Part 1: Analysis of Context
1. What do we know about our learners?
Ecole Martha Currie Elementary School is a K-7 elementary school serving over 600 students residing, primarily, in the Cloverdale area of Surrey, BC. In 1994, the school that was originally known as Cloverdale Junior Secondary re-opened as Martha Currie Elementary.
As a dual-track school (English language program and district French Immersion program), Martha Currie draws students from the local neighbourhood catchment, and beyond (including other parts of Surrey and Langley). The majority of students, though, live in the historic Cloverdale area, where many of our families have lived for more than one generation. There is strong parent support and involvement in the life of the school and community. Several of our staff members live in the area and a number of them have their own children attending the school, as well. To a certain extent, the school community has a small town feel, with many families connecting with each other beyond the school day through their participation in a range of local sports, fine arts, and other organizations. In fact, involvement in sports and arts program might be described as a feature of this school community.
Many of our students are kinaesthetic, hands-on individuals who thrive in active environments. Some are working on regulating their energy levels in order to better focus on other areas of learning. Many are highly creative, artistic, and genuinely curious about the world around them. Many are not afraid to take positive risks in their learning, while some are far less comfortable taking those types of risks. “Active learners” is the phrase that might best describe our school community as a whole.
2. What evidence supports what we know about our learners?
The following provides some evidence of what we know about our learners:
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Part 2: Focus and Planning
3. What focus emerges as a question to pursue?
4. What professional learning do we need?
5. What is our plan?
