Encourage your child to spend more time chatting in person and less time chatting online

To help your child become an autonomous and resilient learner:

Encourage her to spend more time chatting in person and less time chatting online.

Teens today socialize very differently than their parents did. Smart phones and social media have transformed the way in which teens communicate with their friends. Instead of hanging-out together after school and chatting with their friends on the phone, they send text messages and have group chats on platforms like Instagram and Skype.

In her book The Big Disconnect: Protecting Childhood and Family Relationships in the Digital Age, Dr. Catherine Steiner-Adair explains how over-using these types of communication technologies erodes our ability to formulate our thoughts and to express them orally. Studies have actually shown that teens who spend a lot of time communicating electronically have more difficulty expressing themselves orally and having meaningful conversations with their family and peers. On the other hand, teens who spend more time together away from technology – at camps or social activities, for example – converse more effectively.

With two weeks of vacation ahead, now is the perfect time to help your child develop better conversational skills. Consider banning technology during family gatherings and encouraging your child to get together with friends.

Foster empathy in your child by favouring family time over screen time

To help your child become an autonomous and resilient learner:

Foster empathy by favouring family time over screen time.

In her book The Big Disconnect: Protecting Childhood and Family Relationships in the Digital Age, Dr. Catherine Steiner-Adair examines the technology paradox : how technology both enriches and erodes our lives.

In addition to the detrimental effects that technology has on development and learning, Dr. Steiner-Adair points-out that the adolescent brain is not mature enough to make good judgements about what to watch and how to behave online. Even teenagers are not yet fully able to distinguish between right and wrong, tasteful and distasteful, or even funny and cruel content, and can therefore end-up being exposed to things that are harmful to them. What’s more, the anonymity associated with the online world means that young people are not learning to be accountable for their words or actions and often engage in much crueller behaviour than they would in real life.

Children learn values, ethics, accountability and empathy – critical skills for navigating the world successfully –  through the normal ups and downs of authentic family relationships. So, if you want to foster empathy in your child, try reducing your child’s exposure to technology and increasing the amount of time you spend together.

Boost your child’s brain power by limiting her screen time

To help your child become an autonomous and resilient learner:

Boost her brain power by limiting her screen time.

Dr. Catherine Steiner-Adair is an internationally-recognized clinical psychologist, school consultant and award-winning author. In her book The Big Disconnect: Protecting Childhood and Family Relationships in the Digital Age, Dr. Steiner-Adair examines ways in which today’s amazing technologies and media are changing how children develop and presenting them with unprecedented opportunities and risks.

One of the most important messages she conveys is that “screen time” actually interferes with learning. Research has conclusively shown that exposure to activity on a screen, whether it be playing video games, browsing the internet, using social media, or watching television, adversely affects a child’s ability to concentrate, focus, understand, and even sleep. In fact, technology has also been shown to interfere with the development of the neural pathways used for reading!

With that in mind, and with the exam period about to begin, consider limiting the time your child spends in front of a screen and encouraging real-life social interactions and learning experiences. This will help create the best conditions for success.

An Interview with Centennial Academy Teacher Meighan Diggle

Introduce yourself and the courses you teach. What, in your opinion, is the best thing about being a teacher at Centennial Academy?

My name is Meighan Diggle and I teach grade 7 and 8 French as a second language.
The best thing about being a teacher at Centennial is the fact that we are encouraged to be lifelong learners and risk takers. It is a place where students and teachers alike are always learning, so as a teacher there is an emphasis placed on being innovative and trying new things in the classroom regardless of the outcome, then reflecting on our own practices to see whether it was effective or not.
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What are the top 3 things that you think make Centennial Academy unique?

  1. The strategic approach that we use.
  2. The tools that are created to help students succeed.
  3. Data driven collaboration among staff members.

Tell me about one of your favorite teaching memories/story?

In grade 10 French, we watch a movie called “Les intouchables”. When I taught grade 10, 2 years ago, we were watching the movie and all of a sudden the song “September” by Earth Wind and Fire came on and I looked away from the screen and saw all of my grade 10 students lip syncing and dancing in their seats. I started laughing hysterically and then it became something that we spoke about often in class. It was so nice seeing these students enjoying themselves while watching a French movie.

What do you think your students like the most about you?

I think that they would say that I am structured, but that I have a good balance of serious and fun in the classroom.

Describe a typical classroom experience or a typical day at Centennial?

