Christine Ho Younghusband

Trajectory

It’s that time again… the annual election of the BCSTA Board of Directors. The call out for nominees was made and BCSTA members have until the end of March to submit their names. I remained undecided in 2016 if I would run again in 2017. It was already being discussed amongst BCSTA board members who would run for the 2017/18 election. The president of BCSTA had announced that 2016/17 would be her last year. Succession planning was in the minds of many and conversations ensued.

The first time I put my name forward for director in 2013/14, I lost. It was a close race and a great experience. I was elected in the following year and this is my third years as director in 2016/17. I knew that I wanted to run for a third year to support the leadership of the BCSTA president but also provide some expertise, enthusiasm, and edu-value (whatever that means). I knew that I did not want to run for a fourth year as director. I have learned what I wanted to learn and it would be a time for change.

Vice-president??? President??? Or get out… I needed time to assess the situation and determine what role I wanted to play in 2017/18. Many factors play into my decision making such as completing my dissertation, my career in education (aside from trusteeship), and my family. Other factors included what else I could contribute to BCSTA and what direction BCSTA members want to take. We are a diverse organization with varied points of view. This would be the case because boards of education represent the diverse communities in our province. It’s a given.

The past three years on the BCSTA Board of Directors has been interesting. A change in CEO, change in staff, change in Ministers of Education, change in deputy ministers, change in membership… and change in relationships. Change can be glacial, but perceived change can be catalytic or toxic. Change that supported student learning, good governance, and trustee education was change that I wholeheartedly believed in. Advocacy was quiet, strategic, and effective. This was not every members preferred style of advocacy but I believe that we did a great job advocating for local school boards and students… and continue to do so. Our diversity is our strength.

I am proud of the work we have accomplished. I’ve been on my pedagogical journey for six and a half years and it’s time for me to make a decision. We just had our February 2017 Provincial Council meeting in Vancouver and members of the board and members of the organization were declaring their candidacy for 2017/18. Two put their name forward for president, one for vice-president, two to return as incumbents, two new candidates for director, and the current president stepping down to become the past president. I was the only director to remain undecided.

The answer was not obvious for me. As mentioned, lots of factors were influencing my decision. I was undecided at Provincial Council and overwhelmed by some of the nominations. What role did I want to play in the BCSTA? As director, I’ve enjoyed liaising with the VISTA and Metro Branches, as well as the BCSTA Education Committee and BCSTA Legislative Committee. I loved representing BCSTA on the Provincial Curriculum Standing Committee and working on the new BCSTA Trustee Curriculum soon to be called “The Learning Guide.” I am satisfied with this work.

I have outgrown my role as director, but was I ready to be President? Being vice-president, at this point in time, was not an option. I considered the options and variables that would influence my decision one way or the other. There will be new leadership at BCSTA to be decided at AGM in April 2017. I made my decision.

I will not be running in the 2017/18 BCSTA Board of Directors Election. 

A Little Help

“I wished I kept this. A turning point in my dissertation.” @christineyounghusband Instagram Post – February 10, 2017

I’ve been working on my dissertation for years. It took years to develop my research question. It took years to select and commit to a methodology. It took years to create a survey instrument. Are you seeing a trend? After years of deliberation and working on Chapter 1 over and over again, the collection of data and data analysis took no time at all. I enjoyed the data collection process and playing around with the numbers. I enjoyed the data analysis process much more than I thought I would. I loved taking numbers and transforming them into a narrative. It was awesome.

Now what? What was the narrative? I saw trends in the data, anomalies, and FYIs. Piecing data together into a comprehensive story was challenging. I had a tonne of ideas popping in and out of my brain that I had to take a moment to thread these ideas together. Some findings were worth keeping. They either answered the research question or verified the literature. Other findings made me scratch my head and wonder. While some calculations never made the final draft.

I had to piece my ideas together. Inspiration comes at the strangest times. This photo is a sample of me “putting these ideas together.” You can only imagine what was happening in my brain. I started organizing my thoughts and ideas onto one piece of paper. I felt like I got a little help on this. I created this collage of thoughts on the same day my father-in-law had passed away. I was out of town for meetings and alone in my hotel room that evening to grieve. That night I needed to be alone.

From a brain-block to a flood of possibilities, my thoughts, findings, and narrative for my research study all came together that night. I truly believe that my father-in-law had something to do with this. He was a “go get them” kind of guy. I thought about him a lot that night and almost felt that he wanted me to think more about my dissertation and he was willing to help me out with that. To you, this photo of my thoughts may seem chaotic, illegible, and incomprehensible. It is, to some degree. But also, it was a reminder that anything is possible if you believe it’s possible.

