Author: hopefullearning - Kristi Blakeway

Pop’s Sparkling Eyes: A Lifetime of Learning
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Pop’s Sparkling Eyes: A Lifetime of Learning

My Pop had the most amazing character. He was hard working, honest, friendly and intelligent. His father died when he was a teen, so he grew up fast, working hard to support his mother.  A motorcycle accident stopped him from going to war, and in the hospital he fell in love with his nurse, my Nanna.  Together they crafted a formula for raising six children:  hard work,  witty humour and a whole lot of love.  Nothing was more important to Pop than his family, and his sparkling eyes let us see through to his soul.  Without much formal education, he was a scholar of life, cherishing and appreciating knowledge as he found it.  On his breaks at work, he would sip his coffee and Continue reading →

Head Lice, Onesies and Basketball: My Introduction to Elementary World
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Head Lice, Onesies and Basketball: My Introduction to Elementary World

Approximately a year ago I sat in a boardroom interviewing for a principal position. The interviewing panel of school trustees and district leadership team members asked a series of questions on emotional intelligence, my views on education and what others would say about my leadership style.  I felt comfortable answering the questions with lots of examples to back up my skill set.  And then came the next question “What about elementary school…. would you be open to an elementary placement?”  I answered yes.  “Can you tell us about your elementary experience?”  I knew long Continue reading →

Embrace the Zig Zag of Life
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Embrace the Zig Zag of Life

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I know I’m a bit early to be looking back on a year, but it is December, and I think it’s important to look backwards before we figure out where we are headed.  January is often about resolutions and goals, and not as much about reflection on what has or has not happened.

The funny thing is, I remember roughly a year ago, taking time to look back at 2013.  in our family, 2013 was a busy time.  We moved houses.  I started working in a new school district.  My husband Shawn started a new coaching job. I remember taking time to pause last year in December, wondering what 2014 would bring.  One thing we knew for sure was that it would not bring about as much change…. or so we thought.

In January of 2014, I asked my husband an honest question.  I asked him if he liked our new house and new neighbourhood as much has we had expected.  With a sense of relief, he confided that he did not.  The house was smaller than we were used to and our boys had turned our master bedroom into a dodgeball court so the kitchen lights would swing from the vibration when we tried to have evening conversations. The road was busier than our previous street and the boys did not play outside as much. There did not seem to be any kids their age nearby. Local grocery store parking lots were overcrowded and hectic and our commutes were longer.  At the time of our discussion, we had yet to move our kids from their original school as we were waiting for the natural break in the school year to transition them. My husband asked if I thought we had made the right decision.  I said no.  Yet reality set in – we had spent a lot of money moving, paid realtor fees, property transfer tax, etc….  We ended the conversation thinking that perhaps in a couple years we would revisit it and move back to our old community.

And then a funny thing happened…. early in February I stumbled across a Facebook post from a friend of mine, Dan Pontefract.  I admire Dan and his wife Denise as they have modelled what it means to be authentic.  They work hard and play hard and support one another in their dreams.  When I stumbled upon Dan’s blog post, it described their decision to move their family from Victoria back to Vancouver so he could be closer to work and take on some new challenges.  Denise quit her job.  They listed their house for sale.  They withdrew their kids from private school.  And yet a funny thing happened… as Denise searched for a new job that she would love just as much as her current one – Dan stumbled upon a job posting that seemed perfect.  It sounded just like her.   He realized he was reading the ad for someone to replace her.  In a moment of clarity, he realized that his family of 5 was relocating to support the dream of 1.  The dream of 4 was to stay in Victoria.  A couple of phone calls later they were able to rip the for sale sign down, Denise was able to get her job back, and the kids were re-enrolled at their school.

I read the post with admiration.  How amazing to follow your heart, recognize when you are on the wrong path, and have the courage to say you made a mistake.  It was what I needed to see at that moment.  It had taken us years of practical conversations and pro / con lists to decide to move.  It took us two minutes to decide to move back.

And so, 2014 began, much different than we expected.  Six months to the day from when we had moved in, we moved out, and moved to a new home in our original community.  Our realtor packed her bags and went on a vacation… a couple of times.

While many people around us thought we were rather crazy, we knew it was right.  The day we moved in our new house, we knew we were home.  And you know what I love just as much as finding the right home for our family?  The feeling I have knowing we were not afraid to follow our hearts and do what felt right.  We embraced change and followed the zig zag of life rather than wrestling with the straight line that didn’t fit.

