usingcurriculummappingtoenrichstudentlearning · 2019. 8. 29. ·...

SUPPORTING THE GUIDANCE-ORIENTED APPROACH TO LEARNING WINTER 2010 – VOL. 6 NO. 1

M a k i n g D r e a m sC o m e T r u e

I N S I D E

2 “Dragons’Den”challenge firesstudents’ imaginations.

2 POP/Explo update: A PDIG with adifference

3 “Commit to Get Fit” exercisesreal GOAL thinking.

P L U S

4 Who’s whoin the GOALNetwork

Check the GOAL website for regular updates: www . l e a r n q u e b e c . c a / e n / c o n t e n t / m e l s / g o a l

Using curriculummapping to enrich student learning

When our GOAL Network was brainstormingthemes for our symposium this comingFebruary, curriculummapping caught our atten-tion. Although a fairly new practice in Quebec,the Central Quebec andWestern Quebec SchoolBoards are both experimenting with it.

A curriculummap is a plan for the year thatoutlines, complete with timeline, the main oressential knowledge to be covered and eval-uated.Within the QEP, curriculummaps couldbe developed to show teachers how to getwhere they need to go.They could be interest-ing tools for optimizing student learning withincycles, and between one cycle and the next.

They could also help teachers to identify areaswhere they could work together, shareresources and build on each other’s classroomactivity. In the case of interdisciplinary projects,

teachers could plan their evaluation situationsconcurrently.This cross-curricular collaborationwould make learning richer and more meaning-ful for students.

If you are as intrigued by these ideas as we are,we hope you’ll attend the 2010 GOAL/NANSsymposium on February 17. You’ll find detailson page 3. See you then!

Sandra Salesas, c.o., cccProvincial GOAL CoordinatorAnglophone Sector

With advantages for students and teachers alike, curriculum mappingis a process that fits well with the QEP.

Lessons from the deep: In one recent ArtsSmarts project, students at St.Mary’s School in Longueuil created amultimedia puppet theatre production to explore the impact of human activity and natural disasters on water.

Putting GOAL on the(curriculum)map

By building GOAL activities into the mappingprocess, teaching teams can help students makemore informed decisions at key transitionpoints in their education. For instance, as alead-in to the Secondary Cycle Two POP course,a curriculum map might have students inSecondary Cycle One (Year Two) explore poten-tial fields of interest as part of their EnglishLanguage Arts.

In Secondary Cycle One Science andTechnology, GOAL-related reflective activitiescould help students determine their personallearning style. In one module, they analyzewater samples in a process that requires boththeoretical learning and experiential lab work.This is a perfect opportunity for them to reflecton how they learn best and which Cycle Twopath might suit them.

Getting creative with the artsAt Riverside School Board,ArtsSmarts isbroadening the spectrum for learning.

See page 4

Photo:Ju

stinWonnacott

GOALV0l.6 no1_FSC:GOALV0l.3 #1 06/01/10 15:05 Page 3

Winter 20102

POP teachers Chelsea Odermatte (Chateauguay Valley Regional HighSchool) and Steve Principé (Howard S. Billings Regional High School)wanted to mark this year’s National Entrepreneurship Day in a way theirstudents could relate to.

Starting in September, they divided their respective classes into teams offive students. Each team had to come up with an idea for a student-runproject that would raise money for a specific school need. Teams wouldpresent their ideas before a panel of staff judges who would select oneproject to represent their school. In a nice collaborative twist, however,the entire POP class would help to implement it.

Using the Incubator Project (www.321incubator.com) to get things going,teachers gave their students about a month to develop and present theirproposals. At Howard S. Billings, the nod went to an “Amazing Race” typeof event in which groups of students (and teachers) would pay to competein a series of physical and mental challenges. Proceeds would pay for a newsound system that would make the school cafeteria “the place to be” atlunch—and encourage greater student participation in the life of the school.

At CVR, the judges opted for “Ski For Me.” This joint Secondary I and IIIski trip was conceived as a way to build relationships and mentoring oppor-tunities between older and younger students. In each school, the winningidea was chosen based on how well it was presented, the need it identified,and how realistically and quickly it could raise funds.

