Prospective Heads’ Leadership ProgrammeAction Research Report

June 20, 2014

“The research we do at the local level - collaboratively - is what makes formal, outside research

work. Outside research cannot be installed like a car part - it has to be fitted, adjusted, and

refined for the school contexts we worked in.”

― Mike Schmoker

TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE

Leading Change From Good to Great 2-3Carolyn Breland, St. John’s School

Implementation of a Restorative Justice Approach to Discipline 4-5Allan Klassen, Fraser Academy

Creating a Culture of Feedback 6-7Sharon Klein - Queen Margaret’s School

Parent Engagement: Increasing Parents’ Understanding 8-9of the School Philosophy and Their Daughters’ LearningShelley Lammie - York House School

AMP up the Learning: Academic Mentoring Program 10-11Sarah Marshall - Aspengrove School

Implementing Transitional Learning Support for 12-13English Language LearnersJason Parker - Meadowridge School

SMART Board™: Cutting Edge Technology or Overpriced Projector and Screen that Promotes Teacher-Centered Instruction? 14-15Brad Smith - Stratford Hall

The Introduction of Curriculum Mapping 16-18Gordon MacIntyre - Mulgrave School

Additional References 19-21

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Leading Change From Good to Great Carolyn Breland - St. John’s School

Reference to Literature

Good to Greato By J. Collins

Principle-Centered Leadershipo By S. Covey

Leaders can make a difference. If you want to have a significant impact on people, on communities, and on organizations, you’d be wise to invest in learning to become the very best leader you can. But first you must believe that a leader lives within each of us.

—Kouzes & Posner, The Leadership Challenge, p. 321

Information Gathering

Established in 1986, St. John’s School offers a co-educational programme in an urban environment for learners in junior kindergarten to grade 12. For years, this small school welcomed diverse groups of students and staff in a safe learning environment, where everyone was valued for their individual differences. This created a wonderful family-oriented community, and yet the school seemed to lack a competitive niche in the independent school market.

Since joining the school in 2001, Head of School Stephen Hutchison’s vision has been to transform St. John’s from good to great. He has worked assiduously on honing systems, improving programmes, hiring the best staff, and offering the finest facilities in order to strengthen the overall functioning, reputation, and subsequent success of the school. In 2008, the Board of Governors supported the school’s application to offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) Programmes and expand its campus.

Thanks to the Board’s support, since 2010 the population of students and staff has doubled, as has the square footage of the property. New junior school and senior school principals have been hired along with new coordinators of the Diploma Programme (DP), the Middle Years Programme (MYP), and the Primary Years Programme (PYP); a new Deputy Head of School was appointed; the school achieved its authorization in both the MYP and DP and has been approved as a candidate school for the PYP, and graduates are now attending some of the leading post-secondary schools in North America, Asia, and Europe.

In the fall of the 2013–2014 school year, the full implementation of the PYP began in preparation for its authorization in 2015. The school’s first-ever junior kindergarten programme was designed and classes were welcomed, and the grade 4/5 “Bring Your Own iPad Programme” was introduced. The latest strategic plan was being developed, and the next phase in the school’s development plan was being decided.

Planning

With such fast-paced change, and with more to come in 2014–2015 and beyond, it is important to ensure staff fatigue does not compromise growth or school morale. In the winter of 2013, 87% of staff reported a high level of job satisfaction. In this action research project, I examined the essential ingredients required to motivate staff to embrace change and aspire for greatness, accomplishing holistic school goals, in order to continue to inspire them to do more without risking burnout, possible disengagement, or a decrease in the passion demonstrated in their work. Over the course of the past ten months, I gathered information from reviewing school literature and reflecting on past practices; examining the staff satisfaction survey completed in 2013; facilitating one-on-one interviews and large group discussions; and conducting an updated staff satisfaction survey in June 2014. Teaching staff, both individually and collectively, were asked to comment on their satisfaction at work and share what keeps them inspired. When faced with ongoing changes, have they felt supported? How have they maintained their drive in the face of so much change? What have been contributing factors to their success?

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Key contributors to staff enthusiasm were engaging professional development, having their professional and personal needs valued, being listened to by Senior Administration, and having their successes celebrated. “Recognition does not have to be elaborate, just genuine” (Kouzes & Posner, 1995, p. 269). Informal leadership opportunities have provided staff with even further impetus, and they have appreciated the chance to work on solutions, plan for change, and make a difference in school functioning. The collaboration, professional dialogue, growth, and empowerment were duly noted. “The greatest administrators do not achieve production through constraints and limitations. They provide opportunities” (Heider, 1985, p. 135).

Evaluation

A few elements needed for greatness stood out when I analyzed the literature on change management and leadership while reflecting on our school’s practices: school vision, staff empowerment, and strong communication. It is very clear that our staff understand the school vision. As Heath and Heath (2010) stated, “Ambiguity is exhausting. . . .To spark movement in a new direction, you need to provide crystal clear guidance” (p. 59). They also noted, “Goals should have an emotional component. . . They should hit you in the gut” (p. 76). Our head of school speaks often about the school’s vision, mission, and short- and long-term goals. Under his transformational leadership, the staff are right with him.

In terms of staff empowerment, Miller states, “Effective principals are willing to accept that leadership must be spread throughout the organization; one of the most powerful drivers of change involves learning from peers, especially those who are further along in implementing new ideas” (p. 12). Committees were formed three years ago with staff chairs to resolve various challenges in the school’s day-to-day functioning such as timetabling, co-curricular scheduling, and IT visioning (to name just a few). This school year, staff have created their own committees, addressing important growth areas such as assessment; language curriculum, and Information Technology (IT). The work accomplished in a relatively short time has been outstanding. Already next year, we will have a new junior school report card, and draft scope and sequences have been completed for Language Arts from JK–5 and IT from JK–12. Best of all, in a survey conducted in June 2014, 94% of staff surveyed reported high levels of engagement, most often attributed to their direct involvement in the school’s betterment.

