Abstract

Education systems across Canada can learn a lot from past research as demonstrated by Abraham Flexner who in 1910 revolutionized medical practices that would be responsible for saving countless lives. Seeing the conditions and the state of hospitals across North America, he wrote a scathing report on what Clarfield (2004, as cited IN Schmoker,2006), described as, “utterly hopeless” (p. 89). The recommendations from Flexner’s report would change the medical standards as Schmoker (2006) writes, “produced a tsunami of improvements that transformed medical practice forever” (p. 89). If someone were to research and write a report on the current conditions of First Nations schools, what condition would the analysis find? More importantly, if recommendations were put forth after a comprehensive study was conducted, how would education leaders and political representatives respond if it meant saving thousands of lives?

School Planning

The timing of new ideas and methods could not be any better for indigenous communities across Canada to engage with their membership, teachers, and administrators. The federal government is beginning their Nation-to-Nation consultation process as part two of the Transformational Education initiative. Through the consultation processes, open dialogue between each member from First Nations communities will come together from April- July to bring answers on how governments can support education transformation. For education leadership, the question that FN administrators should reflect what Jacobs (2010) proposes;   Is the curricular practice and organization of your school program designed to address             the best interest of your learners, or is it running on habit? Is your state education     department deliberately engaged in long-term strategic planning for learners, or is it   committed to old-style gatekeeping?” (p. 4)

This paper will begin the analysis of root causes of student achievement levels, incorporates research-based instructional strategies, incorporates instructional strategies that assure that all groups of student will meet proficiency levels while assigning specific responsibilities to individuals in the system.

Similar to Flexner’s analysis of medical schools and hospitals in 1910, First Nations schools have to take a critical look at themselves to determine where they are and where they need to go.  For instance, they must ask the tough questions on what would someone expect to find if we took a serious look inside FN classrooms and hallways? Will the curriculum standards and related activities be displayed through students’ work? Will the school’s success plans be codified on the school walls or school newsletters?

If education is the precursor to healthier communities and improved standards of living, school success planning must be a priority for every political and educational leader’s agenda. It must be methodical, targeted and inclusive of all members of the education system. The current data on social welfare, imprisonment, suicide and all other ‘isms’ that plague FN student success cannot be the standard norm. Programs such as the First Nations School Success Plan (FNSSP) suggest that First Nations’ literacy, numeracy and student retention results are reflective of continuous school improvement. Therefore, Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC), Chiefs and education leaders need to create and support school planning that places students at the focal point of future Nation-to-Nation discussions.

Root Cause

            Getting to the heart of the matter is an old adage but can still speak to the beginning stages of school planning, specifically collecting and analyzing demographic, perceptual and student learning data. It is important for principals and teachers to determine the root cause of student achievement through a cyclical collection of qualitative and quantitative data. Sather (2017) calls this process a Professional Learning Team (PLT) Inquiry Cycle, which speaks to the collection of data and interpretation of the information that is continuous and on-going. It follows six elements as Sather (2017) describes; examine student data, investigate research, analyze teaching practices, determine instructional changes, implement and assess changes and commit schoolwide” (p. 6).

Within First Nations communities, the extraction of student data will allow FN communities to tell their story through the interpretation of student data. There can be a multitude of instruments and processes in gathering this information such as on-line surveys, interviews, questionnaires, etc., but student assessments for district and school success plans should be the focus. Whatever process that education leaders utilize, there must be assurances that First Nations leaders and community members have an opportunity to understand this data-collection process.

Within indigenous communities, the first task for any new school data collection system is to ensure teachers and administrators are aware of the community’s protocols on extracting collecting and interpreting student information. There must be a written plan for extracting information, specifically for the usage of the school’s demographic and perceptual information. Elders, leadership and parents of First Nations communities must be provided the rationale and assurances of protecting student data from outsiders, especially if the data is regarding class engagement and satisfaction data. For instance, even indigenous researchers must be mindful of approaches to collecting community information in the name of research as Duran (2006) explains;

when the profession validates empirically tested therapies only from a western logical          positivistic paradigm, we engage in Western supremacy disguised as perceived scientific    objectivity: a very subtle and clever neo-colonialism that will further alienate people and       groups at a time when cultural understanding and compassion are greatly needed if we   are to heal our society. By operating in a manner that liberates the individual and community, we humanize and restore human dignity just because it is a dignified thing to    be human. (p. 386)

Therefore, before school administrators can be the agents of change and begin the dialogue to finding the root cause of student disengagement, satisfaction data and community perceptions. The process must be clearly planned out and articulated in the overall data collection process before school data can be extracted in FN communities.

