I am writing this now because I am sad and angry, and frustrated, but motivated. I am sad because in Ottawa an Indigenous woman from Nunavut, named Savanna Pikuyak, was murdered. Her life suddenly cut short as she pursued an education in nursing. Finding her own way, she was slain trodding her own path. This tragedy has been repeated for Indigenous women and girls across Canada for decades and the truth is we have barely taken note. I lived for years very close to, and at one point directly on, BC’s notorious ‘Highway of Tears’ and the sadness I feel now is not unfamiliar. Indigenous women, communities, families, survivors, experts and allies have worked for decades to shine a light on the horror that is the murders and disappearance of Indigenous women and girls and demand accountability.  Yet, nothing seems to change despite a national inquiry (MMIWG) and a final report with 231 calls for justice! I am sad for the families and loved ones and communities that will grieve Savanna and try to make sense of the senseless. I am sad that this tragedy keeps repeating itself and I am sad that eventually the news cycle moves on and so do we. The truth is, I am experiencing this sadness differently, more personally and deeply because I can look back through pictures of her biological son, Kalluk, in my back yard in Dawson Creek, playing at my son’s birthday, or crawling across the living room floor. I can see Kalluk’s face peering up or down at everyone with deep curiosity. I recognized his smile when I saw Savanna’s face on the front page of the newspaper articles his adoptive mother, my good friend Leesa, shared with me. I’m so sad that Kalluk will only know stories of Savanna, and that this was never their plan.

I’m frustrated with myself for only realizing this profound sadness and outrage because it is close to home, because it has direct connections in my life. I have not felt this way previously, even as such tragedies shaped the roads I’ve traveled and communities I’ve lived in. I feel compelled to do better and demand more of myself. I want to express how Savanna’s death and the ongoing victimization of Indigenous women makes me angry. I am committed and determined to turn these feelings into something productive, hoping to make a difference somewhere. In speaking with Kalluk’s adoptive mother, she said “Savanna will not be just a stat.” No human being should be “just a stat” and the fact that we think in these terms when it comes to Indigenous women and girls shows just how much work there is to do in our society to ensure the well-being and safety of marginalized and vulnerable people. We hear a lot about truth and reconciliation these days. The truth is there is no reconciling senseless violence. There is no reconciling what happened to Savanna. There is no reconciling the hole left in the lives of those who loved Savanna. The truth is that we shouldn’t have to feel or be directly connected to a senseless tragedy to be motivated to do better. Savanna’s death affects us all. Her hopes and dreams and hard work and sacrifice are reflected in the values we say our society holds. If we hold the values of equity, security, health, education and justice then we must do more and work harder to ensure these values are applied universally. We must have these expectations of our society, of those leading us, and ourselves.

I am asking myself now to do more to bring our society forward to a time when a tragedy is a tragedy and if it affects an Indigenous person, we no longer characterize it with the stats.  That we will only think about the person and not the ongoing challenges that face Indigenous people or the underlying history of violence and oppression. I believe this is reconciliation. We can all do something for reconciliation, it cannot be apart from us, it must be a part of us. It need not be tragedy that makes it a part of us. What we accept currently, is unacceptable. From what I do know of Savanna, I know this; we can learn more, so we can do better.

Walk Peacefully


Life is a narrow edge
Voices around us
In our heads
Send us in one direction
Or another
A mother cries in the silent night
Her baby’s cry distant as time passes
Strong-willed determination
Strength beyond
Called upon and called upon
And called away
From time to time the narrow edge flattens
The sharpness always returns
Together we may in turn
Decide what is enough
Letting us walk peacefully

Quandary

There are many things that we do in schools to impact student learning. There is growth planning, assessment development, instructional discussions, curriculum development, social-emotional learning activity planning, health and wellness programming. All of these things and myriad others are part of the big picture of student learning and success. However, these discrete pieces can sometimes take on lives of their own, in that particular attention gets paid to areas of need, and then effort and resources follow. Sometimes, these discrete things take on a large proportion of time and thinking and the big picture takes a back seat. I have found with school vision and mission this can often be the case; that is, we focus on the needs of the day intensely and don’t carve out needed time to talk about the why. The “why” is so important and as Simon Sinek articulates in his book, Start With Why, knowing the WHY helps the what and the how, the discrete items make sense.

My thinking led me to dig into the why again, to read over our school’s vision statement, to reflect on what our hopes are for our students. Our hope is so important in what we do. We desire to see the best possible future for our kids and giving them the tools to influence and be a part of that future effectively is the heart of all our efforts.

Vision: Empowering a community of life-long learners who are socially responsible, mindful, and resilient.

