2016 Manitoba ASCD

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SUMMER 2016 VOLUME 16 “EMPOWERING LEARNERS: EMBRACING EQUITY IN OUR SCHOOLS”

2016 Manitoba ASCD

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Inside This Issue...A Message From the Editor ......................................................................................... 4

President’s Message .................................................................................................... 5

Manitoba ASCD Board of Directors 2015-2016 ......................................................... 6

Manitoba ASCD Committee Members 2015-2016 ...................................................... 7

Enacting In/Equity Through Policy: Engaging Kids in CareMelanie D. Janzen ............................................................................................................... 8

Teaching as Social Justice: One School’s StoryJames Gibbs............................................................................................................................................... 12

Kenneth McCorkle............................................................................................................. 17

Rethinking School NamesKatya Adamov Ferguson ..................................................................................................... 22

Five Reasons for Finding the Time to Teach Social-Emotional Learning in Your ClassroomDr. Laura Sokal ................................................................................................................ 27

Stumbling Towards Equity: A Personal JourneyMarc Benjamin Kuly .......................................................................................................... 32

Leaders as Learners – Not Just Another Catch PhraseSandra Herbst ................................................................................................................... 36

Expanding Your Literacy Toolbox: Exploring the Misuse and Overuse of Leveled Texts in Early Years Andrea Boyd, Diandra Etkin, and Alexis Prychitko ................................................................. 39

Manitoba ASCD Professional Learning Events for 2016-2017 .................................45

2016 Manitoba ASCD

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Note: Manitoba ASCD’s journal,

Brenda Lanoway

Caroline Swystun

John Swystun

Manitoba ASCD Members

Ideas from the Field. Subscribe to ASCD Express, our twice-monthly e-mail newsletter, to have practical, actionable strategies and information delivered to your e-mail inbox twice a month. Sign up at www.ascd.org.

2016 Manitoba ASCD

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This year’s contributors to the journal have provided detailed, thought-provoking analyses on the topic of embracing equity in our schools. Their research and insights force us to look more closely at our own perspectives and practices, and push us to consider ways in which we could make meaningful changes in our classrooms and school communities.

Passionate about their views, and deliberate in their assessments, they create an overarching picture of

Kuly in his essay, “Stumbling towards Equity: A Personal Journey” reminds us of the importance of personal

overlook the importance of personal change.” James Gibbs, in describing his school’s efforts to implement a reading instruction program, reframes the experience as an act of social justice that has empowered both teacher and learner, and elevated all students to higher levels of academic success. Sandra Herbst’s views that

is possible through actions of an individual and collaboration within a school community.

Each author’s analysis helps us understand and appreciate the historical truths surrounding our institutions

language and the impact it can have on self-understanding and self-worth. Katya Adamov Ferguson addresses in some detail how the assumptions and biases of a dominant culture can impede meaningful conversation and perpetrate continued oppression for Indigenous people. School names matter; how we

Education”, focuses on how students develop a sense of self-worth and competence, and how biases and discrimination can become destructive forces within the language of school policies and school practices.

documents. While she acknowledges the importance and need for the guidelines that school policies and documents provide, she states it cannot replace ethical and moral judgment when it comes to working in the best interests of children in care.

the area of classroom instructional practices, Andrea Boyd, Diandra Etkin and Alexis Prychitko share their

the value of a balanced approach to teaching literacy that gives all students the chance to succeed.

Empowering learners, embracing equity in our schools. These articles offer a range of views on the topic. I hope you enjoy them.

Editor

A Message from the Editor...

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ASCD has earned a strong reputation as a provider of professional learning opportunities for educators throughout the province.

The 2016 journal explores empowering learners and embracing

educators must provide authentic opportunities for students to take control of their own learning. When planning, educators consider strategies for students to respond to new learning

Manitoba has made great strides in the area of equity in schools. Provincial documents and policies promote and pursue equity, inclusion and respect for human diversity in our schools and classrooms. Regardless of background or personal circumstances, each student entering our buildings deserves opportunities to reach their full potential and succeed. By honouring and embracing the needs of all students, school cultures create a sense of fairness, respect and belonging. We must strive for creating the conditions in schools where all students are able to thrive.

researchers who contributed articles to this edition of the journal. Your work and research help to support the continued learning of educators.

theyears as editor of this professional journal. We have valued her time and talents over the years.

Thank you Brenda!

I invite you to enjoy the articles within the journal.

Michele Polinuk, President, Manitoba ASCD

President’s Message

2016 Manitoba ASCD

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Manitoba ASCD Board of Directors 2015-2016

)

Michele Polinuk

Brenda Augusta

Cheryl Chaban

Vice Principal, Pembina Trails School Division

Jacquie NeufeldTeacher, Winnipeg School Division

Division

Rick ArdiesAssistant Superintendent, Hanover School Division

Mario BeauchampPrincipal, River East Transcona School Division

Consultant, Program and Student Services, Manitoba Education

Brad BurnsAssistant Head of Schools, Academic/Teaching and Innovation, St. John’s-Ravenscourt School

Jayesh ManierRetired

Donna SmithCoordinator, Independent Education and Instruction, Curricu-lum and Assessment Branch, Manitoba Education

Mala CarriereWinnipeg School Division

2016 Manitoba ASCD

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Manitoba ASCD Committee Members 2015-2016

Mario BeauchampRoland BudahanTina GordonJacqui KroekerJock MartinMargaret Murray Jacquie NeufeldAlan Schroeder

Michele Polinuk

Deborah BurnsideElmner Everett

Janet GrayMathew GustafsonMary Anne PloshynskyGeorge Ross

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2016 Manitoba ASCD

I t was another gruelling and terrible day.Dennis tripped a student in the hallway,

everyone, and eventually needed to be restrained until calmer. I was relieved when the school day was over and he was picked up by his caring foster Dad. Dennis was seven years old and had been at our school for only a short period of time. Frankly, he was exhausting. However, although destructive and oppositional, we were beginning to see a new side to him—a boy desperate for affection. We were pleased to see glimmers of trust developing with him and were establishing a stable working relationship with his foster parents. Our school had a growing number of children in care. We had worked hard for these kids, dedicated to making the best of every day for each of them, regardless of how “badly” they behaved. We knew our work with Dennis was going to be arduous, and we hoped that he would stay with us long enough to make even a small difference in

There are currently over 10,000 kids in care in Manitoba and they present tremendous challenges for educators. The Manitoba

recent report, , indicates that overall, children

that compared to children never in care, children in care are twice as likely to be “not ready” for school; perform worse in literacy, mathematics and student achievement testing; and experience much lower graduation rates

makes clear that addressing the root causes of this problem, including issues of poverty and supporting families to avoid apprehension, is critical. However, the report also indicates that schools must

consider how they might better support these children.

How do we, as educators, do a better job for these kids? And,

how might our schools’ policies and practices inadvertently undermine

students, particularly the ones that are our most vulnerable?

By way of example, let’s consider

developed by Manitoba Education and Ad-

is to provide guidance for school divisions to develop their policies in responding to students who demonstrate extreme behaviours. It is important that schools have policies to guide practices, but we must be conscious of what these policies invoke both explicitly and im-plicitly. If we consider the ways in which children are explicitly referenced in the

document, we see that they are only referred to as and, sur-prisingly, , but never as ,

Enacting in/equity through policy: Engaging kids in care

Melanie D. Janzen,

2016 Manitoba ASCD

, or even and such language can implicitly detract from the human-ness of children, positioning them as objects of and within the institution, con-structing them simply as a “problem” to be

about the ways in which students are referred to in other school documents—policies and newsletters, for example—and what mes-sages the language used sends to families, children, and communities.