We settled in, knowing that changes were over for a while…. that is until July 2014 when the phone rang offering me my first principalship at a new school…. or September 2014 when the phone rang again offering Shawn the opportunity to move to Saskatchewan for six months to train for the  RCMP.  But this time, we didn’t need to write the pro / con lists.  We jumped in, followed our hearts, and embraced the zig zag of life.

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Light and Joyous: My kind of perfect.
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Light and Joyous: My kind of perfect.

Every once in a while, someone will walk into your life and shift it forever.  We never know when these encounters will occur: a simple interaction that blossoms into a lifetime friendship.   Yet, life has a way of bringing the people we need into our lives, at the right times.  After we meet them, we can no longer imagine life without them, as the synergy just makes life better.

Twenty seven years ago, my life changed for the better in the cafeteria of my junior high.  It was lunch time, and like many other students, I was in the cafeteria line up to buy some food.  There was nothing special about this day.  In fact, like many schools, the lunchtime routine in our cafeteria had social norms that repeated themselves day in and day out.  Everyone knew who would sit at each table. And for the most part, everyone knew who would sit with who.  And like every day before, I had full intention of sitting with my group of friends, at the second table on the left, next to the window.  And yet, on this particular day, something happened.  As I took my cafeteria tray and started my diagonal walk to ‘my table’ I heard someone from the table right in front of me call out “Hey – what’s your name?”   The voice came from the first table, closest to the cafeteria line up.  The first table next to the wall was unofficially reserved for students with special needs.  On this particular day, a friendly boy named Steven was calling out to me as I passed.  I stopped and told him my name.  We were both thirteen and had never talked to each other before this moment.  He smiled and said “Kristi – sit with me!”  I still remember the pause – a moment where I wondered what to do… should I sit down or should I walk to my table where my friends were expectantly waiting. And in that split second, I made one of the best choices of my life – and I decided to sit down and meet Steven.

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Steven told me his name and asked what I had for lunch.  I told him I had a cucumber, tomato and cream cheese sandwich.  He replied “cucumber and cheesie?”  I said yes.  With the biggest smile and some outbursts of enthusiasm, Steven became my friend.  It was a definitive moment, with set expectations.  “Kristi – give me your phone number – I will call you everyday!! Can we be friends for 40 years?”  Luckily I said yes.

Twenty seven years later, Steven has kept his promise, and he has called everyday.  He has been there as a friend through significant moments, as the usher in my wedding, welcoming everyone with a nice loud “Welcome to Kristi and Shawn’s wedding – SIT DOWN!”, as a groomsman at my brother’s wedding, and at most family events.  He has volunteered at many places I have worked (Capilano Suspension Bridge, Terry Fox School teaching with me, Charles Best School and Thomas Haney Secondary) He has helped as the water boy or ‘assistant coach’ on many teams, he has helped me teach, and he has made thousands of friends wherever we go.  You see, hanging out with Steven is not just a nice thing I do.  Hanging out with Steven is one of the best things I get to do because he knows how to live life.

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Steven might just be the happiest person on the planet.  His loud voice, boisterous laugh, fast walk, and teethy smile make him pretty distinct.  If you meet Steven, you don’t forget him.  And he never forgets you.  In fact, he can list off thousands of names and remember the phone numbers of everyone he has met.  Steven has an unparalleled amount of contagious enthusiasm.  He loves meeting new people and finds a way to make them feel loved right away.  He breaks the ice better than anyone I have ever met.  He is funny, energetic and forever positive.  He knows how to lighten up a room, how to make people laugh and how to make people feel good about themselves.   Recently my family needed to go to the airport so my husband Shawn could fly to Regina for six months of RCMP training.  We decided to bring Steven with us for two reasons.  One – he wanted to go.  Two – we all knew that we would all be better able to handle the emotion of the day with Steven’s ability to make every event just a little bit lighter.

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Steven knows how to be authentic.  He is quick to tell you what he loves and what he hates.  He was offered a job cleaning up in a mall food court years ago.  After two days he quit.  He will still tell you “I hate it – the garbage stinks!”  He would much rather work for free doing things he loves.  Steven knows how to show gratitude and always says please and thank you.  When he gets really excited he claps his hands and shouts “I love it!”  He is joy.

Twenty seven years later, he is one of my best friends. He still says “what do you have for lunch – cucumber and cheesie?” and phones every day to check in. He is like family, and often sleeps over at our house. Our two boys call him uncle Steven.  Last week he babysat for an hour.  My kids say It was the best experience ever.  Together they played hide and seek and ate as much candy as they wanted.

