The Power of Your Words

On World Teacher's Day, a reminder of the impact of our words and actions in a child's life...

For sparking imaginations,
For inspiring creativity,
For igniting passions,
For shaping minds,
For all that you do,
Thank You.

YOU make a DIFFERENCE. 

They Don't Know That They Shouldn't

As someone who knows that relationships are foundational to the success of a school community, I've had some anxious moments these past few months as I faced the daunting prospect of learning the stories of new students and staff. That anxiety comes from the fear that as I am taking the time to understand the diverse complexities and needs of my new school, I will miss something...something or someone might fall through the cracks. 

Of course logically I know that this responsibility is not mine alone. I need to rely on the members of my school community to help add pieces to the puzzle. Counsellors, office and cafeteria staff, custodians, teachers, parents...they each have a role to play in supporting student success. But I still feel the weight of that responsibility. In the end I know that the more I understand about my school community, the better equipped I am to do my job. 

However, some of that anxiety has been laid to rest in these past few weeks. It began even before students arrived, with a steady stream of teachers dropping by my office to introduce themselves in the midst of prepping for a new school year. They were curious about my background and experience. But mostly, they were intent on welcoming me.

And it continued this past week as students began classes. I was blown away as student after student, from grade 8 through 12, came up to me, introduced themselves and shook my hand. They smiled, looked me in the eye and told me how glad they were that I had come to the school. Such warmth and confidence left me speechless.

When I remarked to my Admin partner how overwhelmed and impressed I was by this phenomenon, she simply smiled and responded, "They don't know that it's something that teenagers don't typically do. We've never told them that. They don't know that they "shouldn't", so they do."

That's the remarkable thing about kids. They don't know they can't, unless we tell them.

If we consistently maintain high expectations and believe that they can, they will. These students are compassionate, mature and confident because the adults in their lives believe that they are. Their capacity is endless. 

Moving ahead, although I still feel a heavy sense of responsibility, my anxiety has lessened somewhat... My goal in the coming months is simply to live up to the incredible standards that my students have set. 

Weighty Expectations

It's ok to quit. It's ok to stop doing something that others have come to expect you to do. It's ok to change your mind, to have second thoughts. It's ok to say no.

I'm saying this after a week of observing largely well intentioned challenges and directives to make resolutions and set goals. In addition to these "New Year's" challenges, many individuals are already struggling under the enormous pressure of maintaining expectations that they established in previous years. The weight of others' expectations, intermixed with our own self imposed standards, can be suffocating. Debilitating even.  

We are so incredibly hard on ourselves.

I'm not suggesting that goal setting and establishing high expectations, both for ourselves and for others, is not a valuable and necessary exercise. Although I'm not a big fan of New Year's resolutions, I am a firm believer in taking on new challenges and opportunities, of finding your "edge" and pushing beyond it... But sometimes the weight of either self imposed or external expectations can make it difficult, almost impossible, to change our current trajectory, to re-evaluate, re-assess and forge a new trail. 

I see the impact of these weighty expectations not only on my family, friends and colleagues, but on the students in my school community. With anxiety and mental health issues on the rise, how are our expectations of our students' contributing to this trend? Are our students forging their own paths to success, or simply following a route that others have mapped out for them? Are they pursuing interests and passions that fulfil their purpose and goal, or are they obediently complying with others' expectations of what they should be? 

In the end, I truly believe it's about finding a balance...allowing ourselves to be inspired, motivated and challenged by others, but also giving ourselves permission to shift course, to forge a new path in unexpected and uncertain directions. 

I'm still working to find that balance and although I have more questions than answers, I'm pretty sure it's not something that can be encapsulated in a New Year's resolution or accomplished within the timespan of the year. So I'm giving myself (and others) permission to take their time, to make mistakes, to risk disappointment and even failure. Because some of my most incredible and rewarding opportunities have come to me "by mistake". 

So, here's to more questions than answers, to the journey ahead, to a year filled with possibility and potential... 

Happy New Year. :)

The Quiet Ones

Some students, you just can't help but notice. They're the students whose names you learn first in September. Sometimes it's because they're the first to volunteer to answer a question, or to pick up a notice from the office. And sometimes, it's because they're the one that you've had to ask to stop poking the student sitting next to them, and to please sit down, six times within the first half an hour of class. You know, those ones. For a myriad of reasons, there are students that we just seem to notice.

And then there are the others. The ones who on a busy day, when you haven't gotten to your attendance first thing, you can't quite recall whether or not they were in class. The ones who when the first parent teacher interview comes along in October, you need to look back through your notes to be sure that you're prepared with something to say to the parents. You know, those ones. The quiet ones. For a myriad of reasons, there are students that we just don't seem to notice.

It's hard to write that. It's not something that any educator wants to admit. We do our best to reach out to every student, to learn a little of their story, to support their diverse needs. But with numerous demands on our time, there always seem to be those few students that at the end of a semester, or year, you think to yourself, "I wonder if there was more I could have done?"

The challenge is, that for the most part, the quiet ones tend to do okay. They comply with instructions, follow the daily routines, and make their way through the day without complaint. And yet, they also tend to make their way through their days with very little interaction with their peers. Or with the adults in the building. They are on the periphery our school communities. And that's not ok.

The question that keeps me up at night is, what am I missing if I let the quiet ones slip unnoticed through our hallways day after day? What am I not noticing?

