Click on the Inquiry Question links below to see the full survey response and learn what each PLC group is exploring.
2015-2016
- How can we better develop oral language skills in the early primary classroom? (*Excellent example of PLC providing significant gains in language skills for at risk K-1 learners)
2014-2015
- How can we increase student engagement in order to improve academic and metacognitive performance?
- What impact will the Daily 5 model have on student literacy acquisition, particularly with respect to moving into fluent reading and comprehension?
- How do we support the diverse literacy needs of our primary students?
- How will Sumdog, Jump Math, Mastery of the Basics, and the Boost program improve math confidence, reduce anxiety, and improve student achievement?
- How to develop unified positive behavior support strategies to better support our students?
2013-2014
French Immersion Primary Literacy
This team is continuing the work that they began last year. The Immersion Language Arts IRP states that, ‘enhancing children’s letter knowledge and phonological awareness skills should be a priority in the kindergarten classroom.” Building on last year’s work the primary teachers, LST, CST, and SLP will work together to develop “Talking Tables”, modules that provide French Immersion students with regular vocabulary and language concept development. The plan addresses three skill objectives designed to promote student’s rapid automatic processing of code-related information:
• Students will segment words of three or more phonemes into their discrete sounds at a
rate of at least 23 correct phonemes per minute as measured by the IDAPEL.
• Students will associate the initial, medial and final sounds with specific word endings
with a rate of at least 19 correct sounds per minute.
• Students will encode words of up to 3 phonemes in sound board activities and guided
writing sessions.
Curriculum for Caring
This team had already done some extensive work over the last few years on the school based “I Can’ initative. The Curriculum for Caring approach was the natural next step in the evolution of our ‘I Can’ journey at the school. The team is made up of a number of intermediate teachers in both the Immersion and English programs. The team’s focus is to increase student levels of empathy, community service, self-worth and responsibility. Using the social responsibility performance standards that are part of the curriculum students will be assessed on such standards as;
· Contributing to the classroom and school community.
· Solving problems in peaceful ways.
· Valuing diversity and defending human rights.
· Exercising democratic rights and responsibilities.
Describe in relation to the work of the PLC teams in your building, how this work is having a real life impact on student achievement.
Working collaboratively on projects based on student need has had a significant increase on the adult and student learning in our school. The sharing and implementation of strategies has raised the level of engagement and success for students. As Sandra Herbst would say this process of meaningful collaboration, ”… serves to tune our professional judgment.”
We are seeing positive change throughout our school for each of our PLC teams. While a
number of our Immersion K students were at risk in terms of emergent literacy skills to begin
the year we can now say that all of our K students are now testing at a grade level. In addition, we have seen a 213% increase in one literacy assessment piece between December and March. This increase is the direct work of the conversation and initiatives that are coming from our PLC time.
The varying PLC teams also complement each other quite well. What we are seeing is some cross-pollination as the work of one particular PLC team can positively impact the work of other PLC teams.