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I am not sure what will happen in thirteen years.  Steven tells me every day that we are friends for “40 years”.  However, this morning at breakfast, he turned to my boys Jaden and Cole and said “hey J – Colesy – can we be friends? Be friends for 40 years!”.  They too said yes, so it looks like we get to have Steven in our lives until at least 2054.  And for that, I am incredibly grateful.  Steven teaches me every day what life is really about.  He is happy.  He is kind.  He is light and he is joyous.  And that is my kind of perfect.

To all my friends who know Steven, add your comments below and I will happily share with him. 

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I Am Not On A Side: We are in this together

September is a time of renewal… changing seasons, crisp nights, fall colours and back to school excitement. It’s my favourite time of year. Until yesterday, most of us hung on to some hope that Tuesday would bring upon us this annual sense of renewal. Now we have learned that this will not happen as schools will not open on time.

For months I have intentionally steered away from blogging about the the labour unrest between the BCTF and the Provincial Government. As a school administrator, I am not a member of the BCTF so ‘technically’ I am on the ‘other side’.  But not everything can be explained from a technical stance. Matters of the heart are anything but technical. And to me, this is a matter of the heart. You see, I don’t just love the students I get to work with, I love our teachers and support staff who give every day to enhance the lives of kids.

To become an administrator, you need to be a teacher first, and usually an exceptional one at that. I too went into this profession to make a positive difference, share a love of learning and inspire hope for the future. Just like most teachers, I believe I have the best job in the world; not because of the pay or the holidays, but because I get to work with young minds, I get to create, I get to be part of a professional learning community and I get to feel a sense of renewal that comes every time a child or teacher achieves another milestone. Regardless of my job title, at heart, I am a teacher and a learner first (and I feel confident I speak for my admin colleagues).

There are many blog posts that delve into the political unrest and impasse that divides the BCTF and the government. Most of what I read is technical in nature either explaining the history behind the dispute, the current conditions or the financial demands for a settlement. I am not going to write about those things. Why? Two reasons. First, I don’t feel I’m an expert on the situation, and second, I think it all pales in significance to what really matters. So what matters most? The people. Everyone involved in this mess. The students, the parents, the teachers, the support staff, the administrators, the leadership teams, the board members, the tax payers, etc. Each one of us is human, and each of us is somehow connected to this ugly situation that has caused a lot of hurt.

When this dispute started last spring, boards across the province were faced with the impossible task of cutting millions of dollars from their budgets. Teachers were laid off, support staff were let go, some trustees decided not to run again, and schools felt the heaviness. Unfortunately boards made impossible decisions knowing that whatever they decided to do, someone would get hurt. Many meetings saw tears from all ‘sides’.   Blame began, dislike spread for those making the cuts and the first ugly signs of ‘sides’ started to arise.

As job action progressed, teachers were instructed by their union to enter phase two of job action where staff meetings and email between administrators and teachers ceased. Again, unnatural ‘sides’ emerged, as both ‘sides’ had different responsibilities they had to meet. Again, on paper, a technical divide emerged. Yet a strong staff is not made up from technical job descriptions aligning together – but instead from human beings that come together to share, grow, celebrate and inspire one another. A strong staff has heart. Asking these ‘sides’ not to work together is like asking a happy couple to break up. It doesn’t feel right. As we were all asked to take ‘sides’ we did so, knowing almost secretly that we are all in this together, not because we have the same political beliefs, but simply because we are human and because we have heart. It saddens me that we had to say goodbye to retiring teachers on picket lines. It saddens me that some jobs were cut completely and not replaced. It saddens me that teachers and students had to miss many year-end activities that they looked forward to.

But here’s what saddens me most. When I turn on the news or social media, I am flooded by opinions of what teachers and the government should or should not do. I am flooded by sweeping statements that judge the character of the people involved. I am flooded by opinions of what should be done, what school should look like and how things should end. This boggles my mind. Yes – I would hope that everyone cares about kids, education and the future, but caring for kids does not make everyone experts in education. Hopefully we all grew up seeing a dentist as well, but certainly unless we have also gone to dental school, we do not feel we are an expert in dentistry. Our teachers are experts in education. They give their lives to their careers and they continually develop as mentors in learning for our children. They are fighting a fight not about wages, but about learning conditions. They know we have one of the best education systems in the world. They know what conditions they need to maintain this. It kills them to see a system erode to a point where they can’t best serve each child. Financially they have paid a steep price, but what saddens me most is the hurt they must feel against their profession and their character as they face public scrutiny from some. Throughout this ongoing dispute I have seen people turn against trustees, against leadership teams, against administrators and against teachers. And every time we take sides or have people against us, we all get hurt.

