Mantracker meets Outdoor Ed

This past Thursday, our Outdoor Education class went snowshoeing at Marshall Lake, where they participated in an activity based on the popular TV show "Mantracker".  I was asked to come out and help with the activity as one of the two mantrackers.  Myself and the Outdoor Ed teacher, Ken Deadmarsh, sent the students out in pairs with a task of reaching the Ski Dasha before being caught by one of the two mantrackers.  Each pair was connected by a rope around their wrists to make the travel a bit more difficult and to ensure they worked as a team.  The students were given a 10 minute headstart, a compass, a map, some directions, and then set off to evade the trackers.  The route took us through a wooded area with numerous trails and small lake.

With the trackers in hot pursuit, myself on snowshoes, and Ken on skis, the student teams made their way towards the final destination.  While we managed to capture several teams before they reached the cabin, a few teams evaded us, without being detected.

teams ready to start

Students putting on their snowshoes

Class at the final destination

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overall, the activity was fun and great exercise.  With teams covering more than a few km of distance, we all gathered on the bus at the end of class tired and fulfilled.  It was a good opportunity to put some outdoor skills to the test and a chance for students to work together. 
All in all, a good day!  Thanks to Mr. D and his class for allowing me to participate with them...this was a great example of making learning fun.

Resiliency

Last week the Ministry of Education contacted our district to find out what we were doing to show a continued improvement in graduation rates.  When our superintendent called to find out what we thought, I told him that one of our staff's strengths was keeping our struggling students engaged by working through our School Based Team to implement a number of interventions designed to help our kids be successful.  I also indicated it was a reflection of continuing to offer a wide array of choices for students to help them find something and someone to connect them to their school.  For example, providing students with an opportunity for personalized fitness.  Although we received some criticism for moving our library and converting the space to a fitness facility, we are now able to provide students with an opportunity to engage in strength and conditioning activities throughout the day.  While some suggested this was a move that highlighted a focus on athletics, rather than academics, the impact has been to the contrary.  This was highlighted by a suspension meeting I attended last week. At the meeting, one of our students, who had previously struggled with attendance and had been out of school for periods of time, told the superintendent how this year, although he was living on his own, he was able to come to school on a regular basis and maintain good grades as he had one thing to look forward to every day: going to the school weight-room to work out.  In fact, numerous students using the facility are not participating on teams, but rather students that have previously lacked some engagement in school and have now found a common draw to be there on a daily basis.

Two weeks ago, after we attended a Board of Education meeting, we were asked by trustees to show more pictures of our fitness initiative so that people could see how the facility was being used.  To me, the true impact of what we have done is found in the stories such as the one above.

Really, in the end, our students who demonstrate resiliency are the ones who will make it, regardless of their personal struggles.  Our job is to continue to offer kids options and foster positive connections with people in the building, to provide opportunities to grow and develop and, ultimately, to graduate and become successful citizens.  Hopefully, in spite of challenges at school, students can make mistakes and learn to make better choices as they absorb some of life's real lessons.  After all, isn't the real definition of resiliency being able to get up after being knocked down?

If you want to witness a moving example of resiliency, watch the following clip:

Home on the Range

One of the more difficult things to do when faced with declining enrollment is to continue to offer students a wide range of choices, particularly in the elective areas.  This is an aspect that I feel our school has been successful with given our drop in numbers.  Changes to our Strength and Conditioning program have allowed students to progress at their own pace during scheduled and unscheduled times, which has enabled us to continue to offer options that would not have been accessible otherwise.

Students studying in library

New fitness room

Students working out after school

With the movement of the library books to a smaller room, we were able to organize the existing space into a new fitness facility where kids have access all through the day.  The library is now used more as a "Learning Commons" where students access courses through online delivery, complete paper-based coursework, and access books or use the site as a place to read/catch up on work during spare blocks.

Another success story would have to be our Outdoor Education class.  Initially, we looked at offering the course on Fridays where kids could go on expeditions or participate in activities for the entire day.  Unfortunately, due to restrictions on the workweek, we had to look at offering the class in the regular timetable Monday to Thursday.  While this put constraints on the activities we could do, it still enabled us to do extended activities during our double-block over the lunch period.  Our instructor, Mr. Deadmarsh has done a great job of organizing activities around this schedule.  Students have the opportunity to do hiking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, kayaking, and obstacle courses. Additionally they are working on components of their CORE course which allows them to gain a hunting license upon completion.
Just yesterday, I went with the class to help supervise on the shooting range.  Students were given the opportunity to shoot a variety of rifles in a controlled, safe setting.  With twenty two students in the program, we had three instructors working with the kids to ensure proper gun etiquette, safety procedures, and firing protocol.  The students were keen and, besides some cold temperatures, fun was had by all.  A special thanks to Peter from the Wildlife Hall who came out to help and the Gun Club for access to the range.

Taking aim on the firing range

Thanks goes out to Mrs. Grootjes and her drama and dance classes for organizing the Remembrance Day assembly.  Take a moment tomorrow to stop and remember those who have served their country. I know I will.  Have a good weekend.

Teaching Financial Literacy in Schools?

