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CENTRAL PEEL SECONDARY SCHOOLADVANCED PLACEMENT PROGRAM

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

Commitment to Rigour and Excellence

PHILOSOPHY STATEMENTThe Advanced Placement (AP) Program at Central Peel Secondary School provides students with a host of academic enrichment opportunities. Through its rigorous approach to learning, the AP Program fosters the growth of a community of students and educators who seek knowledge not merely for its practical applications but also for the sheer joy of knowing. Members of the Central Peel AP community are passionate, curious and driven to excel by their deep intellectual and emotional commitment to learning.

FOUNDATION OF THE AP PROGRAM AT CENTRAL PEELThe foundation of the AP Program includes all the elements of the CP21 Learning Framework (see Appendix 1). In addition, the AP learning model encompasses two main objectives and the means for accomplishing them:

Objectives

A. Academic Excellence1. Critical Thinking and Problem Solving2. Knowledge and Conceptual Understanding3. Independent Learning and Thought4. Communication Skills5. Creativity and Innovation

B. Personal Growth1. Character2. Leadership

Means

High Expectations Enrichment Rigour Interdisciplinary Approach Inquiry

Collaboration Mentoring Assessment and Evaluation Digital Fluency

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A. ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

1. Critical Thinking and Problem SolvingStudents will develop and apply a variety of strategies and mindsets including, but not limited to, the following: critical thinking strategies, constructive habits of mind, deep conceptual understanding and extensive criteria for making sound judgements.

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Thinking Strategies

Inductive and Deductive Reasoning

Analysis and Synthesis

Making Connections Deconstructing

Examining Issues from

Various Perspectives

Habits of Mind

Open-mindedness Comfort with Ambiguity Persistence

Criteria for Making Sound Judgements

Assessing the Quality of Evidence

Distinguishing between Valid and Invalid Reasoning

Evaluating Strengths and Weaknesses of

Arguments

2. Knowledge and Conceptual UnderstandingTo support critical thinking and problem solving, students will also need to develop extensive background knowledge, relevant skills and deep conceptual understanding. Conceptual understanding underpins the ability to make connections within and across disciplines. This understanding fosters the fluid movement between the theoretical and the practical, which in turn, enables critical thinking and problem solving.

3. Independent Learning and ThoughtTo facilitate lifelong learning, students will require a strong foundation of skills and attitudes that enable independent learning and thought. The following table lists some of the most important elements in this area:

4. Communication SkillsThe importance of developing highly effective communication skills cannot be overstated. Consequently, the AP Program at Central Peel places a very high priority on helping students to develop their ability to convey ideas with clarity, precision and in a manner that will capture and maintain the interest of the audience. In addition, our AP Program devotes a great deal of attention to the development of keen listening skills, a critically important component of communication. Naturally, none of this can be achieved without a love of reading, a value that must be deeply and inextricably embedded in the psyche of all AP students.

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Knowledge and Conceptual Understanding

Extensive Background Knowledge

Deeper Insights Research

Independent Learning and Thought

Gradual Release of

Responsibility for Learning, to enable Students to become their own Teachers

Develop Resilience,

Self-advocacy and

Self-regulation

Appropriate Risk-taking

Thinking about one's own Thinking

(Metacognition)

Evaluating the Validity of

Assumptions

The following table summarizes the components of communication that are emphasized in Central Peel’s AP Program. These skills are developed by delving into a range of subjects and engaging in thought-provoking activities that require students to support their arguments with solid evidence and persuasive language.

5. Creativity and InnovationStudents will develop a repertoire of strategies that will catapult them over the walls of conventional thinking. Such techniques provide a strong basis for stimulating new ideas, for viewing old problems in a new light, for tackling novel situations by taking mental detours and for developing abstract thought.

In response to their highly inquisitive nature, students will unleash their imagination and be guided by their intuition as they play, experiment, improvise and explore the world. By being encouraged to think “out-of-the-box” or to do away with the “box” altogether, students will be immersed in an environment that is ripe for igniting their creative fires. Once these fires are lit, students will discover clever, innovative solutions that will often also prove to be useful, practical and feasible.

