Networked Leading:Making a difference for

our learners

BC Networks of Inquiry: 2010-2011

Healthy Schools Network – HSNOver 200 Schools

Aboriginal Enhancement Schools Network – AESN

Over 150 Schools

Network of Performance Based Schools – NPBS

Over 400 schools

Today’s presentation

Our networking journey: teacher initiatives, classroom connections, school partnerships, provincial sharing, international networking

Sustaining our work through networking and inquiry

Finding ways to continue to improve student achievement

Creating a “question” for inquiry/case study – we’re happy to help you begin!

Our presenting team

Lynne Tomlinson – Principal,

Gleneagles Elementary School and Lions Bay Community School

Scott Slater – Vice Principal,

Bowen Island Community School

What about you?Please introduce yourself to those around

you…

District? Leadership Role? (formal or informal)Reason for attending this session? Possible focus for inquiry at your school?Any experience with networking? (formal

or informal)

The Networks are dedicated to transforming the

learning of young people through teacher inquiry, a focus on important learning outcomes, application of formative assessment strategies, and teamwork across roles, districts and countries.

Current research about how we learn: (with thanks to this year’s District Leadership Team in Prince Rupert)

Motivation is a key component for effective learning

Learners bring different knowledge to a new learning challenge

Learners start from different places and follow different routes to the same learning outcome

Knowledge should be discovered as an authentic, integrated whole

Learning is an active, social process

BC Educators: Caren Cameron, Anne Davies, Kathleen Gregory, Faye Browlie, Leyton Schnellert, Judy Halbert, Linda Kaser, Damian Cooper

NETWORK VISION 2020

EVERY learner crossing the stage with purpose, dignity and options.

4 Big IdeasLearner Meta-cognition   A key goal of deep learning work is for learners’ to be able to coach

themselves for improvement. Nimble and Responsive Teaching Teachers use evidence of learning to adapt instruction to meet

learner needs – minute-by-minute. Inquiry Mindedness as a Way of Life  Inquiry mindedness – using thoughtful strategies and then looking

for evidence of deeper learning – is a necessity for learners, teachers and leaders.

 Learning for All through NetworksIsolated efforts of individual educators – no matter how well intentioned - do not work for the most vulnerable learners. They need and deserve sustained and connected learning.

  

Walk into any classroom and ask a child…

What are you learning about?

How are you doing?

What do you need to do to improve?

…they’ll be able to tell you all about their learning!

How we started networkingYear 1 - 1999/2000 -first writing inquiry with two classes - Gr 2/3 and Gr 6/7

Years 2/3 Writing and SR -takes time for teachers to comfortably use the writing performance standards for regular assessments

Year 4 we moved from Personal, Impromptu Writing to Writing to Communicate Ideas and Information and Reading for Information in an effort to engage more students.

Year 5 new inquiry to engage boys more fully and frequently in reading and writing through more of a focus on the area of Non-Fiction

Years 6-10 student coaching/mentoring and parent involvement- staff learning more about formative assessment through networks

Social Responsibility- Years 1/2

Performance standards used as a teaching tool for students and for ongoing feedback with parents

Principal works with grade groups once/week during “Teacher Freebee Times” to work with students on the aspects of Social Responsibility while teachers collaborate and plan around the year’s inquiry

Principal introduces parents at a PAC meeting to the Social Responsibility Standards to complement the school goal to develop global citizenship

 

Writing Self Assessment – Years 1-3

•Staff spend several lessons training students to use the quick scales as they work to promote self evaluation.

•Student goal setting - metacognitive

•Students also spend more time in class peer editing and using the quick scales to share ideas and help each other to develop their literacy skills.

Parent Involvement – Year 4

Samples of writing and reading are sent home regularly with “strips” of quick scale aspects that are of focus for each lesson.

Teacher/student co assessment in informing parents of progress

• Parents are asked to sign the writing or reading samples and discuss them with their children.

Writing: 2007 - 2009Writing Assessment

Preparing our students for the future…

Discussion#1

What do your students do well? What do they need to improve? How do you know?

Closing the gap – Year 5 inquiry

After frank discussions with our students, we realized that our boys felt inferior in many ways. We hoped that we could encourage the boys in our school to engage more fully and frequently in reading and writing through more of a focus on the area of Non-Fiction

Data as of 8:45PM, October 18th 2010

Data as of 8:45PM, October 18th 2010

Closing the gap …an ongoing challenge

Inquiry for Case Study:“Can the gap be closed between achievement levels in literacy skills between boys and girls using the Reading for Information and Writing to Communicate Ideas and Information performance standards to assess learners and drive instruction?”

Closing the gap – Grade 6/7Strategies:Pilot program 5 years ago to separate Gr 7

boys and girls for certain subjects

laptop program implemented to augment classroom instruction

Literature/non-fiction material: more student choice

Student collaboration embedded throughout

Closing the gap – Grade 6/7 Discoveries:

Students more engaged

boys better able to focus when it was just them

boys more likely to edit their work and tend to write more when using laptops

more engaged because they enjoyed the learning

able to talk about things that interested them like gaming, sports, etc

 

Student feedback- planned, powerful questions

Ridgeview ElementaryReading Data – 2006 - 2008

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Not Yet Minimally Fully Exceeding

Fall 2006

Spring 2007

Fall 2007

Spring 2008

Student portfolios – working to keep track of each individual – Yrs 6/7 Initially, collected class data and designed lessons

around common weaknesses

Compared class data each year and shared with upcoming teachers at end of year

Year 6, started to track each student and specific areas of weakness

Developed student literacy portfolios to “follow” students each year. Portfolios include different assessments and work samples, not just Performance Standards

