In September 2016, Nelson McIntyre Collegiate (NMC) launched its new model of high school for Grade 9 students. Designed through research, school visitations, and a collaborative cross-division design team, Nelson McIntyre created a plan to increase academic achievement and engagement through a Project-Based Learning Model. NMCs pillars for this model are Academic Rigor (Content Knowledge and Deep Understanding; Literacy and Numeracy Focus), Skill Building (the 6Cs Communication, Critical Thinking, Collaboration, Creativity, Citizenship, and Character), and Forging Identity (focus on student choice and voice, finding passions and interests, and career development).
These pillars were developed through interdisciplinary projects, through a self-paced Math program, and through Weeks without Walls themed weeks of experiential learning.
Interdisciplinary Projects
Grade 9 students spent their afternoons working on English Language Arts, Social Studies, Science and Technology through interdisciplinary projects. These projects involve deep inquiry, connection to community, relevance to students, where student voice and choice are important, and where student work has an authentic purpose and audience. Projects started with Driving Questions such as "How should Canada be Governed?" or "How can NMC become more Energy Efficient?" Through a combination of direct instruction, centres, individual and collaborative inquiry, experimentation, design thinking, and Socractic seminars, students determined their answers to these questions and proposed solutions or changes in action. Students presented their results to public audiences such as at The Mace ("Mac's Agent of Change Exhibition") where students argued their ideas to 11 elected officials and 100 other guests.
Literacy Skills, in particular, reading, writing, and public speaking, have exceeded expectations. Because of the year-long nature of the work, opportunities for reading, as well as authentic opportunities to write and present to public audiences, allowed for growth we have not seen in the past. Teachers used Penny Kittle's work to guide their reading and writing practices, and modelled many of their presentation ideas on Propel (our one semester PBL learning for Grade 11 students from across the division).
Mathematics
Our Mathematics department worked to create an individualized path for our students in Mathematics to help students overcome frustration, and learn math to a mastery level. Lessons were comprised of teacher-made short video lessons. Students watched the videos, practiced on individual skills related to the lesson until they were comfortable, at which point they requested a mastery check. Once students mastered a skill (achieved 80% or higher) they were allowed to move on. The teacher circulated in class providing individual and small group instruction as needed. This system for math ensured that students understood a concept before proceeding. As a result, students were no longer bored waiting for others to catch up, nor were they lost from being left behind.
Weeks without Walls
In an effort to help students envision a future for themselves, we created Weeks without Walls. Three times a year, we suspended classes so that students could set out to explore a theme that interested them. The purpose of these weeks was to allow students to explore areas of interest, to meet experts in a field and explore worksites, to try out different aspects of a discipline, or to practice new skills. By the end of Grade 12, we expect that students will have a strong sense of themselves and possible career paths; knowing their own strengths and interests, having a sense of the job market, and how those strengths and interest connect to future careers.
Indicators of Success
To determine our success, we used attendance data, student formal feedback from school surveys and Tell Them From Me survey, as well as qualitative feedback from parents, the community, and our partners. We know that engagement has improved as
- 88% of students indicated they value school outcomes (national norm = 72%)
- We have a 93% attendance rate in grade 9 (including parent explained absences)
- 98% of students indicated they would recommend their Weeks without Walls experience to other students
We also know that our achievement data has improved as
- 97% of Grade 9s achieved 9 credits or more (8 is the norm)
- 98.5% of our students achieved all 8 required credits for grade 9
- 25% of students chose to take two math courses in Grade 10
Parent response has been overwhelmingly positive as they have seen the growth in their child's confidence and skill levels. Additionally, our community partners such as instructors from the St. Boniface Research Centre, have told us that our students far exceeded expectations of visits from students of this same grade and older because they were able to develop good questions, initiate ideas, collaborate effectively, problem solve, and think critically.
We have had a very exciting year. Knowing that we are heading in the right direction, we continue our re-imagination of high school this semester with our Grade 10 roll out usually similar principles and practices.
