Quest Conference Reflections

A couple of weeks ago York Region hosted our annual YRDSB Quest Conference. Quest is in its 20th year of providing relevant and inspiring professional learning for educators in York Region as well as all over Canada and the world. Each year at WPS, we arrange for some of our teachers to join the discussion and bring back new research and teaching strategies to our school. Our teachers come back rejuvenated and invigorating after connecting with like-minded people in a different environment. Here are some of their reflections:

"There's so much to take away from the Quest Conference that it's difficult to focus on just one thing. The focus this year was 'Deep Learning in a Digital World' ... a clear connection to the Modern Learning work we have worked on. We listened to a variety of keynotes and breakout sessions. It became clear that there was a common resounding message.  The message was the importance of authentic, meaningful learning that provided students with choice to solve real-world problems. Monopolizing on genuine engagement with self-selected tools and topics will allow for students to attain necessary global competencies.  As educators looking at our student centered instructional core, we should continue to ask ourselves if what we're doing now will promote our student's love of school.  Will it promote risk-taking, resilience, perseverance, imagination, curiosity, grit, determination, empathy, etc ...  Will it allow students to embrace failure and mistakes as a necessary part of learning? 

Global literacy is changing the way we deliver education. We as educators need to unlearn, relearn and co-learn.  We should consider how to promote the idea of falling in love with the problem - not the solution.”  Mr. Tamblyn and Mrs. Porat

Exciting learning for both our teachers and our students!  Thank you.