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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Friday February 9, 2007 - 21 EDUCATION IN OAKVILLE Education is a Process ­ Not a Product While the debate rages among educators and the Ministry of Education regarding results on standardized tests, the real educational discourse should be around the process of educating our children to function in a global society. Results from standardized tests reveal a limited snapshot of a school's programs offered to students; what happens or does not happen from day-to-day in a classroom is really what matters in a school. The program must be much broader than academic achievement if our mission is to prepare our children for the society in which they are now living and to engage in the society in which they will live in the future. While Oakville Christian School has achieved its strategic goal of scoring at the 90th percentile in the Canadian Achievement Tests (CAT3), academic excellence is only a part of the total OCS experience. Academic achievement is crucial to any school; however, authentic learning must be developmentally appropriate encounters with the real world facilitated by knowledgeable teachers whose practice is differentiated depending on the students' learning styles, interests, readiness, and total learner profile. Research in the 1990s and 2000s have made huge strides adding to cognitive theory in discovering how the brain learns. It is incumbent upon educators to ensure that classroom practice reflects cutting edge educational professional research. Developmentally appropriate differentiated teaching and learning focuses primarily on differentiation principles and structures such as scaffolding, tiering, respectful tasks, and flexible grouping as it alters process, content and/or product. Education is a process of human development where teachers inspire students to have a passion for learning in an environment where students can take risks while building on their strengths. Diversity among learners begs the respond of diversity in programs to encourage development that compliments the learner. Education is a process of facilitating the development of the whole child. Standardized achievement tests measure only one aspect of a student's life. We need to be clear on the perspective of this argument: while differentiation and standardized testing may seem dichotomous to many educators, they are really not oxymoronic. As educators differentiate, they build on students' strengths and provide scaffolding to support their needs. In such an environment, students will be taught the tools to be successful in situations of limited measurement such as standardized tests. Authentic learning is very much based on real world encounters resulting in growth in ideas, insights, revelations, reflections and observations that enhance the whole child socially, physically, spiritually, intellectually and emotionally. It extends beyond limited measured standardized academic achievement to developmentally appropriate learning that challenges and empowers students to continuous learning that honours the development of the whole child and broadens the lens through which children gaze upon and learn about the world. Submitted by Dr. Aubrey J. Penney, Headmaster ­ Oakville Christian School Help ensure Canada's kids make the grade In September 2007, Breakfast For Learning (BFL) will release its 2nd annual Report Card on Nutrition for School Children. The Report comes after BFL initially revealed in their 2006 report that Canada's kids were not making the grade when it came to healthy eating "Children need to eat well in order to learn well, "says Carol Dombrow, a registered dietician with BFL. "Overall, Canada's kids scored a "C" in 2006, a disappointing grade that we hope encouraged parents and schools to take action and make healthy meals and snacks a priority. Based on the continued focus of government, parents and BFL on the importance of child nutrition, we hope the new Report Card will show more kids eating their veggies and fruit, whole grains and milk products rather than reaching for junk foods." Last year's Report Card showed that kids are not meeting the daily recommended servings of healthy foods and as children (6-12 years) hit adolescents (13-17 years), their eating habits are getting worse. 28 per cent of children consume one or more servings of regular soft drinks per day and that statistic almost doubles in adolescent diets. In addition, 25 per cent of all Canadian children and adolescents eat two or more servings of French fries per week. "Maintaining a healthy diet helps kids perform better in school," adds Dombrow. "The 2007 Report Card will continue to raise awareness about healthy eating and it is our hope that it will show improvements that will translate into better grades in the classroom." New research for the 2007 Report Card will be conducted this spring. Breakfast For Learning is the leading, national non-profit solely dedicated to child nutrition in Canada. You can see the full 2006 Report Card and Helpful Hints to Help Kids Eat Right! Be Bright online at www.breakfastfastforlearning.ca. - News Canada Oakville Independent Schools Discover theDifference OAKVILLE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL · An academic school where Christian morals and values are taught and modelled. · A student body that ranks in the top 10% on Canada's national CAT3 tests. · A science program that produces regional science fair winners every year. · Athletic teams that compete in 9 different sports, starting as early as Grade 2. · Extracurricular opportunities that meet the intellectual, physical, social and spiritual needs of all students. · Christian service involvement in the community. · A music program that trains vocal & instrumental groups who represent the school at different community functions. · Fully networked computer lab - networked computers in every classroom. · A family atmosphere with 275 students. · On-site before & after school care. Open House Saturday, February 10 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Find the right school for your child Chisholm Educational Centre We help kids overcome learning difficulties Appleby College Grade 7 - 12 540 Lakeshore Rd. W. (905) 845-4681 www.appleby.on.ca Chisholm High School Grade 9 to 12 1484 Cornwall Rd. (905) 844-3240 www.chisholmcentre.com Dearcroft Montessori Preschool - Grade 8 1167 Lakeshore Rd. E. (905) 844-2114 www.dearcroft.com Fern Hill School Preschool - Grade 8 3300 Ninth Line Rd. (905) 257-0022 www.fernhillschool.com also Burlington Campus 801 North Service Road Glenburnie School Preschool - Grade 8 2035 Upper Middle Rd. E. (905) 338-6236 www.glenburnieschool.com King's Christian Collegiate Grade 9 to 12 528 Burnhamthorpe Rd. W. (905) 257-5464 www.kingschristian.net MacLachlan College JK - Grade 12 337 Trafalgar Rd. (905) 844-0372 www.maclachlan.ca Oakville Christian School JK - Grade 8 112 Third Line (905) 825-1247 ext. 221 www.ocsonline.org Sat., Feb. 10 OPEN HOUSE 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. At Oakville Christian School our mission is: "Nurturing Excellence in a Christ-Centred Academic Environment" Rotherglen School JK - Grade 1 2045 Sixth Line (905) 338-3528 Grade 1 to Grade 8 2050 Neyagawa Blvd. (905) 849-1897 www.rotherglen.com St. Mildred's-Lightbourn School JK - Grade 12 1080 Linbrook Rd. (905) 845-2386 www.smls.on.ca Westwind Montessori Grade 4 to 8 451 Lakeshore Rd. W. (905) 849-9463 www.westwindms.com See our new Sept. '07 location Dearcroft Montessori Wildwood Academy Grade 3 to 8 2250 Sheridan Garden Dr. (905) 829-4226 www.wildwoodacademy.com Please call to arrange an interview. Oakville Christian School 112 Third Line, Oakville (905) 825-1247 ocsadmissions@ocsonline.org www.ocsonline.org