Looking at the statement again it resonates with all the discrete pieces. But it resonates mostly with a deep rooted desire to ensure our kids are capable and critical thinkers, kind and caring citizens, and able to navigate the unpredictability of life with a whole heart and sound mind.

I think the discrete aspects of what we do as educators serve the most crucial purpose in our society. We are developing the most precious resource that any society has, it’s children. We are trying to be keenly attuned to their needs and support them in their whole selves and bring to bear a better future in our world through their future prospects. We must envision this preferred future in all we do. Judy Halbert and Linda Kaser say we must empower all students to have “dignity, purpose, and options;” this is an idea foundational to developing our students into the people who will shape their, and our, preferred future.

Quest

Being present as an administrator in a school is absolutely the essence of the work. It is crucial to not only be visible, but be invested in the learning going on in the building. The best thing that a principal can be doing is building relationships with students and staff by being there and being interested and demonstrating as much as possible that this is the priority. Getting out there and being available to students so that they can share their reading, show off their art skills, explain their 3-D printing design. Be there to give feedback and be involved in the work the kids are doing in classrooms. That involvement is contagious for teachers and support staff and that experience of your involvement is craved by students. Walking through a classroom today connecting with students at their activity centers, the teacher was able to hand a student their book and have them read to me. The child was so proud to do so and I was delighted to share in their effort and success. Then another appeared on her own with her book. All of a sudden there was a line up and I was in no hurry to move through it! Each kid beamed when given a little compliment about their skill and effort and I was thankful for the teacher who set the ball in motion and involved me. Getting into classrooms, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 20 or 30 as much as we can is the best time spent. We get to know kids, we get to know teachers and we get to be involved. What I believe is the crucial component of this investment is to be wholly committed to it in the minutes you give and not divided as the work can dictate. Be present with every fiber of your attention to the people who need you to be.

Quest

I have been thinking about healthy outcomes a lot recently, particularly as we have rung in a new decade. The new year always brings resolutions to do more or differently, or better. These are often big commitments to wellness or productivity or family or… It is often hard to meet the expectations we hold for ourselves in these resolutions and then it all falls apart as we settle into old habits, comfortable patterns or get consumed by being busy.

My quest is to not be just simply “busy.” Hey how’s it going? “Oh, really busy, but well.” “Super busy right now but keeping up I hope.” etc. Truth is, the “busy” is always there, how we approach it is the opportunity. So, I am aiming to avoid being busy.

I attended a professional learning session recently exploring Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families. From this session our speaker, a former superintendent in my school district spoke about his connection to Covey’s inspiration in Victor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning; the inspiration being that there is always a moment for choice (I’m paraphrasing here). That is, no matter the situation we have opportunity to choose our response. This idea had been sitting with me since my own reading of Frankl’s book but hearing it aloud brought it right to the surface and it has stuck around for a while now.

This idea stood out to me because as I reflect often on decisions made or communication or whatever being busy is, I think that this moment is truly important. It has this importance because we can choose our commitments to ourselves, our partners, our children, our colleagues, friends, students, and communities in these moments if we are thinking about them.

What has recently been frustrating for me personally, has been a feeling that being busy had control of my choices. What I want is to consciously choose the busy that I am. I want to write when I could sit on the couch and watch TV; I want play and be present with my kids after work when I could read one more twitter article; I want to walk my dog when he could be put out in the yard; I want listen when I could speak.  These are just some of the wants, the list is myriad, and I’m sure I will continue to have moments that don’t fit with how I want to be busy, but I am aiming to see the moments and choose my busy.

I’m posting this poem as we have embarked on another school year. I wrote it reflecting on a leadership journey and my thoughts around the opportunities to work with others in the service of learning. Maybe something will resonate with you.

It is a wonderful opportunity

These learnings that unfold

All drawn here, time afforded

What we do remains untold

The luxury of thinking

Truth in stories’ sound

Avenues of exploration

Connect on sacred ground

Some obligation now befalls

In the harbour for this crew

Freedom from what assails

Sailing to stay true

Where our masts do moor

Our compass has the way

Guided guides, we’re guiding

Each and every day

And is that not the point

No matter where oceans flow

Kindly lifting layers

Wherever we may go

It is not simply a calling

Or project of affinity

It is powerful in purpose

Most important responsibility

Swaying struggle does confound

Chosen of the scarcity

Somewhere in the roiling waves

Diving depths for clarity

Perched in the crow’s nest

Broad is the view

Finding the right berth

Not adrift, nor askew

All the, or the all-consuming questions

Their ever present stare

An open space afforded

At the cost of souls laid bare

If we can see to an end

If stormy waters navigate

If extended our forward bridge

If, then is the state

Now we must voyage proudly

Reflecting where we’ve come

New waters on the horizon

What, but Carpe Diem

We cannot be fearful

Of the ripples in our wake

We can only be courageous

When the future is at stake

So take care of each and all

Look for the ways to lift

Remember you are enough

And to lead, is a true gift

I wrote the poem below as part of our Remembrance Day ceremony. It was inspired by my great grandfather who fought as part of the dutch resistance during WWI. I also shared his service medal that has the words that make up the title of this poem, Peace and Honour. We need to find ways to connect to the efforts and sacrifices of those that have put so much on the line for our freedoms. May we always remember and honour them.

