Local teachers gathered at Southern Okanagan Secondary School on June 4 to present updates on their progress.
Tuc-el-Nuit Elementary
Students were surveyed on how attached they feel to school. Emotional learning is being promoted through the Social Thinkers program. Kids are being taught how to read body language.
Tuc-el-Nuit students now start their day outside, and have been connected with the Boys and Girls Club for its after-school program.
Students are very engaged in the robotics lessons, which familiarizes them with coding and computational thinking. One child was overheard saying he couldn’t sleep because he was so excited about working with his robot.
To address reading improvement, a literacy program called Lexia is being used to comprehensively track student performances and record the data.
There was also a video of students giving testimony about how effective the curriculum is.
Okanagan Falls Elementary
Students are focusing on an acronym called SOAR, which stands for Safe, Optimistic, Achievers, Respectful. Kids are calling each other out when they notice their peers not following the SOAR values, and they apply the concept to story characters from their studies. Teachers are empowering students to take charge of their own success. There is a strong focus on core competencies and inclusion for all, which resulted in the exclusive honour roll getting axed. Instead, students now choose their own goals and then work towards achieving them. After being surveyed, most students like SOAR, but one called it “errelevant,” and teachers pointed out the spelling mistake.
Oliver Elementary
Teachers are taking a three-pronged approach: the focus is on number literacy, belonging and numeracy self assessment. Numerical progress is being tracked comprehensively, student results are being measured and the data from it is being analyzed. As for the feeling of belonging, students are much more engaged in the younger grades. Kickboxing, art and Lego are the most popular clubs.
Southern Okanagan Secondary School
Staffers are focused on strengthening relationships with students and “authentic learning.”
They boldly believe that better opportunities lead to greater student success.
Also, teachers are “very excited” about having an indigenous focus at every grade level, and far more students are singing the Okanagan Song now compared to just two years ago.
French teachers are having detailed hallway conversations with students, far beyond the easy catchphrases like “Comment vas-tu?”
The TPRS program is “super successful.” Those involved built a business model around “diverse ability” cards, teaching them how to run a business and turn a profit while promoting empathy. Members feel like they’re part of a family, and have very few attendance and behaviour issues.
Retro gaming club is popular. The photography club and skateboarding club both have enthusiastic members, and the two clubs teamed up last month for an excursion to the skatepark.
A student achievement show was held at the school in January where teens demonstrated their academic progress.
In a survey about relationships, students were asked if are there at least two adults in the building who believe in your success, and if they feel welcome by the school staffers.
Teachers are thinking about giving students even more assessments, as well as holding forums and town hall meetings for them.
Grade 8 math could be going better as there is a wide discrepancy in scores, and a team approach was identified as the solution.
