Grade 7s Ponder Growth and Fixed Mindsets

Posted on September 8, 2011 by admin

In class today, we learned about what it meant to work harder, and how to achieve better marks. Lots of people think they know the answer to this question, but it turns out that they really don’t! We learned that to “work harder” really meant to change your method of learning; not just to look over your work over and over again or to do it longer, but to use a different tactic or strategy of learning. Knowing HOW to work harder will really help me in my school work.

Another method of learning we learned in class today is to use the right tools. For example: if you hire a handyman for your house, but he brings no nails, drill, or hammer, how does he work on your house? The same goes for learning. If you always use the right tools to learn, you will succeed.

The last discussion in class today was about growth mindsets and fixed mindsets. People with growth mindsets tend to succeed more, by embracing challenges instead of avoiding them unlike people with fixed mindsets. They do not give up as easily as people with fixed mindsets, are very persistent, are not afraid to try, learn from mistakes, and do not think that if someone succeeds that they will not succeed or feel threatened by them. Clearly, what I have learned today will change the way I complete my schoolwork in grade 7. –Grade 7 Student

Quebec City: Bringing History to Life

Posted on June 3, 2011 by admin

I went to Quebec City with grade 5 this year and it was a great experience. Even though we had to wait three hours on the bus, I had so much fun when we got there. My friends and I talked most of the bus ride and played truth or dare. When we got to Quebec city we went to the Citadelle where we saw old canons, lots of soldiers, a bunch of giant old bullets, some muskets and, at exactly 12 pm, a canon fired telling all the soldiers it was lunch time. The canon firing was the best part about the first day. The canon was so loud and we were so close! The explosion was amazing!

After a well-deserved lunch on the Plains of Abraham, we listened and watched as actors playing the two generals, Marquis de Montcalm and James Wolfe, told us about the Seven Years’ War. We also reenacted the battle on the Plains of Abraham. The actors treated us as if they were the real generals of the French and British armies.

Later, we went to see the National Assembly. It was a really fancy mansion-like building with the statues of all the important people who helped Quebec throughout the years in front of the building. The parliament was very impressive. Inside, our tour guide told us that the parliament had a clock that someone had to wind every week but, before he would wind it, he had to climb about 200 steps. What a workout! Inside the parliament there was a lot of detail in the decorations and it had lots of very nice paintings and crests that represented the different periods of Quebec City.

After a delicious dinner at la Vielle Maison du Spaghetti and a scavenger hunt around Old Quebec, we got on the bus and headed to Ste-Foy where our hotel was situated. The hotel was awesome! It was very nice and comfortable. We even had a TV! On how many school trips do you have a TV in your room?

The second day we saw an awesome 3D movie about Quebec. The effects were really cool. Muskets came out of the wall, there was a real waterfall, and there was even a talking 3D video of a decrepit old man, Jacques Cartier. After the movie, I went shopping with my group. Shopping was so much fun, even though we only had 40 minutes. After the shopping, my group and I went to another museum. When we got there we discovered that there was a closet full of old clothes that they used to wear in New France. We all put on the silly clothes and went on the set that had been prepared for us. Everyone looked funny! When we were finished we got on the bus and headed back to Montreal. After three hours we arrived, invited by the cold wind in Montreal. All in all, I really enjoyed the trip. –Erika Kaperonis ’17

Out of the Mouths of Babes

Posted on June 2, 2011 by admin

I recently spent some time talking with students in our Kindergarten program. They were all sitting near up against a wall in our main building school, dressed in shorts and T-shirts. The weather had finally turned for the better and they were on their way outside to play soccer baseball on the “big field.” The anticipation of this special event was palpable. Every aspect of this yet-to-unfold adventure was exciting for them. Each child wanted to tell me why this class was going to be the most marvelous experience ever. One boy felt a little worried, as an older Junior School student had recently told him there were bears across the street wandering near the main field. Not to worry, the other children declared; this as an absolute silly lie. Everyone settled down when Madame Manseau asked them to line up and get ready. Away they went – all smiles, ready for another adventure at school.

