Grade 8 Program

Entering high school is an important milestone for students. At Thomas Haney, the grade 8 year is vital for the success of our students. Not only do students transition from elementary to high school, but they begin to develop the skills of self-directed learning.

Topics covered in this introduction will be:

• The Grade 8 Transition Program (a SD #42 initiative)
• The Thomas Haney Grade 8 Program
• The Thomas Haney 'Accelerated' Grade 8 Program
• An introduction to Self-Directed Learning
• What Students say about Thomas Haney

Gr. 8 Transition Program (a SD #42 initiative)

The transition from grade 7 to grade 8 is an exciting but challenging change for students. Students normally leave elementary school where they had one teacher for an entire year and enter high school where there are 1000 students and they have 8 or more teachers. SD #42 has designed a 'transition' program to help students succeed in the move to high school.

The "Transition Program" is designed to better meet the academic, social and emotional needs of adolescents transitioning from elementary school to secondary school. The general structure is a blend between secondary and middle school timetables. Students stay together as a 'pod' of around 25 students for 4 core academic courses and then leave the 'pod' for their electives.

The Thomas Haney Grade 8 Program

A typical 'pod' of students at Thomas Haney consists of 25 students and 2 teachers. Unlike students in grades 9-12, grade 8 students are fully scheduled in classes everyday. Students have each of their classes 3 times a week. Each of the 'pod' teachers will teach students two subjects. In most cases it is English/Socials or Science/Math. Students also have French, Phys. Ed., Applied Skills (Cooking/Textiles, Computer/Technology, and Woodwork/Metalwork) and Fine Arts (Drama, Music, and Digital Video Production).

The Thomas Haney 'Accelerated' Grade 8 Program

Thomas Haney students can also apply for the 'Accelerated' program in grade 7. The Accelerated program allows students to finish grade 8 and 9 English, Social Studies, Math and Science in 1 year. Students will then have more opportunity to pursue high interest and rigourous elective and academic courses during their grade 11 and 12 years.

An Introduction to Self Directed Learning

Thomas Haney is one of six schools in the Canadian Coalition of Self Directed Learning (CCSDL). Unlike traditional high schools, students at Thomas Haney are not fully scheduled in their classes every block of the school day. Each morning, students and their assigned teacher advisor (TA) plan the day, review learning goals, and set goals. Students are responsible for meeting with their teachers on a regular basis, work on learning guides to completion, and demonstrating mastery in their subjects.

What the students say?

• Like the freedom
• Meet many friends
• Like self-directed learning in the Great Hall
• Teachers trust students to do the work
• Teachers are nice and relaxed
• TA becomes a person you can talk to and who are concerned.
• Extra-curricular opportunities