School Name: Kwantlen Park Secondary

School District: SD#36 Surrey

Inquiry Team Members: Brian Tait – tait_brian@surreyschools.ca
Julie Occelshaw – occelshaw@surreyschools.ca
Mandy Gander – gander_M@ Surreyschools.ca
Monique Prevost – prevost_M@surreyschools.ca
Joan Scarff – scarff_j@surreyschools.ca

Inquiry Team Contact Email: tait_brian@surreyschools.ca

II. Inquiry Project Information

Type of Inquiry: Indigenous Education Impact Initiative

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

Curricular Areas Addressed: Other: Connections and Transitions

Focus Addressed: Other: Transitions and connections

In one sentence, what was your focus for the year? We are focusing on connections and transitions through the four modes of engagement: Explorer, Achiever, Passenger and Resister. How do we switch back to Explorer/Achiever from Passenger/Resister (just like the early years of school).

III. Spirals of Inquiry Details

Scanning: We used the S of I questions to sit down with a sample of our Indigenous Learners (20%). We noticed our senior students had a greater belief that the adults in the community believed in them, supported them and had a deeper understanding of their learning. Senior students expressed appreciation for a staff member’s encouragement to explore the available options. Younger students seemed to have a more powerful intrinsic drive to succeed, but did not feel that there was external support for their personal success.

Relationships take time to form.

Focus: We focused on connections and transitions. We are hoping to see a greater number of students walking across our stage with more opportunities available to them as they leave high school.

Hunch: We think that we need to find creative means to increase opportunities for transition and accumulation of graduate requirements.

Reflections for Year 1: Time is the most significant factor in relationships, connections and transitions, yet also a pressure that the students feel. 5 Years is a long time. We have noticed a positive impact of early transitions programs and opportunities.

Plans for Year 2: We are planning to incorporate the 4 modes of engagement to assist with our focus, assess our learners and opportunities for engagement.

School Name: A.J. Elliott Elementary

School District: SD#85 Vancouver Island North

Inquiry Team Members: Melody Watson: mwatson@sd85.bc.ca, MJ Krkosek: mkrkosek@sd85.bc.ca, Serena Lansdowne: slansdowne@sd85.bc.ca, Anca Frase: afraser@sd85.bc.ca, Kathy Hamilton: khamilton@sd85.bc.ca

Inquiry Team Contact Email: mwatson@sd85.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: Applied Design, skills & Technology, Career Education

Focus Addressed: Core competencies (for example, critical thinking, communication, problem solving), Land, Nature or Place-based learning, Self-regulation

In one sentence, what was your focus for the year? Our focus for the year was to expand hands-on, ADST-based learning opportunities across the curriculum to increase student engagement, resilience, and problem-solving through authentic “learning by doing.”

III. Spirals of Inquiry Details

Scanning: Our scanning process drew on the Student Engagement Survey, student interviews, classroom observations, and self-reflections. The two key questions (“What are you learning?” and “Why is it important?”) guided our discussions with students. We also incorporated the OECD Principles of Learning and the First Peoples Principles of Learning by centering student voice, connecting learning to place, and emphasizing social and emotional dimensions of learning.

Survey and interview results indicated that students are most engaged when learning is active and hands-on. They listed Genius Hour, Makerspace, carpentry, cooking, sewing, and outdoor education as highlights. While 97% reported interest in at least one learning area, engagement was inconsistent for students experiencing stress or mental health challenges. Our Growing Innovation Grant further highlighted the value of consistent Makerspace use in building persistence, problem-solving, and collaboration across the school.

Focus: We focused on expanding the integration of ADST across the curriculum to increase student engagement, resilience, and problem-solving. By embedding hands-on, “learning by doing” opportunities such as Makerspace, STEAM challenges, and Genius Hour, we hoped to strengthen not only academic learning but also social-emotional well-being.

Hunch: We believed that decreased access to collaborative, hands-on learning during the pandemic negatively affected engagement and mental health. Our hunch was that intentional integration of ADST opportunities, particularly through a school Makerspace, would increase resilience, persistence, and joy in learning.

