School Name: Maddaugh Elementary

School District: SD#36 Surrey

Inquiry Team Members:
smithson_d@surreyschools.ca
gray_j@surreyschools.ca
thiessen_r@surreyschools.ca
donaldson_s@surreyschools.ca

Inquiry Team Contact Email: whintors_n@surreyschools.ca

II. Inquiry Project Information

Type of Inquiry: NOIIE Case Study

Grade Levels Addressed Through Inquiry: Primary (K-3)

Curricular Areas Addressed: Arts Education, Science, Social Studies

Focus Addressed: Indigenous understandings (for example, Traditional Knowledge, oral history, reconciliation), Core competencies (for example, critical thinking, communication, problem solving), Experiential learning, Indigenous pedagogy, Land, Nature or Place-based learning

In one sentence, what was your focus for the year? Place is any environment, locality, or context with which people interact to learn, create memory, reflect on history, connect with culture, and establish identity. The connection between people and place is foundational to First Peoples perspectives of the world.

III. Spirals of Inquiry Details

Scanning: Through the scanning process we wanted to get an overview of our students, their areas of strength and areas to grow. Our student strengths are curiosity and passion about the world around them. They love outdoor learning and engaging with the land.

Focus: Our students love outdoor learning and art. We wanted to support our children in connecting to the land in meaningful ways. Starting with how their family connects to the land, and then moving to themselves. In this way, we wanted to build family connection to the land. What is your family’s connection to land and what does that mean to you? We began by having families curate mini land-based art galleries and a short note explaining their connection to land.

Hunch: Our school has been connecting to Coast Salish animals that reflected in privacy screens within our school. At the start of our school year, we as a school (students and teachers), voted on what animals we wanted to guide us and support us in our school learning. Our mascot is the wolf, the staqaya; we also chose the hummingbird, the orca, the bear, the salmon, and the eagle.

New Professional Learning: We explored Indigenous art work and how their work reflects the world around them. We had artist Ryan Hughes in to support us through his vision of how he connects to land.

Taking Action: We engaged classes sharing their art tins aloud, we engaged in weekly outdoor learning, we chose a plant or animal we connect with, and began researching our connection to land.

Checking: Yes! I believe we made powerful connections to place both for children and their parents. Our story boards are hung in our outdoor classroom for all families and students to see.

Reflections/Advice: https://youtu.be/G71ElkwMmvk

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: Brechin Elementary

School District: SD#68 Nanaimo-Ladysmith

Inquiry Team Members: Olga Poyner (olga.poyner@sd68.bc.ca), Wendy Robertson (wendy.robertson@sd68.bc.ca), Lisa Brett (lisa.brett@sd68.bc.ca), Tara McConnie (tara.mcconnie@sd68.bc.ca), Amy Halliday (amy.halliday@sd68.bc.ca), Meghan Epps (meghan.epps@sd68.bc.ca), Sophie Scobie (sophie.scobie@sd68.bc.ca), Christina Smith (christina.smith@sd68.bc.ca), Oksana Legebokoff (oksana.legebokoff@sd68.bc.ca), Brianne Anderson (brianne.anderson@sd68.bc.ca), Katie Bernaquez (katie.bernaquez@sd68.bc.ca), DJ Thompson (dj.thompson@sd68.bc.ca), Courtney Hill (courtney.hill@sd68.bc.ca)

Inquiry Team Contact Email: olga.poyner@sd68.bc.ca

II. Inquiry Project Information

Type of Inquiry: NOIIE Case Study

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

Curricular Areas Addressed: Language Arts – Literacy, Mathematics / Numeracy

Focus Addressed: Social and emotional learning

In one sentence, what was your focus for the year? To find ways we can provide our students with support in the areas in which our students are “under-resourced” in (according to Ruby Payne’s Under Resourced Learners): Relationships/Role-Models and Mental (Math and Literacy).

III. Spirals of Inquiry Details

You can view a presentation of our inquiry HERE.

Scanning: At the beginning of the year, our team did a scan of our own practices and a scan of our students. We interviewed the majority of our students and all but four could not name any adult that believed they would be successful. Using Ruby Payne’s book “Under-Resourced Learners” and the First People’s Principles of Learning that “Learning is holistic, reflexive, reflective, experiential, and relational (focused on connectedness, on reciprocal relationships, and a sense of place)” we decided that, as a school, many of our students needed to be resourced in Relationships/Role Models (one of nine areas Payne writes about) before fully reaping the benefits of being resourced in all the other areas. When we asked students about who their role-models were, many of them did not know the meaning of ‘role-model’ or could not name a role-model.

Focus: Rather than viewing our students through a poverty-lens, we decided to inquire on which of the 9 areas our students are ‘under-resourced’ as referenced in Ruby Payne’s “Under-Resourced Learners” (Financial, Language, Emotional, Mental, Spiritual, Physical, Support Systems, Relationships/Role Models, Knowledge of Hidden Rules) and how we can provide those students with support to give them those resources. Also, how can we use the strengths and resources that they DO come to school with to help these students feel seen, confident and successful?