To determine student learning outcomes, there can be no better way to start the school success plan than through a strategic evaluation or assessment from both district and school levels. As Jacobs (2010) adds, “I have found that starting with assessments has proven to be the most successful portal to moving school faculty and administrators into 21st century teaching and learning” (p. 19). For teachers who wish to assess student learning, there are a number of processes and information that can be collected. For instance, teachers can review former assessments from the province, grade and school-wide assessments to collect the information on their classroom progress. Teachers will have the opportunity to review demographic, perceptual and student learning information to analyze and interpret the data. The student learning assessments can be done before the school years begins and completed each month, but reported to administration on a quarterly basis. In the meantime, team teachers can ensure there is criteria for quality team time when deciphering the data as Sather (2017) explains, “regular, job-embedded, ongoing, sufficient duration and dedicated to professional learning” (p. 7).

Another process that can be developed for school success planning, in particular for student demographics, perceptual and student learning assessments is the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) data-informed decision making process. A three-phase data informed inquiry found on the PDE on-line portal would be an effective approach to data-driven decision-making. Each process of the data framework called Data, Analysis/Discovery and Solution, Zohorchak (2017) explains;

The framework offered for these tools are designed to support educators as they work to     develop a data-informed culture in classrooms, schools, and districts. As schools integrate     multiple sources of information into decisions, the quality of decisions may be enhanced      resulting in increased quality of learning opportunities for students” (p. 4).

Consequently, each component of the data analysis would bridge teacher understanding of the data and allow consistencies on the interpretation of both qualitative and quantitative analysis to begin.

To prescribe a one-size fits all approach for determining student learning would not be consistent with 21st century learning models. There needs to be a motivation by the principal for allowing teachers to seek out new assessment methods that are in synch with today’s technology. For instance, Jacobs (2010) argues;

We should aggressively go out of our way to search for better ways to help our learners      demonstrate learning with the types of products and performances that match our times.          If we do not do this, then we should change our mission statements to reflect the desire to   hold onto the past” (p. 25).

Consequently, teachers will need to be exposed to a multitude of ways to capture student learning through the use of technology. These could include different software products, on-line programs, apps and other portals where students are engaged, such as teacher-made chat rooms.

Once the assessments are coordinated between the school and district assessments are completed, teachers need to begin the process of problem solving. As teams from each division gather, they can start the process as Kajuwa (year, as cited in Jerald,2003) explains, “peeling back the onion” (p. 4). This is where the team approach to problem solving begins when teachers and administrators use the district assessments that are done periodically throughout the year, discuss remedies and solutions to students who are having difficulties in subject areas. Instead of working in isolation, teachers can work cohesively in developing instructional approaches to students learning.

Instruction

Once data has been interpreted and student learning weaknesses have been determined, research-based instructional strategies must be the next step in school improvement. This approach would involve the implementation of research-based programs and methodologies that are adopted and approved by ‘in-house’ expertise. For example, a multi-disciplinary team approach would facilitate the scholarly academic ideology as Shiro (2006) explains;

teachers are mini-scholars in doing so, they are expected to have a thorough understanding of the discipline they teach the ability to translate or transform their             understanding so that it is comprehensible and infighting to students, using such      instructional techniques as didactic discourse, supervised practice, and Socratic    discussion. (p. 1495)

Principals can follow up on these processes as they will be instrumental by providing monthly evaluations of teacher planning and focus on key academic standards to the curriculum.

To ensure the learning outcomes for students are achieved throughout the learning process, curriculum maps and education portfolios made by teachers will link the specific learning outcomes that need to be achieved. As Jacobs (2010) explains, “By repairing the curriculum map with the detailed results of an online rubric, the teacher can pinpoint the areas that need more attention-we’re target specific students who could benefit from additional instruction” (p. 160). This curriculum map will be instrumental in guiding the process and allowing guidance for both students and the teacher in the overall progress of school planning. Linking a map to a student’s electronic portfolio can be synchronized throughout the year and beyond as teachers assess the learning outcomes through assessments and students can add their formative assessments to their portfolio. Otherwise known as “the feedback loop” (p. #), Jacobs (2010) adds, “…by recording at least some of these responses unit online portfolio, teachers can more closely tracks to progress over time and, as we shall see, look for improvements in their own teaching” (p. 158).

