Programs

Join us for a monthly parent and youth bookclub designed to get you talking - about literature, but also about the way you see the world, the values you share and the experiences that have shaped you. Each month, parents and children read a book together, and then join us for a high-quality craft, a challenging puzzle, a book-themed snack, and a lively discussion. At least once a year, bookclubbers will have the opportunity to meet with local authors.

Our workshops for home learners give youth the opportunity to use great works of literature and challenging ideas as inspiration for their own writing and art. Our small class sizes and commitment to co-constructing curriculum with our students, mean that no matter what your children’s interests or abilities, the Lyceum is a safe and encouraging environment for them to explore their own creativity.

For the youngest members of the Lyceum community, we have programs offering everything from finger-rhyming and song to investigations through visual art in our Preschool Literature and Art classes.

Dr. Christianne Hayward has been educating children and adults for over forty years. She established her unique parent and youth bookclubs in 1996, and now facilitates 13 bookclubs, 8 writers’ workshops, and literature and art classes for children and youth at the Lyceum. She also acts as a educational consultant for families, works as a teacher consultant, spent more than three decades facilitating parent groups in the ANCHOR Program at the Vancouver Child Study Centre, and is the mother of two sons.

Great writers aren’t made overnight. At the Lyceum we invest in the creative process over time, encouraging young people to see themselves as writers, and to see writing as an essential way to express themselves and interact with the world.

Our programs focus on nurturing a playfulness with language, allowing students to develop confidence in their abilities and instilling a passion for the written word. We find that once these three elements are present, students become invested in their own writing, passionately discussing principles of strong writing, and actively participating in the editing process. This process allows us to teach to the needs of the group.

Writers’ Workshops at the Lyceum are an enjoyable opportunity to create great writing in a supportive community.

Christianne’s Lyceum is a centre that celebrates literature and art and puts it at the centre of family and community life. Through programs that emphasize making connections between literature and what’s going on in the outside world, the Lyceum encourages young people to see themselves as readers, writers and artists, as they engage with abstract ideas and reflect on their own place in society. Armed with these experiences, students begin to seek possibility and explore ways that they can use their voices and actions to participate in their communities.

The Lyceum is a cozy living room, a specialized library, a well-equipped studio and a whimsical art gallery bound up in one. It’s a place that brings together writers, illustrators, educators and families to share diverse ways of making meaning, different schools of thought, and the richness of story in its many forms.

At the Lyceum we believe that every book contains treasure. Whether it’s an unforgettable character who feels like a new friend or an idea you never would have thought of on your own, stories glitter with riches beyond our wildest dreams. During our Spring Break programs, we’ll be treating classic works of literature as the exciting locations of this buried treasure, adventuring into them to see what glittering hoards we’re able to uncover. Each day of our Spring Break program is devoted to one book, allowing us plenty of time to read selections and then use these readings as the jumping off points for exciting artistic creations and adventurous outdoor forays. Children don’t need to have read these books before attending - our program is designed to work both as an introduction for newcomers and a celebration for those who have visited these pages before.

Our programs support children and youth as they engage in the process of creating — discovering the joy of manipulating materials with their hands, transforming media to leave traces for others to decode and make meaning, experiencing the thrill of watching words pile up on a blank sheet of paper, or inventing imaginative worlds and daring to get lost in them. Our staff gently facilitate these creative endeavours, helping young people see their initial concepts of their stories or art projects come to fruition. We co-construct curriculum to recognize the partnership between teacher and learner. Lyceum staff listen carefully to students’ reactions and questions, and allow them to guide the direction of further investigations. This means the class your child attends will take into account their interests and experiences, tailoring curriculum to meet, support and challenge them.

The good things in life are recounting memories and creating experiences, and this is what the holiday season is about. As we wave goodbye to this year and the Lyceum’s beloved home, we will also enter a new year and an exciting new chapter.

This holiday season, we’ll inaugurate our brand new space with our favourite Lyceum traditions. Let’s celebrate together.

Whether you are a reader, a writer, or both, the Lyceum offers opportunities for all literary enthusiasts to find a community to share their love of stories. Join us for our Authors' Night Out writers' workshop, Meet the Author book club or Art for Adults series - all are drop-in to accommodate your busy schedule.

at Christianne's Lyceum

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For the youngest members of the Lyceum community, we have programs offering everything from finger-rhyming and song to investigations through visual art in our Preschool Literature and Art classes.

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