An In-Depth Look at The Wheelhouse PrograM Giving a quick description of The Wheelhouse program can prove to be a challenge. Sure, we could easily tell you about the five core components, fill you in on the adventurous community learning days, and tell you all about our cool classroom. However, even after you learn about all of these things, you still may not really have a good picture of what it is like to be in The Wheelhouse. While it may be quite difficult to truly explain, we hope that the information below will help you get a better idea of the nitty gritty details...
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Choose The Wheelhouse program because it fits you. Please review the following to see if Wheelhouse looks like it could be a good fit...
The Wheelhouse is a classroom where students are both challenged and supported in becoming life-long learners and responsible citizens. Students in this program take action in their community, develop greater self-confidence, and have a strong sense of care for their classmates and school. In The Wheelhouse, everyone is encouraged to try their best, ask questions, share experiences, take risks and learn from mistakes along the way. With teacher and mentor support, students create a learning community in which all students respect and cherish each other, and support their peers to be the best individuals they can be.
The Wheelhouse offers students in Grade 6 and 7 a learning environment that focuses on developing leadership and citizenship skills while exploring and learning in the surrounding community. Fundamental to The Wheelhouse classroom are the community ‘field study’ days where learning takes place outside the classroom.
Instructional Design
The Wheelhouse instructional design is built around the philosophy of integrated learning – learning across curricular areas. This means that instead of having a block of “Social Studies”, we might have an “Elections” activity – and this encompasses a wide variety of academic subjects – reading, writing, social studies, and possibly even math. Students will learn through the exploration of themes, inquiry questions, problem-based learning activities, etc. and regularly engage in activities that incorporate multiple curricular strands at once.
Additionally, this is not a teacher-centered program; the teacher’s role extends far beyond teaching 'content' to students. Students learn in a number of ways, including: field research, group projects, independent activities, inquiry learning, and more. Students learn from many sources: teachers, family members, printed and digital information, and of course from each other. Student learning is not limited to the classroom, but rather students learn from the community and world around them.
What does learning look like?
In The Wheelhouse, learning is most often a very social activity. Students collaborate in project or task groups, share ideas and tips, and act as peer mentors to those needing support in their learning. This can make the classroom feel like a very busy place, with lots of movement and activity.
Learning in our class also includes an abundance of dialogue. We spend lots of time discussing, questioning, debating, and ideating. It is through these conversations that students can better articulate their personal viewpoints and further develop their understanding by incorporating the ideas and input of others.
A main focus for learning in The Wheelhouse is centred around building core competencies across subject areas, including: becoming effective communicators, nurturing curiousity, creativity and innovation, developing personal and social responsibility, and building critical thinking skills.
Where do you go on Field Studies?
When they are out on field studies, don’t they “lose” a day of learning?
Well…they may lose a day ‘in the classroom’, but there is never a shortage of learning when we are on a field study! Actually, students will often not ‘feel’ as though they are learning, because it doesn’t feel like their previous school experiences. But, they will also tell you that they learn a lot while on field study days. They are just so much fun, they often forget that they are learning!
Do students still learn all of the required curriculum?
No! Wait, what? Well, most teachers will tell you that they can never teach all of the required curriculum to their students. So, in that way we are just like all the other classes!
In The Wheelhouse there is definitely a strong focus on Numeracy and Literacy as core academic subjects. Students are continually and consistently given opportunities to practice and develop their skills in these key areas (reading, writing, math).
In addition, we like to “diverge” from the required curriculum when it makes sense, or when our interest is piqued. We often explore topics and issues that we encounter via the news, or our experiences in the community, or when we are passionate about a subject.
This can mean that while we still focus on learning all of the skills needed to be successful, we do sometimes bypass traditional grade-level content. While this always proves to be an exciting ride (we love to take learning 'detours'), this does mean we don't always have time for all of the standard content.
However, by placing a heavy focus on developing skills for learning, students become able to be researchers and learners on their own. This gives them the tools and strategies to independently learn some of the science or social studies content that we might have missed.
[Prospective students and families - this will be discussed in more detail at the Information Sessions in case you have some questions or wonderings about this.]
What do assignments look like?
Students in The Wheelhouse don’t “work” on assignments. They solve problems, write stories, design prototypes, test hypotheses, share strategies, connect ideas, and so on. Wheelhouse students complete learning activities that strengthen their skills, expand their thinking and challenge their understanding. It is common for a learning activity to be quite open-ended in the hopes that by collaborating and questioning, and testing students can develop a stronger understanding than if they were given more restrictions and parameters for their learning.