I write this blog entry today for three reasons. First, I’ve been working on the feedback I’ve recently received from my supervisors and realizing that not only are the revisions doable, but also I am really, really close to finishing. Second, this photo lingered in my Instagram account since my father-in-law’s passing and I believe that I was meant to write this blog in honour of him and his “can do” attitude. And finally, I miss him and wished he were here. I didn’t have the opportunity to grieve his passing that weekend. Thank you (miss you) Randy Sr. I needed all the help I could get.

Formative vs. Summative

Today has been an interesting day. I have experienced both summative and formative assessments as a teacher and learner. I can honestly say, they both feel different. What do I mean by this? Professional development workshops I facilitate emphasize the difference between formative and summative assessment in the context of BC’s New Curriculum. With this understanding, it is more manageable to navigate through the intentions of the curriculum and make decisions with respect to Communicating Student Learning and reporting student achievement.

The other element about assessment that must be mentioned is how integrally tied it is with our values… as a teacher and learner. Teachers are conveying their values and expertise onto students by evaluating or judging student performance and students internalize that judgement as part of their self-identity, self-worth, and self-efficacy. Hence, assessment and evaluation is ALWAYS a dynamic, vibrant, and fruitful conversation on #bcedchat. We all have something to say about assessment.

This morning I received feedback from teaching at Saint Mark’s College. The picture above shows the final question of the survey questionnaire. One student rated my overall performance as “very good” and the other “excellent.” It was an online graduate course with two students. I was learning on the fly. I have never fully facilitated an online course before. “Very good” and “excellent” are exceptional responses considering the circumstances. Furthermore, the previous 10 questions were either “excellent” or 50:50 “very good” to “excellent.” I got similar results at Simon Fraser University. I exceed faculty and university averages.

Not bad for my first year as a sessional instructor, but what was I really thinking when I got the news??? How could I be better? Why was the course not “excellent” for all questions? Why was I not “excellent?” Blah, blah, blah. Initially, I did not celebrate my performance, but dwelled (for a bit) on why I wasn’t perfect in all categories. Now this is CRAZY. I could take this as FORMATIVE feedback, but these evaluation forms do not provide strategies on how I could teach the course better or how the course content could be better. I had to hypothesize on what these could be. Thus, student evaluations are SUMMATIVE. It signals the end of the learning process.

This afternoon I received feedback on my dissertation from one of my supervisors. I was ecstatic. I have a tonne to work on but also I had a tonne of kudos. I say that I have lots to do, but it’s all very doable. This supervisor made no comments about Chapter 1, 3, and 4. I need to work on one part in Chapter 2, numbering and terminology in Chapter 5, and overall flow. Woohoo!!! What I love most was the compliment made about Chapter 5 (my chapter, my thoughts). This made me very happy. I can’t wait to jump in and delve back into my dissertation.

I have three chapters of detailed feedback from my other supervisor and the remaining two chapters should be coming very soon. I embrace this FORMATIVE feedback. Wholeheartedly I know that they are helping me to be a better me… to make my dissertation a better dissertation. They have the experience and expertise. They know the standards. They are supporting my learning and I appreciate their thoughts, critiques, and questions. I love how it makes me think and feel. I have much gratitude to receive this feedback. The learning process continues.

It’s been an up and down day… well, a formative and summative assessment day. I got two forms of feedback and had two different responses. I do feel great about my student evaluations from SMC and SFU but it took some time to step away from me figuring out ways to make things better (and go back in time to fix it). Certainly I can focus on areas that were below “excellent” or “perfect” and try better the next time I teach a course, but I may not have that opportunity. I loved the feedback from my supervisors and look forward to editing my dissertation, but there will be a day when my doctoral degree work will be summative and the learning process will end.

I had to blog about this today. It was so interesting to experience summative and formative assessments in one day. The feelings I experienced makes me more curious about the power of assessment and evaluation. It’s about getting excited about how things could be better. With BC’s New Curriculum and Communicating Student Learning, ongoing formative assessment is key. Summative assessments do signal an end to the learning process and one thing I know for sure is, you cannot go back in time to make things better (… and we cannot see through solids).

