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…

 

Are you doing what you want in your life right now? 10 years ago… 20 years ago would you have predicted this is where you’d be? What passion burns inside you waiting to escape? What motivates you? What inspires you?

Peter McWilliams has said, “In reality, serendipity accounts for one percent of the blessings we receive in life, work and love. The other 99 percent is due to our efforts.”

I recently saw a news report of a 100 year-old man who completed a marathon in Toronto. He ran the 42 kilometre race in 8 hours 25 minutes. He began running 20 years ago at the age of 80 and now runs about 16 kilometres each day. His dream was to be the world’s oldest marathon runner… it looks like his efforts have paid off.

Each day is full of possibilities. Each day provides the time and opportunity to reach our goals. Evidently, it is never too late to begin. What is the greatness others see in you? What greatness do you see in yourself? What will you do today to bring this greatness to fruition?

Knowing there are those who cannot see the warm colours of the fall leaves, I am grateful for my sense of sight.

Knowing there are those forced into silence, I am grateful for the opportunity to speak and write freely.

Knowing there are those who fear for their safety every day of their lives, I am grateful to live in Canada, the true north strong and free.

Knowing there are those without loved ones for the first time this Thanksgiving, I am grateful to be surrounded by family and friends.

Knowing there are those without homes, I am grateful for the bills that arrive on my doorstep each month.

Knowing there are those without work, I am grateful for a vocation that satisfies and empowers.

Knowing there are those suffering in pain, I am grateful for my health.

Knowing there are those who are unmotivated and withdrawn from the world, I am grateful to face new challenges each day.

Each day is a gift.

During the last few days I heard many stories of how words changed worlds: both negatively and positively.

A story surfaced about the impact of words uttered many, many years ago by a bully. The emotions were still evident as this individual shared with us the hurt caused by these words. Words can be excruciatingly painful. The torment experienced by those bullied, not with fists but by language, is one that must not be downplayed. Words spoken in mere seconds or etched on a bathroom wall can impact a person’s life indefinitely.

On the other hand, one individual described how as a four-year-old she exclaimed “I can’t” as time after time she tried and failed to hit the baseball. Her dad responded, “If you say you can’t, you won’t. If you say you can, you will.” On the next pitch, she proceeded to hit that ball. More importantly, these words stayed with her and have influenced her still to this day.

Words most certainly have the power to change worlds: they can sustain, inspire, defeat, teach, empower, dishearten or liberate.

How have words changed your world? Care to share?