The Villager
Stories from the Countryside - Issue Four
Happy 2015 from the Staff at Countryside Village
We welcome back students who are well-rested and excited to learn as we enter the second half of the year.
We all know that the break probably meant late nights, late mornings and a schedule which is certainly something we have not been used to since August. The weather has shocked us with some of the coldest days yet and report cards are set to come home on February 6.
Wonderings
You may have asked the question most parents ask their children after a day at school, "What did you learn today?" and aside from the common responses kids give, you may have heard the response, "We are doing an inquiry!" What is that you ask? Well read on, and look for future communication as we share with you information about a new way of teaching and learning that is happening here at Countryside Village Public School.
What is Inquiry-Based Learning?
The following article taken from http://tvoparents.tvo.org/ shares answers to, What is Inquiry-Based Learning?
By Sarah Michaelis • September 29, 2014
Traditionally, classrooms in Ontario have followed the rote learning model, which is a technique based on repetition and memorization.
But recently, those classrooms are disappearing in favour of a more collaborative space, in which teachers are facilitators using a technique called inquiry-based teaching.
“Inquiry-based teaching is an approach to instruction that begins with exploring curriculum content and providing a framework for the students to ask their own questions which builds interest and curiosity,” says Louise Robitaille, an elementary teacher in Midland.
Encouraging students to be active learners, posing their own questions and problems and following through on those, rather than passive learners simply receiving information is believed to create greater student engagement and, in turn, create greater student achievement.
Inquiry-based learning is not a new idea. It is a teaching method born in the 1960s out of a response to the more traditional forms of teaching. It has steadily gained traction since then.
Ontario has adopted it as a way to reach learners that have traditionally fallen through the cracks of the rote learning model.
What does an inquiry-based classroom look like?
The teacher is no longer the “sage on the stage” expounding knowledge for students to memorize. The inquiry-based approach encourages more "student voice and choice" in the learning. This isn’t to say that there is no role for rote learning, but rote learning cannot stand on its own.
“There is a minor role for rote learning in the classroom (as) certain skills require long term acquisition,” says Robitaille. “However, the focus should always be on expanding knowledge and skills and not on memorization. For example, memorizing history dates without learning the importance of the events is ineffective.”
In an inquiry-based classroom, a teacher will work with all of the learning styles found in his or her own classroom and design activities that students can collaborate on in small groups.
However, students may think in ways that are limited to their own experiences, and it is the teacher’s job to help kids notice what they might have missed. Teachers also build on spontaneous questions to allow for further thought and questions.
For example, if the classroom is discussing the life of the class goldfish, a child might ask: “If we take out all the plants, will the fish get sick?”
Instead of answering a question like that with a yes or no, the teacher may ask: “What do people think? It might help to first think about what sorts of roles plants carry out? Why are plants in the aquarium important?” These questions would lead students to learn more about aquatic life.
What can parents do at home?
Robitaille, with the help of Grade 4/5 teacher Pete Douglas, offers these tips:
- Ask about what your child is learning in class.
- Support and encourage interest and curiosity by following up with activities at home.
- Encourage and practice good communication skills such as starting conversations and debates about current events.
- Help your kids develop research skills online and from text.
- Enjoy building projects together in the home.
- Check out the Ontario Ministry of Education's resources.
- Louise Robitaille runs a fantastic site on inquiry-based learning, showing examples of activities in the classroom, and useful tips. You can also follow her on Twitter @robitaille2011
Grade Fives #CHANGEMAKERS
The Grade 5 CSV change makers along with the help of our Grade 3 classes made a great difference by organizing a food drive and bake sale. A total of 896 food items were collected and donated to The Knights Table of Brampton
Upcoming @CountrysidePDSB and Important Reminders
Sub and Pizza Days
Sub Days will be:
----------Mondays in January: 12, NOT 19 But Tuesday the 20th, 27
Pizza Days will be:
----------Fridays in January: 9, 16, 23 and 30
School Registration for children born in 2011
kindergarten
Register on Feb. 2, 3, 4 & 5
We inspire success, confidence and hope in each student…and it all starts in kindergarten! If your child was born in 2011, he or she can start kindergarten in September 2015. Registration will be held at our school from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Feb. 2, 3, 4 and 5 and from 5 to 8 p.m. on Feb. 5.
