Maddaugh Elementary 23-24
OUR CONTEXT
Our vision for learning is to promote joy, community, well-being, and a love of learning, and to equip our learners to thrive in the modern world. In order to do this, our community works daily on the goals of "Working Hard, Being Kind, and Being Your Best You".
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Maddaugh Elementary is a vibrant, and welcoming learning community in the Cloverdale-Clayton area of Surrey, B.C. We opened our doors on March 29, 2021, to a diverse group of learners. We continue to focus on boosting the well-being of our students and staff and to deep the roots of our learning community.
We continue to delve into the following important questions:
- What does it mean to flourish and foster a sense of well-being?
- How can we promote growth in student learning through the lens of positive psychology?
To help explore these questions, we have been investigating the work of Dr. Martin Seligman and his research on well-being. Well-Being theory suggests that there are 5 measurable elements that contribute to a person's "flourishing":
- Positive Emotion: feeling good
- Engagement: finding “flow”
- Relationships: authentic connections with others
- Meaning: purposeful existence
- Achievement: a sense of accomplishment
Collectively as a school community, these themes have been explored through the structure of video morning announcements that are shared every Monday morning. While initially introduced as a strategy to connect Maddaugh students and teachers at both Katzie and Hazelgrove Elementary while our current school was under construction, the Monday morning announcement structure has continued to be used, representing a tool to connect learners to important wellness themes and to each other. Students experience common language and learning and teachers often use these morning announcements as a springboard to further explore PERMA themes deeply in the classroom. Have a look at how PERMA themes are shared with Maddaugh students, staff, and parents:
Video Notes:
- Positive emotions come from CELEBRATING ... Maddaugh students celebrate their relationships and enjoyment of school events weekly through short video at the the start of Monday morning announcements.
- PERMA themes are discussed weekly with a sharing of a through-provoking video and guiding questions. Please view the video starting at 8:00 to view an example.
PERMA explained:
At Maddaugh, we apply PERMA to not only continue to build a sense of community and tradition, but also to help more of our learners flourish. Student ownership has been promoted by making sure students have input into important school decisions that are made, such as the animals that appear on the privacy film throughout the school, the signing of a panel located at the front of the school, to the selection of playgrounds and jerseys, to the signing of our official school-opening plaque. Every step of the way, PERMA has found expression through the student voices that have guided the development of our school culture.
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OUR LEARNERS
Maddaugh learners are diverse in many ways, from their culture, background, and identity, to their approaches to learning, how they view themselves as learners, and their ability to self-regulate.
Maddaugh learners are proud of their school and have a sense of belonging and ownership. How do we know this? When asked what makes Maddaugh special, students said things like:
"It is special because it is a place where you can build a strong community. It is also a place where you can learn freely and safely."
"Maddaugh is special to me, because it respects their students and staff and is very welcoming to the First Nations and tries their best to learn their culture."
"Maddaugh is special because the moment you step through the doors, you’re immediately part of something. You're accepted just the way you are."
"I believe Maddaugh is special because it’s a very accepting community. No matter what skin color, race or sexuality you may have, you will always be able to make new friends."
Based on MDI and FSA data (Middle-years Development Index and Foundation Skills Assessment), the majority of Maddaugh students are "flourishing" - they have friends, engage in school and community opportunities, and are proficient or near proficient in foundational areas of learning such as Literacy and Numeracy.
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OUR FOCUS
For various reasons such as learning challenges, family issues, trauma, extended periods away from school or in blended learning, or a fixed mindset, a subset of learners is either disengaged in the learning process or highly dysregulated.
Through the same collaborative process used in 2021-22 that identified a total of 12 students that were "not yet flourishing", and in 2022-23 another of 16 students, in 2023-23 a total of 17 students were chosen through consultation with classroom teachers to participate in our Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Inquiry. Students identified as "not yet flourishing" are somewhat to considerably disengaged in the learning process, have a fixed or negative mindset, and are significantly below grade expectations for one or several curricular competencies in foundational areas of learning such as Literacy and Numeracy).
The questions that guided the SEL Inquiry at Maddaugh included:
- Leaning on research and the work we have been doing around PERMA and well-being, what intensive measures and strategies can be implemented to support students who are not yet flourishing?
- How can a focus on student strengths, the use of these strengths in novel ways, and an increase in self-efficacy positively impact their mindset, approach to learning, and academic performance?
And so, the work began again early in the 2023-24 school year!
