School Name: George M. Murray Elementary

School District: SD#74 Gold Trail

Inquiry Team Members: Jen Eddie – jeddie@sd74.bc.ca

Inquiry Team Contact Email: jeddie@sd74.bc.ca

II. Inquiry Project Information

Type of Inquiry: SRL Case Study

Grade Levels Addressed Through Inquiry: Intermediate (4-7)

Curricular Areas Addressed: Applied Design, skills & Technology, Language Arts – Writing, Mathematics / Numeracy, Science

Focus Addressed: Core competencies (for example, critical thinking, communication, problem solving), Differentiated instruction, Experiential learning, Growth mindset, Land, Nature or Place-based learning, Self-regulation, Social and emotional learning

In one sentence, what was your focus for the year? Helping my students see themselves as learners by strengthening their ability to regulate themselves.

III. Spirals of Inquiry Details

Scanning: I talked to my students a lot in circle and asked them questions about their learning in previous years. Noise was a really distracting element for them and collaboration was not something they felt comfortable with (based on discussions in circle). They identified that worksheets and free time made up a lot of their learning in previous years.

I identified that there wasn’t a lot of circling back when things fell apart for my learners. Conflict resolution and giving time and support to heal mistakes was an area I wanted to help grow.

Many of my students had been on one field trip in the entire year last year, and they badly wanted to be outside. I hoped to show them that rigorous learning could happen in a group without arguing all the time.

Focus: I selected this area because I wanted them to be excited about learning and each other. I could see they needed supports to get to a place where they could collaborate and see learning as fun.

Hunch: I thought that worksheets as a primary mode of delivering education were shutting down many of the learners in my class. I wanted to get them talking together so we could all learn together.

New Professional Learning: I used the circle as a structure for debriefing when things fell apart. I kept coming back to the circle process and having vulnerable discussions with my class. I provided ‘carrots’ for the students which helped them want to be in my classroom more than anywhere else. I differentiated my instruction where I needed to so that everyone had an access point. I specifically used the resource “Notice and Note” for reading, “Using Micro-Mentor Texts” for writing, and “Good Inside” for restorative language and processes.

Taking Action: Circles was very helpful as a structure for when we needed to debrief as a group. I used it every day at the start of the day as a check-in, and when needed as a debrief/brainstorm tool. Circles were done outside 98% of the time.

I developed a restorative practice sheet based on the work on Dr. Becky Kennedy. Students had to complete it orally or in written form in order to show readiness to return after a mistake was made.

I taught the ‘signposts’ to students in anchor lesson format using visual and written exemplars in the first term. We then did a whole class novel where they had to record their conversation weekly in reading groups. I offered feedback on the recordings. I provided scaffolding in the way of ‘scribble notes’ to help those with memory stretches to recall the sequence of the story.

In math, I blended the ‘Thinking Classrooms’ model of collaborative math with a more traditional approach on a weekly basis.

We did a lot of outdoor learning and mountain biking.

Checking: Due to the consistent return to the circle, students realized that they would have to work together and that I had high expectations for them. The exhibition of learning was well attended and students were very proud of the kites they built in our collaborative project involving physics, ADST, and ELA.

When asking how the year went, I felt like the students were proud of their learning. They could tell me what they learned and many of the answers were varied. I liked that what they were proud of was varied – it told me that I had enough variety.

Reflections/Advice: I would like to riff on the trails learning we did last year and design a project around developing a bike trail.

School Name: Garibaldi Highlands Elementary School

School District: SD#48 Sea to Sky

Inquiry Team Members: Katrina Lowe: klowe@sd48.bc.ca

Inquiry Team Contact Email: klowe@sd48.bc.ca

II. Inquiry Project Information

Type of Inquiry: SRL Case Study

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

Curricular Areas Addressed: Applied Design, skills & Technology, Arts Education, Career Education, Language Arts – Literacy, Language Arts – Oral Language, Language Arts – Reading, Language Arts – Writing, Mathematics / Numeracy, Physical & Health Education, Science, Social Studies

Focus Addressed: Core competencies (for example, critical thinking, communication, problem solving)

In one sentence, what was your focus for the year? If we work together to develop our collective efficacy regarding making learning visible, we will be able to build student capacity in the competencies of critical thinking and collaboration.