Strong communication—concise, simple, and direct—is vital to staff morale. While some communication has been successful, the interviews divulged that continued work is necessary in this area. Staff involvement in committee work makes communication simple: committee chairs report semi-monthly on the work accomplished and plans being developed. Where communication could be improved is between the junior and senior schools and in the definition of roles and responsibilities of the various coordinators. There have been struggles for individuals in middle management positions, such as the PYP, Athletic, and IT coordinators, who are responsible for attaining certain goals without the authority to make change happen. Communication channels will be looked at to understand scope of influence, give value to the coordinators’ work, and keep staff informed appropriately and in a timely manner.

Conclusion

Having completed this action research project, the key elements required to manage ongoing changes while fulfilling the school’s goal of achieving greatness are apparent. We need to keep our vision clearly defined. Thanks to a strong, visionary leader with a supportive board and senior administrative team, our stakeholders embrace the direction we are taking as a school. As individuals, staff must remain empowered to make a difference and feel valued for their contributions. Together, staff report they feel motivated to do more when they are appreciated. Continuing to fine-tune our internal communications, especially in defining roles and responsibilities of middle management, will be our area of development. Heath and Heath advise, “Don’t obsess about failures. Instead investigate and clone the successes” (2010, p. 98). Preparations are already underway to move us forward in this endeavour. Middle managers are chairing staff meetings and staff committees, a director of communications has been hired for next year, and collaborative planning meetings are underway, examining school policies and practices. For a school with a relatively short history, we have a number of successes to build upon. Our track record shows that greatness is within our reach.

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Implementation of a Restorative Justice Approach to Discipline Allan Klassen - Fraser Academy

Reference to Literature

The Little Book of Restorative Discipline for Schoolso By Lorraine Amstutz and Judy Mullet

Educating for Peacebuildingo By Catherine Bargen

Information Gathering

Under a previous administration, our school had been governed by a zero-tolerance discipline policy. My research project was to look at the literature and evidence for a restorative justice approach, and to implement this set of practices at Fraser Academy. My interest in restorative discipline began several years ago when a Native Elder came to our school and led a healing circle with all the children involved in an incident - along with their parents. I wondered whether a restorative justice approach that focuses on personal responsibility and healing could be more effective than a punitive approach in dealing with specific problems, and also lead to a more empathetic school culture.

Planning

My short-term goal was to educate staff in the philosophy of restorative justice and engage them in the implementation. Restorative justice has more to do with attitude and a belief system than it does with a set policy that can be implemented, so it was necessary to achieve consensus amongst the staff. My long-term goal was to deal with all matters of discipline in a restorative manner and to build a culture of trust in the entire school community.

Implementation: Last August, I began to introduce the ideas of restorative discipline to our school community. I arranged for Jim Skinner to meet separately with our tutors, the staff of the junior school and staff of the senior school. Mr. Skinner is a former school principal and a highly skilled counseling psychologist whose expertise has been very valuable at our school. He spoke to our staff about the principals of restorative justice and demonstrated class meetings. Our head of school, our department heads and I attended a speech at Simon Fraser University by Dr. Brenda Morrison, head of the university’s restorative justice team. I gave a slide presentation to staff, highlighting the evidence-based research in inner-city U.S. schools which had switched from zero-tolerance to a restorative justice approach. Along with our school counselor, I gave a presentation about restorative discipline to new parents. I also consulted Catherine Bargen, the author of a book on implementing restorative justice principles and practices in a school system. After the school year started, I continued to support and encourage restorative discipline. All of our discipline situations were dealt with through this model, in meetings with the teacher, students, counselors, and parents. We also worked on preventative measures. When we experienced several incidents of conflict among our Grade 7 girls, I invited Jim Skinner to give talks to them about empathy and personal awareness. We also wrote a section on restorative discipline in our staff manual, outlining the philosophy and the processes.

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Evaluation

This year, we had a much-reduced number of discipline incidents. Our in-school suspensions were far fewer than in previous years, and we had no out-of-school suspensions in the junior and senior schools. I found that teachers were more willing to come to me with early problems, perhaps because they did not have to fear harsh punishment for the students involved. I also felt that parents were more open with me. Next year I would like to complete a survey of our staff and students to gather more information about how the approach is working.

I learned about the value of a collaborative leadership approach and the importance of being approachable and consulting stakeholders. I found that encouraging people to make decisions and take initiative improves respect for my leadership. Throughout this process of change, it was very helpful to provide evidence-based research on restorative discipline and not to oversell it. Restorative justice is not perfect. It is a process and an attitude, and it takes time. A school must have values and a mission statement that all stakeholders believe in. We have recently rewritten our vision and our mission statement, and identified our values. Our Vision is: ‘Changing Destiny by Changing Minds’. Our mission statement is: ‘Our community celebrates the unique strengths of individuals with dyslexia and language-based learning differences, empowering students with choice and opportunity’. Our Values are: ‘At Fraser Academy, we value Personalized Learning embodied through Excellence, Acceptance, Resilience, Autonomy and Innovation’.

Conclusion

I was encouraged by our early results and we will continue our professional development on this approach. All of our stakeholders have been very receptive, particularly the students and parents. I believe the restorative discipline approach can play a significant role in creating community in the classroom and building a positive school culture.

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Creating a Culture of FeedbackSharon Klein - Queen Margaret’s School

Reference to Literature

Teacher Evaluation that makes a Difference. A New Model for Teacher Growth and Student Achievement

o By Robert J. Marzano and Michael D. Toth Leading the Way to Making Classroom Assessment Work

o By Anne Davies and Sandra Herbst Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard

o By Chip and Dan Heath

Information Gathering

Intended Outcome: To create a culture of feedback within the school that ultimately contributes to increased student learning, and continuous teacher growth and development.

