Personalized, 21st Century Learning

Throughout Canada, and across many countries around the world, the movement for reform in education is significant. Many authors and experts are discussing terms like "21st Century Learning" and "Personalized Learning".  The group of Secondary Principals in the Richmond School District decided a few weeks ago to begin reading and discussing the terms as part of their professional development.  We started by looking over the Ministry of Education's Interactive Discussion Guide.  Since going through it, I have engaged in several conversations with colleagues, staff and students, and have done further reading on the topic (21st Century Learning on the Ministry site, and The Premier's Technology Council Vision for 21st Century Education as well as blog posts like "The 'New' Ministry Initiative"), and while excited by the rich conversations and thinking the topics have resulted in, I have more questions than answers about how "Personalized, 21st Century Learning" is going to evolve.

If I am honest with myself, while I am aware of the definitions, I am less clear on how I see these things ultimately manifesting themselves in our schools.  I have seen literature that discusses the Eight C's (Critical Thinking, Creativity, Collaboration, Cross-cultural Understanding, Communication, Computing, Career plus Caring for Self and the Environment) and Three R's (Reading, Writing and Numeracy) of 21st Century Learning, and understand that for learning to be Personalized, we need to provide options and choices for students, and supply them opportunities to explore areas of interest and strength embracing tools like technology.  But until we are comfortable with what these things will look like in practice, we may struggle in helping move our schools any closer to achieving that goal.

B.C. Minister of Education, George Abbott released earlier this week his Plan for Education Transformation, and after digesting it, and reliving the conversations I have engaged in the past couple of weeks, four issues come forward (though I am sure there are several more)...

1. As indicated above, I am unsure what these things will look like, and I do not think I am alone.  Many people are aware of the definitions, but are not sure how things will need to be done differently in order for us to move schools effectively into 21st Century Learning.  I am confident that much of what our teachers are doing, and have been doing for lengthy periods of time, are personalized and geared toward the 21st Century (peer teaching, progressive assessment strategies, the evolution of Distributed on-line learning, cross-curricular unit planning to name only a few) but it is not clear what the government expects schools to look like.  Perhaps this is deliberate, because each context is different.  But I have been asked in conversation, "How is this different from 'Student-Centered Learning'?" and, "What about the student who doesn't know yet what his/her areas of strength and interest are, or who is only interested in one thing, which may change as s/he grows?" or, "What will we be giving up in moving toward this system, and how is that considered better?"  These are all excellent questions that we are struggling to answer.
2. Two of the most important skills from the Eight C's are critical thinking and creativity.  Inherent in becoming a creative, critical thinker is a willingness to take risks.  One of the greatest obstacles facing students and educators today is the societal pressure to achieve marks.  We live in a "data-driven" world, where it seems we need to quantify everything with numbers, including our students' learning.  I have had numerous conversations with students over the years, listening to them fret over their marks and stress over pleasing their parents and getting into university.  Many post-secondary institutions in B.C. are moving toward "broad-based" admissions policies, schools are moving forward with assessment-for-learning strategies that don't penalize risk-taking, and the Ministry has taken some focus off exam results by abolishing optional Provincial exams.  But there still exists a reluctance for students to take chances and look for unique solutions to problems due to a fear of being incorrect, and having that response negatively affect their standing.  The fear of "getting it wrong" needs to be alleviated, freeing students to think creatively and take some chances.  This is a big shift away from where we are now for parents, students, educators and institutions and needs to be our highest priority.
3. Money continues to be an issue.  Some educators I have spoken with are hoping that Personalized Learning  will result in a reduction of the chasm between the wealthy and the less affluent, but wonder where the money will come from.  While money is a factor everywhere, and can not be used as an excuse for not moving forward, much of what 21st Century Learning is supposed to be about requires technology hardware, and comes at a cost.  Our school is still struggling with out-of-date hardware and software, and keeping up with the rapidly changing technology world is an almost impossible task.  The concern is that without appropriate technology supports in schools, the gulf between the haves and have-nots will increase rather than be reduced, since only the affluent will be able to access those technological advantages.
4. Most important in any efforts for change is buy-in from parents, students and teachers. Deep change like what the government is suggesting requires it, but as a colleague pointed out to me, teachers in B.C. are dealing with job action and contract negotiations and aren't feeling particularly appreciated or supported.  Telling them to improve and change how they do things may not be well received at this time and will not be successful "without fully engaged and committed" parents and professionals.