I do not have all the answers, but here’s what I do know…

My mom was a teacher for years and a principal. My husband works in a support role with kids with special needs. I want the best school experience possible for my two boys. Most of my best friends are educators. And there is something that unites us all – we did not go into this profession because of our technical skills or scholarly success. We became educators because we lead with our hearts. We love our jobs, we love the kids, and we love the miracles we see every day when we connect with a young mind and see one radiate with curiosity, hope and wonder.   We love the magic of connecting with other humans. We lead with love.

As September approaches, our hearts are heavy. As students, parents, teachers and administrators, we are all hurt. The excitement of the first day will not be here on Tuesday.

The day will come when ‘technically’, things are all worked out. But just like any broken relationship, it’s hard to forget about the hurt. Our hearts all need to heal. As we move forward I encourage all of us to do so in kindness. If you have an educator who made a significant difference in your life, take a moment to tell them. If you support your local schools, take time for a random act of kindness to show you care. If you have friends struggling to find childcare offer to help. And if you are not sure what do to, stop and think with your heart.

As the picket lines return on Tuesday I will not be taking sides. We are humans first and for that reason alone, ‘sides’ should not exist. We are in this together. May we take care of one another and keep sight of better days to come when the joy of learning will return.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Thoughts from a New Principal: What I Don’t Know

Usually when I sit down to write, I feel excitement run through my veins as I channel ideas into text.  This post is a little different. Although I’m excited, I feel a bit of nervous energy running through me with an inside voice chirping the words “are you sure you want to share this with the world?” You see, I’m about to become a principal for the first time. I have a myriad of thoughts: what I think I know, what I know I don’t know and of course that unknown area… wondering what I don’t know but don’t even know I don’t know!  Some may suggest the ‘fake it until you make it’ style of leadership, but that’s not quite my style. I’d prefer to be myself and put it on the table: I’m new. I’m going to make mistakes.

For the last 15 years I have worked in secondary schools but this time I get to work at an elementary school.  Besides one parent, I do not know a single student, family, teacher or support worker at the school.  To add to this, we are also in the middle of job action in BC where teachers are on strike and clerical and support staff are not crossing the picket line.  That means that on my early days at the school, I may be the only one who can enter the building as teachers look on from the perimeter of the school.  It’s a daunting thought… I kind of feel like I have something in common with a burglar… entering a place familiar to others but foreign to me.  Hopefully my smiling face, kind words and some fresh baked muffins will distinguish me from your typical intruder. (And for those of you reading this who know me personally – YES – it will be my mom who offers to bake the muffins as I still can’t cook but do still have the greatest mom in the world).

As I transition from secondary school to elementary school some things are easy to figure out. I will no longer allow kids to drive themselves to school, take Tim Hortons runs or attend dances until 11 PM on school nights. I will no longer be writing numerous reference letters for scholarships and first time jobs.  These are the obvious changes. It’s the new social norms I need to learn…like Band-Aids and icepacks… as I head to the states on vacation i think it may be a perfect opportunity to stock up on kid friendly Band-Aids with the coolest logos like Pokémon or Monster High characters. However I also have visions of every kid lining up pretending to have an injury just to get a cool Band-Aid.  Hmmmm, maybe the plain ones are better….bandaid

And there is so much more I do not yet know…I do not know names, I do not know where the staff room is, I do not know what the typical routines are ,or what makes this school unique and wonderful. I do not know the history of the school, what students and staff have been working towards, or what has already been achieved.   Ok… let’s be honest… I don’t even know where my own office is.

For these reasons, that inside voice chirps “why on earth are these people going to look up to me as a leader?”  But thankfully a louder voice chirps “because it is going to be great!”  I know that I have a lot of learning to do but I feel ready and I trust that listening is the best way to transition. Although I openly admit there is so much I do not yet know, there are some things I do know….

I do know that I’m ready to give 100%.   I’m ready to build relationships, discover strengths, celebrate successes and try new things. I’m ready to give back and find ways to connect with our community.

I do know I’m ready to learn, which means I am ready to fail and ready to succeed. I believe that how we handle failure is just as important as how we model success. When we show students it’s ok to make mistakes, we give them permission to be more creative and take risks.

I know that learning lasts a lifetime and learning is reciprocal. I learn from students and staff and as they to can learn from me. I see parents, students, staff and admin as learners first. If we recognize that we are all here to learn together we can create a collaborative community with a mindset for growth.

