Engaging Teachers in the Development of the CLC

Why Community Based Learning? Community Based Learning can enhance student

learning by using community resources in the classroom. Essentially, different projects examine issues that are meaningful and relevant to the lives of students and the communities of which they are a part.

Community-Based Learning can also bring the energy and potential of students into the community, preparing them for their future responsibility as citizens within their local community and Quebec in general.

Why (Community Based) Service Learning? Service Learning is a learning strategy that

combines academic and social education goals to meet real community needs and requires application of knowledge, skills, and systematic reflection about the experience.

This past May, 30 teachers participated in a Quebec Service Learning Institute

A second institute is being planned for November (pre-QPAT)

Concrete Examples of Community Based Learning

Concrete Examples of Community Based Learning

Local History• Researching a historic artifact like a tractor

in Chevry. The lessons culminated in publishing a book that was part of a fundraiser.

• Potential for inter-generational learning between students and senior citizens. Students will conduct interviews with senior citizens. Over time, the interview can be used as part of a published community history.

Community Heritage ProjectsEach year, teachers in CLCs choose to

collaborate with the Blue Metropolis Foundation and the Quebec Anglophone

Heritage Network (QAHN) to create podcasts that focus on community culture or history

Family Treasures

ourhiddenhills.ca

Wakefield Theatre received a grant from Heritage Canada to develop the Hidden Hills Project

Links to the QEP Broad Area of Learning - Citizenship

and community Subject specific competency - interpret

a territorial issue (geo) or to examine a social phenomena from a historical perspective

ELA - write in a variety of genres

Community/School Garden Community gardening project

includes opportunities to integrate science, health, geography and math by investigating environmental issues and gardening in their region.

Community Gardening cont. Riverview Elementary school worked

with community partners to integrate the garden into the summer camp activities and class curriculum with a “3 sisters garden” - Corn, Beans and Squash.

Opportunities to collaborate with local and provincial partners (Concordia-Back to the Roots)

Local Water Testing-Two CLCs received a grant to buy water testing kits (LSF and FLOW).

Community Quilting Students and seniors worked to create a

quilt that represents the Coast way of life, and to have youth and seniors working together and learning from each other.

The community quilt project started in a social science class. They were discussing the loss of traditional ways of life and the traditional skills that were being lost.

Students worked on a paper quilt with each square representing traditional ways of life. Not long after, the class decided to learn how to make a real quilt and 8 adults and seniors in a local quilting group volunteered to share their knowledge with the students

Community Mapping Community mapping project provides an

opportunity for students to explore their local community, think about the assets in the area. Assets can be seen as community resources, like hospitals, banks, parks etc.

In this project students can meet subject specific competencies like “understanding a territory” or CCC like “cooperating with other”

One exciting aspect of this project is the opportunity to use students as community researchers.

An extension of this project could allow students to map community assets and provide concrete data for a community to understand what it has, before asking the question, what does it needs?

Best Practices for Engaging Teachers in your CLC with CBL and SL

Principal Leadership - Make sure your principal understands CBL/SL and encourages teachers to utilize community resources to enhance student engagement and learning.

CBL/SL projects should be integrated in curriculum and not be an “add-on” or “one-shot” activity.

Reflex to build in CBL/SL every year. The topic can change and grow.

Best Practices Continued: CBL/SL should be integrated into the School

Success Plan and MESA agreements Make connections with community

stakeholders Try and get teachers to communicate directly

with network about upcoming projects. Facilitate and Support but don’t get stuck in the middle as the keeper of information.

Teachers should join networks and listservs

4 Theme Weeks Entrepreneurship Week-November 14-18

(Family) Literacy Week - January 23-27

Health Week- March 19-23

Environment Week - April 16-22

This year I hope to provide opportunities for teachers across Quebec to collaborate and share ideas.

I would like students to share what they have learned about their community.

It is my job to help you integrate Community Based Learning into your CLC.

Please let me know how I can help! bloomer@learnquebec.ca 1 888 622 2212 ext. 235 (toll free) Ask for a card - I only have 4500 left.