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

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?

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 https://ideas.education.alberta.ca/hsc/redesigning/schoolculture 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  

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

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

Learning Commons

More than just D2L

Flipped Classroom

http://www.showme.com/sh/?h=RO5DFPE

Instructional Approaches Discovery Learning Visual and Kinesthetic Support

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.” (www.learnnc.org) 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

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

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

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

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

Element’s Wall

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

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

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

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.

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?

Questions? Deana.Helton@cssd.ab.ca