Pedagogical Documentation

Would a two-day retreat focused on pedagogical documentation and place conscious learning help us understand documentation in a deeper way?   

Last weekend Dr. Laurie Kocher, Maureen Dockendorf and I (Judith King) held a retreat in Kaleden, B.C. where both Maureen and I live, on Pedagogical Documentation.  The retreat was mainly for SD67 and 53 but we were delighted to welcome two educators from other BC districts.

We started a journey with Laurie Kocher last year when she visited our districts several times, talking with teachers, visiting classrooms, and giving workshops; but the whole area of pedagogical documentation seemed just out of reach to most of us – difficult, not really understood, or maybe understood on some intellectual level but not practically.  Most of us struggled with beginning. 

So we wondered “Would a two day retreat focused on pedagogical documentation and place conscious learning help us understand documentation in a deeper way?  Would spending time with a community of learners experiencing HOW to document make a difference?  If we offered this experience would anyone come?”

We dreamed it up in May; the retreat was full by the end of June, and there was a lovely anticipation happening early in September:

• I am so looking forward to the weekend!

• Thanks for including me

• I can’t wait for the weekend

• I forgot to send in my form.  
Am I still in?

Our intentions for the weekend were:

Embracing particularities of place

Nurturing awareness

Fostering dispositions

Becoming storytellers

Building a community of thinkers

The weekend itself far surpassed my expectations.  I wanted us all to be open to learn about pedagogical documentation and about place conscious learning, but it was much more than that as we:

• walked along the shores of Skaha Lake

• walked the hills of Kaleden

• read poetic quotes on the KVR trail

• analyzed documentation

• told stories around the fire

• ate together

• offered our gifts of teaching, listening, ceremony,     cooking, friendships

• wandered and reflected in Linden Gardens

• noticed the plants, birds, bugs, water, fire, rain, cold, wind

• worked in groups to tell a story of significance about the weekend

• asked others to be our critical friends

• bunked with friends

There was a lot of walking, eating, laughing, talking, and tears.  Stories were shared about inadequacies, frustrations, belonging, sacred spaces, learning, excitement, slowing down, noticing, gratitude, community, time spent with kids, place, family, and culture. 

The weekend was one of deep connections with each other and this place.  Some of the stories told on the final day, and the tweets during and after the retreat helped me see the deep learning and the way our intentions had been met.   

R: “Being comfortable outside and curious, is a powerful feeling 

that settles all that stirs or swirls within me.”  

S: “I taste freedom, words on my tongue, excitement – 

I have been waiting for this for ten years.”  

J: “Throughout this weekend of reflection, I am astounded at how deep my roots run in this place.  The stories that reemerged from connecting to this land, my history, my family – my place!  I was moved to tears many times.  A very unexpected and profound Learning experience for me.”  

N: “We want children to tell their own stories but to understand 

that they will be interwined with the stories of others.”  

J: “Full of gratitude for a profound weekend of learning into pedagogical documentation.  

Generous abundance of opportunity, space, place and connection.”  

With deep gratitude for all those who gave up a weekend to learn together.

Submitted by Judith King

Transformative Imagination: Our Wonder Students

The photographer Josh Rossi is known for his incredible use of transformative imagination. He has photographed young children who are sick or who have physical disabilities and transformed them into superheroes. His belief is that you can take your weaknesses, or your perceived weaknesses, and turn them into strengths. The children he began working with did not know that because having their legs amputated, rare cancers, or eye disease did not feel like strengths to them or their parents, yet they began to see themselves differently through the eyes of Josh Rossi and his camera.

Watch this youtube video of what Josh Rossi believes is possible.  There are other youtube videos of his work in this area.  He is motivated to transform how kids can see themselves.

As educators we have the same opportunity.  We work with all sorts of children who see themselves as 'less than', 'not good enough', etc.  What could happen if we too used Transformative Imagination and helped them to see themselves through our eyes as capable and strong human beings who have a vast amount of potential and all sorts of super powers?

