The Fort Issue 10 November 2021(clone) | Page 24

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Mr Damon Rickett

24

Message

ES Principal

As we move through the 2021-22 school year, the Elementary School continues to honor VIS’ core belief of empowering and inspiring future generations. This lofty and adaptive goal is integral in creating a future generation that has the skills and ability to think flexibly and adapt to challenges.

One way in which we empower our students is by providing them with voice and choice over the content they learn. This process of engaging students in their learning helps them to build skills such as questioning and critical thinking. This year, the Elementary School is providing this voice and choice through Friday Focus by supporting student inquiry into monthly Diversity and Inclusion Themes that occur throughout the year.

Each month, this inquiry process begins with an entry point. A theme is launched by conducting a lesson that engages, motivates and also draws out prior knowledge about the subject at hand. During the following lessons, teachers facilitate a guided inquiry into each of the themes by identifying the student’s individual area of interest and working to provide the necessary support for the inquiry at hand. At the end of each inquiry, students are encouraged to present an exit point where they share their learning with others and consider next steps before moving on to the following theme.

As an example, students have been introduced to the theme of neurodiversity and researched topics related to attention and focus in order to create sensory boxes that help children stay on task in the classroom. Another group of students has decided to investigate the topic of anxiety and present strategies that help others manage anxiety.

The work that is being produced is truly student centered and inquiry driven and the creativity and ingenuity of the students is shining through at every opportunity.

students in their learning helps them to build skills such as questioning and critical thinking. This year, the Elementary School is providing this voice and choice through Friday Focus by supporting student inquiry into monthly Diversity and Inclusion Themes that occur throughout the year.

Each month, this inquiry process begins with an entry point. A theme is launched by conducting a lesson that engages, motivates and also draws out prior knowledge about the subject at hand. During the following lessons, teachers facilitate a guided inquiry into each of the themes by identifying the student’s individual area of interest and working to provide the necessary support for the inquiry at hand. At the end of each inquiry, students are encouraged to present an exit point where they share their learning with others and consider next steps before moving on to the following theme.

As an example, students have been introduced to the theme of neurodiversity and researched topics related to attention and focus in order to create sensory boxes that help children stay on task in the classroom. Another group of students has decided to investigate the topic of anxiety and present strategies that help others manage anxiety.

The work that is being produced is truly student centered and inquiry driven and the creativity and ingenuity of the students is shining through at every opportunity.