Since you last heard from us, we’ve really been making the most of our time in Montreal with fun activities and excursions around the city. But the highlight here is the fact that our classes have really picked up the pace! With two course sessions per day, the students have had the opportunity to learn various topics within their chosen classes. Each class has had their own style, whether it be going on field trips, participating in engaging class discussions, or listening to enlightening lectures from instructors. 

Here’s a sneak peak at what a few of our courses has been covering lately:

Mastering Public Speaking

Students in the Public Speaking course have began to work on their 5 minute speeches to practice the theory behind “ethos” and “pathos”, as well as the impact of persuasive and informative writing. They also travelled to the park where they could present impromptu speeches in front of an audience larger than only the class itself. Each day, students partake in numerous ice breakers and public speaking activities that will motivate their writing.

Montreal Culture: Behind the Scenes

In the Montreal Culture course, students have been doing a lot of learning outside of the classroom, including a trip to the beautiful Mont Royal, exploring the famous graffiti and street art throughout the city, and even an opportunity to practice cooking a French meal consisting of steak and salmon. For some of the students this was the first time they had a chance to cook a meal independently, and where better to learn than in a food-savvy place like Montreal. Each day brings a new adventure for Montreal culture and a new area of the city is explored.

Journalism in the 21st Century

Students in the Journalism course have been doing some exciting things in class, learning not only the theory behind journalism, but what it takes to become a journalist. The students visited the McGill Campus where they actually interviewed passers-by individually while wearing the “Westcoast Connection Trainee Journalists” badge given by their instructor! They’ve also been practicing their writing skills in the journalism field and have been presenting their work in class to one another to share feedback.

Crime Scene Investigation – CSI Montreal

CSI Montreal has been covering various topics related to the field of forensic science such as; forensic biology, bloodstain pattern analysis, fingerprinting, crime scene processing, forensic photography and impression evidence! Each class consists of a lecture portion and a practical activity based on the lecture material. For example, in forensic biology, students were given the opportunity to examine DNA profiles and practice interpretation of those profiles. And as students were learning about impression evidence, they were then able to create a 3D cast of anything they wanted to. Some decided to create a cast of their hand, foot and shoe using what forensic scientists use; dental stone! One student summed it up the exercise saying, “this is such a mess but so satisfying!”.  

Emotional Intelligence & Professional Communication Skills

In emotional intelligence, students were given the opportunity to open up and speak about their personal experiences with the class. Students have stated that the course is very hands on and challenges them but is helping them grow, learning more about who they are! The class has been sharing their life experiences and how it has shaped their identity to this day, allowing them to understand and deal with their emotions, and better understand others.

French Language: Beginner to Advanced

Some of our students are hard at work learning a new language:, French. Being in the second largest French-speaking city in the world, next to Paris, there are plenty of places to practice!  Last week, the French classes took a field trip to Atwater Market where they put their French skills to the test, asking vendors where their produce was from, confirming prices, and more. When in the class, these groups are learning a new language through French-only conversations, games, and activities. Learning a new language is challenging, but these students are working hard to understand and apply their new skills.

Contemporary World Issues & Global Affairs

Students in the Global Issues and World Affairs course are learning about global trade agreements, globalization, country alliances, war, and more. They have been engaging in many hands on activities to better understand what’s going on in different parts of the world.  Students are often representing different countries and trying to mimic systems we have in place today, while questioning them with a critical eye. Students are showing great interest in this course and are really enjoying what they’re learning, and the method by which they’re being taught.

Students have shared that they are learning a lot, while also enjoying the sites and sounds of Montreal!

These are just a few of the courses that are going on right now, and we have more coming your way in our next blog. Stay tuned! 

The Westcoast Blogger

Learn more about our 21-day Pre-College Enrichment program in Montreal. Or browse our full list of programs here.