Category Archives: Posts for Teachers

The Media and Teenage Girls

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This post is focused upon the portrayal of female teenagers in the media.  There are two resources on this site.  Being aware of the impact of the media and effects the media has on how girls self-perceptions is really important.

In browsing sites the other day my wife found this video and shared it with me, so I would share this with secondary school students.  Have a look at the documents and videos on this post and consider the important messages they hold.  How does the media impact young women?

A Girl’s Guide To Battling The Harmful Effects Of Mass Media from MoveOn.org

 

In addition, take a look at this site.  It is called Day of the Girl.

It is a site with excellent resources for teenage girls around the topic of the media.  It is worth taking a look at and browsing as deeply as you wish to.  There are many voices of teenage girls on the site.

 

In addition, there is a site dedicated to the film Miss Representation.  We will be showing this movie at LCS in the future.  It is a powerful movie.  If you wish to know more about this film and explore the topic, google Miss Representation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Phones – Learning Tools or Short Cut Tools?

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This was the image of a teacher’s desk during a recent mid-semester exam.  Our students were not able to hold onto the phones because some students will use them to gain an advantage over other students.  In a straightforward semester exam, phones offer multiple methods for cheating (creative short cuts!!)

 

When will these phones be used as learning tools, not as “cheating” devices during exams for students?  When will they be  learning tools on a regular basis in the classroom?  How are we going to deal with the ubiquitous nature of technology in schools?  The proliferation of smart phones, tablets, ipads and other wireless devices in schools coupled with growing bandwidth and wireless access, presents unknown potential for teaching and learning.

How will these tools support the end goals of a K-12 education?  How will these tools support the development of the skills needed for being a self-regulated learner, a self-reliant learner, and a lifelong learner?

Perhaps they impact learning more than we consider at present.  Consider the amount of communication the tools already support amongst students.  Perhaps, in all that texting and image/document sharing that is taking place all the time – literally 24/7 (with a few hours in the middle of the  night to catch some sleep) there are some educational and/or school related exchanges of Continue reading →

A giant exhale……profound sadness…..and inspirational commitment

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The last day of school (Friday, December 14 – 12/14/12) prior to vacation is always a welcome day!  This past week our last day also brought the excitement of a Grade 12 student who received his early acceptance to Cornell University, the college of his choice.  His acceptance added a great buzz to the last day for our Grade 12 students and for our teachers.  One teacher commented on the great satisfaction that teachers of Seniors take as college admissions roll in over the course of the second semester.  The hard work of preparing students for IB exams and supporting them as they navigate the obstacles of Grade 12 including the college admissions process offers positive rewards to teachers in the form of a successful college application.  We do this work because we have a passion for teaching, building relationships with students, supporting them as they uncover Continue reading →

A Good Time is Hard to Find…..

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As a Principal, I seek to be sensitive to the timing of requests that I make of faculty.  Teaching is a tough job with many demands.  Some of these demands are driven by responsibilities scheduled on the calendar – reporting periods, extensive planning at the outset of the school year, parent-teacher conference days, and so on.  I find myself regularly considering what else is being asked of teachers when I initiate specific requests or plan learning opportunities.  Yet, as professional as teachers can be and as engaged as they are in their own learning, I often hear the common refrain – “It’s just a hard time of year”.  The implication being that engaging teachers in that dialogue or activity would be better done at another time of the year!  But, that time is tricky to find.

When is the best time?  Time is that elusive need for educators.  Time is what everyone would like to have more of every week.  The demands for planning, marking, meeting with students, meeting with colleagues and communicating with parents are significant.  Continue reading →