success stories
students showcase career and technology foundations at crossing park
March 13, 2012
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"Amazing! I'm so proud of my work and I can't wait for next term." That's how one Grade 9 student summarized the recent Career and Technology Foundations (CTF) and Fine Arts Showcase at Crossing Park School. More than 600 students from the school participated in the showcase and celebration. The event allowed students in Grades 5 through 9 to demonstrate to parents and the community the understandings and skills they acquired through a term-long exploration of an issue, a challenge or question that intrigued them in the CTF and Fine Arts Programs of Study.
Career and technology choices begin as early as middle school, and it is important for students to see the wide range of career possibilities that are available to them. When they get to high school, students have over 1,000 Career and Technology Studies one-credit courses to choose from, so their experience in middle school is key to helping them make informed choices.
During the term, students worked on self-created projects that focussed on their areas of passion, including construction, art, drama, culinary arts, fashion and web design. Students were given the opportunity, supported by teachers and their community, to engage in meaningful work that they connected with and loved.
Principal Nicole Weber commented on how deeply connected students were to their learning throughout the entire process: "This was a new way of working for both our teachers and students. We took a risk and worked really hard. Today, we knew it was all worth it. I'm so proud of my students and teachers."
Area III Director, Dr. Dianne Yee says she was impressed with how articulate and passionate students were about their work. "They talked to me about how proud they were of their work and showed me how it connected to other areas they were studying as well as the larger world."
CTF is scheduled to be fully implemented in middle schools over the next few years, and schools are in various stages of preparation. Other middle schools in Area III are also using showcase events to invite parents, other students and the community to celebrate the work of their students and gain a better understanding of the program. Tom Wong, a CTF learning leader, says he couldn't have asked for a better outcome: "This has been a great experience for the students and it provides opportunities for them to think about the real world from multiple perspectives. This is what I enjoy about teaching CTF—it really creates opportunities for students to make connections between what they are learning in school and the world they live in."
The school's vision is that students take these experiences with them and begin to think about their future choices, interests and learning strengths.
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Last Modified:
April 23, 2012