Although the docu-ment supports practices that “foster social responsibility,” and that are “preventative” and “collaborative”, the explicit and implicit mes-sages around behaviour management, at times, invokes a punitive, and sometimes, quasi-medi-

. In this section, children’s misbehaviours are described as “inap-propriate”, “challenging”, and “unacceptable”, are measured in terms of their frequency and severity, and are to be addressed through disci-pline, interventions and methods of behaviour management. The document does not suggest

meaningful ways nor does it suggest considering the contextual factors that may be contributing to such behaviours. It does, however, list inter-ventions that include plan development, various assessments, remediation, counselling, supports and referrals to other experts and agencies. These responses invoke quasi-medical language and

thus, with the proper interventions, the child can be returned to “normal” status. Yet, as research-

children’s misbehaviours are often troublesome for the schools, they are not usually a symptom of a medical disorder, nor are the behaviours a problem for the child.

Of course, we need to create safe spaces for chil-dren, but the assumptions within the

document are premised on con-trolling children and their behaviours, without deliberate attention paid to the care or needs of the child. Although care is found in the title of the document, it is not used at all within the text. The child who misbehaves is positioned as a student who is “a problem” and there is little or no at-tention given to the social and contextual life of the child. This is particularly concerning for chil-dren in care; the context in which children in care are living might be contributing factors to their behaviour in school. We should also consider what the school itself might be doing to contrib-ute to the child’s stress and misbehaviours. We cannot ignore the child’s troubled relationships with others, the lack of meaningful engagement with the school or the curriculum, the disenfran-

which the child is embroiled and that is beyond his/her control.

“An ethical response—particularly when children misbehave—requires a keen sensitivity for children, an understanding of in-dividual and community contexts, and the constant use of judgment.”

As a former learning support teacher who

and behavioural needs, I understand that policies must guide our work. The classroom teacher and I relied on some of these policies to get supports for Dennis, to guide our work with social workers, and to enact plans of care. However, as Sharon Todd asserts, “rules cannot serve as a substitute for

2016 Manitoba ASCD

particularly when children misbehave—requires a keen sensitivity for children, an understanding of individual and community contexts, and the constant use of judgment. An ethical response to misbehaviours necessitates a reaction beyond the universal implementation of a policy and requires a response that accounts for the particularities of the situation, and within the context of an emotional connection with that child. It is within these moments of judgement—wrought with indecision and the uncertainty of the outcome—that we become responsible for the other. With the support of our principal, we often exceeded the limits of policies by making sure Dennis was fed, by picking him up from emergency placements in the mornings when no one brought him to school, by changing the way we structured our day for him, by insisting he stay in our catchment—and the school incurring the cost—when he was moved to a different foster family.

When we attempt to regulate all children through

disenfranchising our society’s very neediest chil-dren. Although policies are useful in creating guidelines, they can never replace judgement. What would it mean for kids in care if we could reframe our assumptions about and our reactions

the “problem child” not as a failure of that stu-dent to comply with the rules, but as a failure of the system and the school to support that child? What if our for kids in care was to ensure that they came to school each day and that they had people there that they knew cared for them? I know that schools and teachers can-not be responsible for all of the baggage and dysfunction that surrounds children’s lives and

problems with the system, but we can be responsi-ble to respond ethically to kids. When we actively

exclude kids in care through time-outs, detentions, suspensions, and expulsions, it is one more place where society is saying: you are not wanted here.

What I am proposing is not going to change the number of kids in care. It is not going

to address the root cause of the extreme numbers of kids in care. But it might change daily experiences for these kids. As Todd explains, although policy and regulations can guide our work and can enact forms of justice,

our work with children requires an ethical response, a moral judgement in

the face of the human other. Our work is in our responsibility to each of these kids, not simply to enact or be guided by policy, but in eliciting judge-ment, care and an ethical response to each child. Our work with Dennis was not to “save” him, nor was it an attempt to topple a dysfunctional system. Rather, what we aimed to do was relatively small in scope, but immense in possibility—we saw our work simply as making every day as good as it could be for him, regardless of how he badly he behaved. I believe this is the least we can do for every child in our care.

References:

http://mchp-appserv.cpe.umanitoba.ca/reference/CIC_summary.pdf

http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/safe_schools/pdf/code_conduct.pdf

2016 Manitoba ASCD

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Melanie D. Janzen -

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2016 Manitoba ASCD

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It has been known for some time that school success and academic achievement is close-

ly linked to social class and ethnicity. The rea-sons are debated: some attribute it to home

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-stitutional racism as the cause; but regardless, the social and human costs of poor academic achievement and school com-pletion are enormous.

Much has been done in Mani-toba to develop in students an understanding and responsibility for social justice. Many students, encouraged by their teachers, have even become activists; the annual as one example. Much less attention has been focused on how teachers themselves can act as agents of social justice; however, the work of Paolo Freire has allowed us to view teaching as a political act. Says Freire, “The educator has the duty of not

-ever, teachers generally see social justice as do students – acts of kindness involving helping others in some material way. Much less thought is given to how the act of teaching and pedagogy itself might also be considered acts of social jus-tice. For instance, educators are well aware of how important reading is as a gateway to both learning and empowerment, but less thought goes into the broader context of how teachers can use reading and academic achievement as

an agent of social change for students. At Dr. George Johnson Middle School, we have come to see reading instruction as our most important act of social justice.

As many middle school teachers become aware, the fundamental challenges associated with

reading instruction begin to change in middle school. Some are peda-gogical and others are institutional. Institutionally, middle schools and their teachers tend to adopt a pseu-do-high school mindset that it is the job of early elementary teach-ers to teach reading, and theirs to teach content. This thinking becomes reinforced in the many

middle schools that implement specialist instruc-tion where context instruction is the focus and “reading instruction”, if it could be called that, happens in language arts classes only. Pedagogi-cally, many teachers come to middle school un-prepared to teach reading as it was not part of their pre-service training, and as a result of the institutional barriers, little effort and incentive exists to remedy that. This situation becomes more problematic when you add into the mix the unique nature of middle school readers.

Who are middle school readers? Research indi-cates that young adolescents do not read much for

this but revealed an even more alarming fact through the national student survey “Tell Them

Teaching as Social Justice: One School’s Story

James Gibbs,

2016 Manitoba ASCD

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they did even less reading than what was the national norm for their age group. Other research indicates that middle school students be-gin to develop negative feelings about reading in

readers from the research is that of students who -

began to consider how to transform our school through reading instruction. When presented

students were reading at or above grade level, we decided it was imperative to do something about it. Through our focussed efforts over nine years

“It’s been observed that for middle school students, the majority of

lack of experience with print, rather than a lack of ability.”

-tional obstacle as students enter middle school - the shift from narrative to expository reading. While students had great familiarity with narra-tive text they seemed to have less with exposi-tory text, and lacked the skills to decode meaning from this text. As students enter middle school, and of course later in high school, expository text is the basis of curricular content and becomes their primary form of reading, and therefore a potential obstacle to success.

In response, our school created the Core Four reading strategies to implement throughout the

-

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students were reading a section in the textbook on New France, and the teacher was regularly

reading strategies; thereby using the content to teach reading skills.

At the same time, the school implemented a school-wide reading program, which in grades

or Book Talks. Small groups of students read -

with an emphasis on expository texts. They were taught to discuss the book using the Core Four reading strategies in sequence, with students

and so on. Importantly as well, effort was made to allow the group of students to choose their own text.

The adoption of this program unearthed another challenge – a shortage of reading material. Sup-porting a reading program where so much vari-ety in material is required, necessitates a large quantity of books. We faced the dual challenge of acquiring books to both support reading and encourage students’ interests. In this regard, while we knew students weren’t reading on their

included scary stories, adventure stories, sports,

commitment from our division and community partners has allowed us to create a library that is rich in variety and quantity.