Our SEL Inquiry included the following phases:
- Selection of students and the identification of a curricular competency that would be tracked over the course of the school year.
- Pre-assessment of curricular competencies.
- Completion of a self-efficacy pre-survey on all students in the group. Questions included:
- I can choose and set a goal for myself
- I can follow steps to reach a goal
- I can remain calm and manage my feelings when something is difficult
- I can tell you something I am good at.
- If I set my mind on something and work hard at it, I can learn how to do most things.
- I lose track of time when I am engaged in a passion of mine.
- I do not give up when I find an activity challenging.
- I feel good when I work hard to achieve my goal.
- I can solve most problems when I work hard.
- Students completed an inventory to help them identify their strengths.
- Using a lead teacher at Maddaugh and mentors from Salish Secondary, students developed a plan in which their strengths could be used in new or novel ways. This is a positive psychology exercise that has been repeatedly connected with long-term benefits (e.g., 6 months) such as higher levels of happiness and lower levels of depression. These "passion projects" were varied and included and included everything from improving basketball skills to developing art abilities to making other people happy by telling jokes and publishing a joke book.
- Students worked with mentors to carry out their plans to apply their strengths.
- Students, teachers, and mentors were interviewed.
- Students completed a self-efficacy post-survey.
- Classroom teachers complete curricular competency post-assessment and survey.
This work would not have been possible without the leadership and hard work of our SEL lead teacher, Neva Whintors, She, along with mentors from Salish Secondary, played a critical role in supporting Maddaugh students in the conception, development, and implementation of their projects.
OUR NEXT STEPS
Based on observations, conversations, and interviews with both students and staff, we discovered that this work had a varied but profound impact on our learners. Specifically, we learned that:
- The average score of the self-efficacy survey increased significantly again this year (14.9 on the pre-survey and 25.2 on the post-survey).
- Teachers reported that 11 of the 17 participants made some academic gains related to the curricular competency that was identified as a target area for the participant.
- Mentors gained from the experience of working with Maddaugh students as much as the students themselves.
- Maddaugh students involved in the inquiry developed leadership and mentorship skills themselves.
The following is a summary of the observed growth by staff members over the course of the 8-month SEL Inquiry:
Student 1
Self-Efficacy Pre and Post-Survey: 16 and 7
Self-Regulation Assessment:
- Willing to spend more time in class later in the year
- Continues to avoid tasks that art difficult
- CHART referral - external supports put into place
Curricular Competency Assessment: Reading Fluency and Comprehension:
November, 2023:
- Independent Reading Level: P
- Reading Accuracy: 98%
- Comprehension: 7/9 (Approaching Proficiency)
May, 2024
- Independent Reading Level: U
- Reading Accuracy: 97%
- Comprehension: 3/9 (Limited Proficiency)
Student 13
Self-Efficacy Pre and Post-Survey: 15 and 27
Self-Regulation Assessment:
- Eager to complete tasks but does not always follow criteria or pay attention to detail
- Struggles with difficult tasks and will shut down without 1-1 assistance
- Demonstrates a fixed mindset until he is completed his work
- Continues to struggle with relationships
- Struggles to self-regulate
Curricular Competency Assessment: Numeracy - Number Sense and Computation
November, 2023
- Number Sense: 6/12
- Computation: 1/16
June, 2024
- Number Sense: 10/12
- Computation: 5/16
Student 6
Self-Efficacy Pre and Post-Survey: 20 and 28
Self-Regulation Assessment:
- Substantial improvement in his ability to self-regulate, stay in class, and remain on task.
