ReImagining Father Michael McGivney
Catholic Academy
The students of Father Michael McGivney Catholic Academy in Markham, Ontario are a terrific example of how Solution Fluency connects students to deeper learning and higher creativity.
Here’s the story of how they used the 6Ds to take their narrative empathy projects to new heights.
Alexandra Parlagreco and Cynthia Anniballi both had a vision of using the 21st Century Fluencies to teach English students at Father Michael McGivney Catholic Academy about a very important literary device called “narrative empathy.”
They chose Solution Fluency as the framework for this challenging task, and with good reason. “When it comes to any inquiry, students should have freedom to explore a topic in whatever scope or facet the inquiry takes them,” Alexandra asserts.
That level of freedom is what would make her students’ projects so successful and so meaningful.
The McGivney students’ exploration of narrative empathy was made exciting and insightful with the help of the Global Digital Citizen Foundation. Solution Fluency allowed students to answer critical thinking questions and demonstrate deeper comprehension skills with teachers as facilitators.
Change and progress continues to happen at Father Michael McGivney Catholic Academy with the Fluencies as tools for teaching and learning. “We are continuing to focus on Solution Fluency and other Fluencies,” Alexandra says. “It’s a great time for our school to embrace inquiry and student-directed learning!”
An inquiry process such as Solution Fluency allows students to answer critical thinking questions and demonstrate deeper reading comprehension skills on their own, with teacher facilitation rather than dictation.