Hunch: Our hunch is that many of our students lacked the role-models and guidance at home that could teach them about positive relationships. At school, especially in the older grades, there isn’t always time set aside to teach kids about how to create positive relationships and talk about role-models. In terms of “Mental” which encompasses Math and Literacy, our hunch is that teachers face so many challenges with management in the classroom that interfere with instruction and learning and that they don’t always have the resources, time and capacity to teach what is necessary.

New Professional Learning: We used Ruby Payne’s, A Framework for Understanding Poverty: A Cognitive Approach as an initial guide to help us understand our unconscious privilege and bias. But we found her next book, Under-Resourced Learners: 8 Strategies to Boost Student Achievement more useful for allowing teachers to tailor their inquiry focus based on the needs of their students (i.e. where their students are most under-resourced). We used three school-based professional development days and met once a month to talk about planning, observations and processes.

Taking Action: Teachers completed the questionnaires in the area which they felt their student’s were most under-resourced in: Financial, Language, Emotional, Mental, Spiritual, Physical, Support Systems, Relationships/Role Models, Knowledge of Hidden Rules.

From this data, we decided that as a school we would start by exploring Mental and Relationships/Role Models. This prompted us to do the relationship survey (see next slide) with our students and focus on this in our February School-Based Pro-D.

Based off the results of the relationship survey and discussions, we found that students needed help with:
• Understanding how to make positive friendships
• Learning the vocabulary for traits of positive friendships
• How to give and accept compliments

We implemented the following ideas as a whole school to facilitate our focus:

• Kindness Kotcha’s- a kindness ‘chit’ where if teachers see a student doing something kind or positive, they get a kotcha. This went into a basket in the office and then a few of them got read out loud during announcements on Friday. They were also displayed on a bulletin board.

• Celebration of Learning in May – we also offered a Community Closet with free clothes, diapers, toiletries, shoes and books donated by staff and other organizations in the gym. Students in Fine Arts decorated paper bags that families could fill up with the donated items. We also showed a slideshow of students from the past few months.

The other area of focus was Mental which includes literacy and math. We noticed that our students were under-resourced in numeracy skills and teachers did not feel they had the resources to support their students. We decided to focus our May School-Based Pro-D on numeracy. We invited Tannis Calder, District Coordinator and a facilitator for the BC Association of Math Teachers. She challenged teachers’ different ways of knowing and doing math through differentiated games and instruction. We also worked in primary and intermediate teams on developing a Brechin numeracy scope and sequence for each grade using the new Math Indicators of Proficiency: https://www.canva.com/design/DAGEBNECDVw/Kbvn0qiPhRpojOnOK8qeUg/view?utm_content=DAGEBNECDVw&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=editor

We also did an inventory of numeracy materials and noticed that many classrooms were under-resourced in some of the basic tools such as 10-sided dice, playing cards, plastic slip covers for games, chips and counters. We used the inquiry funds to purchase class sets of these basic materials.

As we are a focus school and literacy is always top of mind, primary teachers piloted UFLI Foundations (University of Florida Institute) for teaching reading and spelling. We purchased materials to create the blending boards, more decodable books and fun literacy games that followed and supported the UFLI scope and sequence: alphabet knowledge, CVC words, vowel teams, heart words, etc.

Checking: Relationships: Community and relationship building has been and continues to be a primary focus for all staff in our school. We continue to explicitly model, teach and acknowledge positive traits and actions. It was difficult to measure progress in our relationship survey but it was helpful to have more of a focus and to learn about some of our students across the grades.

Mental: In terms of the numeracy subset, we learned that many of our students lacked math fluency and number sense. The discussions regarding the numeracy scope and sequence allowed us to find out more about our expectations and standards.

In terms of literacy, we found that UFLI gave us the structure to ensure that we were teaching the necessary skills to help students with reading and spelling and that we were teaching to the students’ abilities. We found that students’ phonics skills improved but that we still needed to supplement with appropriate fluency activities and literacy games that kept the students motivated and engaged.

Reflections/Advice: The term ‘under-resourced’ along with its definitions, helped us hone in on what was needed for our students. It also gave us a platform and a common language for talking about the many categories in which our students were under-resourced in. We also discovered that the financial constraints that are inherent in the public school system, particularly in an inner-city school, made it more challenging to lift students out of the under-resourced categories. The money from this PLG did help alleviate some of this, but we felt it should not have been this way. Here is an example of what we ran into: Art Supplies: Every year, around $500 is budgeted for art supplies such as paints, tissue paper and clay. When it came time to purchase these in May, we discovered that the funds were no longer available and that they had to be used for another area of the school budget. We decided we would offer some of our PLG money towards this as this was a prime example of how our students are under-resourced financially.