Curricular Competency Assessment: Reading Fluency and Comprehension
May, 2023:
- Independent Reading Level: M
- Reading Accuracy: 99%
- Comprehension: 8/9 (Proficient)
- 80 wpm
June, 2024:
- Independent Reading Level: Q
- Reading Accuracy: 100%
- Comprehension: 5/9 (Approaching Proficient)
- 87 wpm
- "Smooth Reader"
Student 8
Self-Efficacy Pre and Post-Survey: 19 and 38
Self-Regulation Assessment:
- No specific self-regulation challenges
- R.S. has expanded his social circle
- As per his self-efficacy scores, R. S. has gained confidence in his overall ability to do well
Curricular Competency Assessment: Reading Fluency and Comprehension
June, 2023:
- Independent Reading Level: Q
- Reading Accuracy: 98%
- Comprehension: 7/9 (Approaching Proficiency)
- 102 wpm
- Improved self-correction
June, 2024:
- Independent Reading Level: U
- Reading Accuracy: 98%
- Comprehension: 6/9 (Approaching Proficiency)
- 85 wpm
Student 5
Self-Efficacy Pre and Post-Survey: 13 and 18
Self-Regulation Assessment:
- Demonstrated more focus in LST reading and writing group
- Continue to focus on the negative
- Ability to self-regulate "like a roller coaster"
- Monitoring attendance
Curricular Competency Assessment: Reading Fluency and Comprehension
•Jumped several reading levels in a short time during 2021-22 (Level C to Level J)
June, 2023:
- Independent Reading Level: O
- Reading Accuracy: 98%
- Comprehension: 7/9 (Approaching Proficiency)
- 95 wpm
June, 2024:
- Independent Reading Level: N
- Reading Accuracy: 98%
- Comprehension: 5/9 (Approaching Proficiency)
- 78 wpm
Student 7
Self-Efficacy Pre and Post-Survey: 14 and 25
Curricular Competency Assessment: Reading Fluency and Comprehension
December, 2023:
- Independent Reading Level: L
- Reading Accuracy: 99%
- Comprehension: 4/9 (Limited Proficient)
- Slow
- 67 wpm
June, 2024:
- Independent Reading Level: P
- Reading Accuracy: 99%
- Comprehension: 7/9 (Approaching Proficient)
- Improved fluency
- 66 wpm
Student 9
Self-Efficacy Pre and Post-Survey: 11 and 21
Self-Regulation Assessment:
- Generally regulates self at school
- Socially connected to others
- Lack of focus in class
- Sporadic attendance
Curricular Competency Assessment: Reading Fluency and Comprehension
November, 2023:
- Independent Reading Level: R
- Reading Accuracy: 98%
- Comprehension: 6/9 (Limited Proficiency)
- Moderate fluency (106 wpm)
June, 2023:
- Independent Reading Level: S
- Reading Accuracy: 98%
- Comprehension: 6/9 (Limited Proficiency)
- Moderate fluency (100 wpm)
Student 10
Self-Efficacy Pre and Post-Survey: 18 and 25
Self-Regulation Assessment:
- Continued to demonstrate the improved ability to self-regulate when upset
- Highly distracted and always active
- Thrives on being active (athletics) and being trusted to complete tasks around the school
Curricular Competency Assessment: Reading Fluency and Comprehension
November, 2023:
- Independent Reading Level: H
- Reading Accuracy: 95%
- Comprehension: 6/6 (Proficient)
- Low fluency (50 wpm)
June, 2024:
- Independent Reading Level: K
- Reading Accuracy: 96%
- Comprehension: 5/6 (Proficient)
- Low fluency (38 wpm)
Student 12
Self-Efficacy Pre and Post-Survey: 19 and 29
Self-Regulation Assessment:
- Generally engages and perseveres only in activities that interest them
- Increased use of growth mindset language
- Increased openness to work with a variety of peers
- Vast improvement in their self-regulation skills. Open to listening or taking a moment to calm themselves.
- Values social connections.
- Improved focus later in the year.
Curricular Competency Assessment: Reading Fluency and Comprehension
During the 2021-22 school year, A. F. demonstrated an increased willingness to read in small groups which he was previously not willing to do.
December, 2022:
- Independent Reading Level: K
- Reading Accuracy: 94%
- Comprehension: 6/9 (Approaching Proficiency)
- 108 wpm
June, 2023:
- Independent Reading Level: L
- Reading Accuracy: 96%
- Comprehension: 7/9 (Approaching Proficiency)
- 97 wpm
November, 2023:
- Independent Reading Level: Q
- Reading Accuracy: 96%
- Comprehension: 7/9 (Approaching Proficiency)
- 121 wpm
June, 2024:
- Independent Reading Level: L
- Reading Accuracy: 96%
- Comprehension: 7/9 (Approaching Proficiency)
- 97 wpm
Student 15
Self-Efficacy Pre and Post-Survey: 12 and 24
Self-Regulation Assessment:
- Becoming more positive.
- The length of time in a dysregulated state has decreased.
- Increased willingness to try difficult things and exert effort for longer periods of time.
- Can be visibly seen trying to maintain self-control.
- Using calming techniques such as using the calming station, stuffed toy, going for a walk, closing eyes and doing deep breathing.