It takes more time to investigate a problem and the potential strategies before deciding on the best solution than it does to read a paragraph and answer some comprehension questions. This type of learning also challenges students to really flex their thinking muscles…there is a saying around here…”If your brain hurts, that means that it’s working!”
Another thing that is quite different in The Wheelhouse is the quantity of assignments that are “handed in”. It is very common for a student to “hand in” an assignment, be given feedback for improvement, and then be expected to improve their assignment based on the feedback before handing it in again. Students often go through this cycle 2-3 times before an assignment is considered ‘complete’ and they can move on to the next activity. We have learned over time that this method of learning results in far greater progress and improvement as students continue to improve on their previous attempts rather than a “completing and forgetting” style they may be more accustomed to from previous classes.
Students who feel most successful completing worksheets or assignments of a more traditional style might find it harder to adapt to this style of learning. Additionally, students that don’t feel they would have enough patience to return, review, and improve an existing assignment over and over will likely not feel successful.
Do students have "homework"?
Students may have three different types of learning activities at home:
Being Safe on Field Days
Being away from the regular school site can present additional safety concerns. We don’t always know what we will encounter. Students are always expected to follow guidelines, respect rules and boundaries, and follow directions. When we do encounter the unexpected, we take time to discuss the situation together. Through asking questions and sharing ideas, students develop strategies to be safe in the community.
How are family members involved and included in The Wheelhouse?
Families who are interested in joining the Wheelhouse need to feel comfortable with our style of learning. Please consider joining us at our online information sessions for an even more in-depth look at the program.
The Wheelhouse is a classroom where students are both challenged and supported in becoming life-long learners and responsible citizens. Students in this program take action in their community, develop greater self-confidence, and have a strong sense of care for their classmates and school. In The Wheelhouse, everyone is encouraged to try their best, ask questions, share experiences, take risks and learn from mistakes along the way. With teacher and mentor support, students create a learning community in which all students respect and cherish each other, and support their peers to be the best individuals they can be.
The Wheelhouse offers students in Grade 6 and 7 a learning environment that focuses on developing leadership and citizenship skills while exploring and learning in the surrounding community. Fundamental to The Wheelhouse classroom are the community ‘field study’ days where learning takes place outside the classroom.
Instructional Design
The Wheelhouse instructional design is built around the philosophy of integrated learning – learning across curricular areas. This means that instead of having a block of “Social Studies”, we might have an “Elections” activity – and this encompasses a wide variety of academic subjects – reading, writing, social studies, and possibly even math. Students will learn through the exploration of themes, inquiry questions, problem-based learning activities, etc. and regularly engage in activities that incorporate multiple curricular strands at once.
Additionally, this is not a teacher-centered program; the teacher’s role extends far beyond teaching 'content' to students. Students learn in a number of ways, including: field research, group projects, independent activities, inquiry learning, and more. Students learn from many sources: teachers, family members, printed and digital information, and of course from each other. Student learning is not limited to the classroom, but rather students learn from the community and world around them.
What does learning look like?
In The Wheelhouse, learning is most often a very social activity. Students collaborate in project or task groups, share ideas and tips, and act as peer mentors to those needing support in their learning. This can make the classroom feel like a very busy place, with lots of movement and activity.
Learning in our class also includes an abundance of dialogue. We spend lots of time discussing, questioning, debating, and ideating. It is through these conversations that students can better articulate their personal viewpoints and further develop their understanding by incorporating the ideas and input of others.
A main focus for learning in The Wheelhouse is centred around building core competencies across subject areas, including: becoming effective communicators, nurturing curiousity, creativity and innovation, developing personal and social responsibility, and building critical thinking skills.
Where do you go on Field Studies?
- In the fall term, the field days are primarily focused on the outdoor environment. Being away from the classroom for one day every week requires us to develop guidelines and expectations for different learning environments. When in unfamiliar surroundings, students need some time to adjust their learning in a non-traditional setting.
- As the students become more comfortable and successful outside the classroom, the field days will expand into our local community. We might interview local citizens, meet the Mayor, connect with business owners, or take action in the community.
- As the year progresses, and the students’ interests and passions become clear, we pursue field days beyond our local community. We might visit an animal reserve, heritage museum, broadcasting studio, or even explore Granville island!
