What might an institute for school administrators look like?

What might an institute for school administrators look like?

We have had school administrators and board consultants attend institutes in the past  but have as yet not done an institute specifically for these folks.

How might this be different than our normal Make Inquiry Work approach?

What might a level 2 authentic inquiry institute look like?

What might a level 2 authentic inquiry institute look like?

We have done a lot of Make Authentic Inquiry Work institutes which are an entry level event.

The question of what would a level 2 instutue look like, has come up and as importantly how would e get the right people in the room. The expereince being that we have advertised more advanced institutes (Inquiry and Assessment) but then had most of the participants being entry level and hence we get the same entry level questions.

Thoughts on how to advance this challenge?

Winnipeg Institute

Back at it! After a year away from being in a role as facilitator I was invited to help facilitate a workshop in Winnipeg with my dear friend and colleague Haley Higdon. It is always nerve wracking getting back into the saddle. You don't know what to expect, and you hope that you don't forget what to do and how to do it.

Preparing for the workshop ahead of time required Haley and I to actually meet up and do some planning together. This, to me, is an important piece to the puzzle and one that made me feel reassured and confident heading to Winnipeg. We were able to analyze the participant surveys together, and highlight the opportunities for learning that the educators who were participating brought forward. We also had time to re-jig the slide show as needed and to communicate any thoughts/ideas/questions that we had going into the process.

Workshop day 1 is always a bit of a scramble in the morning to make sure everything is there and that we are getting internet access and have a projection. We were very fortunate to be in a facility with staff and administrator who believed in the importance of getting kids outside. This was a new experience for me, and one that I think made this Institute unique and special. Actually learning in a place that exemplified the philosophy we are hoping to share with teachers was inspiring in and of itself. Everything ran smoothly day one, and I continue to be surprised that all educators wonder the same questions each consecutive institute: How do I do it? What about assessment? How do I bring colleagues and parents on board? Is there room for differentiation and modification? How do I get my students outside more? What does the planning process look like? Perhaps it is time to host an Institute for educators that are knee deep in inquiry and are hungry for deeper learning, experiences and forming connections?

Day 2 was great because we actually got to tour the facility (twice!). One tour was in the morning (before the start of the day) and focused on the classroom spaces. The second tour focused on the outdoor spaces, and was conducted by the head of the facility. He was extremely knowledgeable, and someone who we should perhaps continue to work alongside and tap into for knowledge and expertise. One challenge for me that came up in day 2 was making sure the high school group (of which there was about 7) felt that they were getting enough out of this experience. It is still hard bringing high school examples to the table because we don't have a story with ALL the components there for educators to see and learn from. We did the best we could by watching a video and filling in the blanks with possibilities - but I always feel they are not getting the same experience.

In the end, I had nothing to worry about. Both Haley and Cheryl were amazing facilitators and we worked extremely well as a team - almost as if we have been doing it together this whole time. I always come away with new learnings and insight to bring back into my own teaching. Can't wait to do another one.

Invite to Robert Munsch Pulic School

Through Tanya Murray we worked out an invite to Robert Munsch Pulic school to see if staff were interested in a forming a short term professional inquiry group over 2 or 3 months.

The school is into a system prompted initiative to inquire into three areas -math, mental health and modern learning and is having a few bumps getting into an inquiry mode.

Anyway this is where it can be so helpful for someone outside to come in.
-we can ask for things that can't be asked from inside
-

I looked at their mandate documents and some of their notes.

had 90 minutes to make a pitch

Outline
-gratitude for the work we do
-provocation activity -what keeps you up t night -leading to a kbc on what should the school experience entail
-notes and kbc debrief  -this had fabulous insights that indicated the " right people" were in the room

-showed two videos  -debrief -where was the math, mental health, modern learning
-conventional - transformative table
-principles
-referenced dots and nc
-examplained the process for a small group -and the requriemens
-then did an end of session reflection -exit card   -I learn.. I like .. and put your name down if you want to be considered for the group

-bango we got 10 signing up

-in a school of 30 I would bet this is critical mass

-will see where it goes and post here but my sense is this is where we need to be even more than doing institutes -embedded PD  -let's work to get here

Regina Post Forum Analysis

Regina Youth Forum -November 24, 2016 – Post Forum Analysis

Facilities:

 Suitable room –many windows for natural light, good chairs and tables, accessible to outside,

some natural spaces for curriculum walk, small but we made it work for creating a circle

Food:

 Pizza is great for providing choices for diet considerations, veggies and fruit compliment well.

Not much waste (although Regina’s waste program seems ‘lesser than’)

Teachers’ Program Notes:

 Making choices for a 1 day program is difficult –encouraging participants to help with the

choices is the way to go (the day was like a tapis bar with many small samplings and

opportunities later to investigate more thoroughly through DOTS, Google Drive, Blogging)

 Obviously in a Forum ‘Acting on Learning’ is the focus, with the other DOTS and Transformative

Practices brought in to support the Our Canada project creation

 Participants were “quietly eager” to adopt new tools for their practice and were not stuck

behind barriers

 Proposed post Forum on line conferences were not supported (only 2) though repeatedly

promoted. I suspect that report card time and Christmas contributed to the lack of interest.

However, participants felt that blogging and video conferencing overlapped one another.

 The blog idea seemed to have more support, and we will have to monitor the activity and see if

the participants follow through or lose interest.

 Identifying a couple of participants who seem to have evolved their practice significantly, asking

them to write up what they are doing, and publishing their write-ups in appropriate high profile

spots might have more impact in the long term than trying to get all of them to participate post

institute.

 Perhaps having a pre Forum video conference to sus out where participants are in their practice

and develop a sense of which direction would be most useful in the Forum (or a 1 day institute)

would have potential.

