Discovering Strengths is a project designed to increase access to high-results, strength-based programs for Aboriginal communities across Canada. The easy-to-use online toolkit includes effective assessment and career development programs that engage youth in identifying their assets, imagining positive futures and exploring potential career paths.
Change it Up! is a unique program designed for Aboriginal youth (15-30) that have not been successful in traditional education. As a result, these youth face multiple barriers on their path to employment and active citizenship. In many cases, a lack of success in school has built negative associations with education—and that may stop them from attending typical school-based training programs that are offered.
This project is specifically aimed at reaching youth (15-30) in the WoodBuffallo region that have disengaged from traditional education and consequently face multiple barriers on their path to employment. Low educational attainment in these youth is reflected in low literacy/numeracy levels and serious deficits in essential skills such as communication, ability to work with others and the use of technology.
Community Forest International’s education program unites schools from New Brunswick, Canada with schools in Pemba, Tanzania creating a cross-cultural, environmental learning experience.
With a constructivist viewpoint of learning and a commitment to experiential education and authentic outcomes, Sharon MacKenzie takes her middle school classes out of the school and into the world. From spending 2 months of the year in a seniors’ residence to raising thousands of dollars through developing and running a small business, the results are amazing – for the community as well as for the students.
Read the article by Nick Smith in The Tyee online: [[http://thetyee.ca/News/2008/09/05/Constructivism|Get Kids Out of the Classroom|]]
Success By 6 Peel builds and expands community support for children by strengthening services for young children and their families. Research-informed and neighbourhood-based, Success By 6 Peel envisions a community where all children thrive and are valued, respected, nurtured, loved and given the opportunity to develop to their full potential as creative, caring, competent and responsible adults.
This program explores the Swedish approach to nursery education. What is the secret to their success? What factors combine to help Swedish children perform so well in European literacy tables?
On the face of it, Sweden’s attitude to teaching nursery children is incredibly relaxed and informal. There is little structured learning, play is paramount, there are few locks or security coded gates and children are encouraged to help with cleaning and catering.
Imagine a School was a dramatic performance created by high school students from Halifax, Toronto and Vancouver that opened CEA’s symposium “Getting it Right for Adolescent Learners” in 2006. Find out what adolescents are saying about their experiences in high schools and what schools would look like if we “got it right”.
Read more about/order the DVD of this student performance, or read an article by Kathy Gould Lundy exploring the creative process of the actors and teachers involved in the project
When a dozen or so educators from Indianapolis traveled to Reggio Emilia, Italy, several years ago to study the famous constructivist approach in that city’s preschools, they came back prepared for more than project-based teaching — they came ready to decorate. Last fall, the group offered elementary school teachers a classroom makeover in the Reggio Emilia style, and Sharon Olson, a teacher at Winding Ridge Elementary School, immediately volunteered. Their decor strategy was based on the idea that to take ownership of their learning, children must own their learning space.
Research shows ‘Signs of Suicide’ prevention program helps reduce the number of attempts by high school students.
Read article: [[http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0103/p14s01-legn.html|Signs of Suicide Program]]
( Christian Science Moniter ) (2008-01-03)