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Communication Skills

Active, Effective

Listening to Facilitate

Interactions with Others

Speaking and Response Skills that Heighten Awareness of

Perspectives of Self and Others

Effective Reading

Strategies including Close

Reading

Highly Precise, Clear and

Captivating Writing

Support Arguments with Solid

Evidence and Persuasive Language

B. PERSONAL GROWTH

1. CharacterAcademic learning must be set in the greater context of developing strength of character. This includes honesty, integrity of moral purpose, the fortitude of mind to confront and bear adversity and faithfulness to commitment. Students will develop strength of character by striving to uphold the following values and practices:

Intellectual honesty and honesty in general

Employing reason to guard against irrational impulses

Reserving judgement until sufficient evidence comes to light

Remaining cool and calm in thoughts and actions, even when faced with hostility

Admitting errors and faults and learning from them

Taking action to repair damaged relationships

Being patient with oneself and others

Defending the rights of those against whom transgressions have been committed

Embracing the world of fascinating ideas

2. LeadershipThe AP students will be the leaders of tomorrow. It is expected, therefore, that they assume a significant leadership role while enrolled in Central Peel’s AP Program. In doing so, students will develop the ability to conceive a vision and a sense of purpose for their goals, to plan and execute such plans, to delegate responsibility to others and to influence others to participate. Strong leadership also entails dealing with and overcoming failures and mistakes and most of all, leading by example. When leaders consistently push themselves to go beyond the call of duty, others have little choice but to follow.

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MEANS FOR ACCOMPLISHING THE CENTRAL PEEL AP OBJECTIVESThrough continuous collaborative planning, AP teachers employ a wide range of evidence-based teaching strategies. The strategies are consistently applied in the larger context of the means for accomplishing the Central Peel AP objectives.

High ExpectationsTime and again, it has been shown that one of the primary drivers of learning is the setting of high expectations. This applies to all students but even more so to AP students. By being immersed in a highly challenging environment, students learn to break through the barriers of perceived limitations, allowing them not only to realize but often to exceed their potential.

EnrichmentAP students are expected to have a much broader range of experiences than is possible with traditional instructional programs. Such experiences include learning in greater depth and breadth, learning at a faster pace, exploring open-ended questions, developing global awareness and citizenship and experiential learning.

Rigour “Rigo[u]r is to academic work what careful practice and nuanced performance is to musical performance and what intense and committed play is to athletic performance. When we talk about a ‘rigorous course’ in something, it’s a course that examines details, insists on diligent and scrupulous study and performance, and doesn’t settle for a mild or informal contact with the key ideas.” (Talbert, 2009)

Accordingly, rigour in the AP classroom involves strict adherence to the following:

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Enrichment

Learning in Greater Depth and Breadth

Learning at a Faster Pace

Exploring Open-Ended

Questions

Developing Global

Awareness and Citizenship

Experiential Learning such as Field Trips, Guest Speakers

Interdisciplinary ApproachTo promote open-mindedness, creativity and “out-of-the-box” thinking, as well as to reflect the realities of the workings of the modern world, an interdisciplinary approach will be used whenever possible. This will be accomplished by focusing on making connections between topics and across disciplines as well as by solving interdisciplinary and “real-world” problems.

Inquiry“Inquiry is the dynamic process of being open to wonder and puzzlements and coming to know and understand the world.” (Galileo Educational Network, 2004.)

The inquiry model in the Central Peel AP classroom includes research, experiments and project-based learning. It addresses authentic (“real-life”) problems within the context of the curriculum, fosters student curiosity, supports collaboration among teachers and students, embraces inquiry as both content and pedagogy and provides opportunities for students to pursue their own questions.

CollaborationThe AP program at Central Peel operates on a model that values teacher collaborative inquiry within and across all subject areas. In addition to helping ensure common, shared expectations, it provides the means for ongoing, job-embedded professional development.