School Name: Chase River Elementary

School District: SD#68 Nanaimo-Ladysmith

Inquiry Team Members: Jennifer Addison: jennifer.addison@sd68.bc.ca, Susan Schlitz: sschlitz@sd68.bc.ca, Trisha Armour: tarmour@sd68.bc.ca, Alex Quistberg: alex.quistberg@sd68.bc.ca

Inquiry Team Contact Email: sschlitz@sd68.bc.ca

II. Inquiry Project Information

Type of Inquiry: NOIIE Case Study

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

Curricular Areas Addressed: Language Arts – Literacy, Language Arts – Oral Language, Language Arts – Reading, Language Arts – Writing

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

In one sentence, what was your focus for the year? Our focus was to increase student engagement and improve oral and written storytelling through Story Workshop.

III. Spirals of Inquiry Details

Scanning: We noticed that written output continues to be a challenge for most students, specifically with generating ideas and overcoming “writer’s block.” Much of our time is spent helping students generate ideas and therefore we are not able to focus on the other aspects of writing such as grammar, vocabulary, editing, revising, and developing story elements. Through interviewing our students, using the 4 key questions, we determined that many students struggled to answer the questions needing lots of rephrasing and prompts to help them articulate their thinking. Some could answer what they were learning but were unable to express why they were learning it and/or where they were going next. Most students were not able to explain why writing and telling stories was important. Through this interview process we noticed students needed lots of support with oral language skills.

Focus: Implementing Story Workshop will increase student engagement providing an opportunity for play-based learning and oral language development, and in turn will help students generate ideas improving both oral and written storytelling skills.

Hunch: Story Workshop will increase written and oral storytelling skills. Loose parts will create motivation for students to engage in the storytelling process. The materials and provocations will allow students to be creative and use their imagination. It will give students a chance to work together to build, tell and write their stories.

Our hunch is that implementing Story Workshop will:
1. Increase engagement
2. Improve oral language skills
3. Increase confidence for both spoken and written storytelling skills
4. Increase creativity and idea generation
5. Improve written output

This will also give us an opportunity to focus on the process of revising and
editing written work, allowing students to delve deeper into refining their written work.

New Professional Learning:

We will explore the following books:
– Story Workshop: New Possibilities For Young Writers (Susan Harris MacKay)
– StoryMaking: The Maker Movement Approach to Literacy for Early Learners (Michelle Kay Compton)

We will view the Playful Learning Series by Liz McCaw (on Youtube).
We hope to observe at least 2 different classrooms/schools who have implemented Story Workshop.

Through these opportunities, we can gain a better understanding of what would be the most effective way to implement Story Workshop in our classrooms/school.

Taking Action: We organized a visit to a classroom where teachers were actively engaging students in Story Workshop. This provided us with first-hand insights into the methods and strategies being used. Observing the interactions and the setup of the Story Workshop allowed us to understand how to effectively integrate this approach into our own classrooms. Additionally, we invited a Story Workshop coordinator to introduce the concept to our students. This introductory session helped to spark interest and excitement among the students. The coordinator demonstrated various activities and provided a framework for us to build upon. Furthermore, we built a Story Workshop cart filled with loose parts and other storytelling materials. This mobile resource allowed us to bring the Story Workshop to different classrooms, making it accessible and convenient for both teachers and students. The cart included items like natural objects, small figurines, and craft supplies, which served as prompts and tools for storytelling.

Checking: We noticed a significant increase in student engagement during the Story Workshop session we observed. Students were eager to participate and showed enthusiasm for the storytelling activities. The hands-on, play-based nature of the workshop captured their interest and kept them motivated. The use of loose parts and storytelling materials stimulated students’ creativity. They used their imagination to create intricate stories and scenarios. Additionally, we observed improvements in oral language skills as students discussed their stories with peers and teachers, practicing vocabulary and narrative structures. Over time, students demonstrated increased stamina for both oral and written storytelling. Initially, some students struggled to maintain focus, but as they became more familiar with the process, they were able to engage for longer periods, developing more detailed and coherent stories. There was a palpable excitement about learning among the students. They looked forward to Story Workshop sessions and often asked when the next one would be. This positive attitude towards learning carried over into other areas of the curriculum. The Story Workshop approach proved to be inclusive, meeting each student where they were in their learning journey. Every student, regardless of their skill level, found success and was able to contribute to the storytelling process. This fostered a sense of accomplishment and confidence.