There is little doubt that the future of education is unsettled and intimidating yet exciting and full of opportunity. Students, teachers and parents need to think differently about the purposes of education and it's goal of preparing students to become productive members of society. Starting the conversations and improving and sharing practices that lead to "Personalized, 21st Century Learning" (and commonly understanding what these terms mean for professional practice) are critical in creating schools that are best preparing tomorrow's leaders with the skills they need. If you have suggestions for how you see these terms coming to life, and how you intend to overcome the obstacles in your schools (I have ideas, but admittedly, they are vague), I would love to hear your thoughts.

World Teacher Day

Today was a great day.  I had the opportunity to connect with several staff and students, and after what has seemed like a hectic first month, it was a welcomed change.  The Bill 33 consultation process and paperwork is complete, some of our SADE reporting and Class Size and Composition data has been extracted and analyzed, the timetable appears to be balanced and 1701 reporting has been taken care of.  These are only a few of the first month's priorities.

Today was a day for me to get into classes, and connect with staff and students.  I also got the chance to express some of my appreciation for all that the people of our school do.  Since it was World Teacher Day, I purchased donuts for the staff (a small token), and with some students, delivered them to classrooms around the school with a heartfelt "thank-you".  Tomorrow, I am hosting an appreciation lunch for the members of Student Council who assisted us during the first week homeroom classes with the tasks teachers could not perform due to job action.  I also got to observe a couple of excellent lessons today, specifically one of a teacher going through the evaluation process where she very effectively got students talking about bullying and ways to combat it, employing all kinds of technology (powerpoint and video examples for her own discussion, as well as promoting student cellphone use for their own anti-bullying PSA videos), and she handled the class with an easy aplomb.  It was a pleasure to be in the room and throughout the hallways during the day.

It got me to thinking about the impact of teaching.  Being World Teacher Day, I wanted to show some gratitude to the teachers at Burnett, as well as the inspiring people who have helped shape me into the person I am today.  I know that there is a call for reform in education, and as we move forward into a largely unknown future, we do need to look at constantly improving how we go about our business.  That does not mean, however, that everything we are doing and have been doing is wrong.  I look at the experience I had as a student, and recall it fondly, but when I compare it to the experience I see today's students getting, and the people they are becoming, I am exceedingly impressed.  Students today are even more tolerant, literate, creative, thoughtful, and socially and environmentally aware, to list only a few of the skills we see in our students each day (check out blog posts by Chris Wejr and Cale Birk on this topic).  Much of that must be attributed to how they are being taught.

I would also like to take the time to applaud the efforts of some of the more influential teachers I had while growing up.  I always enjoyed being at school, and the things I learned and the experiences I had created positive memories, and lessons that will last a lifetime.  Acknowledgements to Chris Kennedy for his post, A Little Bit About Mrs. Caffrey, that has inspired my reflecting.

• Mrs. Webster-my grade 1 teacher.  I was new to the area, having just returned from the United States.  I didn't know many people, but her classroom was so welcoming and warm, I could not help but become comfortable with her and my classmates.  
• Mr. Porter-my grade  4 teacher.  A year I will never forget.  I was hit by a car in early November, and nearly lost my life.  Mr. Porter helped both my friends and myself get through a very difficult time.  Always the teacher, when he learned of my accident, he used the skeleton hanging from the door for Halloween to talk about what had happened to me, and performed an anatomy lesson of sorts to inform the class of which bones had been broken.
• Mr. McTavish-high school PE teacher and rugby and basketball coach.  A man many of us looked up to and tried desperately to impress.  A national level rugby player and fantastically inspiring coach who put countless hours into the lives of the students in his classes and on his teams.  Extolling the virtues of discipline and hard-work, his lessons still resonate with me today.
• Mr. Hallett-high school Biology teacher.  A teacher passionate about his subject area, but more importantly, someone students saw as a real human.  His sense of humour outdid all the others, as he dressed in black on test day.  It was his challenge to us to see if we could outperform his exams.  He honestly wanted us to.  Most indicative of his impact were the number of students, past and present, who showed up at his funeral a few years after our class graduated.
• Mr. Auman-high school basketball coach.  Provided me opportunities in something that I loved, and nurtured my thirst to learn, improve and chase my dream of playing the game that has helped develop so many of the life skills I value most.
• My parents-the ultimate educators.  Their teaching continues today, as I learn from them how to raise my children.  A nurse and and a professor, they have dedicated their lives to helping others, and have always worked hard doing so.  They set the bar for my sister and me, have supported us beyond measure, and we are fortunate to have had them be the role-models they are for leading a happy, successful life.   
• Too many others to list-coaches and mentors from my young adult life until today.  Constantly asking me questions, provoking my thinking, pushing my efforts and modelling the ethics required to make things happen.

