Teaching and Learning

Achievements

The Durham Catholic District School Board (DCDSB) is committed to identifying and dismantling systemic discrimination and structural inequities. A key priority in achieving this was the de-streaming of Grade 9 Academic and Applied Math courses during the 2021-2022 school year to meet the needs of all students and support future education pathway options. In August 2021, a professional activity developmental session was held for Grade 9 math teachers which included the sharing of resources that had been created by the board's math team. Resources were created and posted to a website that all Grade 9 math teachers across the system could access.

Throughout the 2021-2022 school years, staff worked with our students and families to meet their needs for re-engagement and help bridge learning and social-emotional gaps due to the pandemic. Each DCDSB principal was surveyed to determine what strategies they were using to re-engage their students, parents, guardians and caregivers. Principals were invited to meet with the board's Re-engagement lead to review attendance data and brainstorm methods to re-engage. The board surveyed parents and guardians regarding the methods that best engaged them and their children in their child’s learning journey. Results of the survey were then shared with all administrators and a re-engagement plan was developed.

Indigenous Education

In 2021-2022, DCDSB continued its commitment to build learning environments that engaged students and honoured Indigenous peoples from both a historical and contemporary context. This past year, a group of Indigenous students worked with local artists to create a mural that reflects their learning and will come to life at the board's Catholic Education Centre. The board's Indigenous Education team also continued its partnership with Academic Services and Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP) to implemented a student project at Good Shepherd Catholic School that involved learning on and about the land. Students learned how to boil sap from maple trees in their own schoolyard, while learning about the trades and made their own birdhouses.

Students in the Grade 11 Understanding Contemporary First Nations, Métis and Inuit Voices (NBE) course reflected on their learning and were surveyed about future learning options. Their response led to the board’s decision to run the Contemporary Indigenous Issues and Perspectives in a Global Context (NDW) course in Grade 12 which is the first and only course offered in Ontario. This course began in all DCDSB secondary schools in September 2022.

In addition, DCDSB continued to work with the student and adult Indigenous Education Circles, and Indigenous families in an effort to ‘walk the path together’. The 2021-2022 school year concluded with a celebration for DCDSB's Grade 8 and Grade 12 Indigenous students and their families, recognizing their hard work and achievement.

Highlights

De-Streaming of Grade 9 Math:

A bank of coding activities was provided to teachers be used throughout the Grade 9 course – coding activities were modelled in classrooms by Kindergarten - Grade 12 math consultant.
In-class supports continued throughout the school year with a focus on Liljedahl’s Thinking Classrooms, and through weekly newsletters containing math tips.
To support the de-streaming of Grade 9 Math, DCDSB's Grade 9 Math teachers gathered in June of 2022 to learn about equity and de-streaming in the math curriculum.
A collaborative session facilitated by Kindergarten - Grade 12 Math consultant Mike Jacobs, allowed teachers to share best practices, successes and how to best meet the challenges of transitioning to a de-streamed classroom.

EQAO Data:

Report card data from the 2021-2022 school year demonstrated that the range of marks in the de-streamed classroom was very similar to the mark range seen historically in academic level math classes.

EQAO data demonstrated that current Grade 9 students’ achievement had improved over their Grade 6 performance.

54% of DCDSB's Grade 9 math students achieved the provincial standard in mathematics compared to 46% of the same cohort meeting the provincial standard when they were in Grade 6.
In 2019, this cohort of students was behind the provincial average on EQAO, however in 2022 the cohort’s achievement improved beyond the provincial statistics by two percent.
The board's students’ attitudes toward math are improving according to the 2022 EQAO results. Only 17% of students believe that ability in mathematics is a natural ability, whereas 63% believe that anyone is capable of being good at math.

Re-engagement Survey:

Principal survey was completed by 41 out of 55 DCDSB schools.
Approximately 40% of school principals met formally with Re-engagement lead to review attendance data and brainstorm methods to re-engage.

2489 parents completed the survey.

Indigenous Education:

Indigenous students work with local artists to create a mural that reflects their learning. Students share ideas that will be incorporated into a mural and completed during the 2022-2023 school year.
Three professional learning sessions with 75 Grade 5/6 teachers to build capacity and embed and enrich Indigenous Education across the curriculum.
Provided ongoing support to secondary teachers delivering the Grade 11 Contemporary Indigenous Education course.
Built understanding with Guidance teachers about post-secondary supports, pathways and programs for Indigenous students.
Introduced Indigenous Education Kindergarten resources.
Collaborated with Indigenous community partners and Indigenous Education Circle to enhance Indigenous Education for all students and staff.
Increase number of self-identified Indigenous students