New Professional Learning: Explored best practices for creating and sustaining a school Makerspace.

Learned from the UBC Growing Innovation Grant cohort and from other schools implementing similar inquiries.

Invited community members with specific expertise (e.g., sewing) to enrich student experiences.

Shared ADST strategies in monthly staff meetings, fostering collaboration.

Continued to gather resources and tools, while aligning practices with the First Peoples Principles of Learning.

Through the grant, we also reflected on how making directly supports both academic and social-emotional growth, leading us to be more intentional in designing learning opportunities.

Taking Action: Expanded project-based and place-based learning, including outdoor and garden projects.

Implemented Genius Hour every second month.

Continued development of the Makerspace, including extracurricular use (Maker Club).

Embedded the Try–Learn–Fail cycle and growth mindset strategies into classroom culture.

Offered STEAM challenges, carpentry, textiles, cooking, and coding.

Partnered with community members to share traditional and modern skills.

Used staff collaboration time to share resources and plan ADST integration.

Checking: Evidence included student engagement surveys, interviews, and reflections, as well as anecdotal classroom observations.

Student Engagement Survey: 88% reported being interested in at least one learning area, 88% felt supported by peers, and 88% felt comfortable asking adults for help.

Observations: Students persisted through challenges, returned eagerly to multi-week projects, and used growth mindset language.

Student reflections/interviews: Students described learning new tools, problem-solving frustrations, mentoring others, and feeling proud of their creations.

Staff feedback: Teachers noted deeper integration of hands-on learning across subjects and greater collaboration among colleagues.

While we saw strong gains in student engagement and resilience, some mental health challenges remain, reminding us that engagement is one piece of a larger well-being picture.

Reflections/Advice: We learned that student engagement thrives when learning is active, collaborative, and tied to real-world contexts. Makerspace work, supported by the Growing Innovation Grant, accelerated our progress in embedding ADST across the curriculum and cultivating a MakerMindset in our students.

Next steps include:

Expanding the Makerspace as a central hub for creativity, SEL, and innovation.

Deepening community partnerships to connect students with local expertise.

Strengthening our use of First Peoples Principles of Learning through place-based projects and cultural knowledge.

Building on Genius Hour and Maker Club to ensure sustained opportunities for student-directed learning.

Advice to other schools: Start small but be consistent. Makerspace and ADST work is not just about tools and technology, it is about fostering resilience, collaboration, and joy in learning. By embedding growth mindset language and providing opportunities for authentic making, schools can transform engagement and culture.

School Name: Maquinna Elementary School

School District: SD#70 Pacific Rim

Inquiry Team Members: Sheena Falconer: sfalconer@sd70.bc.ca
Diana Olson: dolson1@sd70.bc.ca
Tannis Seredick: tseredick@sd70.bc.ca
Alex Tom: atom@sd70.bc.ca

Inquiry Team Contact Email: sfalconer@sd70.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: Not applicable

Focus Addressed: Indigenous Focus (for example, Traditional Knowledge, oral history, reconciliation)

In one sentence, what was your focus for the year? Creating joyful and engaging opportunities for our school community to connect with Nuu-chah-nulth culture to create deeper understanding.

III. Spirals of Inquiry Details

Scanning: We asked Grade 4 and 7 students in two classes the key questions. We also asked individual students. We learned that our students wanted to have deeper connections with nature and culture. They strongly desired the opportunity to come together as a school and be able to eat together in an outdoor picnic and enjoy activities together as a means of building relationships with one another. They also expressed the desire to have more culture and language embedded into the school community. We used the First People’s Principles of Learning through honouring the role of Indigenous knowledge, generational understanding, and recognizing that time and patience are important.

