Main courses:

Math.   All math classes follow the Ontario core curriculum for math with more emphasis on computation than other strands.  The courses are aimed at all students in a particular grade.  The teacher will go over the basics of new concepts, but the depth and pace should be more challenging than regular school.  There are more advanced questions in a portion of the homework.   The homework is optional but is highly recommended.  Answers will be provided before the next class.

English Writing.   The English classes are aimed at developing writing skills.  Vocabulary, grammar, and compositional skills are emphasized.  Younger students (grades 1-3) will focus more on grammar and reading skills.  Older students will focus on the four major forms of academic writing: expository, descriptive, persuasive, and narrative.  The homework is optional but is highly recommended.  Answers will be provided before the next class.   Teachers will detail mark compositions during test periods.

Science. The science classes for younger students are more based on interest topics than on the following of the Ontario curriculum.  It is aimed at generating interest and appreciation of the importance of science.  Later grades will focus more on the Ontario curriculum.  The classes generally are ahead of the grade level.

French.  These classes are not for French Immersion students.  French 1 is for students who have never taken a French class.  French 2 is for students with a maximum of 2 years of public school French.  Classes will focus on conversational French.

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Specialty Classes as chosen by the Director, Paul Tazumi

I’m really excited about the new specialty courses, since they will fill some of the learning gaps left by the lack of live interaction. Make no mistake, your child’s academic and social progress has been compromised.  How can it not be? Students have been left to meander through the curriculum with a fraction of the guidance they would get from regular live attendance.  And, although your child has upped their game in terms of social media and game-playing, they will have lacked the skills needed to think through normal conversation. 

Communication

Public Speaking and Debating classes should be a part of the regular curriculum.  The public speaking classes will not only teach students how to feel comfortable and speak clearly with strong delivery in front of large groups, but how to enjoy and even love doing it.  The debating class will develop critical thinking, listening, organizing thoughts, and argumentation skills.  Both courses will boost your child’s confidence.

Early Learning

In my twenty-five years of teaching thousands of students, two courses have had the most impact on young children. 

The first is a Learn-to-Read class.  This phonics-based approach will have your child on their way to increase their reading vocabulary.  Children must know the sounds of hard and soft vowels and consonants.  This course is for advanced SK students who know the alphabet (lower and upper case letters) or any grade 1-2 student who cannot read “The black dog and green cat ate fish and chips.”

The second important course is Mental Math.  There are lots of tricks for doing adding, subtracting, multiplication and even division in your head, but this course will only focus on single and maybe double addition.   It is only for children in grades 2 or higher who either count with their fingers or don’t know what 4+2, 6+3, or 7+8 is within 3 seconds each.  It involves a lot of drill work for children who need an intervention from using their fingers.  This is not a course for advanced grade 1’s, but it is a course for grades 3,4,5… who are struggling with mental math.

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Other Useful Courses 

This section may have more classes once new teachers tell me about their hidden passions.

Shakespeare Primer.  This course is all about William Shakespeare and his large body of work that is studied throughout the world and has infiltrated popular culture through literature and movies…and grades 9-12.  You will get excited about the Bard (Shakespeare’s nickname).

Politics is Life.  Forget that politics (civics) is a course in grade 10, it is like health, or business.  It is ubiquitous — it’s everywhere.  This general interest course will cover the roles and structure of government (US, Canada, and other countries), political parties, voting methods, citizen activism….

Vocabulary.  Ok, this is my favourite course of all time.   I like getting students on their way to a better vocabulary, which leads to better communication, better grades, better jobs, and a better life.   It is essential to start building an appreciation for new words well before you’re in university and have to cram for standardized entrance tests for law, business, dentistry, pharmacy, or medicine. Yes, they all have a difficult vocabulary section.  If you’re in the states, you’ve probably been preparing for the dreaded SAT vocabulary section since you were born.