Volume and Complexity - Keeping it Simple

Be honest, never make a decision before you need to, read (and discuss) widely.

These are some gems of advice I've received recently, as I transition from vice-principal to principal over the summer. I've enjoyed reminiscing about the past few years and the experiences I've garnered as a new admin. It was fun and exciting being in the middle of such tumultuous change. I took on my first v.p. job part way through a school year, in the middle of a master's degree, and with a young family in tow. I learned some of the parts of my new role (data collection, supervision of instruction, building management) while also learning how to play ukulele and master various forms of puppetry (Fine Arts teacher). I took on the annual Christmas Concert, taught English as a Second Language/Dialect, led a book study, brewed coffee and shoveled walkways. I loved the "many hats" nature of my job and the ability to work with all students and staff in the school.

When I moved schools last September, the task was to help open a new school -- 700 students from three closing schools coming together into one dual track, K-7 elementary school. We offer a band program, choir, a variety of sports options, Hockey Academy, figure skating, wood shop, Fine Arts specialties and more. We are close to local downhill mountain biking trails and many field trips capitalise on this opportunity. We share our building with a daycare and preschool business, as well as a Strong Start facility. To say this last year was complex is the understatement of the year!

As I prepare for another move and the transition to my first principalship, I am feeling excited and not a little nervous. I will be in two schools, both small and rural. They are very well resourced and have excellent teaching and support staff. I think the piece that keeps gnawing at me is how to "keep it simple" in the face of such complexity. I will do my best to keep the simple goals in the forefront of my mind, and to make good use of my PLN. I'll continue reading the great blogs out there (thanks to @justintarte, @hatcherelli and @jvincentsen) and tackle a few more professional reads over the summer. Most of all, I'll be taking some time to reduce the volume, reduce the complexity, and enjoy some rest time. Sometimes the best preparation is taking time to relax!

Vision Reimagined

I will be a vice principal for a few more days. Then I will begin to wrap up this part of my career, and look forward to a new stage. I've spent so many days working on becoming an administrator, and a few years as a vice principal learning from my colleagues. It feels strange to be moving to a new school and taking on this new role.

I am keenly aware of the need to continue learning from the students and teachers I work most closely with, and to cultivate a growth mindset in my interactions with other colleagues. I think what is affecting me most profoundly is this fresh opportunity to recreate myself, to reinvest with purpose in my growth as a learner and a leader.

I am very excited to close out my school year with another visit to UBC to participate in the annual Short Course. I think it will be an excellent way to refuel after an exciting (but exhausting) school year. I look forward to making new connections and catching up with friends. I know I will come away with new eyes and fresh ideas.

I am interested to hear from others what works for them when they transition into new roles, as leaders and learners. I am eager to learn about the cultures at my new schools (2 rural schools), and find my niche with my new colleagues. If you have any suggestions or ideas, any and all feedback is welcome.

Pay Yourself First

It's all about balance...

I've been reading Swiss Family Robinson to my kids before bedtimes, and every night we end up looking something up on Google. First it was the roast ortolan (check out this YouTube video, if you dare: http://bit.ly/tdRgk), then the cat-like creature, and most recently manioc meal. My children are fascinated by the myriad ways the stranded adventurers met their most basic needs. The family in the story is necessarily consumed with providing for their food and shelter in an extreme situation. While my children might not be able to relate to the struggle for survival on a desert island, they are certainly aware of the pressures placed on caring for oneself in our modern Western society. Similarly, recent discussions with colleagues have highlighted for me the frequent struggle to maintain balance and the inclination to place many priorities ahead of one's own self care. I, for one, often struggle to maintain personal balance in the face of professional pressures and demands on my time.

Research tells us that it is when we are confronted by our most difficult or stressful situations that we must be most vigilant in maintaining balance in our lives. This necessitates making time in our lives for activities that are relaxing, bring pleasure and create a sense of purpose or accomplishment (see note 1).

So what can we do to take care of ourselves with such busy schedules? In “The ABCs of Managing Teacher Stress” Liza Nagel and Sheri Brown discuss several practical ideas (see note 2).