Context: QMS had a large faculty change in 2012-13 due to various reasons (10 in total comprising 33% of faculty). This also included 4 new department heads. In this same year we participated in a CAIS evaluation. Due to this evaluation, all of our collaboration time was focused on writing the report and an overall self-assessment. Therefore, this time could not be used to focus on assessment practices as time had to be spent on establishing a team and mentorship. In fact, we had a whole new dynamic in our school, and it was apparent that we needed to start at the beginning again with regard to our assessment practices. Since this year, 2013-2014, was the year following our CAIS evaluation, focusing on a cultural shift would lay the groundwork for future work in not only assessment, but in teacher supervision and evaluation as well. Importantly, I felt that this project would have an immediate positive effect on students and faculty.

Planning

1. Individual Teachers Participate in Growth Plan Meetings – November, May Growth Plan 3 minute Check-ins with designated faculty member – December, February, April, May Commit to visiting a colleague’s classroom to observe for a minimum of 15 minutes – fill out the form

provided – WHAT, SO WHAT, NOW WHAT? Choose survey (samples provided by PD Committee) and get feedback from ONE class minimum, and

reflect on this feedback. Prepare to discuss at May growth plan meeting. Participate in on-line learning AFL sessions with Anne Davies and Sandra Herbst – November/December Participate in August PD AFL with Andrew Schimmer Participate in May PD on Communication Styles & Showcase of Learning

2. Departments Set Department goal around feedback (AFL) Discuss at department meetings – reflection, set new goals, etc. Feedback to faculty at staff

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3. Administration (Sharon Klein, Susan Cruikshank) Growth Plan Meetings – November, May (feedback focus) Classroom Visits 360 Survey and follow-up with consultant – role modeling feedback process Plan PD sessions and in-school PD Day Collect data and feedback to staff

4. Professional Development Committee Research on AFL – Feedback Fridays – Alison O’Marra-Armstrong Plan collaboration time PD related to AFL – Sharon Klein, Susan Cruikshank Develop sample surveys for teachers Plan May Pro-D Day: Showcase of Learning & Communication

DATA COLLECTION 1. The teachers administered surveys to their individual classes throughout the year, and collated the data

for reflection and sharing at their May growth plan meeting. Our Junior Principal and I participated in a 360 feedback process, surveying all teachers, managers, and parents.

2. Data was collected from teachers on the action plan process through a survey monkey in May, 2014 and shared with faculty.

3. Anecdotal data was collected from teachers during their May growth plan meetings.

Evaluation

The data indicated that teachers were engaged in the topic of feedback throughout the year. They (100%) felt that they were more aware of the quality of feedback they were giving to students, 88% believed that the professional development activities we engaged in this year contributed to their personal growth in the area of feedback, 92% believe that, as a result of our plan, they have changed their practice with respect to feedback, and 96% believed that student feedback to teachers has the potential to improve their practice. The growth plan meetings with teachers in May indicated that not only did they feel that what they engaged in was valuable, but they felt that the student surveys helped to build community and gave the students a voice in their learning. One teacher commented that it gave the students a “sense of we’re all in this together”. This was a very positive result I hadn’t anticipated.

Conclusion

I felt we were successful due to our narrowed focus. The goal was specific and attainable and made a difference in the lives of both students and faculty. It was good to offer a variety of ways to receive information – online, presentation, readings, videos, etc. Creating forums for conversations to take place that are built into the day and not an ‘add-on’ was important. This project built community and gave students a voice, and it was evident that teachers valued this process and the students’ valued feedback. The teachers played an active part in the next steps. It is important to have a “keeper of the vision” to ensure momentum is maintained throughout the year. Building culture takes time and communication and getting buy-in from staff is crucial. When you are building culture, face-to-face communication is important. Most importantly, the process is as important as the outcome. I would recommend the immediate next steps would be forming an action research team of interested faculty who would look at the data collected this year and determine next steps, keeping in mind the greater vision of creating a culture where quality feedback and reflection is the norm. I would see next steps including the formation of small cross-grade PLC teams that meet regularly to look at improving instructional practice. In order to embed the change into the culture all faculty need to be engaged in the process.

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Parent Engagement: Increasing Parents’ Understanding of the School Philosophy and Their Daughters Learning

Shelley Lammie - York House School

Reference to Literature

Parent engagement and parent involvement are sometimes used interchangeably. However for the purpose of this research, they are seen as two different ideas. Parent involvement includes parents helping the school, e.g., volunteering at school events, fundraising, and supervising field trips. Parent engagement is about parents and the school working towards a shared agenda that is focused on teaching and learning. It involves helping parents understand how their child learns, and recognizes parents as the child’s first teacher. When parent knowledge and teacher knowledge are put together, we make better more informed decisions about children that enhance the student program and student learning (Pushor, 2013). In reviewing the research, it was shown that while involvement helps parents feel more connected to the school, engagement helps parents feel more connected to their children and their children’s learning. Children from diverse cultural backgrounds perform better when parents and professionals collaborate to bridge the gap between the culture at home and the culture at the learning institution (Michigan Department of Education, 2011). When the school and the family work together to support students’ learning, students have higher grades and test scores, enroll in more advanced classes, are more likely to attend postsecondary education and like school more (Henderson & Mapp, 2002). In addition, students show greater engagement in schoolwork, better social skills, improved behaviour, better adaptation to school, a greater sense of personal competence and a stronger belief in the importance of education.

Information Gathering

York House Little School has been in existence for six years. During this time, we have been working with parents and have tried to develop strong parent relationships. We have been communicating to parents the importance of learning through play due to our strong belief in play. We have been working towards educating parents about the value of our play- and inquiry-based program with a number of strategies, e.g., parent information sessions, parent-child sharing every morning, anecdotal report cards, documentation panels in the classrooms, and weekly emails. However, we know that many of our students still attend after school math and reading classes to accelerate their academic learning. Many parents focus on academic skill development without an understanding of the social and emotional learning that is so important for our youngest students. We engaged in action research to answer the question: How do we engage parents in the process of the child’s learning so that they truly understand and begin to value the work the teachers and children do at school?

