Thanks to Bruce Campbell, at the Okotoks Western Wheel, for this great story about Oilfields High School and the National CEA Ken Spencer Award, "Quest lands Oilfields a national award. Education: Program honoured for its innovation in teaching and learning".
Quote: "Fittingly, Dr. Michele Jacobsen, an assistant professor of Education at he University of Calgary, presented the Canadian Education Association’s Ken Spencer Award on Feb. 3 to the most important component of the Quest program – a student, Austin Short. “I did that deliberately because it is the kids that have to put the sweat equity into this program to make it work,” said Jacobsen who was representing CEA. “They have been able to form strong relationships with each other and formed bonds of trust that will last their lifetimes. When I look at each and everyone of them, I couldn’t help but think it is these kids who will take our province into success.”
What a great high school success story!!
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Playing with Technology: We are all makers
As a fan of Cory Doctorov's work (Author of "The Makers", and other excellent books on our participatory culture), I was drawn to the TED Talk by Dale Dougherty, called "We Are Makers", which is an interesting view on the human impulse, desire, ability and passion for making things, for creation and creating things, for exploring and solving problems, for creating new problems, and for expressing our creativity, and exploring ideas and possibilities that are still open - like flight, space exploration, musical creation, and broadcasting.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
QUEST: Oilfields High School, Black Diamond, AB, Foothills School Division
It was my honor and privilege to present the CEA's Ken Spencer Award for Innovation in Teaching and Learning to high school students and teachers at Oilfields High School in Black Diamond, AB on Thursday, Feb 2. These kids are our future leaders, they have put their school and town on the map, and they make all of Alberta proud!
Quest Program, Oilfields High School, Black Diamond, AB
Foothills School Division
Quest is an alternative high school program targeted to meet the needs of students who have experienced limited academic success and feel disengaged from school. Quest blends classroom work and experiential learning such as field studies, class trips, and outdoor education to engage youth in multiple facets of learning. Each student has made a personal commitment to attend school regularly, and participate in all components of the program: academics, service work, adventure learning, personal and social growth learning as well as career exploration through placements and career counseling – learning that impacts their growth as a whole individual. The high degree of student success is attributed to the program model, which challenges youth to strive for excellence and build internal resiliency skills.
Global TV Coverage, Feb 4, 2011- Innovative Program Helping Kids Love School
Newswire: Canadian Education Association Announces Ken Spencer Awards
Quest Program, Oilfields High School, Black Diamond, AB
Foothills School Division
Quest is an alternative high school program targeted to meet the needs of students who have experienced limited academic success and feel disengaged from school. Quest blends classroom work and experiential learning such as field studies, class trips, and outdoor education to engage youth in multiple facets of learning. Each student has made a personal commitment to attend school regularly, and participate in all components of the program: academics, service work, adventure learning, personal and social growth learning as well as career exploration through placements and career counseling – learning that impacts their growth as a whole individual. The high degree of student success is attributed to the program model, which challenges youth to strive for excellence and build internal resiliency skills.
Global TV Coverage, Feb 4, 2011- Innovative Program Helping Kids Love School
Newswire: Canadian Education Association Announces Ken Spencer Awards
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Why We Have Children... Because Love Overflows
Victor sent me this link to Tim Dalrymple's blog, Why We Have Children. Thanks!! It is well worth a read. Along with the story of the devastating journey to the hospital, here are two excerpts that stick with me:
"Marriage tests and reforms us, and begins to teach us to give for the other's own sake, and not in the hope of reward or return; yet marriage promises that the spouse will do the same. Marital love cannot approach the self-sacrificial love of the parent, in which we pour ourselves out for the joy of seeing our children grow and flourish. In loving our children, many of us learn to love truly for the first time.
...
We have no choice but to give ourselves for our children, but we learn that in giving ourselves we receive our selves. In the frailty of this little form that called such an immense love out of me, this bundle of winsome life and running legs and embracing arms, I share in the quintessentially human condition of loving recklessly what is fragile, fleeting, and at risk. There is nothing for it; I cannot help myself."
"Marriage tests and reforms us, and begins to teach us to give for the other's own sake, and not in the hope of reward or return; yet marriage promises that the spouse will do the same. Marital love cannot approach the self-sacrificial love of the parent, in which we pour ourselves out for the joy of seeing our children grow and flourish. In loving our children, many of us learn to love truly for the first time.
...
We have no choice but to give ourselves for our children, but we learn that in giving ourselves we receive our selves. In the frailty of this little form that called such an immense love out of me, this bundle of winsome life and running legs and embracing arms, I share in the quintessentially human condition of loving recklessly what is fragile, fleeting, and at risk. There is nothing for it; I cannot help myself."
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