School wide focus takes time to build momentum

In September 2011, each Pemberton Secondary Student participated in the School Wide Write.? This was something new for staff and students and it resulted in a writing focus for the school year.? What was essential was the professional learning that was tied to the focus, as well as the consistency, school wide, to improving writing in clear, simple ways.

Our school wide learning intention became (and still is):

?I am learning to use powerful words and sentence variety to clearly communicate my knowledge, opinions, and ideas.?

In November 2011, Susan Augustyn led the staff through a professional learning session focused on improving writing?simply by using sentence starters and dress ups in writing.? They have become part of our school?s writing culture.

It has become one of those learning intentions that cannot ever be fully achieved because, I would argue, writing has a learning continuum that begins before and goes beyond high school.? However, as time progresses (we are fully into 2012 now), there is evidence that the focus on powerful words and sentence variety is making a difference in our writing at Pemberton Secondary School.

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Today, I arrived at work?to find?a ?labelled diagram? of sorts adorning the staff room white board.? Not only is this modelling great teaching (?does the student really know they are using sentence variety? is a question I have sometimes and, therefore, ask students to identify their sentence variety), it?is also?an authentic way to show that sentence variety is something we need to be thinking about all the time ? even if it is only to get rid of an abundance of garlic a husband bought for his wife!

Staff Room white board February 6th, 2012

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Later today, it was brought to my attention that the exemplar I used in class was not ?up to standard? given my expectation for powerful words in writing and speaking.

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Here is my poster: Poster Exemplar. I thought it was pretty good.? This is the short conversation the ensued:

Student: ?Did you make that poster??

Me: ?Yes.? Is there a spelling mistake on it or something??

Student: ?You describe the moose as ?big?.?

Me: ?So what you?re saying is that ?big? is not good enough.?

Student: ?Yep? (with big ?I?m calling you on this? smile on face)

Me: ?So you want me to use more powerful words in my writing??

Student2 (from other side of room): ?Like MASSIVE or something.?

Me: ?Much better word.? I like ?massive?.? I guess I thought it would not fit.? (bad excuse!).

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And it is just not in the English classroom.? In a Social Studies class, a student suggested more powerful words would more effectively describe the point the teacher was communicating to the group.? It is happening on a regular basis, with all students, in a variety of classes.

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What I see is evidence of a congenial relationship between teachers and students at this school where students are focused on learning and focused on building capacity in themselves, in classmates, and in their teachers.? This is evidence of ownership of learning We are all able to focus on this learning intention, determining where we are all at and how we can move across the continuum of more powerful words and more effective use of sentence variety and dress ups in writing.

This all speaks to the power of sustained shift in practice over time.? School wide learning intentions cannot always be a September to June venture but, more often than not, need to be supported over years.? The evidence is found in the ways in which the learning becomes an integral part of the school culture.

What is your school?s learning goal??

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Source: http://seatoskylearning.edublogs.org/2012/02/07/school-wide-focus-takes-time-to-build-momentum/

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