I am sure by now you have had time to review the report cards and to get a better picture of where your child is on their learning journey at this point in the year. I am incredibly thankful to all UA teachers for writing such detailed and personalized reports that speak directly to the BC curriculum and are informed by ongoing assessments.
At UA a myriad of other rigorous and enriching learning opportunities are thoughtfully planned to complement the BC curriculum. While these may not always be directly reflected in the report cards, their outcomes are evident in our students’ holistic growth and development. Experiential learning includes field trips, guest speakers, outdoor education, major trips, cultural experiences, as well as extracurriculars, counselling and social-emotional learning.
Our compass cards are being regularly checked out and there are classes in and out of our front doors at all times of day. So I took a look at the calendar for these last couple of weeks and ahead a week and there are so many learning opportunities taking place. Here is a snapshot of how students are connecting their learning outside of the classroom these days:
- Gr. 1 — Burnaby Village Museum
- Grade 8 & Chem 11 — Britannia Mine Trip
- Grade 7 — New Media Gallery Creative Tech Workshop
- ADST 10/11/12 — SFU Engineering/Robotics Tour
- Grade 9, 11 & 12 — Skating (exploring physics principles)
- Grades 4- 10 — Hive Climbing
- Grade 12 — SFU Campus Tour
- Grade 9 — Swimming
- Grade 10-12 Media Arts — Langara Photography Studio
- Grade 6 – Sports Hall of Fame — connecting sports heroes to advocacy work
Earlier this year our Junior School also had many opportunities to take their learning outside of the classroom. Teachers are very intentional in planning these experiences. Field trips and inviting experts into the classroom are directly connected to curricular—and often cross-curricular—outcomes. They also provide explicit opportunities for students to develop core competency skills, including resiliency, creative problem-solving, and social thinking.
Young people learn and develop through active participation in experiences that challenge and stretch their conceptual understanding in class and connect school learning to the world outside the school building. This is why we encourage students to take advantage of these opportunities – including the optional opportunities available to them. A clear connection to real-life applications is one of the best things to ensure the transfer of learning.
With that, I would also like to extend a heartfelt thank-you to the parents who have contributed to these experiences, whether as guest speakers or chaperones. Your support enriches our students’ learning in meaningful ways.
Yours in education,
Khatereh Dadar
UA Associate Principal