Next Steps: We plan to start collecting a variety of mentor texts that focus on different elements of storytelling. These texts will serve as examples and inspiration for students, helping them to understand aspects such as character development, plot structure, and descriptive language. We will curate a diverse selection to cater to different interests and reading levels. We will implement a system for students to build writing portfolios. Each student will have a personal portfolio where they can compile their written stories, reflections, and revisions. This will not only help them track their progress but also encourage a sense of ownership and pride in their work. To make Story Workshop a regular part of our literacy practice, we will schedule dedicated sessions each week. These sessions will be structured to balance storytelling activities with focused writing exercises, ensuring that students develop both oral and written skills. We will continue our professional development by attending workshops, webinars, and reading literature on Story Workshop and related teaching methodologies. Collaborating with other educators who are experienced in this approach will provide us with new ideas and strategies. We will seek regular feedback from students about their experiences with Story Workshop. Their insights will be invaluable in adapting and improving our approach to better meet their needs and interests. Additionally, we will explore using other materials beyond loose parts to tell stories, broadening the range of creative tools available to students. We aim to create a dynamic and responsive learning environment that evolves based on student input. By implementing these steps, we hope to further enhance student engagement, creativity, and storytelling skills, making literacy learning an exciting and rewarding experience for all students.

Reflections/Advice:

What We Learned from This Inquiry:
We discovered that the Story Workshop approach significantly boosted student engagement. The hands-on, creative activities captured students’ interest and motivated them to participate actively. As students shared their stories, they became more articulate and confident in expressing their ideas. This increase in oral proficiency was evident in their ability to generate and organize thoughts more effectively. Additionally, the inclusive nature of Story Workshop catered to diverse learning needs, allowing every student to engage at their level and experience success. The collaborative aspects of the workshop encouraged students to work together, share ideas, and build on each other’s stories, fostering a sense of community and teamwork in the classroom.

Where We Plan to Go Next:
We plan to expand our collection of mentor texts to include a wide range of genres and styles, providing students with diverse examples of storytelling techniques. Implementing writing portfolios will allow students to track their progress, reflect on their growth, and showcase their best work, fostering a sense of ownership and pride in their writing journey. To ensure consistent opportunities for storytelling and writing, we aim to integrate Story Workshop sessions more regularly into our literacy curriculum. Continuing professional development through workshops, and literature on effective storytelling and literacy practices will be crucial. Collaborating with other educators who have successfully implemented similar programs will help us share insights and strategies.

Advice for Other Schools:
Start small and build gradually. Introduce Story Workshop in one or two classrooms initially and gather feedback before scaling up, allowing for adjustments and improvements based on early experiences. Engage the whole school community by involving teachers, students, and parents in the process. Providing training for teachers ensures they are comfortable with the Story Workshop approach, while communicating with parents about the program’s benefits and goals helps gain their support. Creating a resource-rich environment by investing in various storytelling materials, such as loose parts, mentor texts, and craft supplies, makes the process more engaging and effective for students. Fostering a collaborative culture among students through group activities and peer feedback sessions enhances the learning experience. Finally, be patient and reflective. Implementing a new approach takes time and regular reflection. Gathering feedback from students and teachers helps continually improve the process. By focusing on these areas, we believe other schools can successfully implement Story Workshop and experience the same benefits of increased student engagement, improved oral language skills, and a more inclusive learning environment.

School Name: Prince Rupert Middle School

School District: SD#52 Prince Rupert

Inquiry Team Members:
kerri.levelton@sd52.bc.ca
Lori.leighton@sd52.bc.ca
Sheryl.Proskiw@sd52.bc.ca
lori.burger@sd52.bc.ca

Inquiry Team Contact Email: kerri.levelton@sd52.bc.ca

II. Inquiry Project Information

Type of Inquiry: NOIIE Transitions Study

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

Curricular Areas Addressed: Not applicable

Focus Addressed: Social and emotional learning, Transitions

In one sentence, what was your focus for the year? To have our incoming students from grade 5 and their families gain a greater sense of community.

III. Spirals of Inquiry Details

Scanning: We noticed that the grade 6s didn’t have a sense of community or belonging coming into our school. We also noticed that some parents did not have a connection or only came into complain.

Focus: We were hoping to have better behaviour and pride in our school from the grade 6’s. We also were wanting families to feel valued and comfortable as part of our school community, and we want our current students to be leaders in this process.

Hunch: Since Covid, we have noticed that we needed to rebuild connections and we needed to find new pathways to rebuild these connections. In using our grade 6 and 7 students, we are building positive interactions between grade groups. We have noticed since Covid that parents also have a mistrust in the school system and we are hoping to repair these connections by having them more involved and not just for parent-teacher interviews.

New Professional Learning: We attended Indigenous Implementation Day which focused on connection/belonging.

Taking Action: This spring we had 4 opportunities for the grade 5s to connect to our school before they begin in September as grade 6s.
1) Grade 6 Teachers visited the elementary schools and met with their current grade 5 teachers.
2) School Tours: Students were divided into small groups and toured around the school by the current grade 7. They were on a scavenger hunt to find certain areas of the school.
3) Family Night: Students and families of grade 5 students were invited for a barbecue, and they visited different places in our school to familiarize themselves within the school and with the adults in the school. We also took pictures of them as the “I” in kind and put them up on the bulletin board in September.
4) Activity Day: Grade 5 students visited the grade 6 classrooms and did activities with the classes. They drummed, ate, played games, built and drew. This familiarized them with the grade 6 teachers and the grade 6 students who would be in grade 7 in the fall.

