Transforming Learning: Continuing the Conversation Summer Leadership Academy Kelowna, BC

1. Transforming Learning: Continuing the Conversation Summer Leadership AcademyKelowna, BC August 2013

2. Senior Learning Team: Systems Thinking and Planning on a District Scale School District No. 57 (Prince George) Lisa Carson, Assistant Superintendent Cindy Heitman, District Principal of Curriculum and Instruction

3. What is a System? Province

4. A System in ActionSenior Learning Team:Putting Learners First Our Senior Learning Team consists of representatives from across the organization

5. Senior Learning Team

6. Why a Senior Learning Team? • “Remember, always, that everything you know, and everything everyone knows, is only a model. Get your model out there where it can be viewed. Invite others to challenge your assumptions and add their own.” ― Donella H. Meadows, Thinking in Systems: A Primer

7. Everyone who sits at the Senior Learning Team table must attend as a learner.

8. Our Work • The Senior Learning Team is a think-tank with an action-oriented approach to innovation with a focus on improving student learning. Our goal is to find processes, on a systems level, to improve the life chances of each student. The SLT is tasked with challenging the status quo to move our district from good to great.

9. Project examples: • utilizing personal electronic devices in classrooms, • building online communities, • developing professional growth plans, • coordinating community partners to work with at-risk youth, • developing learning profiles for each child in our school district, and • reinventing rural education

10. Start with Why • We use Simon Sinek’s model of starting with Why and then moving out to How and What • Why – purpose, cause or belief • How – guiding principles or actions • What – tactics See more at http://www.startwithwhy.com/

11. Sustaining the Initiatives • Continuing the work beyond the Senior Learning Team • VOWS (Valemount Off-Site Working Session) • DPMs (District Principals’ Meetings) • Professional development and In-service

12. The Essential Eight • The Essential Eight grew out of our SLT • Assessment for Learning • Data-Driven Evidence for Learning • Cultural Competencies • Social and Emotional Learning • Poverty and Student Learning • Differentiation and Universal Designs for Learning • Enhancing Learning through Technology • Supervision of Instruction and Mentorship / Training

13. Make a Connection • Given your district’s context, how might you look at one of the Essential Eight from a systems perspective? • AFL • Data-Driven Evidence for Learning • Cultural Competencies • Social and Emotional Learning • Poverty and Student Learning • Differentiation and Universal Designs for Learning • Enhancing Learning through Technology • Supervision of Instruction and Mentorship / Training

14. Think. Pair. Share.

15. Thank You! For more information: Lisa Carson: lcarson@sd57.bc.ca Cindy Heitman: cheitman@sd57.bc.ca