I know that nobody likes spending time on what they are not good at. While we all have challenges to face, it’s much more uplifting to focus on the positive, celebrate our strengths, and discover the unique talents that each of us can offer. I believe in praising publicly and discussing problems privately.

I know that all teachers became educators because we love kids, love learning and we love making a positive difference. When we keep this at the centre of decision making, we will not lose sight of what matters.

I know that elementary students have contagious energy and a natural enthusiasm for learning that we should foster and encourage. How wonderful would it be if students entered high school with as much curiosity and wonder as they bring to kindergarten? Just last spring a six year old girl named Katie ran up to me when I was helping with recess supervision and proclaimed “I want to save my money to buy you a peacock bird bath!”   In fifteen years of high school I don’t think I received such a colourful, creative gift idea. While I’m not keeping my fingers crossed this colourful garden accessory arrives any time soon, I do hope to embrace the passion, enthusiasm and creativity that kids so naturally exude.

Finally, I know that we are stronger when we work together. When we create a safe learning environment we set a foundation where we can try new things, support one another and reap the benefits of a connected learning community.

As we near September, I know that I have a lot in common with the incoming kindergarten class.  We are new, we are excited, we are nervous, we want to make new friends and we know our moms are not too far away…  (I’m hoping my mom is at least a phone call away, not at the end of the driveway…but then again, being a retired elementary principal who still loves to give back to schools, she might just be out there… you just never know)

And so, despite that chirping inside voice that says don’t share this, I know I will for a couple reasons.  First, I believe that nervous energy is one of the first signs that learning is about to occur.  I know I’m moving into new territory and that energizes me.  Second, I write this for others because I want to model what I hope our students and staff do on a regular basis:  take risks, make mistakes, be vulnerable, and know it’s ok to not know everything.

I don’t have all the answers.  I’m not going to pretend to. But together I believe we will succeed. And so, Harry Hooge Elementary, I look forward to being a part of your community.  May we take risks, make mistakes, celebrate our successes, and learn and grow together.

I can’t wait to meet you.

Now, about those Band-Aids….?????

Kristi Blakeway

 

Riding a Roller Coaster – How Self Directed Learning has Changed my Views on Education
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Riding a Roller Coaster – How Self Directed Learning has Changed my Views on Education

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Your seatbelt is fastened, the ride is still, and you sit with anticipation. There is no turning back, and your mind races with a mix of anxiety and excitement. This frozen moment in time congeals calm and chaos. From a still frame shot, it’s hard to tell if the roller-coaster ride has just ended, or if it’s just about to begin, as the start gate and stop gate appear no different. To you, the rider, these two moments in time, are of stark comparison.

Just over a year ago, I sat at the start gate, and prepared for an incredible roller coaster ride: A year at Thomas Haney Secondary, a self directed high school. I thought I was ready. I thought I had the courage, the curiosity, and the skill set to help lead in this high school environment. I was excited for the new challenge. But, just like the over zealous child, the first couple of twists and turns left me wide eyed and totally out of my comfort zone. I soon realized most of what I knew about education was – well – wrong – or at least not applicable.

My first couple of weeks at Thomas Haney I had more questions than answers. Moving from a semestered high school to a linear self directed high school was a big adjustment. Many of the traditional norms that I was accustomed to seemed to disappear: fully scheduled classes, movement dictated by bells, teacher directed instruction, departmentalized schools, before and after school meetings, organized chaos. It was all gone. And at first – that seemed wrong. Certainly school, for the sake of being school, must conform to these basic assumptions. I looked for meetings – meetings that did not exist. I wondered how staff and students could collaborate and learn without structure… I didn’t see what I was looking for. The students seemed relaxed, the teachers appeared stress free, the days seemed to end earlier, the demands diminished. Something must be wrong. This is not how schools usually feel. Everything I knew failed me, and just like the child at the peak of the first hill, I began to wonder if I had made the right decision.

Then, a crazy thing happened. I fell in love with the ride. Like a breathtaking view from the coaster peak, I too had a new view: a new view on eduction. A view you can only see when you ride the coaster and dare to re-imagine school as we know it. I realized I had been viewing the school from a traditional lens, looking for what was different. My intention dictated what I saw. When I found the courage to open my eyes and enjoy the ride, I found the magic: the magic of Thomas Haney.

From traditional measures often used to assess schools, our school does well. Our students perform above provincial averages on exams, our graduation rates are in the high 90’s and our students win their fair share of awards and scholarships. However, that’s not the magic. The magic is not in where we arrive but how we get there. Before I explain the magic of our school let me first give a quick description of how it works.