So to all of the fantastic teachers I had growing up, and to the wonderfully dedicated and talented educators I see all around me at Burnett Secondary, keep up the important and inspired work that you are doing.  Please know that you are making a difference in the lives of many, and that you are greatly appreciated.  Thank you.

Grade 8 Retreat

J.N. Burnett's Grade 8 class just returned from three days at Cultus Lake's Camp Stillwood, on a retreat designed to bring the grad class of 2016 together.  The weather cooperated and students had a memorable time, bonding with one another, working with the fantastic Leadership 11 and 12 students who were guided by Ms. Cain, and making memories that will last the duration of their time in high school and beyond.

Here as guest bloggers, writing about the experience is  one of the Leadership students who played such a huge role in making the camp happen (Jeevan Sandhu), as well as a series of Grade 8's who wrote about their experiences at camp.

After months of hard work and preparation from both staff and students, the annual grade 8 retreat has come and gone. Ms. Cain, Ms. Meralli, and Mr. Blair worked alongside the leadership classes to ensure the trip was perfectly planned and executed. What seems like a short three day vacation for most onlookers is actually lots of work considering the fact all information has to be gathered, organized, and then used to make activities for the grade 8’s to enjoy. 

Nonetheless, the day arrived and by 7 am the gym was full with nervy yet excited grade 8‘s. This would be the first trip away from parents for a lot of the grade 8’s so lots of tension was expected. The teams were organized with there group leaders ready to get going onto the cozy charter buses. Once Mr. Blair gave the green light everyone including the half asleep teachers boarded the buses to start a long and eventful day.

The bus ride was about 2 hours long but in no time at all we were pulling into the gates of Camp Stillwood. After everyone got out and gathered their belongings we had a first meeting in the main room. By now all teams had received their colourful t-shirts and we had just met the camp supervisors. Mr. Blair had a few words to say about expectations and within minutes everyone had been to their rooms and grade 8 students were all over the place enjoying the campground facilities. 

The first official event of the day was lunch. This was the first of many delicous meals we were provided with by the kitchen staff at Camp Stillwood. The meals were unique because it forced students to go and sit with lots of people they have never met before. This provided a great bonding time for leaders, teachers, and especially the grade 8’s.

The first activity that we had planned for the students was a campground wide scavenger hunt. The scavenger hunt had leaders taking their individual groups around to each station. At each station was located a teacher who provided the group with a task to do. If the task was completed successfully the group would receive the next clue. In the end not all teams finished the race but the message of the scavenger hunt ‘Don’t stop believing" was evident.

The first night was finished off with mini games in the big dome and a movie in the maple lodge. The games in the dome were enjoyed by all participants and suprisingly energy levels were excellent up until bedtime. After two hours of either watching The Blindside or running around in the dome, the students were treated to chocolate chip cookies with sugar loaded hot chocolate as their late night snack. As guessed many students were anything but sleepy after that snack. Nonetheless everyone was put to sleep.

The second day was just as jam packed as the first. Activities were planned all day requiring students to sing, dance, draw, paint, run, play, and watch. The four stations were: drama games with Tombert, Mr. Leslie and Mrs. Macdonald in the ampitheatre, sports challenges with Mr. Gomes, Mr. Ghuag, and Mr. Blair in the fields, watching Glee with Ms. Davis, Ms Meralli, and Ms. White in the maple lodge, and lastly making photo frames with Ms. Takada, Ms. Schneebelli, and Mr. Almas in the arts and crafts room. These activities took up all the way until after dinner.

The last event of the day was the charades marathon in the dome. At first their were games including the 13 grade 8 teams and the one dreaded teacher team. The teachers were reigning champions for the past 3 years. After 5 rounds of that it was the teacher team that came out victorious. However the teachers were challenged to a rapid fire round by the leadership group. It was a hotly contested game but in the end the  more equipped and superior team came out on top. The leadership students were now champions after a close 5-4 victory. After all the tears were shed and jokes were made, it was time to sleep.