The next task was to get students reading more, and we decided this had to be done at school. We considered no time spent on reading as wasted and so we implemented a Silent Reading time in

2016 Manitoba ASCD

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each classroom, at a time of the teacher’s choos-ing. An uncomfortable idea for middle school teachers who can be driven by content, this could have been seen as non-instructional time, but with removing the institutional obstacle of specialist teachers, there was less concern and it quickly became a non-issue. This time has now become a favourite part of the day for teachers and students alike, a treasured time for both to in-dulge their love of reading. This should not have come as a surprise to us as research has shown that while reading is not often a leisure time choice for middle school students they do value time to read in school and are more inclined to

when asked what was the best part of their reading or language arts class the majority of students reported “having time to read si-

focus on getting students to read more as a key strategy is strongly supported in multiple studies where it’s been observed that for middle school

a result of a lack of experience with print, rather

includes both improving teachers’ understanding

students who are not responding to classroom level instruction. Given the range of reading needs / levels middle school students bring into a classroom, it should be obvious that a one-

results. Therefore, it will be important for teach-ers to become more intimate with each student

as a reader. Sometimes this may mean using a commercial reading assessment, or making time, such as at silent reading, to hear students read. Regardless, this knowledge of students’ reading abilities and needs will form the basis of further reading instruction that should include

work of teachers at our school have enabled us to reach high levels of student success in read-ing. The most important lesson we have learned is that a group of teachers can engage in collec-

tive action through their pedagogy and instruction, and make the kind of substantial change in children’s learning that will help them better their lives. This is true for all stu-dents, but especially for those who we know are facing societal obsta-cles to success, such as those with Aboriginal ancestry, who typically

-lation. We believe this is the most powerful form of social justice teachers can engage in - empow-ering both teacher and learner.

References:

The schools we need.

spend their time outside school. -

-dent Survey. Retrieved from http//tellthem-

2016 Manitoba ASCD

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fromme.com/surveyMeasureChartReport.

& Horton M. mthe road by w Ce s c , PA: versity Press.

readers.

McKenna, M.C., Kear, D.J., & Ellsworth, R.A.

A national survey. -

-

in literature-based developmental reading.

James Gibbs -

-

Digital Edition:

EL Online:

www.facebook.com/pages/ mani toba-ascd

2016 Manitoba ASCD

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EXCELLENCE THROUGH EQUITY: FIVE PRINCIPLES

OF COURAGEOUS LEADERSHIP TO GUIDE ACHIEVE-

MENT FOR EVERY STUDENT

by Alan M. Blankstein, Pedro Noguera and Lorena Kelly

LEADING WITH FOCUS: ELEVATING THE ESSEN-

TIALS FOR SCHOOL AND DISTRICT IMPROVEMENT

by Mike Schmoker Focus

THE PRINCIPAL INFLUENCE: A FRAMEWORK FOR DEVEL-

OPING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY IN PRINCIPALS

by Pete Hall, Deborah Childs-Bowen, Ann Cunning-ham-Morris, Phyllis Pajardo and Alisa A. Simeral

BUILDING A MATH-POSITIVE CULTURE: HOW TO SUP-

PORT GREAT MATH TEACHING IN YOUR SCHOOL (ASCD

ARIAS)

by Cathy L. Seeley

LEARNING TO CHOOSE, CHOOSING TO LEARN: THE

KEY TO STUDENT MOTIVATION AND ACHIEVEMENT

by Mike Anderson

NEW FROM ASCD

2016 Manitoba ASCD

Page 16

A teacher sits conversing with a colleague,obviously perplexed. She tells of a

student in her Grade 5 class who is clearly challenged, “I would swear that she has FAS, but she’s not Aboriginal.”

An educator reprimands those in her group who have had their pictures taken with the conductor’s hat that was passed around on

shouldn’t have worn that man’s hat when you had your pictures taken,” she says, “There is a very good chance that you’ll get lice. Didn’t you see that there were some Native people who wore it in their pictures before you did?”

These are not contrived scenarios but actual in-stances of overt racism. Attitudes such as these, which are based on misinformation or dis-infor-mation, are displayed all too often. While most of us are keenly aware of overt racism, many fail entirely to perceive the subtly discrimina-

and even school divisions. These can be hard to identify, but, taken together, they become ex-tremely harmful to Indigenous students who are seeking to navigate the academic streams of Ca-nadian education.

Indigenous students, themselves, often cannot readily identify the reasons that they feel deni-grated and/or alienated by the educative system and educational institutions. This, however, does not make the reality of being subtly marginal-

-

ly overlooked, in Canadian ed-ucational institutions is a powerful impediment that reduces academic performance and ultimate success for Indigenous students.

There are many factors that contribute to student achievement. Among these, however, the power of self-understanding may arguably be the most

--

periment conducted by Jane Elliot of Riceville, Iowa. Ms. Elliot divided her Grade 3 class into those with blue eyes and those with brown eyes. She told them that those with blue eyes were sci-

Over the course of the following days, those with brown eyes were denigrated; Ms. Elliot used the characteristics of brown-eyed chil-dren to demonstrate negative achievement, or

the experiment continued, they acquiesced, be-coming subservient. Their grades demonstra-

Deficit Modelling and Self-Understanding in Indigenous Education

Kenneth McCorkle,

Manitoba’s delegation to the CMEC confer-ence with Jackson Lafferty (Minister of Educa-

tion, Culture and Employment for the NWT)

2016 Manitoba ASCD

bly worsened while those of the blue-eyed stu-

students might have found challenging before the experiment were easily accomplished when these students believed that they were intellectually su-perior. The following week, Ms. Elliot artfully turned the tables, and, as a result, the academic achievement of the brown-eyed students rose while that of the blue-eyed students regressed.

The implications are clear. Positive self-understanding holds great sig-

learning. Students form opinions of themselves based upon the mes-sages they receive from the world around them. Some of these mes-sages target them directly as indi-viduals while others speak in gen-eral terms of the groups to which

positive, the student develops a positive self-un-derstanding. When the messages are negative, the opposite is true. As Indigenous students hear messages that suggest that those from their eth-

learning, their academic performance almost in-variably mirrors these stated expectations. This is particularly true when the messages come

-

Interestingly, however, the most powerful mes-sages come from individuals with whom the stu-

-cept of role modelling. When negative messages come from individuals who are unknown or who are merely passing acquaintances, there is some degree of impact, but the greater effect comes

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cant role in the student’s life. While this dynamic is clearly important in the early years, it becomes critical when students reach the middle years simply because it is at this point that psycho-logical development moves to the phase where questions such as “Who am I?” and “What do

I, personally, believe?” are being an-swered by the student. Prior to this, individuals tend to operate on an un-derstanding of themselves and their world, which is offered by the sig-

-where in the middle years, however, a critical juncture is reached as the answers to these questions are on-

not impossible to retract, they be-come considerably ingrained as

thought. One survey done of stu-dents in a Manitoba First Nation

found that they achieved on par with students across the province until Grade 6, at which time

Although many causes for this delay may be cit-ed, self-understanding and self-evaluation most certainly play an important role.

Two concerns arise from this dynamic. First, with notable exceptions, Indigenous role mod-els are far too few. For example, in Manitoba,

-

classrooms self-identify as Indigenous. Further-more, many of these teachers are concentrated in

none at all serving as role models for students in other classrooms or school divisions. Second,

individuals in the Indigenous student’s life are all too often negative. These messages come, not infrequently, from parents who have acquiesced and succumbed to the societal evaluation of their

2016 Manitoba ASCD

abilities and worth. In this case they carry a great deal of weight with the student. In other instances, however, powerfully damaging mes-sages come from teachers, schools and school di-visions as well.

