Letting go...and watching it take off

Recent end-of-term work by students in grades 7 and 8 (years 2 and 3 of MYP) covered a wide variety of material in history (Humanities) and English (Language A) class. By turns students covered topics such as the Arab spring, Vancouver hockey riots, the development of shelter in the military, and the importance of national symbols in history class. In English students examined the root causes of genocide, the power of words, and what William Shakespeare would have done with Twitter. Answer: 2B R not 2B- :).

The units of study were: the Rebellions of 1837, and A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Yet, the students were able to delve much further into the topics because the focus was concept-based rather than content-based. The shift in focus is a significant one. It is also a major tenet of the educational philosophy of the International Baccalaureate. Scholarly journals (http://blogs.ibo.org/positionpapers/2012/07/12/concept-based-teaching-and-learning/) demonstrate the importance of such an approach to teaching and learning. Making learning contextual, meaningful, and relevant to the lives of students is fundamental. Yet, as a teacher the obvious interest and expansion of learning by students is proof positive that such an approach is the way forward in education.

In letting go of the traditional modes of teaching (teacher-centered) and fostering greater student ownership of work, learning takes on an entirely new meaning. This shift has been gradual in our school, but noticeable. The level of engagement has increased and as a teacher I have been encouraged with the results. Developing and adopting the principles of the IB-MYP has allowed the process to accelerate and the uptake from students has been positive indeed.

Showtime

When I was younger and playing basketball in the 1980's the Boston Celtics-Los Angeles Lakers rivalry was in its prime. I will state my own preference upfront- Celtic Pride all the way. Perhaps not surprising for someone with my ethnic background who lived in South Boston as part of the immigrant experience. While I thoroughly enjoyed watching the Celtics and Lakers duke it out for basketball supremacy, always happy when Larry Bird and the Celtics got the upper hand, I secretly admired the Lakers for their "Showtime" brand of basketball. It was upbeat, creative, and exciting. The games were more of an event than a fixture.

It was with these sentiments in mind that I set out, along with my colleagues, to create an opportunity for students in the intermediate division of our Lower School (grades 7 and 8) to be able to showcase notable school work across all subject areas in our grade team. With an eye on the impending introduction of the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP), we wanted to create a forum whereby students would be excited to share their best work. The key components of the Intermediate Showcase were as follows:

- Personal connection (inquiry-based learning)

- Public presentation (audience/accountability)

- Lifelong learning (relevance and rigor)

Students were asked to share work that was personally relevant to them. Teachers were asked to select the best examples of that personal connection in their subject areas. The public presentation part was an audience consisting of classmates, teachers, and family members. In total there were over 125 people in our school auditorium- a facility that has a large stage space, big screen, and all the technological capacity anyone would need. The goal of course, is to inculcate a desire for lifelong learning, and an appreciation of learning for its own sake.

A variety of presentations took place. Some were live presentations including music and dance (Physical Education, Arts), others were powerpoint presentations (Humanities, Language A), still others utilized pre-recorded video (Language B), and several involved demonstrations that included a variety of media to present the work (Science, Technology, Mathematics). All subjects were represented and well-received by the audience.

As a first time exercise, the Showcase was well done and well-liked. Helpful feedback from students, teachers and guests assisted the necessary process of reflection, and moving forward, will provide the basis for improvement. While we have a long way to go to create the kind of legacy like that between Boston and LA, wouldn't it be nice if our students were able to have the same kind of exciting platform to showcase their work as basketball stars? Think of the kind of world we could create if our students' work was as valued as athletic achievements.

I will leave the final words on this post to a parent, who provided this unsolicited feedback:

"It was impressive to see the work being done by the students and I was very proud of my son's  presentation. Our experience at your school has been nothing short of outstanding.  I commend the faculty for all their time and dedication to the students in providing them with the education and tools they need to excel."

Building Bridges

As our school embarks upon the introduction of the International Baccalaureate - Middle Years Program- there are many challenges and opportunities ahead. Those who follow IB will know that the MYP program is perhaps the trickiest fit for most schools. In many ways the MYP is the critical piece in the IB continuum. It is the natural link to the work of the PYP, and it prepares students for success in the DP. I refer to it as the bridge of IB. As a stand-alone program it runs from grades 7-10, although some schools choose to offer the MYP program in year 1 (grade 6). Our school will offer it in year 2 (grade 7) because grade 7 is the start of the intermediate division in the Ontario context, and we will be offering PYP up to grade 6 level.

