SOMet fosters innovative learning

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 11/03/2019 (2565 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

When the Seven Oaks Met School opened, there were only 45 students, three classrooms and three teachers.

Now, 10 years later, the school’s popularity has grown so much that it’s had to open a second location. SOMet opened with the goal of providing a space for innovative learning, centered on the student, based on the Big Picture Learning model established in 1995 in the United States.

“When we look at what we are doing at the Met school is really turning that educational model on its head. The ways that things have been done traditionally for the last couple hundred years, hasn’t changed all that much. It’s still that kind of industrial model of education,” Nancy Janelle, principal at SOMet, said. 

“We try to be cognizant and mindful of the fact that it’s 2019, times have changed, the market is changing, the future is changing rapidly, so we focus on building those skills that students are going to need to be successful in this rapidly changing world.”

The model has proven to be successful leading Seven Oaks School Division to open a second location, the Maples Met School, at Maples Collegiate.

At Met schools, the students are at the centre of their learning, and they focus on relationships, relevance, and rigor. They spend two days in the community learning directly from mentors through internships right from Grade 9. Instead of being evaluated through tests, students are assessed on presentations of their achievements, much like what they will face in the real world.

Students are part of an advisory group of approximately 15 students led by an advisor who will work closely with each one of them for the next four years of high school. Students identify and present their interests to their advisor who will personalize their learning. Parents and family members are actively involved in the learning process by helping students shape and achieve their learning plan. 

Students are also engaged in projects that will help them gain experience and will expose them to how their interests connect with the real world.

Grade 11 students Francesca Simeon and Esha Bhamrah said they have been enjoying their experience at SOMet because they have built meaningful relationships with teachers and peers.

“They have helped me so much throughout these three years figuring out what I want to do and they always support what we want to do,” Simeon said. “I feel like I came out of my shell because of this school because they push us to be out there.”

Bhamrah said the projects and internships she has been involved with have built her confidence and made her ready for post-secondary education.

“I’m a very sciences person I wanted to come here because you get that experience of hands-on things, doing internships, choosing the path you want to go in the future, and you get to do it in the high school environment,” she said.

SOMet Wall of Pride showcases the more than $100,000 scholarships that their students have received over the last six years (for the first four years, SOMet didn’t have a graduating class). Janelle said SOMet students receive more scholarships because their resumes stand out compared to a student who has a regular experience. However, Janelle stressed that these skills were built throughout the four years of the students’ education and they foster success for all types of learners.

“We are very deliberate about appealing to all kinds of kids, and it has been a positive addition to our community and our school division because we are able to facilitate learning in this innovative way that appeals to all kinds of kids,” she added.

SOMet is holding an anniversary celebration on Wed., March 13 from 6 to 8 p.m. at 640 Jefferson Ave. with special guest Elliot Washor, founder of Big Picture Learning. Students, staff and community members that were part of SOMet between 2009 and 2019 are invited to attend the celebration. For more information go to http://www.7oaks.org/school/themet/Pages/default.aspx