• Acknowledge the source of stress and what exacerbates it
• Exercise to reduce the secretion of stress hormones
• Meditation and deep breathing can help create emotional balance
• Collegial conversations encourage positive outlets and solutions
• Adopt effective time management strategies

Stress-coping strategies should take into account a holistic approach that considers all aspects of a person's life. In addition, one must consider building resistance to stress, as it will not always be possible to negate the impact of it on our lives. (see note 3). Another way to think of this is to consider what are the characteristics of a healthy organisation, and then develop appropriate personal and organisational practices. Some characteristics of a healthy school could include:

• consultative decision making
• consensus based on shared values
• clearly defined roles and expectations
• positive feedback and praise
• clearly defined policies and procedures
• robust support for new colleagues (see note 3)

The challenge is to put all of this into practise. I've set aside regular time for reflection and writing, but an emergent situation always seems to arise. I do my best to keep up with professional reading, but there always seems to be another great novel on the top of my pile. I'm working at fostering outside interests and squeezing them into my schedule. Perhaps I need to adopt a policy of “no more buts”. I also think it would be advice well taken to remember the Wealthy Barber's mantra of “pay yourself first”. I'd be happy to hear how others are managing balance in their lives.


1. Brooks, Robert B.. The Power of Resilience: Achieving Balance, Confidence and Personal Strength in Your Life, McGraw-Hill, 2004.
2. Nagel, Liza and Brown, Sheri (2003) “The ABCs of Managing Teacher Stress,” The Clearing House, 76:5.
3. Kyriacou, Chris (2001) “Teacher Stress: Directions for Future Research,” Educational Review 53:1, 27-35.
4. Steyn, G.M. And Kamper, G.D. (2006) “Understanding Occupational Stress among educators: an overview,” Africa Education Review, 3:1, 113-133.

The World Peace Game

John Hunter works with 4th grade students on a project he calls The World Peace Game. Together, they solve the problems of the world. Sound incredible? Watch the TED talk to discover how these children engage in a truly remarkable process.



I'm grateful that this sort of innovative teaching is going on. John Hunter's out-of-the-box approach to teaching and learning is truly inspirational.

edcamp Prince George

I had this idea in the middle of the night that hosting an edcamp, like the one I've been hearing about in Vancouver recently, would be a great way to inspire local educators. I have been feeling disenchanted with the way pro-d and conferences are run – the “stand and deliver” model, or “sage on the stage” is not working for me lately! I realised that I need to learn more about what edcamp is: Is it offered in other cities? How would I get one organised for my city? Who are the “experts” that I might contact to inform/help me? Who could I contact locally that might buy in to the idea and help me “sell” it? How could I arrange it so it tapped into the local pro-d calendar, as well as nearby districts? How could I attract attendees from out of district? How can I get myself to an edcamp so I know a little more about them?

Here is some of what I've discovered so far:

• David Wees's (@davidwees) post on his blog, 21^st Century Educator: http://bit.ly/ee0ito

• Chris Wejr (@MrWejr) on “Reflections of an EdCamper": http://bit.ly/gnv8Z5

• Planning an EdCamp, a four part series by Mary Beth Hertz (@mbteach) on edutopia.org: http://bit.ly/bb0Eu2

• The official edcamp wiki: http://bit.ly/9F5Zhu

• An article on PLP by M.E. Steele-Pierce (@steelepierce) on the Unconference: http://bit.ly/gj0OA6

While this list is not comprehensive, it is certainly fueling my enthusiasm and is somewhere to start. I've also thought to contact a couple folks with local connections to the teacher pro-d and admin pro-d committees. I'd like to tap into the folks who organised the Vancouver event, and will continue to follow the posts on Twitter with #edcamps.

Part of my inspiration is from the folks I follow and read about through Twitter and the blogosphere. How do I share the power of this with my local colleagues? Folks like Cale Birk, Justin Tarte, George Couros (and Connected Principals), Chris Kennedy, David Wees, Tim Winkleman, Tom Altpeter, Chris Wejr, Tom Whitby, Eric Sheninger, David Truss, Mary Beth Hertz, Kelly Tenkely, and so many more get me really jazzed about working in schools. I want to share the enthusiasm I feel from being connected with these people. I want to be one of the people who helps shape the culture of my district and our profession. I want to be an exceptional, influential educational leader, and not so I can stand at the front of a conference room like some kind of rock star, but to help lead my profession in new and innovative directions, to provide an exceptional learning environment for our students and my children and a rich and fulfilling working environment for educators.

One final note: I've been blogging for one month now, and I'm amazed by the rejuvenative effects I've felt. Reading, writing and thinking are restoring a balance that had been lost for me. Thanks to those who have helped me along thus far!

