Fall 2022 will see the de-streaming of Grade 9 students in Ontario; no longer will students be asked to choose between academic and applied courses before having the opportunity to adjust to the high school experience. Naturally, this announcement forced us to consider whether an applied/college streamed high school programme remains relevant a changing educational landscape. If all students are learning the same curriculum, is there value in a program like the one offered at TEAM Secondary School? We think there is.
TEAM Secondary School, TSS, will offer core Ontario Curriculum de-streamed courses for Grade 9 math, English, science, and geography in a small class setting where individualized attention can be given to our diverse learners. The de-streamed curriculum provides equitable learning opportunities for all students and will provide the foundational building blocks needed for future success in high school. Grade 9 can be a challenge for some learners and the new de-streamed curriculum may feel like a daunting task for students who have struggled academically. At TSS, the new de-streamed curriculum is delivered by teachers who have clear and consistent expectations and who believe in individual student achievement.
The explicit and scaffolded approach of instruction presented at TSS provides students with the opportunity to learn the new curriculum in a manner they will understand and will find success with. Curriculum content is delivered through high impact lessons that provide students with resources that support their learning as well as add to their skill set. Learning goals and success criteria are clearly defined, enabling students to understand and monitor their own progress.
At TSS, a variety of assessment methods including assignments, group discussions, and tests are given consistently in each course. Teachers provide ongoing assessment opportunities and descriptive feedback to help students increase both their understanding of course content as well as advance their self-assessment skills. Assessment accommodations such as scribing, a quiet space for testing and extra time are also given to students who require them. Because learning skills and work habits are vital to student success throughout high school, they are explicitly taught in the grade 9 Learning Strategies course.
In all grades at TSS, the smaller class size provides a positive learning environment for many of our unique learners. Our teachers get to know individual student needs and meet those needs through explicit instruction, real world applicable examples, scaffolded teaching methods, individual student teacher consultations, and pair and whole class discussions. Lessons are delivered through both a direct instruction teaching method as well as incorporating student involvement in problem solving tasks and experiences. Students engage with more regularity due to the smaller class sizes and benefit from consistent and regular student/teacher conferencing and descriptive and specific feedback.
For 14 years, TSS has been providing high school students with personal learning opportunities in a small classroom environment where students find academic growth and success in preparation for post-secondary programs. For more information please contact the TEAM Secondary School office at 905 279 7200.
Dawn Johnston
Vice Principal
TEAM School / TEAM Secondary School
