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August 30, 2023

Teaching Buzzwords 

Here’s a brief list of words you’ll hear at TDChristian:

Project-Based Learning

Students gain knowledge and skills by investigating and responding to and engaging complex questions, problems, or challenges. Such learning is rigorous and provides for deep understanding.

​Teaching from Behind

Students “drive” the learning on a project, exploring, experimenting, and problem solving, while the teacher manages from behind, as an expert, encourager, and supplier of resources.

​Flipped Classroom

Teachers record their lessons on video for students to watch outside of class time (as often as they wish). Class time is used to practice the lesson with the teacher and peers available to help. In short, class time focuses on problem-solving and assigned work rather than listening to a lesson.​

Presentations of Learning (PoLs)

Presentation skills are extremely important in today’s world. Every semester, students present work to their peers in each of their classes. Twice a year, TDChristian hosts a public “Presentations Day” to showcase student presentations.

Mentorship Program

After “Get-To-Know-Your-Mentor” interviews, Grade 11 students spend up to three days in workplaces alongside their mentor. At the conclusion of the mentorship, students present to their peers.

Project Days

Every semester, TDChristian schedules four Project Days, one for each class period. On those days, students work offsite on a 4 to 6 hour project.

Collaborative Learning

Working well with others is an important workplace skill. For many projects, presentations assignments, students work together. Through experience and with teacher guidance, students learn how to interact with peers to complete common tasks. 

​Block Learning

At TDChristian, some courses are grouped together for blocks of time greater than one period. These blocks allow for deeper learning that integrates topics from diverse courses and fosters significant experiential learning.

​​Hands On Learning/Experiential Learning

Working with one’s hands and mind simultaneously is a powerful way to learn. For example, going on a field trip to a World War One Trench simulation or interacting with a war veteran expands learning.​ Our Internship Block, Environmental Block, and English-Perspective Blocks include such learning.

Broadening the Curriculum

Some high schools offer Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) programs. We prefer to broaden the curriculum rather than accelerate it. Our desire is to challenge students to learn more about a subject area by exploring connections that they discover or identify rather than completing a curriculum that is often beyond their brain development.

Providing opportunities for students to develop grit and perseverance through their own curiosity and interests allows for the development of research, communication, and/or presentation skills that will serve them well in future learning.

Expanding student horizons and experiences rather than providing students with a narrower, accelerated, and specialized curriculum, we believe, provides a studier foundation for future learning. Improvisation, creativity, and flexibility are characteristics that we wish to foster in students at TDChristian.