Students will develop as critical thinking individuals who collaborate to take ownership over their learning.

III. Spirals of Inquiry Details

Scanning: In our initial scanning process, we asked a large sample of the students in the school the three questions that matter…“what are you learning, how is it going, where to next?” We have discovered that our students have a lot of strengths and also a few stretches. Some of their strengths are that they are great at following routines, they do well in structured environments, they are a very tight and caring community, they are all active, they are very kind, and they are compliant. Some of the stretches we have noticed are that they are often passive learners (going through the motions without always getting excited about the learning), they have difficulty persevering when things get hard, their collaboration skills aren’t always evident, they have difficulty thinking through problems and coming up with solutions on their own and have a general lack of resilience.

Focus: During our “focusing stage” process, the staff immersed ourselves in the available data. We examined every aspect, employing the “decision-making framework” to chart the ramifications of focusing on each facet—what we observed, what we value, and the actionable steps within our reach to address the issues we uncovered.

Several trends and patterns were revealed to us in our data scan. We noted strengths among our student body, including their adeptness at adhering to routines, their overall active engagement in their personal physical health, their general compliance, and their strong sense of peer connection. We also discerned trends, such as challenges in perseverance amidst adversity, difficulty in problem-solving autonomously, a lack of connection to adults, and a general lack of resilience and collaborative skills.

With the aid of the “decision-making framework” and the consequence table structure, we collectively determined that our primary focus should be on enhancing critical thinking abilities and fostering a cohesive school culture that fosters strong connections between students and faculty. These initiatives were identified as holding the greatest potential for impactful change within our educational community.

Hunch: During our “focusing stage” process, the staff immersed ourselves in the available data. We examined every aspect, employing the “decision-making framework” to chart the ramifications of focusing on each facet—what we observed, what we value, and the actionable steps within our reach to address the issues we uncovered.

Several trends and patterns were revealed to us in our data scan. We noted strengths among our student body, including their adeptness at adhering to routines, their overall active engagement in their personal physical health, their general compliance, and their strong sense of peer connection. We also discerned trends, such as challenges in perseverance amidst adversity, difficulty in problem-solving autonomously, a lack of connection to adults, and a general lack of resilience and collaborative skills.

With the aid of the “decision-making framework” and the consequence table structure, we collectively determined that our primary focus should be on enhancing critical thinking abilities and fostering a cohesive school culture that fosters strong connections between students and faculty. These initiatives were identified as holding the greatest potential for impactful change within our educational community.

New Professional Learning: Professional learning has been continuous throughout our inquiry process. We started by thoroughly reading and discussing each stage of the spiral to ensure we adhered to it with fidelity. Once we identified our primary focus, we delved into defining “critical thinking” and pinpointed the specific aspects we were most concerned with. We then reached out to a district colleague who specializes in PBIS development in schools, inviting her to present to our staff. Together, we developed an executive functioning classroom inventory by synthesizing our collective research. This included reading books such as Smart but Scattered by Peg Dawson and Organizing the Disorganized Child by Martin Kutscher, along with articles from The Center on the Developing Child at Harvard. We also explored the concept of deeper learning through In Search of Deeper Learning by Jal Mehta and Sarah Fine. As we progressed, we became curious about how to make learning more visible, leading us to explore loose parts, story workshops, and the question, “What makes you say that?”

Taking Action: We have dedicated significant time to the “Taking Action” phase of the spiral, exploring various directions while consistently returning to the core competencies of critical thinking and the self-regulation necessary to develop them. One of our key initiatives involved implementing PBIS (Positive Behavioural Interventions & Supports) in our school. We established a PBIS committee to analyze the data our team collected and to develop a shared framework. This team created a matrix that incorporates our collective values, with a focus on fostering critical thinking and self-regulation.

Additionally, we collaborated with Connie Hamilton, who introduced us to a dynamic learning rounds model. Our teaching team, now divided into two groups of seven, participates in sessions where one teacher from each group leads a lesson while the others observe. Before the lesson, the team conducts a pre-brief to outline the specific goals the lead teacher intends to address. After the lesson, the team engages in a thorough debrief, synthesizing valuable feedback from the observers. This innovative model encourages a culture of continuous improvement and collaborative professional development.