Checking: We have seen positive changes as the grade 6 students were more comfortable with the school at the beginning of the year. We have seen an increase of involvement from school staff as they lead the activities. We have also seen an improvement in student behaviour at the beginning of the year. This year, we have kept track of the students that have attended the events so we have real data and not just anecdotal.

Reflections/Advice: Next year, we will continue with all the opportunities for the grade 5s to feel comfortable.
We will also have more open houses for parents/families.
1) Meet the Teacher (which hasn’t happened at the Middle school for many years)
2) Parent/Teacher Connections (interviews)
3) Family Craft Night
4) Family Game Night
5) Other ideas from teachers to help get parents involved
We will also get parents feedback and input.
We need to do a survey to see if students think it made a difference in their behaviour.
We will also start a behaviour log to keep track of students’ behaviour.

School Name: Randerson Ridge Elementary

School District: SD#68 Nanaimo-Ladysmith

Inquiry Team Members:
Linda Baldwin: linda.baldwin@sd68.bc.ca
Nancy Burnham / Colton Goldsbury: nburnham@sd68.bc.ca
Darcy Riley: Darcey.Riley@sd68.bc.ca
Alana Lavery: alavery@sd68.bc.ca

Inquiry Team Contact Email: linda.baldwin@sd68.bc.ca

II. Inquiry Project Information

Type of Inquiry: NOIIE Case Study

Grade Levels Addressed Through Inquiry: Primary (K-3)

Curricular Areas Addressed: Language Arts – Oral Language, Social Studies

Focus Addressed: Indigenous understandings (for example, Traditional Knowledge, oral history, reconciliation), Community-based learning, Experiential learning, First Peoples Principles of Learning, Indigenous pedagogy, Inquiry-based learning, Land, Nature or Place-based learning, Self-regulation, Universal design for learning

In one sentence, what was your focus for the year? Providing authentic experiences to build knowledge and understanding of local Indigenous culture and their Worldview.

III. Spirals of Inquiry Details

Scanning: We asked the students the four key questions in the fall. We noticed that most of the students were connected to the adults in the building. We realized that there were a few key students that we needed to monitor and notice, and pay more attention to with respect to ensuring they were feeling included, supported, and confident with the learning. Overall though, we were very happy with the relationships that had been cultivated. We developed the inquiry question, “How does where we live, impact how we live?” This question was asked of the students at the beginning, along with “what is a Worldview?”, and “what are some key understandings that you have about our local Indigenous culture?” We recognized that the students had very little knowledge, and planned to build our year so that the learning was integrated across multiple content areas and authentic experiences with our Knowledge Keepers in the community, keeping in mind our First Peoples Principles of Learning. We also ensured that the OECD Principles of Learning were at the forefront of our planning, to ensure effective learning environments: 1) Learners at the Centre, so students could construct their learning through engagement and active exploration, 2) Social Nature of Learning – having well-organized co-operative learning opportunities, 3)Emotions Integral to Learning – recognizing that the motivation is closely tied to effective deep learning, and the connections made for enjoyment, 4) Recognizing Individual Differences – our students come with very varied levels of background knowledge and experiences outside of school, so it was important that we seek to provide experiences so that ALL students could build on knowledge from where they were at, 5) Stretching All Students – we planned for our experiences to go deep, focusing on critical thinking & communication, with 7) Horizontal Connections across topics in the social studies and science curriculum, and students interacting across classes, with multiple community partners, engaging in authentic learning, 6) Assessment for Learning was a key component along the way as we kept coming back to our Inquiry Question to see where the students were at in their learning, and what was next, layering and building on the learning as it was happening throughout the year.

Focus: We had Hul’qumi’num language for the first time this year at our school with Tsumqwatun, a local Knowledge Keeper. We want to build on this knowledge and learning experience and work on integrating Indigenous understandings more throughout our curriculum and teaching. We recognize the value in this authentic experience and noticed the engagement, interest and respect that the students gave to our Knowledge Keeper. We wanted to foster this momentum and learn alongside our students to grow our understanding by providing more land-based learning experiences. Our goal was to take our students to Saysutchun for a land-based cultural tour, and use the grant money to help supplement the cost of this experience. Our goal was for our students to gain deeper cultural knowledge, increase awareness of the Indigenous Worldviews and respect for the land, to support Truth & Reconciliation and environmental stewardship.

Hunch: We know that authentic experiences are effective for the ultimate learner environment. However, we also know that these experiences are very difficult to coordinate, so we often defer to classroom-based learning. Having Tsumqwatun in the school was a huge step in the right direction, as students were interacting regularly with Indigenous culture, learning the language and hearing his stories to gain understanding about Local Indigenous Worldview and Perspectives. They were learning how to listen intently through oral language, and his storytelling, about the land and all that was connected. Our hunch was that if we could provide this type of experience on the land, in an authentic environment, the learning would be that much richer. Student connection was high, and they were showing a real interest and demonstrated respect. We felt that the more knowledge and experience they gained, this group of students would/could grow to be advocates and true supporters of Truth and Reconciliation and stewards of the land.

