LCC and Our Global Classroom Initiative

Posted on November 23, 2010 by admin

I have been fortunate to have visited India three times in my life, including visits to the bustling cities of Mumbai and New Delhi as well as a journey to the top of the world—to the Himalayan mountain state of Kashmir.

I am pleased that through the Round Square LCC will send two students on exchange to India for the first time later this year. It will surely be an exceptional and eye-opening opportunity for them. When they return we all look forward to hearing about India through students’ eyes.

During each of my visits to that country I have been dazzled by the colour and diversity of Indian culture. It is an ancient society currently progressing at an incredible pace. The city of Bangalore—India’s Silicon Valley—is a leading centre of high tech creativity and a symbol of India’s commitment to innovation.

With a population of well over one billion people—about thirty times greater than Canada’s on a landmass about one-third size of Canada’s—India is a country challenged by its need for resources and the provision of education and health care to its huge population.

In recent years, LCC has partnered with Health Inc., a small non-profit organization committed to bringing literacy, health care and community-building activities to India’s most remote villages—on the top of the world in the northern state of Ladakh in the Himalayan mountains.

Our newest venture is The Global Classroom Initiative; a special partnership between LCC and Health Inc. We are currently hosting Health Inc.’s founder Cynthia Hunt and three young Ladakhi leaders-in-training on a special educational exchange that will continue until mid-December.

In addition to following some of our daily routines in classes and on the hockey rink, this group is focusing on learning IT skills so they can be proficient at making videos. They will then be able to teach other Ladakhi students to tell video stories to us and to the world.

We intend to send LCC staff to Ladakh to help set up a satellite supported classroom so that we can use dependable technology to bring us closer together. We have already sent some young LCC alumni to Ladakh and some day we hope to send students. If you are interested in our Global Classroom project, check out this video and feel free to contact us directly if you want further information. —Chris Shannon, Headmaster

Getting to Know Ourselves Through Others

Posted on November 18, 2010 by admin

On November 8, 9 and 10, seven students from Lower Canada College were given the privilege of travelling to Camp Massawippi with six severely disabled children from the Mackay Centre. It turned out to be an unforgettable experience for everyone concerned.

We had previously spent two mornings at the Mackay Centre getting to know the children who would be coming with us on the trip. However, as we boarded the bus bright and early on the morning of our departure for the camp, we were excited, but also not too sure of what to expect. One thing we certainly had not expected was that the bus would break down about an hour outside of Montreal! Unfortunately, we found ourselves stranded at Tim Horton’s for an hour as we waited for a replacement bus. One hundred and twenty (120) Timbits and 20 chicken nuggets later, we were once again on the road to Camp Massawippi.

Because the weather did not lend itself to outdoor activities on the first day, we had fun painting pumpkins with the kids, and playing a game of Monsters Inc. After a great spaghetti dinner we had open mic night. By the end of the evening, everyone was feeling much more comfortable in the new surroundings, and we headed off to our bunks for a good night’s sleep.

The next morning we woke up and had breakfast, then went out for a hike in the woods. The rain made it hard to push the wheelchairs up the hills, but it didn’t dampen our spirits. We managed to come back to the camp with a Christmas tree for the classroom back at the Mackay Centre. We had lunch and then started an arts activity, which consisted of painting a mural to be hung up back in the Mackay classroom. We used leaves gathered on the hike to decorate the painting. We had an amazing roast beef dinner, followed by a talent show during which we sang a song that we had composed the night before about each of the Mackay students we were with. Once the song was finished we gathered at the campfire on the shore where we enjoyed smores, chocolate-filled bananas and attempted to sing campfire songs.

On the last morning, we made a huge brunch for everyone. It was comprised of 40 pieces of bacon (which wasn’t enough), 35 eggs and home-fried potatoes. We had a face-painting session and then before we knew it, we had to leave.

This was truly an amazing experience, and one that we will never forget. Each of us learned so much, not only about what it means to have a disability, but about ourselves and the importance of appreciating everything we have.

Noah Schouela ’11
Thalia Nghiem ’11
Isabelle Thibeault ’11
Jennifer Motter ’11
Alix Faraggi ’12
Sam Ergina ’12
Kevin Fraser ’12

Operation Veteran

Posted on November 17, 2010 by admin

A normal November 11th for LCC students would involve missing an hour of class to take part in a Remembrance Day ceremony in the Memorial Gym. During this time, the younger generations try to imagine what it would be like going off to war, not knowing the outcome or if they would ever return. Fortunately for five LCC students, the outcome of their day exceeded their expectations in every way.

Arriving in Ottawa, teachers and students alike were curious to see what the day had in store. It began with a brief meet and greet with distinguished guests who were taking part in the ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. These students had the privilege of taking part in an initiative started by a generous couple that believes in the importance of teaching younger generations the need for peace. They created an organization that permits veterans to have a fresh hot meal four days of the year at the War Museum in Ottawa, as well as bringing students to Ottawa on November 11th. This year in particular marked a significant event for Operation Veteran; it is the first year where they have received enough donations to supply hot meals to veterans every day of the year.