The night was short but not boring, to say the least. Mr. Ghaug, Mr. Gomes, Mr. Blair, and Tombert tried there best to scare the downstairs boys cabin, however to much shock not a single soul was awoken by these attempts.

Morning came fast and the day was going to be much shorter than the last two. After breakfast, cleanup was done in all rooms. After cleaning up the grade 8s were given their last bit of free time at the campsite. It was time for them to meet at the maple  lodge in no time. The maple lodge is where we sat and watched the amazing video that Mrs. Johal spent hours to make. The video was followed by Mr. Ghaug saying a couple words on the past three days.

Upon leaving the maple lodge we took our great big group picture. The picture was taken in order from colour to colour in our groups. After the big picture we headed into the cafeteria for our last meal as a big group. We left the cafeteria saying out thank-you’s and good-bye’s and headed towards our buses. 

Whether it was beating teachers in charades, getting pranked by Mr. Gomes and Mr. Ghaug, or just enjoying the meals with the group, I know the leadership group cherished every moment of the trip and I am confident that all teachers and grade 8’s would agree with this statement. 

Special thanks to Mrs. Johal for putting together the amazing video above.....

It was the people made Grade 8 retreat so epic, awesome, exhilarating and amazing.  The people that I got to know, the people who inspired, the people who I ate with, and even the people I annoyed when I was rustling at night.  I couldn’t forget the leaders.  The leaders who pointed us to the right destination when we were lost, who offered a helping hand, who forced us to go to sleep and who beat the teachers at Charades.

 -Hui Zhang  

After and during the grade 8 retreat, the grade 8’s were more comfortable and united with each other than before.

 - Ann Gee 

Camp definitely affected my grade 8 year.  At camp we made memories that will last a lifetime.  I wish we never had to leave the retreat, I really miss being there.  Waking up every morning surrounded by friends, staying up late talking, playing games around a campfire and especially getting to spend time with and getting to know our classmates was just amazing.  The camp leaders really made it all the more fun, and when I’m in grade 12 I hope to get the opportunity to come back to camp and do what they did for us.

 - Joceline Savoie

The grade 8 retreat was amazing, fun and changed my life.  It was the experience of a lifetime.  At first I was scared of being in high school with all the big kids and changing classes, but the grade 8 retreat has changed my mind.  I made tons of new friends, and I learned that grade 12’s are not as scary as they seem.  The retreat taught me to believe in myself and never give up.  I think this lesson will be very useful and important in my high school life.  The leadership students were great, amazing, awesome, indescribable! They helped me and taught me life lessons through the retreat  that is why in the future, I want to be a leadership student.  I want to do what they did for me, to the future grade 8’s.

 -Elaine Leung 

After the retreat, high school doesn’t seem such a bad and scary place as it did before.  I really hope that the next year’s grade 8’s will go on the retreat because it is a thing to help us get used to high school.

-Mizu Lee 

The grade 8 retreat was a great experience for me to have fun with my peers and meet new friends.  Besides having fun, it was also a time to show some leadership and responsibility.  This camp experience has affected me greatly because I learned how to take care of myself, be independent, and putting aside my own shyness and say hi to people I don’t know yet.

 -Michelle Chan 

Congratulations and thank-you's to all the people who worked so hard to make the camp a success. It surely was!!!

Remember to Breathe....

As a new Principal, I am going to try and reflect every week or so on the experiences I have enjoyed as I continue to learn on the job.  The first couple of weeks have been bumpy and challenging, but at the same time exhilarating, exciting and enjoyable.

Every year start-up seems to be frenetic as we get things settled in.  This year is especially challenging since I am new to this role and there exist some complicating factors including; Phase 1 of BC teacher job action, our office staff losing its head secretary to retirement, our day custodian having to take an extended leave, our senior afternoon custodian also retiring and our brand new Administrative team learning the structures of the school, meeting the staff and assuming new roles.  It has been a little harried to say the least.

As in every year start up, counsellors are working frantically with students to adjust timetables and balance classes.  We attempt to prepare for the upcoming Grade 8 retreat (a 3 day camp in Cultus Lake's Camp Stillwood), we have begun our Bill 33 preparations, and we continue to rework the timetable to serve our ever-expanding ESL population.  To the students, thank you for your patience and understanding, and I remind you to slow down and enjoy time with your family and friends and allow the staff at school to work to get you all the things you need.  We do have your best interests at heart, and will do all that we can to give you what you have asked for.