This manifests itself in a wide variety of fash-ions. For example, a school division may cre-ate a leadership position with the stated portfolio

and include Indigenous education within this mandate. The subtle message sent is that pro-gramming for the Indigenous students of the division should be seen as a natural part of the exercise of social conscience and benevolence. Calvin Helin has written extensively with regard to this kind of subtle and the dire consequences of owning its implied self-un-derstanding as Indigenous people.

At the school level is conveyed when grant money for Indigenous achievement is used to support teachers in alternative learning or behaviour programs and not programming for gifted and talented students. A subtle message is sent, as well, when the primary responsibility for Indigenous school programming falls to the school’s Student Services Department. As well, when teachers approach Indigenous content with reluctance, reticence or paternalistic over-tones,

Indigenous students may begin to own this con-ceptual inferiority in their understanding of .

In 2003, Schissel and Wotherspoon reported on their Saskatchewan study, which demonstrated that Indigenous students who learn in schools where the curriculum is based primarily on In-digenous perspectives succeed academically at the highest rate. By contrast, those learning en-vironments where no Indigenous content is in-cluded in curriculum delivery achieve in notice-ably poorer proportions. However, the students whose learning takes place in a school that uses an or approach to Indigenous per-spectives demonstrate the greatest frequency of academic challenge and failure. Several theo-ries may be advanced as to why this might be the case, but one of the most plausible is simply that Indigenous content in these schools is presented as the , and perhaps subtly as an un-derstanding that the teacher is obliged to present. Indeed, something as simple as failing to capi-

might the word German, Chinese or Indonesian can demonstrate a lack of respect for Indigenous perspectives and understandings of the world.

The dynamic of social valuation in a school set-ting is illustrated in a positive sense by Dr. Anton

Manitoba delegates to the Council of Minis-ters of Education, Canada Conference

in Yellowknife

Dene Drum Group at closing ceremonies of the CMEC Symposium

2016 Manitoba ASCD

the story of Waadookodaading School in Hay-ward, Wisconsin. For years this school strug-gled with meeting the

-

-ed pass-rates can mean that administrators and

anyone might have guessed would have disas-trous consequences. The school would become

state mandated curriculum guidelines; their stu-dents would learn everything that any other stu-dent in the state would learn, but they would do so in Anishinaabemowin. For thirteen years in a row Waadookodaading School has had a

of the fact that these assessments are adminis-

-more, the students that have been in the pro-

the exceptional level.

“Clearly, a positive understanding and appreciation of self is key to academic success, yet far too fre-quently the subtle messages con-veyed by teachers, schools and school divisions have revealed an

of Indigenous learners.”

Dr. Treuer notes that language and culture become the that keep Anishinaabe students in

the school engaged in their learning. While learn-ing exclusively about others has the effect of dis-tancing and disconnecting students, by contrast, learning about themselves and their language, cul-ture and traditions connects, enlivens and engages students in the learning endeavour.

Clearly, a positive understanding and apprecia-tion of is key to academic success, yet far too frequently the subtle messages conveyed by teachers, schools and school divisions have re-

Indigenous learners. Eliminating the occurrence of such messages will only take place when the

-enous students are a reality not because of the capabilities or ethnic heritage of Indigenous stu-dents, but precisely because of both in society and in educative environments, which portrays all who are Indigenous as be-ing less capable and more likely to fail. Perhaps sometime in the near future the day will come when a school division will post a position for a

-nal Academic Achievement and other Gifted and Talented Students.

References:

-

review of Charles Sinclair School.

Employment and Social Development Cana-

Retrieved from http://well-being.esdc.gc.ca/mismeiowb/.3ndic.1t.4r@-eng.jsp?iid=36

2016 Manitoba ASCD

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report. . Retrieved from http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/aed/publications/pdf/teachers_question-

. Warson Woods, MO: Ravencrest Publishing.

--

. Toron-

. Retrieved from http://www’youtube.com/

Kenneth McCorkle-

About Manitoba ASCD

MissionManitoba ASCD is a provincial leader focused upon improving teaching, learning, and leader-

current educational research, by engaging in various forms of professional learning, and by encouraging non-partisan dialogue about educa-tion change.

VisionManitoba ASCD is a respected provincial edu-

of its membership, valued for its non-partisan voice on teaching, learning, and its leadership in promoting positive change. Manitoba ASCD engages a large, diverse membership in quality professional learning.

BeliefsManitoba ASCD Believes that:

All people have the ability, the need, as well as the capacity to learn.Professional learning is essential to enhance student learning.A safe and caring environment that supports risk-taking and innovation is essential for learning.Diversity is honoured, protected, and promoted.A high quality, inclusive system of education

Society is strengthened when people work together for the greater good.

Motto

LEARN. TEACH. LEAD.

2016 Manitoba ASCD

Page 21

S chool names tell a story. We see the names as we enter the building, on team swag, dai-

ly announcements and on every note sent out to the public. School names become imprinted on us as a way to identify as a school community. These names recount stories of the past and may have been chosen in order to inspire future gen-erations, but what if these names do not represent our current understand-ings of who is an inspiration? Indeed these names tell a story, but story? and do these names represent? Whose stories

School names become symbols of power and represent a version of history, often from a dom-inant Euro-centric, male perspective. These names are often allusions to a tainted colonial past. What do the names teach us about and

we value? Think about the school names from your educational past and present. Think about the surrounding street names, bridges and buildings. How many are named after Indige-nous people? People who have overcome hard-

women? These stories are often absent from our educational landscape.

schools are often named, may have made note-worthy contributions, but we have to consider at whose expense. During a time when there is new impetus to inquire into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women there is a stark juxtaposi-tion between the names that have dominated our

communities for generations and the Stolen Sis-ters who were not well known but whose names and stories deserve to be known. Is justice being

on most of our schools while faces of missing women are aligned in arrays on posters and their

bodies are being discovered on our river beds? I think

exploring the mean-ings and implica-tions of the names of schools presents

a unique opportunity for dialogue and reconciliation.

The language we use is power-ful. Nigerian born author and advocate, Chi-

“Danger of a Single Story” and the unintended consequences of bias texts. Many of the cho-sen names of our schools are texts that reveal only one side of the story which may lead to

-ence of bias and “attitudes that help keep op-pression in place by leading individuals to pas-sively collaborate with established social and

implication is that people, whose stories have

important enough to have a school honoured in their name.

With the recent emphasis on human rights edu-cation and the Truth and Reconciliation Com-

issue provides an interesting way to make chal-

Rethinking School NamesKatya Adamov Ferguson

2016 Manitoba ASCD

Page 22

lenging topics such as Residential Schools, col--

sible to teachers and learners. Osler & Starkey

cannot be addressed in an isolated module, se-ries of lessons, or a one-off project. We need to move beyond this additive approach when topics such as Aboriginal Education are added to the curriculum through a book or unit with-out changing or questioning its basic frame-

transformative approach in order to challenge

norms and values of the dominant culture. In this way, an introspective inquiry into the lan-guage of our environments has potential to en-gage a whole community in meaningful human rights discourse.

Rethinking school names is also an opportunity to put critical literacy in to action. According to

the schools in the Winnipeg School Division are named after white males of European descent who either had colonial interests to expand the Empire and establish settlements, were entrepreneurs of the “new world”, or religious missionaries. These chosen names become a sort of environmental print that implicitly

unquestioned.

of the TRC, acknowledges that our public schools have indirectly “taught us to believe in the inferiority of Aboriginal people and in the inherent superiority of white European

been taught that they have no role in history. In order to illustrate this, he highlighted the War

while Tecumseh’s contributions were often omitted from the history that is taught in classes and textbooks. To what degree does reinforcing the status quo of a Euro-centric worldview in

prevent Indigenous perspectives from being adequately considered?

