Capitol Hill Elementary SD#41 Burnaby

I. General Information

School Name: Capitol Hill Elementary

School District: SD#41 Burnaby

Inquiry Team Members:
Stephanie Lundrigan: stephanie.lundrigan@burnabyschools.ca
Nicole Quin: nicole.quin@burnabyschools.ca
Christine diSalvo: christine.disalvo@burnabyschools.ca
Elysha Fong: elysha.fong@burnabyschools.ca
Brandon Mulholland: brandon.mulholland@burnabyschools.ca
Lindsey Bogunovich: lindsey.bogunovich@burnabyschools.ca
Jessica Filippelli: jessica.filippelli@burnabyschools.ca
Shelley Janvier: shelley.janvier@burnabyschools.ca

Inquiry Team Contact Email: stephanie.lundrigan@burnabyschools.ca

II. Inquiry Project Information

Type of Inquiry: Numeracy & Literacy Project

Grade Levels Addressed Through Inquiry: Primary (K-3), Intermediate (4-7)

Curricular Areas Addressed: Language Arts – Oral Language, Language Arts – Writing, Other: Social Emotional Learning – belonging//confidence

Focus Addressed: Indigenous understandings (for example, Traditional Knowledge, oral history, reconciliation), Core competencies (for example, critical thinking, communication, problem solving), Experiential learning, Growth mindset, Inclusion and inclusive instructional strategies, Social and emotional learning, Universal design for learning

In one sentence, what was your focus for the year? Our focus for the Numeracy and Literacy Project was strengthening literacy through the strengthening of oral language, hands-on learning, community building and Indigenous story.

III. Spirals of Inquiry Details

Scanning: At the start of the year, students in grades 1-7 completed a survey which included the four questions. The majority could name two adults in the school who believed in them, but often they were names of teachers from years past. While the majority of students are developing-proficient in their learning, many seemed only superficially interested in their learning (maybe as something that was being done to them?). This will be part of a new Inquiry for the 2024-25 school year.

Our focus this year as part of the Literacy and Numeracy Project was taking measures and implementing steps to improve literacy outcomes for Indigenous students and, in conjunction, their classmates. We did consider the results of this survey. However, the inspiration was, really, an incoming kindergarten student.

Focus: For the Literacy and Numeracy Project, we chose Literacy based on the survey above, the September reading assessments we carried out with each student (gr 1-7) and largely because of an initial meeting we had with a kindergarten student and their family at the start of the school year. We were hoping that we could strengthen oral language, student engagement, community building and a wider appreciation for the power of experiential based learning through Story Workshop.

As part of a staff survey which indicated they were interested in building their understanding of Indigenous worldview, we incorporated Indigenous story and picture books into each Story Workshop lesson. Those books remained highly visible and available for staff to borrow.

Hunch: The school is focused on learning and, in response to family expectations, could be secure in more traditional methods of education. Understanding the OECD Seven Principles and supporting families in arriving at those understandings would be beneficial. Having ‘permission’ to participate in more play-based, land-based and collaborative structures which viewed all learners as capable would be helpful.

New Professional Learning: We explored learner-centred experiential learning, collaboration with teachers and students within the building, across the district and in the community. We all gained an appreciation of the power of oral language, of collaboration, and Indigenous story. We have a better understanding of the potential of taking time to recognize the gifts each child brings.

Taking Action: Our team decided upon implementing Story Workshop as a way to build oral language and as an understanding of the elements of story to strengthen literacy skills, including literacy acquisition skills in kindergarten. My role was included as a learning support teacher and as the Indigenous Learning Inquiry Teacher.

Our SLP was involved. This project was helpful for her as SLP services in our district has switched over to a more MTSS, less clinical method of providing support to learners. Our librarian was involved and provided Story Workshop opportunities to a range of upper immediate classes as part of their library instruction.

Lessons were provided weekly and included an ‘author share’. Documentation of the students working was captured and shared. As the year progressed, recording the story in writing was also added to the learning activity. This provided a really authentic opportunity to discuss how authors revise and edit their work.

Kindergarten Story Workshop Author’s Share: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/-Fq4ba4ICtM 

   

Checking: Our students were engaged. Our staff were engaged. They were enthusiastic about this project. The two or three wonder children made significant progress – in their individual steps to literacy acquisition as well as classroom engagement and self-confidence. It is clear that they see themselves as learners. Two of the ‘wonder children’ were grade 2 boys who had been involved in many playground altercations. Since April they have independently taken on a leadership role on the playground and come to the office with a crew to initiate problem solving circles. They no longer are reluctant to participate in literacy activities in the classroom.

The baseline data used for this project was a student intake meeting, a private SLP report and Children’s Hospital report, the grade 1-7 student surveys, reading/literacy assessment (DART/EPRA, PM Benchmark, Concepts of Print), as well as observations and casual conferences in September.

Reflections/Advice: The OECD Seven Principles guided us in our everyday, lived practice – learners see themselves as learners, learning is social and collaborative, there is emotional awareness, there is a sensitivity to individual differences including an incredible range in background knowledge, it is accessible to all learners, feedback was immediate and naturally involved adults and peers, it promoted horizontal connections for students (across grade levels) and staff – across school roles (LSS, classroom teachers, librarian) and district (SLP, district Indigenous Resource teacher), we invited in families and members of the community (Indigenous weavers).

Using this overall experience as a further baseline for future inquiry, I think it would be important to be more explicit with the OECD Seven Principles with staff, to really support that there is well researched evidence to promote these practices.

Our plan for September is to continue with this project – with a similar focus for kindergarten students, but a larger focus on writing for the primary students. In our context, it provides a lovely solution for creating authentic learning support opportunities and collaboration among staff. It also really allows for supporting students who require additional support with their learning in a respectful and engaging way. As a result, relationships with those children are strengthened as they do not feel ‘less than’ in the way they would in a traditional pullout intervention.