Finally, we have developed a restorative justice discipline process that guides students through recognizing their mistakes and treating discipline as an opportunity for learning rather than punishment.

Checking: We have spent time analyzing both our district and local data and have identified several trends since we began emphasizing critical thinking and self-regulated learning. Students are now less fearful and more willing to engage in the discipline process, and they are more capable of identifying adults in the building who believe in their potential for success. In classrooms that have established norms for conversation and collaboration, students can more clearly identify their roles in projects and engage in productive, thoughtful small-group and whole-class discussions.

Many classrooms have eliminated the phrase “I don’t know,” providing students with alternative responses that foster deeper dialogue with both adults and peers. This has led to more meaningful conversations across the board. Through PBIS, students have gained a clearer understanding of the values upheld by the adults in the building, enabling them to act more confidently within those expectations.

Additionally, younger students have become much more adept at describing their learning through story workshops, and this ability has extended to their self-reflections during the communicating student learning process.

Reflections/Advice: We have found that when we collaborate to clearly define our goals and take a more deliberate approach to action, we actually save time and improve our process. We have also used multiple resources in all areas of our learning and taking action and this has allowed us to create something new that works for us that is research-based.

Enduring Understandings:
If we commit to maintaining curiosity through the model of collaborative inquiry, we will continue to inspire necessary changes and adaptations.

If we work together to develop our collective efficacy, we will be able to be the influencers of student achievement.

If we learn together, we will become better together.

School Name: Mapes Elementary School

School District: SD#91 Nechako Lakes

Inquiry Team Members:
Jennifer MacDonald: jmackdonald@sd91.bc.ca
Samantha Dargis: jdargis@sd91.bc.ca
Anne Geddes: ageddes@sd91.bc.ca
Deb Koehn: dkoehn@sd91.bc.ca

Inquiry Team Contact Email: dkoehn@sd91.bc.ca

II. Inquiry Project Information

Type of Inquiry: SRL Case Study

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

Curricular Areas Addressed: Other: Outdoor learning embedded in Self Regulation Skills

Focus Addressed: Indigenous understandings (for example, Traditional Knowledge, oral history, reconciliation), Core competencies (for example, critical thinking, communication, problem solving), Growth mindset, Land, Nature or Place-based learning, Social and emotional learning, STEM / STEAM

In one sentence, what was your focus for the year? We hoped to shift students’ regulated behaviours (displayed consistently while learning outside) into the indoor classroom environment through connected strategies used both inside and while students were in cross-graded, cross-curriculum learning groups outside.

III. Spirals of Inquiry Details

Scanning: We noticed that students needed more support with Self Regulation skills while indoors, but when they were learning outdoors they were able to demonstrate decision making and made wise choices. As well, we noticed that students were much more willing to act in cooperative and collaborative ways, sharing their own knowledge and encouraging others through purposeful interactions. Our older students are always kind, supportive and interact as community leaders with the younger students, but interaction amongst themselves was often harmful in nature. We hoped that creating cross age groups focused on cross-curriculum learning, that the students would begin to see each other in a more wholesome, supportive lens. This inquiry focused on several, if not all, of the First Peoples Principles of Learning, and embedded many of the aspects of the OECD principles of learning. By moving the students outside, with teachers collaboratively planning the learning and students collaboratively learning together, we hoped to move into a community of learners.

Focus: We hoped that students would realize their potential as community members, learners and leaders of the learning.

Hunch: Students brought inappropriate, but learned communication skills into the classroom. In the past these interactions may have been hidden, or accepted as a way of being.

New Professional Learning: We were fortunate to be part of the SRL group and relied heavily upon the researchers for guidance and direction. There are only three teachers in this small rural school. A number of outdoor resources were used – and a number of different resources were used, not in their entirety, but chapters were referred to. As well, our NOIIE SRL group met monthly. We presented at a Learning Burst and at the NOIIE Symposium, and grounded our thinking in the First Peoples Principles of Learning.

