On Friday, September 29th, the teaching and support staff at Graham Bruce Elementary School came together for a day of professional development. This event provided an opportunity for both returning and new staff members to engage in meaningful educational and pedagogical conversations, fostering a sense of community and shared purpose.

Objectives for the Day

The objectives for this day of learning were as follows:

1. Explore and Analyze School Literacy Goals:
   • The day commenced with an exploration and analysis of our school's literacy goals. Staff members discussed the overarching objectives and how they relate to their respective roles.
2. Share Goals and Identify Commonalities:
   • Building a collaborative spirit was a key focus. Staff members shared their individual goals and sought commonalities among them, emphasizing the importance of alignment in their efforts.
3. Delve into Formative Teaching and Learning Strategies for Literacy:
   • To support our literacy goals, we dedicated time to delve into formative teaching and learning strategies. Participants considered the principles of formative teaching and learning, including learning intentions, criteria, questions, descriptive feedback, and self and peer assessment.

We were privileged to have Ms. Yrsa Jensen, an experienced educator and consultant, facilitate this day of learning. Ms. Jensen guided our staff through discussions centered on significant educational concepts, including Inquiry, Collaboration, Expectations, Continuity, Language, Literacy, and Explicit Teaching. Each group selected one of these ideas as a focal point and discussed its relevance in their practice. In both small and larger groups, staff shared their impressions, raised questions, and provided specific examples from their own experiences.

Tailoring Literacy Inquiry Questions

Our journey continued with a review and analysis of our school's literacy learning plan. This involved tailoring our general inquiry literacy question to meet the specific needs of different grade level groups. As a result, we developed sub-questions that were finely tuned to the learning needs of students in each group. We were pleased to see our school's learning goals aligned seamlessly with the district's literacy focus, deeply rooted in the VSB Responsive Literacy Framework.

A Focus on Monitoring and Assessment

The day's culmination revolved around exploring formative teaching and learning while discussing the distinction between formative and summative assessment. This activity allowed us to revisit the core principles of formative teaching and learning, emphasizing Learning Intentions, Criteria, Questions, Descriptive Feedback, and Self and Peer Assessment.

Ms. Celisa Ghislieri, our Grade 1 Teacher, who with Ms. Avia Latosky, our Reading Recovery Teacher and Bruce Principal, represented Graham Bruce at the district literacy day, generously shared some literacy activities from the District Literacy Day with the staff. Together, we explored the idea of creating a common language across grade levels to facilitate communication and consistency, and better monitor and assess student learning.

A Stronger Team Approach

As the day concluded, our staff emerged with a strengthened team approach, poised to tackle our school's learning plan goals, with a specific focus on literacy. We left the professional development day with three vital questions in mind:

1. What Can I Commit to in My Classroom?
   • Each staff member reflected on their individual commitment to advancing our school's literacy goals within their classrooms.
2. Who Would I Work With?
   • Collaboration was emphasized, and staff members considered potential collaborators within the school community.
3. What Would I Like to Learn More About?
   • Staff members identified areas where they sought further learning and growth to enhance their teaching practices.

In closing, our professional development day not only fostered a sense of unity among our staff but also provided valuable insights and strategies to further our school's literacy objectives. With a renewed focus and a commitment to collaboration, we are well-prepared to meet the challenges of the academic year ahead.