Charts created as ongoing tracking tool for each student

Teachers share student portfolios at staff meeting in May to plan for next year

When you’re a new teacher…

Finding ways to determine student skills when you’re new to teaching

Meaningful assessment for both the teacher and students

Ongoing and clarifying assessments to facilitate planning

Comfort when reporting to parentsStudent – directed learning

Reading

Reading and Writing

Tag-Team Editing – peer learning

Reading: new inquiry, Years 8/9Peer coaching, student self assessment

Teachers still not satisfied that they are using the reading performance standards successfully

Principal shares Glenview’s inquiry at staff meeting in May (Yr 8 with NPBS)

Following September, pro d morning spent on reviewing/sharing the lessons and viewing the dvd

Some teachers plan to initiate peer coaching lessons this year

New Team inquiry – 08/09Inquiry for Case Study:

“Will student self-assessment and peer coaching in our cross-grade reading program improve both the older and younger readers’ comprehension as measured by the BC Reading Performance Standards?”

 

Buddy Reading Network developed

lessons

The intermediate buddies work on various aspects of the Standards with their buddies

The lessons were introduced to the staff during a staff meeting

Several Ridgeview teachers took a release day to review the lessons and collaborate on a plan to implement them

Ongoing collaboration occurs during buddy lessons to adapt the lessons to the classes

Benefits of Buddy Reading…

…for Grade Ones Develop a positive

perception of older students

Have a direct model of positive reading habits

Have 1 on 1 support to correct errors in pronunciation and to develop expression

Have 1 on 1 support to understand the Performance Standards

Benefits of Buddy Reading……for Intermediate

Students

Social Responsibility

Develop a positive relationship as a leader with a younger student

Intermediates know that they are being relied upon to help with something very important

Benefits for Intermediate Students

Engagement throughenjoyment andAccountability

Students really enjoy sharing their knowledge and developing a positive relationship with a younger student

Have the responsibility of modelling positive reading habits leading to students having the motivation and sense of accountability to truly understand and display positive reading habits

Benefits for Intermediate Students

Develop an understanding of formative assessment and metacognition

Intermediates realize their buddy’s strengths and weaknesses and emphasize aspects of the standards accordingly

Realize they also have strengths and weaknesses and must celebrate and continue strengths but also address weaknesses

Benefits for Intermediate Students

Provides an Exercise in Understanding the P/S

Review what they themselves learned in Grade One and acts as a reminder that they should continue these habits

Compare Grade One P/S with Grade Five P/S determining similarities and differences requires a thorough understanding of the standards

Preparing our students for the future…

Discussion#2

What opportunities could your students have to mentor, coach, collaborate and peer assess?

Professional dialogue – teacher collaboration

Planned collaborative time during staff meetings and some pro d days as determined by reps with principal

Focused professional discussions using guiding questions

Mixed grade groups, different partnersNew teachers encouraged to share their ideas,

tooNew model this year with District Leadership

providing collaborative time – as requested by our team!

Staff Meeting – classroom reflection with colleagues

SIX STRATEGIES

LOOKS LIKE… FEELS LIKE…

1/ Learning Intent

2/ Criteria

3/ Feedback

4/ Questions

5/ Self and Peer Assessment

6/ Student Ownership

Secondary/Elementary NetworkingYear 10: R2WR Project 09/10Rockridge Secondary/Gleneagles Elementary

Secondary teacher designs a coaching/mentoring writing project for his Grade 10 students to work with Grade 7s at feeder school

Secondary and Elementary teachers meet to plan the program and design 10 lessons using the Glenview Model from NPBS case study 2008

Principal of Secondary School provides transportation for Grade 7s to visit 2x. Principal of elementary school teaches Grade 6s while Gr 7s work on R2W2

R2W2 Project 2010 Grade 10 Pre-AP English students invited to

participate in a Writing Workshop.

Grade 10 students work as mentors and coaches for the grade 7 students – 10 lessons over 6 weeks

 English 10 Pre-AP students have the opportunity to

develop lessons, and activities that meet the needs of their grade 7 buddies.

Grade 7s connect with older buddies, writing improves!

Secondary/Elementary Networking

Program goals for Secondary students:• develop leadership skills

• improve their ability to identify strong writing vs. weaker writing

• improve their ability to express strengths, areas for improvement, and goals for writing

• to improve clear communication skills by acting as coaches for younger students

  

Preparing our students for the future…

Discussion#3

What creates engaging learning at your school?

International Networking:2010/2011Welsh National Networking Project with 8 schools in the lower mainland: Surrey, Burnaby, Vancouver and West Vancouver

Intentions: Shared/Compared Inquiry - improving student

achievementInnovation – local/global design and application

of innovative learning environmentsAdult Learning – shared practice for teacher

professional learning

From ToInstruction and

teachingDeep learning

Summative assessment for grading and

reporting

Formative assessment to provide coaching feedback

Teaching in isolation Teaching teams working as a learning community

NPBS Moving From Sorting to Learning

From ToSchools on their

ownSchools working

together and with communities

Leadership by position - hierarchy

Leadership by contribution –

distributed and networked

“Business as usual” Genuine transformation

Moving From Sorting to Learning

Keeping up the momentum

For our school Focus on teaching and learning Sense of team Collaboration time Inquiry leadership

For young learners

Improved learning Peer learning Self assessment strategies Parent involvement

For adult learners

Proficiency using assessment Shared leadership Formal leadership roles

Leading in a Network School – what we’ve discovered over the years

The Importance of:TimeTrusting relationshipsHigh expectations – raising the barPersonalized small group coachingSharing ideas with different teachersStudent engagementParent education

Our Hopes and Dreams for our Children…