Planning

I chose to work with our Junior Kindergarten classroom teachers and families this year. This is often the families’ first experience with school and these families will be at our school for the next 14 years. The two classroom teachers were partners in this research. We worked together to brainstorm ways that we could more effectively engage parents. We already had a number of strategies in place. We decided to improve on these strategies and add a few more. For example, the teachers added a portfolio component to parent-child sharing, they created more in-depth documentation by including their own reflections, student reflections, and asking parents for their reflections, they created a class website so that parents could see photos of the children from home, teachers created a learning story for each student that was included with the Term 2 report card, and we changed the program for student-centred conferences adding a component where children could demonstrate their learning through play.

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DATA COLLECTION (CENTRAL QUESTIONS)There were different types of data collected throughout the school year including: parent questionnaires

at the beginning of the school year; parent feedback forms mid-year, and an online anonymous survey at the end of the year. As well, we collected anecdotal notes based on our conversations and meetings with parents throughout the year.

Evaluation

Our parent survey in June conveyed that parents are very happy with the strategies teachers put in place to increase parent engagement. Parents liked the portfolio activities that were added to parent-child sharing and requested more opportunities to reflect on the portfolio with their daughters. They felt that the learning story enhanced the Term 2 report card, and the student-centred conference activities deepened their understanding of how their daughters learn through play. An unexpected outcome of the survey was the unanimous feedback from parents that one of the most valuable communications came from the short, informal conversations the parents had with teachers at drop-off and pick-up each day. It shows the importance of welcoming the family into the classroom on a daily basis. The teachers naturally want to communicate little things that they notice to the parents. This unplanned communication strategy has had a large impact on our parents. Overall, the most resounding change that I have noticed is the willingness of parents to discuss their child’s development openly and honestly. Parents have wanted to partner with the teachers for the benefit of the child, and some have even made changes to the way they work with their daughters at home. The work of the Junior Kindergarten teachers has helped bridge the gap between the school and families with different cultural backgrounds. Parents and teachers are truly partners in educating the whole child. We have been able to make learning visible for the parents while at the same time communicating the children’s engagement and happiness at school.

Conclusion

I have touched on parent engagement this year while working with a small sample. I will continue during the 2014-15 school year. We have made strides in increasing parent engagement in our Junior Kindergarten program. Our survey shows that parents are highly satisfied with the communication they have with the teachers and the information they receive about their child’s learning. Next steps will be to include the Senior Kindergarten parents and teachers in this work. We have begun to bridge the gap between the culture at home and the culture at school.

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AMP up the Learning: Academic Mentoring Program Sarah Marshall - Aspengrove School

Reference to Literature

The Speed of Trust: The One Thing That Changes Everythingo By S.M. Covey

Sustainable Leadership o By A. Hargreaves and D. Fink

Information Gathering

Last year Aspengrove School achieved an important milestone, approval for the IB Diploma programme. We are now an IB continuum school spanning pre-kindergarten to Grade 12. As the academic rigour and organizational demands on students increased, the faculty noticed several important consequences. Students who had difficulty with organization and time management rapidly fell behind, levels of student and parent anxiety markedly increased and finally, those students without strong emotional resilience and support were easily overwhelmed. These observations prompted a series of discussions amongst staff members and ultimately led to the research question: ‘Can a teacher-run academic Mentoring program lead to better academic achievement and lower anxiety in senior students?’ Due to previous programs focussed on building social emotional competencies, faculty were aware of research showing explicitly taught organizational skills and emotional competencies (SEC) contributes to student academic achievement. (Battistich, Schaps, Watson, Solomon, & Lewis, 2000; Payton et al., 2008). Furthermore, research shows that additional outcomes included better friendships, happiness and mental health outcomes (Hymel et al., 2006; Payton et al., 2008). The staff culture of Aspengrove is one of distributed leadership involving shared voice, vision, responsibility and accountability among stakeholders (Hargreaves & Fink, 2006). Faculty are collaborative and meet regularly to discuss student learning, students of concern, and solutions. As a small independent school we have fewer resources than most established schools. We do not have some of the critical staff, such as counsellors, that typically support the development of academic skills and social emotional competencies. This has inspired many innovative solutions to address student learning needs. The faculty expressed the need for additional academic mentoring for certain students predicated on the belief that both specific academic skills, such as time management, and social emotional competencies contribute to academic success. Concurrently the leadership team realized that several individuals had extra blocks in their schedules for the following year. Our approach as a leadership team is to have a culture of trust built on shared vision and actions, in particular actions towards student performance and staff support (Fullan, 2008; Reeves, 2009). In many schools teachers are constantly being asked to do more, teach longer, and fulfill multiple needs. In keeping with Reeves’ (2009) recommendation that educational leaders must ask themselves what their staff can stop doing before they ask them to take on new innovations, we recognized an opportunity to create a teacher-run academic support program using teaching faculty. The AMP, Academic Mentoring Program, was created.

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Planning

Five teaching faculty were matched with two senior students each. AMP mentors were chosen for the ability to form strong relationships with students, their own

competence in coaching learning and social emotional competencies. AMP mentors met with students at least twice per week outside of class to support students in

organization, time-management, study skills, self-regulation and anxiety. AMP mentors communicated with student families, faculty and leadership.

DATA COLLECTION AMP mentors and students were individually interviewed. Information was collected in three key areas:

o What worked well? What did not work? What improvements can we make for next year?o Students were also asked to make a subjective judgment about coping and anxiety.

Students’ achievement was compared to the previous year. Teachers of senior students were informally surveyed to see if there was a perception of better or worse

functioning socially and higher or lower anxiety.

