Lessons from “A Teenager’s View on Social Media”

I recently came across this post A Teenager’s View on Social Media and it made me think about how quickly technology is changing and how far ahead (in what a different space) young people are. The post contains the personal views of an “actual teen” (his words), a 19 year-old student in the U.S. commenting on the apps teenagers use and don't use. The young man admittedly writes (in his follow up post) that his views are based on personal opinion “to provide a different view based on [his] life in this ‘highly coveted’ age bracket.” I found his perspective interesting both as an educator and father for many reasons and have shared my observations below. Meeting our students where they are My first thought to the blog post was a question: How do we meet (communicate with) our students where they are? While I recognize that it is not considered "social media" (the…

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The Lakefield Educator’s Apprenticeship Program

Nourishing our teachers within an exemplary learning community “Every year’s a LEAP year at Lakefield College School!”  It’s the expression a beaming Joe Bettencourt, Assistant Head: Academics, used last Wednesday at our program meeting as he shared the many successes of our newest initiative: the Lakefield Educator’s Apprenticeship Program (LEAP). Coming out of a very successful pilot launch in 2013/14, LEAP is well into its second year with equally strong results. In addition to strengthening and advancing the 21st century learning experience for our boarding and day students, the purpose of LEAP is to support new teachers as they begin their professional career as educators. Through a competitive process attracting some of the best teacher graduates from across Ontario, four outstanding candidates are selected each year to participate in our program. Teaching Fellows contribute fresh talent, resources and support to our greater LCS faculty team who, in turn, provide mentorship…

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What Great Boarding Schools Have in Common

Every day at LCS, we look for those things that inspire and energize us, teachers and students alike. The more we share and collaborate, the more motivated we become and the more we learn – together. We often describe the process as “learning through relationships,” a keystone to developing and strengthening habits of lifelong learning. I recently came upon an article, written by two leaders in the private education sphere, highlighting the qualities and priorities that boarding schools like LCS, “built to last,” tend to share: 25 Factors Great Boarding Schools Have in Common. In it, the authors write: “Great boarding schools persist over time because they appeal to families seeking an education of deep impact, focused not only on academic training, but also on the formation of good character, habits of lifelong learning, and active citizenship.” The article lists so many qualities that resonate with the richness of learning…

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