Message from the Principals 5/12/2023

Good morning,

Today's topics:

1: Important Reminders

2: Curriculum Focus: Experiential and Active

3: Learning Highlight

4: House Points

5: Photos of the week!

1: Important Reminders

Open School - May 16th
- The school will be open to all visitors from 8:20-10:00.
- Non-Hope visitors must complete this form.
MAP Testing will be on May 25-26.
Revision Weeks Registration closes May 31st.
Summer School registration closes May 31st.
- View here for more information (https://www.hopeoki.org/summer-school)

2: Curriculum Focus: Experiential and Active

Over the last three blogs, we have been sharing information about the types of pedagogies that inform the IPC and the IMYC. The four areas referred to as the “Progressive Pedagogies” are:

Brain-based
Experiential and active
Metacognition
Constructivism

With these updates, we had the opportunity to dig deeper into the meaning and context of “metacognition”, “constructivism” and brain-based and how they are used to support students at Hope.

This Curriculum Focus will explore the final of these four areas - experiential and active learning. In terms of the IPC and IMYC, as we’ve explored when discussing “brain-based” learning, connections are strengthened when learning is relevant and has meaning to the students. By making sure that learning is relevant, students are more likely to be more engaged, interested and curious. Through classroom activities that are active and cyclical, students have the opportunity to acquire new knowledge, to further their skills, and to deepen their understanding.

Hope teachers are constantly facilitating learning opportunities that provide experiential learning - whether this be through interactions with guest speakers, field trips, community projects, or a wide variety of hands-on learning tasks within the classroom. By putting the learning into a real-world context through these interactions, students are strengthening their neural connections.

Teachers at Hope also consistently reflect on their lesson plans and evaluate suggested tasks to ensure that they meet the needs of their students. They plan for lessons that will allow students to demonstrate agency, while ensuring the task is accessible, relevant and appropriately challenging. By ensuring that tasks are challenging and accessible, teachers are providing the opportunity for the students to reach a state of natural “flow” with their learning - a state of intrinsic motivation.

3: Learning Highlight

From April 24-28th, Hope held it's "English Week" Celebration. During this week students from all grades were challenged to compete individually and as a group in English Speaking events & challenges. Students participated in events such as spelling bees, poem writing & recitation, Reader's Theater, Impromptu speaking, Literary quizzes, and Dramatic play presentations. It was wonderful to see students confidently and independently stepping out of their comfort zones to challenge themselves in different events. We want to extend a special thank you to our Grade 7 teacher, Ms. Richie for planning, organizing, and running such a fun, successful event.