The thing is, I was one of the quiet ones. Those who know me now probably chuckle a little at that... It's not often now that I get described as quiet. But it wasn't until long after school that I began to very consciously push myself outside of that comfortable, quiet place, to find my voice, to feel worthy of being noticed.

And so, as a vice principal of a high school of over 1200 students, and with the help of the members of my school community, I continue to challenge myself to really see those students, the ones who are sometimes doing their very best to remain invisible. Because for that very reason, we need to notice them. Because I don't ever want to ask myself that question again, "I wonder if there was more that I could have done?"

Problems Solvers & Dreamers

Most school administrators by nature are "problem solvers". On a daily basis, we navigate any number of "problems", ranging from the the predictable, to the extreme. And rather than simply being reactive, we do our best to look ahead, to use our judgement and experience to proactively anticipate and respond to possible challenges or obstacles that might otherwise negatively impact our school communities. It's a necessary and valuable skill set. But at the same time, it's a mindset that's difficult to shake at times.

This past week, I had an opportunity to meet with colleagues to engage in some "big picture" conversations, exploring what the future of education might look like for our students- everything from a redesigned curriculum, to reimagining the physical and digital spaces in which that learning will occur. 

But as we engaged in this dialogue, a pattern began to emerge. One person would propose an idea, and then another would systematically list the possible obstacles and challenges. We struggled to shake that deficit based mindset. And really, it's not surprising, because to some extent this is what we're required to do on a daily basis... We're expected to anticipate and respond to challenges. We are the "problem solvers". But as my friend, principal Rob Laing reminded us, we're also the "blue sky" people, the dreamers. 

I'm not suggesting that we spend our days with our heads in the clouds, oblivious to the very real challenges that impact our school communities. Sometimes our students need to us to be the "problem solvers".

But sometimes they just need us to DREAM BIG...

Root to Rise

Finding my edge, on the summit of Mount Baker. 

The one constant in my life is change. 

As such, I've become accustomed to that somewhat uncomfortable feeling that tells me that I'm on the edge of new understanding. I've learned to welcome that feeling, even to seek it out. Having experienced the other side, the amazing growth and insight that comes from pushing past that discomfort, I've gradually learned to embrace change.

But at the same time, I've also come to understand that I can't impose my eagerness, my desire to move forward, onto others. I can share my vision, my passion and my story, but ultimately, individuals must discover their own unique path forward. However, as a school leader, I can help to support the members of my school community as they find that path. And in the same way, I can continue to seek out their support as I move forward in my own learning.

The Innovator's Mindset by George Couros

In yoga, there is a saying, we must root to rise. Essentially, this is a reminder that we need to first ground ourselves in the present, in order to move forwards. Our "roots" provide the stability, the essential foundation that all potential growth results from. If we remain fixated in the past, or alternatively, are only focussed on the future, we lack the stability to initiate meaningful, sustained growth. In yoga, as in life, it's about finding a balance...

Translated into an educational context, rooting to rise suggests that before we are able to integrate new, potentially transformative instructional and assessment practices, we must first have an understanding of where we are now. I am privileged to have been welcomed into a school community that has a rich history, with many valued traditions. As such, it is essential that I take the time to understand the context, the culture, the story of where I am now in order to best support my staff and my students as we move forward into new learning, and new understanding.

Let me just close by stating the obvious, which is that I haven't come to this understanding on my own. As I've made note of in previous posts, I have many teachers in my life. Wise, patient people who generously listen, advise and support me as I continue to make my way on this journey. My hope is that I am able to repay this kindness by providing the same gentle guidance for others.

It All Comes Down To This....

In the midst of hectic schedules, and seemingly unending demands on our time and energy, we sometimes lose our way. We get tired. And frustrated. And impatient.

And then something happens. It's usually something small, something that on any other day would go unnoticed. A student holding a door open for us. A smile in the hallway. A high five in the parking lot. 

And then suddenly, we remember. It's about the kids. And it's all worth it. 

Because it all comes down to this...

One question:
What's best for our kids?

One rule:
Do whatever we can to support them.

Uncovering Creativity

I have a hard time quieting my mind. Although I've practiced yoga for a number of years now, I still struggle with meditation. Instead, I revel in the more physically challenging poses, the ones that push me to find the edges of my strength and flexibility. But ask me to lay still, to quiet my mind, and I'm enormously challenged. Savasana is one such pose that requires a stillness of mind and body. For me, it is by far the most difficult pose. It forces me to strip away the worries and wonderings, to shift into a mindful state of calm and focus.

It strikes me that as a school leader, I need to facilitate this same mindful state of calm and focus in my school community. Often, when we talk about innovation, we tend to focus on providing our staff and students with additional skills and tools. We invest in technologies and professional development that will add to our skills and abilities. But I would argue that innovation is as much about stripping away as it is adding to. If staff and students are already feeling burdened and overwhelmed by the numerous tasks and responsibilities that fill their days, how likely are they to achieve a mindset that will allow for creativity and innovation? 

I believe that this mindful state of calm and focus exists naturally within each one of us. And so, in addition to facilitating the acquisition of new skills and abilities, my role is also to help to strip away some of the burdens that sometimes stifle this natural state of creativity and innovation. With this in mind, I would argue that my challenge is two-fold: to be looking ahead towards continued growth and innovation, but also to be firmly rooted in the present to ensure that I am effectively managing the numerous tasks and responsibilities that are so essential to the functioning of a dynamic school community. My hope is that by working to alleviate some of the more burdensome tasks and responsibilities that might act as obstacles, I can help to uncover this natural state of creativity and innovation that already exists within each one of us.