Remember those days – when everything in life was amazing, wonderful, challenging and fun?

In 1989, a book entitled All I really know I Learned in Kindergarten was a huge bestseller across North America. It espoused the beauty and simplicity of the “Kindergarten Principles.” Today they are also being labeled as a guide for global leadership. We should all revisit those principles; they reacquaint us with key foundations for learning and act as a reminder to live each day with wonder and a joyful disposition. –Christopher Shannon, Headmaster

DQ 2011: Broadening our Montreal Perspectives

Posted on April 18, 2011 by admin

The coming of April brings about a shift in the overall mentality of students, and the city as a whole. Snow is melting, sun is shining, the Habs are battling it out in the playoffs, and it’s time to re-discover the wonders of the outside world. The increasingly pleasant weather evokes a dormant passion in us all to explore new ideas, and how better to kick it off than LCC’s 12th annual Destiny Quebec conference: an event for Montreal youth to discuss pertinent issues and current events.

In recent years, our committee has oriented itself towards global and environmental themes such as “A World Without Oil” and the eminent global water crisis. This year however, we chose to go with something a little closer to home. We elected to focus on a most beautiful and cosmopolitan city: Montréal.
Over the course of the one-day conference, which took place on April 12, we sought to explore the various facets of our city’s unique character, and speculate on how it will evolve with increased immigration, globalization, and population. As the city faces challenges and changes in the years to come, our goal was to broaden the delegates’ understanding of, appreciation for, and responsibility to the city that we will one day inherit.

The day began with a small reception hosted by our headmaster, where my co-chair Kasha and I had the pleasure of meeting with several of the seminar speakers before the conference began. Our keynote speaker, Mr. Alexandre Trudeau, kicked things off with our opening assembly, where Senior School students and other delegates gathered. Mr. Trudeau’s remarks were highly engaging as he took us through the history of Montreal and emphasized how the city has always preserved a diverse, accepting, and multi-cultural identity. He concluded by asserting that Montreal will continue to develop and flourish as Canada’s most cosmopolitan city and lead the way towards a progressive and innovative future.

Following the general assembly the delegates broke off into five different seminar sessions led by 10 different thought-provoking speakers, covering a wide array of topics: business/economy, public/social institutions, infrastructure, culture and festivals.

After two hours of discussion in our smaller groups, we gathered in the WLAC (Webster Learning Activity Centre) for a break and to share ideas. It did not take long for us to realize that everyone had been inspired by their seminar discussions. Disagreement on certain political issues sparked an intense debate between Mr. Patrick Cigana, Director of “Projet Montreal,” and Professor Saeed Mirza of McGill University concerning Montreal’s infrastructure problems. The former CEOs of Alcan and Positron, two of Canada’s biggest industries over the last decades, used their acquired wisdom to lead an exceptional “Business” seminar. Messrs. Culver and Weiser had some stiff competition however, as students laughed up a storm with the Just for Laughs Chief Operating Officer, Bruce Hills, and explored Montreal’s arts & music scene with retired teacher and prolific musician, George Doxas, in the “Festivals” seminar.
Other delegates were able to travel through the world of Montreal’s sports with former Expos commentator and journalist Rodger Brulotte, and enhance their perspectives on Montreal’s situation as compared to rest of the world with Mr. Trudeau’s extensive worldly experiences and knowledge in our “Culture” discussion. The remainder of the conference attendees talked about the future of our great city’s academic and social infrastructure, as well as public works projects such as the new MUHC with the Director of Marionopolis College, Len Even, and local urban planner, Mélanie Veilleux.

Refreshed yet stimulated by the break, the delegates broke off into their second block of seminars. Discussions were even more intense than the first set of seminars as the delegates and speakers eased into the rhythm of the conference.