I have encountered many other problematic school names that have caused dissonance within me, one of which is my current school. We have begun discussions to change our school name and motto, “King Edward School-Home of the Royals” as it implicitly teaches about Imperialism and superiority but fails to acknowledge that this is treaty land and

“According to Ada & Campoy (2004),

presence of bias and attitudes that help keep oppression in place by leading individuals to passively collaborate with established social and institutional practices.”

2016 Manitoba ASCD

Page 23

originally the home of our Indigenous peoples. In addition, King Edward VII was “known as a playboy interested in horse racing, shooting, eating, drinking and other men’s

Cecil Rhodes understood the power of a name. Schools named after Cecil Rhodes tell the story of a British business man and political leader for whom the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship is named but not the story of slave ownership, blood diamonds, and bigotry. When

named it after himself. “Rhodesia” has since been renamed as Zimbabwe. Cecil

world and that the more of the world we inhabit the better it is for the human race. Just fancy those parts that are at present inhabited by the most despicable specimens of human beings what an alteration there would be if they were

as the “Rhodes Must Fall” campaign at Oxford

#RhodesMustFall that began in South Africa

aware of the stories behind the names of people who have become celebrated through the names of our schools.

Although the list of questionable names could

resides within a much larger systemic problem.

points out that our governments and social systems are not working in a way that supports and honours Indigenous people and their aims.

absent from the wall dedicated to past premiers

later, Riel’s portrait was unveiled

Manitoba Metis Federation says, “We’d like to see the complete

the acknowledgement by the

of the province is a step in the

a century for the image of the founding father of our province to be represented in Manitoba’s legislature, it is clear that we need to make our institutions more equitable.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of

attempts have left “deep scars on the lives of many Aboriginal people, on Aboriginal communities, as well as on Canadian society”

on an everyday basis , conjuring up negative tensions that reinforce inequities and impede reconciliation. Now that the stories from survivors of Residential Schools have been made transparent, it is important for educators to repair the damaged relationships between Indigenous people and our schools. Exploring issues of language and power may initiate a

our practices at the school level. Are we creating environments that inspire young children to live a good life? Are we encouraging young minds to be creative and to explore with alternate ways of knowing and being?

2016 Manitoba ASCD

Page 24

School names provide an opportunity to examine another version of our history. But to be clear, the end goal is not to just put up new signage. The aim is to raise our own consciousness to the language, power, and history through the process of critical inquiry. It is also about responding to

school names as a collaborative initiative encourages members of school communities in our city, province and country to examine a variety of perspectives and prejudices in order to surface differences, re-imagine new names, and take steps towards reconciliation. Changing the names of some schools could serve as a symbol of renewal and initiate a new generation of trust in our school systems.

References

-tive Education.

Adichie: The danger of a single story [Vid-

-

York, NY: Routledge Falmer.

-islature.” . Retrieved from

http://blogs.canoe.com/raisinghell/politics/politics-and-the-new-louis-riel-portrait-at-the-manitoba-legislature/

-

Retrieved from http://www.cbc.ca/news/can-ada/manitoba/louis-riel-metis-leader-hon-

shtml#schools

Cecil Rhodes statue must fall – it stands in the way of inclusivity”. Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/comment-

-sity-inclusivity-black-students

-tion.

-

Winnipeg, MB: Portage & Main Press.

Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.

March 16, 2016 from http://www.trc.ca

--

2016 Manitoba ASCD

Page 25

Katya Adamov Ferguson --

Tales from Big Spirit Seven Teachings Stories

ASCD for iPadASCD for iPad is a free app for iPad bringing valuable professional development content to educators anywhere. Educators who purchase ASCD e-books can easily access that content on their iPad.

Educational Leadership AppThe free Educational Leadership app delivers Educational Leadership (EL) magazine content to iPad, iPhone, Kindle Fire, and Android tablets and smartphones. The app enables members to browse, bookmark, download, and share EL content.

ASCD Annual Conference & Exhibit Show App Available closer to the 2017 conference. This app will allow users to search the entire catalog of conference sessions and events and receive up-

speaker listings, access presenter materials, and much more.

2016 Manitoba ASCD

Page 26

Teachers today are more stressed than ever,and this stress is the main reason for them

Adding one more expectation to their already-full time tables seems like a reci-pe for disaster—but that is just what I am suggesting. Making

a priority in schools has many positive effects and, despite the “extra” work it puts on teachers, has a high payoff for students, fami-lies, and for teachers themselves.

and the feelings of others, regulate their feel-ings, communicate effectively with others in-

and develop meaningful relationships. Given that today’s classrooms are more diverse than ever as a result of immigration and inclusion, the need to provide children with tools for un-derstanding and developing friendships with others they perceive as different from them-selves has become even more important.

to understand recent developments in our un-

we tended to view mental health as a contin-uum with mental illness at one end and men-tal wellness at the other. In 2004, the World

mental illness and mental wellness as two -

currently developed a model of mental health that captured both these ideas. He proposed mental wellness as a continuum and mental

illness as an intersecting contin-uum, in effect creating 4 quad-rants:

People with high men-tal wellness and low mental ill-

ness;

People with high mental wellness andhigh mental illness;

People with low mental wellness and lowmental illness; and

People with low mental wellness andhigh mental illness.

This model was more dynamic that the pre-vious model in that it captured those individ-uals who had diagnosed mental illness yet

treatments, as well as those individuals with no mental illness who were “languishing”

meaningful relationships.

-ming has the capacity to address the needs of children in all four quadrants. Importantly, it can create socially and emotionally compe-tent students who have the skills needed to

Five Reasons for Finding the Time to Teach Social-Emotional Learning in Your Classroom

Dr. Laura Sokal,

2016 Manitoba ASCD

develop meaningful relationships with others, and it can prevent mental illness as children

--

is experiencing mental illness in Canadian schools. In context, a teacher can expect six of the thirty students in his/her class to have some sort of mental illness, usually mood disorders like anxiety or depression, making

-jority of adults who have mental illness dem-onstrated no symptoms of mental illness as

teachers we cannot predict which children -

tal illness and which will need it mainly for well-being. Therefore, providing classroom-

-geted programs only for children experienc-ing mental illness, has the capacity to prevent future mental illness in seemingly healthy children while at the same time providing so-cial skills and resiliency in all children.

-no, 2013; Frey, Hirschstein, Snell, Edstrom,

learn to understand others and their differ-ences in new ways, and to communicate and

taught have a greater sense of well-being and

When children understand themselves and others, they feel included and can develop meaningful friendships with others at school. These friendships in turn create greater resil-iency in children. Third, research has shown

produce higher student academic achieve--

berg, Dymnicki, Taylor, & Schellinger, 2011; Wang, Wilhite, Wyatt, Young, Bloemker, & Wilhite, 2012; Zins, Bloodworth, Weissberg,

teachers having more time to actually teach as children become more adept at controlling

in ways that do not interfere with teaching

-cial-emotional competencies through teach-

greater sense of well-being and lower stress

is a result of a communication and relation-ship cycle involving the students and teach-er. If children are not managing their behav-iours and communications well, the teacher is in a position where classroom management takes time away from teaching. This situ-ation, in turn, creates stress for the teacher and affects the student/teacher relationship

-

the time spent on classroom management de-creases and leaves more time for teaching, which in turn fosters more positive student/teacher relationships. These positive rela-tionships serve as resiliency mechanisms for both students and teachers. Fifth, teachers are

“Research has shown that in classrooms and schools where SEL is taught, bullying decreases substantially.”

