This is a longer blog post than usual - and hopefully you will read right to the end. there is a LOT going on across BC with the networks of inquiry and innovation and we want to make sure that educators everywhere know about the opportunities for learning, stretching and connecting within the networks.
This
year has provided us with a number of new opportunities connected to the
Networks of Inquiry and Innovation. This is an exciting journey as we create
new spaces for learning, new opportunities for team inquiry, draw on the smartest
work we can find both locally and internationally - and never lose our focus on
increasing quality and equity for all learners.
With
the proceeds from last spring’s seminar we were able to provide small grants to
all AESN schools that completed case studies despite the challenges of last
year. School questions came in during the fall and are now posted on the
website. Please take a look!
Network Seminar 2013 – Inquiry, Innovation, Connections - ACTION
May 5 – Simon Fraser Harbourside
The
seminar this year is being held May 5 and we are looking forward to a very rich
day of learning and connecting. In many ways we see the seminar as the launch
for an invigorating few years of inquiry as we work towards our goal of every
learner crossing the stage with dignity, purpose and options – by 2017,
Canada’s 150th birthday.
We
know this is a very ambitious goal but we have lots of evidence that when
educators work together across roles and in a spirit of genuine inquiry, amazing things can happen. In addition to some great opportunities
for new learning and connections, the seminar will also be the time when we
will be sharing new opportunities for network connections – and new forms of
support for school teams. You won’t want to miss this!
You
will hear from some of the leading researchers in BC – and you will learn more
about the ways in which current knowledge is being put into action within and
across BC schools. You will learn about innovative approaches to strengthening
self-regulation, identity, creativity and engagement. You will consider the
ways in which the belief that ‘Aboriginal education is for everyone’ is moving
from rhetoric to reality. You will hear from a leader in the Arts community
about creativity, risk–taking and Aboriginal understandings. You will learn
about new opportunities for networked inquiries in the next few years, And, you
will help create additional connections as part of a networked community
focused intensely on quality and equity for all learners. Please register at http://sd45.bc.ca/noii/
Research study – Aboriginal Inquiries – Lifting All Learners
The
federal government this year funded a research study on the impact of school
involvement in the Aboriginal Enhancement Schools Network. Dr. Catherine
McGregor at the University of Victoria was the lead researcher on the study and
the final report will be out within the next few days. We’ll post a link to the
executive summary on the website and will be sharing insights from this study
at the seminar as well.
It
is a very encouraging report and there is a great deal for all of us to learn
from the literature review, the case studies of districts and the individual
reports of educators from across BC.
In a nutshell (or as Linda and I have been known to say, the haiku not
the epic) AESN is making a difference – for learners, educators, schools and
communities – and we need to build on the strong work that is already taking
place.
Support is Building –
Opportunities are Expanding
We have
new funding support for schools
interested in addressing transition challenges for Aboriginal learners –
whether this is from elementary to middle school, or secondary to post
secondary. The funding is being provided by a foundation at UBC and we will be
inviting schools to submit questions for the 2013-2014 school year. Look for
information on this towards both at the seminar and then later in May.
The
Vancouver Foundation has provided a two-year grant for NOII schools to focus on
inquiry at the student level. There will be opportunities for young learners to
develop student-led projects that involve families, Elders and community
partners. Debbie Koehn, an experienced network leader who has been involved
with student-led inquiry for many years, will be leading this initiative.
Again, stay tuned as to the ways in which you can become involved.
Recently
we received very welcomed news from the Ministry of Education that there will
be on-going financial support for AESN. This will allow us to provide support
for network leaders who are invaluable in developing local networks and also to
provide grants to schools who are engaged in focused inquiry connected to
Aboriginal learners and Aboriginal understandings over the next year.
Spirals of
Inquiry
– and more
Over
the last eighteen months we worked hard on consolidating our thinking about
inquiry, learning and how network schools are weaving three ways forward to
meet the challenges of quality and equity for all learners. We spent two weeks
last spring with Helen Timperley from the University of Auckland. Helen is one
of the leading researchers on inquiry and professional learning and we enjoyed
the experience of stretching our thinking. Our collaboration with Helen led to an evolution in our
thinking about the inquiry cycle and the new spiral of inquiry is being used as
the basis now not only for network inquiries but also for other district and
provincial initiatives including the Creating Results for Young Readers (CR4YR)
work.
In
February, Spirals of Inquiry was
released and since then close to 3000 copies have been purchased. Through our partnership with the
BCPVPA, (after publication costs are recovered) all proceeds will be going directly to inquiring schools. We
are delighted with the response to date and are very pleased that we are now in
a good position to provide grants to schools. We know how important recognition grants (even if not very
big) are for school teams. Having some discretionary funding to support your
inquiry work really matters and we are very glad to be able to do so.
Our
collaboration with Helen is continuing and we are now working together on a
book focused on Leadership and
Professional Inquiry. We are
now actively looking for BC examples of the ways in which leaders (both formal
and informal, school and district) develop a culture of inquiry in their
settings, develop the specific skills required for focused inquiry, work
through the sticking points in the inquiry spiral, and build adaptive expertise
at all levels. We plan to have
this finished within the year and hope to have Helen come to the seminar next
spring.
Meetings and Partnerships
One
of the things that we learned clearly from your comments and from the AESN
study is the importance of face-to-face meetings. We are looking forward to
reconnecting with ‘experienced’ network schools in 2013-2014 and also to
welcoming new schools from across the lower mainland. We plan to have a
schedule of meeting dates available before the end of June.
We
really value our partnership with DASH and with the Healthy Schools Network.
DASH is a key partner for the May seminar and we are also looking forward to
exploring new opportunities for linkages next year and to ensuring there is
always a focus on healthy living and positive connections at network meetings.
Curiosity and Passion
One
of the central aims of the networks of inquiry and innovation is that we want
learners to leave our schools as curious as when they arrive. We believe that
it is for young learners to sustain their curiosity , they must learn with and
from adults who are also curious and passionate about learning. We see the networks as spaces where
adult curiosity can be nurtured and deepened. We hope that you do as well.
We
look forward to seeing you at the seminar – and at every other opportunity we
have to connect over the next few years.
And
for those of you on twitter, in May there will be a twitter book chat on Spirals of inquiry. Thanks to Chris Wejr
and Chris Kennedy for making this happen. Stay tuned – this will be fun!
Happy Spring!
Judy & Linda
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