Dear Parents,
Grade 10s kicked things off this week with some honest self-reflection, looking at the “meaningful feedback” from their diagnostic test to “identify strengths and weaknesses” (ATL Self-management – Reflection) and practise “receiving and acting on meaningful feedback” (ATL Communication – Interaction). Later, we shifted gears and explored an infographic about what affects young people’s mental health in Québec (Criterion B i), beginning to compare it to their own world. Next week, we’ll move deeper into Criterion B ii, analysing text conventions and polishing our literacy skills.
Grade 9s spent the week grappling with adjectival agreements as part of Criterion D ii (grammar)… ah, grammar, their absolute favourite thing in the world (said no teenager ever!). The silver lining is that they powered through it with determination, and next week we’ll give them a welcome change of pace: reading practice under Criterion B, putting all that new grammar and vocabulary to work in real texts.
Grade 8s kept their spark alive, moving fast through text conventions and showing brilliant collaborative spirit. They were able to “build consensus” and read with both curiosity and a critical eye (Criterion B i/ii and ATL Communication – Language). The energy in the room is contagious and they have really found their stride.
Grade 7s are still finding their feet when it comes to feeling they belong, which is completely normal this early on. To help, we used the Visible Thinking Routine “Explore, Connect, Identify, Belong” to reflect on who we feel we are and share with our peers. It is a brave first step towards building a community where everyone feels safe to speak up. Our hangman also helped! Next week, we will link this to personal and professional blog reading and build our vocabulary as we go.
DP students dove into the structure behind Paper 1, figuring out what makes a strong written piece. The focus was on Communication – Language: “structure information in summaries, essays and reports” which is not the flashiest skill, but a powerful one once mastered!
It has been a week of courage, curiosity, and just the right amount of chaos, exactly how language learning should be.
Warm wishes,
Miss J