Katzie Elementary 24-25

The data collected from our cohorts of students in grade two and five, highlight the effectiveness of emphasizing writing strategies that include sharing ideas through oral language, varied brainstorming techniques, clear teacher demonstration and repeated opportunities for students to practice learned skills.   

At Katzie, we understand that writing is more than just a skill, it is a way of knowing, connecting, and making meaning. Rooted in the First Peoples Principles of Learning, we recognize that writing invites students to reflect on their experiences, express their truths, and build relationships with themselves and others. Through storytelling, students will share their thoughts, feelings, creativity, knowledge, and ideas, deepening their understanding of themselves and their place in the world. In sharing our stories, students will gain connection, empathy, and community, and come to better understand both ourselves and one another. 

Our focus is to help students expand their ability to communicate building their writing skills based on their individual abilities from kindergarten to grade 7. To support this work, students will take part in learning activities based on the English Language Arts curriculum. 

Kindergarten to Grade 3: Students will Build Foundations 

In the early years, students will begin to: 

• Explore and express ideas through drawing, oral storytelling, and simple written sentences. 

• Reflect on their work with support, learning to talk about what they wrote and why. 

• Connect writing to personal experiences, family, and community stories. 

Grades 4 to 7: Students will Expand Skills and Writing Purpose 

As students grow, they will: 

• Plan, draft, and revise longer and more structured pieces of writing. 

• Reflect more independently on their writing process and set personal goals. 

• Make deeper connections between their writing, identity, culture, and the wider world. 

The data collected from student writing across Kindergarten to Grade 7 will be used to inform and guide future instruction with a student-centred focus. By understanding how students express ideas, reflect on their work, and connect writing to their personal experiences, teachers can tailor learning opportunities that meet students where they are. 

In the early years (K–3), this means supporting foundational skills like storytelling, drawing, and sentence building with a personal emphasis. In Grades 4–7, the focus shifts to helping students plan, revise, and share more complex writing, while encouraging deeper reflection (of self/ personal connection) and student voice. This approach ensures that teaching is responsive, meaningful, and aligned with each student’s stage of development. 

In Grade 2 Cohort, writing is developed through intentional, experience-based instruction. Students began by expressing ideas through drawing and oral storytelling, then transition to writing clear, complete sentences. Key strategies include: 

• Sentence stems (e.g., “I remember when..”) to support idea generation 

• Personal word banks to build vocabulary connected to students’ lives 

• Story maps and timelines to help organize and sequence ideas 

• Phonics-based dictation and sentence-building to reinforce spelling and structure 

• Genre exploration (narrative, persuasive, non-fiction) to build versatility 

• Creative formats like comics to encourage engagement and expression 

• Guided reflection to help students talk about their writing and its meaning 

These strategies help students connect writing to personal experiences, build confidence, and see writing as a meaningful tool for communication. 

In Grade 5 Cohort, writing was developed through a structured and intentional approach tailored to needs and strengths of students. Instruction was delivered in stages to build foundational skills, develop paragraph structure, and guide students through more complex writing tasks. The goal was to foster confident, expressive writers by supporting both academic growth and personal voice. Key strategies included: 

• Daily grammar and sentence correction routines to reinforce structure, punctuation, and clarity (especially effective for students who benefited from visual and repetitive practice) 

• Sentence construction activities using shared classroom experiences to support complete sentence writing 

• Consistent modeling and think-alouds to build attention to detail and internalize the writing process 

• Introduction of the 4-square writing method to support paragraph organization, especially for visual learners 

• Prompts encouraging personal stories, reflections, and lived experiences such as family, culture or field trips 

• Structured drafting and revision of 8–10 sentence paragraphs with peer and teacher feedback 

• Writing stations focused on revising, editing, journaling, and planning to promote independence 

• Small-group instruction for targeted feedback and confidence-building 

These strategies helped students strengthen their writing skills, deepen creativity, and express their voices with clarity.  

At Katzie, our focused cohorts included one primary group (Grade 2) and one intermediate group (Grade 5). As part of our 2023–24 Student Learning Plan initiative, teachers implemented a targeted rubric designed to support the development of key skill sets. These included enhancing student identity, deepening personal experiences, and strengthening writing techniques. 