Focus: After listening to the voices of our students, we thought we could engage in three different ways. We hoped to increase Nuu-chah-nulth language into our community in a fun and engaging way. We came up with the Nuu-chah-nulth Word of the Week. Students would announce a Nuu-chah-Nulth word in Monday announcements and the student body would attempt to come up with the meaning of the word, through discussion, educator support, and sometimes clues that were placed throughout the school. Students who came up with the correct meaning were asked to say the word in Nuu-chah-nulth and provide the meaning. This allowed them to participate in a weekly draw for prizes. We hoped this activity would help to integrate Nuu-chah-nulth language into the school in a positive way.

Secondly, as our school is located near a network of trails, we thought we could incorporate the desire for more nature by making Nuu-chah-nulth plant identification cards throughout the trail system.

Lastly, we thought we could incorporate the students’ desire for an outdoor picnic with National Indigenous Day. This would allow us to create a sense of belonging while embedding culture into the school community. We wanted to create a feeling of connectedness for our learners.

Hunch: Our hunch was that if we started creating joyful and fun ways to integrate Nuu-chah-nulth culture into the school community, students and educators would enjoy participating and lead to more culture being embedded into the school.

New Professional Learning: We focused on learning about the Spirals of Inquiry for our Professional Learning. We used the Leading Through Spirals of Inquiry: For Equity and Quality (2022) and The Spiral Playbook (2017) to learn how to use the Spirals of Inquiry process. This was new to us and we spent time understanding the process. It was a different process than most of us had used before, and we found it informative and interesting to be part of something that was so responsive to student voice. We also found the learning bursts very helpful. It was good to connect with our district team and receive their support as we worked through this new way of thinking.

Taking Action: We focused on three strategies: Nuu-chah-nulth Word of the Week, Trail Signage, and a National Indigenous Day Feast.
1. Nuu-chah-nulth Word of the Week: each week we came up with a week (usually one that had some significance for that week, ie spring, end of school) and a student volunteer would give the word of the week out over our Monday morning announcements. One of our team members would then share the word with the teachers, letting them know how to pronounce it, and the meaning. We would also put visual clues around the school. At recess and lunch recess, students would find one of our two team members and tell us the meaning of the word. They would also be asked to pronounce the word. Participating students had their names placed in a draw and each week three students would receive a small prize. We found that 130 students participated and most of them participated each and every week. At the end of the year, we realized that due to the number of students participating, some of them had participated every time and had never received a prize, so we offered prizes to everyone who had participated regularly. The students really enjoyed this activity and would run toward us every Monday to let us know they knew the word. We hope to both continue on and expand on this strategy next year to reach more students.

2. Trail signage: We had hoped to put Nuu-chah-nulth plant identification markers and signposts in the trails near our school, but ran into difficulties early as it wasn’t our property and there were a number of steps that need to occur prior to putting up signage in that area. We will continue to work on this project, but it will be much more involved than putting up signs, as it will involve other agencies.

3. National Indigenous Day Feast – this strategy was a great success. The feast was a whole school activity. We invited families and community members to our school for National Indigenous Day to take part in a feast and cultural activities. We started with an opening ceremony with a Nuu-chah-nulth guest speaker who involved the students in learning a new Nuu-chah-nulth song. We prepared and served salmon, bannock, salads, and desserts for the families. We had 41 student volunteers from Grades 5, 6, and 7 who helped out with activities. The activities that we offered included a game called Stealing Sticks, basketball, Lahal, drumming circle, Elder’s storytelling, Metis dot art, Metis weaving, Shrink wrap art, and stencil painting (local Nuu-chah-nulth stencils). Elders and community members supported this activity through providing knowledge and understanding, as well as ensuring we followed correct protocols. We closed the event by all coming together to sing our district song, that was gifted to us by Aaron Watts. The students and staff were very pleased with the event and it will become an annual event at our school. In the future, we will be able to create more detailed and better activities and also showcase school culture in a much better way.