In Through a Different Lens all of the educators in the project look at their own practice through the eyes of a student or two who we call 'wonder students' - students we spend a lot of time wondering about.  How can we support them? Engage or empower them?  Build a relationship with them?  One way to support children is to use our Imaginative Powers to see them differently, and to see their ‘perceived weaknesses’ as a strength or as an opportunity for finding strength, and then help them see this as well. 

When we help our ‘wonder students’ see themselves as having all sorts of special powers and abilities,  they change their view of themselves.  

If we use Transformative Imagination with our students … what might they become?

Resources for Text Sets

Paul Britton is a curriculum coordinator for grades 4 -9 in SD22 Vernon.  Last month Paul was part of a working group in our district.  Paul shared some interesting resources with us that we could use with our students, so of course we asked him if he would be our next guest blogger!  Here Paul outlines some great resources for text sets that help support the work we do with students who need more support or more challenge.

Where do I find text that meets the reading level of all my students?

Reading ability has been, and continues to be one of the limiting factors for student success and engagement in classrooms. This is particularly true for students in grades 5-9.  Finding resources that are current and meet the diverse needs of learners is often a challenge for teachers. This is particularly true in content areas. Here are 2 go-to websites that I frequently use to support non-fiction literacy learning. Students find these sites super engaging and high interest:

Newsela: Newsela.com is a resource out of the States that takes contemporary news articles from major news outlets and rewrites them at multiple reading levels (some at grade 2). As if that isn't helpful enough, you can also access text sets (collections of articles on a topic) that students can then read online, in PDF, or print out.

My favourite strategy:

• Find a few articles on the topic you are currently addressing in science.
• Print each of the articles (so they can be marked up with all sorts of literacy strategies), making sure that you have an article for the students who need the most support and one for those needing the most challenge.
• Incorporate reading strategies: predict what the article will be about based on the picture/title; identify the tricky words; summarise the main idea and find supporting details using sticky notes...

Draw backs:

• There is a lack of Canadian specific news- unless it hits the world stage (eg. wildfires in Fort McMurray)
• Newsela has a "PRO" side and many of the embedded features (eg. assessing students’ progress) are only available through a paid account.

Wonderopolis: Wonderopolis.org is a web based resource that has articles searchable by subject. This site is nicely targeted at intermediate students with its ability to stretch into early middle years. Some of the features that I really like are:

• Wonder words: highlighted words in text
• Simple read aloud: by highlighting text and clicking the speaker icon that appears, students can hear that piece of text read to them.
• Try it out: a section at the end of the text that asks questions, suggests activities and explorations you can do that are related to the article.

Colleagues that use these sources regularly have been able to have rich content specific conversations with students at all reading levels, determine students’ needs and target areas for growth, and allow students to build reading confidence at fluency levels that are targeted for them.  It would be great to share other places, resources, and ideas you have to integrate literacy learning and supports in your content areas.

*Thanks to Paul Britton (SD22, Vernon) for contributing to our Through a Different Lens Blog

Involving Mentors

We are so pleased to publish our first GUEST BLOG.  This blog is written by Kim Ondrik, one of the founders of Vernon Community School, and a long time friend and supporter of Through a Different Lens.  The blog tells a story of the impact and richness of involving mentors in the lives of our students.

One Story about Mentoring at Vernon Community School

I entered the circle late that morning and didn’t even notice Brad. I found a vacant spot on the carpeted floor. He had buried himself in the couches amongst these forty vibrant teens. And so his voice caught me off guard - “I’m excited to be here today with you” - it was deep and unfamiliar. He looked rugged with a toque and tattoos. I was intrigued. Who was this mystery man?

