Do you ever question why people stand in the middle of a grocery store aisle seemingly oblivious to the fact that they are blocking your way? Do you wonder why students sometimes wield unkind language towards their peers? Do you wonder why some parents seem to make a mountain out of a molehill?

When we encounter people – children or adults – who act or react in ways we don’t understand, we can be quick to cast judgements. And yet most individuals are doing the best they can with the skills, circumstance and knowledge they have.

After taking my grandmother out for her 91st birthday today, I was reminded how much our life experience shapes who we are. These experiences are hidden to most others. Though we may see the choices someone makes, we cannot see what leads them to these choices, positive or negative.

Perhaps the stranger at the grocery store is distracted by a recent medical diagnosis. Perhaps the student hurling words at a classmate, heard those same words directed at him that very morning. Perhaps the parent is dealing with her own insecurities and fear. Perhaps we will never know ‘why’ as the answers lie deep within the past.

What I do know: today I will do my best and that is all I can expect of others.

 

I recently finished reading The End of Your Life Book Club. Will Schwalbe recounts the final years of his mother’s life; the chemotherapy treatments, the countless medical appointments and the many ‘lasts’ one experiences when confronting death are punctuated by the books they read. The books themselves span the gamut from humorous to spiritual, mystery to memoir, classic to contemporary.

On the last page of the book, the author sums up his mother’s feelings about the printed word: “She never wavered in her conviction that books are the most powerful tool in the human arsenal, that reading all kinds of books, in whatever format you choose – electronic (even though that wasn’t for her) or printed, or audio – is the grandest entertainment, and also is how you take part in the human conversation.”

While reading the book, I kept thinking, I’d love to converse with the author and his mother. I wanted to join in their discussions and debate. I wanted to share their love of words and books.

When I closed the cover one final time, I realized I was doing just that. Through the act of reading, I was part of their conversation. I was sharing with them their love of words and books.

Reading allows us to enter the human conversation which defies both time and distance. Reading reveals possibilities not otherwise considered, changes our thoughts, cultivates empathy and expands our experiences. Reading is one grand conversation.

As Will asked his mother, I now ask you, “What are you reading?”

 

Last week when we returned from Spring Break the students were ecstatic to discover that a cavern had formed under the snow leading to several tributaries. Thank goodness for rubber boots! The other night, my four year old niece let loose and danced her heart out. Her giggles and exuberance were contagious. A few days ago I brought a pomegranate to school for my ESL students to try. I was thanked as if I had brought them each a suitcase full of cash.

Children have the ability to live in the moment, enjoy nature’s surprises and relish new experiences. They radiate pure happiness. How lucky we are to be surrounded by them each day!

If you have ever visited the happiest place on earth, you would likely agree that the service, the cleanliness and the experience exceed expectations. In fact, the Disney service model has been studied by corporations worldwide.

The more I learn about the Disney philosophy, the more I notice the ‘begin with the end in mind’ approach. Simply put, Disney’s goal is to create happiness. They have written specific service guidelines for both cast members and management. Specific behaviours are listed under each guideline outlining how to achieve the end goal.

An example presented to Disney employees: how do you answer the question, “What time is the 3:00 parade?” It would be tempting to give a snide, sarcastic response. However at Disney, employees are taught how to answer that question informatively and respectfully.

At Disneyland, the guest experiences are of utmost importance. Should not the same be true for us within a school? Shouldn’t we too have pride in our environment and teach our students to do the same? Our attention to detail and our day to day behaviour should demonstrate that we value our environment and each person within: students, colleagues, parents and guests. Despite temptation, despite fatigue and frustration, despite seemingly silly questions, sarcasm and condescension have no place either at Disneyland or in a school.

Turns out, we can all learn a few things from dear old Walt. After all, wouldn’t you like to work at the happiest place on earth?

Perhaps the best part of Friday night was the realization that the alarm clock need not go on. Low and behold Saturday morning I awoke at regular time and could not sleep. And yet, I reveled in the realization that I did not have to get up and that a week of non-alarm clock mornings lay ahead.