Checking: In terms of the Nuu-chah-nulth Word of the Week, we felt that we could have provided more information to educators to help them feel comfortable pronouncing the Nuu-chah-nulth words, so we hope to incorporate that into next year. The feast was definitely an example of Spiral of Inquiry in action! We were acting on the voices of our students in terms of creating this type of event, and acting on a hunch that it would help create that feeling of connection that the students were desiring. The students said they really enjoyed the day and have asked to become more involved in the future by showcasing their culture in different ways, for example, leading Lahal games, singing and dancing. Students are already planning for next year. We intend to support this in the upcoming year by starting earlier so we can ensure that all the correct protocols are followed. Staff have also expressed an interest in having their classes participate through sharing Nuu-chah-nulth learning. We noticed that a number of Indigenous families attended the event, and we hope to expand upon this in the future. It was a great learning experience for everyone involved, and there are many complexities that can be explored in upcoming years.

Reflections/Advice: We learned about the value of learning how to utilize Spirals of Inquiry and the effectiveness of this approach. We learned that there is a great desire within our students to celebrate their culture in meaningful ways that provide a sense of belonging and connection. We plan to continue with all three strategies in the upcoming year. The feast was a big undertaking for our school, but it was so worth it!

School Name: Bamfield Community School

School District: SD#70 Pacific Rim

Inquiry Team Members: rschmitt@sd70.bc.ca
lcheyne@sd70.bc.ca
aaltorf@sd70.bc.ca
dnickel@sd70.bc.ca
jbradley@sd70.bc.ca

Inquiry Team Contact Email: rschmitt@sd70.bc.ca

II. Inquiry Project Information

Type of Inquiry: NOIIE Case Study

Grade Levels Addressed Through Inquiry: Primary (K-3), Intermediate (4-7), Secondary (8-12)

Curricular Areas Addressed:

Focus Addressed: Other: Student Engagement

In one sentence, what was your focus for the year? To create trauma-sensitive, engaging learning environments that fostered safety, connection, and increased student participation.

III. Spirals of Inquiry Details

Scanning: During the scanning phase, our team explored the Spirals of Inquiry process together and used the key questions “What’s going on for our learners?” and “How do we know?” to guide observations, conversations, and an online student survey. We learned that many students felt disconnected from school, with high levels of stress and negative attitudes toward learning, often linked to trauma. Our approach was grounded in the OECD Principles of Learning, especially the importance of learner well-being, engagement, and the social nature of learning, as well as the First Peoples Principles of Learning, which emphasize relationality, emotional safety, and respect for the whole child.

Focus: We chose to focus on making school feel safer and more engaging because many of our students were showing signs of stress, disconnection, and negative attitudes toward learning. We hoped to create a learning environment where students felt emotionally and physically safe, supported in regulating themselves, and more willing to participate in meaningful learning experiences. Ultimately, we wanted to build a school culture that fosters belonging, confidence, and curiosity.

Hunch: Our hunch was that many of our students’ negative experiences with school were linked to past and ongoing trauma, which affected their ability to feel safe, regulated, and ready to learn. We also believed that some traditional school structures—such as rigid routines, individual online learning, and limited flexibility—were not meeting their emotional or learning needs, and may have been contributing to their disengagement.

New Professional Learning: We focused on trauma-sensitive practices, restorative approaches, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and play-based instruction. Key resources included Open School BC’s Trauma-Sensitive Schools modules and Dr. Ross Greene’s Collaborative & Proactive Solutions. We supported colleagues through collaborative planning and sharing strategies to enhance whole-class engagement and inclusive learning.

Taking Action: Our team implemented trauma-sensitive strategies across the environment, instruction, and relationships. We created flexible seating and soft alternative learning areas, used softer lighting, reduced noise, and established predictable routines across classrooms. Daily outdoor activities—including gardening, multiple outdoor recesses (rain or shine), and Forest Fridays—helped students connect with nature and provided unstructured play opportunities. Accessible adult support was available throughout the day to assist learners.

Instructionally, we introduced common restorative practice routines school-wide and expanded play-based learning opportunities. Secondary students engaged in literature circles, and we partnered with North Island College for virtual reality (VR) learning. We also incorporated robotics and STEM learning experiences to further engage students. Our primary writing focus included consistent routines, structured scaffolds, and joyful writing activities to build foundational skills and boost confidence. We expanded whole-class, multigrade teaching experiences and collaboratively planned and installed an Indigenous Medicine Garden.

