Sagonaska Year End ReflectionBy: Aiden RichardMy name is Aiden I'm in grade 8 and in my second, and last year at Sagonaska. In my years at Sagonaska I learned a lot. I learned how to read at grade level, how to skateboard and how to use the Mac's. But the most important thing I have learned is to self advocate.This is the most important because you need to be able to stick up for yourself, you also need to know the difference between self advocacy and arguing and that self advocating can make you a leader.Self advocacy is important because you need to be able to stick up for yourself and for what you need. A lot of times In life there is not going to be someone there to advocate for you. Self advocacy is a skill that is very important for success in school and at work and just life in general.Self advocacy is not the same as arguing. I use my self advocacy skills every day, if I think something is not right or that we should do something differently I self advocate by speaking up. It's also important to know when self advocacy is not necessary. For example if the teacher says to "Stay after school to work on a project because you didn't get it done." then self advocacy is not necessary. If you start self advocating at this point it would be arguing. I have learned the difference between self advocacy and arguing.Self advocating can help others to see how they can self advocate too. If they see you self advocating they will realize they can advocate for themselves. You become a leader and the other students learn how to advocate and that just makes your school environment a better place. Then everyone gets what they need!So that's the most important thing I've learned in my time at sagonaska. For all of those reasons self advocacy is the most important. Now the year has come to an end and I can take what I have learned with me to high school and to other places in life.
By: Tessa
My name is Tessa. I am in grade 7 at Sagonaska. I am 13 years old. The most important thing I have learned at sag is not to get frustrated and shut down. One reason why it's important not to get to frustrated is because I don't get a lot of work done. Another reason is I will learn nothing if I am just sitting there and put my head down. A third reason is I would not get the help I need.
It's important not to get frustrated because I would not get work done. For example, if I were doing a big long word problem and didn't get it, I would not ask for help. Instead of asking for help I would just sit there with my head down saying to myself “I can't do this!” I have learned to push through it. It's hard ask for help sometimes, but I still have to ask for help. If a word problem is too wordy than I keep on trying. I would go for a walk to cool down.
I don't learn anything when I am frustrated. When I have my head down I do not get engaged with what the class is talking about. I would be very confused and not understand the work that I have to do. Also it's not good for my learning if I am just sitting there thinking about other things. I have to tell myself to push through it.
I would not get the help I need because I would not ask for help. I would just give up. It's important to try my best because I learn new things. When I ask for help, I know what I have to do to become a better learner. So now I always clarify with my teacher if I don't understand what I have to do.
Not getting too frustrated is the most important thing I have learned at Sagonaska. It's very important that I don't get too frustrated because then I won't become a better learner. Sagonaska has helped me to not get too frustrated.
By: Brady
Hi my name is Brady I am a Second year at Sagonaska Demonstration School.I'm in Mr. Brown's Grade 8 Class. Three things I've learned this year is how to advocate appropriately, use my technology more independent, get to know more about my LD and see what goals I need to work toward to be more successful. I think the most important thing I learned this year is how to advocate appropriately for myself. Advocating can get you far in life.
If you do it appropriately like when I was in class and I asked the teacher for help appropriately and got the help I need, rather than yelling and being disruptive to the class.
Advocating is a life skill when asking your boss for a raise, building a house, or even asking your teacher to let you use your iPad in school. An example that happen to me.I was school and I asked my teacher if I could use my calculator and she said no.I went up to the teacher and advocate appropriately. I told her what I need to use my calculator for and after I explained it to her she let me use it in class.Advocating appropriately is a big part too, because if you do it in a rude way, your teachers and friends won't want to help or listen to what you're trying to say to them so that is why you should always advocate appropriately in school and out of school, rather than yell and throw a fit. I think the most important time is when I got to learn the empower reading strategies, because it made me a better reader in school and out of school. The impact that Sagonaska has had on my life is outstanding, because they taught me how to be a better reader, make goals for myself advocate, and how to use my technology more independent. I plan on going to the high school and meeting with my teacher. I will give her my brochure that says everything about me. I would advocate for myself saying that I need to use my iPad in the class for writing on tasks and spelling words and getting my Ideas out. My advice to the new grade 8 is that empower is an amazing program. When I started empower I didn't like it that much but i noticed that it made my reading level go up to where It should be. Ps Mr brown is an awesome teacher.
