Sylvan Lake elementary school teachers join forces to sharpen writing skills and share expertise

Elementary school teachers in Sylvan Lake and Poplar Ridge are saying their collaborative work together on Friday May 2 was a big success. On the division’s professional learning day last Friday, they gathered at Ecole Steffie Woima Elementary School to focus on writing.

Although the group has gathered before to collaborate, this was the first time the focus was writing. It was also the first time in the division that a community of schools has gathered for this specific purpose. 

“When teachers work collaboratively it is incredibly valuable for them, and the experience and knowledge they gain benefits students,” says Jason Drent, Associate Superintendent of Learning Services. “When teachers work together, they share knowledge and ideas and they build on that, resulting in stronger support for individual student needs.” 

Teachers at the May 2 event were exploring a particular writing assessment tool used in all elementary and middle school classrooms in Chinook’s Edge. The Highest Level of Achievement Test (HLAT) is a tool developed by Edmonton Public Schools. HLAT has been phased into use in Chinook’s Edge over a few years. This is the second school year it has been used consistently across Grades 1 to 8.  

Students write the HLAT test in April each year. Results help teachers in the following year understand where students are strong and areas where they could grow.  Also, the results help teachers understand where to focus in the future. It also gives Chinook’s Edge information about how the division can support teachers in their work. 

At the Sylvan Lake gathering teachers met as one large group, and then broke into smaller groups of teachers at individual grade levels. They looked at samples of student writing at each grade level and from each school.

Evaluating writing can be challenging and subjective,” says Angela Eadie-Gyori, Principal of Ecole Steffie Woima Elementary School. “Collaborative work within a grade team, where teachers work together to understand what a standard looks like, gives increased clarity about the standard and it builds consistency.” 

“Teachers are experts,” says Anne Frey, Principal of C.P. Blakely Elementary School. “Being together builds on that expertise and gives a strengthened capacity to respond to the diversity of student needs in our schools. Also, being together builds community and creates opportunities for teachers to help each other, to share ideas, and refine their skills.” 

“It gives teachers a common vision about what writing should look like at each grade level,” says Kim Cocks, Principal of Poplar Ridge Elementary School, “and it gives teachers a voice. When they get to talk with each other and share their expertise, it is a valuable experience that benefits everyone.” 

The idea for the May 2 community collaborative day had its roots in the Sylvan Lake principals observing that when teachers worked together to mark provincial achievement tests, the teachers benefited from the collaboration. As a result, principals used professional learning days last school year to bring elementary teachers together to explore new curriculum and build resources together. Also, Educational Assistants from Ecole Steffie Woima, Beacon Hill School and Ecole Fox Run met together for professional learning.

“The sharing of ideas builds a circle of experience,” says Dawn Normoyle, Vice Principal of Ecole Steffie Woima. 

“I am new to Chinook’s Edge,” says Kyle Moist, a teacher at Ecole Steffie Woima. “To be able to talk with other teachers brings a lot of benefit. I appreciate being able to hear what other teachers are thinking.” 

Janine Reed is the only Grade 4 teacher at Poplar Ridge School, and she appreciates the opportunity to talk with other Grade 4 teachers specifically about writing. “It’s good to see how my students’ work fits with others in the division,” she says.

“It's been great to see what students from other schools are doing,” says Darren Pickering, a teacher from Beacon Hill School. “It helps me to understand how my students’ work measures against the grade standard.” 

Teachers and administrators in the four schools are eager to take what they’ve learned back to their schools and to their students.