Curriculum Connections
May 2008 |
VOL 5 No 3 |
07-P-37 |
Take This Job and Love It?
The greatest portion of the school year is behind you and you’re probably anticipating the renewal that summer brings.
I hope you still love your work.
I hope you love what you do enough to help students get past a culture built around “soundbites and snap judgements.” I hope you love what you do enough to lead your students through the surfaces of life as they experience it to great depths of insight. I pray that you love what you do enough to nourish patience and toughness in community, especially to those who present challenges to us, be they students, staff or parents.
Loving what we do means having a “willingness to think deeply, discern keenly,” and do the hard work of going the “distance with detractors and critics.”
“Love is willing to roll up the sleeves and do some hard work. Love says this person is worth my while because he or she is an image bearer of God. Love realizes that sometimes, just beneath the surface of someone else’s criticism, there may be a larger truth of which I had best be aware. Love discerns that sometimes the person who can be the biggest pain in your neck is really crying out for help, just wants to be taken seriously, just needs to know that someone cares enough to listen." (Scott Hoezee, Calvin Seminary Director of the Center for Excellence in Preaching)
As the school year winds down may you continue to practise your calling in love.
May you anticipate the new school year eager to love your work.
Curriculum Review and Development - SQAP
Throughout the School Quality Assurance Program (SQAP) process, we have learned that the preparation of curriculum documents is a work in progress requiring much contentrated effort on the part of curriculum coordinators and teachers. This is by far the most labour-intensive undertaking for schools going through the SQAP. However, we are encouraged that many schools are being diligent in preparing curriculum binders and we applaud and support you in your work. A guideline was distributed at the OACS Curriculum Coordinators Day. If you did not receive this, please contact Lorna Keith, Director of School Quality Services, at the OACS office or lornak@oacs.org.
Tell Me the Secrets and the PACS Unit
It has come to our attention that the book “Tell Me the Secrets” by Max Lucado, which was made available alongside the PACS unit “Tell Me the Secrets,” does not contain artist’s notes to the illustrations, originally included in the book’s initial printing (2003). We have received permission to make copies of these pages available to our schools. This resource is now available for download here.
Primary Curriculum Conference Presentations
The presentations “Creation Studies “What Now?” made by Cathy VanderVliet, Junior Science Curriculum Writing Coordinator, are now available for download. Click here for the Pause presentation. Click here for the Assessment and Evaluation presentation. Note: they have been posted as pdf files.
Upcoming OACS Curriculum Conferences
English Language Learning
A conference focusing on working with international students, with an introduction by Jim DeKorne, Vice President of School Services, Christian Schools International. Look for more information at http://www.oacs.org/conference/educators.asp
Kindergarten
The conference will provide three sessions: a focus on using science as context for integrated units, differentiated instruction at the K-level, and an opportunity to share assessment tools. Information and registration is available online at http://www.oacs.org/conference/educators.asp
Tuesday, May 13, 2008 – Woodstock
Thursday, May 15, 2008 – Bowmanville
Canadian Centre for Child Protection
Kids in the Know is a program of the Canadian Centre for Child Protection, with a focus on engaging, empowering and educating children in the area of personal safety. KiK’s first bi-annual newsletter for parents and educators addresses the use of social networking sites such as Facebook and Myspace, with recommendations for parents and educators. Visit the website http://www.kidsintheknow.ca/app/en/educators for an overview of the resources available. For more information on the Canadian Centre for Child Protection visit the website www.protectchildren.ca
Digital Natives/Digital Immigrants Presentation
Shannon Marcus’ presentation on information technologies is now available for download. It is offered as a pdf file. You can download it by clicking on Digital Natives / Digital Immigrants.