Relationally, we emphasized co-regulation and emotional safety by prioritizing student-teacher relationships. We regularly used restorative circles to build community and address conflict, implemented student-led check-ins and class circle meetings, and provided time and space for reflection and re-entry after conflict. Consistent language and scripts for repairing harm were used to support healing. Staff shared a common understanding and received training to align restorative approaches school-wide.

Checking: We have seen positive changes, including increased student participation, more consistent use of regulation strategies, and shifts in student language and attitudes toward school. Primary students are showing greater confidence and willingness to take risks in writing, while secondary students are more engaged in whole-class learning activities. These observations, along with ongoing reflections, serve as our evidence of progress. While we recognize there is still work to be done, we are satisfied with the positive momentum and the direction our efforts have taken so far.

Reflections/Advice: Through this inquiry, we learned the importance of creating trauma-sensitive and engaging learning environments that prioritize emotional safety, strong relationships, and inclusive practices. We saw that intentional changes to environment, instruction, and relationships can positively impact student engagement and well-being, but these shifts require ongoing commitment and collaboration.

Moving forward, we plan to continue refining trauma-informed and Universal Design for Learning practices, deepen restorative approaches, strengthen early writing instruction, expand whole-class teaching methods, and increase family and community involvement to build a truly connected school culture.

Our advice to other schools is to take time to listen deeply to students’ experiences, involve the entire school community in the process, and embrace flexibility in structures and teaching approaches. Building shared understanding among staff and fostering relationships are key foundations for lasting change.

School Name: Hugh Boyd Secondary

School District: SD#38 Richmond

Inquiry Team Members: Adam Thorvaldson: athorvaldson@sd38.bc.ca, Pat Rooney: prooney@sd38.bc.ca

Inquiry Team Contact Email: athorvaldson@sd38.bc.ca

II. Inquiry Project Information

Type of Inquiry: NOIIE Case Study

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

Curricular Areas Addressed:

Focus Addressed: Self-regulation

In one sentence, what was your focus for the year? What are students’ perspectives on how hands-on project work will take them in the future.

III. Spirals of Inquiry Details

Scanning: Students were asked the questions directly at the beginning of the semester & again at the end of the semester. Students were asked to what degree they felt more supported, less supported or the same amount of support by adults with respect to the questions.

Focus: What are students’ perspectives on how hands-on project work will take them in the future? The hope is that students realize that hands-on skills will help them in their lives both at home & at work.

Hunch: Our hunch is that hands-on learning gives students perspective on life skills that will help them in the future. Students may or may not find these skills useful in their lives or in their job in the future. We wonder if they feel this way.

New Professional Learning: In the course these students are taking, they learn a little bit about how house framing, electrical & plumbing is done. We would like to learn if the students feel they would be better served by learning other hands-on skills. We learned that students also enjoyed other trades-related subjects like roofing & welding.

Taking Action: We learned about & used a hands-on approach to trying out a wide range of work/trade skills in the class. Specifically, we built sheds using framing, roofing, sheet metal, painting, carpentry, electrical & plumbing trade skills.

Photo Descriptions: Learners at Hugh Boyd Secondary in Richmond build sheds to learn hands-on, skills that may be useful in their future lives, both at work & at home. These are the sheds that they completed. (Click for larger image).

Checking: We used the finished product as evidence of change. Not satisfied… Our ability to emulate what can be found in the workplace is limited by not being able to provide the tools & equipment that is found in the workplace. School workshops do not have the equipment available to adequately copy what happens in an industry workshop. E.g. One welder is not enough to teach a class of 24 students welding…

Reflections/Advice: Teaching trades/applied skills is an expensive endeavour. We plan to monetize the projects we build with students. E.g. sell sheds, sell boats. We plan to apply for grants wherever we can find them to get equipment for the workshop so that we can provide an education that more closely matches what is happening in industry.