Because of this overlap in grades, the MYP can be found in both elementary schools and high schools. This makes for interesting planning because there is no one set model for MYP implementation. Many elementary schools in Ontario end at grade 8, while some incorporate grade 7 and 8 within high schools. Even at the same school there may be separate campuses or separate buildings for these grades as is the case with many independent schools.

All of this makes planning the MYP a more involved process. As the coordinator of a program in candidacy phase, I am still working my way through the maze of IB material. It has a language of its own- in the MYP itself there are command terms that are specific to instruction- and other descriptors that are unique. Then there are the various policy documents that need to be understood. It is all well laid out and quite manageable, but it is an undertaking nonetheless.

Fortunately there are good resources both inside and outside of my school. I have been able to rely on the advice of colleagues who have gone through (and are going through) the certification process. IB provides an expert consultant who is on hand to help you through the process. And there are plenty of excellent colleagues from other schools who are both experienced and eager to share their experiences. The workshops and courses put on by IB are also excellent resources to help understand the IB continuum.

In many ways, these opportunities and resources are like the MYP program itself- bridges to success.

Of weapons and waves

You know you are not in Canada when you see a sign like the one above. On a recent vacation to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina our family made a stop at one of America's national parks. This one is located at the New River Gorge in West Virginia. Having passed this way many times on family trips to Florida and now South Carolina, we decided to stop and take in the grandeur of this natural wonder, agreeing fully with the Mountaineer state slogan of it being "wild and wonderful." I'm glad we did so, because the view was spectacular, especially on a sunny Saturday morning early in March.

The sign above- prohibiting food, drink, pets, and firearms- from the visitor centre was a stark reminder that the U.S.A. operates far differently from Canada in the matter of gun ownership. I won't delve into the debate on gun control that is raging in the United States today, except to say that there are strong opinions on either side of the issue, and this could be seen throughout our stay in America.

Taking the time to travel a country by road is a far different proposition than flying there. While driving has its disadvantages- road and weather hazards, length of time in closed spaces- in many ways I prefer it to flying. The reason is that there is so much more to observe, notice, and learn about a country when you travel by ground. On our trip Buffalo, New York provided the entry point to the U.S.A. Its mini Gotham-like architecture and industrial base soon gave way to green and fertile land along the Erie coast, including a reminder that native Americans were the first peoples of this great continent. Entering the state of Pennsylvania at Erie, the climb up to the Allegheny mountain range was both snow-covered and pastoral. This route through the State of Independence- I think I will always remember it more fondly as the Quaker State- was deceptively long. Another industrial base passed at Pittsburgh, and then the entrance to West Virginia a relatively short while later. This part of the drive occurred late into the evening so that it made perfect sense after a day at school and a long drive to rest for the night.

Thank goodness the following morning was a beautiful one in which the sights of the majestic mountains and the river-formed gorges could be seen in splendor. Driving through the mountain tunnels and peering over the edge of the ridge as you enter Virginia is both awe-inspiring and filled with trepidation. The steady descent through Old Dominion provides a nice contrast once the farms filled with horses come into view and the landscape evens out. The plains are even more evident once inside the state of North Carolina with the rich tradition of tobacco farming as clear as the red sandy soil. Winston-Salem and the cities surrounding it are a reminder of a time when tobacco was king in these parts. It is impossible to miss the evidence of the conditions which allowed this industry to profit- an agricultural economy, a plentiful cash crop, and a cheap and plentiful source of labour.

Sun-baked and flat, the land of South Carolina is very much like its northern neighbor, and driving through places such as Marlboro County, the small towns of the Palmetto state hearken back to a time when things seemed to move slower and life was less complicated. Of course none of this can be ascertained with anything like certainty when you are only passing through a place, but geography and history shape the present regardless of the place.

