The VLC is not a school but a Specialist Learning Centre. The VLC delivers a team-based process. A teaching captain is assigned to oversee the program delivery and to be the main contact with the parents who then become an integrated part of the team. Schools can then be involved as appropriate.
In the case of home schooling, the curriculum, homework tasks, testing, and the program to earn credentials and provide oversight to the curriculum is up to the distance education school. This becomes the learner’s school and the VLC will work collaboratively with the school’s contact person and will actively address all IEPs or special needs developed by that school.
Whether the student attends on site at VLC and remains as part of a class or works with a distance education school, the VLC becomes the specialist provider of one to one teaching based on the special needs of the learner in collaboration with the learner’s parents and the contact person assigned by the school.
Programs
Executive function skills are integrated into every VLC program as they form the overarching network of skills needed for excellence in learning and thinking across the broad array of cognitive, academic and emotional performance.
The Three Pillar Strategy
- Enhanced Training in Executive Function
- Development of Emotional Intelligence
- Creative Thinking
Executive Function
The emergence of human ability to think flexibly — to reason in an abstract manner, to organize, to plan ahead, to initiate, to adapt, to solve problems, to apply new learning to novel tasks — forms the overarching network of skills needed for excellence in learning and thinking across the broad array of cognitive, academic and emotional performances. At the VLC, the enhancement of these skills is integrated into every program, as well as having special focus in some programs as needed.
Emotional Intelligence
It is the Natural Heritage of our Humanity.
Emotional Intelligence is an ability, a skill, and a behaviour that allows one to tap into the emotional framework, signals, and cues of our lives. It opens our awareness to our own feelings and to the feelings of others. It encourages empathy, compassion, and kindness. It expresses our noble qualities of integrity, decency, honesty, kindness and striving beyond ego for a good outcome for others as well as oneself.
High order Emotional Intelligence creates social success in our relationships and interactions. It provides the motivation (the ‘juice’) for excellence in performance of all kinds.
It is the critical component of personal, social and academic performance success required in well-being and in learning to be a leader. When EI is combined with robust intelligence, curiosity, and openness to adventure, it enables the good life to spread out both for the actor and anyone in their path. We are born with Emotional Intelligence however it develops differently as we grow. EI can be delayed and it can be accelerated by targeted learning experiences. At the VLC, the development of Emotional Intelligence in all its facets and complexity underlies the delivery of each individually targeted program.
Creative Thinking
Creative Thinking (THINKERCISE) is a creative thinking enrichment program designed by Drs. Schwartz and Berghofer, called Hold Fire and Think. It is a multilevel thinking game that introduces the concept of separating thinking styles into appropriate application, while protecting creative thinking. This program is combined with other creative thinking tools already integrated into all VLC programs such as Mind Mapping.
This robust life-lasting creative approach to problem-solving and learning challenges will provide VLC students returning to post-COVID-19 pandemic learning with a singular important advantage, the ability to think creatively at a time when finding new solutions to critical challenges will be paramount across all domains, especially learning.
Executive Function Training
The emergence of human ability to think flexibly — to reason in an abstract manner, to organize, to plan ahead, to initiate, to adapt, to solve problems, to apply new learning to novel tasks — form the overarching network of skills needed for excellence in learning and thinking across the broad array of cognitive, academic and emotional performance. At the VLC, the enhancement of these skills are integrated in every program, as well as having special focus in some programs as needed.
VLC Signature Learning to Learn: the overarching skills of executive function
A broad array of proven learning techniques are included in every individually target designed program as a basket of appropriate skills to help our students achieve an excellent learning performance for the rest of their lives.
Read more: VLC Signature Learning to Learn: the overarching skills of executive function
VLC Signature Neurocognitive Training
The skills of how to achieve excellence in the life-long skills of learning is not usually directly addressed in schools at this time. It begins with paying quality attention in a disciplined manner to hear precisely the teacher’s instructions, to pay visual attention to the details of the written word, to sit in such a way as to maximize the efficiency of eye movements of foveal (centre of the eye) vision for reading, etc.
VLC Signature Academic Training
The first sign that a problem exists in a person's learning emerges when there are difficulties in learning to read, to write, or to do mathematical calculations. However, the root of the problem is usually in brain-based visual, motor or auditory processing systems.
Other Programs
This section contains a list of programs with focus on learners with anxiety, learners requiring intensive teaching and mentoring, and learners preparing for post-secondary education.
At the Vancouver Learning Centre all aspects of the person (child youth or young adult) receives a thoughtful, sensitive response that includes intellectual, academic and emotional factors. These are outlined in detail in a multi-year program.
Each semester is completed with an anecdotal report from each teacher. Consistency and attendance at every session ensures that the journey takes place at a good rate.