When they are out on field studies, don’t they “lose” a day of learning?
Well…they may lose a day ‘in the classroom’, but there is never a shortage of learning when we are on a field study! Actually, students will often not ‘feel’ as though they are learning, because it doesn’t feel like their previous school experiences. But, they will also tell you that they learn a lot while on field study days. They are just so much fun, they often forget that they are learning!
Do students still learn all of the required curriculum?
No! Wait, what? Well, most teachers will tell you that they can never teach all of the required curriculum to their students. So, in that way we are just like all the other classes!
In The Wheelhouse there is definitely a strong focus on Numeracy and Literacy as core academic subjects. Students are continually and consistently given opportunities to practice and develop their skills in these key areas (reading, writing, math).
In addition, we like to “diverge” from the required curriculum when it makes sense, or when our interest is piqued. We often explore topics and issues that we encounter via the news, or our experiences in the community, or when we are passionate about a subject.
This can mean that while we still focus on learning all of the skills needed to be successful, we do sometimes bypass traditional grade-level content. While this always proves to be an exciting ride (we love to take learning 'detours'), this does mean we don't always have time for all of the standard content.
However, by placing a heavy focus on developing skills for learning, students become able to be researchers and learners on their own. This gives them the tools and strategies to independently learn some of the science or social studies content that we might have missed.
[Prospective students and families - this will be discussed in more detail at the Information Sessions in case you have some questions or wonderings about this.]
What do assignments look like?
Students in The Wheelhouse don’t “work” on assignments. They solve problems, write stories, design prototypes, test hypotheses, share strategies, connect ideas, and so on. Wheelhouse students complete learning activities that strengthen their skills, expand their thinking and challenge their understanding. It is common for a learning activity to be quite open-ended in the hopes that by collaborating and questioning, and testing students can develop a stronger understanding than if they were given more restrictions and parameters for their learning.
It takes more time to investigate a problem and the potential strategies before deciding on the best solution than it does to read a paragraph and answer some comprehension questions. This type of learning also challenges students to really flex their thinking muscles…there is a saying around here…”If your brain hurts, that means that it’s working!”
Another thing that is quite different in The Wheelhouse is the quantity of assignments that are “handed in”. It is very common for a student to “hand in” an assignment, be given feedback for improvement, and then be expected to improve their assignment based on the feedback before handing it in again. Students often go through this cycle 2-3 times before an assignment is considered ‘complete’ and they can move on to the next activity. We have learned over time that this method of learning results in far greater progress and improvement as students continue to improve on their previous attempts rather than a “completing and forgetting” style they may be more accustomed to from previous classes.
Students who feel most successful completing worksheets or assignments of a more traditional style might find it harder to adapt to this style of learning. Additionally, students that don’t feel they would have enough patience to return, review, and improve an existing assignment over and over will likely not feel successful.
Do students have "homework"?
Students may have three different types of learning activities at home:
- Assignments/Tasks to Finish at Home – assignments and projects that cannot be completed during school time need to be finished at home.
- Field Journals – students keep a journal related to their field study days, and it is often helpful to focus on this on Thursday after the field study while it is fresh in their minds
- Projects - if students are engaged in a larger project, they may decide that spending some time at home will help them stay on track for completing their project on time. In addition, some students may prefer the environment of home where they can focus on an activity and not be affected by factors that may disrupt them at school.
Being Safe on Field Days
Being away from the regular school site can present additional safety concerns. We don’t always know what we will encounter. Students are always expected to follow guidelines, respect rules and boundaries, and follow directions. When we do encounter the unexpected, we take time to discuss the situation together. Through asking questions and sharing ideas, students develop strategies to be safe in the community.
How are family members involved and included in The Wheelhouse?
- Volunteer Drivers - The Wheelhouse program depends on having family support for the program. One key area where support is needed is in transportation for our weekly Field Study Days. We need a solid base of available drivers to help us travel to and from our location each week.
- Participate in Learning Experiences – Visitors are welcome to join us anytime in the classroom or on a Field Study Day and be included in the learning experience. Parents, grandparents, and even aunts and uncles have joined us on field studies in the past. You are always invited to be part of our learning adventures.
Families who are interested in joining the Wheelhouse need to feel comfortable with our style of learning. Please consider joining us at our online information sessions for an even more in-depth look at the program.
