticipate and dread the day when our kids leave us. ‘Cause that’s who they are, OUR KIDS. 


Lori Gale (@lmagale) is an LL at Robert Thirsk HS, a judgmental music fan, sometime painter, full-time sarcasm dispenser- & BEYOND proud to be Thirsky!

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Day 70: Annette Bennett, Learning Commons Assistant, Nose Creek School

12/2/2015

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I have learned that an important part  to having a successful Learning Commons in a middle school requires student involvement. By having the students involved in the decision making process we have created an awesome place for them to learn, create, collaborate and be.

When we opened Nose Creek School in 2012 ( grade 4-9) we decided that it would be a space for the students of our school. A space for them to want to be, feel comfortable in visiting and place to showcase their work. Not a space to store books, av equipment or teacher resources and definitely not a quiet space.

We wanted their input. We promoted this to them through announcements and the teachers asked for their input during their T.A. (teacher advisory classes). This created  a lot excitement and suddenly  we had long lists of books, games, and  furniture that was recommend by the students.

Our learning Commons has many student L.C. Assistants from every grade . They help with book fairs, shelving books, closing blinds, taking care of the  technology and tidying. They are key to making our Learning Commons successful.

In the future we plan to establish a Student Learning Commons team and maker stations operated and lead by students for students. The Student Learning Commons team will help us come up  with ideas on how to make this an even better space.

Going into our fourth year our Learning Commons is still very busy.  Students are there all day and even after school we have a hard time getting them to leave. It is truly “their” space.  

The Learning Commons always has different things to see and do.  Including new books, puzzles, art work (created by the students), board games  and of course the newest, coolest thing - the 3d printer.
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Annette Bennett (@BennettAnnett) is a Learning Commons Assistant at Nose Creek Middle School and is the mother of two giant male children. She is a pusher of books who loves to learn and explore.
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Day 69: Roy Strum, Assistant Principal, Falconridge School

12/1/2015

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Instructional Design and Assessment in Elementary Physical Education

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How do evidence we learning in elementary physical education? Can we use the Friesen’s Teacher Effective Framework and the CBE Personalization of Learning strategy to be more intentional in instructional design and assessment in elementary physical education?  How does the new articulation of physical literacy become actioned through curriculum? These are some of the questions that PE Specialist Laina Barley (@falconridgepe) and myself are endeavouring to action this school year at Falconridge School @falconridgecbe.

We plan to be intentional about instructional design in physical education, to gather evidence of learning, to ensure learning outcomes are addressed, to focus the teaching on building of fundamental movement skills progressing to fundamental sport skills, and to document all of this through either video or pictures.  Laina and I are already scheduled to present our work at Shaping the Future conference,  CCTC and will submit a proposal for HPEC conference.  We think that it can generate some rich conversation about pedagogy in elementary physical education.   Our sense is that teachers are interested in this conversation; in moving teaching practice in elementary phys ed to a practice that is based on intellectual engagement, academic rigour, embedded assessment, and filled with worthwhile tasks all of which measure student attainment of AB Program of Studies PE outcomes.

Follow us on twitter or look for updates on the work on my blog roystrum.wordpress.com

Roy Strum (@RoyStrumAP) Assistant Principal, Falconridge School

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