Ms Cumming presented her findings in a research paper at two UBC conferences , at the 2021 virtual PHE National conference and at several CHS professional development opportunities for staff . The research indicated an area for further exploration in Physical and Health Education ( PHE ).
She has since been working with Crofton House ’ s PHE department to offer Outdoor Education as a focus in the Grade 11 curriculum , and she has been a major contributor to the OE program throughout CHS . Her work has provided a new lens for staff to understand outdoor education ’ s role in building a solid foundation for Crofton House students , particularly in the Senior School .
“ Sharing my research was powerful in emphasizing the importance of Outdoor Education . Fortunately , we have an Ivy Compass Coordinator this year , and we have an Ivy Compass Assistant . The East Quadrant — which is heavily focused on outdoor education — has been , I think , more valued in the School .” Ms Cumming noted that the pandemic had added to the need to
be outside more and to the value of having more social interactions while in nature .
2018 – 2021 : PHIL STRINGER , DEPARTMENT HEAD , MATHEMATICS , SENIOR SCHOOL
Mr Stringer investigated how teaching mathematics in a “ deunitized ” manner might result in students retaining more skills from year to year and in increasing their access to problem-solving strategies when tackling unfamiliar questions .
His research had a Mathematics 8 – 9 class at Crofton House move to an interleaving and spiralling approach , where concepts are taught simultaneously rather than in individual units for each concept , thus mentally leaving content behind over the semester .
The result ? There was a 5 % increase in marks in the test class by the end of the year , and students indicated less need for review before evaluation . The following year , those same students noted less of a dropoff in knowledge of mathematics concepts after their summer break .
“ Some of those kids that I taught math to in Grade 8 – 9 , in the first iteration , are now in Grade 11 . They comment on how successful they feel because of that interconnected relationship with mathematics .”
Mr Stringer has presented his findings in Lunch-and-Learns at Crofton House and at the Learning and the Brain Conference in November 2019 . He has also spoken about his work in an educational podcast . Since his study , Crofton House ’ s Math department has expanded deunitized learning to all Grade 9 courses and is exploring expanding even further , given the strong results .
2022 – 2025 RESEARCH CHAIRS
We are excited to welcome the following faculty members to the Research Chair program for 2022 – 2025 : Simon Ng and Michael Roberts , Teachers , Mathematics , Senior School , and Maureen Duteau , Teacher , English , Senior School .
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