The
ELMWOOD EMBLEM Winter 2014 | Volume 6 | Issue 2
IN THIS ISSUE:
Winterim
Giving Back
Teaching the International Baccalaureate Programme By Meagan Enticknap-Smith People often ask, “What is the difference between being a teacher at an IB school versus teaching in a school that doesn’t have the IB?” Answering this question without using too many acronyms or drowning people in educational jargon can be difficult. This statement from a book called, “Learning in the Global Era” captures the role that teachers in an IB school like Elmwood play: “Preparing students to thrive as members of world societies calls for teachers who view themselves as brokers between children and their rapidly changing environments—not mere conveyors of certified information.” (Boix Mansilla and Gardner, 2007.) If teachers view themselves simply as conveyers of information—delivering a set of learning objectives that have been given to them by the governing body of the school—then at best it can be hoped that students will progress in their understanding of those
particular learning objectives and demonstrate proficiency at appropriate times. Not to say that this is a simple feat though—it involves a great deal of work on behalf of both the teacher and the student. The teacher to plan and deliver the curriculum, and the student to learn and demonstrate understanding of this ‘certified information.’ However, if teachers also recognise their role in the classroom as being an intermediary between the student and their rapidly changing environment, then the learning environment becomes a much more dynamic place. A place where the student has voice and agency, where horizontal connections between knowledge and different subject areas are made, where questions are asked and where learning skills, such as critical and creative thinking, are developed. In an IB classroom errors are welcomed—learning can only oc-
Cissy, Igone and Alicia portray their “Power of One” subjects.
cur when there is an “unknown”— that is, something to be learned. Teachers at Elmwood create environments where mistakes are welcomed and are a vital part of the learning process. The exploration of genuine questions brings about debate that leads to real-life situations and authentic problem solving. This allows students to make meaningful, personal connections to the learning. It is now accepted that emotion, motivation, emotion and cognition are inextricably intertwined (The Nature of Learning, Using Research to Inspire Practice, OECD, 2010) and all IB teachers aim to build social significance and personal connections into their lessons. IB teachers recognise that
Sports Updates
From the Editor The first half of the 2013 – 2014 school year has been fantastic! We hope you enjoy seeing the events, activities, achievements and inspiring stories from the past few months. We welcome your comments and feedback on our newsletter, so please feel free to email your thoughts to tstirling@elmwood.ca. they are more than conveyors of information—they are preparing students to have the capacity to continuously learn and apply new knowledge and skills in meaningful ways—these are truly the competencies and habits of mind that are essential for success.
The Power of One By Jenika Adolph The first Unit of Inquiry in the Grade 3 Primary Years Programme was entitled “The Power of One.” The central idea of this unit was that individuals can make many different contributions to society, which have a long-lasting impact. Students learned about people who have made a difference in our own communities and around the world. They were inspired by people who fought for equality like Malala Yousafzai. They were motivated by athletes such as Jennifer Heil, and encouraged by scientists like Frederick Banting. As a culminating task, students chose their own individual to research. They found evidence to show how their person had made a impact on society and created a slideshow to
present their findings to an audience. The Grade 3 girls were very moved by these “Power of One” individuals. They thought about ways that they could make a difference in their own home, school, community and world. They shared these inspirations in a creative piece entitled “The Power in Me.” Since the Unit, many girls have taken on leadership roles in organizing activities, clubs and fundraisers around the Elmwood community. Students across all grade levels have raised money for Free The Children, the Humane Society of Ottawa and CHEO. Taking action is a crucial part of the learning process and the Grade 3 girls are certainly finding their own unique ways to make a difference.