In our grade 8-12 school every student is part of a teacher advisory (TA) program that meets twice a day. Each teacher has a multi-grade TA of approximately 23 students. These TA’s become like families. Siblings are placed in the same TA, and each student gets to work with the same TA teacher for five years. On Monday mornings, they set weekly goals together and each day check in on learning plans and achievement. The TA is also the home away from home offering a safe environment, sense of community and solid friendships.

We encourage students to BYOD (Bring your own device), and our teachers offer a blended learning model with face to face instruction blended with online resources. Our grade 8’s are fully scheduled for 5 blocks a day, Monday to Friday, with the only exception being Monday where the entire school participates in Y Block – a one hour tutorial of sorts where every teacher is available and students choose where to learn. By grade 9, students have been introduced to the self directed learning principles and they are handed one third of their time to choose where, when and what they work on. By grade 10, two thirds of their time becomes self directed and one third of their time is scheduled. To translate, for a student with 8 classes, each class is scheduled for one hour a week and that’s it. For the other 17 hours a week students align their passions with the learning outcomes and decide how to demonstrate their learning. They choose to work in open spaces called great halls where teachers are available to support learning. This flexibility also allows students to work from home, work part time jobs, participate in day time commitments for sports and activities, take time to travel, or choose to work ahead. In fact, many of our grade 8 students, choose to complete math 8 and 9 in one year by working ahead.

Beyond the flexibility described, the magic emerges in so many ways:

Collaboration: Our teachers do not use the staff room. They could if they wanted to but their normal workspace lends itself to creativity, collaboration and friendship. Instead of using offices, one big open space called the teacher prep area allows teachers of all disciplines to sit side by side. For example, it’s not uncommon to have teachers from Drama, English, Math and Science all within ten feet of each other. Since teachers also have self directed schedules, they are only scheduled in traditional classrooms for 7 hours / week (grade 10-12). During the other 14 hours of scheduled time, they teach with other teachers in great hall spaces helping students of all grades. The meetings I was originally looking for do not need to exist as learning happens naturally as teachers continually collaborate, share ideas, and encourage each other to try new things. Our teachers are learners too.

Events: In some schools, it’s difficult to coordinate school wide events. Teachers worry about scheduling, missed class time, set up and take down, etc. With our flexible schedule, we don’t instruct students or teachers to attend. Instead, when a cool event is happening such as the Haiku death match or Annual Egg drop we advertise in our daily announcements and invite anyone to attend. (Imagine the activity board at an all inclusive resort). The magic happens and hundreds of students and teachers show up on their own and learn together.

Inquiry: Our school encourages students to discover and follow their passions. In grade 8 our teachers literally throw away the curriculum for one month and hand over all control inviting students to develop their own question of inquiry. They guide them through the inquiry process facilitating their learning. One month later magic happens: grade 8’s showcase what they have accomplished – mastering the violin, developing online video games, designing clothing, recording their own records, creating apps for smart phones etc. And long after the assessment is over most of them continue to explore their topics of interest.IMG_0410

Working smarter not harder: Once our students link learning with their passions, they guide their learning process. Soon they figure out ways that one project can meet the learning outcomes of a variety of courses. It is not uncommon for students to find cross curricular connections where one project can meet the outcomes for 4 courses. For example, a grade 12 student recently explored her love for chocolate while earning credit for social justice (fair trade), foods (making chocolate), English (essay) and marketing (marketing plan).

Real life, Real learning: our students have the flexility in their day to participate in real life projects, partnering with our local seniors home, volunteering in the community, helping the homeless reconnect with family, creating campaigns such as ‘Make BC Smile’ and most recently – interviewing for the new SD42 Superintendent.

Test Centre: We believe testing should take place after learning has occurred, rather than on a set date and time determined by the teacher. When a student is ready to take a test, they have a conversation with their teacher to discuss their learning. If both parties feel the student is ready, they issue a test slip. The student then decides when to go to the test centre to write. Have a dance recital Tuesday night and won’t have time to review? No problem – choose the date that is best instead.

Calm, safe environment: Our kids are not stressed compared to other schools. The flexible model and cross grade learning eliminates conflict and cliques. Our school board called mid-year to find out why we were not forwarding suspension letters. The answer was simple – because we had not had any. Our teachers have time to collaborate, plan great fieldtrips, think outside the box and be creative. The school culture celebrates learning and innovation and students and teachers are safe to take risks. When someone has a new idea, the answer is often ‘Why not?’. Together we try new things, learn together and have fun doing so. It’s hard to find a student or staff member that does not LOVE our school.

