For information please watch this Video
This past December 4th, Elm Creek School’s STRIVE (Self Taught Real-World Independent Valuable Experience) project based/inquiry learning program for Grades 9-12 students was shared with a number of educators within the Prairie Rose School Division and surrounding school divisions! STRIVE, which was launched at the school as a pilot program in the 2018-19 school year, is an engaging and effective way for students to develop their passions and interests through projects that earn them high school credits and 21st century skills!
The STRIVE team of students, along with their teacher advisors, shared how the program first started, how it’s implemented into the regular programming for high school students, and the challenges and successes with the program to this point. Attending the half day event were educators from several Prairie Rose School Division (PRSD) schools including: Carman Collegiate, Hutterian school system, Roland School, St. Paul’s Collegiate and St. Eustache School. A team of four teachers from Portage Collegiate also participated. Thanks to all of the educators who attended for wanting to look at one model of a project based/inquiry learning program for their own students!
The school’s students and educators who made up this STRIVE event were:
- Harleigh Carlson, Taylor Carlson, Jaylyn Deurbrouck (Student presenters)
- Mrs. Lisa Carlson and Mr. Mark Findlay (STRIVE Co-Coordinators)
- Ms Ashley Cook, Mrs. Val Esau, Mrs. Kerry Fiks, Ms Jackie Neufeld and Mr. Derek Tyler (STRIVE Teacher Advisors)
Included at this STRIVE event was the sharing of a project based learning (PBL) activity at the K-8 grade level which Mrs.Nicky Spencer (Grade Five Teacher) collaborated on with Mr. Mark Findlay (Guidance Counsellor) and the Grade Four class from last year. This class project studied the topic of bullying and how students can become “upstanders” (standing up for a cause) rather than “bystanders” (passive/non-involvement). The result of this PBL activity was the publishing of two books by the class: Becoming An Upstander In Your Own School; and Becoming An Upstander on a Small Town Hockey Team!