 

Vrede en eer

One hundred years ago

A man I would never know

Fought for me

In his home occupied

He resisted side by side

Soldiers from over sea

Protecting his land

And taking a stand

Pushing back tyranny

Years were long

Without swan song

Not knowing what would be

Sanguine trenches the norm

Through bullet storms

Forests of broken trees

Imagined bread

Rations instead

Tables remained empty

Deafened by the gun

Still carried on

What future could he see?

He stayed the course

Tapped code morse

And in the end, victory

What he needed to do

Became, for me and you

Was all for family

Honour at least

Remember for peace

Sacrifices made for we

Winds of time will blow

And we can know

The privilege to live free

At the precipice of another school year I am always excited by the opportunities, the connections, the ideas, the work, the learning to come. I can’t wait to be in classrooms with students and see the learning take shape. I look forward to speaking with teachers about their classes and learn about the things they are doing to meet their students’ diverse needs. The explorations, and inquiries that are before us are energizing. I hope, as I begin work in a new school, that I will ask the right questions and protect the time to engage meaningfully in the collaborative work of fostering student learning. I know that the volume and pace of the work sometimes throws this goal for a loop so I am taking the opportunity to say it out loud here, because it is a priority. I want to support the teachers that I work with so that they feel they have the resources, the learning network and the support to do the amazing things they are seeking to achieve for kids. A recent blog post from Jennifer Gonzalez helped me reflect on the importance of being mindful of what I was asking of teachers, being flexible in order to support them as professionals and being reflective so as not just to carry on, when changing course might be better. Above all I am aiming to see what teachers are doing in their classes, ask questions, celebrate successes, reflect on challenges and aim together to do better for students.

Over the last several weeks there has been a whole host of challenges that students have brought with them into school, encountered at school or had to face as a constructed, deliberate part of their learning. All of these challenges end up in a result that can be either perceived as negative or positive, depending on what the goal or desired outcome might have been. This is the ebb and flow of life. But viewing challenges or problems in this way is problematic. This zero sum game takes on a life of it’s own, particularly when it seems as if things aren’t going well for a student, group of kids, teacher, activity or otherwise, over a prolonged period. If these experiences pile up, they can become a difficult burden to shake. These burdens can contribute to negativity, withdrawal and breakdowns for kids and adults alike and there is a very real danger, in a school, of a negativity loop that can undermine dialogue, collaboration, creativity and commitment to problem solving.

Collectively we have been fostering growth mindset with our students this year. The language of growth mindset is becoming commonplace and the culture in all classrooms is developing. A group of parents are engaged in a growth mindset book club and creating possibilities for themselves to engage with their children’s learning. Students are shifting their language and action of effort, of learning from mistakes, of perseverance and of seeking the next step, of BELIEF IN THEIR ABILITY TO LEARN. The shift is becoming visible in that more students (and adults) are doing things they find new, difficult or unfamiliar and reflecting together on their efforts.  I believe though, that in order to truly foster growth mindset and avoid the doldrums of negativity and fixed thinking, there is more to it than simply pushing students to try something different when they fail or encouraging their perseverance through difficulty. An article in KQED News Growth Mindset: Clearing up Some Common Confusions adds some clarity about what it takes to create the conditions for growth mindset to flourish.

I think movement toward a growth mindset culture will truly gain traction when there exists a doctrine of possibility. What I mean by this, and this idea is only a piece of the puzzle, is that when we encounter adversity in our work and learning, that we consciously think about what the possibilities are that arise from current results/experiences.  This idea is about seeking the good, or the better, the new, the different, the unimagined, the impossible that is possibility. In so doing, we create the conditions of the positive. Yes things ebb and flow but it is our approach, our outlook, our words and actions that indicate we are searching for the positive, for the opportunity and for the possibilities. I think looking for and focusing on the possibilities that are created from any given situation/interaction helps us, our students, and our organizations thrive.

I am reminded everyday about the importance and power of circulating in a school and checking in with teachers, students and parents. A simple trip into the library just after dismissal can lead to a planning session with teacher and LAT for an anxious, struggling student. It is a lofty goal to try and connect with each teacher and each student in a building each day but it is one that is worth pursuing each and everyday. By getting out into the hallways and classrooms at every possible moment you can gain understanding of the intricacies of how relationships are developing and what learning is happening. Those impromptu conversations and interactions can lend a great deal of insight into how you might support a colleague or student.

