At the beginning of December, I heard Robin Sharma speak. One of his questions to us was this: What can you do to make 2012 the best year yet?

Most of us probably consider this question every year about this time. We generate a list of good intentions. We make grand plans for the coming year. And yet, if you’re like me, mid-January rolls around and I have forgotten some of those intentions and the grand plans are just that, plans. Life, fatigue and old habits get in the way of the changes we intend to make.

So the questions begs, how do we move from intention to action? For myself, when my intentions come to fruition it is because I have set daily manageable goals that I literally check off when I achieve them. I need a number to strive for or a checklist to complete. Whether it be increased exercise, healthy eating, staying in better touch with friends, paying down debt, weight loss or a weekly game night with family, we must believe that our goal is possible to achieve.

L. Ron Hubbard once said, “Dreams, goals, ambitions – these are the stuff man uses for fuel.”

Fire yourself up for the new year… begin with the end in mind… turn those intentions into action… put first things first… make 2012 your best year yet!

 

Many years ago as my niece was about to unwrap her gift, someone asked her what she thought it was. Her matter-of-fact response: “I always know it’s a book from Auntie Karen!” And she’s right, I suppose. When I consider all the shopping I’ve done during this Christmas season, I have to admit, most of my shopping was done (SPOILER ALERT) at a bookstore.

One of my favourite parts of the holiday break is curling up on the couch, with the fireplace on, cracking open a new book: nowhere to go except the depths of the pages within my hands. And nothing beats sharing a new book with a child. The quiet moment on the couch amid the mess of Christmas morning. The wide-eyed wonderment as you get to the end of the book and the immediate, “Read it again!” at its conclusion.

Fifth grade teacher Rafe Esquith has said: “This I believe: If young people develop a love of reading, they will have better lives.” Sean Covey has said, “I believe that the simple act of a parent reading to his or her child each day for fifteen minutes could change the world!”

Reading opens our minds to endless possibilities. Reading provides connection to others in our world. Reading is an escape. Reading empowers. Reading enlightens, delights and inspires.

Reading changes lives.

Get thee to a bookstore: give a book this Christmas.

 

This week it became clear just how much my faith is a part of me. I cannot separate my beliefs from my ‘being’ as a family member, teacher, friend or citizen. It is simply who I am. When I think, speak or act, my faith is my foundation.

Over 15 years ago, I spent a brief two months teaching in a public school district. Yet I always knew I wanted to teach within a Catholic school. I simply cannot imagine celebrating this time of year without faith as a foundation. I cannot imagine helping our students deal with the death of their mother or the injustices against them without prayer, without references to God. I cannot imagine celebrating the mysteries of life without my belief in their creation.

I am comforted by the knowledge that there is something bigger than myself, something unexplainable, yet something that connects me with my dad and grandparents gone before me. My faith provides my hope and strength. I cannot set it aside.

I am who I am.

 

Okay, perhaps I’m a sucker for happy endings, whether it be a good book, a movie or real life.  Reality is, chapters are often cut short and we can’t edit the tragedy out of real life.

And though there are disappointments in life, there is happiness too. Rediscovering a treasured ornament as you decorate the Christmas tree. The birth of a third son. A gentleman who unexpectedly gives up his parking stall when cars are circling the lot. The excitement of a gym full of students ready to inline-skate. A surprise visit from a friend carrying flowers. The generosity of colleagues when all are tired and taxed. The student who says to another, “Thank you for not going along with your classmates but standing up for what you think is right.” Curling with your mom. The comfort of a cuddle toy. Rekindling a love for the violin. The uninhibited giggles during a game of ‘Simon Says.’ The sweet taste of a persimmon. A car adorned with antlers and a red nose. The perfection of a single snowflake.

If we live our lives moment to moment we can find the happiness within. No editing required.

 

What can we provide for our students each day? Besides teaching the curriculum, we are the constancy in some of their lives. Many of our students have secure, safe and loving families. Others do not. Children in these circumstances often question their self-worth and exhibit symptoms of anxiety and depression. There is research to show that many of the children who overcome the odds stacked against them, had a significant positive adult in their lives. Those children who demonstrate resiliency in the face of adversity, tragedy or trauma typically had someone in the background providing a window into another way of living or support when all else seemed desolate.

If we truly believe words change worlds, why can’t daily interactions between a child-at-risk and a significant adult impact that child’s life? Lisa Bostock has said, “Positive relationships, at any age in the life span, can help improve poor self-image. People who take an interest, who listen, who care and love people, make others feel better. They bolster self-esteem.”

As you read this, I am sure you are thinking of a child-at-risk. Reach out to that individual tomorrow: say hello, ask about the weekend, show you care, value her presence. After all, “rain and sun are to the flower as praise and encouragement are to the human spirit.” Mario Fernandez.

The idea of teaching has certainly undergone transformation in the last few decades with the onslaught of technological advances. In the world of Google, our students have the ability to access information, facts and data within seconds from the comfort of their desk, their bedroom or their couch.

