I can recall many moments of silence in my life. It is in those moments when I have found clarity, made some of the biggest decisions of my life and have even been the most creative. Do kids these days ever have moments of true silence or even boredom? As I was driving at 6:45 the other morning I noticed a van beside me playing a movie for the kids in the backseat. Now, I’m not judging. Just thinking. Are there moments when kids don’t have a television, tablet or telephone in their clutches? Are there moments when they do not have external stimulation? Are there moments when they are ‘forced’ to be creative and just play?

Speaking of stimulation, I’ve noticed that I myself rarely do one thing at a time any more. While watching television, I’m often on the computer. During commercials, I’m flipping to watch another channel. While waiting in line, I’m checking email. While washing dishes, I’m talking on the telephone. Multitasking does not often afford the luxury of deep, reflective thinking.

At one point in my life, I remember finding silence and even experiencing boredom. That concept now sometimes seems unattainable with all of the stimulation around us. We must be deliberate in turning off all devices and choosing silence. How long could you go without your television, tablet or telephone? Does the very idea frighten you? In that silence and lack of stimulation, we might just discover our true thoughts, our true selves.

In moments of ‘boredom’ as a child, my brothers and I would soon be creating worlds out of lego… we would find ourselves outside in a pick-up game of shinny with the neighbourhood kids… the warm playdough mom just made would soon be animals, real and imagined… pencil, paper and crayons came together to create story. In moments of silence, dreams of my future bubbled in my brain. I would hate to rob today’s children of those experiences.

“Nothing is more useful than silence.” (Menander 342 – 292 BC) 

Indeed. Silence can nourish us in unexpected ways. Try it sometime…

 

Last Wednesday, one of my students asked, “What do you do at teachers’ convention?” I explained that convention is our turn to learn, giving a few specific examples. He looked at me intently and said, “Don’t you know those things already?”

On Friday morning, Roberta Bondar answered his question perfectly… we must always allow room to relearn, reassess, reevaluate, shift or change our viewpoint. Our understanding of the world is limited to today’s understanding. We do not know who we will be or what we might discover tomorrow.

So, what did I learn at convention this year? I learned to appreciate much in my life: freedom of speech, access to food any time I please, the view of the sky, the compassion of those around me. I learned to appreciate the predictability of my days and the enormity of my freedom. I learned the power of an individual with a heart open to forgiveness. I learned that though the problems in our world are daunting, education is often the answer.

From whom did I learn this? Amanda Lindhout spoke about the 460 days she was held captive in Somalia. She, and others during convention, reinforced the power of education. It is only in its absence, that we come to realize its power. Lindhout’s Somali captors were boys really, most of them orphaned, all of them with violent, famished pasts: education no more than a dream. As she came to know her young captors over many months, she realized that these boys were much the same as boys their age in Canada… yet without opportunity.

Had these children been educated, perhaps they would not have sought belonging in the violent endeavours of this group. Had these children been educated, perhaps they would have seen how they could have a positive impact in the world. Had these children been educated, perhaps they would seek ways to improve the living conditions of their country. Had these children been educated, perhaps they would live in hope rather than day to day desperation.

Is there value in convention then? Did I shift or reevaluate my perspective? Will I return to school a better educator, a better leader?

I will return with a renewed sense of purpose and a newfound gratitude for this place we call school.

There is always value in learning.

 

As many of you know, I read a daily reflection by Robin Sharma. A few weeks ago, the entry was this: “Saying that you don’t have time to improve your thoughts and your life is like saying you don’t have time to stop for gas because you are too busy driving. Eventually it will catch up with you.”

The same could be said for teaching. Teaching has certainly changed over the last few decades. Our students come to us with much different experience and background knowledge than in the past. The pendulum has swung towards constructivism. Technology has changed the way we approach both teaching and learning. Will Richardson has been quoted as saying, “If you’re comfortable with education today you’re not paying attention.”

If we continue to move forward thinking we can teach as we did previously, we’re missing the point. We must always take the time to improve our thoughts and our practice. My favourite ways are to learn from others: I read, dialogue and visit other classrooms. In the words of Stephen Covey, I sharpen the saw.

What do you do to improve your thoughts and your practice? How do you sharpen your saw each day?

…don’t forget to stop for gas…

 

I love my job. There is never a dull moment in an elementary school. Whether it be the need for yet another ice pack, the mystery of a missing shoe, separation anxiety, a bloody nose or a stuck zipper… the days are certainly never dull.

Last week, a little one told me she was going to take something to “the lost and fountain.” Another skipped her way back to her desk with an imagined rope and a wide grin, no audience intended. And still another caught me ‘running’ in the hall and asked, “what’s the hurry?” Good question. As I was reading with a group of grade three students the other day, one of them said, “Let’s make a deal.” She proceeded to say that if the group made ‘no mistakes’ – and it didn’t count as a mistake if they helped each other – they could use the white boards and I would challenge them with difficult words. “Deal.” A teacher’s dream, actually.

When I consider what I learned in university, nothing could have prepared me for those unanticipated moments. And to be honest, it is those moments that give flavour to my day.

Yes, I do love my job.

Many years ago I went to the Body Worlds exhibit. You know the one: human bodies on display preserved through a process called plastination. The overwhelming feeling I had visiting this exhibit was one of awe.

How is it that we function each and every day? Our bodies are a miraculous mass of cells working together seemingly inexplicably. It struck me as nothing short of extraordinary that we function everyday as we do given the complexity of our bodies and brains.