Taking Action: We planned all activities as a team. And we committed to a minimum of once a week, whole afternoon spent outside, irregardless of weather conditions. We created a strong team – interdependent on each other. We were honest about the challenges we were encountering and entered into monthly discussions with open hearts and open minds. We discussed roadblocks as opportunities. We involved students in activities and created opportunities for learning that did not exist previously. We took advantage of our place – and place became the teacher.

Checking: We did see a noticeable improvement in our older students’ interactions with each other, and they were brought into a space that allowed them to develop positive, relational interactions with the educators. The quality of student interactions improved overall, and many parents communicated that their students felt more positive about school experiences.

Reflections/Advice: We learned that our learning needs to consistently support our goals and that we need to make the goals visible to the students, so they can understand ways that they contribute. Students need to know what is expected; strategies and skills need to be learned and there needs to be adequate reflection time so students can make sense of relational learning.

School Name: Brooklyn Elementary School

School District: SD#71 Comox Valley

Inquiry Team Members: Naomi Radawiec: naomi.radawiec@sd71.bc.ca
Mentors: Deborah Koehn: dkoehn@sd91.bc.ca, Kimberley MacNeil: kimberley.macneil@ubc.ca

Inquiry Team Contact Email: nradawiec22@gmail.com

II. Inquiry Project Information

Type of Inquiry: SRL Case Study

Grade Levels Addressed Through Inquiry: Intermediate (4-7)

Curricular Areas Addressed: Career Education, Language Arts – Literacy, Language Arts – Oral Language, Language Arts – Writing, Mathematics / Numeracy, Social Studies

Focus Addressed: Core competencies (for example, critical thinking, communication, problem solving), Self-regulation

In one sentence, what was your focus for the year? We focused on self regulation, specifically the core competency critical thinking.

III. Spirals of Inquiry Details

Scanning: In the beginning of the year, we noticed that students were not able to ask deep thinking questions, and struggled to think critically. When we asked them what critical thinking is, they had very limited responses, and many couldn’t answer the question at all. We noticed they were keen to learn, to please the teacher, to follow expectations and complete tasks, but they struggled to engage in deep thinking.

Focus: Our focus was on the cognitive domain of self regulation. We hoped to help students develop their ability to engage in critical thinking.

Hunch: For teachers, it is easy to talk too much and too often. When students are passive listeners and are not encouraged to think critically, they become disengaged and check-out. Teaching practices such as calling on students with their hands up, may lead to students feeling like they don’t need to be responsible for thinking deeply. We began taking a closer look at our teaching practices that encourage thinking or stop thinking.

New Professional Learning: Naomi: I meet online with Deb Kohen and Kimberly MacNeil several times to learn from their mentorship and talk through ideas and key learning. I also met with our NOIIE self regulation inquiry group online and in person at the symposium, and really appreciated being able to share and learn together. Last year, I read Peter Liljedhal’s (LIL-yed-hall) book “Building thinking classrooms in Mathematics” and that book impacted not only our math learning, but also my teaching practice – I learned to talk less, get students engaged in thinking the right away, keep them engaged, and work collaboratively in groups. This year, we’ve been building a thinking classroom by using a variety of tasks and strategies. I read the book Hacking Questions by Connie Hamilton and learned a lot from her book. I read parts of the book “Developing Self-Regulating Learners” by Nancy Perry and Leyton Schnellert which helped deepen my understanding of self regulation.

Taking Action: Naomi: I’ve been making sure that all students are engaged and responsible for thinking, rather than calling on a few students who often raise their hands. For example, The All Hands Up strategy, The Turn and Ask strategy, Popcorn Sharing, Put Yourself on a Line, Sticky Notes, vertical whiteboards on the walls, mini whiteboards, small groups, community circle and more. We have our desks in pods, and I often ask them to stand in the Rainbow Zone (U shape) for 3-5 minutes for quick instructions or when I’m introducing a thinking task. I try to model thinking aloud and metacognition.