Evaluation

AMP interviews revealed some common themes. Mentors resoundingly felt that the program had been helpful for AMP students. Specifically they felt that students were better able to cope with their academic and extra-curricular loads and maintained lower levels of anxiety. A comparison of AMP student subject marks over a two year period found this was the case. Mentors also felt they built stronger relationships with their AMP students. AMP student reflections revealed the same trend; students felt their marks were better, anxiety was lower and that their relationship with their AMP mentor was particularly strong and nurturing. Reported challenges and suggestions for improvement have formed the basis of recommendations for next year’s AMP program. Wherever possible, AMP students need to be identified prior to the end of the year, allowing for support to be put in place immediately in September. Supporting a faster implementation, AMP program mentors and the coordinator will meet prior to September start-up and develop a common set of mentor support agreements. The AMP coordinator will develop communication and tracking templates to facilitate mentor processes, and mentors will have access to expert training and networking. Additionally, private work and meeting spaces will be identified for AMP meetings. Reflection on the implementation of the AMP change initiative raised a key question. What type of educational leadership and culture supports implementation of change? Leadership that builds a foundation of personal trust builds a culture that will reflect organizational trust (Covey, 2006). Fortunately at Aspengrove School the model of distributed leadership and hard work done by staff to build a culture of trust makes implementing change fairly smooth. Implementation is the crucial variable that impacts the success, and ultimately the sustainability, of change initiatives in a school (Reeves, 2009). Change itself is related to context; faculty identified particular academic and psycho educational needs that led to AMP.

Conclusion

Next year we will continue to expand the AMP model with some central tenants in mind. The importance of evidence-based training cannot be overlooked. Successful implementation requires an “ongoing process of formal and informal training, including the involvement of acknowledged experts” (Elias et al., 2003, pp. 311). Also, as with all strong research and learning, and evaluative process must be continually followed. Mentors, students and faculty will be asked for their feedback, evidence of student learning and achievement will be analyzed. A combination of strong educational leadership and system features that include flexibility, staff collaboration and research based training supports any successful change implementation in a school. Furthermore, these elements combined offer an investment towards sustainable change (Elias et al., 2003; Hargreaves & Fink, 2006).

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Implementing Transitional Learning Support for English Language Learners

Jason Parker - Meadowridge School

Reference to Literature

Research-Based Methods of Reading Instruction for English Language Learners, Grades K–4o by Sylvia Linan-Thompson and Sharon Vaughn

The Relationship between Delivery Models and the Grade-Level Reading Development of 6th Grade English Learners

o By Holly Weber Arnold (Liberty University)

Information Gathering

Meadowridge School has traditionally welcomed small numbers of students who are mission appropriate, but demonstrate need for remedial support, particularly in English. These students are either new residents to the country or international students in the process of immigrating to Canada. Typically, they were “dropped into classes” without any formal support. Some received supplemental support through tutoring outside of regular classes.

The general impression was that many of these students, if admitted early enough, improved their mastery of English over time and were able to experience academic success. Some finished at the top of their class at graduation. We have no data to indicate the number of students who were not successful due to a lack of proficiency and/or support.

To note, the number of international students has proportionally decreased in recent years (see Headmaster’s Occasional Letter attached), although their countries of origin have shifted, as well as our desire to offer proactive support that ensures their success.

This year our school piloted the use of a TLSP (Transitional Learning Support Program) to support the admission of 13 students with English language proficiency issues from Grades 3 to 9. The program was designed to support their academic success and transition to both the school and Canadian culture. All students received 4 blocks of support a week. PYP students were provided individual or small group support in class. MYP students were taken from French and provided pullout support. The delivery model provided both homework support and targeted language support, following a traditional English Language Learners Model. The programme was staffed by a 1.0 Teaching Intern and 0.5 Teacher Program Coordinator.

Planning

Goals: work with others to develop and support a pilot one-year bridging programme that offers formal support to mission appropriate students with English-proficiency challenges.

Tasks: develop funding model, identify resource requirements, work with coordinator to develop delivery model, identify support needs, connect to admissions/ELT and monitor progress. Make recommendations for the program’s future.

DATA COLLECTION (CENTRAL QUESTIONS)1. Will formalized bridging support for English increase the enrolment of mission-appropriate students?2. Will formalized bridging support increase student academic success?3. Will the TLP ease transition to the school and the country for international students?

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Collecting Regular Feedback – the Deputy Head met with the Program Coordinator on a monthly basis to collaboratively plan the program and identify support needs. The Teaching Intern received an official teaching review by the Deputy this year.

Evaluation

Program’s Success Rate – 91% (11 of 12) students will enter regular stream in their second year of study at the school.

Anecdotal Feedback – program staff and teachers are reporting positive results from the program, including increased English competency and better integration into the school. Staff survey is suggested.

Additional Feedback Required – getting survey results from TLP students and/or their parents (language considerations) is of interest. Translated feedback request to parents suggested.

Conclusion

Future Recommendations – the school offer TLS next year and will increase numbers to a total of 32 possible spots for up to 4 students per grade from grades 3 to 9. 15 students are currently enrolled already.

o The cost of the program has been increased from $5,000 to $7,500 to reflect the actual costs of operations.

o This year’s staff has been contracted and will continue to refine the programme. o We have increased funding for staffing by .13 FTE (5 blocks/week)o We are actively marketing TLP as a support to international students through Admissions.o We are in contact with a local public school district to receive feedback and/or training

recommendation for teachers in order to improve the programme further.

KEY LEARNINGS M anaging Change – to some degree the Coordinator, Intern and I developed the program on the fly,

responding to needs as they emerged. It would be fair to say that a CBAM (Concerns Based Adoption Model) was at times evident. We grew with the innovation as our level of understanding and awareness of the required changes became apparent. You will also find evidence of an Action Research Cycle whereby we collected information, planned the change, implemented interventions and continue to monitor our relative success.

