“Education cannot be neutral. It is either positive or negative; either it enriches or it impoverishes; either it enables a person to grow or it lessens, even corrupts him. The mission of schools is to develop a sense of truth, of what is good and beautiful. And this occurs through a rich path made up of many ingredients. This is why there are so many subjects — because development is the result of different elements that act together and stimulate intelligence, knowledge, the emotions, the body, and so on.” - Pope Francis

Congratulations for engaging in the “Leading the FSL program in Catholic Secondary Schools” asynchronous learning module.

Note: While the content in this course is mainly focused on the roles of Vice-Principal and Principal, they are supportive for all education leaders- positional or not.

Suggested readings enhance the learning experience. There are various Learning Journal Reflections and actionable items throughout the course for you to consider. The time you spend thoughtfully responding to reflection questions will support your development as an effective Catholic school leader. 

Learning Library professional resources are embedded throughout the course to extend your understanding. A full listing of professional resources is provided here.

Access Sections 3 & 4 Here

Section 1: Recruitment and hiring processes in Catholic Schools

• Considering Purpose, Strengths and Challenge
• Reflecting on the Big Questions. 
• Factors influencing teacher candidates’ decisions when applying for FSL teaching jobs
  

Ask yourself some BIG questions:

Complete the self-assessment tool for administrators entitled “Reflections for School Administrators Leading French Programs”.

Identify the key areas where you are “on your way” and identify some examples of what you are doing to support FSL programs in your school. 

Consider what actions you might take to explore areas of need. 

Reflect: Based on the results of the assessment:

• What is the role of the Catholic principal as an instructional leader for the French Immersion (FI) program ? 
• In your view, how might your leadership affect either FI student achievement, or teacher retention? 
• What might be some changes that need to happen in order for the FSL program to grow in my school?

Graph goes here

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Assignment 1
Reflect on the prompting questions and record your responses. Collaborate with a trusted colleague to discuss the most common issues. This 360-style feedback conversation is helpful. Sometimes we don’t see ourselves in the same way others perceive us.

Section 2:Effective Practices in French Immersion Program

• Effective practices/ classroom look-for
• Professional learning opportunities

An instructional leader in a Catholic school can be described as a servant leader, one who recognizes and celebrates the gifts and talents of others. An advocate for effective teaching and learning provides clarity and support for teachers as well as procures the necessary resources to maximize teaching effectiveness.

But what if you are the leader of a Catholic French Immersion program and you do not speak French? Knowing that no one can be an expert in all areas of education, there may be instances when supporting French immersion educators in their professional learning presents some difficulties for school administrators. However, many of the effective practices of an FI program are very similar to a regular classroom, with some differences. 

Let’s take a look:

Access this Resource >>>> Effective Practices in French Immersion Classrooms

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Assignment 2: 

Spend some time in one of the French Immersion classes at your school. 

OR

Watch: Choose any French Immersion video clip from the On est capable series found on the Transforming FSL website.

Using the Effective Practices in French Immersion Classrooms  infographic) as a guide, create an outline for  a crucial conversation you might want to have with the French Immersion teacher of the class.  

Consider an outline which focuses on improving student learning through an equitable and anti-oppressive lens.

Action: Using the outline you have created, host a conversation with the teacher. If not, continue to reflect on the following: 

• What are the key components of your outline?   
• What approach did you take?  
• What next steps do you envision? 
  

Access Sections 3 & 4 Here

Glossary (Ontario)

FSL: French Second Language

Core French: Core French is mandatory from Grades 4 to 8 for all students in English-language elementary schools. Students entering Grade 4 must receive French instruction every year from Grade 4 to Grade 8 and must have accumulated a minimum of 600 hours of French instruction by the end of Grade 8. Once an instructional sequence has begun, the program must continue uninterrupted to Grade 8.

French Immersion: In a French Immersion program, French must be the language of instruction for a minimum of 50 per cent of the total instructional time at every grade level of the program and provide a minimum of 3800 hours of instruction in French by the end of Grade 8. French Immersion programs must include the study of French as a second language and the study of at least two other subjects taught in French. These two subjects must be selected from the following: the arts, social studies (Grades 1 to 6) or history and geography (Grades 7 and 8), mathematics, science and technology, and health and physical education. Although the French Immersion curriculum is written for a Grade 1 start, many immersion programs starting in Grade 1 provide instruction in French in all subjects (i.e., for 100 per cent of total instructional time) until Grade 3 or 4, when students begin to study English.5 Instruction in English may then be gradually extended to include other subjects. By the end of Grade 8, students may receive up to 50 per cent of their instruction in English.

NTIP: The New Teacher Induction Program (NTIP) is the second job-embedded step of professional learning for new teachers, building on and complementing the first step: initial teacher education programs. It provides professional support to help new teachers develop the skills and knowledge to be effective teachers in Ontario.