New Professional Learning: The Professional Learning that was most effective was our learning alongside the students, especially during Hul’qumi’num language classes, listening to stories integrated with learning the language. “The Language comes from the land” – utilizing a variety of local resources and learning from our Knowledge Keepers (Snuneymuxw, Snaw-Naw-As and Stz’uminus First Nations). As one of the teachers involved in the Inquiry, I am a part of a district professional learning committee that has partnerships with key stakeholders in the school district. We are making plans to actualize our Syeyutsus Reconciliation Policy & Framework, and this process involves ongoing learning from our Knowledge Keepers, so that we can gain more understanding. We have been in the process of developing the Syeyutsus Learning Principles which will lay the foundation for learning across the district. Our hope is that we can make plans to provide authentic learning opportunities, so that teachers & administrators across the district can gain understandings and feel more confident integrating local Indigenous Worldview across the curriculum. We used many picture books and shared resources, including the My Seasonal Round (www.openschool.bc.ca), and Pearson Inquiring Minds – Our Ancestors Our Families, The Land is Our Home, Our Words Our Stories, Honouring our Ways. We also used the resource Sacred Gathering of the Freshwater and Saltwater – Coast Salish Art and stories at Beban Pool, which provided local Indigenous connections to our local landforms – Mount Benson, Departure Bay, and the Nanaimo Estuary. Teacher learning is the most important part, so that we can then “Notice & Name” features of the Indigenous Worldview when we are facilitating the learning with our students in the content areas of Landforms, Ecosystems, and Food Webs. We also watched the National Film Board Documentary Totem: The Return of the G’psgolox Pole, and Totem: Return and Renewal. This relatively local story helped to make a lot of connections for both teachers, and students. We watched in small sittings, and talked through parts to explicitly make the connections with the students, as they are only in Grade 3.

Taking Action: We used a year-long inquiry question, “How does where we live impact how we live?” to guide our work and integrated curriculum across the Science and Social Studies curriculum. In one of the classes we looked at the physical regions of Canada and students worked in collaborative groups to learn about their specific region. Students looked at the environment (land and climate), specific landforms, the ecosystem (animals & plants), and then applied this learning when they made connections to the Indigenous Groups that lived on the land and their ways of living and knowing. The strategies utilized, enabled students to make connections between concepts and comparison between the regions which really solidified a deeper understanding of the larger concept – connection to the land. We were very lucky to work with another teacher, who was able to support with extra rich discussions in the small groups. We worked hard to minimize writing and emphasized oral language – asking questions, sharing ideas, listening and taking risks in the small groups. Our goal was to culminate this learning in a land-based experience to Saysutchun. Unfortunately, planning was very challenging with such a large group. We would have had to take multiple ferries to accommodate numbers, and the timing was challenging with bus transportation and guide schedules. It would have been amazing to spend the day on the Island, a local landform with rich cultural significance in our local area and for the Snuneymuxw People. Instead, we were gifted the opportunity, by our local Elder, to go to Snaw-Naw-As Campsite and spend the day there. We were welcomed onto the territory and experienced stories of the local landforms, dancing, singing, and exploration of the beach ecosystem. The learning stations and authentic food were prepared and led by the local Elders. It was a lot of work organizing but the students were very privileged to have had this experience. After learning language from Tsumqwatun at Randerson all year, the 3 grade classes had a beautiful connection, and even greater respect and appreciation for the land after this experience at Snaw-Naw-As. We live on incredible land and are privileged to have the mountains and the water in our backyard; the students’ understanding of the landforms and ecosystem and all that is connected, gave them a much deeper respect for our environment and why it is so important to take care of it.

Checking: After the experience, we reflected on the knowledge that we gained and how it applied to that specific location. We also looked at the key features of the Indigenous Worldview and the students considered each one, and what they learned from their experiences (eg. What stories did they learn about the local landforms?”). With respect to the regions of Canada that the students studied in collaborative groups, we looked back on our Inquiry question. Students recognized how the land impacts how the people live, and how the climate and landforms impact the ecosystem, and the ways of the people (shelter, transportation, food, clothing, etc…). The students gained a broader understanding of how vast our country is, and how different it is across Canada. They recognize that the Indigenous groups in Canada are unique, but also have shared worldview connections. As students engaged in the competencies of both the Science and Social Studies curriculum, they compared and analyzed, and made inferences with new information. They made connections across their learning, as well as with their local environment, and community members. Although the implementation differed across the three classes, we believe that these three classes of grade 3 students have a solid understanding to build on as they continue to learn more about Indigenous understandings and perspectives in the years to come. We were very grateful to have some extra funds to help us with transportation, food costs, and honorariums so that we could show our respect to the Knowledge Keepers for their participation.

