Classe Nature: J’ai escaladé jusqu’au sommet du rocher!

P1010042

Notre première activité aujourd’hui était l’escalade. Cette activité était très amusante, mais j’étais un peu nerveux car les rochers naturels qu’on devait escalader était très hauts. De plus, je ne suis pas si bon en escalade. Cependant, quand j’escaladais le mur, j’avais de plus en plus confiance en moi-même. Étonnamment, j’ai escaladé jusqu’au sommet du rocher! Saviez-vous que c’était la première fois que j’escaladais un rocher jusqu’au sommet? L’escalade est définitivement un sport intéressant et j’aimerais continuer à en faire. J’ai vraiment eu beaucoup de plaisir aujourd’hui! – Terry Xiao ’18

Grade 6: Reflections on the Holocaust

LCC grade 6 students touch upon the causes of the Second World War and the atrocities of the Holocaust. Here is a sampling of reflections from some of our students about their recent visit to the Montreal Holocaust Center and their visit with Mrs. Ann Levy, a Holocaust survivor. Some students also sketched an artifact that they saw at the museum.

Explain a new thing that you learned during your visit to the Holocaust Center.

I learned that in labor camps inmates were not allowed to have pencil and paper. If someone was caught with these items they would be confiscated and the person would be severely punished. In spite of these rules the inmates still made a remembrance book for another inmate’s birthday. – Thomas N. ’18

I learned a little bit more about book burning. I thought Nazis only burned books written by Jews. They burned books written by handicapped people. There were tons of books burned that were from Helen Keller who was blind. I also learned they burned the books at a university. – Matthew L. ’18

During the visit I learned a lot of other things but there was one that really interested me. It was letters shaped in a heart. They were for birthday letters to send. When they did this they took a lot of risks doing this and the risks were probably deadly. – Victoria L. ’18

I also learned about the kinder transport, it brought many refugee Jewish children from Germany to Great Britain between 1938 and 1940. – Carolyn S. ’18

One of the things that I learned during my visit to the Holocaust Center was that there were many survivors who came to Canada. Most of these immigrants donated artifacts from the Holocaust to the museum. For example, a girl named Fatima donated a small book that had an “F” embroidered on it that she got for her birthday. In the book her friends from the concentration camp that she was sent to, wrote a message for her. – Anthony ’18

What do you think you’ll remember most about Mrs. Levy’s presentation?

I remember that she had to leave her parents and never saw them again. I think this will stay in my mind because I could [not] imagine never seeing my parents again. I will also remember this because it happened to a lot of children and I can just imagine their horrified faces. – Sophia A. ’18

I think that what I will remember the most is that at such a young age her parents were taken away from her and no child should go through that. And she did not have a permanent home. – George ’18

Sketches

Stefania D. ’18: Hearts of Auschwitz – A book made by friends of Stefania on the occasion of her 20th birthday while at Auschwitz

George S. ’18: Man’s jacket worn in the concentration camp

Catherine R. ’18: Urn of ashes

Bullying: Everyone’s Business

Blog_NoBullyBullying is a very important topic that’s receiving a lot of attention, especially on the heels of some highly publicized teen suicides in Canada. LCC is involved in some special research on this topic with leading McGill Professor Shaheen Shariff.  We hope to receive useful feedback later this year.

In coming to grips with bullying, I believe it’s important to first recognize that all people want to do well and be liked. A long time ago, American President Abraham Lincoln referred to this as “the better Angels of our nature,” essentially recognizing the positive in all people. But People don’t always get along and some kids can be downright nasty to others. Why? I think it’s because in addition to having different tastes or preferences, children are also naturally impulsive and lacking in self-control. Sometimes when jealousy or frustration enters the fray, impulsiveness wins and some children and teens exercise influence by acting out against others.

The other day I noticed an interesting quote on the wall just outside our counsellors’ offices:  “Sometimes I have to remind myself that I don’t have to do what everyone else is doing.” So true, but so hard. In addition to succumbing to impulsiveness, the pressure to conform amongst teenagers is strong—and it is sometimes very hard to stand out or stand up for something unique or different. Sometimes when students present a different view or perspective, they invite strong criticism, and even taunting. In the face of this, teachers and parents need to help create environments where our kids have the courage to hold true to their convictions and will not tolerate any form of unwarranted critique.

At LCC we are serious about upholding some core values: respect and diversity. Respect means respect for self first, and for other students, teachers, staff, campus visitors (opponents in athletics especially). It’s the glue that holds together our community.  It’s how students move forward; it’s why they help each other, why teachers reach out and assist. Respect is our foundation.

Diversity—We also celebrate difference at LCC – whether cultural, linguistic, religious or sexual orientation. Students have a right to be different and the right to be themselves, without interference, slander or harassment and certainly no form of bullying is ever acceptable.

As a society, I believe we are more aware and more tolerant of difference than ever before; difference as a strength. However, ignorance still lingers. We do not live in a lily-white world where all is pure. Not all are as accepting as we might hope.

One of the biggest changes in recent years is the online world that teens inhabit. It’s okay for them to have some independence, but some young people use this as cover – and hurl electronic insults about kids they don’t like.