2016 Manitoba ASCD

-cause it is mandated within the reporting of the provincial report card. Within that report card, teachers are required to report on stu-dents’ demonstration of their ability to “set learning goals, work well with others, resolve

-ers, and contribute in posi-tive ways to communities.” Clearly, teachers are charged with the responsibility to

-petencies, and the aforemen-tioned research suggests that it has become a moral imper-ative to teach them as well.

The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and

completed a rigorous evaluation of over 200

each program. Their website and publications provide an excellent starting point for teach-ers who want to learn more about effective

investing time and energy into programs that lack an evidence base substantiating their ef-fectiveness may be simply a waste of every-one’s time and efforts.

So, while social-emotional learning can seem like “just one more thing” heaped onto teach-ers’ shoulders, in essence it speaks to the

-ming has the potential to foster the devel-opment of happier children with higher ac-ademic outcomes, better mental wellness and well-being, and lower levels of mental illness. Furthermore, it has the capacity to support greater well-being and lower stress

levels in teachers, in turn leading to warm-er student/teacher relationships and greater job satisfaction. There is therefore strong ev-

programming into our daily classroom rou---

ming speaks to whether teaching is simply promoting achieve-ment in academic subjects or tru-ly teaching the whole child. So, the next time you are asked what you teach, will you answer with “I teach Math” or “I teach Sci-ence” or will you answer with, “I teach children”?

References

Counseling Centre Directors Annual

. Retrieved from

Monograph_Public_2013.pdf

Identifying teachers’ strategies for cop-ing with perceived stressors in inclusive classrooms. -

no. 122: 1–36.

-ing the outcomes and implementation of

-, 31, 1-20.

2016 Manitoba ASCD

Collie, R. J., Shapka, J. D., Perry, N. E. -

tional learning: Predicting teacher stress,

Collaborative for Academic, Social, and

Retrieved from www.casel.org

academic enablers to improve students’ achievement: An introduction to the mini-series.

of an alternative approach to school bul-lying.

programs for children and adolescents. Thousand Oaks California: Sage.

Durlak, J., Weissberg, R., Dymnicki, A., Tay--

pact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis of school-based universal interventions.

Frey, K., Hirschstein, M., Snell, J., Edstrom,

supporting beliefs: An experimental trial of the steps to respect program. -

Greenberg, M., Domitrovich, C., & Bumbarg-

disorders in school-age children: Current -

Jones, S., Bouffard, S., & Weissbourd, R. -

tional skills vital to learning.

model of universal design for learning

stress, and job satisfaction in inclusive classrooms K-12.

-

life. -

-tal health. Investigating axioms of the complete state model of health. -

-

-silience in students and teachers. In G.

--

formation Age Publishing.

2016 Manitoba ASCD

Page 30

analysis for exploring the diverse causes and effects of stress in teachers. -

of Manitoban’s youth: Everyone, every place, every day. ,

wp-content/uploads/2015/01/mass_jour-nal_spring2013.pdf

Wang, N., Wilhite, S. C., Wyatt, J., Young,

Impact of a college freshman social and emotional learning curriculum on stu-dent learning outcomes: An explorato-ry study.

-ing mental health: Concepts, emerging

Geneva: Author.

Zins, J. E., Bloodworth, M. R., Weissberg, R.

base linking social and emotional learn-ing to school success. -

Laura Sokal

www.ijepl.org

2016 Manitoba ASCD

Page 31

There is a lot of well-deserved talk about equity in Manitoba schools these days.

We live in a province where it is clear that not everyone has the same shot at success and

have always been a key part of social change and they need to live up to that responsibility today more than ever. But sometimes I wonder about whether our efforts at equity, which often focus on observable and measurable school

visible personal elements that can guide us on the path towards schools where every student stands an equal chance to succeed.

As a classroom teacher in Winnipeg’s inner city I became aware of the injustices that shaped the lives of my students but was

a role in either perpetuating problems or potentially contributing to solutions. As my practice gradually turned towards equity I came to understand a bit of what Paulo Friere

These days I try to practice that by helping new teachers develop an equity lens as they

Winnipeg Faculty Of Education. As I plan the program it often occurs to me that I am an unlikely candidate for being involved in

all, as a White middle-class man who grew up in a mono-cultural neighbourhood in a bedroom community I have enjoyed much privilege and have little personal experience

I have returned to unpacking a moment early in my teaching that I think sheds some light on the importance of personal experience to the turn toward equity.

in downtown Winnipeg there was a concern about a lack of parental participation in parent-teacher conferences. We had learned through a variety of professional development sessions that parental input was important to ensuring the success of

most notably our Indigenous students, who were not succeeding. I took this to heart and spoke at length to my classes about bringing

one Indigenous girl, Star, for an individual invitation. Sometimes Star lingered after

these moments and reminded her constantly about the upcoming conference. Once I even called out to her in the hallway while she was walking with her friends, “Star! Don’t forget I want to see your mom on Thursday night!”

Stumbling Towards Equity: A Personal Journey

Marc Benjamin Kuly

“Schools have always been a key part of social change and they need to live up to that responsibility today more than ever.”

2016 Manitoba ASCD

Page 32

When parent-teacher conference night rolled around I was disappointed. All my talk in class resulted in no increased participation and another evening sitting at my desk in the back corner of the classroom marking, punctuated by brief conversations with parents of kids who were excelling in all their classes. When the allotted time for visits was nearly up and I was beginning to pack up I heard muted conversation in the hallway. I watched the door to see if someone was there and was pleasantly surprised to see Star walk into my classroom. She looked at me, smiled nervously, looked back over her shoulder, scrunched up her face, and walked back into the hallway. More muted talk transpired and after a minute, she re-emerged holding her mom’s hand, leading her into my room after her. Star and her mom walked back to my desk and sat down in the desks I had set up in front of it. I said, “Hello” and then launched into a brief explanation of the aims, materials, and grading in our

felt awkward, waiting for the kinds of questions the other parents had asked. When none came I began to talk again. I told Star’s mom that I really liked her daughter and thought she was a great student. I told her that I thought she could be a really good writer with some hard work and that I hoped to hear from her in class more often because I valued her contributions. I said everything I could think of to say. The whole time Star’s mom looked at the ground, barely acknowledging what I was saying. Once I had exhausted all that I could think of to say I asked if there were any questions. Star’s mom stood up and walked out. Star followed behind. I feebly

called out “Thank-you! I hope we get to talk again soon!” We never did.

The conference shook me and a few conclusions started to cement in my head over the days that followed. I felt badly for Star because it seemed to me that her mom didn’t take an interest in her education and I had forced her to make her come. I felt a little angry at Star’s mom for making me feel uncomfortable. I felt a little angry at all of the experts who told us to invite parents from our vulnerable students’ families because clearly that wasn’t going to help. In short, I felt like I had done the right thing

out to families – and was rewarded with being ignored. That conference could very

well have left me convinced of the things I often hear in staffrooms about disengaged parents who don’t care about

I was gifted with teachers who prevented that.

The year after that conference another young Indigenous woman in my Grade 11

class told me she planned to speak about her family history during our unit on oral presentation skills. She presented an oral history of a local residential school as told to her by her Kookum. It was a powerful moment for everyone there. When I asked if her Kookum would come talk to our class she told me that her Kookum felt sick when she was inside schools. In that statement I

of a legacy of oppression regardless of my intentions. The best I could do was make it an exception, a place of hope within a history of hopelessness. But how?

2016 Manitoba ASCD

Page 33

In that same year I began to have conversations with Audrey Dysart, our vice-principal. When I talked to Audrey I learned the stories that she heard from the students

late for my class, and I was shocked to discover the complexities involved in simply arriving at school for some of them. I also learned that

North” she had to work hard to overcome her colleagues’ perceptions of her competency but that she persisted because she knew that the students at Gordon Bell needed someone who would hear their

judging much later, and paying attention to the stories of my students.

