Following Their Voiceswww.followingtheirvoices.ca
Principals’ Short Course
July 2018
Crissy SutherlandProvincial Facilitator
What: Following Their Voices is an initiative designed to raise the educational achievement and participation of Saskatchewan's First Nations, Métis and Inuit students.
How: Following Their Voices focuses on enhancing relationships between students and teachers, creating structures and supports for teachers and school administrators to co-construct teaching and learning interactions with students and creating safe, well-managed learning environments.
Who: Following Their Voices is a priority in the Education Sector Strategic Plan (ESSP). The ESSP was developed by the education sector consisting of First Nation directors of education, provincial directors of education, Métis Nation-Saskatchewan and the Ministry of Education.
DEVELOPMENT OF FOLLOWING THEIR VOICES
1. Seeking Their Voices • Research • Focused conversations
2. Hearing Their Voices• Transcription and analysis• Feedback from Elders
3. Following Their Voices• Development of teacher professional learning
and development tools and processes• Support for teachers by working alongside
them• Ensuring voices are understood and guide our
work at all times
Voice 1
I think if you like the teacher and you can like get along with them, you
could feel like you could talk to them like it’s easier to listen to them when
they are trying to talk to you like in teaching things because you like them
and you trust them. Like if you don’t like the teacher you are not gonna
want to be in class and you are not gonna want to learn.
(Quote from Seeking Their Voices research)
Voice 2
Like they just piss us off sometimes and we just don’t even wanna work.
Like right away when they piss you off for them getting mad at you
automatically have you go to the Principal’s office and what does the
Principal do? Get mad at you, try to suspend you.
(Quote from Seeking Their Voices research)
Voice 3
All the problems surrounding poverty, like housing, transportation, food
and then parenting… racism; these are external problems but the
effects are internal. Those are all barriers that we have and a lot of our
FN students are dealing with.
(Quote from Seeking Their Voices research)
Voice 4
I think relationship is key…That’s kind of the biggest thing , that’s what I
think keeps our students coming back even after, maybe they don’t
experience success in one block they still come and give it a shot again…
because they have that relationship with not only the students but the
staff here.
(Quote from Seeking Their Voices research)
Connecting to the Voices
With an elbow partner discuss a voice that resonates with you.
1. Have you heard this voice in your school?
2. According to the voices, what are the main influences on student
achievement?
Child/Home/Outside School Structures in School Relationships in Class
Issues Analysis
18.9%
58.8%
22.4%
33.1%37.7%
29.2%
17.9%
25.1%
57.0%
21.1%
33.3%
45.6%
25.4%
41.6%
33.0%
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
70.0%
80.0%
90.0%
100.0%
Child/Home. Outside of School Structure in school Relationships in classroom
Analysis of unit ideas from all schools
Principals Teachers Student A Student B Parents
Guiding Vision
Education that promotes accelerated learning for First Nations, Métis and Inuit students where learning is joyful, culture
is affirmed and students are given real choice for their future.
U and IEducation that is relational and culturally responsive demonstrates:
• A focus on responding from within areas of influence
• A commitment to continuous learning, unlearning and re-learning
• A change in practice that accelerates achievement for First Nations, Métis and Inuit students learning as First Nations, Métis and Inuit students
Indicators:
• Caring for and believing in First Nations, Métis and Inuit students and their cultures
• Having high expectations that Métis, Inuit and First Nations students are self-determining, can participate and can achieve
• Creating secure, well-managed learning environments
• Engaging in teaching and learning interactions that are responsive to student interests and needs
• Using a range of strategies to promote accelerated growth
• Using evidence from Métis, First Nations and Inuit student outcomes for critical reflection and for identifying strategic actions that promote accelerated growth
Following Their VoicesInstructional Leadership
Relationships• Hold unconditional positive regard for all students at all times.
• Ensure students clearly understand the learning outcomes and what mastery of each looks like.
Interactions• Engaging in teaching and learning interactions that are responsive to students interests and
needs.
• Using a range of strategic discursive teaching strategies to promote accelerated growth.
Environment• Create contexts where students have opportunities and feel safe to take risks in their learning.
• Create secure, well-managed learning environments.
Strategic Change Leadership Team
Distributed Leadership Collaboration Collegial Support
• School-based Facilitator
• Lead Teacher
• School Administrator
• Education Organization/School Division Lead
Critical Learning Cycle
• Week 1 -> Classroom Observation and Goal Setting
• Week 3 -> Co-construction Goal Setting Meeting
• Week 5 -> Walk-through and Feedback Meeting
• Week 7 - > Reflection
• Ongoing -> Weekly Huddles and Shadow Coaching
Year 1 Teachers – 5 cycles Year 2 Teachers – 3 cycles Year 3 Teachers – 2 cycles
FTV Tools
Data
• Student Achievement Goal
o Lead and Lag Indicators
• Following Their Voices Survey
• Following Their Voices Website Reports
oChange in teacher practice
o SDS reports
oOurSCHOOL
GPILSEOGoal
• Establish goals and a vision for increasing First Nations, Inuit and Métis student achievement.
Pedagogy
• Develop relational and culturally responsive pedagogy to depth.
Institutions and Structures
• Develop supportive institutions and structures.
Leadership
• Develop and distribute leadership.
Spread
• Spread to include others
Evidence
• Use evidence to collaborate and inform decisions and practice
Ownership
• Create opportunities in change initiatives to take ownership of new practices to maintain fidelity.
School Ownership
• A focus on responding from within areas of influence
• A commitment to continuous learning, unlearning and re-learning
• A change in practice that accelerates achievement for First
Nations, Métis and Inuit students
Questions?