Leading a Discussion About Collaborative Inquiry With Our Colleagues

Primary teachers explore collaborative inquiry in the classroom.  They discuss successes, problems, and questions.  Working in small groups is examined.  The primary teachers also discuss strategies of how to work in small groups without interruptions and the value getting kids back together after the small group work time.  It is agreed that having students take their learning public and teach others is important. 

Junior and Intermediate teachers focus on literature circle inquiries.  The discussion begins with teachers sharing their own experience with book clubs or literature circles.  They identify successes, problems, and questions.  Teachers observe a literature circle in action and share what they notice about the students' interaction, social skills they see the kids using, and how students draw extensively from notes and their books.  Teachers discover that it is important to have students identify and research lingering questions rather than traditional after-the-book projects.

Ribbon Skirt Making

Alanna Trudeau and Kate Pitawanakwat shared their knowledge of the importance of the ribbon skirt with the students.  Alanna explained that the ribbon skirt has a connection to Mother Earth.  The bottom of the skirt touches the earth and let's the earth know who is walking on her back.  The skirt emulates the shape of the tipi.  Women wear the skirt to ceremonies and special events.

With the guidance of Alanna and Kate Pitawanakwat, students were able to design and create their own ribbon skirts.  We were also very fortunate to have Alice Pennie helping the students with sewing.   

Students took careful measurements and worked carefully to create their Ribbon Skirts.  They choose the colour of their skirt and ribbons.  Students were quite proud of their skirts and excited to wear them.

For more information, visit CBC Radio's Unreserved series Skirt Teachings with Myra Laramee.

Indigenous "Ways of Knowing"

We recently attended a math conference, with keynote speaker Dr. Lisa Lunney.  There, she talked about "Indigenous Ways of Knowing".  We often think of things like Pi as being something the Greeks discovered, and therefore, only they could understand it.  However, Dr. Lunney discussed how a Mi'kmaq elder in her community used a traditional method to make a perfect circle for her quillbox, using three lengths of wood strips and a thumb width...Pi, anyone?  Her blog, Show Me Your Math, looks at how these traditional "Ways of Knowing" can be incorporated into the classroom.

My main takeaway from the conference had to do with the idea of not always focusing on Eurocentric knowledge in topics like math.  After all, the Indigenous people of this land used math in THEIR everyday lives, too.  Whether it was to determine how much food was "enough", how to create intricate patterns, or how to build a dwelling, people living in North America prior to the arrival of Europeans relied on their own mathematics, developed over generations.  I believe that these understandings should be celebrated.  The First Peoples of this land survived treacherous winters and untold perils, which is a testament to their knowledge and wisdom...and is worth teaching to our younger generations!

Outdoor Learning

It is important to get out of the classroom and enjoy the outdoors.  We were very fortunate to visit a nearby hiking trail at McLean's Park for orienteering and snowshoeing. 

The benefits of being outdoors include:

• Physical exercise.
• Refining motor control
• Learning about the natural environment and the creatures that inhabit them.
• Providing calm and focus.
• Learning is more memorable and engaging.

Wonder Wall

In my kindergarten classroom, my students were always making "I wonder ..." statements.  I noticed that my grade 5/6 students did not.  In an effort to encourage my students to wonder we began "Wonder Wednesdays".  I got the idea from Collaboration and Comprehension by Stephanie Harvey and Harvey "Smokey" Daniels (I love this book!).

Students are invited to post any inquiry questions, even off-task questions, on a post it note and affix it to our Wonder Wall.  On Wednesdays we take 15 - 30 minutes to address our wonder questions.  The students are already demanding more time for their wonders.

Wonder Walls are a great entry point for those who are not yet comfortable with inquiry.  

Collaboration is Delicious!

We just finished group science projects.  During research time in the classroom, students would often appear to be unfocused and not get a lot accomplished.  Moreover, some students complained about members of the group being silly and not contributing.  I thought, "Ugh!"  My first attempt at small group inquiry was not a success.

To help students assume individual accountability, I implemented the collaboration lesson, "Making and Using a Work Plan," from Comprehension and Collaboration by Stephanie Harvey and Harvey Smokey Daniels.  

Students were given the task of baking and decorating a cake.  After organizing themselves into groups, students were provided with a  Work Plan Form.  On the form students identifed the group members, their task, who was responsible for brining certain materials and doing specific tasks, and what help they would need from the teacher.  Students were required to sign the form as a sign of commitment.  

The next day, students followed the work plan to bake and decorate a cake a small group.  They collaborated exceptionally well, had fun, and enjoyed a tasty treat!  

I can't wait to have students use the work plan form to help them with their next small group inquiry!

Global Read Aloud

Our class has been particpating in the Global Read Aloud.  It is a global literacy initiative founded by Pernille Ripp.  It has connected more than 2 000 000 students in 60 different countries.  Pernille's goal is to have one book to connect the world.

For six weeks, our class read Pax by Sara Pennypacker.  It is the story of a twelve year old boy who is forced to abandon his domesticated fox when his father decides to join the approaching war.  Students enjoyed the story and liked how the chapters alternated between the perspectives of the boy and the fox.

Using Edmondo, our class made a connection with Mrs. Ballard's grade 5 class in Texas.  We used Google Hangouts to meet and discuss the book with each other on several occasions.

Our class using Google Hangouts to discuss Pax with Mrs. Ballard's class in Texas.

We also used #GRA16, #PaxSlowChat, and #GRAPax on Twitter to regularly communicate with others.  

Students would sometimes reply to questions posed by another class using a Padlet and we would tweet the Padlet.  It provided an authentic audience for the students.

The Global Read Aloud was a great experience and we can't wait to find out which books will be featured next year.