Ever since it opened in 2008, ArtsCalibre Academy's Preschool has provided children with all the skills necessary to excel throughout their scholastic careers, while instilling within them a lifelong desire to learn. We believe that creativity sparks children's curiosity, enabling them to open themselves to every learning experience fully. The Arts are the creative vehicle for this process.
We believe that creativity sparks a child's curiosity, enabling them to open themselves to every learning experience fully. The Arts are the creative vehicle for this process. Students enrolled in our Preschool program will build the skills needed to excel in Kindergarten, within a safe, respectful, and enriching group learning environment. Classes are kept to a maximum of 20 children supported by 3 to 4 experienced teaching staff, resulting in an excellent student/teacher ratio.
Our programs run from September through June each year. They carefully follow the Greater Victoria School District's school year calendar, but with only two closures for Professional Development (Pro-D) days: November and February.
The reasons are many and are widely and credibly documented. Years of research demonstrate that Arts education is closely linked to everything we want for our children and demand from our schools: academic achievement, social and emotional development, engagement, and equal opportunity. Involvement in the Arts is associated with substantial gains in math, reading, cognitive ability, critical thinking, and verbal skills. Arts enriched learning can also dramatically improve motivation, concentration, confidence, and teamwork.
Why are our children so excited to come to school every day? The intrinsic stimulation and pure pleasure of an Arts enriched experience do more than enhance a child's learning. It connects them more deeply to the world and opens them up to new ways of seeing it – creating a foundation for forging strong social bonds and building community.
When one of our Grade 5 students was asked what she likes about ArtsCalibre Academy, she said, "We are not taught to our grade, we are taught to our ability and skills. We are encouraged to challenge ourselves in every area." Another student reported, "I do not know…it just feels good." These are simple words — but they are no less critical in describing what makes our school environment work.
Thematic teaching is a way of teaching and learning, whereby many areas of the curriculum are integrated within a theme. It allows learning to be more natural and less fragmented than the traditional approach, where a school day is divided by time into different subject areas. It allows literacy to grow progressively, linking vocabulary closely with spelling and sentence structure. As a result, children are more fun and highly motivated; they will develop learning skills more quickly as each one is connected and reinforces the other.
The students have a role in deciding our themes. We meet together as a school and discuss the themes for the following year. This way, students have a vested interest in their learning. It also allows space for our learning community to get involved. We have had many enriching opportunities arise from parents and neighbors asking to get involved with our themes because they have something valuable to contribute.
This way of teaching allows space to integrate what is needed to reach every child in our classrooms. Each child learns differently, and it is the role of the teacher to discover what is needed to facilitate that learning. We can indeed find something for everyone.
We group children into learning pods, which can span more than one age group. This regrouping adds flexibility for both the learner and facilitator. Our pods are broken into differentiated learning groups based on the students' interests and abilities. Students in a flexible classroom setting are more focused on their work. They have a higher level of independence and awareness about their work, and they are more engaged. Project-Based Learning (PBL) was introduced in 2016/17 to the BC Curriculum. It is a student-centered method that organizes learning around specific projects or concepts.
Working independently from the teacher as possible, students will engage in a rigorous, extended process of inquiry focused on complex and authentic questions. Through this intense inquiry period, students will be challenged to explore and demonstrate their in-depth understanding of academic knowledge and skills. Collaboration, presentation, and critical thinking/problem solving will converge to deliver high-quality products and performances that students will share with audiences.
Although the concept of PBL was formally introduced to the BC curriculum in 2016/17, it has long been employed at ArtsCalibre Academy. PBL has a natural synergy with both the thematic teaching method we employ and the concept of an Arts-based education in general. ArtsCalibre Academy's curriculum frequently exceeds that of the BC Ministry of Education through incorporating the following elements to help build the confidence, poise, and advanced skills children need to excel throughout their lifetimes.
The Leader in Me is a whole-school transformation model acting somewhat like the operating system of a computer, supporting and maximizing the performance of all other programs. Based on The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, The Leader in Me equips students with the self-confidence and skills they need to thrive in the 21st-century economy.
Junior Kindergarten at ArtsCalibre offers dynamic and diverse programming that will challenge the students academically, while at the same time encouraging the exploration and development of their unique artistic skills and talents. Both staff and students are challenged to consistently bring their best as they inspire an atmosphere of creativity, self-discipline, integrity, and dedication.
Students enrolled in ArtsCalibre's Elementary programs are encouraged to approach inquiry with unbridled curiosity, think unconventionally, question the norm, and imagine and reflect upon new perspectives to build upon their creative capacities. The collective power of this learning environment fosters the development of passionate and thoughtful members of both the local and global community. At the heart of ArtsCalibre's core curriculum lies the ability to accommodate the student's natural curiosity. In using experiential, theme-based activities, we can deliver outstanding education and instruction across all subjects.
Students enrolled in ArtsCalibre's Middle School programs are encouraged to approach inquiry with unbridled curiosity, think unconventionally, question the norm, and imagine and reflect upon new perspectives in order to build upon their creative capacities. The collective power of this learning environment fosters the development of passionate and thoughtful members of both the local and global community. At the heart of ArtsCalibre's core curriculum lies the ability to accommodate the student's natural curiosity. Using experiential, theme-based activities, we can deliver outstanding education and instruction across all subjects.
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