Despite being busy and feeling a little overwhelmed at times, the first couple of weeks have gone quite well and I am now starting to find my feet.  I do, however, need to remind myself of the same things I have asked the students to remember.  In a conversation with my wife this weekend and recounting several of the issues we have faced in the first week with students, I found myself speaking incredibly fast, and she told me that I seemed more "wound up" than normal.  She was right, and I think many of my conversations with people in this first week have been a little too high-paced.  I need to slow down, listen and remember that "this, too, shall pass".  The staff at Burnett is extremely professional, caring and hard-working, and they will do all that needs to be done to support the students in our care.  I need to be able to listen to them and provide them the supports to do their jobs properly.  This needs to be done on all levels, including staff working with students and each other, and students working with their peers, their teachers and their counsellors.

I can not thank the people around me enough for their patience, support and hard work.  There are too many to list, but you know who you are...  Within the next week or so, most things should be resolved and the normal pace of life in high-school should resume.  In the meantime, take care of yourselves, slow down, and for all of us (especially me)...Remember to breathe!

Welcome back!!

Every Labour day long weekend, students and education professionals all around North America nervously anticipate the start of a new school year.  For many of them, this is the REAL New Year (not January 1st-see Chris Kennedy's blog post "Happy New Year").  For as long as I can remember, I also eagerly looked forward to the start of school, often times with great trepidation.  Who will be my teacher(s)?  What did my friends do during the summer?  Are there any new students to the school?  Who will be coaching or trying out for the basketball team?

The more things change, the more they stay the same.  Like most years, I was in the school over the weekend, putting together some last minute preparations for Tuesday morning.  While there I saw scores of students showing up at the front window, checking to see which homeroom they had been assigned.  All of them seemed genuinely excited, and a little bit nervous (especially the Grade 8's).  I spoke with several of them, tried to ease their anxiety, and welcomed them back for another year of school.

A great deal has been written and discussed about the need for reform in education today, and I agree with much of it.  I have always felt, however, that the strongest reason for schools existing in the form they continue to is the social element.  Students need to be able to come together, share stories and ideas, learn from one another and engage in the most human of activities, interacting with others.  Seeing students gather to share their excitement and support one another, I was reminded that school is the ideal place for this.  While we do have many issues we need to address and improve within public education, our strengths, including providing a safe place for human interaction, have never been more important or better offered.

Like the students, I get excited and anxious with the start of every year.  This year, I may feel this way even more than usual.  As I have written previously, I am beginning a new role and have assumed the responsibility of Principal of Burnett Secondary.  The unfamiliarity I have with the role, the greater responsibility and the additional complicating factor of job action facing the BC education system this year as teachers enter contract negotiations, add to my anxiety.  But despite all the uncertainties, I am extremely excited and very much looking forward to the challenges that lie ahead.  I think that most students feel the same way.  They are unsure of what the future will bring, worried about making the right impressions on their friends and teachers and feeling the pressure that seems to escalate with every year of school.  This anxiousness can be overwhelming, but is not necessarily a negative.  It signifies a chance to start again, to recreate one's reputation or image and a little discomfort reminds us that we are growing and challenging ourselves.  I relish that feeling and hope that our students appreciate it for the same reasons I do.

Of course, no one describes the experience of the first day of school better than the folks at "Sesame Street"...

So, to the students and staff of J.N. Burnett,

"Welcome back".

Have a great year!!!

A New Role

As August rolls along and the start of another school year draws closer, I feel it is time to put together some thoughts about what kind of leader I want to be next year...

Last fall I put together my application package in hopes of becoming a Principal in the Richmond School District.  After going through the extremely valuable professional development of reviewing my Educational Philosophy, updating my resume and preparing for the interview process, I was successful.  At the time, it was unclear where I would be placed to begin this chapter of my career, since quite often administrators in Richmond move schools when changing roles or after a length of time in one building.  I have been a Vice Principal at J.N. Burnett Secondary School for 6 years and thought I might be asked to relocate, but in the Spring was informed that I would be staying.  I am thrilled with this opportunity, because I feel that learning a new job is much easier if you already know the people and the processes.