 A one day Forum does not give nearly as much opportunity for Professional Inquiry or for

Professional Discourse as does an Institute because of the focus on the Our Canada Project. It is

easier to achieve these goals with a one day institute where there is no one particular end

product to be achieved. Our goal of ‘walking the talk’ is very difficult in a Forum format.

 The DOTS document was well received and appreciated. The comprehensive nature of this

document makes it feel easy for educators to read and to implement in their practice.

 The closing circle was very positive with many identifiable ‘aha’s’ spoken and agreement shared.

 Post institute surveys indicated that participants went away committed to evolve their practice.

Sudbury FNMI instutue reflections

Sudbury November 14 and 15, 2016

Reflections -skozak

Facilitators -Stan Kozak and Haley Higdon facilitating with Bruce and Joe from Debajamajig


Summary
-mixed results but overall good to have experienced this institute with our Debaj facilitators so that we are now in a position to consider how we might go forward
-adding the FNMI element may have overwhelmed what could be effectively addressed in the two day format -we have a good insight to the questions educators have -hence directions for further work

Going in
-this was always going to be a challenging institute since

1. we were seeking to include Indigenous facilitators on the team -we had Bruce N. and Joe O. from Debajimajig Storytellers work with us -and we don't have a lot of experience with this

2. the focus was initially on indigenous learners in first nations school settings -but that expanded so that the participation came from many backgrounds -mostly being Western

3. about 4 participants were indigenous

4. the attraction was the FNMI focus and not the inquiry or transformative learning focus -hence we had educators attend who were more or less in the conventional learning mind set -that included about 8 educators from secondary school panel  -this mix did not help make for a cohesive group of professional learners


Indigenous Elements

Opening each day
-included a smudge circle opening which works well and aligns with the day -preparing to bring your best self to the gathering -note that it was noted that photos of smudging woudl not be appropriate
-Joe and Bruce were able to provide Anishenabek insights as these arose in the institute
-either to the whole group or as they participated in the small discussion groups

Opening Provocation
-the initial KBC worked and identified some issues to address
-the challenge context for sharing with others was a bit
-one of the main ones being educator fear that when we start to do Indigenous elements we will get it wrong -may be a simple as to what terminology is correct to more deeper issues

Example videos
-we did not have good FNMI videos


Normal Institute Flow got messed up
-we were being very respectful to our Indigenous facilitator colleagues who we were working with and hence went with their insights or offerings as per institute elements when these arose
-we also spent a lot more time on components such as question refinement and learning direction setting and examination of DOTS strategies
-NC introduction was not done until day 2 and there was blow back as per the appropriateness of strategies and applicability of some of the examples shown -of course NC does not have examples above grade 6

 Using Drama to explore challenging areas
-Bruce led an intro name sharing activity that helped add joviality -give your name and add an action -everyone repeats
-Bruce and Joe led the group through some drama role plays that brought out some interesting learning
-this tool is useful and should be evolved further
 
Missed items

-we never really addressed the link between Indigenous world views and transformative learning ones


Learning our way forward

• spend time identifying and addressing cultural sensitivity issues in participants when they are from the western worldview -the people attending are there out of good will but are undermined by their sensitivity to possibly offending indigenous individuals and communities
• possible focus for future institute -Indigenizing the School Experience -came from one of the questions posed by an Indigenous woman now working for the Catholic Board
• Don't underestimate the complexity involved - there is no avoiding this -first nations differ -within fist nations there are differences -within first nation communities there are differences
  

Approaching projects from an earlier analysis I did might be helpful

Four Levels of Activity for FNMI work for LSF

A.      Supporting Learning for FNMI peoples in identified geographical communities to help them be who they wish  to be –directed to fnmi learners and educators

B.      Supporting Learning for FNMI peoples living in non identified geographical communities to help them be who they wish  to be –directed to fnmi learners and educators

 C.      Supporting Learning for non FNMI people –so they have understanding of how we got here, who fmi people are, our mutual responsibilities and obligations and possible ways forward –directed to all Canadian learners and educators

D.      What insights, practices, perspectives do fnmi people have to contribute to the rest of Canada and the world as we seek to learn to live sustainably with all people and all living things –directed to all including international

-for this institute we ended up mixing all four sectors -particularly the first three


Possible Next Steps

1. -specificity might be advantageous -example maybe an institute at Debaj with a Anishinabeg focus such as : Indigenizing the School Experience for Anishinaabeg Learners
-an Anishinaabeg focus at least restricts the cultural context -but this is still complex
-a focus on A group above with some relevance for B and C.
-note that Anishinaabeg bands are voting on forming their own school board in late November and this may provide an opportunity for support
-expand contact in the Indigenous community for this institute -KTEI on Manitoulin -
Lewis Debassige is a respected Anishinaabe Elder from M’Chigeeng First Nation on Manitoulin Island (Mnidoo Mnising). He is well known for his work as an activist and political advocate for Indigenous rights and education. others at Trent etc
-format may have to evolve from our standard projfessinal inquiry approach

2. Indigenous Insights for Non Indigenous Educators
-great need here
-how can drama lead this so that we start with a dramatic provocation that then leads to professional leanring?
-this could be very relevant to Debaj's work

December 1 -Okay here it is two weeks later and I am still thinking about this one
Error analysis -first morning around the videos had one of the secondary gals pipe up that she did not want to be Debbie Downer but ... and on she went with all the buts
-now my response was something along the line of we all have our own little bit of power to bring about change -and here is where I missed it -I should have said go find your high 5 partner and explore what those little opportunities are
-that may have helped redirect that secondary group from spiraling down further or it may not but it would have been a better response I am sure

Welcome everyone! This is such a great way to create professional conversation, ask questions, let everyone know what you are doing with your students, and generally keep connected. I will check in to see how you are doing. Cheers -Pamela