First annual entrepreneurship award

To top off the competition, the two POP classes met in a local restauranton November 12 (National Entrepreneurship Day). Each school presentedits project to a panel of five local entrepreneurs, all former students or theparent of a current student. In a very close decision, the H.S. Billings teamnudged out CVR to win NFSB’s first annual entrepreneurship award.

Students, teachers and two school communities benefitted fromthis entrepreneurial competition modelled on the popular CBC-TV program.

Local businesswoman Gail Cooney is shown here with contestants from bothhighschoolsand theentrepreneurshipaward thathasbeennamed inherhonour.

“Dragons’Den”-style challenge fires students’ imaginationsby Tom Muirhead and Chantal Bergevin, New Frontiers School Board

National Entrepreneurship Day

Mark Sutherland believes the POP and Explocourses are rich in potential. “Quite often, however, ateacher is given this course to fill out his or her work-load,” says the coordinator of Educational Servicesfor the Central Quebec School Board.To address thisconcern, he and other members of the POP/Exploworking group wanted to create a set of resources tohelp new teachers “deliver the goods.”

That’s when things got interesting as Mark joinedforces with 11 secondary teachers and one consult-ant from six school boards, 10 public schools and oneprivate school.Together, they applied for—andreceived—a Professional Development andInnovation Grant (PDIG) to flesh out curriculummaps, learning and evaluation situations and otherresources for POP and Explo teachers.

“As far as we know, this is the first time a PDIG hasinvolved teachers from across several boards,” saysMark.“It’s allowing us to do something very practicalfor our teachers and to develop a common andcooperative vision for POP and Explo.”

A PDIG with a differenceDelivering a new course like POP or Explo presents a special teaching

challenge. And that challenge is generating creative solutions.update

The PDIG partners

• Central Quebec School Board• English Montreal School Board• Riverside School Board• Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board• Littoral School Board• Lester B. Pearson School Board• Quebec Association of Independent Schools

“It’s unlike anycourse ever taught.”

Matt Albert from the Lester B.Pearson School Board’s

LaSalle Community Comprehensive HighSchool is one of the teachers involved inthe POP/Explo PDIG project. “At our firstmeeting, I sawmany different people withmany different approaches to POP andExplo,”he says. “Yet what felt great was thatwe were all there to give students a greaterexperience.This is a unique opportunity toput our footprint on a program that isunlike any course ever taught.”

A win-win on every level• Teachers found a creative way to engage students in their

learning and mark National Entrepreneurship Day in ameaningful way.

• Students discovered how their personal strengths couldcontribute to a group project—an insight that could poten-

tially lead them towards a future career path.

• Elements of other teams’projects survivedby being incorporated into the two winningprojects.

•On the last day of the competition, students from bothschools took part in a Monopoly-game ice-breaker that cre-ated new bonds of friendship.

• Students gained convincing new rolemodels as all five entrepreneur-judgestold the story of how they had perse-vered to find success.

Photo:Robyn

Young


Commit to Get Fit – for life!by Kelly Butler, Consultant for GOAL and POP, WQSB

This Learning and Evaluation Situation (LES) not only encouragesstudents to be physically active in high school. It also develops skills

that will keep them fit long after graduation.

G O A L I N A C T I O N R E S O U R C E C E N T R A L

Environmental curriculumand careers

ECO Canada is one of some30 sector councils that bringemployers, practitioners, educa-tors and governments together toaddress human resources chal-

lenges facing the Canadian economy. Its excel-lent website (http://www.eco.ca/Portal/default.aspx) includes sections for educatorsand students. Teachers can find resources fordeveloping curriculum and students can research100 different environmental occupations. Theycan also learn more about schools that offerenvironmental post-secondary programs.

Test your vocationalintelligence!