What you will need to bring to registration
Proof of child's age
· Canadian birth certificate
· Canadian passport
· citizenship card/certificate
· Permanent Resident Card
· confirmation of permanent residence
· work permit
· refugee permit
Proof of address
· Ontario driver's license
· utility bill
· bank statement/client slip (directly from financial institution)
· credit card statement
· federal government forms (e.g. Social Insurance Number, Service Canada documents)
· purchase agreement
Proof of custody – children must live with their parent(s) unless provided documentation supports an alternate living arrangement
Proof of immunization – proof that your child has been immunized/vaccinated
Extended-day program for kindergarten students
Families have the option of enrolling their child in before and after-school programs developed by the Ministry of Education to complement the full-day kindergarten program. These programs are run by qualified, experienced staff from our childcare partners. At registration, we will ask families to tell us whether they are interested in the extended-day programs. The programs can only run if there is enough interest among families.
Important information about immunization
In order to attend school in Ontario, your child must have an up-to-date immunization record. When you register your child for school, you will provide copy of your child's immunization record and the school will send it to Peel Health. After registration, keeping your child's records up to date is your responsibility. Peel Health reviews immunization records regularly. Students who are not completely immunized and do not have a valid exemption may not be allowed to attend school.
For information about immunization, or to get a copy of your child's record call Health Line Peel at 905-799-7700; Caledon residents can call toll-free at 905-584-2216. Translation services are available.
Register for French Immersion by Jan. 30, 2015
Are you thinking of registering your child for Grade 1 French Immersion (FI) for the 2015-16 school year?
Registration for Grade 1 FI for the 2015-16 school year will be available online at www.peelschools.org/French as of Monday Nov. 24, 2014 at 9 a.m.
The deadline to register is Friday, Jan. 30, 2015 at 4 p.m. Registrants after that date will be put on a waiting list.
Registration process
A grade 1 FI enrolment cap is in place. This means that a specific number of spots are available for students entering grade 1 FI. If the number of students registered by the deadline exceeds the number of spots in grade 1 FI, a random selection process system will be used to identify students gaining entrance into the grade 1 FI program.
All students who make the registration deadline will be placed in a random selection process and assigned a rank using a computerized random selection process. Spots are not assigned on a first come, first served basis. Once students have been assigned to all available spots, remaining students will be placed, again in rank order, on the school's waitlist.
Some students will be automatically placed in grade 1 FI. To find out if your child does not need to participate in the random selection process, and for more information about the random selection and waitlist processes, visit www.peelschools.org/French.
How to get more information
· Visit the Peel board website—www.peelschools.org/French.
· Visit the Canadian Parents for French website at http://on.cpf.ca/
Register for Extended French by Jan. 30, 2015
Are you thinking of registering your child for Grade 7 Extended French (EF) for the 2015-16 school year?
Registration for Grade 7 EF for the 2015-16 school year will be available online at www.peelschools.org/French as of Monday Nov. 24, 2014 at 9 a.m.
The deadline to register is Friday, Jan. 30, 2015 at 4 p.m. Registrants after that date will be put on a waiting list.
How to get more information
· Visit the Peel board website—www.peelschools.org/French.
· Visit the Canadian Parents for French website at http://on.cpf.ca/.
Countryside Village Public School
Website: http://schools.peelschools.org/1513/Pages/default.aspx
Location: 12175 Bramalea Road, Brampton, ON L7C2P9
Phone: 905-843-2927
Twitter: @CountrysidePDSB