Note that digital harassment is not going away. But we can stand up against it and together help teens from being victims or cowardly hiding behind their computer screens, sending messages they might later regret.

Finally, let’s consider the bully, the bullied and the bystander. Bystanders are those who are in the background – observers. That could be any one of us as a witness at almost any time. Yes, bullying and harassment is everyone’s business.  If you see it happening, make it your business. We need to stand up for each other.

As health educator and motivational speaker Scott Fried said to our our high school students last year, “each student is enough!” Each one is a valuable member of our school community. They need to be able to emerge and to be themselves, without interference.

Respect and celebration of diversity: Let’s make sure we can live and celebrate that ethos every day! No exceptions! –Christopher Shannon, Pre-U ’76

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

*** Note, to promote dialogue on respect, difference and anti-bullying, our students are taking to the stage. The Senior School LCC Players have chosen a play based on real-life events and sensitive issues around difference and degrees of acceptance. Come see “The Laramie Project” performed in the Chamandy Auditorium in on December 12 & 13 @ 7 pm.

Une question d’éthique et de valeurs

2012_2013_YGhandour_02Je suis directrice du programme primaire (de la maternelle à la 6e année) du Lower Canada College et mère de trois enfants âgés de 10, 8 et 3 ans. À titre de professionnelle et de mère, je suis toujours intéressée de savoir où en sont les enseignants dans leur réflexion professionnelle. Lors d’une récente réunion du personnel du programme primaire, j’ai posé la question suivante à mon équipe d’enseignants : « S’il ne vous restait plus qu’une journée à enseigner, quel sujet souhaiteriez-vous aborder avec vos élèves? » Incroyablement, chacun d’entre eux a répondu à la question par des mots comme « respect », « compassion », « tolérance » et « intégrité ». C’était un réel plaisir à entendre!

Même si on s’attend de nos enseignants qu’ils développent continuellement les divers cours prescrits par le ministère de l’Éducation et qu’ils remplissent des bulletins de notes principalement axés sur la maîtrise des connaissances à l’égard de sujets précis, les écoles jouent également un rôle important dans l’enseignement des aptitudes sociales. En fait, ce rôle constitue même une obligation morale.

Les règles et attentes sociales à l’égard du comportement doivent faire partie du « programme indirect » de toutes les écoles et être enseignées au même titre que d’autres compétences. À moins que nous n’inculquions ces valeurs aux élèves – nos enfants – tout comme nous leur enseignons les mathématiques et la grammaire, nous ne pouvons pas nous attendre à ce que nos jeunes sachent se comporter dans les situations de la vie quotidienne, ni même qu’ils y soient préparés. En fait, comment pourrions-nous être déçus de les voir mal se comporter si au départ on ne leur a pas montré à agir autrement?

Un programme bien défini d’éducation lié au caractère contribue à créer un climat scolaire positif. Nos élèves sont nos leaders de demain et nous ne pouvons qu’espérer qu’au moment de leur remise de diplômes, ils fassent preuve non seulement de capacité intellectuelle, mais aussi de responsabilité sociale.

En mettant l’accent sur l’éducation à la fois de l’esprit et du cœur, nous veillons à ce que nos enfants soient prêts à faire face aux défis que l’avenir leur réserve avec confiance aussi bien qu’avec compassion.

Évidemment, en matière d’éducation du caractère, le soutien de la famille est essentiel, mais je me réserve le sujet du partenariat parent-école pour un futur blogue!

Yasmine Ghandour
Directrice du programme primaire du Lower Canada College et mère de trois enfants

Character Matters

2012_2013_YGhandour_02I’m the director of Lower Canada College’s Junior School program (K-6) and also the parent of three children, ages 10, 8 and 3. As a professional and a mother, I’m always curious about where teachers are at in their professional thinking.  At a recent Junior School staff meeting, I asked my team of teachers: “If you had only one day left to teach, what would you want to teach your students?” Interestingly, every single one of them answered the question using words like “respect,” “compassion,” “tolerance” and “integrity.” Music to my ears!

Even though our teachers are continually asked to work on developing the various courses prescribed by the Ministry of Education, and filling out report cards that focus predominantly on subject-specific mastery of skills, schools have an important role to play in teaching social skills. In fact, you might even consider it a moral obligation.

Social rules and expectations of behaviour need to become part of every school’s “hidden curriculum” and taught like any other set of skills. Unless we teach these to students—our children—as we teach them math and grammar, we simply can’t expect our young ones to know how to behave in, let alone be prepared for, real-life situations. More specifically, we cannot be disappointed in them for having behaved wrongly if they were not taught otherwise.

A well-defined character education program helps to create a positive school environment. Our students are our future leaders and our hope is that they graduate not only intellectually capable, but socially responsible too.

By putting an emphasis on educating the heart as well as the mind, we ensure that our children will be ready to meet the challenges of the future not only with confidence but also with compassion.

Of course, the support of the family in character education is also key, but I’ll leave the parent-school partnership as a topic for a future blog!

Yasmine Ghandour
Junior School Director at Lower Canada College and mother of three