What is a Windsor Pod?

The Windsor Pod concept is an interdisciplinary collaborative learning community. The instructional program in a Windsor Pod will integrate the modernized BC curriculum for core academic disciplines of English, Social Studies, Science and Math structured by the core learning competencies that extend through the grades and across subject areas.

A Windsor Pod is designed to allow students to acquire the skills necessary for success in the 21^st century: critical thinking and problem solving, collaboration, oral and written communication, accessing and analyzing information as well as imagination and creativity.

The Windsor Pod differentiates itself from a traditional instructional approach through cross-curricular projects, a focus on community building and teamwork as well as hands on learning opportunities both inside and outside the classroom.

Each Windsor Pod will meet in the newly renovated 21th century classroom spaces that feature movable walls and furnishings. Instruction in a Pod will be led by a team of four teachers, each one a specialist in one of the four curricular disciplines that makes up the Pod's instructional program. The four teachers will be grouped into a "Humanities" team consisting of an English teacher and a Social Studies teacher on "day one" in the timetable and a "Scimatics" team on "day two." A Pod will offer space for 52 students and 16 Pod Student Leaders.

Why does our school need a Windsor Pod?

The Windsor Pod offers students an innovative and unique program choice in their grade 8 year. The new modernized BC curriculum that was implemented in September of 2016 was developed with an interdisciplinary, process focused and collaborative instructional approach in mind.

The Pod approach aligns with the dominant research in education that suggests that a more collaborative, more creative, problem-based approach creates the best chance of future success for students. As the new BC curriculum is implemented through to grade 12 in September 2018, the Windsor Pod offers an opportunity to build an instructional foundation for innovation and creativity that extends beyond the Windsor Pod.

The Pod also offers a different elementary to secondary transition experience for students. Traditionally, grade 8 students move from having 1 or 2 teachers in their elementary years to as many as 10 teachers in grade eight. Although a Pod student will still have four different core academic teachers, these teachers will work, as a team and Pod students will spend two, 80minute classes together every day. This creates a mini-school within the school concept that enhances opportunities for community building and social-emotional learning. Pod students will still benefit from the comprehensive elective courses that Windsor offers, including academies.

What is a Windsor Pod Student Leader?

Each Windsor Pod subject teacher will be working with two grade 11/12 leadership students for a total of eight leadership students per Pod. The leadership students are an important bridge between the grade 8 Pod students and their teachers, and in many ways are the life-blood of the program, as they design and carry out the engaging and unique learning challenges that the Pod will offer students. Our senior leaders mentor students both academically and socially within the unique interdisciplinary environment program to the Windsor Pod. Prospective leaders apply to the position, which is a 4-credit course, and will be selected based on a written submission, reference check and interview.

How does a student join the Windsor Pod?

The Windsor Pod is another example of the School District's steadfast commitment to celebrating and supporting diversity. Students and parents are to complete the paper application form and submit it to your child's elementary school office before Thursday, June 8th at 3:30pm. Students will be selected by lottery in June and grouped in consultation with the elementary feeder schools.  Parents will receive written confirmation of their child's acceptance into the Windsor POD.

Who are the POD teachers?

The POD teaching team consists of four subject area specialist teachers. Each of the four subject teachers that make up the teacher-team in a Windsor Pod will receive a District Collaboration block within the school day. This block is that is will be used primarily for teacher collaboration on curricular planning, instruction and assessment.

The POD teachers for 2017/18 are:  

• Graeme Barber, Science
• Calvin Dang, Social Studies
• Marco Fong, English
• Andrew Shobridge, Math

What instructional mindset aligns with the Windsor Pod concept? 

What does the Windsor Pod look like in a student schedule?