The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

2 6 - The Oakville Beaver, W e d n e sd a y F e b ru a ry 8, 2006 Enhancing student learning Advertising Feature "Nurturing Excellence in a Christ-cen tred Academic Environment" is the focus of all activities at Oakville Christian School (0CS), as students from JK-8 learn in an environment that promotes academic, physical, social/emotional and spiritual growth. Since 1982, families have been attracted to the school because of the Christian environment, the high academ ic standards and the highly professional and long-serving teaching staff. "At Oakville Christian School, educa tors are learners as well as their students," explains Dr. Aubrey Penney, Headmaster, who holds a Doctor of Education degree from Ontario' s Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto. "Our professional teaching staff members have all completed studies in education and enroll in ongoing professional develop ment courses and conferences through out the year to keep abreast of teaching practices. This wealth of knowledge is shared among the teaching staff and then brought back to the classrooms here at Oakville Christian School. Ultimately, it results in a better education for each child." Providing enriching experiences for all learners is the focus of differentiat ed teaching philosophy, an area of ongoing professional development and exploration at OCS. Differentiation allows for meeting students where they are developmentally and challenging them to grow and devel op to their full potential. Every child benefits when the class room, as well as the entire school has a culture defined by differentiated learning principles. Struggling learners and high achievers alike are invited to be challenged and "learn how to learn" at their own level. "We know that student confidence comes primarily from being successful in under taking challenging tasks," says Cynthia Boyd, Enrichment Coordinator. "All stu dents, including high achieving students, need to be constantly challenged in order to maintain that feeling of confidence achieved through success." Building on best practices, classroom teachers at OCS are integrating strategies and applications of differentiation to ensure that quality learning takes place at every level. Enthusiasm for learning is growing in the school community as the whole staff, aca demic divisions and individual teachers aim towards these goals. Oakville Christian School' s program meets, and in some areas it exceeds, the Ontario Ministry guidelines and provides strong academic and extracurricular programs in Computer Technology, French, Music, Art and Athletics. Participation in drama, chapel presentations, interest clubs and community service provides students with the growth necessary to develop academi cally, physically, socially/emotionally and spiritually. Visit OCS' website at www.ocsonline.org for further informa tion or contact Dr. Aubrey Penney, Headmaster, 905-825-1247 ex. 223, or Janice Wood, Administrative Assistant, ex. 221, to arrange a tour of the school. Parental involvement key when it comes to your child's education (NC)--A survey, conducted by Ipsos-Reid found that most (94 per cent) Canadian parents are confident they can provide homework support to their children. However, the survey also found that half (51 percent) of parents spend less than 10 minutes a day helping their kids with homework. Homework help Dr. Donna McGhieRichmond, Educational Specialist offers these home work support guidelines for parents: 1. Kids need routine, so establish a regular homework schedule. 2. Provide a clutter-free and noise-free environm ent to make concentrating easier. 3. Help your children get organized. Provide the resources they need and make sure they know how to use them. 4. Have your child review the assignment with you so that he or she knows exactly what to do and ask where he or she needs your help. 5. Don't tell your children what to do or do the work for them. Instead, guide them in the right direction so they'll learn to work independently. 6. Meet with your child's teacher to find out exactly what is expected of your son or daughter during the school year and take advantage of homework guidelines available on school board Web sites. Early learning, head start The survey found that only one quarter (27 per cent) of parents consider it appropriate to start home-based learning activities with their children before the age of one. Dr. McGhie-Richmond says, "Parents are their children's first teachers. It's never too early to start teaching your children, and moms and dads should read to them from birth." According to Dr. McGhieRichmond, most parents rec ognize the significance of reading to their kids, but they may not recognize its signifi cance to learning. ' "Reading sets the founda tion for all other learning," she explains. "Materials such as Kumon Workbooks, available at large bookstore chains, pro vide parents with more struc tured tools to encourage math and reading skills with activi ties such as number games, tracing and mazes." Young children with sib lings notice their older broth ers and sisters are involved in more structured learning activities and they want to do the same. If parents see their three or four year olds are ready and eager to learn, a pro gram like Junior Kumon that's flexible can give them a head start and help instil a love of learning. How much is too much? The survey shows that the majority (86 per cent) of chil dren will be involved in at least one extracurricular activity during this school year, and that on average, children will participate in two. Parents often wonder how to tell if they are over-schedul ing their children. 1 The answers: Dr. McGhie-Richmond says, "How m uch you schedule depends on how many chil dren are in the family, the am ount of time parents have for supporting their children, and the time required for each activity. Strike a balance that suits your family." "Kids who don't struggle with homework have more time to spend on other activi ties," Dr. McGhie-Richmond says. "That, in turn, gives them more confidence." But if chil dren are struggling to get their homework done, or not doing it because after-school activi ties have taken priority, there is help available. The result: Programs can teach your children good study habits so that homework isn't a burden and so that they can free up more time to pursue the activ ities that interest them most. - News Canada iscover the erence OAKVILLE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL An academic school where Christian morals and values are taught and modelled. A student body that ranks in the top 11% on Canada's national CAT3 tests. A science program that produces regional science fair winners every year. Athletic teams that compete in 9 different sports, starting as early as Grade 2. Extracurricular opportunities that meet the intellectual, physical, social and spiritual needs of all students. Christian service involvement in the community. A music program that trains vocal & instrumental groups who represent the school at different community functions. Fully networked computer lab - networked computers in every classroom. A family atmosphere with 265 students. On-site before & after school care. FERN H IL L M l C o m e V is it U s ! Oakville Campus O pen H ouse A t O a k v ille C h r is tia n S c h o o l o u r m is s io n is: Nurturing Excellence in a Christ-Centred Academic Environment" O a k v ille C h r is t ia n S c h o o l 112 Third Line, Oakville (905) 8 2 5 -1 2 4 7 ocsadm issions^ocsonline.org Visit our new website a t www.ocsonline.or Saturday, February 1 1, 2006 10 a.m* - 2 p .m . 3300 N i n t K L i n e R o a d O a k v ille , O n ta r io 905- 257-0022 OAKVUU w w w .fe rn h ilis ch o o l.c o m t adm fssions@ fernhillschool.com I Preschool - G ra d e 8