We spend most of our time with each other online, so it is wonderful when we have the opportunity to be face to face.
Students from two of our partner schools got together recently for a sports challenge.
And here are Mr. Ross, Mrs. Cule and Ms. Conrod during Mr. Ross’ recent visit to Ottawa.
SOS LEARN – Win-Win contest 
FREE online tutoring with real teachers! What could be better? Winning a prize for getting FREE homework help, that’s what!
Students who use SOS LEARN, actually log in to an online session between Monday and Thursday and work with an online tutor, will be entered into weekly draws for $50 gift cards.
Each different session students log in to, will earn them one entry for the draws which take place on Fridays.
Winners are notified through their schools.
Stay tuned for weekly contests!
For more information on how to register, click here.
For teacher appreciation week, some of our online students expressed thanks to their online teachers.
One school, St. Michael’s School, sent hand-written cards to all of the online teachers with whom they work.
A letter to online teachers from LEARN Director, Margaret Dupuis:
I would like to take the opportunity of Quebec’s Teacher Appreciation Week to thank each and every one of you for being with us at LEARN. Your hard work and dedication is so greatly appreciated. Your role as teachers is the most important part of what we do. In my eyes, being a teacher is very special because you have the opportunity to shape lives and interact with some very special individuals. What you do each day amazes me!
As teachers, our role is to be there for the students’ needs – a very important role because a teacher is expected to be doctor, lawyer, friend, advocate, preacher, teacher and everything else in between – a big job with a lot of worries. However, we cannot forget that students also help fulfill our dreams of becoming master teachers, who make the educational experiences gratifying and exciting. It is a lovely partnership.
The best part of my career was teaching. There is nothing quite like the feeling of knowing that you have made a difference in a child’s world. Whether it was when a student finally understood information they were struggling with, or when they needed a smile or a shoulder to cry on, it was all extremely uplifting. There is no other sentiment like it in the world. I miss it a lot. My best dreams are when I dream that I am still in the classroom.
As a student I remember the great teachers that touched my life and how they helped me view the world and what it held for me. There was the history teacher, Mrs. Russell, who made History come alive even though I was not a history buff. She was one of the main reasons why I chose to go into education. Her ability to make learning exhilarating was inspirational. There were also my Science and Math teachers who pushed me to learn great things that helped direct my interests in Science. Then, of course, there was my Physical Education teacher, Ms. Richardson, who helped me determine my major at university. All of these people helped define my future and did it willingly without even expecting a thank you. That is what a caring teacher does. I wonder if they really know how they have made such a difference in my life.
Then, of course, there was my mother who was a teacher for 35 years. Her beliefs in teaching and helping students achieve were the basis of what education should be. She always told me every child has the right to learn and it is our duty as teachers to assure that we make that a possibility and a reality for each and every one of them – we have to provide the right building blocks. When I struggled during my first years of teaching, she was my mentor. She was also a mentor to my sister, who was also in education and who has just retired. By the way, my mother and I still have many conversations about teaching and she has just turned 90. Once a teacher always a teacher! So if we think that education has changed that much over the years, well think again. The strategies of delivery are somewhat different but the job, or the calling, is still the same – to provide the opportunity for students to reach their full potential. I thank and respect my Mom for all the great educational moments and advice she provided. She was, and still is, a true educator.
These are my reflections but, as you can tell, teachers and teaching are very special to me. You are the building blocks of any educational organization. You sift through the good, the bad and the ugly and get to what is really important – helping the learner. In all of you, I do not see you doing a job but responding to a calling and a challenge, to which you have dedicated your lives. On behalf of every learner LEARN works with, whether child or adult, I thank you. You are making incredible strides in new strategies to make your classes exciting and inspiring for these students. However, with all of this, you have not forgotten the true goal of providing the right building blocks for their future.
Maggie
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On December 8, LEARN lost a friend. Linda Scott was past principal of Cedar Christian Academy and she was the driving force for her school partnering with LEARN. She will be missed.
SCOTT, Linda (Harding)
After a courageous battle with cancer, Linda went home to be with the Lord and to join her father and two brothers on December 8, 2012, surrounded by her family and close friends. Linda is survived by her loving and supportive husband Robert, their three children; Craig (Tanya), Sean (Karine), Ashley and her sweet grands, Megan, Owen and Joshua. She is also survived by her mother Betty Harding, sister-in-law Pierrette, her nephew Keith and niece Tracey.In lieu of flowers, donations should be made to Cedar Christian Education Association (Linda Scott scholarship fund), 220 Hyman Drive, Dollard des Ormeaux, Qc, H9B 1L8.
Kerry, Audrey and Peggy hard at work preparing QPAT presentation on the Flipped Class
On November 22, 2012, Kerry Cule, Peggy Drolet and Audrey McLaren McGoldrick, presented at the Quebec Provincial Association of Teachers (QPAT) Convention. Five of their online students were invited to participate and share with the capacity crowd about their experiences with this teaching model. The teacher presenters were outstanding but the students stole the show!
I love the Flipped Class!
“Me too!”
5 of our wonderful online students participated in the QPAT workshop. They were the stars of the show!
We are so proud of our former LEARN online students who are experiencing success in life after high school:
I’ve got to be honest, all the stuff you taught us last year is really coming in handy in my physics class here so I have to thank you for that. Its quite a different atmosphere here though, my new physics has no internet disconnections and all that ha ha and now (3 other former online students) are just down the hall. -Dylan
To Mrs. Cule: I wanted to say it was a pleasure to be in your class! I’m roommates with Melissa actually randomly selected from 300 ppl ! I hope you have a good class this year 🙂Hey Mrs. McG!Just heard about your award- congrats! You definitely deserve it!:)Also wanted to let you know that I’m doing my university courses by distance this year and I am loving it! Who knew that taking online math last year would have opened up so many opportunities.Thanks again! – Laura
Hello Mr. Ross, I’m sure I’ve already thanked you for teaching me, but I want to thank you again for being patient and extremely helpful towards me and the class.For a time I became known as the “Master of graphs and projectile motion” which I’m sure you’re proud of, since you taught that so well! You really, really taught with a passion and helped us understand and not just memorize, thanks! 🙂 – Patrick
School is going good. I’m doing pre-health at Cambrian College in Sudbury, hoping to get into either x-ray tech or ultra sound tech next year. I need at least a 90% average in pre-health to even get a chance to get in. Luckily I’ve been doing good in all my classes so far. Physics has been extremely easy, thanks to you haha! Guess doing physics last year paid off after all 🙂 – Kaily
Good Morning Ladies,
I thought you may like to know that Donald has been asked to tutor math at John Abbott!
Have a great day, and know that you are affecting your students lives 🙂 – FCA
Busy, busy, busy! Hahaa, school is going really good! I’m taking Chemistry, Calculus and Advance Functions this semester so its all math, which I love!! (: Actually really missing my online classes though… and university applications have already begun… stressful? yes! Really hope the school year’s been going good for you too!! – KaitlynAs for my courses. I honestly can’t imagine doing my math,physics and chemistry in a regular classroom. Learn worked so well for me, I really enjoyed it. I’m actually doing optimization in math right now, which I did in my sec. 5 math I think. Its always good to have a little base before going into something. I had physics last semester and the subjects we covered, we had mostly all covered in your class. I was very well prepared for that class. Learn is awesome, you guys do a great job! – Fred
Cast:
Have a safe and happy Halloween!