Curricular Competency Assessment: Writing
November to June
- Increased "voice"
- Improved structure and content (teacher assessment)
Student 2
Self-Efficacy Pre and Post-Survey: 11 and 15
Self-Regulation Assessment:
- Quiet
- Emotional
Curricular Competency Assessment: Writing
September to June
- Increased volume
- Improved use of punctuation and spelling conventions
Student 11
Self-Efficacy Pre and Post-Survey: 11 and 11
Self-Regulation Assessment:
- Quiet
- Emotional
Curricular Competency Assessment: Numeracy - Computation
September to June
- 11/16 - 14/16
Student 3
Self-Efficacy Pre and Post-Survey: 9 and 28
Self-Regulation Assessment:
- Creative
- Quiet
- Emotional
Curricular Competency Assessment: Numeracy - Multiplication of decimals
October 2023 to June 2024
- Increased confidence to try
- Approaching proficiency in multiplication of decimals (in the sample question, all computation was correct by the decimal was placed incorrectly)
Student 4
Self-Efficacy Pre and Post-Survey: 25 and 30
Self-Regulation Assessment:
- Social
- Can often find themself in conflict with others
Curricular Competency Assessment: Writing
September 2023 to June 2024
- Increased output
- Increased detail
Student 14
Self-Efficacy Pre and Post-Survey: 9 and 35
Self-Regulation Assessment:
- Can find themself in social conflict at times
Student 15
Self-Efficacy Pre and Post-Survey: 15 and 27
Self-Regulation Assessment:
- Quiet
Curricular Competency Assessment: Numeracy - Computation
September to June
- Patterns: 0/4 - 2/4
- Space and Shape - 0/7 - 3/7
- Computations - 6/16 - 11/16
Student 17
Self-Efficacy Pre and Post-Survey: 9 and 27
Self-Regulation Assessment:
- Continued to work on their ability to self-regulate and solve problems peacefully
Curricular Competency Assessment: Reading Fluency and Comprehension
November, 2023:
- Independent Reading Level: A
- Reading Accuracy: 100%
- Comprehension: 6/6 (Proficient)
- Low fluency (48 wpm)
June, 2024:
- Independent Reading Level: D
- Reading Accuracy: 89%
- Comprehension: 3/6 (Proficient)
- Low fluency (63 wpm)
| Student | Self Efficacy | Self Regulation | Curricular Competency Progress |
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| 13 |  | | |
| 6 | | | |
| 8 | | | |
| 5 | | | |
| 2 | | | |
| 7 | | | |
| 9 | | | |
| 10 | | | |
| 3 | | | |
| 12 | | | |
| 15 | | | |
| 14 | | ||
| 4 | | | |
| 11 | | | |
| 16 | | | |
| 17 | | | |
With an intentional focus on collaboratively highlighting and implementing student strengths, we can have a profoundly positive impact on how students view themselves as people and learners, their mindset, and their willingness to take risks and put effort into academic tasks that are challenging. Sometimes there is a direct and positive impact on a student's academic progress. At other times, it takes time for these increases in self-efficacy and self-regulation to translate into academic progress.
We also learned that this work boosted all aspects of PERMA:
- Through their demeanor and social interactions, we saw evidence that students were more regularly experiencing POSITIVE EMOTIONS.
- Students were more visibly ENGAGED in their work.
- New RELATIONSHIPS were formed, both with peers, other teachers, and Salish Mentors.
- Students were engaged because the work they were engaged with was personally MEANINGFUL.
- Students demonstrated a strong sense of ACCOMPLISHMENT.
As with last year, the findings of this inquiry are compelling. As a school community, we plan to continue our focus on the PERMA model for well-being. We believe that infusing the five aspects of PERMA daily into the experience of our students and teachers provides the foundation and springboard to powerful self-regulation and learning, and will allow all of our learners to flourish. Specifically, our next steps include:
- Continue to advocate to the Surrey School District that they continue the SEL Lead release model. We will be entering Year 4 of this inquiry during the 2024-25 school year.
- Re-engaging existing mentors streams at Salish Secondary.
- Laddering some Year 2 participants of the SEL inquiry into a another phase of personal strength implementation.
- Continue to collaboratively scan our learners for students who are not yet flourishing and inviting them to participate in the SEL Inquiry process.
- More deliberately collecting evidence in a curricular competency to better show growth over time (as in a "two of the same" writing or reading sample).
Surrey Schools
Formed in 1906, the Surrey School District currently has the largest student enrolment in British Columbia and is one of the few growing districts in the province. It is governed by a publicly elected board of seven trustees.
The district serves the cities of Surrey and White Rock and the rural area of Barnston Island.
