Teachers get outdoors for leadership training in anticipation of the coming summer student camps.
Resting on the East bank of Lake Couchiching, just north of Orillia, stands the Ontario Educational Leadership Centre (OELC), owned by the Ontario Ministry of Education.
Visitors might not notice at first just what makes this camp special. While all of its facilitators are dedicated, accredited teachers, what drives the camp is passion for education and student engagement.
Students in each week-long session from May through late August range from Grade 6 through secondary school ages, and subject matter includes the arts, athletics, school politics, leadership and others. All are led by dedicated educators on the cutting edge of pedagogical practice.
Jeff Benner, Learning Resource teacher with Cayuga Secondary School, is the course director for the Intermediate School Leadership (ISL) program that runs at the OELC in early August. An M.Ed candidate, Jeff is keenly interested in the importance of the student's voice in guiding curriculum creation and used the input of students to create the ISL course.
"The goal of the Intermediate School Leadership course is to show students how to use their voices as students to create positive changes in their classrooms, schools and communities. It was my hope that I would be able to create a course that was relevant and engaging to its participants," explained Jeff.
Over the weekend of April 24 and 25, 2010, a swarm of educator-facilitators for the upcoming summer courses descended on the camp for a weekend of team building, professional development and orientation modules, as well as round table discussions on progressive educational practices, to be applied in activities with the incoming cohorts of young leaders this summer.
The weekend began on the Friday evening, with a group of about 100 teachers sharing stories from past camp seasons, and it was clear in the telling of each story that the students it chronicled held a special place in the heart of the teacher sharing it.
Breakfast the next morning began with a keynote speech by camp Executive Director Beccy Rodgers, who is a seasoned teacher and a beacon of altruistic leadership, with 17 years invested in the OELC. Beccy shared touchstones of years of leadership experience, encompassing the elementary, secondary and college levels.
"Leadership belongs to everyone," says Beccy. "Those who lead should make the least amount of noise."
When asked to comment on why she believes the OELC is an important part of the education community today, Beccy said, "I believe OELC allows teachers and youth to imagine and create other possibilities for themselves and their world based on democratic principles of social justice and equity where diversity is welcomed, conflict is accepted and negotiated, and critical questions encouraged."
Following Beccy's Saturday morning keynote came a series of round table discussions geared at confronting some of the most pivotal questions in education today. Topics included environmental issues at the camp, student engagement, supporting the non-traditional leader and culturally responsive pedagogy.
The camp is a chance for both students and educators to learn a great deal, addressing local issues relevant to education and equity across Ontario, and beyond. The OELC is local teacher volunteerism and professional development at its finest.
At Free The Children, we love to see others take up progressive education and leadership initiatives. We see a growing movement, a community of forward-thinking groups and individuals tackles social apathy from all angles.
To become a part this community of change-makers, check out the leadership programs with Free The Children's partner social enterprise, Me to We. Click here >