Data Denial

My “final draft” of my dissertation is in the hands of my committee and I hope to receive feedback by the end of this week so that I can make the appropriate revisions to get to my next “final draft.” Yes, I am still in the process but nearing the end. I can see the next steps as I approach the oral defence. Redraft the dissertation to a level of readiness so that I can send it to an external examiner. Receive their feedback and make the appropriate revisions to get to another “final draft” to get to a place of defending my dissertation and inviting another internal/external examiner to be part of my examining committee. Yes… the end is near and I can’t wait.

I am happy to learn that my committee has taken the next step to provide feedback on all 5 chapters. I spent many hours with my editor “learning how to write” or rewrite my dissertation to have it at a place where my committee can read through my dissertation. As mentioned in previous blogs, reading and writing are not my strengths, but I am getting better at it. This takes time, effort, and patience. My editor was awesome. She is a former colleague and classmate of mine. Because I am literary-phobic, I needed to work with someone whom I trusted and respected as well as someone who would be willing to tell me the goods without glossing it up with kindness. Well, I got that. She showed me patterns in my writing that I would not have recognized and she never hesitated to ask me questions to get clarification. She knew my learning and thinking preferences and played them well. Thank you Audrey.

Aside from honing down my research question, determining my methodology, and the reading and writing process, another thing that contributed to the lengthiness of my dissertation process was the data analysis. I loved spending time making and designing an online survey instrument that would collect data to answer my research question and sub-questions. This took a lot of time. I had to change platforms and underwent two pilot tests to ensure that my survey instrument would do what it was suppose to do. Distributing the survey was more difficult than I imagined. There was no incentive to participate except to help me and contribute to my study. That was a bit disheartening. The next step was the “dreaded” data analysis. I say that, I but enjoyed this process the most. I loved making meaning from numbers.

I had to learn statistics on the fly. Can math get any more fun that that? I had to learn math with a purpose. I loved playing with the numbers and calculating outcomes with hopes of finding something meaningful or unusual. Of course, I would have loved to have taken a course on statistical analysis so that I could get a deeper understanding of the mathematics that gave me the numbers I derived, but I loved trying to find ways to make a story from the numbers. Throughout my doctoral candidacy I wanted to write a narrative. I thought that this would have been a qualitative study. To my surprise, my descriptive quantitative study has led to a story to tell. What I can say is, what you will see in the “final draft” of the dissertation does not compare to the kind of analysis and calculations undergone to get to that final product.

Not to disclose any of my findings in this blog entry until my dissertation is truly finalized, I was held back a bit with what I found. Yes, I answered my research question and sub-questions with the data collected in the univariate analysis. I found other things too in the bivariate analysis. Even with all this data that led to one particular direction, I was resistant to accepting what I found. Much of what I found is already known by practitioners. For some reason, I wanted my findings to say something different. That’s one thing about doing a research question that you are so invested in as a practitioner, it’s can be challenging to step aside and look at the data objectively as a researcher. Now thinking about it, the major findings of my study accentuates what is already known in practice, but now I have data to verify it.

Once I let go of what I thought I should have expected from the data and allowing the data to speak its truth, I am so happy with my findings and hope that it will contribute to the greater body of knowledge in education. The dissertation process was a struggle but it was also a place where I was able to find joy and purpose. I had always believed that I was terrible at reading and writing and never thought I could be where I am today. Without perseverance, grit, and determination… I would not be completing my dissertation and doing something that required very little reading and writing. In return, the dissertation has taught me that anything is possible, if you want it. The dissertation has also taught me how to discipline my thinking process and how to look at data with an open mind and open heart so that I can hear its story.

Authenticity

I am often reminded about authenticity in everything that I do. It’s something that I wrestle with from time to time. Often, I wear my heart on my sleeve. What you see is what you get. My preference is to work in a collaborative and collegial environment where all those in the community are wholehearted, kind, and well-intended. I thrive in a community of learners were all participants are willing to question to seek a deeper understanding and share their expertise to build capacity.

When am I being true to myself? With others? And, when am I not? The classic edu-answer is… it depends. I feel my best when I am authentic. I was at a meeting the other day I was my whole self. I did not hesitate to ask questions, get clarification, or say what I mean. I was willing to be swayed one way or the other and people could take or leave what I had to say. The gratifying part of this experience was that my voice was integrated into the final outcome. I did not pretend. I was not silent. I put myself forward and I feel proud to contribute my thoughts wholeheartedly.