Leadership Style Employed – “situational leadership” is the predominant style as I worked with key staff to develop the programme and respond to emerging needs. This was done on a “consultative” basis as the expertise of staff was highly valued and key to both planning and implementation. As the programme was a pilot, I employed “coaching” - offering feedback on typical stumbling blocks to programme implementation and advice on how best to ensure the programme was successful and generally well-regarded.

Building School Culture – staff were certainly passionate about the programme, its development and the students in their care. Removing barriers, supporting appropriate autonomy, and using a team approach where leadership “comes from the middle” created positive relationships and aligned with our school’s mission to “live well with others and for others”.

“You don’t lead by hitting people over the head – that’s assault not leadership”Dwight Eisenhower

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SMART Board™: Cutting Edge Technology or Overpriced Projector and Screen that Promotes Teacher-Centered Instruction?

Brad Smith - Stratford Hall

Reference to Literature

Why SMART Boards are a Dumb Initiative o By Michael Staton

Goodbye SMART Board…Hello Apple TVo By Benjamin Sheridan

Literature review: Literature suggesting that SMART Boards are not a

good use of funds:Literature suggesting that SMART Boards are a

worthwhile investment:

“They are the least cost-effective way to improve learning.” – Staton

“It allows students to truly ‘touch their learning!’ (Teachers: vow to get the students out of their seats.)” –Hollis

“…even with time and training, IWBs are an under-informed and irresponsible purchase. They do little more than reinforce a teacher-centric model of learning.” – Ferriter

“We found that across all subject areas, SMART Boards maximize student engagement and active participation.” – Bates and Hopkins (study done in elementary grades with Kent State U)

“A carpenter isn’t about a hammer, a screwdriver, and a saw; a carpenter is about creating and building. What is the goal of building? It isn’t the tools, it’s the end product—the house. What is our end-product in teaching?” –Ovenell-Carter

“AN IWB supports the teaching process of foreign languages in three main ways: it supports interaction and conversation in the classroom; it helps with the presentation of new cultural and linguistic elements; and it promotes the organizational skills of the teacher.” – Gerard and Widener

“Look for tools that don’t force people into one particular way of working. Look for tools that allow for flexibility in teaching and learning.” – Ovenell-Carter

“It helps teachers engage children, it jazzes up your lessons, it allows you to save what you write, and adds some interactivity to your classroom.” – Orilio

Information Gathering

Stratford Hall has recently completed construction of the Middle Years Building and has installed SMART Boards in 7 of 10 of the grade 6-10 learning studios. I want to determine if the remaining three studios without SMART Boards should have SMART Boards installed or if we should be looking at other technology that may in fact be more flexible and dynamic for both teaching and learning (such as TV monitors with Apple TV and iCloud connectivity). Are teachers currently using SMART Boards with the necessary SMART Notebook software, or is it simply an expensive projection device?

Cost of SMART Board vs. TV monitor and Apple TV:SMART Board and SMART Notebook TV Monitor and Apple TV

800 model: $4000-$5000 (school price) 60 inch TV monitor: $1000600 model: $2000-$3500 Apple TV: $109Annual subscription for SMART Notebook (software required to use the features of the SMART Board which, up until now, has been provided free): approx. $2100 for 3 years

Students bring their own device with connectivity to Cloud: Free

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Planning

GOALS: to determine if a) teachers are in fact using SMART Boards with SMART Notebook software, or simply as a (very expensive) projector; b) is there another option (IE: TV monitors with Apple TV and Cloud connectivity), c) teachers are interested in SMART Board training and exploring value of product.TASKS: survey staff to determine how they are using SMART Boards; train staff in the use of SMART Notebook software, talk to other technology specialists to determine the growing trends in tech ed. and their sustainability.

Evaluation

SURVEY: In October a survey was given to staff. Key findings: 70% of teachers responded “agree somewhat” or “strongly agree” to the statement: “We need more

access to technology and technology training.” 81% responded “agree somewhat” or “strongly agree” to the statement: “technology leads to greater

collaboration among students.” 10% of staff use the flipped classroom daily or weekly. Another 10% use it monthly. 45% never use it

and 18% had no idea what the flipped classroom is (and thought it sounded like a risk management issue).

86% use SMART Boards as a projector for their laptops or to show video clips only. 20% used SMART Notebook and the associated pens (interactive whiteboard functions). This

increased to 75% when no whiteboards were installed in the new building and teachers were forced to use it.

When asked whether staff prefer to use SMART Notebook or other apps such as GAFE or Apple TV and TV monitors, only 25% responded SMART Notebook. 75% prefer other options.

TRAINING: 10 teachers were sent to SMART Board training in April and 1 of those 10 has begun to use SMART Notebook to present, organize and save all lessons. Students are able to refer back to lessons and review; students who were absent can view the lesson. All other trainees have used SMART Notebook only on occasion. Many find it cumbersome and limiting requiring a good deal of “front-end” loading.

Conclusion

THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR OUTSTANDING TEACHERS WHO EMPLOY GREAT PEDAGOGY, WHO USE A WIDE VARIETY OF TEACHING METHODS, AND INCORPORATE DIFFERENTIATION.

Moving forward, teachers will be encouraged to continue to use SMART Notebook and SMART Boards and we will continue to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of this technology in our school.

The school administration will be installing TV monitors and Apple TV in the three MYP learning studios instead of SMART Boards to determine which of the two is most conducive to a stimulating and dynamic learning environment.

The danger of SMART Board use is that lessons may be more teacher-centered than we would like, whereas iCloud connectivity puts control of the “screen” into the hands of students or anyone with a compatible device.

According to Brad Ovenell-Carter, Technology Specialist at Mulgrave School, arguably the most powerful tech tool that students have in their possession is the cell phone. Students can take a photo on a field trip, connect to research on the topic, write a blog post or Tweet their comments and share with the class using iCloud connectivity. The much cheaper option of having TV monitors and Apple TV in each classroom may be a more cost-effective and flexible option for educators, one that actually has a better capacity to put students at the center of their own learning.