Reflections/Advice: Relationships played a huge part in being able to organize this field experience. Our resident Elder was a key resource in organizing and working with me to provide this opportunity for our three classes. Communication and protocols are important aspects to consider as part of the planning process. It is also important that the students are clear on the expectations and prepared to show respect for learning directly from the Indigenous Peoples. It is a learning journey and each authentic learning experience deepens understanding. Learning alongside students will build teacher confidence.

School Name: Esquimalt High School

School District: SD#61 Greater Victoria

Inquiry Team Members: Geoff Orme: gorme@sd61.bc.ca, Chantal Peppin: cpeppin@sd61.bc.ca, Rachel Treblico rtrebilco@sd61.bc.ca, Cheryl Nigh cnigh@sd61.bc.ca, Kai Barker: kbarker@sd61.bc.ca, Jennifer Treble: jtreble@sd61.bc.ca

Inquiry Team Contact Email: sgarr@sd61.bc.ca

II. Inquiry Project Information

Type of Inquiry: NOIIE Transitions Study

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

Curricular Areas Addressed: Other: Cross Curricular

Focus Addressed: Growth mindset, Inclusion and inclusive instructional strategies, Social and emotional learning, Transitions

In one sentence, what was your focus for the year? To support Indigenous student success (academic, social/emotional) by increasing the sense of belonging and connection.

III. Spirals of Inquiry Details

Scanning: Through our scanning process, our learners told us that feeling connected to their teachers was important, before they were able to engage with content/curriculum. They also identified a need to see purpose, meaning and relevancy in what they are learning in their classes. Students were able to identify what aspects made them feel more connected to the school, including relationships to staff, relationships with peers and the physical structure of the building/classrooms.

Focus: Following the pandemic, we are looking for strategies to re-engage students and families with the school. Attendance continues to be a concern, as well as some challenging behaviours. By focusing on relationships and connections, we were hoping to improve attendance and ultimately, improve rates of successful class completion and feelings of belonging.

Hunch: Our hunch was that we needed to provide intentional dedicated time for teachers to build relationships with students.

New Professional Learning:
– Learning from other NOIIE teams through reviewing case studies.
– It was helpful to provide time to release teachers.

Taking Action: We created a “Raft class” which is essentially a Home Room/Advisory block that meets once a week for Grade 9s. A Raft is a collective of otters – our school mascot. The sole purpose of “Raft” is to provide time for teachers to build connections/relationships with students. Grade 9 students remained with the same Raft teacher for the entire year. Activities included a focus on team building, goal setting and fun!

Checking: We will need to track our current Grade 9s to fully understand the impact that this year’s Raft class has made. We administered a survey at the beginning of the school year, as well as in May, as an indicator. Our hope is to continue Raft classes next year, continuing to refine this structure as a supportive measure for our Grade 9s.

Reflections/Advice: It is important to provide release time for staff to meet with each other and to plan.

School Name: Pemberton Secondary School

School District: SD#48 Sea to Sky

Inquiry Team Members:
Steve Evans: sevans@sd48.bc.ca
Emma Mulling: emullings@sd48.bc.ca
Vania Stager: vstager@sd48.bc.ca
Vivian Zhou: vzhou@sd48.bc.ca

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

II. Inquiry Project Information

Type of Inquiry: NOIIE Transitions 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, Science, Social Studies, Other: Indigenous Education

Focus Addressed: Indigenous understandings (for example, Traditional Knowledge, oral history, reconciliation), Community-based learning, Core competencies (for example, critical thinking, communication, problem solving), First Peoples Principles of Learning, Flexible learning, Inclusion and inclusive instructional strategies, Indigenous pedagogy, Land, Nature or Place-based learning, Social and emotional learning, Transitions

In one sentence, what was your focus for the year? Listening to students, staff and community voices on how structural and relational issues at our school continue to foster divisions and reinforce disconnection and disengagement amongst marginalized learners.

III. Spirals of Inquiry Details

Scanning: We started the transitions project several years ago. We scanned for areas of focus and identified these areas – elementary to middle school, middle school to grade 10 and high school to post secondary. We recognized that we also had significant divisions within our school, which become reinforced by programs of choice (French Immersion, Outdoor Ed. 10 and Ski Bike Board Academy) and senior academics. These programs/classes had/have lower participation from Indigenous students that constitute approximately 30% of the school. This limited choice in the post secondary transition.

Year 1:
We initially focused on the transition from elementary (SHE) to middle school by building more connections with SHE. We shifted to a strength-based approach and student voice in our middle school with less emphasis placed on grades and more emphasis on reflection and relationships. Structures in program design supported diverse classrooms with immersion and non-immersion students blended wherever possible. Grade 8 and 9s were in classes together allowing for intentional grouping which supported relationships and diversity. The middle school teachers worked together as a team and that had a positive effect on belonging and the middle school identity.

