I. General Information
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.