Following the meet and greet, the group travelled to the Tomb of the Unknown Solder to watch the ceremony. Many students were surprised to see more then 30,000 people ready to remember the fallen of WWI, WWII, the Korean War and the peacekeeping missions in Afghanistan. Throughout the ceremony, Canadians remembered the soldiers who gave up their lives for their freedom. The students were able to see the impact war has on our society, and the amount of people that were affected by the wars. The most memorable part of the ceremony was the poem written by the ten-year-old daughter of a fallen soldier. It surprised me the most because a ten-year-old isn’t supposed to know anything about war or death. As the ceremony was brought to close with the singing of the choir, many of the 30,000 Canadians in attendance put their poppies on the tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Around noon, we had lunch with two veterans who spoke to us about their time in the war. Although the war seems like a dire subject, these veterans kept their stories light and positive. We were also given the opportunity to see a lecture by an author who has written a book about the Highway of Heroes. As someone who did not know that this was going, I was particularly moved by the idea and of some of the stories she told. Our final activity of the day was a tour of the war museum. The guide gave us some insightful details and information about the architecture of the building and some of its symbolism. In many sections of the building the windows create a sentence in Morse code, for example, Lest We Forget. It was incredible to look at the artifacts from these wars and understand some of the weaponry used during those times. Throughout the museum, many other veterans were there who taught us about their jobs in the war. Being able to talk to many of these veterans was a rare opportunity that we were lucky enough to have.

At the end of the day, the bus ride back to Montreal was quiet. All 40 students had experienced, learned and remembered.

We would like to thank the creators of Operation Veteran who allowed us to go to Ottawa. November 11, 2010, was the first day that I truly understood what it meant to be Canadian. I believe that every student will remember their experience and be forever moved. –Christiane Heseltine ’12

A State of Flow

Posted on November 3, 2010 by admin

I often reflect on the importance of balance in life. Regardless of age, we all revel in the opportunity to do what we like best and simply play. Play is not just the exclusive domain of children. Whether it’s involvement in athletics, hobbies, or the arts, adults love play as well. When we play, we detach somewhat from day-to-day worries and transcend into a wonderful state-of-mind that psychologists refer to as “flow.”

Researchers describe “flow” as “the state of optimal experience.” It’s the state when people report deep concentration accompanied by deep enjoyment—complete absorption in an activity. Experts remind us that when we are in a state of flow we feel strong, alert, and activity seems effortless: we’re at the peak of our abilities.

With regards to learning and education, flow is also important. It comes from the satisfaction derived from self-directed discovery, supported by a strong and natural sense of curiosity and inquiry. If you want to see flow in action, just drop by our Kindergarten playground during any recess. Watch how young children become absorbed in the freedom and magic of creative play. As we grow older, reaching a true state of flow becomes harder to achieve.

However, last Wednesday LCC was in a kind of state of institutional flow as the stars in the LCC galaxy seemed perfectly aligned. On that morning 450 students from grades 7-11 gathered on our beautiful fields for our school’s first attempt at a Guinness World Record. This was a large-scale fitness display, with hundreds completing a timed running initiative, affectionately known as the “Beep Test.” Hats off to our students as 324 were successful at meeting the fitness standard—and it looks like we’ve set a new global record. Congratulations, LCC!

That very afternoon, with the sun shining and the day warm, we enjoyed our season-ending PeeWee Football Jamboree. It was a perfect finale to the season with many parents gathered on the sidelines to watch multiple games and complete the season.

Inside our Main Building, our Junior School was elated over its costume day and a lively celebration of Halloween. The noon-hour parade of costumes was a colourful and energetic display of creativity and imagination. Middle and Senior School students also impressed with costumes later in the week.

It was fulfilling to see the LCC community in a genuine state of flow last week. Our students worked hard and showed balance in their lives. Always seeking balance, I hope to see our school reach such a visible state of flow more frequently. —Chris Shannon, Headmaster

Guinness World Records® Achievement – A Success for LCC!

Posted on October 28, 2010 by admin

It started as a department brainstorm to promote Physical Education at LCC, and get students to think of fitness and health outside of classes. in the time that followed, several possibilities were considered, but the “cool” factor of a Guinness World Records® attempt won out. The process began about a year ago with an application to the Guinness Head Office in London.

The ensuing time seemed like forever, as we waited for the Guinness organization to research and consider what until then had never been attempted as a record. In the hope of a timely response, a date was pried into the LCC schedule for the spring of 2010. However, the answer came only after the scheduled date, and we had to push our date with history to the fall.

The response was not without its criteria. The Guinness World Records® people insisted on a number of standards in order to even consider the record. First and foremost, the actual feat was determined. A minimum of 250 individuals had to complete the Bleep (as they call it) test, to Level 5, or 41 bleeps. Secondary to that, there were specific methodologies prescribed for counting, coordinating and running the event, as well as rules for how our record attempt was to be witnessed.

As the event approached, the logistics questions reared their ugly heads. The LCC schedule again had its say, the media was invited (but as of the day before the event, only one group had shown interest), the media lab was mobilized for the sound and video evidence and the maintenance department put down lines at a distance of 20m on our fields. Finally, our teachers and students were given their marching orders for the day. And of course the variable weather of a Montreal autumn was always in the back of our minds.

Answering our logistical concerns were our department heads who supported the initiative without reservation from the start, complete cooperation from the students, faculty, staff, and administration, and finally the expert, gentle shepherding of our competent Physical Education department (with a nod to mother nature for the spectacular fall day we were given.).

And the day was spectacularly successful. On a cloudless, warm, fall day on our LCC fields 443 people began the test and 324 people completed the Level 5 (41 beeps). We had achieved the feat, and as we collate our evidence to send to the Guinness World Records(R) Organization, we know we achieved the most important thing of all. It was fun to exercise together and exciting to talk about the possibility of being in the Record Book. And if our record is beaten, we could go out again, and still have fun… doing the beep (or “bleep”) test! –Steeve Lee, Physical Education Department Head