When I am pretending or silent… which by the way I’m not very good at… I am trying to make an impression. Sadly, the impression I leave is not my authentic self… thus, am I leaving the right impression? This is why I feel uneasy about job interviews. You are trying to make an impression but can you be somebody that you’re not? I would imagine what kind of person the employer is looking for and leave myself aside. It never felt very good and not sustainable. However, I participated in an interview recently and opted by be myself. I’m not sure if this was good or bad thing in terms of the final outcome, but I surely walked away feeling good. I’m either a match or not.

As an educator, I am my authentic self. I try to be upfront and vulnerable. I like to make a connection with my clientele and I share my expertise to the best of my abilities. Although I am open to the clientele taking or leaving what I have to share, it’s difficult to hear negative criticism of my work when I am putting all of my cards on the table. When the comments are complimentary, it feels great, of course. It’s validating and reaffirming. When the comments are not so good, it’s a swift blow to the head, which makes me want to reconsider my authentic, wholehearted approach.

I can see why it is extremely difficult for people to be themselves without being judged. The fear of judgement is the antithesis of our deep desire to belonging and be accepted. I’m OK with feedback. Formative feedback. How can I be a better me? How can I be better at what I do? When I receive a negative comment, I need time to figure out what I could have done better. When others are pretending or silent, it makes me question. This is not respectful, kind or compassionate. It’s just perpetuating what I am trying to resist. Authenticity is a two-way relationship.

De-Railed

I am so grateful to have people in the field who I trust and confide in to share my thoughts and beliefs about education with. I am also very fortunate to have people around me who will tell me about their thoughts and feelings about education. It is extremely difficult to reflect on one’s practice, beliefs, or philosophy on education without practical experience and the formative feedback of others.

I find it strange to reflect on what I say and do without the perspective of someone else. Who is my toughest critic? I am. As much as I appreciate the luxury of engaging in a reflective practice, I need the kindness and honesty of others to provide some perspective on how things really went. Admittedly, I would tend to over dramatize or exaggerate what happened and dwell on the negative over the positive. It’s strange to reflect on what I say and do without the perspective of someone else.

Let me be clear… I do not want to define myself based on other people’s opinions. That would be a life of trying to please others. I feel honoured when someone is willing to listen but also share their thoughts on the situation without judgement. I hope that I can do the same for others. Lately, I’ve been reminiscing about “my story” of leaving teaching in public schools in pursuit of other edu-adventures, which included completing my dissertation and spending time with my daughter.

I am fascinated how we are guided by our own stories and beliefs. On the one hand, I believe that we are able to do anything. On the other hand, I believe that we create our own limitations. This is the struggle. We can move forward but also move back. I am struck with curiosity when I was compelled to share my story. It happened twice and now three times with this blog. Why does it matter? Have I not let go of these old thoughts and beliefs? Or am I just working through the last bits to move on?

The first time I started sharing my story, once again, I felt ashamed. I did not intend to share my story. I did not want to taint the image that this person had of me. Soon after the conversation I wanted to take back my words, but caught myself and wondered why should I. The second time I found myself sharing my story and asked for feedback. The person responded to my story by saying that I was DE-RAILED.

I never thought that I was de-railed… but in hindsight, I guess was. I remember telling a colleague of mine that if I ever felt that I was teaching just for the money, then it was time to leave. Unfortunately it was a slow erosion of my purpose and passion. I had to leave. The strangest part was that I had my best classes, meaning… all was going great that year… except for me. I was tired of changing job assignments for year to year and advocating for students to the extent of losing my job.

Something had to give. I was a mom (and felt I was missing out on my child’s learning experiences), I was a doctoral student (and struggled with the reading and writing), and I was a teacher (and department head working full-time). It was crazy juggling all three balls in the air, I had to walk away from one. I was burning out and on my 40th birthday I made the decision that I could not do this anymore. My cup was empty. I was not physically or mentally well. I lost my way. I had to quit my job.

So what? Why am I even blogging about this… again? Well… good things come in three. Second, I feel immense gratitude for those whom I have met in the last 6 years who restored my love for education. I am ALIGNED. I know my purpose and passion. I have a deeper understanding of BC education that I would never had understood before and I have a PLN that I am like-minded and connected to. I feel like I am part of a learning community (on Twitter and beyond) where my cup is filled.