Watch for thiseight-pageresource that iscoming to educa-tors in English-language schoolsacross Quebec inJanuary 2010. Ajoint youth-voca-tional sector ini-tiative, it willquickly bring youup to speed onthe value of voca-

tional training in today’s labour market. It alsosuggests ways to link vocational training withGOAL and the QEP. This is information youwill definitely want to share with your students!Also available in PDF format athttp://inforoutefpt.org/vocational-intelligence

3

Joint GOAL/NANS symposium

Mapping out the future for our learnersWednesday, February 17, 2010

Sheraton Laval

� Hear from teachers who are using GOAL in the classroom andwhy their students love it.

� Find out how to add a GOAL component to a Learning and EvaluationSituation.

� Learn how“attitude”and“motivation”can turn good lessons intogreat ones.

� Meet with partners fromMELS and the community.

Mark your calendar and reserve your spot !Complete program and online registration (as of January 2010) atwww.learnquebec.ca/en/content/mels/goal

One important way to prevent obesity in ourstudents is to increase their physical activity.Schools can play a critical role by offering physi-cal education programs that give students theopportunity to be active now—and throughouttheir lives.

With this in mind, four physical educationteachers at the Western Quebec School Board —Jessica White, Audra Sherman, Lorri Collin andPatty Hansen — have put together a LES aimedat Secondary Cycle Two. “Commit to Get Fit”is designed to help students acquire the knowl-edge, skills and attitudes that will lead to life-time wellness in a real-world context.

Staying fit once school is out

Students are used to playing football, hockey,basketball and other great team sports inschool. But once they graduate, they don’t nec-essarily continue these activities because theorganizations needed to support them oftendon’t exist.

“Commit to Get Fit” incorporates group fitnessactivities into physical education, using equip-ment such as yoga mats, steps, BOSU and sta-bility balls. The idea is to introduce students tohealthy exercise habits that they can easily pur-sue on their own or in any local fitness centre.The LES also raises their awareness of variousclubs, such as tennis, swimming and martialarts, which they can find in their communities.

Careers in health and fitness

Students also learn about different careers with-in health and fitness. As an end project, they areasked to take on the role of a personal traineror coach. To do this, they might organize agroup fitness class within their school or devel-op a fitness training video or website.

By encouraging students to become moreresponsible for their overall health and well-being, we hope they will be happier, healthierand more equipped to contribute to society.

Want to know more?Contact Kelly Butler at (819) 684-2336, ext.1126 or email [email protected]

SecondaryV students fromDr.Wilbert Keon Schoolin Chapeau strike a posewith step and BOSU.

Inter-board collaboration

L to r: Andrea Ivan (RSB), Lynn Bourdeau (EMSB), Travis Maurice(Littoral) and Payal Grover (RSB) are four teachers involved in thePOP/Explo PDIG initiative.

Needmore copies of the GOAL Post?Contact Doris Kerec at LEARN:

1-888-622-2212or < [email protected] >.


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TheGOAL Post Winter 2010 Vol.6 No.1

The GOAL Post is published three times a year by the GOAL Network, in collaboration with MELS-SSCAAA.* It isprinted and distributed by LEARN. Editing and production coordination: Laurene Bennett, CommunicationsArpeggia <[email protected]> Graphic design and online coordination: Sylvie Desrochers,Conception graphique Babill-Art <[email protected]>

*With contributions from the Canada-Quebec Agreement for Minority Language Education and Second Language Instruction

Chris ColleyEducational Consultant(GOAL/POP/Prelude)Eastern Townships School Board

An educator for the past 13years in both the public and private sectors, Chrisrecently joined ETSB’s team of consultants. Beforethat, he taught a variety of Secondary I to V classesat Massey-Vanier High School in Cowansville.

“We need to look seriouslyat what makes kids leave school.”

Chris believes that GOAL-style initiatives have a spe-cial pertinence for students in rural areas. “Becausemany see only limited career opportunities in theirregion, they don’t have a clue about the possibilitiesout there. We owe it to our students to build

bridges so they can hear directly from local employ-ers what skills they will be looking for.”