Year 2:
our main focus was on decolonizing and using the local Lilwat principles of learning and the First Peoples Principles. We also had diverse math classes with all students taking Math 10 FPC in an inclusive strength-based class. Anecdotally, this resulted in more diverse senior math and science classes, and more post secondary options. These changes were not consistent across the board in the Social Sciences, but the integration of a class on Social Justice and Indigenous Studies 12 assisted in opening up new academic pathways. We found that using these frameworks really worked well, and it helped with trying to centre lessons around a less colonial approach to learning. We had limited ISW cultural support this year, so it was helpful to focus on using the framework to decolonize rather than try to Indigenize the content. We were mindful of tokenism.

Year 3 (2023-24):
In our final year of this transitions project, we were encouraged to dig deeper and scale up. Our scan revealed that we had the biggest issue with students transitioning to grade 10. Our hunch was that if students were successful in grade 10, they were successful overall. When students struggled to complete classes in grade 10, it was hard to fix. We collaborated with ISWs, teachers, youth care workers, students, counsellors, admin and district staff to try to better understand the issue. We focused on voices from the margins.

Focus: Our biggest area of focus was seeking to practice what Dr. Lorna Williams has explained as “watchful listening”. This was especially important in order to show up in a good way and move at the speed of relationships, to engage in the complexities of diverse student and staff needs. There are no quick fixes, so we chose to follow a path of critical reflection which created some safe places to foster generative forms of vulnerability amongst a safe group of colleagues.

Hunch:

1) Students that have difficulty in the transition to grade 10 become increasingly disconnected as they continue to move through future grades. This shows up through attendance data, grades and student connection/engagement. If we can maintain connection and engagement for learners through the grade 10 transition, it sets them up for a more positive path and experience in school.

2) Student learning and teacher wellness and engagement are intricately linked. Meaningful staff collaboration is a force multiplier.

New Professional Learning: We felt the new learning that came out of our many NOIIE meetings/workshops, informal/formal collaborations and other school learning initiatives really supported our growth as individual teachers, and as a small team. It helped us to understand the importance of being kinder, more understanding and better at meeting students where they were at. This included doing a better job at making space for student voice and agency. A shift to more emphasis on student self reflection and self assessment (Katie White) seemed to really help support students have a greater sense of control over their learning. We found that students did much better in terms of output in this model. In terms of scaling up, we discussed and shared our assessment tools with other staff members. We also tried to advocate for more understanding of complex situations at a grassroots level, such as SBT meetings. We had several meetings with admin to share our findings and discuss possible ways forward; of particular note was our participation in both the November NOIIE workshop and the spring NOIIE Symposium. During the symposium, two additional staff from our school attended, which had a profound impact on ‘scaling up’ the work. The NOIIE conference was uplifting and reminded us of the power of “better together”. It was encouraging to see such good work and feel connected to other educators in BC and learn from them. There was a sense of making space for authentic learning, connecting to the land, listening, making space for voice and joy in celebration.

Taking Action: We considered whether the areas of difficulty and changes we could make were structural or relational. We appreciated that students were in the hallways, but they really did want an education. Often they had no idea why they couldn’t attend class that day. Their reasons for avoiding class were highly complex. The timetable didn’t always support their needs, as in grade 10 it is heavily dictated by the Outdoor Ed Program/French Immersion, and can leave some students behind. Some grade 10 students struggled in an academic grade 12 class, for example, because their timetable options were limited. It was apparent that when students had difficulties in one class, this had repercussions for their other classes. Some of these mismatched classes could have quite a negative effect. We noticed that there was a break in the continuity of relationships in our small school for many students as they transitioned to grade 10 (most of the middle school teachers didn’t teach grade 10).

It was recognized that some students in grade 10 could benefit from a new wrap around approach. Middle school is generally working well in terms of belonging, and something similar to the middle school program could benefit students. Grade 10 generally doesn’t have many options, so in theory this should be possible. However, timetabling difficulties from the Outdoor Ed Program and FI make this extremely difficult. Next year, one class of STEM 10 (science and math year long) is being piloted to see if that better supports students. A new blended STEM 11/12 and HUM 11/12 is also being offered, with an emphasis on relationships, belonging and engagement.

Checking: We are proud of the work and collaboration we did amidst a highly complex situation. As is consistently the case, this is a long-term and ongoing process. It is evident that the work we did touched many individual students in positive ways and fostered positive relationships. However, we continue to seek ways to ‘scale up’ this initiative to incorporate more structural shifts and a level of momentum that extends beyond our inquiry team.

Reflections/Advice: Next steps:

-Work collaboratively with new PSS admin and ILT staff
-Expand the application of the Local Education Agreement with Lil’wat Nation to guide learning
-Implement meaningful land-based learning initiative in collaboration with Lil’wat Nation and N’quatqua (in the works)
-Increase connection, engagement and inclusivity in grade 10 through structural means