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The Introduction of Curriculum Mapping Gordon MacIntyre - Mulgrave School

Reference to Literature

A literature search was undertaken in context with the action research on curriculum mapping. Heidi Hayes-Jacobs (Mapping the Big Picture 1997) was a guiding source. Hayes-Jacobs (1997) stated the importance of mapping in order to improve teaching and learning. Schools that actively mapped their curriculum reduced overlaps in content and skills, identified gaps in planning for learning and reflected more frequently on the impact of teaching for learning. ASCD source materials (Getting Results with Curriculum Mapping 2004) also reiterated the importance of mapping for similar reasons. Hayes-Jacobs (1997) stressed the importance of the mapping process over the platform used to document the maps. She noted several web-based mapping tools. The critical element in using mapping was to engage teachers in professional dialogue around teaching and learning. The mapping process enables a coherent design of curriculum, a design that Erickson (2002) stated must, “foster through the grades… increasing sophistication in critical content knowledge, conceptual understanding, and complex performance abilities” (p. 61).

Information Gathering Key Issue: Mulgrave used course overviews to document Ministry learning outcomes. These course overviews were submitted at the beginning of each school year and stored on the school’s server. The documents were static, submitted out of compliance and often not referred to until the next course overview cycle the following year. In addition, the overviews were narrow in depth and breadth encompassing the basic required elements of the Ministry but absent were the essential elements of planning in the IB - key concepts, central ideas/ guiding questions and Approaches to Learning (ATL) skills.

Need for Action at This Time: Mulgrave needed to achieve a shift from a static curriculum to a living curriculum. A living curriculum entails ongoing reflection and revisions by teachers through professional dialogue to continually enhance learning. The curriculum and its effect on learning needed to become more of a focus during departmental and grade-team meetings. Moreover, planning documents needed to more accurately reflect the written, taught and assessed curriculum. Greater refinement of linking Ministry and IB outcomes to particular assessment tasks, formatively and summatively, was also an area for development.

Planning for Implementation

Hugh Burke, Head of Meadowridge School, discussed the Concerns-based Adoption Model, known as CBAM (H. Burke, personal communication, November 21, 2013). In the CBAM framework, seven stages of implementation were referenced along with the corresponding concerns associated with each stage, and the requisite actions to overcome those concerns. The CBAM framework was a useful reference point in guiding the implementation of curriculum mapping at Mulgrave. Table 1.1 outlines the stages and timeline of introducing curriculum mapping at Mulgrave.

Stakeholder Group Activity Outcome

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Winter 2012:

Focus group of teachers made up of cross-section of the faculty

Focus group vetted Atlas Rubicon as a curriculum mapping tool

System demonstration with Q & A

Focus group members were impressed with the Atlas system

Group members were in favour of a web-based platform that contained links to Ministry and IB outcomes

Questions remained around the search and analytic tools in Atlas

A follow-up demo session was suggested

Spring 2012:

Focus group of teachers made up of cross-section of the faculty

More in-depth system demonstration withQ & A

Focus group members were impressed with Atlas tools to document and share curriculum amongst staff

Group recommend proceeding with further investigation of Atlas across broader Faculty range

Fall/ winter 2012-13

A curriculum mapping working group was formed comprised of teachers from all three IB programmes

Working group members were assigned trial user accounts in Atlas

Members began to pilot mapping in their courses and offered feedback on functions and system parameters to enhance the usability of Atlas

Professional development was conducted through webinars and on-site training from an Atlas consultant

Pilot groups made recommendations to personalise Atlas templates for Mulgrave

Pilot groups recommended additional time be set aside for building, refining and reviewing maps prior to a wider roll-out of the system

Fall/ winter 2013-14

A directory was formed comprised of teachers representing all three IB programmes

The Directory were power users who modelled mapping in their departments and grade teams

Time was given to building, refining and reviewing maps

Professional development was offered through webinars

The Directory provided feedback from system users to make Atlas more teacher-friendly

The Directory also provided assistance in developing key mapping parameters - common command terms and assessment tasks - to enhance the analysis of curriculum

Directory members acted as resources for other staff and spread the use of Atlas amongst their teams

The Directory was also instrumental in drafting a guiding statement on why curriculum mapping was important and in planning natural implementation timelines for Atlas use with the IB programmes

Winter/ spring 2013-14

IB Coordinators/ HoDs

Restructuring of IB MYP curriculum outcomes along a five-year timeline

Inducting G6 team into

Staff workshop was given introducing the reasons for curriculum mapping and how Atlas enhances the process

Follow-up workshops given in smaller meeting groups where members of the

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MYP Mapping the first term

of 2014-15 in Atlas by June 2014

Directory acted as “go to” resource personnel to support departments and grade teams

Consultation and strategizing curriculum realignment over 5 years, including full launch

Evaluation

Qualitative data methods were used to assess the early outcomes of curriculum mapping at Mulgrave. Interviews were conducted with five staff members who represented a broad cross-section of the faculty. Data from the interviews reveals some common themes. First, Atlas has been a user-friendly platform and teachers have appreciated the short learning curve in getting started. Second, Atlas has increased the transparency of curriculum, as all teachers can now browse each other’s curriculum and leave comments for each other. And third, Atlas has enhanced collaboration around curriculum. The majority of maps have been set up as collaborative maps with multiple editors. This has resulted, for instance, in one common English map at grade 8, instead of two or three individual maps from different teachers. Moving forward, teachers have emphasized the need for: (1) collaborative time to further map and develop their curriculum; and (2) time to learn to use the higher level analytic tools in Atlas. These will be needs for Mulgrave to address.