What's your sentence?

I was recently inspired by Daniel Pink's "What's Your Sentence?" project to try something similar with the staff at our school. We are a newly amalgamated elementary school, and were in need of a focus, a mission. I pitched the idea at a staff meeting, and while no one groaned outwardly or rolled their eyes, I could feel the temperature drop in the room. Over the next few days I heard through the grapevine about the grumbling, and started to wonder if this idea was going to bear any fruit. I'm happy to say that I was pleasantly surprised! At first bulleted lists started to arrive in my inbox, then paragraphs started to roll in, and gradually carefully refined sentences. Here are some of the responses:

The list:

• Initiative, Flexibility, Proactive, team player
• Striving for academic and social excellence in a community of respect and caring.
• Our students should endeavor to become well-rounded people who take responsibility and ownership for their own learning and contribute positively to the greater community.
• We are preparing students to be productive, responsible citizens.
• All students are challenged to reach their maximum potential by becoming independent learners and thinkers who are accountable for their own actions and learning.
• The student will enjoy life long learning.
• Our students should learn respect for themselves and others and value inquiry with a critical eye.
• Heather Park provides opportunities for students to achieve their personal best, become responsible and productive citizens, and embrace lifelong learning in a safe and positive environment.
• Ecole Heather Park Elementary: a community where inspiration and caring fosters self discovery, self confidence and success.
• Character (integrity, compassion, persistence), Critical Thinking (problem-solving), Creativity, Collaboration (teaming and leadership), and Communication (writing, public speaking, networking and technology).
• Education is a means by which teachers inspire students to understand the value of learning and hard work, responsibility for one's own actions and thoughts, and developing a self-motivated enthusiasm for success.
• Teachers ignite a passion within their students to be energetic and enthusiastic life-long learners.
• The goal of education is to inspire students to be curious, cultivate tenacity and persistence, and develop an internal drive to value learning in all aspects of life.
• Heather Park Elementary is a community of learners where students are encouraged to become independent critical thinkers who are expected to treat themselves and one another with respect and compassion.

I'm not sure if we're all that much closer to defining our one sentence, but I do feel like we've embarked upon a journey as a team, and that we are working together to identify values and beliefs that inform our work in public education. Our next step will be to sit down together and begin to refine our work, and try to come up with a single sentence.

I have several questions for you. Have you used an activity like this with staff? Did you find the naysayers took away from the discussion appreciably, or did they come around for the most part? Has anyone come up with a really great sentence?

Learning in Depth

Learning in Depth

In a recent post on cultureofyes, Chris Kennedy wrote about Kieran Egan's new book, Learning in Depth. The idea of studying an assigned topic throughout a child's elementary and secondary education is an appealing one for me. It is particularly resonant with me because it sounds like it has some similarities to aspects of a Montessori education (both my children attend our local Montessori program). In addition, I constantly hear teachers talk about the difficulties of addressing the minutae of hundreds of government mandated learning outcomes. So, what purpose does learning something in depth serve? Or in Egan's words, “what is the point of teaching a curriculum crammed with the wonders of human discoveries and inventions when we see most students come out of our schooling system recalling little of this knowledge and with virtually no sense of its wonder?”

In answer, here are 7 of the reasons he gives in support of what deep knowledge does for the mind:

1. Having expertise in a topic and learning how knowledge works helps a student learn about how knowledge works in all areas.

2. Learning, for its own sake, is pleasurable.

3. Learning in depth stimulates the imagination; we cannot be imaginative about what we do not know.

4. Project based learning engages a student in a purposeful social activity, enriching their experience and understanding of moral and deomocratic life.

5. Deep learning gives one a greater insight into themselves, and concommitant wisdom.

6. Learning in depth gives one a sense of how little they actually know, and “humility before the world of knowledge.”

7. There is value to including strategies from both oral and literate cultures in our “cognitive tool kits.”

Learning is certainly a pleasurable pursuit for me: K-12 education; several university degrees; career as an educator; re-learning again through my own children's education. Furthermore, I am fired up by the exchanges I read on Twitter, my favourite blogs, and carry with me to work each day. The process of engaging in a Professional Learning Network (PLN) has revived my desire to engage with my colleagues and to broaden my horizons. Now, I am being prodded in a new direction, and challenged to “go deep with one thing”. (Thanks cultureofyes Chris!)