We also learned about why students may say “I don’t know” when asked to think and respond, and discussed different strategies for responding, like allowing the student to “consult with a friend” before sharing their final answer. This lesson focused on empowering students to think deeply, take risks, and share their thinking with others. We’ve also been learning the language of being a risk taker. I encourage them to say things like, “right now I’m thinking..” or “I’m not 100% sure, but I think that…”

As a teacher, I’ve become much more aware of whether or not the questions I’m asking, and the tasks I’m asking students to do, encourage thinking or stop thinking.

Celebrating thinking “not right” answers and celebrating mistakes:
In our class we celebrate thinking versus correct answers, and support the belief that mistakes and challenges help us learn and grow. My students seem more open to sharing their thinking because they feel it is safe to share, and they know that I value their thoughts.

One of the most important changes I’ve made as a teacher is that I’m learning not to help too much. (I’m learning to become invisible). I became a teacher because I love learning and I love helping others learn. It’s easy for me to fall into helping too much and spoon feeding the answers. Lately I’ve been trying to pause, wait, and ask myself…do they really need me right now? I give fewer hints and help less so that students are able to take the time to work through their thinking. If I help too much, the thinking stops, the learning is not deep and not transferable to the next task. I’m working on becoming more invisible and letting students think for themselves, gain ownership, and build resiliency. For example, when we do stand up math and the students are working in groups of three, I may give them small hints if needed or explain the question, but then I become invisible, walk away and let them work to solve problems together without me. Developing thinking skills is much like developing perseverance. It takes time, space, and often a struggle.

Checking: Naomi: One of our weekly inquiry questions recently was “What is critical thinking and why is it important?” Their responses showed that they now have a much deeper understanding of critical thinking. Through this inquiry, one thing we’ve noticed is that students are beginning to shift the way they view themselves. In the beginning of the year we noticed they were keen to learn, to please the teacher, to follow expectations and complete tasks. Now they are beginning to view themselves as thinkers. We are creating a community of learners that think critically, and they are beginning to take more ownership over challenging themselves to take their thinking to the next level, as well as talking and reflecting on their thinking and learning (metacognition).

Identity: This has impacted their sense of self and identity. Giving them time and space to struggle, and overcome challenges, has helped build their confidence and allowed them to take ownership over their learning. When I allow them to hold onto the cognitive baton, this shows them that I believe in them…that they are smart and capable.

Personal life and working through frustrations to build resilience: This learning has impacted my personal life too. My 3 year old asks questions all the time and I love watching him persevere through something that’s hard for him. Watching someone struggle can be tough sometimes for people like me who like to help and make others happy. When my son is doing risky play, like climbing a tree or riding his push bike down a hill, if I help him too much, and keep helping him every time, that would stop him from learning how to do it himself. Risk taking in a classroom is similar, by taking risks in their thinking, doing the thinking themselves and not receiving too much help, this builds independent resilient learners. I love witnessing the deep learning, aha moment, when they figure something out for themselves.

Student Quotes:

Grade 5 student: “All hands up” feels better because you get to add your ideas to your class and think harder about it. You get feedback on your learning. I’m responsible for sharing my learning and thinking because not one person is always talking so we are learning from everyone. Not just the teacher or just one student.

Grade 6 student: Everyone is responsible for doing the thinking. You are responsible for thinking and not distracting anyone and trying your hardest to learn. It feels good that the students are teaching too. It makes sense that the teacher is there to help you learn but not to do the thinking for you. When I’m given the chance to think it’s giving me a chance to learn. If the teacher just gave me the answers, that won’t help me grow in my learning.

Grade 5 student: Without critical thinking, learning can be boring and not fun. To have your teacher tell you the answer to something and make you memorize it…You are not using your thinking and the point of school is for you to be the one thinking and sharing your ideas and thoughts with your classmates.

Grade 5 student: Being in our class has been different from other classes in such a good way! Because in other classes they might have just given you a sheet of paper with questions that you didn’t know a thing about so they would give you a book and say write the answers from the book and bring it home to study. Or they would just tell you the answers and say bring it home to study it. But in our class you do stand-up math so you can ask other people if you are stuck or we do mini whiteboards. Then after we do one of those things we might do an exit slip or show what you know on paper. This means we are doing more critical thinking to get the answer than someone just telling you how to do it. We also think critically for the weekly question because we have to write the answer in our words, not just look on the internet or say exactly what your parents say. My teacher believes I can think deeply, and that makes me feel smart. I can teach other people. It makes me feel like I know what I’m doing. We get to learn more from our ideas. Other people also get to learn from your ideas too, not just the teachers.