School Name: Rock City Elementary

School District: SD#68 Nanaimo-Ladysmith

Inquiry Team Members: Rachelle Neave, rachelle.neave@sd68.bc.ca; Krista Betts, kbetts@sd68.bc.ca; jamie.shewaga, jamie.shewaga@sd68.bc.ca; Jennifer Schmidt, jschmidt@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)

Focus Addressed: Literacy

In one sentence, what was your focus for the year? Using UFLI as a foundation, we explored ways to strengthen students’ knowledge of phonics and other reading skills and investigate how this practice can influence spelling and writing capabilities.

III. Spirals of Inquiry Details

Scanning: Last year, the primary teachers started their journey with UFLI as they were finding students were struggling with phonics, and some teachers were new to teaching primary. They found that many students were able to apply the concepts in their reading but not always in their writing, especially for students in the upper primary/lower intermediate grades who are past the ‘invented spelling’ stage. They also noticed that some of these students were ready to move beyond phonics and into morphology and more complex reading comprehension skills. We use the First Peoples Principles of Learning, “Learning is holistic, reflexive, reflective, experiential and relational” in that UFLI was only one small part of their literacy learning and that there were many other pieces.

Focus: UFLI not only provided a structure for teachers to follow but also a predictable routine for students with lessons and activities that met them in their Zone of Proximal Development; however, we wanted to find ways for students to apply this knowledge in other aspects of their learning, particularly in their writing.

Hunch: Our hunch is that students needed more time and practice with reading and writing more voraciously. They also needed explicit instruction with spelling and morphology skills. We also felt that teachers needed more professional development and time to collaborate.

New Professional Learning: We explored the Island Literacy Network Writing Continuum. Our Literacy Coordinator was able to build capacity by demonstrating and helping teachers set up programs such as Reading Rev for Intermediate Spelling, 6 Minute Solution for Fluency, Lexia for online literacy and UFLI.

Taking Action: The new strategies that we implemented this year that supported our literacy goals were:

• Introducing morphology concepts to all students above and beyond UFLI, especially since many of the students who are in upper primary/lower intermediate were ready to move on from being taught specific phonics concepts. We used the UFLI phonics words from the unit taught that week and expanded the word by adding prefixes and suffixes and discussed their meaning and structure. This both challenged their learning and taught them new skills on how to decode longer words
• Spent time investigating vocabulary and phonics concepts to enhance knowledge and comprehension. We did this by working on antonyms, synonyms, and definitions of words.
• We implemented the “6-Minute Reading Solution” after noticing that students’ fluency wasn’t increasing half-way through the year. This involved similar-ability reading partners reading grade-level passages out loud to each other and tracking their Words Correct Per Minute (WCPM) every day, each week.

Checking: We utilized the district’s reading assessments, including the Primary Assessment of Reading Screener (PARS) and the Intermediate Reading Screener, to evaluate students’ reading abilities. PARS focuses on phonics concepts and reading fluency, while the Intermediate Reading Screener assesses oral reading fluency and comprehension through maze tasks.

Our analysis revealed that 90% of students are reading at or above grade level. Importantly, all students demonstrated improvement since the fall assessment period. To monitor spelling progress, we conducted weekly assessments at the conclusion of each UFLI Foundations and morphology unit, typically on Fridays. These assessments indicated notable enhancements in students’ encoding skills. Students who engaged in additional practice at home showed superior results, underscoring the value of consistent exposure and reinforcement in mastering spelling words.

Using the one-minute oral reading fluency assessment at the beginning, middle and end of year, we were able to see their reading fluency levels increase (WCPM, accuracy and prosody). We also noticed that as fluency levels increased, comprehension increased. This was measured and observed through the maze comprehension.

Reflections/Advice: We will continue to use UFLI for our primary grades but would like to expand our professional development in phonics and morphology programs in the intermediate grades or for kids that have moved beyond phonics. We would also like to incorporate more fluency practice throughout the school, as we noticed how much this helped with students’ reading comprehension.