Our AP program is aligned with the Ontario curriculum, the College Board standards and other AP programs, so there are ample opportunities to work collaboratively.Students will share responsibility for collaborative work. In doing so, they will demonstrate their ability to work effectively and respectfully with others in a variety of settings.

MentoringMentoring plays an important role in helping our students manage the various challenges presented by the rigours of the AP program. This involves extra support and guidance coming in the form of encouragement, constructive criticism, openness, mutual trust and respect and the stressing of the importance of wellness and self-care.

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Rigour

Focus on Quality, not

Quantity

Deep Understanding of Key Ideas

Careful Attention to

Accuracy and Detail

High Standards of Performance, Assessment and

Evaluation

Comprehensive Coverage of

Subject Matter

Assessment and EvaluationAssessment and evaluation tasks reflect the high-level learning objectives and expectations of the AP Program. Assessment and evaluation practices include the use of informed professional judgement, the collection of high-quality evidence of student learning, the intentional focus on assessment for and as learning and the increased use of formative assessment. Students will also be given multiple and varied opportunities for practice, coaching and feedback.

Digital FluencyTo enhance their learning, students will hone their ability to use digital tools and applications. This will enable them to participate more fully in post-secondary education, the workplace, democratic society at large and everyday life in general. The AP program will “emphasize students’ ability to critically assess information in an increasingly media-based society.” (Cogan & Derricott, 1998, p. 99)

The appropriate use of information and communication technology will augment learning in a variety of ways including those listed in the following table:

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Assessment and Evaluation

Informed Professional

Judgment

Intentional Focus on

Assessment for and as Learning

Collection of High-

Quality Evidence of

Student Learning

Increased Role of

Formative Assessment

Multiple and Varied

Opportunities for Practice,

Coaching and Feedback

Obvious Success Criteria

Digital Fluency

Independently Pursue Lines of

Inquiry and Interest

Personalize Learning

Collaborate Effectively and

Efficiently

Platform and Forum for

Student Voice

Create, Use, and Display

Digital Expressions of

Learning

References

Alberta Learning. (2004). Focus on inquiry: A teacher’s guide to implementing inquiry-based learning. Retrieved from http://education.alberta.ca/media/313361/focusoninquiry.pdf

Brookhart, S.M. (2010). How to assess higher-order thinking skills in your classroom. Alexandria VA: ASCD.

Case, R. & LeRoi, D. (n.d.) Preconceptions of critical thinking. Professional Readings from tc2. Retrieved from http://www.cmaste.ualberta.ca/en/Outreach/~/media/cmaste/Documents/Outreach/CMASTEDiscussionGroup/CriticalThinkingPreconceptions.pdf

Colvin, R.L & Jacobs, J. (n.d.). Rigor: It’s all the rage, but what does it mean? Understanding and reporting on academic rigor: A Hechinger Institute primer for journalists. 1-5. Retrieved from http://ceep.indiana.edu/hssse/pdfs/Understanding-and-Reporting-on-Academic-Rigor-Hechinger.pdf

Fullan, M. (n.d.). Great to excellent: Launching the next stage of Ontario’s education agenda. Retrieved from http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/document/reports/FullanReport_EN_07.pdf

Greenhill, V. & Kay, K. (2013). The Leader’s guide to 21st century education; 7 Steps for schools and districts. Toronto ON: Pearson.

Greenstein, L. (2012). Assessing 21st century skills: a guide to evaluating mastery and authentic learning. Thousand Oaks CA: Corwin.

Hattie, J. (2012). Visible learning for teachers: Maximizing impact on learning. New York NY: Routledge.

Jackson, R.R. (2011). How to plan rigorous instruction: Mastering the principles of great teaching. Alexandria VA: ASCD

Jacobs, H.H. (Ed.). (2010). Curriculum 21: Essential education for a changing world. Alexandria VA: ASCD.

Talbert, R. (n.d.). Teachers on rigor. Understanding and reporting on rigor: A Hechinger Institute primer for journalists. Retrieved from http://ceep.indiana.edu/hssse/pdfs/Understanding-and-Reporting-on-Academic-Rigor-Hechinger.pdf

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Appendix 1

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