NorCan Learning

NorCan Learning Year 3 Summit in Norway

All 9 schools shared their learning journey (so far) today.

Assessment is a form of communication where a student can tell their teacher about what they know (Jasper Place NorCan student)

Want to know how students feel about their learning - ask them
The power of the “overview effect”
Learning is messy - being comfortable with being uncomfortable
Assessment as leaning - how moving away from grades can make assessment meaningful
Relationships, Relationships, Relationships - learning partners, mentoring younger students, the idea of “friendship” between schools

I like you because you help me grow in my learning (Grade 3 student speaking with Olds High School mentor)

Mona’s presentation - Our Findings so far

At Ranvik the teachers follow their students for 3 years...so if I begin as a student at Ranvik in Grade 8, I will have the same math teacher in Grade 9 and Grade 10. This is true for all subjects. (Grade 9 Ranvik student)

When the hearts of the adults are warm there is a space and place to warm the hearts of students
How can we slow down the pace to create opprtunities for authentic connection, reflection and collaboration for all educators (and students)

Connecting our Hearts with Mentoring Webs

Students using non-permanent writing on desks and vertical surfaces in every math class I visited
Students working in pairs
Students using wood and real tools (e.g., saws) to build iPhone cases, catapults - all students take these classes (school is Grade 8 - 10)
Students standing up at the start of every class and exchanging (as a group) greetings with the teacher
Laughter and “quiet smiles”

Students from every school led presentations about their observations from NorCan and more importantly their hopes, wishes and dreams for their learning. Some personal reflections are below:

Relationships, relationships, relationships
Listening to our students is the easy part - what are the first next steps to celebrate and elevate student voice and agency? Can our school system be #agile as Simon Breakspear would suggest (responsive, iterative, rapid prototyping and recursive learning from and with students)
How about inverting hierarchical "org chart" and putting students at the top (or at the centre)?
How might we begin all professional learning for educators with student voice/presence?
Underneath the small things the students noticed in Norway were much bigger things - e.g., students going to the washroom without asking permission —> trust between teacher and student
A sense of "connectedness" and feeling that you are a part of something bigger (aka a mentoring web) is inspiring for both students and educators - this sense of personal and professional renewal and rejuvenation via reciprocal learning permeated NorCan
Students participating as equals and realizing that teachers want the same things and have similar challenges/struggles was a hallmark of the week - we are all on this messy but incredibly rewarding learning journey together

Open Minds + Full Hearts = NorCan

This week has changed me in a way I can't fully describe other than to say my heart and mind have been re-opened to the wit, wisdom and wonder our students possess.

Tusen takk to the students, teachers and school leaders from Durham Catholic DSB and Greater Essex County DSB for the gift of learning with you. Although the "formal" project is nearing an end, our learning never ends.

Appreciate