School Name: Horse Lake Elementary

School District: SD#27 Cariboo-Chilcotin

Inquiry Team Members: Lisa Pugh and Vanessa Rehbein

Inquiry Team Contact Email: lisa.pugh@sd27.bc.ca

II. Inquiry Project Information

Type of Inquiry: Numeracy & Literacy Project

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

Curricular Areas Addressed:

Focus Addressed: Indigenous Focus (for example, Traditional Knowledge, oral history, reconciliation), Literacy, Land, Nature or Place-based learning

In one sentence, what was your focus for the year? To increase student engagement and sense of belonging through combining hands-on, outdoor, land-based learning and literacy/stories related to that learning.

III. Spirals of Inquiry Details

Scanning: We noticed through scanning (observations, student work, and questioning) that students were not as engaged with learning about the plants and their properties for ceremony, medicine, technology and food as we originally thought. We had hands-on field trips and worked with plants in our garden, but the engagement (motivation and desire to learn and participate) was less than anticipated. We decided to add stories both contemporary and traditional to the pedagogy (oral and in print) with the thought that stories would increase connections to the learning. The F.P.P.L. states that “learning is embedded in memory, history, and story” and with this in mind we began our inquiry with this questions: “Will the use of stories increase student engagement related to outdoor, land-based Indigenous plant learning?”

Focus: A sense of belonging is key to student success (for all students Indigenous and non-Indigenous) and engagement goes hand in hand with belonging. You have to feel like you belong to engage and if you hear and see relevant stories related to your life, culture and experiences then you might be more interested in learning.

Hunch: We have been adopting hands-on, outdoor land/water-based curriculum and pedagogy for the past four years and have seen increased engagement and a sense of belonging, but this fall we noticed less engagement with the plants.

New Professional Learning: We explored new literacy resources in text, from students and from online and book oral recordings. We found the texts that involved stories of harvesting and collecting, as well as Indigenous plant recipes for teas and medicines, got the most interest from students. We had times when we would turn off all the lights and lay down and listen to Elder told oral stories from CD’s and from books.

Taking Action:
– Student to student partner and group reading of Indigenous texts
– Teacher-led read-alouds of stories
– Online and CD oral stories
– Personal stories told by students, EA’s and teachers related to plants and on-land experiences

Checking: We saw students engaged in listening and reading Indigenous stories about plants and the land, and we observed students with a high level of engagement related to telling their own stories about land/plant-based experiences. Some students talked about recipes they wanted to make related to plant books we had looked at. This was satisfying and made us believe we were on the right track infusing Indigenous literacy with our science-based curriculum.

Reflections/Advice: We learned that wholistic learning is more engaging than learning about one particular thing. For example, Indigenous plant identification and uses needs to be approached through hands-on experiences, but also it should be married with text and oral story literacy-based learning to engage learners more fully.

School Name: Brechin Elementary

School District: SD#68 Nanaimo-Ladysmith

Inquiry Team Members: Olga Poyner, olga.poyner@sd68.bc.ca; Anna Bedard, anna.bedard@sd68.bc.ca; Tony Elliot, telliot@sd68.bc.ca; Courtney Hill, courtney.hill@sd68.bc.ca

Inquiry Team Contact Email: Wendy.Robertson@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:

Focus Addressed: Indigenous Focus (for example, Traditional Knowledge, oral history, reconciliation)

In one sentence, what was your focus for the year? Can creating art, specifically Indigenous art, be a vehicle for our most vulnerable Indigenous students and their families to connect with our school communities?

III. Spirals of Inquiry Details

Scanning: We observed that some of our Indigenous learners had inconsistent attendance. We assumed that perhaps students did not feel connected to their school which could stem from the intergenerational trauma of residential schools. As we derived one of our school-goals based on observations of Indigenous students (e.g. poor attendance, lack of motivation, academic performance), it became apparent that many of our students were struggling.