I was reading an article this morning in the Globe and Mail titled "To teach financial literacy, get 'em while their young" and was thinking about how much sense that makes.  Up until the past year or so with the introduction of Apprenticeship and Workplace Math, there has been limited attention paid to the value of teaching kids about money management.  Basically, these skills have been left to chance, and unless kids are learning it at home, they are moving out into the work world with a limited understanding related to credit, investing, saving, mortgages, etc.  Even with the inclusion of money matters within the AW Math curriculum, only a third of our students are getting exposure to the information.
Given the state of both our local, national and global economics, I believe it is essential that we equip students with a basic understanding of how to manage their own finances once they leave school.  With understanding some basic principles around money management, young adults can quickly create a sound financial plan whereby they can sustain themselves through times of highs and lows, and understand the perils of accessibility to increasing levels of personal debt.
Just this fall, at GFSS, we introduced a fourth component to our Grad Transitions package that outlines some key ideas around finacial literacy. 
In this section, students are expected to:

• Demonstrate an understanding of income to calculate gross and net pay
• Demonstrate an understanding of how to manage a personal budget including the purchase of large assets and managing credit
• Demonstrate an understanding of simple principles of money management

Although these criteria are not included as components in the Grad Transitions curriculum, we felt that it was a very important area for further work to create a greater understanding for our graduating students. 
For those parents who wish to know more about how they can support their child's understanding related to managing their own finances, check out
http://www.moneyexchange.net/library/money-lessons-for-children
for some helpful links.

I have also included a link to the article mentioned above if you wish to read more about the move to increase financial awareness in schools.

http://m.theglobeandmail.com/life/parenting/education/learning/to-teach-financial-literacy-get-em-while-theyre-young/article1869269/?service=mobile#

The New Education Plan

Well, on Friday, the government announced it's new plan for educational change.  BC's Education Plan is "based on the principle that every learner in the province will realize his or her full potential" and consists of five key elements:

• Personalized learning for every student

• Quality teaching and learning

• Flexibility and choice

• High standards

• Learning empowered by technology

To learn more about the plan, I went to www.bcedplan.ca, where you can read the specifics as well as how schools around BC are moving to implement parts of the plan already.

As I look through the plan, many aspects makes sense, but of course like any great idea, the proof is in the pudding.  Personalized learning for every child is a great start but will definitely take some time as we work towards more completely defining the vision.  Reducing curriculum outcomes should allow teachers more flexibility in how they engage students with opportunities for deeper learning.  In many courses currently, the race for curriculum completion often leaves little time for exploring in more detail the questions and interests of students.  I am excited about the move towards greater flexibility and choice, but there needs to be caution in ensuring all students, particularly those in rural areas, have access to similar opportunities as their urban peers.
The other area of the plan where we are already making progress is the move to empower learning through technology.  With wireless access and increasing availability of personalized electronic devices, we need to ensure that technology is used to engage students and increase the variety of ways students can demonstrate their learning.  We also need to keep in mind that technology does not replace good instruction but rather should be used to supplement learning and provide students access to collaborative opportunities with peers both locally and globally.
The other issue of concern around technology is related to access for all learners.  This is an area where the school will hopefully be able to assist in order to ensure that students who lack the resources to obtain their own devices will be able to participate as well.  Just as we have seen with the advent and influx of cell phones, we still have students that do not have one.

To read the entire plan, click on the following link http://www.bcedplan.ca/assets/pdf/bc_edu_plan.pdf

To watch the video, see below

We look forward to further discussions with students and parents as we move forward within the new educational model.

Opportunity for Student Feedback

A few years ago when the Provincial Guidelines for Healthy Eating came into schools, the GFSS lunch program lost its vendor as they were no longer able to sustain their business at the school.  While the school has an active breakfast program and a snack machine, the service at lunch has never really been replaced.  
Lately we have been looking at trying to reinstate a healthy choices lunch program where students could purchase fresh made items along the lines of pizza, wraps, lasagna, etc.  What we are looking for is some feedback from students on what kind of items they might prefer.  I have added a poll link to this blog update that should allow students to text their choices based on the information below.  If you have a moment, please try this system so we can determine what students may want, as well as whether or not this type of survey is an easy, accessible way to get information on issues as they arise.

Replace audience response hardware with Poll Everywhere

Mentoring For Learning

Over the past couple weeks, one of our new teachers, Mrs. Rymer, has been working with Mr. McKinlay's grade 6/7 class from Perley.  The elementary students came over to observe some real life physics as the senior physics class was demonstrating catapult devices they had built.  The goal of the assignment was to design a mechanical, self powered device that could launch a projectile (tomatoes in this case) a great distance but also be able to attain accuracy in hitting a specific target.
Today, the 6/7's came to GFSS and participated with a science 10 class in a chemical reactions lab working alongside a partner from the older class in a learning partnership.  While I didn't get into see the action, the reports were very positive.....kudos to Mrs. Rymer and Mr. McKinlay.

It is great to see these positive opportunities for both the elementary and GFSS students.  The research is clear that one of the more powerful strategies for helping students learn is a mentoring relationship where an older student is paired with a younger student.  Younger students in these partnerships benefit from increased confidence and connectedness with an older peer.  Older students also benefit from the confidence they receive from helping a younger student as well as the learning that takes place in order to be able to teach a skill to someone else.  In addition, sometimes these activities are just plain fun.

I'm looking forward to more opportunities to watch these type of positive interactions!