The Wonder Wagon
Story appeared in the 2016 issue of QMS Connections Magazine.
BY DEBORAH COOK, SENIOR SCHOOL PRINCIPAL AND SUSAN CRUIKSHANK, JUNIOR SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
A wagon emerges out of the hallway, is pulled gently through the Primary entrance and out into the big, wide world. The pullers of the wagon are 15 Kindergarten students bursting with excitement as they look for objects they want to know more about.
< Ongoing visits with Mr. Organic helped our primary students learn about food production, the need to care for the environment and plant growth.
Today’s treasures include rocks, leaves, a purple hair tie, and a feather. Where did they come from? What can they do? Why do they look so shiny? These are the questions that prompt these students to carry them carefully and place them reverently in their wonder wagon. When they return to their classroom, each of these objects will become a catalyst—a catalyst for deep thinking and conversation.
Across Queen Margaret’s School, fostering a sense of wonder is paramount. Whether a student is learning how to dissect a horse’s hoof, build a sandbox or create a unique song, each student is learning about their world supported by teachers who understand that success comes when children are allowed to wonder.
The redesigned BC curriculum understands the importance of wondering. We now have the tools to access more information than we could ever possibly use. Knowledge is growing at exponential rates in many domains, creating new information and possibilities. This is the world our students are entering.
British Columbia’s curriculum is being redesigned to respond to this demanding world of the future. Less emphasis will be placed on just knowing facts and much more will be placed on knowing how to access information and to evaluate its worth. Creativity, collaboration, communication and critical thinking—the competencies we know our students will need in order to succeed—will be developed systematically across all grade levels. More time will be dedicated to in-depth study of important concepts, and students will be able to take their wonderings, develop hypotheses and test them.
At QMS, our students already work in this way. Experiential learning that allows students to learn through doing, questioning and testing their ideas happens across the school. An example from the Primary School involved ongoing visits with Mr. Organic this year. Mr. Organic helped our primary students to learn about food production, the need to care for the environment and plant growth.
Our K-5 students have a robust and exciting arts program that taps into their creativity and encourages self-expression. Next year, they will have more opportunities to explore the visual and performing arts through the inclusion of drama and dance in their program. We are delighted that the redesigned BC curriculum recognizes what we value at QMS and is providing additional time within the curriculum for children to focus on their creativity.
Our Grades 6-9 students will be introduced to an exploratory program that will allow them to investigate the world of app pro-duction, culinary arts, fair trade, and eco fashion as part of the career education component of the new curriculum. Exposing students to new experiential learning fosters a sense of wonder and possibility as well as a sense of personal engagement.
In Grades 8 and 9, a dedicated teaching team will work closely with the Senior School’s youngest students to continue to integrate the new curriculum and support students in finding connections between their class-based learning and the real world.
Our design thinking courses introduced in Grades 9 and 11 this year have generated some unique products. One project, the development of an LED umbrella that will provide light when opened, showcases how creativity, knowledge and skills can be harnessed when students have meaningful opportunities to wonder and explore.
Next year, we will be introducing new AP courses in Senior School. The new curriculum will allow teachers and students more time to focus on concepts, skill development and the application of learning so that student engagement, creativity and entrepreneurship can be fostered across disciplines.
Our QMS community is a vibrant hub for learning. The new curriculum sits perfectly with what we know our students need to flourish. Thoughtful teaching, parent partner-ships and students who can grow in wonder are the mix that will guaran-tee our continued success.