I love professional learning. My dissertation is almost complete. And, I love the teaching and learning process in the context of mathematics education, assessment & evaluation, and curriculum development. I love how I am curious and engaged. I want to learn more. I am also convinced of the difference school boards make on student learning with governance, policies, and strategic planning. I love how I am involved in BC public education as a school trustee. Furthermore, I am happy to be connected to my child’s learning experiences in and out of school and humbled by the teaching/learning process as a sessional instructor and workshop facilitator.

Yes. I was de-railed. I’ve explored. I ventured out and tried new things to figure out my new trajectory. All things that happened were meant to happen and all things that I have learned are preparing me for what’s next. All I can say is THANK YOU. Thank you to all those who supported me, lifted me, and seen me for who I am and what I have to offer. Thank you to all those who left me, questioned me, or doubted me. You too have influenced how I have proceeded in my pedagogical journey and by leaving, you have created space for others to enter into my life. For that, I am grateful.

Student Agency

What a great way to conclude the 2017 Trustee School Visits in School District No.46 (Sunshine Coast). Instead of reviewing a list of school goals and sitting through PowerPoint presentations describing these goals, the SD46 Board of Education created a new practice 5-years ago to visit schools within the school district to see the school goals in action. This year’s school visits concluded with the alternative schools. There are various locations on the Sunshine Coast and we visited 3 sites. I was impressed with the program/facility changes, innovation, and student engagement.

The Phoenix Program Building now houses the SPIDER online learning and the newly developing adult continuing education program. The Sunshine Building in Sechelt accommodates programs such as FLEX and pre-culinary arts program to provide unique learning environments that are safe, collaborative, and caring to foster student learning. The photo above was taken from the Heritage Building in Gibsons. Much like the Sechelt site, these middle school aged students took great pride in their learning and were not shy about it. They did not hesitate sharing their learning experiences and success. I got the low-down on how these rings were made.

I was wowed by the alternative school students’ excitement and love for learning. I loved the collaborative approach by the SD46 alternative school staff to provide learning opportunities that were personalized, creative, and meaningful. These students had choice. These students had voice. I was so proud of their sense of efficacy to engage in their learning and learning with others. This was student agency at its finest. They were in control of their learning. I walked away from the alternative schools thinking that this is what we want for all of our students in our school district.

Thank you SD46 staff and students for welcoming school trustees into your schools and classrooms this school year… including the maintenance building. I appreciated all of the student leaders and student-led tour guides. I am grateful for the teachers who shared their teaching/learning space and teaching/learning experiences with respect to BC’s Redesigned Curriculum, FreshGrade e-portfolios, and school goals. I love witnessing the shift in pedagogies, student engagement, and student agency. We are moving in the right direction. I look forward to next year’s school visits.

Say What You Mean

I have great admiration of those who have the courage to stand on stage to talk to a crowd about what they are passionate about. This was my third TEDxLangleyED and it never disappoints. It was a great opportunity to see old friends, meet my PLN face-to-face, and listen an exceptional group of speakers. This year’s TEDxLangleyEd was carefully orchestrated. The first set of speakers inspired me to be myself. The second set of speakers made me think deeply about teaching and learning. And the third set of speakers rounded out the conversation of what’s truly important.

Back to back professional learning opportunities… first with Sir Ken Robinson then TEDxLangleyED… I appreciate these professional learning opportunities to ponder and reflect about my professional learning and my professional growth. I go to these events because I am genuinely interested in education and teaching & learning. Yet, I think about my dissertation and professional learning and wonder how my research can contribute to the field but also how it reflects on me to understand myself.

I had a interesting conversation with a university student today about mathematics, mathematics education, and mathematics inquiry. In talking to this person, I found myself looking at myself, my practice, my research, and my professional learning. I left the conversation uneasy. On the one hand, I was not sure if I answered the student’s questions adequately. On the other hand, I wanted to take some of what I said back. Interesting… Why would I want to take anything that I said back?

What I like about those who speak at TED events is that they say what they mean. There is nothing to hide. They speak from the heart… and it’s about something that’s important to them, which automatically resonates with the audience. I think that’s what makes TED talks so effective. The presenters care deeply about what they are speaking about. I have always been intrigued by those who find their JAM. In one blog, I claimed that I found my jam and my jam is teaching and learning.

The context of my jam depends on what I am doing. It looks different from when I am tutoring, being a school trustee, or facilitating workshops for teachers. I love teaching mathematics, but after my conversation today with the university student, my love continues to be about teaching and learning and high school mathematics is the vehicle for me to learn and understand more about it. I am also intrigued by policy and how that influences the teaching and learning environment, but also I am interested in teachers as learners and how that effects student learning.

