I. General Information
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