Inquiry and Innovation: One District’s Story

CERI Conference Nov. 4, 2014

1. Delta’s Vision 2. Developing inquiry-mindedness 3, Collaboration through Inquiry – Inquiry Through Collaboration 4. District-wide initiatives

5. Sharing our Learning – Networking Across - Classrooms - Schools in the District - Schools in the Province and Beyond (Communities of Practice)

Key Foundational Elements

Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle: from his book……’Start with Why’

1. Vision 2020

First year, focused our professional learning model around inquiry

Based on the work of Dr. Helen Timperley – Realizing the Power of Professional Learning

Our inquiry is now based on “Spirals of Inquiry for Equity and Quality” by J. Halbert & L. Kaser

2. Developing inquiry-mindedness:

Coordinators of Inquiry:

Role is to work with school based administrators to facilitate inquiry in each school Grants for release time to do Inquiry Inquiry Question(s) connected to the District Vision Assigned time through the staffing process to enable them to do their work Secondary level – 1 block in a rotation Elementary level – approximately ½ day per week

DISTRICT WIDE FOCUS ON PROFESSIONAL LEARNING FOR EDUCATORS….

MANY STRATEGICALLY DEVELOPED OPPORTUNITES FOR EDUCATORS TO ENGAGE IN…. TO BUILD CAPACITY AND ENRICH THEIR OWN PROFESSIONAL LEARNING

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING

Professional Learning Through Collaborative Inquiry

All schools have collaboration time built in to schedules - allows teachers to get together to talk about inquiry and innovative teaching practices

Collaboration time combined with Coordinators of Inquiry has really helped to elevate the professional dialogue amongst our educators

3. Collaboration Time

District Principal of Innovation & Inquiry

District administrator dedicated to supporting inquiry and technology across the district.

Focus on inquiry for educators and students

4. District-wide focus on inquiry

Innovative, Transformational

Practices……..

District Vice-Principal of Aboriginal Curriculum & Learning

Development of an Aboriginal Curriculum (K-12) built on an inquiry framework.

Our Vision told us that Aboriginal Learning needed to be a focus.

Focus on Aboriginal Learning

5. SHARING OUR LEARNING Supporting Inquiry with Technology

Making student learning visible - Documentation of Learning

Digital Portfolios

Making teacher learning visible - 180 Days of Learning

180daysoflearning.com

Development of a District website for sharing (professional social networking) deltalearns.ca

Digital Learning Supports

Toolkit for Innovative Teaching and Learner Success…

“We are interested in groups of schools working together in intentional ways to enhance the quality of professional learning and to strengthen capacity for continuous improvement, in the service of enhancing student learning.”

“…significant changes in student learning depend on major changes in practices and the structures of schools, and these changes will emerge from the professional knowledge creation and sharing that occurs through interaction within and across schools in networks.”

(Steven Katz, Lorna Earl, and Sonia Ben Jaafer – 2009)

Professional Knowledge creation..

CURRICULUM, INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT

CURRICULUM IS:

What is to be learned (the written curriculum) which is …..curriculum content

How it is to be learned (taught curriculum),

which is…. Instruction

How it is to be assessed (the learned curriculum)

which is….assessment

(International Baccalaureate Organization, 2009)

INTERDEPENDENT SYSTEM….

In February and March the district will engage in a process of reflection on where we are in achieving our Vision 2020…..

It will involve all stakeholders/partners in the Delta School District Community….

We need to know……

What do we need to focus on in the next few years to ensure we are more likely to achieve the vision?

Reflection on the Delta Vision Spring 2015

Contact Information

Dianne Turner – Superintendent of Schools, Delta School District Email: dturner@deltasd.bc.ca Twitter: @DianneMTurner Cell: 604 218-2749 Delta School District 4585 Harvest Drive Delta, BC V5K 5B4