I recently read the book My Stroke of Insight by Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor. Dr. Taylor, a brain scientist, experienced a massive stroke in 1996. In the book she chronicles her experience including the stroke itself and her eight-year recovery. She was forced to relearn all of the things she had once learned as a toddler and young child.

Again I was struck with a sense of awe.

The human body’s capability to learn, relearn, adapt to our environment, process external stimuli, understand our spacial world, generate meaning from a string of symbols… all seem incredible feats. These capabilities exist in most of us, most of the time, without our even thinking about them.

I marvel at the learning that goes on each day with our students. Given the complexity of the human brain it is no surprise that we have students who find learning difficult. It can be a puzzle to determine precisely what the difficulty might be. We may never fully understand the science behind their learning difficulties, but we can certainly uncover strategies to help all students learn.

I cannot even begin to imagine all that is at work right now in my brain as I type these words!

This week, along with many of you, I heard David Wells speak. He made me laugh and he made me cry. His physical comedy, timing and poignancy struck a chord.

“Don’t miss the point.”

What is it in your life that you don’t want to miss?

Your children or grandchildren as they discover and explore their world? An unfulfilled dream? The stories told and retold by your parents or grandparents? The honesty of our students? Relationships with siblings, fondly considered friends? The creative energy of colleagues? The friendships of those who inspire, encourage or make you laugh? The thrilling possibilities of a new work day? The quiet moments with the one you love most?

Whatever it is, don’t miss the point.

Live today.

Do you find joy in your job? Do you go home eager to share stories about your day? Can you identify others on staff who enjoy their jobs?

We spend most of our waking hours at work. Studies have shown that those people deemed happiest in our society are those who find purpose in their work.

I would expect that most of our students could identify the staff members who enjoy their jobs. They know whether or not we want to be at work each day. They know whether or not we find happiness in what we do. They know too, if we are stressed or frustrated.

No matter where we work, we will face difficult situations. That we cannot avoid. Sometimes we deal with difficult individuals. Sometimes we do not agree with the decisions that are made. Sometimes we feel like we are spinning our wheels.

Yet what we do each day within a school, whatever our job, is important. We are all pieces to a puzzle, not complete without each other. As we come together each day, why not make the overall picture a joyful one?

“Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day.” Henri Nouwen

Rewind to my first year of teaching. Grade one. I’m hanging my students’ artwork. As a newbie teacher I’d happily ‘borrowed’ the idea from my colleagues. Happily that is, until I am stapling the so-called artwork to the bulletin board. “This isn’t art,” I hear myself saying. All 24 are precisely the same. Okay, perhaps there is some variation distinguishable at close inspection. Virtually though, 24 carbon copies.

From that moment on, I vow not to lead my students through crafts: the copying of steps, ultimately creating the same product. I vow to teach my students art: to draw out their creativity and individuality, to introduce skills and techniques, to teach them to reflect, create, appreciate and interpret visual symbols.

Over the years, art became one of my favourite subjects to teach. I challenged myself to find ways to teach colour, line, texture, shape, design, proportion – still allowing my students to express themselves, valuing their inventiveness to create a product all their own.

Pablo Picasso once said, “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.” Let’s not squelch the artist within our students sooner than seems to happen naturally with age! Ensure that your students can identify their own work from the bulletin board because their choices within their composition are deliberate and purposeful. Capitalize on a child’s fearlessness, ingenuity and self-confidence while it still exists. Allow the instinct of a child to create, discover and explore to infiltrate your art lessons.

If you want 24 carbon copies, use the photocopier.

I was lucky enough to receive some gifts this Christmas. Some very thoughtful gifts, in fact. My favourite though was from one of my brothers. He donated, on behalf of our family, to a unicef project entitled K.I.N.D (Kids In Need of Desks).

I don’t know about you but I take our desks for granted each day. I’m sure most of our students do as well. Our desks have never been a cause for celebration or driven our students to burst into song. Besides the odd time I’ve ordered them, I have never really given them much thought. Never considered not being able to afford desks for our school. Never really thought about the alternative: sitting on a cement floor all day, every day. And then I watched the video and read the article at the following link:

http://www.unicefusa.org/news/news-from-the-field/kids-in-need-of-desks-malawi.html

Brother, thank you for reminding me how fortunate we are to live in Canada… how fortunate we are to have the resources we need in school each day… how fortunate we are to be able to meet not only our spiritual and academic needs but our basic physical needs as well.

According to the article, “four out of five students in Malawi are still without desks, and in all of sub-Saharan Africa there are 45 million children who are unable to go to school.”

Ultimately, my brother’s gift was a reminder: yes, I’d say we have it pretty good here.

I marvel at the spunk and energy of my 89 year old grandmother. She doesn’t look 89 years old. She doesn’t act 89 years old. Her positive attitude and life of hard work are certainly cause for pause. I wonder… What keeps her so young? What keeps her from complaining about her aches and pains?

She leads by example and lives in the moment. She is a well-read woman. She is quietly annoyed by others who complain about their lives. She has sympathy and empathy for those in need. She gives freely. She loves generously. She is the matriarch of our family. She has great wealth of spirit.

Whether she is watching the Oilers, listening to her beloved Daniel O’Donnell or retelling her favourite stories, she certainly has spunk.

Teachers come in many forms: mine takes the form of my 89 year old grandmother. I am one lucky student.