Many of our favorite teachers share a common trait, a teaching process characterized by a continuous evolution and refinement of practice stemming from curiosity and feedback and, ultimately, a love of the meaningful connections that can be shared between teacher and student—the "ah-hah!" moment, when a student really gets it. In her most recent blog post, LCS Chemistry teacher Melissa Rathier recently described her teaching career as, "one big action plan in teaching Chemistry. Question. Reflect. Explore. Test. Re-Test. Repeat." She goes on to describe one of the biggest shifts she made in her teaching practice and the questions that inspired her to pursue the "flipped classroom" and why it was so successful. It's a wonderful insight into her craft which I encourage you to read if you have not yet. Enjoy! "I have been lucky enough to teach the same courses (Grade 11 & 12 Chemistry) for my entire…
Author: Struan Robertson
Inspiring Trust and Learning Through our Shared Stories
The Chapel Talk: A Time-Honoured Tradition In my opinion, one of the best traditions at Lakefield College School is the Chapel Talk. Our Grade 12 students are offered the opportunity during their graduating year to address the whole school community in Chapel. They are invited to share their story, often reflecting on their time at LCS—inspirations and challenges, the role the school played in their journey—and where appropriate, offering some advice to the Grade 9 to 11 students. Most of our Grads take advantage of this tradition and many comment on how they have waited for the opportunity since the days when they sat in the back pews of the Chapel in Grade 9. Some of my favourite memories of The Grove are from Chapel Talks—self-reflective and often insightful, we really get to know our students and see how they have developed emotionally during their time at the school. I…
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Hungry, Humble and Nimble – Keys to Future Success
At our board meeting last week, I invited Anne-Marie Kee, Executive Director of Canadian Accredited Independent Schools (CAIS), to identify the top ten questions CAIS boards should be considering (see below). It was a very engaging meeting with Anne-Marie challenging our board to be strategic and always focused on the future. Ten Strategic Questions CAIS Boards Should Consider: How can we contain future fee increases and expenses? How will we assess, cultivate and leverage our word of mouth perceived quality and value intentionally and effectively? How can we deepen the engagement of, and increase the support from, our current and future top donor prospects? Domestically and internationally? What are the drivers of strength and permanence? How will we become more intentional about delivering our character related curriculum? Is our learning program meeting the individual needs of our students (and their parents)? How can we more effectively assess and report on…