School Calendar

 True, time seems to stand still in the magical moments at The Owl's Nest. 

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So, here is a calendar to keep track of our programming and schedules.

General Daily schedule

Each class has a different schedule so this is a sample

9:15 am - 9:30 am       Arrival and Greeting

9:30 am - 10:30             Learning Block One  

10:30 am - 11:30 am Learning Block Two

11:30 am - 12:00 pm Lunch 

12:00 pm - 1:00 pm Learning Block Three

2:00 pm - 3:00 pm Learning Block Four

3:00 pm - 3:30 pm End of Day Routine    

 Learning Blocks look different for each group and program. For example, learning blocks may look like:

Learning Block One:
Reading, singing, engaging in connecting games, and intertwining literacy into magical adventures. It may include sparking interest through exploring the creek, farm or forest. This helps us intertwine learning into our days in authentic and meaningful ways.


Learning Block Two:

Math walks, STEM challenges, farm jobs and connecting organic farming to our lives, engaging in collaborative inquiry projects, building on mathematical concepts in our natural world and seeking adventure through the hands on experiences we provide.

Learning Block Three:

Holistic education, mindfulness and arts, practicing the art of noticing, exploring or  building forts in the forest. Taking time to understand our bodies our needs and engage in holistic integrated education. 

Learning Block Four:

Tying the learning together with community meetings, journaling, games, discussions and collaborative missions. Taking time to play and build on executive functioning skills.

Cross-curricular And Integrated learning

"Integrated learning engages students in a rich learning experience that helps them make connections across subjects and brings the learning to life. Integrated learning provides students with opportunities to work towards meeting expectations from two or more subjects within a single unit, lesson, or activity. It can be a solution to the problems of fragmented learning and isolated skill instruction, because it provides opportunities for students to learn and apply skills in meaningful contexts across subject boundaries. In such contexts, students have opportunities to develop their ability to think and reason and to transfer knowledge and skills from one subject area to another. Although the learning is integrated, the specific knowledge and skills from the curriculum for each subject are taught."

Ontario Ministry of Education: Program Planning 


Assessment 

At The Owl's Nest, we use an approach to assessment that eliminates the focus on letter grades and focuses on the learning stories, feedback and areas of growth/ to grow. Our holistic assessment is known as a Communication of Learning and is sent home twice yearly, with regular documentation, communication and reflections in between. Our assessment observes distinct perspectives of the student to holistically  hone in to the skills, development and areas of growth for each child. Children are involved in their learning and assessment as they grow with us. Our intimate groups, connections and listening to our students, allows them to confidently navigate and explore their capabilities, their curiosities, and grow.

We have a curriculum and expect students to acquire knowledge. Learning, when done in authentic ways, helps us navigate the world around us efficiently and enjoyably. Learning is necessary  for accessing new knowledge, for problem-solving, fostering growth and connecting to the world around us. We ensure that work and learning  meets appropriate benchmarks; most importantly we honour our students and meet their needs, see them as whole people, and celebrate who they are now, while supporting them in goals moving forward. Social learning, self-concept development, gaining autonomy, fostering risk assessment and engagement and all aspects of a holistic child are also deeply valued and important learning aspects we assess, work with, develop and report on.