Conclusion

Curriculum mapping at Mulgrave has been well received by staff and is having a positive effect on planning and collaboration. Early indications are that a shift towards a living curriculum is taking root, although much work remains with faculty to further instantiate these gains. The graduated approach to introduce mapping with focus groups, working groups and a directory of power users was key to developing traction in mapping the curriculum. Avoiding the dumping syndrome – every teacher all at once being mandated to map all their curricula – was essential. Where natural timelines and opportunities presented themselves for mapping, such as the introduction of “The Next Chapter” in the IB MYP, teachers saw the immediate value in mapping and using Atlas to enhance their work. Time remains a cardinal factor in sustaining mapping at Mulgrave. The school will need to consider this a priority as it develops its schedule of collaborative planning meetings. Finally, further training and support will need to be provided to raise the standards of mapping from mere data entry to a sophisticated use of the analytic tools. Higher level use of Atlas will be a benefit in fostering a robust, coherent curriculum.

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Additional References

Leading Change From Good to Great:

Collins, J. (2001). Good to great. New York, NY: HarperCollins.

Covey, S. (1991). Principle-centered leadership. New York, NY: Fireside.Heath, D., & Heath, C. (2010). Switch: How to change things when change is hard. New York, NY: Random House.

Miller, F. (2009, September–October). Empower teachers who break the mold. Principal, 89(1), 10–14. Retrieved from http://d6test.naesp.org/resources/2/Principal/2009/S-O_p.10.pdf

Heider, J. (1985). The Tao of leadership: Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching adapted for the new age. Atlanta, GA: Humanics New Age.

Kouzes, J., & Posner, B. (1995). The leadership challenge. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

O’Toole, J. Leading change. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Senge, P. (1990). The fifth discipline: The art and practice of the learning organization. New York, NY: Double Day Currency.

St. John’s School. (2013, September). St. John’s School parent handbook. Vancouver, BC: St. John’s School Administration.

St. John’s School. (2013, February). St. John’s School summary report of administration/HR review. Vancouver, BC: Doris Bentley, Centrepoint Career Management Ltd.

Implementation of a Restorative Justice Approach to Discipline:

Amstutz, Lorraine, and Mullet, Judy. (2005). The Little Book of Restorative Discipline for Schools. Intercourse, USA: Good Books.

Bargen, Catherine. (2010). Educating for Peacebuilding. Langley, Canada: Fraser Region Community Justice Initiatives.

http://www.restorativejustice.org/other/schools/outcome-evaluation

Parent Engagement: Increasing Parents’ Understanding of the School Philosophy and Their Daughters Learning:

Dyson, L. L. (2001). Home-School Communications and Expectations of Recent Chinese Immigrants. Canadian Journal of Education, 26(4), 455-476.

Ferlazzo, L. (2011). Involvement or Engagement? Educational Leadership, 68(8), 10-14.

Henderson, A. & Mapp, K. (2002). A New Wave of Evidence: The Impact of School, Family and Community Connections on Student Achievement. Austin, Texas: Southwest Educational Development Lab.

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Michigan Department of Education (2011). Collaborating for Success: Parent Engagment Toolkit. Retrieved from http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/4a._Final_Toolkit_without_bookmarks_370151_7.pdf

Pushor, D. (2013). Portals of Promise: Transforming Beliefs and Practices through a Curriculum of Parents. Rotterdam: Sense Publishers.

Pushor, D. (2010). Joining our Voices: Parent Engagement in the Early Years. Retrieved from http://www.debbiepushor.com/parent/engagement/joining-our-voices-parent-engagement-in-the-early- years/

AMP up the Learning: Academic Mentoring Program:

Battistich, V., Schaps, E., Watson, M., Solomon, D., & Lewis, C. (2000). Effects of the Child Development Project on students' drug use and other problem behaviors. The Journal of Primary Prevention, 21(1), 75-99.

Covey, S. M. (2006). The speed of trust: The one thing that changes everything. New York, NY: Free Press.

Elias, M., Bruene-Butler, L., Blum, L., & Schuyler, T. (2000). Voices from the field: Identifying and overcoming roadblocks to carrying out programs in social and emotional learning/emotional intelligence. Journal of Educational & Psychological Consultation, 11(2), 253-272.

Fullan, M. (2008). The six secrets of change: what the best leaders do to help their organizations survive and thrive. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Hargreaves, A., & Fink, D. (2006). Sustainable leadership. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Hymel, S., Schonert-Reichl, K., Miller, L. (2006). Reading, ‘riting, ‘rithmitic and relationships: considering the social side of education. Exceptionality Education Canada, 16 (3), 1-44.

Payton, J., Weissberg, P., Durlak, J., Dymnicki, A., Taylor, R., Schellinger, K., & Pachan, M. (2008) Positive Impact of Social and Emotional Learning for K-8 Students: Technical Report. CASEL.

Reeves, D. B. (2009). Leading change in your school: how to conquer myths, build commitment, and get results. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

SMART Board™: Cutting Edge Technology or Overpriced Projector and Screen that Promotes Teacher-Centered Instruction?

“Breaking my silence on SMART Boards;” Brad Wilson

“Why I hate Interactive Whiteboards;” Bill Ferriter

“Using SMART Boards to Enhance Student Learning;” Christi Bates and Amy Hopkins

“A SMARTer Way to Teach Foreign Language: The SMART Board Interactive Whiteboard as a Language Learning Tool;” Fabienne Gérard and Jamey Widener

“Why AppleTV & iPad beats Interactive Whiteboard….every time;” Ryan Orilio

The Introduction of Curriculum Mapping:

ASCD. Hayes-Jacobs, Hedi (Ed.). (2004). Getting Results with Curriculum Mapping. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Erickson, Lynn H. (2002). Concept-based Curriculum and Instruction – Teaching Beyond The Facts. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin Press, Inc.

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Hayes-Jacobs, Hedi (1997). Mapping the Big Picture – Integrating Curriculum and Assessment K-12. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Holloway, Karel. (February/ March 2003). A Measure of Concern – Research-based Program Aids Innovation by Addressing Teacher Concerns. Tools for Schools. Retrieved from

http://learningforward.org/docs/tools-for-learning-schools/tools2-03.pdf?sfvrsn=2

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