Like the child who dares to try his first roller coaster, I have dared to see education re-imagined. For me, the ride is about to end, as I will be working at a new school next year. From a still frame shot, all will be the same when the coaster stops, yet, like the first time rider, I am not the same as I have leaned into fear, let go of control, and lived the experience. As I step away I will do so with a smile wide, knowing the secret of what education in the future may look like if we dare to disrupt the status quo.  Although I wish the it had been longer, I am glad I had the chance to take the ride and discover the magic of self directed learning: the magic of Thomas Haney.

Note: We invite the world to DisruptED 2014, hosted by Thomas Haney Secondary & the Canadian Coalition of Self Directed Learning. A conference recognizing the beauty that can occur when we dare to be different and shake up education.

 

 

Feeling Stressed? Me Too!
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Feeling Stressed? Me Too!

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There’s something about this time of year that makes life a little more stressful in high schools. Maybe it’s the end of the year approaching and the rush to have students meet deadlines and demonstrate learning. Maybe it’s the growing pile of marking, the approaching provincial exams and the extra support needed to help struggling learners achieve. Maybe it’s the positive stress that comes with a busy schedule of milestone events: school leaving ceremonies, awards nights, graduation dinners, after grad parties, scholarship offers and college / university acceptance letters. Maybe it’s the change that comes each spring with layoffs, retirements, budget cuts, re-deployments and opportunities to post on new jobs. Maybe it’s the rising temperature, lack of air conditioning or the increasing desire to be outside rather than in a classroom. Maybe it’s the current job action and stress placed upon teachers, support workers, administrators and trustees. Regardless of the cause, May is definitely the time of year when stress levels seem to rise in schools.
As a counsellor and administrator, it’s easy to be a ‘solution person’, trying to find ways to help others endure. What’s not so easy is to take time to manage our own stress levels. It’s easy to see that “everyone else is stressed” but harder to stop and think – “hmmm… I’m a little bit stressed and need to take care of that first.”

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Last fall I offered a workshop to Education Assistants on Happiness at Work, teaching strategies from the science of happiness. I went through the latest research findings and led the participants through activities that improve happiness levels: healthy living, exercise, reflection, setting goals, finding gratitude, solitude or meditation, random acts of kindness and focusing on strengths rather than problems. The workshop was well received, and I believe we all had a good time practicing habits of happiness. However, one of the questions from the audience stuck with me. One lady raised her hand and asked, “You seem quite happy – do you actually use these strategies?”. Almost a year later, this question sticks with me. I recognize that I am much better at practicing the habits of happiness when I am less stressed. For example, during spring break, it was easy to reflect and blog, to exercise, sleep well, show gratitude, take time for myself, etc.

Driving home today, I realized that the more stress I feel, the more necessary these strategies are. On days like to day, or perhaps in May, when it feels like there are not enough hours in the day to get everything done,  my natural tendency is to work longer, bring more work home, sleep less, wish I had more time, wake up and repeat the process. As I drove home I thought about how stressed out other people seem. Apparently it was an ‘everyone else’ problem. It was after I fed my kids McDonalds and stole half their fries that I realized it might – just maybe – be me that is a bit more stressed than usual.   If I am not managing my own stress in a healthy way, why would I expect others to do so?

So – tonight – next year’s timetable and the unanswered emails can wait. The extra Starbucks I crave is replaced with a glass of water. I’m taking time to blog (which always helps clear my head), and I just got back from a quick run with my 9 year old and our 100 pound goofy dog. As I fall asleep, I will intentionally take note of what was great about today.

To all my colleagues in education, may we find ways to celebrate the positives that exist despite rising stresses in education. Remember to take care of yourself first, so that we can take care of others.


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Ideas from Educon

Last month I had the pleasure of attending the Educon 2.6 Conference in Philadelphia.  My intention was to blog about  take away ideas within a couple days of the conference.   I’m not quite sure what happened but somehow I took a month hiatus  from this blog.  I have spent more time writing at http://www.BeyondHELLO.org but havcn’t found the time to share education ideas here.  And now I feel like a kid with 30 excuses about why I haven’t done my homework…  Regardless, the conference was outstanding and the ideas are worth sharing. So – without any further delay, here are the top 5 things I took away from Educon.

1. You need to visit Philadelphia and the Science Leadership Academy.  This amazing school teaches all of their curriculum through project based learning.  Regardless of the subject, students are assessed based on their five pillars: Inquiry, Research, Collaboration, Presentation and Reflection.   The school has partnered up with the community to create authentic learning opportunities.  For example, each week, the students visit the Franklin Institute as part of their science curriculum.   The school is buzzing with innovative ideas, creativity and students that are proud of their school and thriving in all regards.  If you have the change to get to Educon next year I would highly recommend it.

