Today marks the beginning of the first full week of this school year. As such, we are into the full swing of things in class. It is important for students to keep up with lessons and assignments and see me if there are any questions or issues with class. I have to say, though, that so far, things are off to a great start.

Here’s what’s happening this week:

NAC2O Grade 10 Native Studies: We are close to finishing the first chapter of the first unit. In this unit, students have been focusing on identity and leadership. Students created some really cool Identity Collages, which will be shared on here as soon as I put them up in the classroom. We have been using the Aboriginal Peoples in Canada textbook as a foundation.

The chapter’s closing activity is focused on completing research on an Aboriginal Leader. You can find this on the Assignments page of the NAC2O site.

ALC1O Grade 9 Art: We began the course with a design activity using various art media. These are awesome! Students in this giant class of 31 grade 9s are very creative. We have now moved on to focusing on the elements of art, especially line, colour, and value. These are the tools that will help shape success later on in art. This week, students will focus on using value, both through pencil sketches and with paint.

As always, have a wonderful week and please let me know if you have comments or questions!

I don’t want to jinx myself or my students because it’s only been a couple of days, but…wow – what a great start! Things are going very well in class as students complete introductory activities. 

In NAC2O – Grade 10 Native Studies, students have talked about the concept of identity. To put these concepts to practice, everyone is creating a personal Identity Collage using a mix of images and words. I’m looking forward to displaying and sharing them. 

In ALC1O – Grade 9 Visual Art, 29 new grade 9s are busy learning about the elements of art through an introductory exploration of lines, colours, shapes, and space. 

 I’m looking forward to the long weekend, but also to coming back and continuing getting to know my new (and awesome!) students. 

It’s time for a new semester. I know that for some, (well, definitely me), the transition from summer vacation to school realities can be challenging. I like to think positively, so let’s just say the first day of school is also one day closer to the first day of next summer.

This semester is a little bit different for me because I’m teaching my first-ever eLearning course. I will potentially have students from the Sudbury area all the way west to the Manitoba border. I think that this is very, very cool. These Writer’s Craft students will contribute to my learning as much as I contribute to their learning.

At GCHS, I am teaching NAC2O – Grade 10 Native Studies and ALC1O – Grade 9 Visual Art this semester.

If you’re one of my students, there are two simple rules you need to follow:

• Be Willing to Participate: This includes class discussions and activities, as well as assignments
• Be Prepared: Be on time for class, and if for whatever reason you can’t be, then don’t disrupt the rest of us when you do come in! If you’re away, make sure you get caught up. Finally, bring any textbooks, specific lesson materials, pen/pencil/paper/binder, and anything else you need to get the job done effectively

I’m looking forward to meeting and getting to know my students. This is going to be a fun year!