Teaching Wizards

Terry Reynolds, the director of the senior school at Holy Trinity School in Richmond Hill, has seen a lot of teachers in his time. But Arthur Lightstone, he says, is special.

"Rarely have I met a teacher who combines creativity, hard work and technology is such wonderful ways to inspire, challenge and interest students," Reynolds wrote in support of Art Lightstone's nomination for a TVOntario Award of Excellence for Private and Independent School Teachers.

"Art is an extraordinary teacher, well liked and respected by students, teachers and parents."

And Lightstone's colleague Kelly Abrams said team-teaching with Lightstone was "the most influential and valuable professional development training" she'd ever received.

"Art's innovative and creative teaching style motivates his students to learn, as well as encourages other faculty to invent new ways to teach course material," she said.

Another colleague, John Keenan, described Lightstone as a "gifted teacher and special human being" whose superior communication skills account for much of his success with students and staff.

Lightstone "is an academic in the true sense of the word," Keenan said, and "an exemplary role model for all."

So just what has Art Lightstone done to contribute to the welfare of Holy Trinity students?

• He established and supervises SWAP (Song Writing and Production), an extra-curricular course that used hard-disc recording hardware and software to produce multi-track songs written by senior students. In his first year at Holy Trinity, Lightstone spent a week of his March break building a recording booth in his classroom that SWAP still uses

• He created Web-supported courses and distance learning initiatives

• He introduced Independent Business Simulation and Trade Show programs

• He established and managed The Executive, a student-produced business department newspaper

• He developed Human Dimensions, a Grade 9 program focused on the development of self-esteem and interpersonal skills

• He developed a Grade 9 Team Management Program within the Grade 9 Business course that develops management, self-discipline and teamwork skills

• He co-ordinates the annual Senior School study trip to either Washington, D.C., or New York City o He's the U-16 boys volleyball coach and senior boys tennis coach

• And he sat on the Terry Fox Run Site Committee, the Information Technology Committee and the Curriculum Committee

Lightstone's classroom is a dynamic learning environment that challenges his students to strengthen their confidence, as well as their skills in research, planning, teamwork, writing and presentation. Lightstone has used technology in his classroom, which has 12 computers, to create a comprehensive, interactive, online system that facilitates students' exploration of the worlds of business and law.

His goal is to provide his students with the knowledge, skills, creativity and confidence to participate successfully in the real world - as university students, employees or as entrepreneurs, Lightstone says.

In his courses, textbooks are used not as the primary source of information and structure but something more like reference material. Lightstone generates lessons and activities himself, drawing from information brought into the classroom, and into students' homes, from the Internet. So the courses progress from one interactive lesson to the next - not from one chapter to the next.

Lightstone dedicates a great deal of time and energy to classroom teaching, producing lectures that are humorous, insightful and aimed at fostering discussion and independent thought. But his students spend more time engaged in group work, research, writing and presentation than in listening to their teacher lecture.

Lightstone's use of technology pervades almost every aspect of his teaching and his personality, humour and kindness shine through his Web pages, videos and online dialogues with students.

This is a case where technology has not only bridged the gap between the class and the real world, but has brought students, parents and the teacher closer together.