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Academics November 2014

10 November 2014
David McCarthy
Innovation in the classroom has been very evident this term with many teachers trying out new ideas. In languages, for example, there has been more emphasis on conducting classes exclusively in the language and though students often find this challenging, there are immediate results in terms of greater confidence in aural and oral skills. The department has also been trialing some interesting software which allows students to create an animated storyline in the language complete with a personalized character or “avatar” and a choice of computerized speech patterns. Following up on the assessment theme of last year, several teachers such as Ms. Josie Olszewski are working with each student having a mini whiteboard to write and show answers to problems. This is a quick way of gauging student progress in a formative assessment mode and it also allows the students to take chances and gain confidence answering questions. In her senior physics class Ms. Olszewski took the opportunity of demonstrating the power of pulley systems by having students tow her car up a hill using the mechanical advantage that the pulleys provide. The “quick math” to estimate forces and power was, no doubt, made more impactful by hanging onto a car! Students have taken a number of off -campus trips this term: senior biology to Bamfield Marine Station, Grade 10 to Camp Qwanoes, Grade 9 to outdoor education at Strathcona Park Lodge and visiting the Viking exhibit in the BC Museum in Victoria. English Language Enrichment students visited Craigdarroch Castle with their teacher Ms. McCallum while Writing 12 students took in a workshop at Granville Island in Vancouver. Law and Art History students went to the Law Courts and an impressionism exhibition in Vancouver respectively. On campus we were treated to events such as the first Brentwood TEDx and a Model UN tournament. Guest speakers on sexual health, body image, cyber safety, aboriginal affairs and even Baba Brinkman with his rapping approach to The Canterbury Tales and Beowulf have brought an extra dimension to our days. All in all it has been a very eventful start to the academic term. Mr. David McCarthy, Director of Studies

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