I was fortunate to be given a similar opportunity when beginning my Vice Principal career over 10 years ago.  I got to stay at the same school in which I had been teaching.  When I began that role, however, I had very little understanding about the role of an administrator (since working in a classroom I had little exposure to the operations of the office), and fumbled my way through a variety of tasks as well as learning about the leadership and management responsibilities inherent within the role.

Now, as  I prepare to enter a new assignment, this time as Principal of a school, I have a much greater awareness of what the job entails and a much clearer vision for what makes a successful school.  I have worked alongside fabulous mentors over the years who have taught me a great deal about the role of a Principal, and been part of administrative teams that shared responsibilities and discussed decisions together.  I feel much more prepared to make this move then when I moved into the role of Vice Principal.  While I may not get to enjoy the honeymoon phase people often experience when new to an environment, I trust that I will be given the benefit of the doubt by the people who know what I believe and what I stand for.

This blog entry is being written as a reminder to myself and the staff at Burnett of what I believe is important in contributing to a great school, and what I will try to do and model as the Principal (inspired by blog posts I have recently read by Justin Tarte and John Bernia).

1.  Be visible....  As a Vice Principal I prided myself on being in the hallways, getting into classrooms and engaging staff and students in conversation about how things are going and what can be done better.  I understand that this becomes more difficult as a Principal, but I will make it a priority.  I love interacting with people and asking them how they are doing, and know it has a very positive effect on the culture of a school.  It is imperative that I continue this.  I will make myself available to observe classes and meet with staff and students, and I want staff to know that I am not someone to be intimidated by with my presence in a classroom.  I want to help.  I am looking for opportunities to teach and model some new things for staff and students, thus enabling teachers to get release time to observe each other, plan something new or experiment with new technologies.  Please feel comfortable having me work with or observe your class.

2.  Remain a learner and promote taking chances.... I will model for staff a willingness to try new things and support them in their efforts to do the same.  I will take an active role in the Professional Development efforts of the school, and embrace the use of technology and other creative tools at the fingertips of staff and students.  I am a firm believer that we need to challenge ourselves and our students with new and creative ways of doing things and want people to feel supported in their attempts to learn, explore and create.  I love Michael Jordan's commercial about failure and success, and want to model the same for the staff.

3.  Be a listener.... I want to be approachable and keep my door "open" to allow conversations to occur.  I will continue to ask lots of questions and will work hard to connect with parents, students and staff looking for feedback on what is working, what they feel needs attention and what we could be doing differently.  In recent years at Burnett, we have spent time raising student voices, and I intend to continue this and really listen to what students have to say.  I have always tried to listen much more than I speak, and will continue to use this as a guideline for my interactions with all stakeholders in the school.

4.  Make difficult decisions and take action based upon our vision.... I will work hard to create a shared vision for our school, one that at its core, is about students.  That vision will be understood and shared by our staff and will be the foundation for the difficult decisions that we will have to make.  I will take action in accordance with that vision in attempts to make this school the best it can be for all students.

5.   Foster collaborative relationships within the school.... The upcoming year could be challenging on a variety of levels, especially since our teacher union is going into contract negotiations and with that comes the risk of job action.  I want the staff at Burnett to know that I care about them, I support them and I appreciate them.  Regardless of how the year unfolds politically, we are in this together, and will continue to work together after things have stabilized.  Relationships must be at the forefront to allow us to work together successfully in the future.

6.  Be the kind of person Lorne Bodin was....  Lorne was someone who cared about others before himself, advocated for those less advantaged, and made everyone around him feel listened to.  I have written of his influence on my career previously.  I think of him often, miss his guidance terribly and often ask myself "what would Lorne do?"  In answering that question, I am confident I will do what is right for the school and the students and staff within it.

I recognize that I am very fortunate to work at a fantastic school, filled with motivated and enthusiastic staff and students who continually impress me.  I look forward to the upcoming year, and promise to do my part by living up to the goals I have set out for myself above.  If you feel I am missing something, please let me know.  Similarly, if I am not following through as I have indicated I would, please tell me.  I welcome the feedback.

More Great Things to Share

This post was intended to be posted quite some time ago, but due to some technical issues with the video link, I was unable to publish it until now.

Several weeks ago I had the pleasure of observing a Social Studies 10 class engaged in a mock trial of Canadian historical figure, Louis Riel.  The class spent several periods talking about Canadian history, specifically Louis Riel and his work with the Metis.  The class also spent some time discussing the logistics of the legal system and how trials work. The teacher then decided to take a chance and engage the learners through the mock trial process.  She assigned roles and gave some preparation time to begin research into Louis Riel's trial for treason.
 