By: Ryan
Sagonaska has been an eye opener for me, Ryan. I came here in grade seven, I was in Ms.Vader's class with four other amazing students. I was in junior girls residence, where I had a roommate named Tessa. We didn't always get along. Actually we never got along! There was six girls including me and two night counselors (Jamie and Kelsey). Residence is where I met four girls that became my best friends through all the drama. The year went quicker than I expected. I didn't want to come back at first, until I found out that all of my friends were getting back in for a second year. I remember one night calling my mom in tears because I thought I wasn't coming back. A few days passed and I got called to the office, where Helen said that my dad was on the phone, he told me that I got back in! I literally screamed and danced around the halls. Over the summer I kept thinking why can't I relive this year over and over again. Everything changed when grade eight started. When I got to the school I hugged all my friends. I went to check in, where I got a folder that said I had Mr.Brown as my teacher I was so happy because that's who’s class I wanted to be in. The folder also explained which building I was in, which didn't matter until I saw my friends and asked them what building they were in. One of my good friends Shea was in my residence but my two best friends, Sierra and Sarah, were in the other residence so I never got to see them. But I found two new best friends, Haley and Maggie. I don't know what I'm going to do next year without all of these amazing people.
In class I had a lot to learn (I mean A LOT!). So instead of writing a chapter book on all the stuff I learned, I'll tell you five life changing strategies. There is so many things that I learned so trust me it was hard to pick five but somehow I did.
Did you know that school can be fun? Well I sure didn't know this before I came to Sagonaska. I had a lot of difficulties making friends, there was a lot of 'mean girls' at my home school. It didn't help that I had trouble in academics either. Even some of the teachers were mean to me! I remember crying at the end of almost every french class. So I thought that if I put a shield up I wouldn't get hurt, I became a shy, short tempered girl that bottled everything inside. Which ended terrible because when I came here I got in a lot of trouble and I walked out of class a lot (not the best strategy). But I learned that no one was judging me at Sagonaska, it took me awhile but I broke my wall down and I had fun at school for once. I started to notice that I loved math, history and drama. Also that it isn't bad to be weird or different!
Good luck, if you're in a class with kids with ADHD because the next thing I learned is that we get crazy sidetracked. Hey, look a dog! Sorry I mean that we'd be in science and we'll being talking about volcanoes, then ten minutes later Mr.Brown will ask "what were we talking about?" and none of us knew because we we're talking about all kinds of stuff. There is an upside to this we will learn ten times the information because we get talking and we ask questions. Plus now we have a bunch of inside jokes.
Like I said in my first paragraph I did not get along with my roommate (Tessa). She's not my roommate this year but she still in my residence. It's not easy to live with someone who has similar character traits as you since we're both stubborn that we couldn’t work together if our lives depended on it. I've learned to deal with her. I try to keep my distance but if I do have to work with her, I try to keep my opinion to myself (the best I can). Also over the two years my teachers have partnered me with people I don't always agree with but I remembered to keep an open mind. This is what I have learned from Tessa.
"I'm Ryan and I'm a weirdo!" But that's why my friends like me. It okay to be different because we're all corky in our own way. Just because your a thirteen year old girl who still watches Pokemon from time to time, doesn't mean you won't be accepted! That just another reason someone will love you. I found my true self while at Sagonaska and I'm not going to hide my weirdness anymore. So this is what I like girls and boys; I spend most of my time on YouTube, Im athletic, I like boyish movies, I have a masculine name and I have dyslexia and ADHD these are all things that make me who I am!
Sagonaska has changed my life! It's helped me learn all theses amazing things. I am the new and improved me! I've met so many inspirational people at Sagonaska, that will support me through my education. Of course I'm still scared to the bone about leaving Sagonaska! To me leaving Sagonaska is like leaving home to go to College or University, your deserting your family and friends! I’m going to miss everyone (even Brady). Sagonaska is family to me. But I think it's time to move on and I'm pretty sure that I'm ready for the rest of my education. My only advice for next year's grade eight class is good luck with Mr.Brown's corny jokes (just kidding he's the best). My real advice is to have fun because time flies at Sagonaska. I know you probably hate it at first but trust me it gets better.