Closing presentations took place at 2 pm in the Chamandy Auditorium where we listened to LCC alumni John Christou ’95 and Alec Mathewson ’95 break down Montreal’s film industry with great enthusiasm. They explained the difference between independent and unionized filmmaking, and elaborated on the process of movie production as a whole. Mostly, they described the challenges and perseverance that their profession requires, and emphasized the diversity in style and concentration of creativity that our city proudly houses.

After their presentation had finished and the closing address was made, delegates said their goodbyes and poured onto Royal Avenue with somewhat different perspectives from when they arrived earlier in the day. They were more sensitive to Montreal’s opportunities, challenges and needs. At the conference end, we encouraged the delegates to make the best of their newly acquired knowledge by embracing their respective roles as citizens of Montreal.
As we look forward, and with the anticipated drop in Montreal’s English population, it is our generation’s duty to preserve Montreal’s cosmopolitan heritage and keep it on course towards a better tomorrow. This DQ conference took a small step in ensuring that today’s youth are on track to do just that (photos). — Greg Sigler ’11, Co-Chair, Destiny Quebec 2011

The Value of an International Perspective

Posted on February 17, 2011 by admin

Our gym has been adorned this week with 20 flags from various Round Square member-schools attending the Junior Round Square Conference. Most participating schools are from Canada, the USA and South America. However, some are from as far away as Denmark, South Africa, and Singapore. The flags are symbols of difference and diversity in schools in different countries with unique histories, cultures, languages and orientations.

A core objective of both LCC and the Round Square is to open students’ eyes to the broader world and create a sense of comfort with diversity and a genuine interest in developing an international perspective. This requires a focus on language skills, an appreciation of cultural traditions, as well as an awareness of key international historical and current events.

I cannot emphasize enough how important it is for each of our students to seek to know more about diversity at home and abroad. If education can be looked at as a tool kit, every student needs the tools to be a craftsman for success in the future. In addition to a comfort and interest with diversity, each needs another important set of tools: an awareness of major events in the world and major international trends and current events. Our world has become completely entangled and interdependent. We all need to be informed and take positions on a host of issues well beyond our back doors. For teenagers, there’s no time for “duck and cover” or avoidance because the issues are too complicated, and the world will catch up to them.

This past weekend we all saw amazing images and footage of the culmination of a people’s revolution in Egypt; swarming throngs of everyday people demanding their voices be heard after 30 years of living under conditions of virtual martial law with very limited personal freedoms. The resilience of the street protestors reflected a fantastic example of the depth of the desire for democracy. The events in Egypt send a powerful signal to other countries that have never had a democratic tradition.

Consider for a moment, what the impact will be on many other old monarchies and strongmen in the region of the Middle East & North Africa. Already since the weekend and the resignation by Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak, people in Tunisia, Yemen, Bahrain and Iran have openly protested in the streets even though their governments frown on it. In several other countries without democratic traditions, rulers are nervous.

Note that authorities in those places did everything in their power during the past three weeks to make sure that their citizens could not witness the elation of the ecstatic freedom street dance in Cairo. In those authoritarian countries, state-run television refused to show the images of the Egyptian street protest and, in Iran in particular, Persian-language BBC International was scrambled to prevent the flow of information. State control and limitations on the Internet and cell phone networks have also prevented the sharing of images and ideas from Egypt.

But you know as well as I do that governments cannot shield their people from the truth. In this day and age, the images and information will eventually surface. They will surely see the images of the Egyptian peoples’ democracy dance, just as the Chinese people did following the events in Tiananmen Square in Beijing the late 1980’s.

So how do the events in Egypt impact relations with Israel? What are the broader implications for the region? What is Canada’s role in all this?

Students may have no idea how to approach these complicated questions – and if they’re in grades 7, 8, and 9, that’s probably excusable. However, if they’re in grades 10, 11 and certainly Pre-U, I believe they should take a view, form an opinion, and quite simply, care. Our times mandate it.

So I offer students this simple piece of advice: pay attention to world events or risk being marginalized in the long term. So maybe we all should take a fresh look at those diverse flags again in our gym and see them as a starting point. Interesting, aren’t they?! —Chris Shannon, Headmaster