In French class, we always start with a routine. The students know that when they get into class, they take out their notebook, write the date and start working on whatever is projected on the board. We then go into an opening activity where I introduce the topic of the day with either a video, a powerpoint or a discussion. Then they have about 30 minutes to work on their learning activity which is either individual, in pairs or in groups of 4. We have a lot of opportunity to discuss and collaborate in French class. At the end of the class, we do a short activity so that I can check what was understood and what needs further clarification.

Describe in your own words the Centennial Academy Approach and how UDL really works.

Universal design for learning is about teaching to diverse learners regardless of their learning profile. Creating structures and using strategies in class that help ensure that everyone in the classroom can access the material and be successful no matter their learning challenges. Centennial is a unique school because we do not focus on the needs of one particular student in the class, but rather the needs of everyone and determine how we can alter our teaching practices to ensure that all student needs are being met.

Adopt an authoritative, psychologically-wise parenting style

To help your child become an autonomous and resilient learner:

Adopt an authoritative, psychologically-wise parenting style.

A psychologically-wise, authoritative parenting style combines warmth, sensitivity and the setting of limits. Parents use positive reinforcement and reasoning to guide children and avoid resorting to threats or punishments.

When internationally-renowned adolescent psychology expert Dr. Laurence Steinberg delivered his 2001 presidential address to the Society for Researchers on Adolesence, he proposed a moratorium on further research on parenting styles because, as he explained, there was so much evidence for the benefits of supportive and demanding parenting that scientists could profitably move on to thornier research questions!

If your child would say the following things about you, you are on the right track to becoming a warm, respectful, supportive and demanding parent:

  • I can count on my parents to help me if I have a problem.
  • My parents spend time just talking with me.
  • My parents and I do fun activities together.
  • My parents believe that I have a right to my own point of view.
  • My parents respect my privacy.
  • My parents give me a lot of freedom.
  • My parents really expect me to follow family rules.
  • My parents point out ways in which I could do better.
  • My parents expect me to do my best, even when it’s hard.

An Interview with Centennial Academy Teacher Rebecca Martorella

Introduce yourself and the courses you teach. What, in your opinion, is the best thing about being a teacher at Centennial Academy?

My name is Rebecca Martorella and I’m a social studies teacher in both the English and the French stream. I teach both geography and history for the grade 7, 8 and 9 levels. The best thing about being a teacher at Centennial Academy is the collaboration amongst teachers to find strategies that will help each one of our students’ learning. [/row]

What are the top 3 things that you think make Centennial Academy unique?

Centennial Academy is unique for several reasons:

The first thing that makes Centennial unique is how teachers scaffold major projects and assignment for students. Teachers break down projects into smaller chunks, making it easier for the students to learn and complete tasks. Students are provided with a model that clearly indicates the steps that need to be followed in order to reach the final goal of the project or assignment.

The second thing that makes Centennial unique is that teachers do minimal teaching in the classroom. Teacher’s coach and guide while students work We don’t spend an entire class period talking and students simply take notes down. Students spend the majority of class time working on an activity (assignment, project, review, etc.) in which they learn to become autonomous and resilient learners. With the steps provided to the student by their teacher, the student is able to work independently.

The third thing that makes Centennial unique is the approach we take in implementing effective learning strategies. We know that students don’t all learn at the same pace or in the same way. We recognize that students learn differently, which is why we provide students with different learning strategies they can use in order to succeed.

Tell me about one of your favorite teaching memories/story?

One of my favourite teaching memories was in May 2018 with my grade 8 history classes. We were studying the unit on the American Revolution and the students found it a little difficult. I decided to group the students in groups of 4 in which they would select a particular event from the American Revolution unit and they would write a script. They were then asked to put on a skit in which they brought in props and other visuals. The skits were funny and well done, but most of all it helped to get a better understanding of the course content. The students loved it and it was definitely a learning moment for them.

What do you think your students like the most about you?

I think the students appreciate that I try to make learning and understanding history enjoyable. History can be a difficult course with many dates and concepts to remember, but I try to find ways to help my students understand the material by making connections.

Describe a typical classroom experience or a typical day at Centennial?

Routine and predictability are key components in the classroom. The class typically starts with a routine and then followed by teaching/instruction at a minimal level from the teacher. The teacher usually teaches and/or instructs for about 10 minutes. The students are asked to work on a follow up activity for the remainder of the class while the teacher teacher’s coach and guide while students work. The last few minutes of class, the students are asked to put their material away and to get ready for their next class.

Describe in your own words the Centennial Academy Approach and how UDL really works.