Throughout the 2024- 25 school year, from September to June, teachers in our cohort classes monitored student growth in writing. Instruction emphasized skill development while intentionally connecting curricular content to students’ personal experiences, interests, and identities. This approach enabled students to make meaningful progress in their writing, each at their own developmental level.  With this intentional focus, both cohorts saw growth in their proficiency scales overall (see below).

From November to June, the Grade Two cohort demonstrated significant growth in writing proficiency. In November, 58% of students were at the Emerging level, 26% at Developing, 26% at Proficient, and 0% at Extending. By June, only 5% remained at Emerging, while 32% were at Developing, 58% at Proficient, and 16% had reached Extending. This shift reflects the success of our goal to strengthen writing through personalized instruction rooted in student identity, interests, and storytelling. 

Student One Example:

At the beginning of Grade 2, Student One required significant one-on-one support to write a basic sentence. Over the course of the year, we focused on personal interests with this student. They have made great progress and now write independently in a journal. A focus on personal interest in writing is evident through increased engagement during journal time and a willingness to explore new vocabulary and ideas. Fine motor skills improved noticeably, with neater printing and better ability to stay on the lines. Spelling of most words is now accurate, and for unfamiliar words, phonetic spelling strategies are used effectively. 

Student Two Example:

Student two began the year writing at a proficient level. Confidence in writing was evident, though early sentences were simple and lacked variety. Over time, growth emerged through experimentation with voice and personal expression in storytelling. Writing now includes more complex sentence structures and reflects a deeper understanding of spelling patterns. Continued reminders support consistent application of correct punctuation. A developing focus on crafting personal narratives has become a key strength, with stories showing greater individuality and emotional depth.

The Grade Five cohort demonstrated strong growth in writing proficiency over the school year. In September, 0% of students were an Extending level, 20% were Emerging, 30% were Developing, and 20% were Proficient. By May, 20% had reached Extending, 50% were Proficient, and only 20% remained at Developing. Notably, the 30% of students who began the year at Developing progressed to Proficient, and those already at Proficient improved in quality to just below Extending. The remaining 20%, while still at Developing, showed growth in their writing skillsets. This overall shift reflects the impact of our goal to enhance writing through personalized, identity-driven instruction that connected meaningfully to students’ lives and interests. 

Student One Example: 

Student one began grade five developing in proficiency; they have experienced ongoing challenges with writing since the beginning of the year, particularly in forming complete sentences and organizing ideas into logical paragraphs. Initial engagement in writing tasks was limited, often requiring individualized support. Over time, instruction emphasized the writing process, with a focus on paragraph structure, including topic sentences and supporting details. Incorporating personal interests and real-life experiences into writing tasks helped increase motivation and relevance. Participation in writing stations contributed to the development of more complex sentence structures and improved paragraph coherence. Although continued support is needed for editing, significant progress in writing skills has been observed. The student is now proficient with support in their writing. 

Student Two Example:  

Student two is a highly motivated and academically strong learner who demonstrated writing proficiency from the start of the year. The student’s personal goal has been to enhance writing by incorporating complex vocabulary, varied sentence structures, and detailed, meaningful examples. Writing tasks that encouraged exploration of personal interests and real-life experiences helped deepen engagement and creativity. Guided writing stations provided opportunities to refine skills and experiment with voice and style. Recent writing samples reflect significant growth, showcasing well-developed ideas, elevated language. The pieces of writing highlight an emerging ability to write with depth, clarity, and a strong personal voice. This student is now extending in proficiency. 

 Part B:

Although we see evidence to shift our focus in building numeracy skills, there evidence also suggests deeper growth needed in our writing skills. To continue strengthening student writing at Katzie, we will build on the success of personalized, identity-driven instruction by deepening opportunities for students to connect their writing to both self and community. While students made meaningful progress through storytelling rooted in personal identity and interests, the broader connection from self to collective experience remains an area for growth.  

Moving forward, we aim to: 

• Deepen personal voice and purpose in writing by encouraging students to explore writing that reflects their evolving identities, values, and perspectives. 

• Expand the use of multiple modalities—including oral storytelling, visual representation, digital media, and performance—to support diverse learners in expressing their voice and meaning-making. 

• Create extension opportunities for proficient and extending writers to engage in authentic writing tasks such as publishing, peer mentorship, and writing for real audiences. 

• Foster inclusive writing environments where students can explore identity in relation to community, culture, and shared experiences, helping them see writing as a tool for connection and expression.