Five years later, in a different job, I shared

Playford, both Aboriginal Support Teachers in my school division. In Janice and Shelby I found colleagues who invited me to com-pare our mythologies. Janice redrew my map of the city by describing acts of beauty, resilience, and resistance occurring in neigh-bourhoods that scared me so much I locked my car doors when driving through. She taught me that if I was going to be involved in Aboriginal education I had better be ready to laugh because crying all the time wasn’t going to get us anywhere. Shelby and I sur-faced our assumptions together, sharing hi-larious and hurtful stories together until we could see each other’s worlds more clearly. She taught me that the biases I grew up with were matched by the biases that some of my students likely had about me. She showed me that it was up to me, the teacher, to cre-ate a safe space where stereotypes could

that truth might be. These moments and my teachers recast that parent conference night with Star and her mom.

dragging her disinterested mom into my room to talk about stuff she didn’t care

about. Not anymore. I now see Star

convinced her mom to walk through her distrust and fear for an institution that hurt her family in order to talk to

a teacher she didn’t know about what he thought of her daughter. I think that is

a more accurate perception. I know that is a more useful one for a teacher who wants every student to have a chance to succeed. I also know that my perception of that moment would never have changed had it not been for my teachers who opened me to up to the experience of others.

At the outset I suggested that efforts to create equitable educational outcomes sometimes overlook the importance of personal change.

“organic connection between education

growth in knowledge only happens when that connection is mined through personal

individual teachers are the ones doing the

“John Dewey offered that there is an ‘organic connection between education and personal experience’ and that growth in knowledge only happens when that connection is

2016 Manitoba ASCD

Page 34

developing. To be successful they must be provided opportunities to expand their experience with those who are different from them and then be given time to think about those experiences. I was lucky to have teachers who came my way and made me think about the way I looked to others when I taught, but it took far too long for me to learn from them. If we want equity in our schools I suggest we start by looking at the world through the eyes of others and that we start right now by offering teachers time and opportunity to engage in this experience.

References:

. New York, NY: McMillan.

i . New York, NY: Continuum.

Marc Kuly -

an inner city teacher and include Indigenous and newcomer experiences in schools, reconciliation, and storytelling.

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MARCH 25-27, 2017 | ANAHEIM, CALIF.

GEORGIA WORLD CONGRESS CENTER

DEERENCEHOW

We’re reinventing #ASCD17.

Get inspired with a new professional learning experience that will empower you to transform your schools. Join us in Anaheim.

2016 Manitoba ASCD

Page 35

W ith that statement, Charlotte Danielsonargues that professional conversations

should be about cognition and sharing per-spectives about the hundreds of decisions

-ing Discussions about Teaching,

, April

nine-word sentence a lot since

only did its simplicity strike me, but the possibilities that it offers are endless. However, what might a parallel statement be

“thinking person’s job” and yet that does not quite capture my most recent work, writing, and research about impactful leadership.

. This six-

of leading. In my past work as an assistant su-perintendent, school leader, and district consul-tant, I was often asked for advice. “What is the most important characteristic of a leader?” or “What advice do you have for me as I begin my new leadership position?” And for me, the re-sponse came simply. The only way that I know how to lead is to learn.

The phrase “instructional leadership” is tossed about like candy at Halloween. The

title of “principal” came from the term “principal teacher.” Our work as leaders has always presupposed a core of learning and that is why people may respond to the phrase

sentiment that it is a “no-brainer.” And yet,

questions such as, “In what ways am I making my learning visible

to others?” or “In what ways might I engage in my learning so that it is clear that my work is not only administrative and managerial?” or “How might I share evidence of my learning

with my colleagues?”

Several school districts with whom I work are examining these questions

closely. In one school board, principals, during their walkthroughs, share with staff and students what they are learning about being an instructional leader as a result of observing in that classroom that day. They do not talk about what they learned about the teacher or the students, but rather focused on what they learned about their practice and craft. This occurs from time-to-time…not each day or every second day. They no longer only ask the students what they are learning as they enter classrooms. They situate themselves very publicly as learners.

In another school district, a catchment area of about 35 K-12 principals have committed to model classroom instructional strategies

Leaders as Learners:Not Just Another Catch Phrase

Sandra Herbst,

2016 Manitoba ASCD

Page 36

through their leadership practice. For example,

to co-construct criteria with a group of adults – whether it was a secondary department, the entire faculty, the parent council, etc. These principals brought evidence of that work to their principal’s meeting and talked about the experience, but they did so only after sharing that very evidence with their colleagues back in their buildings.

In each of these two examples, the leaders are deliberately, consciously, and publicly taking the stance of learner. Of course leaders are learners. What principal or superintendent or director would say that they don’t learn each and every day? However, these learners are communicating their learning to others, just as we ask students to do so in multiple ways each and every day.

To this end, I wonder what might happen if we would end our time in meeting, in gathering, or in professional renewal sessions by proposing this question:

you That is, at the end of these

adult learning times, we pause to also think about the ways in which our words and actions might have impacted upon the growth of those beside whom we have been working. We pose this question at the beginning and signal that, as we close, we all will be thinking and talking about our responses to this question.

It is more usual to see the following questions:

What is one idea or strategy that you are taking away with you back into your school?

In what ways might you apply one of the strategies to your next instructional sequence?

What is a word or a phrase that continues to resonate with you from today’s session?

In what ways has the content and processes of the day informed your current role?

They seem very familiar to us. Participants may be asked to share their thinking with a valued colleague or to write about it on an exit slip. In some instances, there is time

times, they are offered as a “take away.” In any case, these questions call us to consider what we might have learned from the content and/or the processes presented and used.

However, this other question – you

- presumes a stance of positive

What might someone have learned because you were in the room today?

2016 Manitoba ASCD

presupposition and a sense of community. It suggests that we are all responsible for the learning in the room. Oftentimes, norms of collaboration state this very notion. We may even review those norms before we begin; but before we know it, we forget about this shared obligation.

Instead, we can ask others and ourselves to think about the ways that we will “be” in the adult learning space today. In other words, I am reminded that my actions, my words, my inactivity, my silence, and my behaviour can

else to deeper thought, that causes someone else to pause and rethink a previously held position, or that presents to someone else a new strategy or idea.

Over the past several months, I have started my sessions with this question. Educators have provided me with feedback that they have appreciated the reminder that they are all responsible to the community of learners gathered. Some have reported that they believe others may have learned something not as favourable, such as “It is

hard for me to not check my phone for texts and emails.” or “I noticed that I interrupted several people today.”

Nevertheless, when we are reminded that we are not only responsible for our own learning, but that of others, it can call on us to be our

end of the learning session, we not only think about what others have done with and for us,

on our performance, words, behaviour and interactions. In this way, we turn the mirror

not just thinking about what others might have done for and to us.

This powerful question, along with the other strategies that have been shared are merely illustrative, rather than exhaustive. However, they can serve to call us into contemplation –

Sandra Herbst-

in High Schools Quality Assessment in High Schools: Accounts from Teachers -

sessment: A Practical Guide

2016 Manitoba ASCD

L eveled books are often the focus of teachers’ literacy programs in the early

years. While it is an important component of assessment, it should not be the only tool relied upon by teachers.

risk of being misused and overused by teachers. Our research addresses why children should not be restricted based on their supposed reading level; this can stunt children’s growth as readers.

& Pinnell, 2012-2013, p.

literacy strategies to promote the power and agency children have as they become

-ing materials that represent a progression from more simple to more complex and challenging texts…some are based on read-ability formulas; others apply multiple criteria related to language predictability,

criteria for leveling the books, they are then

consistency between various systems of lev-eling texts. Therefore, it is important to know what factors have been taken into account during the leveling process. For example,

a book that is a readabil-

have content that is for a more mature audience. For instance, rape, kill, drugs, guns, and abuse, are all short words whereas beau-tiful, excellent, wonderful, spectacular, and glorious are longer and, therefore, would be leveled as being harder to read. Readability formulas typically consider

word and sentence length as key indicators of

might be easy to read, the discrepancy be-tween their readability and suitability to a young audience is, of course, questionable.

