How we see Blyth Academy Lawrence Park
Sam Blyth founded Blyth Academy in an understanding that as the world changes the needs of students change, and education therefore must evolve to meet them. Throughout the decades of its life, Blyth Academy has consistently proven its ability to meet that mandate. It began by offering a global curriculum, one that covered the basic literacies as well as collaborative and leadership skills. In addition to 10 brick-and-mortar campuses, Blyth Academy Online, launched in 2014 and offers asynchronous courses that students can start at any time throughout the calendar year. In response to the COVID crisis, Blyth Academy Orbit added a synchronous virtual school to the offering, bringing all the schedules, teachers, peers and relationships of a traditional academic experience, the only difference being that all was mounted entirely. In all, it’s hard to imagine a school more suited to our time or making more out of the technologies available for program delivery. While Blyth Academy is now effectively the largest single private school network in Canada, the student experience remains intimate in both the physical and virtual synchronous classrooms there are never more than 15 students. True to Sam Blyth’s original vision, there remains a focus on global learning, citizenship, and ethical leadership. There might have been a time when Blyth Academy was an anomaly within the world of education—smaller schools, virtual offerings, an agile approach to learning—though it certainly isn’t now. It’s hard to imagine a school better suited to our time and the needs of the current generation of learners.
How Blyth Academy Lawrence Park sees itself
"Blyth Academy Lawrence Park is a private school that has been wonderfully embraced by its families and neighbours since opening in 2010. Small class sizes and a trusted personalized approach to learning gives every student the attention they need to succeed. "
"Communication is the cornerstone of our commitment to each family at Blyth Academy Lawrence Park. The learning experience is a partnership between teacher and family and, as such, you will hear from your child’s teacher weekly: the great, the good and the could be better. Parents and guardians also have access to our online learning platform, Edsby, in which gradebooks are always up to date, assessments with feedback can be reviewed, and classroom announcements and resources accessed."
"You will often get schools that have teachers who are not specialists in the subjects they are teaching. We encourage and expect our passionate team of teachers to really live their subjects. We have an English teacher who studied Literature at Colombia University, a professional photographer on staff as our in-house media teacher, and an astrophysicist teaching physics. The faculty brings an academic energy and passion to the campus every day."
"As a small school, many families think that we are limited in the extracurriculars that we can offer. This is far from the truth. We are a member of the Small Schools Athletic Federation (SSAF), which allows for our teams to compete against other independent schools. Our campus hosts a Spring triathlon at Glendon College, where students from across the city complete against one another. We also host an annual Model UN conference and student can take part in student council and various clubs."
"We want our students to be a bit uncomfortable and for them to lean in, and grow from the discomfort that something new and challenging brings. This will not look the same for everyone; for one student it may be coming to school each day on time and for another it might be taking an AP physics course. That is the beauty of our campus though; we identify where each student is, and meet them there to help them thrive in their learning, growth and happiness."
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How people from the school’s community see Blyth Academy Lawrence Park
Top-down influence on the school’s direction and tone
Michael Booth, Principal
At Blyth Academy, we know our students. With an average class size of 10, and youthful, engaging teachers who motivate and inspire, the roles of student and teacher are as collaborative partners in discussion or exploration. It is an entirely different model than one in which the teacher teaches and students are left to find ways to engage. Our young learners are active and acquiring knowledge themselves; very much empowered in understanding the ‘how’ and ‘why’ over the ‘what’ of education.
Our space is fresh and intimate, and our student body is active in building our own colourful range of club, team, and leadership opportunities. Come and ask the tough questions — our doors are open, we’re proud of what we have built, and prouder still to have a mix of students with varied pursuits and passions who are ‘together’ here and happy.
If you’re considering a small school for your extroverted child, make sure it offers plenty of social opportunities, including the ability to seek out and interact with different peer groups. Since smaller schools have smaller and less diverse student populations than big schools, it can sometimes be more challenging for your child to find a like-minded group of friends—friends with similar interests, values, etc.
“It’s important to look at the social makeup of the school,” says Ruth Rumack of Ruth Rumack's Learning Space. "Is there enough variety that your child will have a group that they feel connected with? Because you want to have friends that are like-minded and you want to be in a social situation where you feel honoured and respected. Variety can also be found in extracurriculars, leadership programs, and sports activities, which tend to have kids with a wide range of personalities.”
Also, make sure a school’s teaching and learning approach is suitable for your social child. “For instance, a school focusing on individual learning instead of group learning may not play into your child’s strengths,” say Ann and Karen Wolff, Toronto-based education consultants at Wolff Educational Services. “You want to make sure the social, emotional, and academic realities of the classroom are a match for your child’s personality.”
Smaller schools often have small classrooms and tight-knit communities, which can make it easier for your introverted child to come out of their shell, make friends, and feel like they belong. Since they’re less socially overwhelming, your child should find it easier to navigate their social environment. And since they’re conducive to group work, small classes often have plenty of interaction, which can help your child develop critical interpersonal skills.
Of course, small schools normally have a less diverse student population than big schools, which can sometimes make it more challenging to find a group of like-minded peers—peers with similar personalities, interests, values, etc. This makes it especially important to ask a school about its extracurricular programs, which can help your introverted child establish an intimate social circle.
THE OUR KIDS REPORT: Blyth Academy Lawrence Park
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