As I sit down to write this article in this brave new world of virtual classrooms and e-learning, I cannot help but recall our headmaster’s words – that Trinity College School is about people, program and place. Over these past two weeks, I have been reminded on a daily basis of how fortunate the English department is to have the people and program that it does. My colleagues are innovative, creative and passionate teachers who are creating engaging and enriching experiences for our students.
The Grade 9 team, consisting of Ms. Andrea Mathieson, Mr. Josh Hamilton and Mr. Brandon Black, continues to centre the Grade 9 English course around the five habits of the heart and mind: perseverance, courage, creativity, compassion, integrity. In the fall, students studied Macbeth, followed by an independent novel and literature circles, where the students had a choice of different texts that highlighted the high school experience and coming of age theme. The year will finish with Indian Horse, where the students will learn about residential schools and Indigenous youth and culture. This will be paired with a media unit that will not only introduce the basics of analyzing media texts but also explore Indigenous portrayal in media and the importance of representing different viewpoints and stories. Through persuasive and descriptive writing, debating, literature circles and so much more, Grade 9 is once again proving itself to be a fun year that will lay a foundation for future years in English.
Meanwhile, Ms. Kristen Richardson and Ms. Laura Baragar have been working with the Grade 10 English students. They started the year by reading Dear Evan Hansen. This text allowed for meaningful connections to be made to the students’ lives as they discussed such topics as truth, digital citizenship, mental health and friendship. Next, the Grade 10 classes completed a media study that examined the impact of technology on relationships, communication, gender and body image. This was followed by literature circles which examined social justice issues from Indigenous, African American, South African, North Korean and Chinese American perspectives. As we move into the spring term, the Grade 10 students are preparing for their presentations for the Osler Speaking Contest. They have been fully engaged in online activities as they explore how heroes often emerge from challenging times. The students will spend the coming weeks researching their topics, crafting their speeches and honing their delivery skills prior to submitting their speeches on May 11th. The finals are planned for the following week – please stay tuned for further details.
At the Grade 11 level, Ms. Richardson and Ms. Baragar, along with Ms. Pam Dew and Ms. Kim Vojnov, have offered many engaging learning opportunities. The students began the year by studying Hamlet. Over the winter term, the students were busy with the Osler Speech unit. In February, we were fortunate to have the Grade 11 Osler Speaking Contest finals delivered in person in Le Van Hall, and they were a highlight for our community. In conjunction with the speech unit, students were engaged in historical fiction literature circles. They had a plethora of online learning opportunities, and it was a great dry run for their current novel study, The Kite Runner. Thus far, lessons in this unit have been immersive, taking advantage of Google tools to explore Afghanistan. The upcoming assessment for The Kite Runner will be a podcast; what a great way to digitally communicate with project-based learning!
Currently, the Grade 12 students are fully immersed in their second thematic course. Topics of study for this term include: Holocaust literature; children’s literature; social justice literature; stories of adventure and survival; myths and monsters; and defining questions. A number of innovative activities are happening across these courses. For example, students in the “myths and monsters” group recently created their own dictionary of modern monsters, which is currently published on the TCS library website. In the children’s literature group, students are exploring pastiche writing based on well-known fairy tales. Additionally, students studying “stories of adventure and survival” are currently exploring documentary fiction and film, which will culminate in a synthesis essay and an independent, five-minute film showcasing resiliency through adversity.
Meanwhile, Mr. Black’s Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition students have self-selected an 18th or 19th century novel and are engaging in literary analysis in preparation for the culminating task. Additionally, Mr. Brent Hurley has tapped into local expertise to work with his students. Kim Blackwell from 4th Line Theatre led a five-class writing workshop with the Grade 12 Writer’s Craft students while Esquire writer and producer Chris Jones spoke with the AP Language and Composition students as the capstone to their non-fiction unit.
The English department strives to develop and extend our students’ oral communication, reading, writing and media literacy skills while introducing them to a wide range of literature. Our goal is to foster an environment that focuses on critical thinking and analytical skills in order to help our students to craft effective, well-supported arguments, to communicate persuasively, and to read critically. Hopefully, the above snapshot provides a brief glimpse into the many engaging and creative ways we attempt to meet these goals.
The English department is comprised of dynamic, dedicated teachers who have much initiative and ingenuity, and I am fortunate to be working with such a wonderful group of people.
- By Ms. Barb Brough, head of English