I have heard the questions raised, “Is it necessary to teach our students information that they can now so easily access? Why bother? Forget the content and teach them the skills they need to function and survive in our world.”

As I ponder these questions and comments, I imagine a school in which only skills are taught – not content knowledge. My question becomes, in what context would we teach these skills?

In Language Arts, we teach the skills of reading, writing, speaking and listening. What will we read, write and speak about if we take away the content? In Social Studies, we teach the skills of mapping, critical thinking, debate and active inquiry. What will we map, debate or inquire about if not the content information? In Science, we teach the skills of inquiry, research and investigation. It is difficult to inquire, research and investigate ‘nothing’.

So yes, perhaps our students could access information about Magnetism, Trees and Forests, The Cultural Revolution or Child Labour on their own. But would they? If we took away this content within the classroom, our students would not necessarily be exposed to a wide range of ideas and topics. They would not necessarily have the opportunity for rich dialogue and debate about these issues. They would not necessarily push themselves to access information about history: past human failure and success. They would not necessarily have the opportunity to join the culture of shared experience. Our students would not necessarily learn to discriminate and scrutinize the information they gather.

Teaching skills is certainly important. But, despite Google – I use it often, don’t get me wrong – it is still essential we teach content knowledge. The skills and knowledge of our curriculum connect and intertwine perhaps more than we realize. We may be able to ‘Google’ information, but we can’t replace the classroom setting for the opportunities to interact, dialogue and explore.

I saw the Rocky Horror Show at the Citadel this weekend. It reminded me of the dichotomy of conformity versus self-expression. The traditional, conservative in opposition to the free-spirited expression of those sometimes deemed at the edge. I often think of my mother who taught high school for many years. Where others would notice and perhaps judge the differences – the attempts at self-expression – my mother did not. To her credit, she did not even seem to notice. She accepted all students for who they were.

Do we expect conformity in our classrooms?

Do we permit those experimenting with their self-expression to ‘try-on’ various personas and styles?

Do we allow students in our school to take risks or do we have an expected, required idea of ‘good’ or ‘model’ students?

Do we make assumptions about our students based on their behaviour or appearance, without considering their life experience?

Do we value our students for who they are… even when we might not understand them?

 

Last week I saw a rabbit: a white rabbit sitting on the dry, brown lawn. I marvel at the rabbit’s ability to adapt to the season, albeit a tad early this winter.

Being at a new school this year, I myself have had to adapt. It’s the same job, the same position and yet still it was necessary to adapt to the environment and current culture. And really, each year we begin with a new class, we must adapt to the needs, strengths and interests of our students.

At our meeting last Thursday, we explored some pedagogical questions. Many of you walked away from that meeting thinking about how you might adapt your planning and teaching. I suppose to be most successful, we should live our work lives in a constant cycle of plan… act… reflect… adapt.

This week is the 10th anniversary of my father’s death. As Multiple Sclerosis affected his body, he was constantly adapting to the limitations placed on him. Over time, he lost the ability to walk, work, care for himself, feed himself, talk and ultimately to move. And yet – somehow – he did not complain. He found ways to adapt to his changing reality and lived life to his last day.

If one thing is certain, our world is in constant flux. We are forced to adapt to our changing realities. We can never truly predict what tomorrow will bring. The rabbits are likely hoping for snow…

Think of a teacher who influenced you when you were in school… What did he or she do to make a difference in your day?

The teachers that come to mind for me are ones who made connections to my life and who were passionate about what they were teaching. They obviously loved their jobs.

Twenty-five, thirty years after the fact, I remember the feelings I had sitting in the classrooms of my favourite teachers. I don’t remember the specifics of what they taught me, but I do remember feeling appreciated and inspired. I remember knowing that I could take risks without fear of embarrassment. I remember looking forward to each day to see what my teachers had planned. I remember experiencing the joy of learning.

Unfortunately, I also remember the feelings I had sitting in the classrooms of teachers whom I remember for very different reasons: feelings of boredom, confusion and frustration. Teachers who did not seem to enjoy their jobs. Teachers tainted by negativity. Teachers who seemed bored themselves.

How do your students see you? Do you make the effort to connect with them each day? Do you love what you do? Is there joy in your classroom and in our school?

“To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts.” Henry David Thoreau

Do you have a favourite book? A book you return to that calms or comforts or inspires?

I recently opened a Nero Wolfe book again. A friend suggested I do so. I had been feeling upset and unsettled without explanation. Even my comfort food didn’t help me to feel better. Yet I opened the pages of that book and before long I was transported back to the old brownstone, reunited with characters I know well and distracted from my own worries.

Why wouldn’t we teach kids the power of words? Today they certainly transformed my mood. Maybe I’m an anomaly. Or maybe, just maybe, there are some kids out there like me who find solace between the pages of a book…