Chris also has extensive experience integrating tech-nology into education. In his view, this is key tomaking curriculum more relevant to 21st-centurylearners. “The computer is a tool they know, useand want and it would be insanity not to use it,” hesays. “There’s a notion that if you give kids a com-puter, they’ll just stare at the screen and be con-sumed by it. But in a classroom setting amongother kids, it actually strengthens communication,collaboration, presentation and negotiation skills—all of which help to create lifelong learners.

“We need to move away from isolated learning cellsand look at learning on a much broader scale,”adds Chris. “If students understand that to behuman is to be always learning and progressing asa person in society, we as educators have achievedour goal.”

???Each issue of the GOAL Post features different members of the Network.

Who’s who in the GOAL Network

The GOAL Post is also available in PDF format on the GOAL websiteat www.learnquebec.ca/en/content/mels/goal

Y O U R G O A LN E T W O R K

Provincial GOAL Coordinator (English sector)Sandra SalesasMinistère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du SportTel.: (514) 873-3339 ext. [email protected]

Association of Jewish Day SchoolsJanet Perlis, GOAL [email protected]

Central Quebec School BoardSandra Hughes, Guidance [email protected]

Diane Labbé, Director of ComplementaryEducation [email protected]

Commission scolaire du LittoralGhislaine Nadeau-Monger, Guidance [email protected]

Cree School BoardAndré Tremblay, Guidance [email protected]

Eastern Shores School BoardMalcolm MacPhee, POP/GOAL [email protected]

Eastern Townships School BoardChris Colley, GOAL [email protected]

English Montreal School BoardMarsha Gouett, Career Development [email protected]

First Nations Education CouncilSheila Gedeon, Education [email protected]

Kativik School BoardBenoit Blanchard, GOAL Consultant,[email protected]

Lester B. Pearson School BoardTom Conti, Guidance Counsellor,Adult Education & Vocational [email protected]

Nancy Battet, Community and Partnership [email protected]

New Frontiers School BoardChantal Bergevin, POP and Explo [email protected]

Tom Muirhead, GOAL & Work-Study [email protected]

Quebec Association of Independent SchoolsElizabeth Therrien Scanlan, Executive [email protected]

Riverside School BoardPatty Arnold, Career Development [email protected]

Sir Wilfrid Laurier School BoardIngrid Hove Gust, Educational [email protected]

Western Quebec School BoardKelly Butler, Consultant for GOAL and [email protected]

Ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du SportIvana Colatriano, Supporting MontrealSchools [email protected]

Jill Goldberg, Education [email protected]

Cheryl Pratt, Provincial Coordinator, POP & [email protected]

Contact us!

As one of the original partners in a national initiativecalled ArtsSmarts (www.artssmarts.ca), RiversideSchool Board is actively using the arts to developstudents’ creative thinking and increase their aware-ness of themselves and their communities. These areoutcomes that fit perfectly with the guidance-oriented approach to learning.

In the ArtsSmarts learning model, teachers invite localartists into the classroom to work with them andtheir students over a period of time. Together, theyuse their collective creativity and a variety of artisticmedia to explore aspects of the curriculum. Someprojects are completed in a few weeks; others stretchover a full year. Increasingly, they involve more thanone class and sometimes an entire school.

Students are more engaged

This cross-curricular approach not only reinforceslearning in any number of subject areas, it alsodevelops such skills as teamwork, risk taking, prob-lem solving, decision making and project and timemanagement. In addition, students get to connectwith individuals who make their living from the arts.

Teachers report greater student engagement and fewerbehaviour problems. Students are equally enthusiastic.As one student noted in very GOAL-like language:“ You retain more . . . because . . . you can give yourown opinion. You are doing things that are hands onand real life … you are really working with people.”

The presence of artists in the classroom is helping students to find their voice,interpret what they are learning and connect to their communities.

ArtsSmarts broadens the spectrum for learningby Patty Arnold, Career Development Consultant, RSB

Riverside School Board

At Heritage Regional High School, students created ananimated film,describing nine waves of Canadian immigra-tion fromChamplain to the present.


usingcurriculummappingtoenrichstudentlearning · 2019. 8. 29. ·...

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