We are often asked what makes Norma Rose Point (NRP) School different. It is difficult to speak to one innovation in this non-traditional setting. To provide focus for the many innovative things happening at NRPS, staff collaborated on the creation of a one-page NRP 2015-16 Priorities document.
As a reminder, NRP is based on the research presented by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s (OECD) 7 Principles of Innovative Learning, research that guides the development of learning environments for the 21st century.
Our three priorities are:
- To teach with clear learning intentions
- To emphasize the learning competencies in daily practice, and
- To establish principles and practices for meaningful communication with students and parents about student learning
Within our priorities document, we chose to embed the OECD’s six building blocks for innovative learning environments – home-school partnerships, cooperative learning, service learning, formative assessment, learning with technology, and inquiry-based approach. We have some hyperlinks of YouTube videos in the document to help our community better understand. If anyone reading has any recommendations for new hyperlinks, please let us know.
- To teach with clear learning intentions, the staff and students are co-creating Learning Maps and I-Charts with students to guide the “what” and the “how” of learning.
- Embedding the learning competencies in daily practice also takes planning and dialogue. By teaching and learning in this new way, learners develop skills such as critical thinking and problem solving, collaboration and leadership, communication and digital literacy, personal and social responsibility, creativity and innovation and global and cultural understanding.
- We do not use traditional grades, we value strengths-based learning, student voice and the core competencies, and therefore continue to develop a better system that is:
- accessible to families, anytime
- continually demonstrating the progress of each student
- individualized and looks different for all learners
- emphasizes the learning competencies and de-emphasizes the grades
We plan to implement an online communication platform (Edsby) as a way to communicate to parents via a student digital portfolio. We are creating a framework of how to communicate student learning which references the learning competencies in a curricular way. This framework is informed through collaboration with educators from SD 36 (Surrey), SD71 (Comox) and SD72 (Campbell River).
At NRP, we work as a collective to meet learner needs (educators and students alike) and to realize our priorities. With 200 new students this upcoming year and 13 new staff, working as a collective is the only way forward.
In closing, student voices (as always), highlight our priorities in this animate:
Lead Team: Jacob Martens, Karen Noel-Bentley, Suzie Polzin and Rosa Fazio
Percolating Thoughts 