Another Perspective From CBE

We met with Kirk Newman who works in Learning Services at the CBE - Specialist Mathematics is his focus. Whilst this is his area of speciality he was very knowledgeable in all aspects of education because he is actively engaged in schools so often. This is what we learned:

Importance of integrated learning:
- Important for teachers across the curriculum to 'surface' (Kirk often used this word meaning - to raise awareness) the numeracy involved in their subject, not necessarily teach the numeracy skills. Teach the links!
Rather students could collect  the data and take this information to a Maths lesson to analyse and interpret. Students could then take this information back to their original classroom for further discussion. Integrated Learning!!!
- We should be providing student feedback through different curricular lenses (see Blog - Food for Thought).
- Kirk really expressed the importance of integrated learning throughout the curriculum for students to learn numeracy and literacy skills.
- He was very excited to share an integrated learning program that exists between Physical Education and Science, which is occurring at Centennial High School. We are hoping to learn more about this when we go there.


From Year 10, classes are streamed:
-They are looking at this at present, studying the Finnish model. The question is whether we are encouraging an economic, social gap.
Suggested novels to read on this debate -
'Bounce' - explores talent over effort. 'Growth mind set' by Carol Dweck - focuses on the idea of a fixed mind set.

Early intervention is so important e.g K-3. Greater success holding back students in K. Has been seen as more beneficial than holding back students compared to when they are older.

In Year 11 there is only one semester of English and Maths.
Year 12 - Must study Year 12 English for a semester. In order to get into university students must study the highest level of English and achieve a minimum of 75%.

The Flipped Classroom - Students go home with the teacher's filmed lesson, then come to class to practise with the teacher for problem solving purposes.
Idea - buy a flip camera for each teacher to film activities/ new strategies in practice. Good for sharing, providing evidence and observe own practice.

Effective teaching practices:
- 4-5 whiteboards in a classroom spread around the walls or table whiteboards. This allows students to work on problems in a group. Allows students to engage in conversations with others. Students teaching students. As the teacher comes by, the group needs to be able to explain their reasoning for their answer. (Literacy skills come to the surface - effective communication skills). Teachers have found that students are more prepared to take a risk and share ideas when they know the work isn't permanent.
- iPads have a lot of great resources. Starting to consider students bringing their own devices and provide students access to the intranet by using their own student ID and password.
- Advanced placement classes - 36-40 kids. Lower classes - smaller numbers (Special Ed arrangements sounds similar to LHS)
- Using Google to share and submit work from students and teachers. Not just using it as a search engine.
e.g Google Drive, Google Chat, Google Plus

K-9 year levels going to a similar reporting system to Loxton High e.g the use of descriptors.  They will be using a 4 point indicator e.g successful, emerging. This reporting system will be mandatory from September 2014. This will help students know where they are at. It will help prevent an 'A' being different from one school to the next.
Parent/ teacher interviews twice a year. Only have 2 reports a year, which have no comments. Removal of comments is in the hope to improve the ongoing communication with parents. More formative assessment along the way will help provide immediate feedback.
In changing their reporting system they needed to determine what they would stop doing to be able to start improving their communication with parents and students. They also saw a need for teachers to improve the feedback provided in parent/ teacher interviews. Teachers were asked to provide parents with concrete information on what their child needs to work on, but first provide information on what they are good at.
They also need to think about the purpose of a phone contact, is it an invitation or a teacher just 'off loading' and making it their problem. Need to make it an invitation to work together.

NAPLAN = Provincial Achievement Test in Canada - summative assessment
Tested in years 3,6 (English and Maths skills). In year 9 it tests skills in English, Maths, Science and Social Studies (History).
Moving away from conducting the Provincial Achievement tests at the end of the year, as the information gathered was not being used effectively. Those students have moved on and the next cohort of students in year 9 could have another set of weaknesses. They are hoping to move the test to the beginning of the year, which will include students completing a written and computer assessment. The results will be immediate, providing teachers with an opportunity to plan the curriculum based on students' learning needs.
What they look for in the data at a system level:
-success in certain areas across the year levels e.g. regression. They then look at why this is happening.

At a School level:
-principals have to study the results. From this they need to write a school improvement plan - programming changes.

We were so grateful to Kirk for giving up his afternoon to talk to us. We hope he is doing well in his ice hockey tournament in Canmore. We drove through that town today keeping an eye out for him but our paths didn't cross. We look forward to staying in contact.


  Here we are supporting The Calgary Flames.