Not only, do these opportunities arise for improving understanding of what’s going on, but they are very often chances to build collaboration, support program implementation, share a resource, reflect, connect and ultimately strengthen practice. Being available in this way can facilitate anything from helping a classroom teacher find the resource they need to brainstorming universal design strategies for inclusion in a particular classroom or subject area.

Being visible and accessible is crucial to building trust, dialogue and positive collaborative cultures.

Tonight was Devereaux Elementary School’s Christmas Concert/Winter celebration. This is an event that brings the community into our school en masse. It is a fantastic showcase of student talent, courage, perseverance, effort and heart. The children are proud of all the hard work they have put in and excited to welcome their families and friends in to see them share what they have accomplished. At the end of this first term they have accomplished a great deal. Not only do the families of the students get to share in the excitement of a wonderful show but they stick around to enjoy the outdoor skating rink, activities in a classroom, a holiday movie or tobogganing and snowshoeing also. Though most stick around it seems, to share in the company of friends, family, and classmates, enjoying a few more moments of the pride they feel for their performance and their school.

The smiles and successes I saw this evening for all our students are testament to the relationships that teachers at Devereaux forge with students, the pride they show for their student’s accomplishments, and the effort they make to continually ask what more, what next, what do these students need from here. The pride I have and share for my small (but growing) rural elementary school is immense, it is the pride I have in the educators and support staff that bring out the best in the students, challenge them to have a growth mindset, support their social-emotional learning and foster self-regulation.

I am proud of our Grade six teacher who challenged her students to collaborate on a fantastic public speaking enterprise and they delivered a near perfect recital of The Grinch Who Stole Christmas story. A teacher whose students run a classroom economy and are becoming more and more financially literate and gaining lifelong skills.

I am proud of our Grade 4/5 teacher who collaborates with and reaches out to colleagues regularly for feedback and seeks input about how to push or support or inspire this student or that one. A teacher who learns and challenges her growth mindset alongside her students.

I am proud of the Educational Assistant who tirelessly supports the social-emotional development of a student who beamed so brightly as she sang that it lit up the whole gymnasium.

I am proud of our Grade 7 teacher who comits so much enthusiasm and thoughtful planning for our students that will be transitioning to high school at the end of this year. He believes in his students, even in Boomwhacking for the show! A teacher who is always thinking ahead and asking questions about what might be the next boost for these kids and identifying what strength he can build on. These students are a true unit under his guidance, as empathetic a group as they come.

I am proud of the Educational Assistant who supports our newest learners with subtle (and some direct 🙂 nudges that help these children keep up with the new demands of school. A person who is is always helping kids to take pride in their accomplishments.

I am proud of the Kindergarten/Grade 1 teacher that sets the conditions for success, finding the next bar at the right height for the students to climb to. An educator who connects big ideas and inspires curiosity and reflection in these eager young minds.

I am proud of the school secretary that goes above and beyond to make sure teachers have materials they need and students/parents and guests are welcomed in the building. A person who steps up and keeps things clicking along without hiccup.

I am proud of the Grade 1/2 teacher who makes it a priority for her students to have fun, to be mindful and to care for one another. A teacher who understands play is learning and laughs merrily with her students.

I am proud of the Educational Assistant who draws attention to student strengths as they may miss them themselves. A person who reinforces positive choices by engaging with students, not alongside them.

I am proud of the teacher who moved from the classroom and took on a wide variety of learning support roles. A teacher who has jumped into this new learning and demonstrates her understanding that for students to be learning, we need to be learning. Her support of students and colleagues builds collaborative networks so that no one is getting left behind.

I am proud of the Educational Assistant who builds such strong connections with students that when they can find no other outlet, they seek her out. She is a rock for them and they know she cares about them, not what they do. A person who will support a child all the way from struggling to enter a classroom to that same child participating in an assembly.

I am proud of the teacher who has taken on a new learning support role to work with her colleagues. A teacher who is looking to put best practice in place and grow with her colleagues.  With her calm demeanor and thoughtful attention to students, she always brings an informed perspective.

I am proud of the Grade 3/4/5 teacher who’s organization of learning intentions and focus on criteria, with high expectations allows students to meet these expectations. An educator who brings her professionalism to everything she does and helps to push us collectively to better outcomes for kids.

I was asked recently what program I was proud of at the school, and while I am proud of many programs we have undertaken at Devereaux, my pride is in the students that give it all they can every day and the teachers and support staff that get them to find a little bit more.