Reflections/Advice: By creating an environment where students view themselves as thinkers, where we celebrate mistakes, where students take ownership over their learning, we are cultivating independence and resilience. Prioritizing critical thinking and becoming the invisible teacher allows students to navigate challenges confidently in school and in their lives outside the classroom.

Next year I plan to go deeper in my learning about how to facilitate experiences where students are challenged to think. I learned numerous strategies and thinking tasks this year and used several of them in our class. Next year I want to try out some of the strategies that I haven’t tried yet. I want to continue helping students to gain ownership over their learning and thinking, and I hope to be even more transparent about our purpose for thinking tasks and how I value their thoughts.

School Name: Nechako Valley Secondary School

School District: SD#91 Nechako Lakes

Inquiry Team Members:
Dane Philipenko – dphilipenko@sd91.bc.ca
Amber Beyore – abeyore@sd91.bc.ca
Emily Brooks – ebrooks@sd91.bc.ca
Chris Verheyen- cverheyen@sd91.bc.ca
Deb Koehn – dkoehn@sd91.bc.ca
Kimberley MacNeil – Kimberley.macneil@sd91.bc.ca

Inquiry Team Contact Email: dphilipenko@sd91.bc.ca

II. Inquiry Project Information

Type of Inquiry: SRL Case Study

Grade Levels Addressed Through Inquiry: Secondary (8-12)

Curricular Areas Addressed: Language Arts – Literacy, Language Arts – Oral Language, Language Arts – Reading, Language Arts – Writing, Mathematics / Numeracy, Physical & Health Education, Science, Social Studies

Focus Addressed: Growth mindset, Self-regulation

In one sentence, what was your focus for the year? Students’ interactions with each other and with adult staff members reflected an overall misunderstanding of what it means to be kind, caring and respectful.

III. Spirals of Inquiry Details

Scanning: Our scanning process was observations of our students interacting with team members and with each other in all places in their learning community. Grade 8 students are on a journey of self-discovery, and it is expected that they will try on new attitudes and behaviours based on their own interactions with their peers. Individuals were not recognizing that their own behaviours were creating unsafe places for themselves and others. Students were having difficulties engaging comfortably with others outside their social circle and emotions were interfering with decision-making.

Focus: In discussion with the author of this report, students were asked as individuals and in whole group settings about adults that believed in their current and future success. Observations by team members led us to believe that students were reflecting what they perceived was appropriate beliefs and values according to group think, rather than what they held true to themselves as an individual. Students felt belonging to specific groups of peers, rather than belonging to the school. At the beginning of the year, the majority of students could name and tell ways that they knew that the adults supported them, but at the same time, many students stated that they did not always feel safe, especially around some peers.

Hunch: Covid has interfered with some of our students’ social development. Isolation was even more pronounced in rural areas where farmlands lay far apart, and it is difficult for educators to understand the effects of the pandemic on social development interruption when very little understandings are shared through the system.

A fear of creating even further repercussions is frequently expressed and often there is inadequate counselling for both students and adults as new ways of being are established. As well, it became increasingly apparent that some previous educators’ behaviors were heavily influencing students’ current behaviours.

New Professional Learning: We participated several times with our NOIIE network group, including UBC researchers Nancy Perry and Kimberley MacNeil (Developing Self-Regulated Learners). As well, we have invested in professional readings, and some trade books about adolescent identity and growth (Dr Becky Kennedy).

Taking Action:
– We developed a common framework on ways of being a community member.
– We developed a common framework for ways of success when completing tasks.
– We met regularly (once a month with support team).

Checking: We did not make as much of a difference as we would have liked. We are committed to improvement for educators – students felt a strong connection and relationship with educators, but were not highly engaged in learning activities. We are committed to using our place as a learning resource, as well as a community of belonging.

Reflections/Advice: Don’t give up! As a team of beginning career educators we did feel overwhelmed at times and it helped to know that working together and collaborating with others created a clear path forward.