To balance curriculum standards and the focus on multi-disciplinary discourse, effective schools will have curriculum maps developed by each teacher. Within indigenous communities the use of curriculum maps can link learning outcomes with land-based activities while accommodating standards for core subject areas. This process of contextualizing the curriculum is borrowed from the social reconstructionist ideology as Giroux (2006) as cited by Schiro (2013);

Educators should construct curricula that draw upon the cultural resources that         students bring with them to school. This suggests not only taking the languages, histories,            experiences, and voices of student seriously, but also integrating what is taught in schools   with the dynamics of everyday life. This points to developing curricula that…address    the real problems and concerns that students face on a local, societal, and global level.    (p. 4516)

Some of these activities could include land-based education experiences such as winter camp survival, visiting a local pond or touring the local museum whereby core-subject areas.

Finally, one of the ways in which teachers, administrators and para-professionals can capture weak and/or ‘at risk’ students is by developing a Response to Instruction and Intervention (RTII) model. Following a three–tier approach to student improvement, school teams can develop a systematic approach to capture and develop small group and individual learners. Following monthly assessments, the teacher can develop modified programs using research-based instructional strategies and conduct monthly assessments on each group. If students’ skills increase, then they can move back to the regular program or be moved up to the second tier. As the student move up to each tier, the teacher engages with his/her peers as a small ‘in-house’ task team to continue the PLT Inquiry Cycle. This approach can be utilized and developed for students who need extra tie to catch up with the rest of their peers before intermediate programming is recommended.

Conclusion

If there is to be an effective school improvement plan, teachers, administrators and local political leaders will need to begin the serious discussions on how to improve results. First Nation students are falling victim to a variety of social pathologies that include, suicide, solvent abuse, gang recruitment and incarceration. The state of FN youth is considered to be in a state of crisis and the dismal results of education attainment is a testimony that something drastic needs to happen. As Gordon (2005) says as cited by Schmoker (2006), “we will move beyond mediocrity only by being much harder on ourselves and by “demanding education results” from a system that could deliver them at far higher levels than we have wanted to admit” (p. 72). To be able to find resolution to these systemic issues First Nations education leaders and FN politicians will have to look inwardly to find the answers for INAC’s Education Transformation initiative.

With the previous government, it was proposed that education legislation would be the changing force before new funding for First Nations schools would be improved. As cited by Schmoker (2006) from Hess (2004) comments, “public schools are characterized by a “culture of incompetence”…He believes that 20 years of reform, “staff development,” training, and consultant visits reveal that draconian adjustments must be forced on the current system for it to improve,” (p. 76).

With the recent increase of federal funding from the Liberal government over the next five years, the disparity of funding will diminish, and consequently so will the education achievement gap. Or will it? What if at the end of the four-year term indigenous communities have equitable and sustainable funding-what will be the excuse for poor school performance? It can be theorized that First Nations educators will come to the realization as Schmoker (2006) suggests, “The problem wasn’t a lack of knowledge or funding; the real problem was that there were no meaningful mechanisms for monitoring and thus ensuring professional practice and its improvement,” (p. 85). At the end of the day, if the funding gap has been eliminated and resources for school improvement are available, then only teachers and administrators will have nobody to blame but themselves for low student performance outcomes.

 

 

References

Duran, E. (2006). Healing the soul wound: Counseling with American Indians and other native peoples. New York, NY. Teachers College Press.

Jacobs, H. (2010). Curriculum 21: Essential education for a changing world. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Jerald, C. (2003). Beyond the rock and a hard place. The Challenge of Accountability

61 (3,) 12-16.

Office of the Auditor General of Canada. Chapter 4—Programs for First Nations on Reserves

Retrieved from http://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/internet/English/parl_oag_201106_04_e_35372.html#hd5e.

Sather, S. (2017). Professional learning communities: improving instruction through professional learning team. Northwest Regional Education Laboratory.

Shiro, M. (2013). Curriculum theory: Conflicting visions and ending concerns (2nd ed.). Thousand Oakes, CA: Sage Publications.

Schmoker, M. (2006). Results now: How we can achieve unprecedented improvements in teaching and learning. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Action Plan for School Success

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