Growing Innovations in Rural Sites of Learning: Learning Together

1. Growing Innovations in Rural Sites of Learning: Learning Together Elluminate meeting #2 – December, 2011

2. Setting the Stage for the meeting • Introduction and opening remarks – Linda Farr Darling • Goals for the meeting – Pat Dooley

3. Goals for the Meeting • To continue to provide a forum for sharing and learning between Growing Innovations project leaders • To report on and respond to some themes and challenges identified by site supports after initial site visits. • To provide initial thoughts regarding the May 5 Learning Symposium. • To hear from Project leaders about successes, connections, new steps and future plans. • To lay out plans for future support and learning.

4. Hearing from project leaders • Introductions and reflections on your project: a) share one success you have had to date and/or b) talk about a connection you have made with another project leader or school as a result of Growing Innovations. • Comments by site facilitators

5. SITE FACILITATORS’ MEETING: Some Themes from Site Visits • Emerging stories re impacts on students: innovations are working for individual learners. • Experiential learning common to several projects: • Aboriginal learners are focus of several projects • Some dialogue re changing role of teachers, including making changes to pedagogy as result of innovation. • Planning process and reflecting on “innovation in process” crucial to success of projects:

6. REPORT ON SITE FACILITATORS’ MEETING: (November 28) • Curriculum being redefined/developed in several projects • Changing nature of relationships/blurring boundaries between school and community • Student ownership, initiative, and engagement through relevant experiences are key aspects of several projects. • Growing evidence of school connecting with and learning from other schools: Adult collaboration common • Use of technology common to many projects.

7. Site Facilitators’ meeting: Some questions and challenges • May 5: need to clarify expectations • Assessment – artifacts and how to assess impact of project • Sustainability: not as simplistic as a start and end to projects • Clarity needed re money and when it needs to be spent.

8. Growing Innovations Learning Symposium (May 5) • Not like a science fair • About the process of planning and learning • Will include some time all together, some time in clusters and/or other small groups to share learning • Focus on process and products as appropriate • Framework re what to prepare will follow in March Elluminate session or sooner? • Funding for one project leader per site; one other may be welcome at district expense. • Celebrate and community building: thinking, learning, reflecting…and a RECEPTION!

9. Assessing impact of innovation • Some artifacts to share (e.g. SD#60 Project Based Learning rubrics; Critique self and peer assessment process, etc.) • Important to use observation, interviews, and strategies that focus on individual students and groups of students. • Consider concept of “narrative” inquiry (referred to in Leadership Mindsets by Judy Halbert and Linda Kaser)

10. Inquiry: Questions Before Directions • Narrative • Appreciative • Problem-based • Reflective • Spiral of Inquiry

11. Forms of Inquiry • Narrative - what is the dominant story? Who are the heroes? Villains? Themes? “Stories are not only the way in which we come to ascribe significance to experiences … but also they are one of the primary means through which we constitute our very selves … we become who we are through telling stories about our lives and living the stories we tell.” Source: Halbert and Kaser

12. Implications: Growing Innovations • How can you tell stories of the impact of the innovation on individual students and groups of students? a) quantitative data – surveys, rubrics, pre and post assessments b) qualitative data – interviews, individual stories

13. Other questions • Projects do not need to end or reach closure at the end of the year: Desire to consider ways to sustain innovation and look at what can be transferred to other sites, settings, groups of students. • Money does not need to be spent by June. • A progress report of some sort will be needed (simple with framework provided

14. Other questions….. • ?

15. Hearing from Project Leaders and Site Facilitators • What is your next step with your project? • Have you thought about ways to sustain your work, what might be transferable to others schools, projects, cohorts of students, etc.?

16. Learning Together • Artifacts with permission to share a) Assessment tools (critique, rubrics on products and assessment for learning) b) Pictures and permissions c) Videos www.ruralteachers.com (FORUM FOR SHARING) Above to Linda.Darling@ubc.ca and/or Pat.Dooley2010@gmail.com

17. Further Support and Learning • A )continued contact with site supporter, including requests for support • B) help with literature review (Cal Heer) via site supporter (eg nature K models) • C) framework to use to plan for May. • D) March elluminate meetings organized to accommodate Spring Breaks • E) Use of website to post resources, pictures, etc. • F) continued analysis of collaborative learning models

18. Professional Learning Communities: Key Concepts • Impact: John Hattie in Visible Learning (a synthesis of what we know about the most effective forms of teaching. • Student achievement is improved when teachers work together in collaborative teams to: • Clarify what students must learn • Gather evidence of student learning • Analyze that evidence • Identify the most powerful teaching strategies

19. Thought to Frame the Day • Schools are in the business of teaching and learning…and if they would learn to learn from each other their future would be secured. • Paraphrased from Michael Fullan, OISE