Judy Halpern and Nathalie Lauriault
Institute Analysis Notes
Getting to the location was half the battle! We had issues with cancelled flights (apparently, flights cancel often to Gaspe) therefore we would recommend that if facilitators return in any season (except the summer) I suggest travel to Montreal and then overnight train to Campbellton, NB followed by a 2-hour drive to New Carlisle. The overnight train was wonderful!! Flight was cancelled again on the way home...
Some other participants didn’t make it to the institute as flights (and ferry boats) were cancelled for days at a time.
Facilities
- The room was a fitness centre (attached to the school which is a K-10 school)
- It was suitable for the 24 participants, nice lighting and very handy to getting outside
- The immediate outdoor space was a grassy lawn, there is a cemetary very nearby and the beach is a 10-minute walk
- There were no real break-out spaces
- Participants came from far and wide, they are used to traveling for PD
Food
- There was no food until lunch but there was coffee and tea first thing in the morning
- The food seemed to be catered locally (perhaps even within the school), and lunch on both days was hearty but there were no vegetarian options on day 1. There were egg sandwiches on day 2.
- The food was good quality and seemed homemade
- All dishes were china, which was greatly appreciated.
What elements, practices, activities used were verified as relevant to our “walk the talk” and our principles of professional inquiry?
- One thing that stood out for us was that participants began to use the term LSF as a noun, describing a way of teaching through inquiry and the outdoors. I thought this was a very positive thing.
- Participants participated in a professional inquiry
- There was a balance between indoors and out, activity and sitting, listening to the presenters and discussion, sharing in large, small groups and with a partner
- Outdoor activities were well-received, we had the weather on our side!
- The KBC started slow but then grew into a very rich conversation; feedback was that many would be willing to use this strategy in their classrooms
- Respectful, professional sharing among participants - a professional inquiry
- We had 4 reflection opportunities - first reflection: participants shared how they felt about what had experienced and what they needed from this institute; second reflection: at the end of day 1 participants shared what they had taken away from day 1 and what they needed addressed in day 2; third reflection participants described how they felt (most were inspired and excited, a couple were overwhelmed but happy, one was “confused”. The fourth reflection was the post-institute survey
- Common theme of frustration was around how to get parents to buy into this way of teaching as they are very marked focused.
- Another frustration involved the divide between the anglophone and francophone communities. This is an English school board and French is taught as a second language. They seem to have resources because, being English in this area, they are in the minority.
- We spent a good amount of time with DOTS, each group explored a strategy and then shared (on chart paper) how this strategy could be used in a classroom setting or in a global leadership setting
- We introduced the framework of NC and discussed how the branches were explored through an indigenous lens; then they explored a teacher’s story from NC, identifying which DOTS strategies were evident
- Many brought in resources to share, we spent about 30-40 minutes hearing from participants
- We introduced the Question Formulation Technique from the Right Question Institute and they tried the exercise as a group
- Finally, they had about 1 hour and 15 minutes to work on planning with other participants
- We went outside frequently and concluded “you have the last word” on the beach.
Errors -Omissions -Changes -describe
- Participants wanted to explore other areas such as assessment, curriculum-specific ideas, transition from elementary to high school, especially for students at risk.
- To do this we would have needed one more day
Final Thoughts
- They are piloting what they call "LSF teaching" in classes with students at risk. This teacher had a lot to share. They also have teachers, at the board level, who focus on health and wellness.
- Many students in the board are Mi'kmaq. They would like to bring more of an indigenous lens to their entire curriculum.
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