You might be wondering, what do teachers do on Friday afternoons or when students have the day off? Teachers are engaged in professional learning that helps develop their teaching capacity and enhances the experience your children have in the classroom. So far this fall, teachers have been engaged in professional learning centered around 3 topics: Indigenous education, English Language Learners and the new curriculum.
Indigenous Education:
There are three distinct areas of focus when it comes to Indigenous education:
1. Expanding our professional knowledge of Truth and Reconciliation and how we can take action towards the 94 Calls to Action. On October 7, we participated in a full day of professional learning focused on Indigenous education. We listened to Dr. James Makokis as he shared his insights on the importance of reconciliation and understanding the truth and considered how we might be allies in this work.
2. Developing our understanding of Indigenous ways of knowing and being and implementing them in the classroom. Teachers are implementing sit spots, circle protocol and land acknowledgements in their classrooms. We are exploring seasonal change from an Indigenous perspective. Additionally, we are delving into the concept of Two-Eyed Seeing.
3. Exploring ways to support our Indigenous students to meet success at school.
New Curriculum
Alberta Education is taking a phased approach to implementation and piloting of the new Kindergarten to Grade 6 (K-6) curriculum. School districts have been provided flexibility in how they choose to participate in the implementation of additional curriculum which includes Math and English Language Arts and Literature in Grades 4-6.
Beginning in Fall 2022, all schools in Alberta began using some new curriculum. Mandatory implementation includes:
Kindergarten to Grade 3 Math
Kindergarten to Grade 3 English Language Arts and Literature
Kindergarten to Grade 6 Physical Education and Wellness
At Connaught teachers have been participating in system professional learning related to implementing the new curriculum outcomes as well as exploring effective ways to assess student learning in relation to the new content.
You can find information about the new curriculum on Alberta Education's website.
English Language Learners
Our school is very fortunate to serve students from over 40 different countries, speaking more that 45 languages. We have a diverse community who bring a wealth of knowledge and varying perspectives to the classroom. Teachers have been exploring ways to support the language development of all students at Connaught with a specific focus on student's who have English as their second language. One thing you might see if you visit our school are vocabulary words in multiple languages. Check out the pictures below.