Expanding Your Literacy Toolbox: Exploring the Misuse and Overuse of

Leveled Texts in Early YearsAndrea Boyd, Diandra Etkin, and Alexis Prychitko,

“Recent research by Begeny and Greene has demonstrated that even where content is not considered, readability formulas are still shown to be unreliable methods through which to determine the ease or dif-

2016 Manitoba ASCD

Recent research by Begeny and Greene

content is not considered, readability formulas are still shown to be unreliable methods through which to determine the

In our experiences, we have most often seen Fountas and Pinnell’s system of leveled books in schools. These books range alphabetically from A, the easiest to read, to

schools and divisions mandate that teachers report Fountas and Pinnell’s reading levels to go on each child’s transcript as a uniform way of assessing children’s ability to read. Often times levels are included on report

insist “We have never recommended that the school library or classroom libraries be leveled or that levels be reported to

Limitations of Leveled LiteracyInstruction Systems

The professional and research literature, and our own personal observations, reveal

instances in which children are suffering the negative impacts of the misuse and overuse of leveled texts. For instance, some children’s reading and personal identities are being severely damaged through their knowledge that their own reading level is lower than that of their friends. Some children are resisting the reading practice necessary to improve because they are embarrassed by their levels. Some children’s reading diet is being entirely restricted to leveled books, even for home reading. Some children are restricting themselves only to reading books at their supposed level. In one instance, in response to being asked what types of books she likes to read, where the expected response was “I like to read poetry”, “I like to read about horses”, “I like to read scary stories” or some similar type of response, the child responded

many instances, teaachers and students are entirely neglecting their interests in favour of considering only levels. It seems there is lots of “I can’t” reading rather than “I can,” “I want to,” and “I will.”

to leveled literacy systems, which is why they have been so widely implemented

leveled texts is that they can incorporate

“The professional and research literature, and our own personal observations, reveal instances in which children are suffering the negative impacts of the misuse and overuse of leveled texts.”

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can provide the means through which children with similar needs can be grouped

easy and quantitative method of assessing students’ learning and needs. An additional

comprehension, and expansion of oral language. These are reading essentials.

“Educators have sometimes made the mistake of thinking that guided reading is the reading program or that all of the books students

literacy instruction systems provide a limited amount of texts; therefore, even when there is opportunity for choice reading, the books still may not be of interest to the child. This limits children’s motivation to read and may

formulas are created with the intention of reaching a large range of students. It is therefore impossible for the creators of these programs to incorporate the interests and experiences of each child. Nonetheless, we insist that it is those individual interests and experiences of a reader that will most heavily determine whether something is easy or

Alternative Literacy Approaches

We need varied instructional support as well as varied texts in order to provide students the scaffolding and opportunities they need to succeed as readers. It’s not the leveled

how texts are used—leveled or unleveled.

A strategy that teachers could implement to become less dependent on leveled texts

is to teach students Gail Boushey and Joan Mosey’s “CAFÉ” and practice using it in the classroom. CAFÉ is an acronym that stands for: Comprehension, Accuracy, Fluency, and Expand vocabulary. These are all critical

In CAFÉ, the teacher introduces various reading strategies under each heading and models them for students during

individually conference with their teacher to collaboratively decide which strategy is an appropriate goal at that time. Once a strategy

their names underneath the appropriate goal listed on the wall-mounted CAFÉ menu.

why teachers rely on using leveled texts in their classroom libraries. Through our research, we discovered that pairing up students to read together or forming small

Teachers may use the CAFÉ approach to form these groups based on shared goals rather than shared reading levels.

Dyad reading is another strategy that can be used to help all readers in a classroom. Dyad reading is a process, which was inspired by clinical approaches to the Neurological

Figure 1

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This process was then

work within a classroom

Wilcox, & Eldredge,

language indicates, dyad reading consists of two students: one lead reader and one assisted reader, who form said

to both, these students sit side by side, and the lead reader tracks the words as they read while the assisted reader tries to read aloud

independently read the material, and should choose from both expository and narrative

as they are able to in the time frame given to

was conducted which focused on the

This included children reading at their instructional level, two levels above their instructional level, and four levels above

level’ generally refers to a text that is challenging but manageable for the assisted reader. The study consisted of grade two

Throughout the course of the study, each dyad read for approximately 15 minutes per day, and teachers were instructed as per the dyad reading

Wilcox, & Eldredge,

dyad pairings and texts were rotated on a weekly basis, with the exception

of those reading chapter books, who would

the study concluded, they found that all three groups improved, however, the group reading two levels above their instructional level achieved the greatest improvement

effective, but it also calls into question the necessity of reading at a supposed level.

A literacy approach that promotes agency in reading, which was introduced to us

Manitoba, Dr. Gregory Bryan, is titled IF CROW. IF CROW is an acronym which stands for:

I in the topic or textF with the topic or textCR for considering this textO What are others saying about this text?W After considering these things, do I want to read this text?

The intention of IF CROW is to get students to consider those things which have a

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greater chance of impacting the likelihood of a successful reading experience than mere adherence to a supposed level.

Teachers may also use I PICK as a strategy to avoid overusing leveled texts. I PICK

stands for:

I Not you.P Why am I reading this?I Do I like it?C Do I understand?Do I know most of the words?

This approach was developed by Gail

also a fun, catchy tune to go along with I PICK, which will help students to recall the

they independently shop in libraries. The following link is an example of the I PICK song performed in a classroom: https://www.

The Reality Is…

If you improve book selection for your students, it will lead to their increased engagement in

reading, which will in turn contribute to their

important characteristic of a book is not its level, but its quality and appeal to readers.”

way that teachers can ensure students develop

are only one component of a high-quality literacy effort,” which is why it is important for teachers to diversify and not rely solely

children to not only have the skills to know how to read, but to instill within them a love and appreciation for reading.

References:

Can readability formulas be used to

materials? ,

Book: Engaging All Students in Daily

Portland, ME: Stenhouse.

bad news.

. Presented at The Second Annual Faculty Research Day, Faculty

Winnipeg, MB.

Figure 2

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Human Development Master’s Theses

Guided Reading: The Romance and the Reality.

More power for your reading block.

Morgan, A., Wilcox, B. R., & Eldredge, J.

on Second-Grade Delayed Readers

Department of Educational

Maryville, MO.

rejecting-instructional-level-theory.html#uds-search-results

in reading: Some consequences of individual differences in the acquisition of literacy.

Andrea Boyd

Diandra Etkin

Alexis Prychitko

2016 Manitoba ASCD

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Towards Truth and Reconciliation:with Marc Kuly & Kevin Lamoureux

Wednesday, October 5, 20169:00 am - 3:30 pm

Canad Inns Club Regent Hotel1415 Regent Avenue W., Winnipeg

2016 - 2017 Speaker Series

Cultivating World Class LearnersHow Globalization and Technology

Impact EducationDr. Yong Zhao

Thursday, February 23, 20179:00 am - 3:30 pm

Hilton Airport Suites and Hotel1800 Wellington Avenue, Winnipeg

Advancing Reading and Writing Skills:with Middle and Senior Years Students

Penny KittleThursday, April 27, 2017

9:00 am - 3:30 pmViscount Gort Hotel

1670 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg

2016 Manitoba ASCD

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SUMMER 2015 VOLUME 15

“TODAY’S STUDENTS, TOMORROW’S CITIZENS”

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