Hello,
A couple of weeks ago we began highlighting sections in the Saskatchewan Reads for Administrators website. We began with the first section – the Compelling Why. This week we invite you to read the Developing Beliefs section.
… once we are clear on our beliefs and have had schoolwide discussions to establish them, we can align our beliefs with best practices; and begin to move forward with sustainable, worthwhile change.” (Routman, R. (2014). Read, write, lead: Breakthrough strategies for schoolwide literacy success.)
The first page in this section, Shared Beliefs Are Important, includes a staff development module entitled Developing Shared Beliefs which will support system leaders in surfacing shared beliefs and understandings about reading which is essential for building the foundation for this work in schools. The following page in this section, Literacy Leader in Action, outlines additional strategies a system leader might undertake to engage his or her staff to come together in their thinking and determine what they believe about reading.
This page includes a video of Mickey Jutras, school principal, who led his staff in providing responsive instruction based on individual student needs. This, along with a collective responsibility for all students, has resulted in great improvements in reading.
An article by Angie Caron, First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Content, Perspectives, Ways of Knowing, outlines the importance of infusing First Nations, Métis, and Inuit content and perspectives in all curricular areas and how attention to this helps our Indigenous students to see themselves reflected in their learning. She also explains how It also helps the non-Indigenous population to experience the worldviews and contributions of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples past, present, and future.
The Shared Beliefs Self-Assessment page concludes this section.
Wish you a great week!,
Provincial Administrator Reading Team
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Hi,
My name is Kim. It is my first year in the role of principal at an elementary school. I want to support literacy at my elementary school but I don’t know where to start. I served as a VP in my previous assignment at a high school . . .