Our Approach

Table of Content:

Distinctive Teaching and Learning-Direct Instruction
Distinctive Teaching and Learning -Educational Technology
Character and Leadership Education

Digital Citizenship At FFCA

As educators, part of our role is to assist students in becoming responsible and contributing citizens in society. With technology becoming a pervasive tool, at FFCA we believe our role includes teaching students how to be responsible in handling their interaction with digital tools and technology. Digital Citizenship helps our students understand how to navigate the digital world more effectively.

Teaching students about Digital Citizenship involves preparing students for a society full of technology. At FFCA, Digital Citizenship is integrated in our Character Education program, embedded within the program are specific Digital Citizenship targetsthat are taught for Digital Citizenship. It is an expectation that these understandings, skills, and behaviours are embedded into each school's culture and curriculum as best it fits students and staff.

Please find below many examples of how parents can support digital citizenship at home by beginning the process of teaching their students how to use technology in an appropriate manner. We believe that developing responsible digital learners and leaders begins at an early age.

Digital Citizenship Poster Here is a Digital Citizenship Poster displayed in all of our classrooms. Feel free to use it to encourage Digital Citizenship at home.

Common Sense Media for Parents- An excellent resource that can help parents identify age appropriate apps, websites, movies, & games. Hands on resources for parents to explore digital citizenship with their children are embedded in the website.

Media Smarts- A comprehensive resource for parents and educators for digital citizenship.

NetSmartz- A great resource for parents with videos and games on digital citizenship.

Planet Nutshell Digital Citizenship Videos- An amazing bank of digital citizenship videos.

Edsby Online Communication & Collaboration

edsby02

We are excited to be launching a new tool for online communication for the 2016-17 school year. FFCA Edsby can be accessed here!

Read & Write For Google Chrome

Read & Write

All students at FFCA have access to Read & Write for Google Chrome using their Google Apps for Education account.

To access Read & Write for Google Chrome link you must:

1. log into Google Apps with a student Google Apps for Education account (ending in @myffca.com for students). The login link is available at the top of the FFCA web page under "QuickLinks".

2. Be using a current Google Chrome Browser.

Please click on the link below to access Read & Write for Google Chrome.

Install Read & Write for Google Chrome

2 minute Introduction to Read & Write for Google Chrome

9 minute tutorial to Read & Write for Google Chrome

eTeacher Pages

Each teacher at all 7 FFCA campuses will have an eTeacher page, a publicly accessible page on the campus web site that contains information about that teacher, their classroom and associated resources.

A short guide for teachers can be found here - eTeacher Training Guide

Direct Instruction

FFCA strives for excellence and is purposeful and strategic in the selection and utilization of teaching methods and resources. Through the mindful approach embedded in the FFCA Direct Instruction Teaching and Learning Framework, teaching and learning is characterized by a safe and caring environment, high expectations for all, and frequent monitoring of student progress that maximizes learning opportunities for all students.

Click on the image above to view the full Teaching and Learning Framework

Planning Considerations

The following document is useful when planning using the Direct Instruction Framework for Teaching and Learning. Various questions for consideration are given for each of the above elements (Planning/Design; Environment; Feedback; and Intentional Partnership).

Planning Considerations for using the DI Instruction Framework for Teaching and Learning (pdf)

Other Articles

Direct Instruction and Critical Thinking

Character and Leadership Education

Our Character Vision

To foster sustainable communities that are caring and ethical.

Our Character Mission

To prepare students to be ethically engaged citizens who care deeply, think critically and act courageously.

Core Virtues at FFCA

Respect
Responsibility
Compassion
Self-Discipline
Integrity

Guiding Principles

Character Education connects school learning with daily life.
Character Education will be intentional - specifically taught, infused throughout the curriculum and embedded in what we do.
Student engagement in character development is fostered through opportunities to think critically and contribute to decision-making.
Intrinsic motivation is essential to character development.
All staff accept responsibility to promote and model positive character.
Staff will communicate with parents and students regarding student character development.
Parent partnerships are an important part of creating a culture of character.
Community partnerships can be a powerful tool in creating a culture of character.
Student engagement in Service Learning is important to character development.
Character education facilitates the development of self-reflection, which leads to a strong personal identity and an understanding of one's relationship with the world.

Ethic of Care

This is the core component of Character Education at FFCA. The focus is on helping students develop an awareness of ethical caring, the skills to care, the courage to act in a caring manner, and the connections that cultivate a caring community. An ethic of care is based upon a regard and desire for the well-being of self and others. Caring is the foundation of ethical and moral behavior and the foundation of relationships. Care involves a focus on relationships and the skills and qualities necessary for building them. Care involves receptive attention, reciprocity, empathy, feeling, and vulnerability.

The Essential Skills

Personal Development
Personal development recognizes that, over time, students develop a sense of who they are, which in turn assists them in knowing and challenging themselves. Several skills contribute to personal development:

Citizenship
Citizenship recognizes that, over time, students develop and build relationships in order to participate in the development of community. Several skills contribute to developing citizenship:

Character Education Program

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