Originially printed in the Calgary Science School SpectrumChris Dittmann Communications Director On August 31, 2012 the Calgary Science School hosted a networking/PD event for learning coaches, organized by CSS PD and Collaboration Coordinator Dan McWilliam. The purpose of the session was to bring together learning coaches and instructional leaders from a variety of schools and… Continue reading Learning Coaches Networking Day
Student Guest Bloggers from grade 9 As a way to create an audience for their work, recently the grade 9 classes have begun blogging. As part of this process, students were asked to recount an experience they had during their week long adventure at Bamfield Marine Centre on the west coast of Vancouver Island. Here… Continue reading Student Blogs "The Bamfield Diaries"
CSS Math & Science Inquiry Projects Database Our Math and Science Team has created a Google Doc to house a database of inquiry projects that they will use throughout the year. The goal of this database is to provide a place where teachers within the school and ultimately, teachers from outside the school, can see… Continue reading Math & Science Inquiry Projects
On September 11, 2012 eight of our grade 8 students walked to Mount Royal University to assist with an Google Apps orientation for new Education students. We were contacted by Dr. Norm Vaughn, who sits on the Calgary Science School board, to come and help his students in using the different applications that our students as so familiar… Continue reading Students Teaching the Student Teachers
Amy Park and Deirdre Bailey [Investigating the truth of opinions] consists not in trying to discover the weakness of what is said, but in bringing out its real strength. It is not the art of arguing but the art of thinking… the art of strengthening. (Gadamer, 1975) Abstract Although there is substantial research supporting collaborative… Continue reading Collaboration: The Art of Strengthening
On August 31, 2012 the Calgary Science School hosted a networking/PD event for Learning Coaches. The purpose of the session was to bring together Learning Coaches and Instructional Leaders from a variety of schools and districts to discuss the role and explore best practices and skills as we strive to support enhanced teacher learning. We… Continue reading Learning Coaches Networking Day: Creating Pedagogical Partnerships
-by Denise Kitagawa (Guest Parent Blogger) Earlier this month I had the privilege and pleasure of accompanying fifty grade 7 students from the Calgary Science School as they headed into the field to collect some baseline observations prior to the reintroduction of beavers to the Pine Creek watershed at the Ann and Sandy Cross Conservation… Continue reading Bringing Beavers Back to the Cross Conservation Area – Grade 7 Interactions and Ecosystems Field Study
-by Phil Butterfield, Assistant Principal Instructional leadership has been getting a lot of buzz in educational circles these days. It seems challenging enough to gain consensus on a definition for the role of an instructional leader without venturing into the potential minefield of strict adherence to a set of guiding principles designed to provide a… Continue reading Opening Up a New Frontier of Exemplary Instructional Leadership
-by Jody Pereverzoff and Dan McWilliam, Grade 7 Humanities In the final inquiry for the year, students examined significant themes in Canadian history by studying specific events, people, and places that have had an impact on the development of Canada. Students, using one of the major themes, created a monument or structure using Augmented Reality… Continue reading Significant Historical Events using Capzles and Augmented Reality
-by Erin Couillard, Professional Development and Collaboration Coordinator We have reached the end of our first year with designated learning coaches within the school. Last fall, two Math/Science learning coaches and two Humanities learning coaches were selected from teachers who applied for the positions through a letter of intent process. For more information on the… Continue reading Learning Coaches – One Year Later…
