1. Teacher Innovation Leading From Behind
Deana Helton
Principal
Bishop McNally High School

2. Our time together…. Where we started Where we went Where we are today
How we did it
How we sustain it
Where we are going
What would you like to do?
How would you get there?
What will you do tomorrow?

3. Bishop McNally High School
In the beginning……..
One of the first 16 pilot schools in the province
Just completed the 7th year
Just getting to the 7 Principles where they are making sense and are applicable
5 period day enables students to take more courses and attain more credits
Students using flexibility to choose what they were taking and hours of instruction
Always focusing on what is best for students – more personalized learning

4. Bishop McNally High School
Where we are today……
Students overwhelmingly want the 5 period day
Added ‘FLEX’ period during Day A & B Fridays to support Tutorials in the day
Student choice of where to get help is flexible yet structured
Extended TA on Monday
Mon – 65 mins, Tues/Thurs – 73 mins, Wed – 71 mins and Fri – 85 mins
Parallel focus of Literacy in the school to support population
Reassessment for Mastery Learning
All In For Youth – bringing in the community/flexibility

5. Bishop McNally High School
Where we are today…..
Summer School Model
After School courses
Campus within a Campus
Use of D2L as Teaching tool – audible assessments and notes
Learning Commons

6. Learning Commons

12. More than just D2L

14. Flipped Classroom

16. Instructional Approaches Discovery Learning
Visual and Kinesthetic Support

17. Discovery Learning
As defined by Heather Coffey “Discovery learning is an active process of inquiry-based instruction that encourages learners to build on prior knowledge through experience and to search for new information and relationships based on their interests.” (
As a pre-teaching approach, I often use a discovery learning based model to allow students the opportunity to investigate, explore and create connections between concepts on their own with set outcomes in mind for them to achieve

18. Discovery Learning cont’d This is not done without some guidance, but the freedom within the assignment is open to student interpretation.
Strategies involved:
Teacher:
Present the desired outcomes and content of the subject at the start
Create a solid assessment that allows for flexibility of project design
Have a main goal in mind and facilitate their learning
Relinquish control- You will be amazed at what you get
Student:
Be open to exploration
Accept having to find answers and not just be given answers
Take risks
Do what works for you as a learner

19. Providing Assignments Using Social Media Templates
We all know phones are an extension our students limbs and social media is an everyday thing
How can we use this to our advantage? How can we use what they know well with a school subject spin?
Answer:
Create assignments that use these platforms and their templates as the design for your projects
Allow students freedom in what they choose and what platform they choose to explore the concept

20. Results? Creativity within something they know well
Challenges them to think ‘outside the box’ to create the assignment surrounding a topic of interest
Allows them to see a potentially “boring” subject concept from a relevant perspective within the social media world

21. Sample Project #1: Element Facebook Profile
Students were asked to create a Facebook profile for one of the first 20 elements on the periodic table
They were challenged to see how the elements of a Facebook profile fit in the world of chemistry and the periodic table of elements
Wall: Profile picture, pictures of friends, status update
Information
Photos
Groups
Events
Blocked list

22. Element’s
Wall

23. Partner Testing Purpose:
Can be used as formative or summative assessment
Can be used as a first assessment on a topic or as a second view of a previously written assessment
How it works:
Group students based on averages in the course or the unit.
i.e Top two students are paired together. Continue down the list
They write the assessment together. Given full ability to discuss each question together

24. Results: Teacher perspective: Students report:
Marks that are 5-15% higher than normally achieved on individual assessments
Better understanding of difficult concepts throughout unit
Higher grade results on unit tests that deal with those specific concepts
Greater engagement from lower level students
A class block full of rich discussion on the concepts being tested on
Students report:
Less anxiety going into the assessment
Eliminates ‘mind going blank’
Enjoy the ability to talk through difficult concepts
Feel intelligent when they can contribute answers
Feeling confident defending an answer to a peer or coming to a solution with ideas from both partners

25. What prevents Innovation?
At your table, discuss barriers to innovation in teaching

26. How to overcome Barriers to Innovation
At your table, discuss ways to overcome barriers or how to create a climate of innovation in your school.

27. How to overcome Barriers to Innovation
What do you want to learn more about?
What do you want to do when you go back tomorrow?

30. Questions?