Year: 2020 — Province: New Brunswick
Certificate of Achievement Recipient
James M. Hill Memorial High School
Law, psychology, drama, English, history, world issues, sociology, and digital productions, grades 11 and 12
Miramichi, New Brunswick
[David, Mark and Tyson] are moving beyond the basic paper-pen response styles of teaching so students can truly explore their passions. This is how we reach our students, this is how we get them to show up to class, this is how we get them to take an interest in the world around them.
Veteran teachers David Gopee, Mark Noel and Tyson Theriault are unafraid of drastic change. Inspired by a professional development conference in San Diego, they completely rebuilt their classes and combined them into a student-centered program, the Humanities Block—just two days before the start of a new semester.
Teaching approach
No longer do these teachers see their role as experts who impart facts that students simply absorb. Now, students cooperate on projects to make products, developing skills along the way; the teachers guide them when they are frustrated or discouraged, but let them solve their own problems.
In the classroom
- Ask students to think about the interplay between global issues (such as racism or blood diamonds) and local action: from that springboard, students choose a topic, form groups, do research, and create a product.
- Help students pursue their interests: for example, two students learned of demand for affordable prosthetics in developing countries; teachers helped them apply for grants to buy a 3D printer; students designed and printed prosthetics from recycled materials.
- Assess student progress in unconventional ways: interview students about their progress; hold student conferences; critique students' products.
- Promote students' work: at an end-of-term community showcase, students display the products they've made and discuss local problems with members of the public.
Outstanding achievements
- Rewrote curricula: summarized it in short worksheets; students understand outcomes and their real-world benefits; one student realized emails he wrote to get a grant would help him meet English class outcomes.
- Repurposed two former teacher workrooms as collaborative spaces for students: the Generation Station has couches, whiteboards, tables and office supplies; the other room has computers and 3D printers; unconventional spaces foster brainstorming.
- Supported a student-led Remembrance Day ceremony: students created program, did research, found guest speakers, ran show; teachers helped them set goals, communicate, solve problems, resolve interpersonal conflicts, use required A/V equipment.
- Bolster student satisfaction: principal reports higher engagement, attendance and success rates; students report feeling supported, heard and empowered.
- Inspire fellow educators: another teacher at their school revamped his classes and plans to attend the San Diego conference; the school will soon launch a similar program for grades 9 and 10; teachers and administrators come from across the province to observe the Humanities Block.
Get in touch!
James M. Hill Memorial High School
128 Henderson Street
Miramichi NB E1N 4L4
506-778-6078
Heidi.Ryder@nbed.nb.ca
http://jmh.nbed.nb.ca/
Facebook: @JamesMHillMemorialHighSchool