2. Encienda / PechaKucha / Ignite – call it what you wish – I LOVE it.   I had the opportunity to present in Philadelphia for five minutes using 20 slides.  As a presenter, I did not have control over the slide transitions.  I had 5 minutes, with 20 slides which advanced automatically every 15 seconds.  (PechaKucha is 20 slides at 20 seconds each).    As a presenter, this was intimidating!  Not only did i need to know my stuff, I needed to have a polished presentation where I stayed on track, and said what really mattered while I had the chance.  I found this presentation way more difficult to prepare for than an hour long presentation.  However – I loved it!  I was challenged, I had to be creative, and I had to simplify my presentation to maximize impact in a short period of time.    As an audience member I LOVED watching all the other presentations.  Every five minutes the topic would change which kept the entire audience engaged.  This would be a great strategy to use with students or at staff meetings or district meetings.

3. Story-Sharing Session:  At this workshop, the presenters from IZone (Office of Innovation, New York City Department of Education) taped powerful words  to a whiteboard.  They then took two minutes to tell a personal story about education themed around one of the powerful words.  The audience was invited to listen and also think of their own personal stories about innovation in schools.  If the presentation prompted you to think of your own story, you had the chance to present next.  You could either draw a line from the first powerful word to your chosen word, or if your word was not listed, you could write it one the white board and draw a line.  This teaching strategy encouraged the audience to listen but also required each person to find the connections and share with one another.  We quickly discovered how much our stories connected and how easily we could relate.  This would be a simple way for students  or staff to identify connections between them.

4. Design Thinking.  This was my favourite presentation at the conference.  Teachers from Mount Vernon School in Atlanta walked us through a  ‘Design Thinking’ exercise so we could experience the benefit of seeing change happen, while understanding the value of empathy in problem solving.  For example, their Socials Teacher spoke about his Alexander the Great Lesson, where students needed to get to know Alex as a person before they could figure out what advise they would give to him.  The science teacher had students watch a video of a woman hearing for the first time before asking the class to work together to create an improved cochlear implant.   In our workshop we were paired up and given the task of re-designing airplanes to improve the middle seat experience.   To teach this concept, we were asked to spend 8 minutes with our partner (2 sessions at 4 min each) where we listened to our partner explain their experience flying in the middle seat.  Then, based on the emotion we had heard, we were asked to go deeper for 6 minutes (2 sessions at 3 minutes each) to learn more about our partner.  My partner explained that she needed to move. She didn’t like feeling trapped.  When we went deeper I learned that she loves the outdoors, adventure sports and travel.  I was able to re-frame the problem and create a problem statement:  “Meg, a passionate community educator, needs a way to integrate adventure, movement and space into her middle seat flight because she is passionate about the outdoors and loves new experiences.”  I was then able to draw a protype for an airplane seat that resembled an IMAX experience with a moving chair and simulation video.    I loved this activity because the design I developed was rooted in empathy for someone else’s needs.  If I had started with my own needs, I would have re-designed the seat so I could spend more time talking to strangers – something completely different than what my new friend Meg was looking for.

5. Maker Movement.  I didn’t have the chance to attend the Maker Movement breakout but it seems to be getting more and more attention.  The idea is simply to create Maker Stations where students can use random materials to tinker, hack and create during the day to demonstrate their learning.  Two of our fabulous Thomas Haney teachers are modelling this for our staff by hosting a school wide ‘Maker Faire’ tomorrow afternoon.  Students will meet in one central area and gather materials and then return to subject specific learning spaces to demonstrate their learning.  (Value Village was more than happy to donate their random parts and pieces for our student creations)

After returning home from Educon, I am feeling inspired and energized to try these new ideas. I believe this is an exciting time in education.  We are learning more and more about teaching and learning and finding innovative ways to provide rich experiences for our students.  Teachers are more valuable than ever as they work one on one with students to help them explore their passions and discover what they love to learn about.  Educon was an amazing conference, not just because of the school itself, but also because it brought together innovative educators from across North America.   I’m looking forward to DisruptED Vancouver, this coming October as we too hope to offer a fabulous education conference, where we celebrate innovation, creativity and ideas that inspire.    Registration is now open with early bird rates until June 15th. http://www.eventbrite.ca/e/disrupted-vancouver-2014-tickets-4458812428?aff=eivtefrnd