Class members took on roles including bayliff, judge, jury members, Louis Riel himself and a host of witnesses who were called to the stand by the Crown counsel and the Defense.  The exercise was exciting and engaging for all students, and the innovative teaching contributed to learning in an educational setting that was incredibly rich, and much deeper than traditional stand and deliver lessons.

Here to write about the process, what was learned, how engaged the class was and the overall experience of the assignment are three students from the class, Saheli Sodhi, Ellia Zhong and Pearl Xu.

As illustrious as many events throughout history are, Canadian history has a tendency of being a tad dry. The majority of students would prefer to study the rich history of the United States or the passionate plight of the French during their famous revolution. Despite how amazing this country is now, the path its people took to get to where Canada is today was not particularly glorious. It is certainly beneficial to be aware of the roots of one's country; however, if the teaching style is not conducive to learning, the information may go in one ear and out the other. This lack of absorption can be remedied by using a variety of sources to learn. A perfect example of a creative learning medium is through the use of a mock trial, such as the trial of Louis Riel.

          By utilising a mock trial environment, students cover the materials in the textbook, indirectly. It is almost learning without being entirely conscious of their learning. It allows students the chance to learn the trial process while covering all of the necessary information, not to mention that it provides a competitive atmosphere to foster both teamwork and a desire to win.

          By the time that we had reached our Social Studies 10 unit on Louis Riel and his conflict with the government, our class had already poured through quite a few chapters of relevant, but in all honesty — from a student’s point of view — monotonous information. That was when Ms. Meralli, our Socials teacher, decided to incorporate the mock trial method of learning. By giving us this variation of learning style, she not only rejuvenated our interest, but also allowed for an understanding of that epoch in history on a deeper level.

          In the mock trial, every student took on the role of a true historical figure and we learned the history of the character, their part in the fight of the Metis, their values, and their environment in a very personal way. Everybody seemed to really connect to their character and to a world more than a century in the past. It seemed humorous in retrospect when we got a chance to look at how heated the mock trial had become and how intensely the points were delivered on both sides. That, however, as most of the participants would agree, was the success of this project. Everybody took something away from the mock trial, and key ideas that might have been overlooked in a detached volume of text really shone through during the trial to become a memorable addition to our understanding of Canadian history.

          Day One in the library, where the trial was held, tensions were high. The student-comprised jury sat to the right and the honourable Judge sat straight ahead with the authoritative Court Clerk positioned beside him. Everything began with the powerful opening statements delivered by confident lawyers from both the Defence and Crown counsel. All of the witnesses were carefully questioned by their own lawyers, trying to block off every loophole and tear away any suspicions, but the opposing lawyers never failed to spot the smallest of errors and bring uncertainty back to the table.

          Actively engaging in the trial, the Crown and Defence council took every chance they had to object, sometimes even to their own testimony, and the audience watched nervously with sweaty palms waiting for the opposition to rebut. The witnesses took to the stand fearlessly, dressed in their most creative clothing, representing their historical characters. There were generals in military uniforms, women with feather headbands and a few men with false beards and moustaches.

          Day two began in medias res — the last three witnesses were called and the lawyers delivered their closing statements which offered a little bit of everything, appealing to everyone’s appetite. There was emotion, logic, fact, and convincing delivery. The jury was sent away with a very tough decision on their hands. The fate of one man was on their shoulders.

          In the end, the Defence won more votes of the jury. When members of the jury were interviewed post-trial, both the people in favour of the Crown and against it produced very strong arguments defending their opinions.

          The trial was intensely fought and fairly decided, yet the verdict was irrelevant in light of what we learned. By the end of the trial, we all had assimilated more information than we thought possible, simply because Ms. Meralli left the track of the traditional curriculum to pursue a course of action that was both engaging and informative. The mock trial of Louis Riel was an invaluable learning experience and the information will stick with us for many years to come.

Below is a video representation of the trial, put together by a some students in the class who made it into a news reel.  Well done, Sam Chow, Jason Quan and Bernard Ng.

Thanks again to all class members for their hard work and for inviting me to observe it.  Special thanks also to Ms. Meralli for her risk taking and creative teaching which inspired fantastic things from her students. 

Great things continue to happen at Burnett Secondary School!