I. General Information
School Name: WL McLeod Elementary School
School District: SD#91 Nechako Lakes
Inquiry Team Members: Libby Hart: lhart@sd91.bc.ca, Erin Baker: ebaker@sd91.bc.ca, Lori Gridley: lgridley@sd91.bc.ca, Kirsten Funk: kandersonfunk@sd91.bc.ca, Donna Good: dgood@sd91.bc.ca, Lyne Gauthier: lgauthier@sd91.bc.ca, Susie Blattner: blattners@sd91.bc.ca, Olivia Obonsawin: oobonsawin@sd91.bc.ca, Amy Forsyth: aforsyth@sd91.bc.ca, Dan Nickel: dnickel@sd91.bc.ca, Michelle Miller-Gauthier: mmgauthier@sd91.bc.ca, Lena Miller: lmiller@sd91.bc.ca, David Wlasitz: dwlasitz@sd91.bc.ca, Korrie Mueller: kmueller@sd91.bc.ca
Inquiry Team Contact Email: lgridley@sd91.bc.ca
II. Inquiry Project Information
Type of Inquiry: NOIIE Case Study
Grade Levels Addressed Through Inquiry: Primary (K-3)
Curricular Areas Addressed: Mathematics / Numeracy
Focus Addressed: Numeracy
In one sentence, what was your focus for the year? Developing deeper and broader numeracy skills from grades 1 – 3 with a focus on improving numeracy outcomes for Indigenous learners.
III. Spirals of Inquiry Details
Scanning: How do we truly move all students from where they are to where they can be, without focusing all resources on only students who demonstrate significant learning needs?
Focus: First Peoples Principles of Learning
1. Learning involves patience and time: We focused on not rushing learners past the skills that they needed to build a solid foundation in key aspects of the numeracy continuum. We did not want to be limited by the grade level expectations, either above or below. This approach allowed us to deepen our focus.
2. Relational learning: Groups of mathematical peers who discuss math in meaningful ways. Number talks were more accessible to all, leading to deeper conversations. When playing games, game-playing was more collaborative. Everyone could shine.
3. Well-being: Differentiating in this way allowed us to support the well-being of our math community. Gave us check-ins for skills. Resulted in more growth in numeracy skills than we have seen previously.
Hunch: By addressing and prioritizing the filling in of skills gaps, students would be able to develop their numeracy skills by building a stronger foundation.
New Professional Learning: As a collaborative group, we asked questions and then sought resources that would help us to facilitate learning and activities. Our teaching experiences directed what we needed to do and learn more about. Having a numeracy lead was invaluable. There were many discussions regarding assessment, consistency, and expectations between educators. We would often pop into each other’s rooms to talk about what was happening with ‘the math’.
Taking Action:
o Cross-grade teaching teams 1-3
o Teacher and support staff collaboration in each classroom
o Small group learning
o Consistent schedule but flexibility in the approach
o Flexible student grouping with ability to shift on an as-needs basis
o Data directed through assessments pre, mid, and post in each curricular area
Checking:
o Tried the skills-intervention before and after in-class learning
o Flexible in our thinking of when the students were ready to take the next leap. For example, most of the grade 3 students could access grade-level curriculum mostly independently. Therefore, two classes worked as a duo to make sure that all students were challenged appropriately.
o Assessments pre, mid, and post. These assessments led our work.
Reflections/Advice:
• Reflections/Advice:* Was it more or less work than just working on our own? It made planning for a sub more difficult. Support staff replacement influenced the flow of the math block.
• The data tells us that we made a measurable improvement in the skills of our students. Our guts also tell us that we have made a significant difference in how kids talk and feel about math. They love and trust numbers.
• When we did blitz after the in-class work, teachers were ‘in the moment’ as they played and enjoyed math. We could observe what kids did and did not understand in a more playful way.
• Their excitement in talking about numbers was palpable. It was not about math facts, but rather about individual understanding and explaining numbers.
• Students did not have to just give the ‘right answer’. They were more creative in their thinking and projects.
• Next steps: Hammer out a numeracy schedule for next year. Use assessment and reporting more appropriately.
• Advice: Collaborate, collaborate, collaborate. Let learning drive the instruction.