Focus: We recognize the deep connection Indigenous peoples have with their culture, particularly through art. Our goal was to help these students feel a stronger sense of belonging and to see that they could make a meaningful contribution to our school community by working collaboratively on an art project. We also hoped that this experience would encourage more consistent school attendance.

Hunch: In conversations with our Indigenous Student and Cultural Support Worker (ISCSW), we were reminded of the intergenerational trauma from Residential schools and that many families do not feel connected to our schools. In the past, we had used whole-school Indigenous art projects and we saw the most positive student responses when they created art. We decided to use this model with this particular group of students.

New Professional Learning: We relied on our District Indigenous support teachers to guide us in our professional learning. They guided us through Indigenous cultural activities such as talking circles, lacrosse, drumming and building a fire to smoke salmon. We also learned to create cultural art: two of our District Indigenous teachers support staff came to a school-based Pro-D Day, so that each staff member could make their own drum and stick. The next step is to have another session where we will paint the drum. Our district also dedicated a Curriculum Instructional Day where teachers participated in a workshop on weaving and learned to play a drumming song that was gifted to our district. These workshops helped us become more connected with the culture. Having this opportunity to immerse ourselves in Indigenous culture and activities helped us to better understand the deep connection Indigenous peoples have with art.

Taking Action: A few years ago, our intermediate teachers engaged in an inquiry focused on using art as a means of connection with their Indigenous students. As part of this work, they created a collaborative art project using large wooden panels, which are now proudly displayed in our school gym. The project received very positive feedback from students, helping them feel seen and represented within the school.

Inspired by this success, we hoped to continue finding ways to support students who may feel disconnected from our school community and to encourage greater attendance and engagement. Following a meeting with our School-Based Team, the idea of hosting a weekly cultural night emerged. The goal was to create a welcoming space for community members to gather, share food, and participate in cultural activities such as drumming, weaving, and dancing.

Our ICSSW connected with a leader from a local cultural group who had a strong following and was seeking a space to practice drumming and dancing. We were pleased to offer the use of our gym for this purpose. Recognizing the importance of food in building community, we also prioritized shared meals at each event. We received generous donations of deer, elk, and fish from local bands, as well as contributions from grocery stores and nearby high schools. Tony worked alongside some of our Indigenous students to help with food preparation and cooking throughout the week.

We are grateful to the district for waiving the rental fees, which allowed the cultural groups to use the space without requiring staff supervision every week. Nevertheless, many of our staff chose to attend regularly and brought their families, contributing to a strong sense of community and connection

Photo description: The first photo has two photos of our wonderful Indigenous Cultural Student Support Worker, Tony Elliot. In one of them, he is holding a sign created for his room, ‘Lelum’ which means ‘home; in Hul’q’umi’num. The other photo is a gift created by the whole school thanking him for running the cultural nights. The last two photos are from cultural night- weaving and drumming. Click on image to enlarge.

Checking: In total, we hosted seven cultural nights, with most events drawing between 70 and 80 attendees. At times, as many as ten different First Nations bands were represented. These strong attendance numbers served as evidence that families felt welcomed and comfortable coming into the school.

We also gathered anecdotal feedback from our guest book and conversations with attendees. Comments such as “We love cultural night—it feels like being at a Longhouse ceremony,” “Thank you for opening your doors to us,” and “Culture is soothing” highlighted the positive impact these events had on our community.

These events were specifically intended to engage two families whose children either did not attend school or attended irregularly. One family began attending more consistently during the final two months of the school year, while the other student has yet to return. While we are generally satisfied with the outcomes, we recognize there is still work to be done and would like to find a meaningful way to reach out to the family whose child has been absent for most of the year.

Reflections/Advice: We would like to continue hosting cultural nights next year, as we felt they had a very positive impact on strengthening connections between our school and the Indigenous community. This was evident in the high attendance numbers and the positive feedback we received from guests.

We would also like to revisit the art project we originally planned to launch this year but postponed in favour of the cultural nights. We continue to believe this project would provide a meaningful opportunity for our Indigenous students to feel seen and to make a positive contribution to our school community.