Mathematics Resources
The Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computing, associated with the University of Waterloo, has created an impressive free mathematics website for students, teachers and parents. Math resources available on the U. of Waterloo website include Mathfrog (Grades 4, 5 and 6), a free math site of resources and online games, print materials, problems for the web, Emmy Noether Circles (collaborative problem-solving circle activities), Wired Math (Grades 7, 8 and 9) and MathSwap, a library of free on-line resources for math classes contributed by fellow teachers. Not all of the materials are free, but there are many useful resources here.
Professional Development Opportunity:
Teachers Institute on Canadian Parliamentary Democracy
Each year in November, this institute, organized and launched in 1996 by the Library of Parliament, brings together educators from across Canada for a week on Parliament Hill. Participants are selected on merit by peer review. The goals of this experience: to enhance teachers’ understanding of Canada’s parliamentary system, promote discussion and critical inquiry, facilitate sharing and development of ideas, and empower teachers to champion effective citizenship. If you are interested in this opportunity, and are planning for the coming school year, visit the Library of Parliament website for more information and application forms.
Resources Available for Teachers:
Parliament of Canada
The Parliament of Canada offers a comprehensive collection of programs and classroom resources that address all aspects of the parliamentary system in a teacher-student friendly manner. Many schools will have received a brochure included with their OACS diploma order. Brochures will also be available at any remaining curriculum conference days. Visit the Parliament of Canada website at www.parl.gc.ca/education for a complete listing of what is available.
Junior Science Curriculum Project Update
Field testing is underway for the first unit! Click here for an update on the Junior Science writing project.
Science Equipment List
As you prepare for the new school year, you may find this resource helpful. It itemizes the equipment that is required in order to teach a good science program. Click here to download the list.
Canadian Tests of Basic Skills
Canadian Tests of Basic Skills (CTBS) is scheduled for the fall of 2008. A complete information package, including pricing options, will be emailed to all schools on Monday, May 26, 2008.
Loan Resource – Education Safety Association of Ontario
Available for loan from OACS: Slips, Trips and Falls – a resource package that focuses on – you guessed it – an overview of slips and falls in educational facilities. It includes instructor’s manual, transparencies and a video. Contact myniez@oacs.org if you are interested.
Cyberbullying
The spring 2008 issue of Canadian Teacher Magazine refers to cyberbullying as an emerging threat to the “Always On” generation. Bill Belsey has created www.bullying.org, one of the world’s most visited websites about bullying. This article outlines Belsey’s proactive response to the school shooting at Columbine High School in Colorado. Read the story in this issue or visit Belsey’s website at www.bullying.org (Canadian Teacher Magazine is available free to teachers at www.CanadianTeacherMagazine.com)
Powerpoint Online
We regularly post presentations on the OACS website which are offered in Powerpoint format. If you need a PowerPoint viewer download the following. This Microsoft plug-in allows you to view full-featured presentations created in PowerPoint 97 and later versions. You will need to be running Windows 98, 2000 SP3, or Windows Server 2003:
Cut and paste the link into your Internet browser: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=428d5727-43ab-4f24-90b7-a94784af71a4&displaylang=en
High School News
Earlier in the year there was some discussion about the possibility of high school teachers working on a number of curriculum projects during the summer this year. Instead of starting new projects, we are planning to complete a number of project that were developed last summer (or earlier) but have not been completed. Among them are Civics, Careers, Living at the Crossroads (Grade 12 Bible), and perhaps Society: Challenge and Change. Next year we hope to review the process of curriculum work at the high school level to determine how these projects can be completed in a manner most helpful to teachers in their classrooms. The input of teachers will be sought as we determine on the most effective delivery approach. Contact Gary VanArragon for further information.
In His service,
Gary VanArragon,
OACS Secondary
Curriculum Consultant
Hugo
Marcus,
OACS Director of Curriculum Publications
Documents Links:
Tell Me the Secrets artist’s notes
Digital Natives / Digital Immigrants presentation by Shannon Marcus
Junior Creation Science Studies Newsletter
Pause Presentation - Primary Curriculum Conference
Assessment and Evaluation – Primary Curriculum Conference
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