Even for a teacher of the social sciences this was of course, not the final destination. The Atlantic coast beckoned despite the feeling that the closer one got, the slower time seemed, almost like an ebbing tide. Holiday travel always seems to slow the closer you get to the end, especially when it is a beach you are trying to get to. Nonetheless, it was a great relief to finally arrive at North Myrtle Beach and hear the sounds of the waves breaking along the Grand Strand. The fourteen hour drive was taken over two days- deliberately so. It afforded our family the opportunity to see, experience, and learn more about our closest neighbor than a simple airport shuttle. The drive back was equally rewarding and enlightening.

Children... Amazing and Inspiring

Children have the ability to amaze their parents. Every once in a while my own children do something that is uniquely their own and I wonder to myself, how did that come about? Where did they get the inspiration to take on this challenge, accomplish that goal, or dream up such plans?

A little over a year ago I found myself asking these questions when our middle child (Jacqueline) approached us to express an interest in going to Kenya on a service trip with the Me2We organization. She and her close friend (Jaime) had been inspired to participate in a summer excursion after attending the mega event known as We Day- a combination of rock concert and social consciousness awareness. Started by the Kielburger brothers and the foundation they established-Free the Children-the traveling roadshow of We Day brings together a host of people committed to making a positive difference in their own communities and the world as a whole. Al Gore, Nelly Furtado, Martin Sheen, Justin Bieber, Romeo Dallaire, and the Dalai Lama are amongst those who have spoken and performed at We Day, many sharing the same stage on the same day in a free event filled with energy and fueled by youthful enthusiasm and much adolescent screaming. 

The catch for this free event? Each person present needs to demonstrate a willingness to make a difference in the world, however great or small that difference may be. All leave with a renewed enthusiasm for life, many commit to making immediate positive change, and a good many take on the challenge of the service trip. For Jacqueline and Jaime that involved Kenya. They committed to fundraising and awareness raising in a manner that caused both sets of parents to take notice and ask the very questions outlined at the start of this blog entry.

Needless to say it was a significant event in their young lives, and through the contributions of friends and family, and the generosity of a company known as Savanta, the girls were able to live out this mission that their parents had no idea existed. Although the experience of going to Kenya in east Africa was sufficient unto itself, it was only the beginning of a journey that continues to deepen and broaden their horizons.

Helping to build a school in the rural village of Kisaruni, encountering the richness of Masai culture, and assisting locals to access life-sustaining water were formative moments unto themselves. It just so happened that the founder of the organization, Craig Kielburger, was on site to assist their endeavors. He was in Kenya with one of the organization's motivational speakers, Spencer West, who had just completed the remarkable feat of climbing the highest peak in Africa- Mount Kilimanjaro. It is all the more remarkable when you consider that Spencer has no legs, having made the climb partly on wheelchair, and mostly on his hands, and totally with the support of a team of friends. 

Spencer is a man who makes friends easily. He is perhaps the most inspiring person that I have ever encountered, and his message of hope transcends generations. He made a huge impact on the girls in Kenya and has helped propel their journey forward. Upon returning to Canada they vowed to have Spencer speak at their school, and again through corporate generosity  ( MGI Gordon) and a supportive school administration he was able to speak at Ridley College on a wet and cold winter night in January. His message was warmly received and embraced by a full house of students and their families, newly inspired to make a positive change.

As you can imagine, the desire to commit to international service has continued. This summer the goal is India. In less than six months Jaime and Jacqueline aim to embark upon a mission to assist a rural community, Udaipur, in western India. Again, school building will feature on this trip, as will local sustainability.

Friends, family, and generous benefactors gave the initiative a boost on a fun evening at a local restaurant (Frescos) that featured fine food,  terrific company, and goods and services provided by socially conscious local businesses. 

I guess it isn't just children who amaze, but these children (and many others) are truly amazing in what they have set out to do-make a positive impact both locally and globally.

Click below to view a short video made by the girls.

From Kenya to India

Click again if you would consider contributing to this Me2We service trip.

Me2We Fundraising Page

Disclaimer: We continue to be proud and amazed by the efforts and accomplishments of each of our children. Indeed, all children have the capacity to do amazing things.

Flipping Over into 2013

Much of the writing in the area of the use of technology in academic leadership revolves around the method known as "flipping". Flipping the classroom and Flipping the Staffroom are terms that are synonymous with this movement. The methods, although varied, basically involve changing or flipping the order of information to produce greater interaction between students or staff members during common meeting times- classes, staff meetings. To my mind it places on the back burner the broadcast aspect (lectures, note taking, announcements, bulletin items) that have traditionally featured prominently in schools, replaced by more productive interchange between participants during common meeting times.

