Academics

TMS has garnered a reputation for creating an extraordinary learning environment. Throughout the School, from the youngest learners in the Toddler Program to Alumni who return again and again to visit, students are passionately engaged in their academic pursuits. Read about the latest updates in Academics at TMS.

Towering Gardeners

Lower Elementary students got the chance to experience space-age gardening all winter long this year! Starting in the fall, rotating classes of Grades 1 to 3 students germinated seeds in special foam cubes. Once the seeds sprouted, students then transplanted them into their own little basket in the Tower Garden; a vertical aeroponic garden complete with its own lights and irrigation system. There, the sprouts received regular doses of nutrient-enhanced water, and an optimal amount of light regardless of the weather outside or the length of day. A variety of plants were chosen by the students, including various wildflowers and vegetables, and all classes got the opportunity to see their plants go from seed to full plant in the course of several weeks. These ideal growing conditions allowed students to experience the full life cycle of their selected plants in a way that would otherwise not be possible.

Elementary EcoLeadership Journey

As we approach the end of the school year, the Grade 6 Eco-Leadership project is nearing completion. Students will research and plan the final details required to implement their action plans. Materials are being sourced, priced, and compared; sites are being researched and evaluated for compatibility with objectives. As part of the Eco-Leadership program, the entire Grade 6 cohort met up with Grade 7 students from the Upper School in a tree planting event at the Oak Ridges Community Centre. Beautiful weather allowed for a great morning of friendship, and direct stewardship action. Soon, the Grade 6 students will spend three days and two nights at our Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) partner facility, engaged in a series of hands-on activities designed to raise awareness, build skills, and consolidate their learning from the year!

Mindfulness Matters: Growth Mindset in Children’s House

Have you ever tried something new and given up because you could not do it the right way? Remember the feelings of sadness, frustration, anger or even embarrassment. For children these feelings can be intensified, which is why developing a growth mindset early in life is so important. Teaching students mindfulness and practicing these skills regularly has been shown to improve one’s mood, self-esteem, self-regulation, positive behaviour and academic learning. Our Children’s House 2/3 students have begun a journey to develop a growth mindset this year. They have been learning about emotions and feelings. They have discovered that everyone experiences different emotions at different times and that actions and behaviours impact others.

Some techniques of deep breathing, meditation and yoga have been implemented in the class; along with special mindfulness circles. These group activities provide opportunities for role playing different scenarios and in depth conversations allow for critical thinking. These experiences have been powerful and impactful for all the students. The children reflect on their own thoughts and actions and learn how to make better choices. They are displaying now to respond in thoughtful ways versus being reactive. When we teach mindfulness, we provide them with tools to manage stress and approach challenges with confidence and assurance. The Children’s House 2/3 students are developing important lifelong skills that are crucial to their development.

Grade 10 Personal Project Fair

In February, Grade 10s successfully completed their Personal Project journey!

The Personal Project is the cornerstone project that every student completes in the final year of the Middle Year Programme (MYP). Students begin their journey in September when they choose a project, inspired by their personal interests: STEM, arts, fashion, public speaking and much more. Students then develop their own personal learning goals—what they hope to get out of the learning process—as well as product goals, which are the outcomes to share their learning. Students then begin working on building or developing their products while simultaneously completing crucial steps in their process journal for their final report. There was a wide range of products this year including apps, novellas, videos, songs, tasty delights, robots and much more. The end results are a showcase of student innovation and creativity.

Elementary Showcases

The hallways were filled with excitement as students, teachers and parents gathered together as a community during the Lower Elementary and Upper Elementary Showcases held this term. These events provided the perfect opportunity for students to showcase their talents and projects and present their work in various areas such as music, art, science, history and geography. During the event, students demonstrated their skills by performing skits, singing in the choir, teaching various art lessons, highlighting media tools, displaying skills developed in physical education classes as well as speaking French fluently. Various science projects, experiments, oral presentations and exhibits highlighted the hard work and tremendous learning achieved by our Elementary students. By demonstrating their work and knowledge in front of parents and members of the TMS community, students developed important social and communication skills. Learning rooted in inquiry and integration fosters intrinsic motivation and sets our students up for success throughout their educational journeys.

TMS Students Pitch Currency Design to Bank of Canada

In the IDU Canadian Currency Redesign Unit, TMS Grade 10 students create versions of Canadian money to express Canadian Identity. This year, they focused on expressing Canadian Identity from the perspective of marginalized communities. Students selected individuals to feature on the currency to bring attention to important Canadians who may have been previously overlooked. The culmination of this work saw students pitching their finished products in a competition format to a panel of guest judges from the Bank of Canada and the RCMP. The judges selected the top 3 designs that showcased the best application of the updated bills and coins.