At Centennial, we recognize that students have different learning needs, which is why we provide our students with various forms of learning and engagement in the course material. Using the UDL model allows us to use various tools to help remove learning barriers for our students. Tools include WordQ, reading strategies, graphic organizers, course packs, work models and various visual tools.

An Interview with Centennial Academy Teacher Nicholas Sergerie

Introduce yourself and the courses you teach. What, in your opinion, is the best thing about being a teacher at Centennial Academy?

My name is Nicholas Sergerie, Department Head of Social Studies.  I teach grade 10 history and I’ve been teaching here for 11 years.  I began by doing my teaching stage here and was hired the following year.  Teaching at Centennial is challenging although rewarding.  Getting students to achieve success in the grade 10 history is one of the most difficult challenges for many of these students, so I get immense satisfaction from getting these students through the course.[/row]

What are the top 3 things that you think make Centennial Academy unique?

Our approach in the classroom is one element that makes Centennial unique, but I would also highlight that fact that we have a small community and caring teachers.  We ensure that work gets submitted and completed with use of our access team.

Tell me about one of your favorite teaching memories/story?

I used to do a Gallery of Fame project with grade 8 history students.  It was a historical figures research project that engaged students and culminated in an evening where students would showcase their project and come dressed up as their historical figure. This project really engaged students and provided a great opportunity for students to showcase their learning.

What do you think your students like the most about you?

They would probably say I’m fair, organized and serious.

Describe a typical classroom experience or a typical day at Centennial?

Most lessons will begin with a teacher-led review or checking for understanding activity based on the previous lesson.   I try to keep the lecturing to a minimum if any at all. Students will then engage themselves in the content by completing some type of learning activity.

Describe in your own words the Centennial Academy Approach and how UDL really works.

My understanding of UDL is it provides students with various means of understanding and learning the content/curriculum.  It also provides students with multiple ways they can show their understanding also.

Help your child cultivate a sense of purpose, which will contribute to developing grit

To help your child become an autonomous and resilient learner:

Help your child cultivate a sense of purpose, which will contribute to developing grit.

David Yeager is an Assistant Professor of Developmental Psychology at the University of Texas, Austin, and a leading expert on grit and growth mindset. A colleague of both Angela Duckworth and Carol Dweck, some of his research focuses on how developing a sense of purpose plays a role in fostering the grit we need to become lifelong learners at school, at work, and in life.

In one of his studies, simply starting a conversation among students about how to make the world a better place had a tangible impact on the students’ engagement with their school: their shared reflections made them connect better with what they we were doing in school and energized student commitment.

To help your child cultivate a sense of purpose, help her find something that inspires her, whether by reading or watching biographies of inspirational people or by getting involved with people or organizations that do inspiring work.

Teach your child to not be afraid of making mistakes

One of the many important messages that we can learn from Angela Lee Duckworth is that making mistakes and experiencing failure are important steps toward learning and developing grit. Report card time is a stressful time and understanding this concept can help you and your child deal with results that may not be as high as expected.

The learning process is full of challenges and risks that often result in failure. The important thing is to not give up. Think of babies: they don’t give up trying to learn how to crawl, stand or walk, no matter how many times they stumble. The problem is that, as we grow older, society somehow makes us feel ashamed when we make mistakes, so we are easily discouraged and give up on things that are difficult.

To help change your child cope better with failure, try the following:

  • Give your child opportunities to take risks, make mistakes and fail; it will help him develop autonomy;
  • Don’t correct all of your child’s mistakes; he will be proud of learning new things on his own.
  • When your child does make a mistake or fails, be supportive and encouraging; say something like “it must be very frustrating, but, if you keep trying, I know you’ll get it.”
  • Lastly, don’t focus on your child’s report card marks; instead, focus on the effort and actions he/ she will take to improve results.

Encourage your child to have fun exploring many different activities

To help your child become an autonomous and resilient learner:

Encourage him to have fun exploring many different activities.

For nearly twenty years, Angela Lee Duckworth, has been conducting ground-breaking studies on what makes people successful. She discovered that what we eventually accomplish in life depends more on our passion, resilience and commitment to our goals than on our innate talents. And, although some of us are born “grittier” than others, grit is something that can be developed.

Here is the first practical step toward developing grit: get out and explore many different interests.

We are not born knowing what our passions are. Nor will we find them playing video games or watching TV! We have to explore the world and try new things in order to discover what they might be. This means insisting that your child try a wide variety of activities, until he finds the ones that spark a deep interest. Exposing him team to things like sports, fitness, cooking, dance, music, visual arts, reading, nature, and science will not only expand his horizons and help him develop social skills, but will also help him find his life’s passion and goals.