William Konkin Elementary SD#91 Nechako Lakes

I. General Information

School Name: William Konkin Elementary

School District: SD#91 Nechako Lakes

Inquiry Team Members: Colleen West: cwest@sd91.bc.ca, Shawnese Trottier: strottier@sd91.bc.ca, Vaishali Arora: varora@sd91.bc.ca, Karie Evans: kevans@sd91.bc.ca

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

II. Inquiry Project Information

Type of Inquiry: Numeracy & Literacy Project

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

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

Focus Addressed: Differentiated instruction, First Peoples Principles of Learning, Formative assessment, Growth mindset

In one sentence, what was your focus for the year? Each member of the team chose a specific research-based strategy to try to increase Indigenous learner achievement in literacy, reading, or numeracy.

III. Spirals of Inquiry Details

Scanning: We asked the four questions of all the learners involved in the scanning process. We also used a pre-strategy assessment so we could compare learner abilities from the beginning of the study to the end of the study. We did our scan several weeks into the school year, so that learners had time to build relationships with those of us engaged with them in the scanning process. We then provided a supportive environment where learners could answer our questions orally and one-on-one.

Focus: We were hoping that by engaging in a formalized inquiry process, we would take the time to track results carefully to determine whether something “new” to us would actually yield tangible results for learners, so that we could then choose to either engage with these new strategies or techniques on a continual basis or discard them if they did not end up helping learners progress.

Hunch: Many activities that are at grade level are not supporting these learners’ development and may be alienating them further from the learning process as they feel themselves falling behind their classmates.

New Professional Learning: “This is How We Teach Reading and It’s Working”, “Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics”, “Joyful Literacy Interventions”. We used after school meetings to discuss and refine our inquiries, as well as decide and discuss resources. There was one PLC that met on an ongoing basis regarding the reading trade book as well, so there was input from other teachers outside the NOIIE inquiry group teachers.

Taking Action: Shawnese and Karie used literacy testing data from last year, as well as teacher referrals, to identify learners who needed literacy intervention. We then identified times in the week and other adults who could participate in play-based literacy games to teach letter names and sounds, and the Dolch list sight words. Vaishali took teacher referrals and her own observations working with learners and formed very small groups to target numeracy interventions using vertical white boards and the problem-solving methods described by Peter Liljedahl. She also incorporated parental feedback – parents expressed the desire for learners to have authentic opportunities for numeracy learning at home, and Vaishali met that request with meaningful and fun tasks that became highly popular. Colleen used her whole class to work through the strategies she was learning in her PLC where they were all studying the reading literature. She also used targeted interventions and her early intervention LSW to target specific children (like her Wonder Child) for one-to-one interventions and relationship development.

Checking: Of the teachers who took baseline achievement data and then change data, there was evidence that the interventions made a difference. Two teachers’ graphs and summaries are attached to this case study below. We experienced enough success with our inquiry that we plan to expand the intervention program next year and involve more staff members so we can work with more students. Planning to incorporate these interventions before the school year even begins allows me to create a school timetable that includes time and staffing for these interventions. One particular Wonder Child is in Grade 6. He went from telling us in October that no one in the school believes he will be a success in life, to being able to name two adults who believe in him “a little bit.” We are so grateful that our Wonder Child can feel our hope and perhaps this means he has developed more faith in himself. We have another year to work with him so hopefully we can change that answer to “a lot.”

Literacy Blitz Data 2023-2024

Reflections/Advice: It was well worth the time investment to be able to discuss our plans, thoughts, and strategies with colleagues. In addition to giving us information and an opportunity to support learners, it was also a meaningful way for us to develop our relationships as colleagues. Our mutual respect grew even deeper, and our collegiality became loving and compassionate appreciation for one another and the work we each do to connect and engage learners. Next year I plan to continue this inquiry with whomever will come aboard. I would like to explore the opportunity to give learners a “home away from home” by providing time before, during, and after the school day when learners can access an adult to do “home reading club” and “home math club” as not all guardians have a schedule that allows this to occur. We want to increase equity in this regard. We will also increase the amount of time and number of staff members we devote to research-based intervention times.

William Konkin Elementary Inquiry Project 2023-2024