 Brad is a professional writer, interested in teaching, who learned about Vernon Community School from one of our school’s secretaries after moving to town. Like most mentors, he had contacted Murray Sasges, a founding teacher of VCS, and they met for coffee at a local cafe. After hearing Brad’s ideas, Murray extended an invitation to visit VCS and make a pitch to the students - telling the story of his passions and what he was willing to offer the students. Nothing is promised to mentors at this stage. Students are invited to take or leave the suggested engagements offered by each mentor - our bias at VCS is respect understood as deep commitment not as compliance or politeness. When a learner selects a mentor, they are making a very important promise to learn from them for the entirety of the year (and sometimes longer). Because each of the forty mentors we have enjoyed and appreciated over the past 3 1/2 years - since the beginnings of VCS - are volunteers, our slogan is ‘mentors trump all.’ We adapt our schedules and agendas around each mentors - no matter what. Sometimes assessments are even rescheduled to respect mentor time constraints. This hospitable ecology seems to have created sustainability - positive word of mouth stories in our community and a steady flow of curious mentors. Since the genesis of the school, we have probably had 10 mentors who have not connected to our students’ interests or passions, and although thanked for their time and effort, their pitches were not taken up. Some have returned with revised plans and attracted students the second time - which also provides astonishing modelling of persistence for our students and teachers.

Brad’s pitch was very powerful. He spoke with confidence and certainty - “I know what it’s like to earn a living writing. Here are some magazines that have included my writing. I can help you become a better writer.” To be honest, I thought his pitch would intimidate many of our vulnerable learners. Busy with self- directed work, when the circle dissolved, only Nick stayed behind to talk with Brad. My heart sunk as it always does for those who come, pitch and don’t receive much attention. This young man had been avoiding writing and really anything that led to vulnerable feelings for the past 1 1/2 years, and I didn’t know how to reach him yet - nor had the other teachers at VCS. Thankfully Brad had the morning to hang around, so he asked Nick to show him any writing that he had done. Nick pulled out a story that I didn’t know existed, and they spent all morning together chatting, attending to the text, and chatting some more. It was heart warming. And remarkable, when Brad informed me that Nick was a gifted writer. Nick became alive in a way I had never seen before. I was humbled, and delighted.

We have noticed that one of the unintended outcomes of mentors at Vernon Community School is that students have the opportunity to learn and interact with all kinds of diverse adults. Most teachers, like Murray and I, are people who generally did well at school stuff. Mentors, on the other hand, can be people who didn’t succeed in school, and have found success in the world - who inspire students to reframe their potential. Mentors can be people who are rough around the edges, and who mirror and affirm a child’s personality or life experiences. And mentors can be people who through their passion give time and attention to a child who needs this kind of care before they can sustain interest in other academic challenges. Mentors bring the world into the classroom - students lives are changed, and teachers no longer have to represent all things to all students. Mentors too have reported that their bad experiences in school have been transformed through their valued contributions to VCS. Also significant have been the relationships developed and the gratitude extended at our yearly student-led mentor appreciation dinner and honouring. According to any data we have collected from students and mentors over the past 3 1/2 years, it’s a win-win, reciprocal relationship.

Nick’s relationship with Brad was observed by more than me. Now, Brad has a weekly creative writing class where a committed group of 20 - ages 12-17 - spend all morning working towards writing 30 pages by spring break. Some are strong writers who are very anxious to share their thoughts. Others have limitations which have made writing almost impossible in the past who are pushing themselves far beyond my wildest expectations. And finally there are those who think Brad is so dynamic and interesting that they are willing to take up whatever challenge he presents to bask in his attention and support. Brad demonstrates appreciative workshopping and reminds these budding creatives that in real life it’s on the 8th draft that you worry about spelling, punctuation and grammar - until then you work on telling a gripping tale - which is hard work! Brad, on the other hand, now knows that teaching is his passion, and is inspired by these interesting and diverse young people. We are so grateful for him, and he can’t wait to return next Tuesday …

Thanks Kim Ondrik, Vernon Community School