In the field of education, we often hear snide remarks about the amount of vacation time we have. Yet this week I witnessed the increasing restlessness of the students and the fatigue of the staff after the marathon of report cards. The emotional, physical and mental toll was evident.

Those of us who work in that building called school understand the necessity of this break and how deserved it is for those who work within. Others may scoff at us. I say, enjoy…

Continue reading “Teachers: more than meets the eye”

After hearing Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish speak at convention, I shook his hand and bought his book, I Shall Not Hate. I read it this week and though I understand the individual words on the page, I struggle to understand the world he portrays.

… the oldest of nine children growing up in a refugee camp in the Gaza Strip… all living in one room 3 metres by 3 metres, no running water, no electricity, no toilets… his mother cutting a banana to share between her nine children… the family left homeless after their home was bulldozed to widen the road for tanks… working through the night and attending school during the day… living amongst hatred, discrimination and war… the unpredictable and often humiliating ordeal of crossing the border between Palestine and Israel which he did many years, twice a week…losing three daughters and a niece to the shelling of his home…

Through the world of words I enter a foreign land and into the life of another. I am reminded how fortunate I am to live where and when I do. The details of his reality are incomprehensible to those of us living in a world of freedom and security.

And yet, despite his circumstances, this man is an advocate, a doctor, a father, a humanitarian, one might even say an optimist. As the world searches for peace and reconciliation, let us look to Dr. Abuelaish for inspiration.

Take comfort today knowing you are safe and educated, that you have food to eat and a place to call home. Share stories with your students to open their eyes to the world beyond their own. And the next time you sing O Canada, relish the reality of these words: the true north strong and free. How very blessed we are.

 

 

Despite the freebies and inevitable purchases, there is one thing much more valuable that I take away from convention each year: a renewed sense of purpose. Dr. Yong Zhao spoke of a learning environment where we strive to enhance the inherent value in each student. Taylor Mali reminded us that we are in the greatest job in the world. Izzeldin Abuelaish emphasized how lucky we are to work day in and day out with our most precious resource: our children.

Education is often deemed the one thing that can change the world. Too bad more of our politicians don’t agree. Yet regardless of what the politicians believe or what the statistics in the Fraser Report denounce, I feel privileged to be a part of this profession.

As thousands of teachers come together for our annual convention, there is a collective understanding in the room: people who get it, who live it, who breathe it. People who know that what we do makes a difference in the lives of children. People who know that our roles involve much more than curriculum, report cards and test scores.

Yes, we could study, analyze and compare the data. Or, we could exchange anecdotes about our interactions with individuals each and every day. Which would tell us more about the difference we make in the lives of children? After all, our students are more than simply a number on a page.

Where does one find solace in this world? On Friday I found it in Kindergarten. There was the little ragamuffin constantly pulling up her falling pants. The tooth that fell out in the middle of the lesson. The cheering and excitement that followed for that lost tooth. There was the genuine concern for the classmate who had surgery just days before. There was the elation of creating the letter ‘j’ with play dough. There was laughter, warmth and enthusiasm for life.

Despite the challenges and uncertainty we sometimes face, my time in Kindergarten reminded me of the tenderness, transparency and grace of children. I was surrounded by the beauty of life itself.

If you are needing a little solace, seek out a child: the world just may seem a little brighter.

 

There seemed to be a lot of sadness the last few weeks: illness, sudden death, the disclosure of abuse. At these times, it can be difficult to know just what to say to provide comfort to those in the midst of turmoil. And though the right words are sometimes elusive, as Dumbledore once said to Harry, “Words are, in my not so humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic.”

Though words can’t change reality or circumstance, they have incredible power, magic if you will. Words can provide hope in moments of darkness. Words can transform our mood. They can console and comfort. They can uplift and inspire. Words can educate, encourage and defend. Words change worlds.