There are a variety of ways in which teachers and school leaders can us the flip method. Sending out information using power points, videos, notes, that contains the broadcast elements in advance allows recipients the opportunity to review and become familiar with material. Thus, the common meeting time can focus on planning, discussing, and examining matters of mutual interest.

While I have only a limited experience of working with this method I have vowed to use it to a greater extent in 2013. I have found that "front-end loading" the information allows recipients (students, staff) to examine the material at a time and pace that the individual is most comfortable with. Of course it presupposes that individuals will read or become familiar with the material and be ready to discuss the content productively. This takes time, but being conscious of time is perhaps the greatest strength of this method. Let's face it, using time productively is critical in today's learning environment for both students and staff alike- not to mention families. Respecting that no class or meeting should be designed with activity that can be described as "fillers" - non-productive and limited in engagement- is a key driver behind this initiative.

With the first week of school in 2013 just completed, I look forward to assessing the value of this program in both the classrooms and meetings that I am involved with. As the calendar turns over, so too does the imperative to flip.

Freedom Friday... Christmas Edition

One on the benefits of a school schedule that runs until a mere four days before Christmas is that it allows for a built-in excuse that is like the sound of music to the ears of a procrastinating shopper- why shop today for what you know can be bought tomorrow? That's what Christmas eve is for anyway. As I sit in my favorite coffee shop (shout out to Coffee Culture), avoiding the stores and malls, I found something else to do that doesn't involve the exchange of cash- blogging. A quick glance to the calendar tells me that there are three more days to get the few presents that my family allows me to be responsible for. Before you get the idea that I don't like Christmas, let me set the record straight- I love Christmas, just not the attendant shopping that comes with it. I said as much to my students on the last day of school before the holiday break. I told them that I love Christmas carols, the sweets and treats that come with the season, and of course the movie classics that run during this time of year. You can imagine their surprise when I told the class of grade eight boys and girls eagerly anticipating a holiday-themed penultimate class following a Christmas lunch that we would be having none of that stuff in our remaining period. Instead I promised them a portion of the greatest gift that a teacher can give- the gift of learning. Lest you think that I am some sort of classroom grinch, I told them that like all Friday afternoon classes (about once every two weeks in our schedule) they would have the freedom to work on whatever school-related project or assignment they chose. This is always a popular choice and usually a productive period. Throw in the statutory Red and Green day color, festive hats, some seasonal snacks and the students were relaxed and eager to show their stuff once they got over the initial shock that we wouldn't be watching Elf for the umpteenth time in the seasonal run-up to the 25th of December. We had been working on two very interesting units (honestly,ask the kids) focussing on the IB MYP units of study- How People Come Together to Form Nations (Humanities) and The Power of Words (Language A). Two boys who were awaiting their transportation to head back to China for the holidays eagerly shared their work on how Hong Kong was returned to the People's Republic of China. Another pair with a European background compared the origins of the formation of Italy with Canadian Confederation. Quite interesting. Others were keen to show how Instagram can be used to enhance descriptive writing. A few tackled a vocabulary lesson and then a really interesting event occurred. One student shared her personal work on a blog (and v.blog) that she is creating to bring awareness to the issue of teen depression and relatedly, bullying. Although only tangentially related to our units of study, the presentation sparked an excellent discussion about issues that all 13-14 year olds have an opinion on: self-esteem, fitting in, acceptable, exclusion, and mean kids. While it wasn't foremost in their minds, the discussion was very much related to the unit of study on the Power of Words, and even spoke to the kind of society (nation) that we wish to form as a people. They just had plenty to say about the hurtful nature of bullying, the pain of exclusion, and the challenge of fitting in that every adolescent faces. There wasn't a person in the room who didn't have something to say about the topics being presented, and before you knew it, time was up. To me the entire episode underscored the power of student choice, making work relevant (and rigorous), and having fun in the classroom. All on the eve of Christmas holidays. Lessons learned, and then it was time for eggnog and seasonal fun. Made me feel so good to be an educator that I might even splurge on some shopping... when I get around to it.