By Mr. Gerry BirdLakefield College School’s membership in
Round Square provides access to over two-hundred potential partner schools in more than sixty countries around the world. In preparation for the experience, this year’s Grade 10 Exchange Program participants have been working to complete a newly-developed, LCS Global Learning Curriculum, which is based on the Round Square
IDEALS and Discoveries. In the RS Discovery Framework, the students – or “Explorers” as they are referred to by Round Square – are at the centre of the experience and the twelve
Discoveries represent skills or attributes that they are encouraged to acquire and develop proficiency in over the course of their exchange experience.
The new curriculum, which was developed by LCS Round Square Representative, Gerry Bird, consists of three Global Learning Pre-Exploration Modules. In Pre-Ex 1:
“What the Heck is a Round Square?” students explore the history of Round Square and the educational philosophy of Dr. Kurt Hahn, who was the inspiration for the organization. In Pre-Ex 2:
“Meet Your Destination Country”, they research various aspects of their host school’s country, including its location in the world, geography and climate, history, population demographics, political system, languages, principle religions, natural resources, primary industries, etc. And finally, in Pre-Ex 3:
“Travelling as an Explorer, Not a Tourist”, students learn about the importance of applying the Round Square Discoveries, so as to assure that they are fully engaged as the “driver” of their own authentic Global Learning experience, rather than merely serving as a passenger who is along for the ride.
Our ten outgoing exchangers met for the final time as a group this week before embarking on their own exchange adventures for the winter or spring term. This year’s Grade 10 exchange participants and the countries they’ll call home, while attending Round Square partner schools for eight to ten weeks, are as follows: Rori Ash (New Zealand), Olivia Cantelon (South Africa), Vincent Cloutier (China), Olivia Geloso (UK; England), Sophie Gray (UK; Scotland), Rowan Harris-Stoertz (Germany), Olivia Johnston (South Africa), Louise Prindiville-Porto (TBD; Thailand or Japan), Prajina Salvarajah (Japan), and Maggie Sharpe (Botswana). We wish them the very best in their exchange adventures!
A reminder that
Application Packages are now available for interested Grade 9 students who wish to participate in next year’s (i.e. September 2020 to June 2021) Grade 10 Exchange Program. On December 13, Mr. Bird presented an overview of the
Exchange Program to the Grade 9 class and a follow-up information session for students is planned for Tuesday, January 21, 2020. An exchange information session for the parents of interested Grade 9’s is scheduled for Monday, February 3, 2020. A teleconferencing option will be available for parents who are unable to attend that session in person. The
application deadline for next year’s Grade 10 Exchange Program is
Friday, February 21, 2020.