june 2012 . Issue 10 . Volume 9
The Calgary Science School
Principal’s Message What an incredible month it has been. I strongly encourage all CSS parents to take some time to go through this month’s Spectrum, as it is a great summary of some of our more notable events and achievements. I would like to highlight one event in particular as being very significant for the school. We hosted the ConnectEd Canada Conference on May 25-27. As you will read later in this Spectrum, the conference put CSS on a national stage and allowed us to share much of what we are learning about how to deeply engage students. There was even recognition from our new Minister of Education that CSS is a place of innovation and sharing. One of the most extraordinary things about the conference actually happened before it even started. Two of our teachers were working with a large group of grade 4-9 CSS students to prepare them to act as tour guides and student ambassadors for the conference. Part of that preparation included asking the students to reflect on what learning through inquiry means. This is just a small part of what they said: “Inquiry is about not being afraid to make a mistake or get the wrong answer. You always get a second chance.” “Inquiry is about sharing our learning with our classmates and with the world and using their feedback to improve.”
Students understand that it takes courage to push oneself, to try new things, and to accept responsibility for learning in a different way. They understand that learning is collaborative; more than that, they understand that the world they are inheriting demands a level of collaboration that is foreign to many adults. When asked to reflect about the teachers and the teaching, they said, in part: “Teachers here treat you like you’re greater than you are and expect the best.” “Teachers here interact with the students throughout the entire learning process, not just at the beginning and the end.” The students clearly appreciate how they are pushed to dig deeper in their learning and they have a good understanding of the role of the teacher in supporting learning in an inquirybased setting. There is a lot more to what they said, but every single statement and idea reinforced what we know about our students; they are a remarkably insightful, talented and responsible group. If you spend just a few minutes going through the Spectrum you can read more about the ConnectEd conference and you will see many, many examples of how incredible our students are and how supportive and dedicated our teachers are.
1 www.calgaryscienceschool.com