Times Advocate, 1994-01-05, Page 3IN TI -IF NEW,'
Times -Advocate, December 29,1993
Page 3
Destreaming - what do you thank of your first year so far?
Aimee Hoffman, Zurich
"I don't really like it," she
said. "It's difficult to meet
new people."
Aimee Brown, RR2
Dashwood
She said meeting new
people was difficult and
some classes move at a
slow pace. "Especially
math, it takes a long time
to get through a lesson."
Rayna Milne, Zegkh
"It's OK if your frie ds arc -
in the same classes," she
said. "Sometime ft's
tough to make new Tiends
if people are already
grouped together."
Mark Parsons, Zurich
He said he doesn't see
any problems with
destreaming. "The classes
and work isn't too
difficult."
Jan Becker, Dashwood
Students in higher grades
have told him that the
workload for Grade 9 isn't
as difficult as in previous
years. "1 find it easy " he
said. "The teachers help
us a lot."
Jeremy Brand, Crediton
"I think it's fine. 1 don't
mind being in the same
classes with the same
people," he said.
Destreaming has its stumbling blocks, but reaction
is still positive for first year of school program
By Catherine O'Brien
T -A staff
EXETER - By now, many of the Grade 9 students at South Huron Dis-
trict High School have settled into the concept of destreaming - a program
introduced province wide last fall.
"The news I'm getting at my end continues to be
positive," said Paul Carroll, director of the Huron
County Board of Education.
With destreaming, the students are together for
five of their eight courses.
"So you have a lot more class identity and cohe-
siveness than you had in the past," said Joe Wood-
en, principal at South Huron.
Grade 9 is no longer a credit year. "You either
complete it or you don't," he said.
Wooden agrees with Carroll's comments that the program is going well.
"I`think people agree that it's gone much better than fust expected," he
said.
But of course with any new concept there are difficulties.
"There's one common problem," Wooden said. "Kids who probably
would have been in a basic level program in the past are having diffi-
culty."
"Kids who probably would
have been in a basic level
program in the past are
having difficulty."
Also, some students entered Grade 9 with lit-
tle or no knowledge of French and they too are
having problems.
But it is only a small group of students,
Wooden emphasized.
To deal with the problems, each school has a
committee of teachers, students and staff who
have been monitoring the program since Sep-
tember.
"The group works together at problem solv-
ing," Wooden said.
There have also been county -wide meetings with all teachers as well
as a number of training sessions to help resolve any difficulties.
Other changes for Grade 9 students included revamped report cards
and alternative teacher evaluation of the students.
"The idea is to broaden the base on which students are evaluated," Wooden
said.
They now have teacher, peer, and parent evaluation - and there are more
changes to come in the next few years.
"One of the things that is supposed to happen eventually is integration of
subjects," he said.
An effort is being made towards integrating programs such as English and
history so they reflect each other, Wooden said.
South Huron is also working on a new Canadian studies program for next
year.
"Instead of having history and geography, this new course would integrate
concepts from both," he said.
This approach is being undertaken across the county.
"We want the students to reach upwards towards excellence and be chal-
lenged in a positive manner," Carroll said of the changes.
•
to the advertisers of
Exeter and surrounding
communities
As we enter 1994 we want to say "Thank You". It is
only fitting that we advertise our appreciation to the
people who make it possible for us to publish one
of the best community newspapers in the area. In
1993 hundreds of advertisers, retailers, classified
and national advertisers used frequent and consis-
tent space in the Times -Advocate, stimulating our
economy and promoting employment. You, our read-
ers
eaders responded by buying food, clothing, shoes, TVs,' -
sound equipment, paint, lumber, microwaves,
books, houses, farm machinery, sports equipment,
jewellery, yard goods... the list is endless. We enter
1994 with great confidence that this area will enjoy
greater prosperity and we look forward to the role
our newspaper and its advertisers play in the eco-
nomic growth. Once again "Thank You". We believe
1993 was a prosperous and good year....
235-1331