I am not apologetic for what I said during my conversation today and I have no regrets. I said what I know and understand, but also I come with much curiosity about teaching and learning. I am so excited to learn that there are MATH-NERDS out there who want to make a difference in mathematics education and student engagement. It brings me great hope for the next generation of innovative mathematicians who wish to educate and reignite the MATH-SPIRIT. I am always refining my jam. Teaching mathematics has taught me much about teaching and learning and I look forward to what I will learn next. Thank you TEDxLangleyED for another great event.

System Change

I cannot believe I almost missed this event. Sir Ken Robinson at Christian Academy in Abbotsford. #weareallbced #learnrevabby. Welcome to the Learning Revolution!!! THANK YOU TWITTER, @RosePillay1 and @MegUnger for the notifications and encouragement. I bought my ticket a few months ago and forgot all about it. That morning I cancelled my appointments and caught the ferry to fill my edu-cup.

Sir Ken Robinson is best known for his TED Talk Do Schools Kill Creativity? I’ve watched other TED Talks by How to Escape Education’s Death Valley and Bring on the Learning Revolution. Thank you to @BrianKoning and everyone from his learning community for making this professional learning event happen for BC educators. I was completely inspired and happy to walk away feeling validated and affirmed.

The BIG IDEA behind Sir Ken Robinson’s presentation was that “the system creates the problem.” The system creates constraints therefore the system creates problems. Yet, he also said that we all have the power to change the conditions of teaching and learning. Yeeeeessssss… I totally agree. Looking Back at 2016, I thought about a pebble in the pond and the ripple effect. Now I understand that it’s our circle of influence. We can all create a system change within our circle of influence.

You can change how you assess and evaluate students in your classroom. You can redesign the school timetable to incorporate cross-curricular, competency-based, personalized learning. You can change policies and practices so that student learning is at the heart of schools and school systems. I am convinced that we can all change the system to foster student learning and success… if we really, really want to. I loved that BC’s Curriculum was mentioned a few times during the presentation and held with high regard by Sir Ken Robinson that we’re heading in the RIGHT direction.

Sir Ken Robinson outlines 3 principles: Conformity, linearity, and compliance. 1. We are not the same. Schools need to honour and celebrate diversity. 2. We do not have a linear narrative. It’s messy and unpredictable. Learning is organic. 3. We need to focus on the relationship between the student and teacher. Standardized testing is a $16 billion business with no real improvement. The photo above was taken in 2015 showing parents hanging off the walls passing cheat sheets to their children.

The event concludes with Sir Ken Robinson participating in Q&A. Loved it. The best question posed was about BC’s Curriculum and focus on competencies. The person asked if letter grades were still necessary. His answer was NO. Yeeeesssss!!! I totally agree. I also agree with his comments of still needing ongoing assessment and standards. We need to rethink about what this could look like… and WHY.

Let’s shift our culture… let’s change the system. Oh wait, it’s already happening in BC.

Deep Sadness

Yes… another stock photo from the “YH Archives.” I’m sure that my former students (who are adults now) will enjoy and appreciate this immensely. You’re welcome!!!

Of course it’s January 11th and I’m posting a blog on DEEP SADNESS. This is ironic when my one-word for 2017 is JOY. When I left teaching in public schools six years ago, I would cry spontaneously looking at old photos of my former students. Admittedly, it was a strange to me. I did not expect to cry while scrolling through my Facebook photos or my photo library. But, I did… and for quite some time.

Since leaving the classroom, I’ve been on a pedagogical journey to find my purpose. I’ve continued to work with students privately but also facilitate teacher professional development workshops. I was also involved with curriculum development, sessional instruction, and school trusteeship. I am clearer than ever about my purpose and passion, and now I’m in the midst of figuring out how to best implement it.

I am heartened by what I am hearing from those around me. My husband makes jokes about me saving the world and why does my passion have to be my work and not a hobby. My friend the other day inferred that I am clear about my purpose, thus it is easy to move forward because I know my why (but this took years to figure out). And, the people I work with remind me that what I do is meaningful.

Yet today… I felt like I was going to cry again (almost did). I feel great pain when we are not serving students in the best way that best serves student learning. I hear plenty of messages, the good and not so good, as a school trustee, teacher educator, and math tutor. All I can say is, the chapter is changing. My dissertation is almost complete and deep sadness is a sign. It’s time. It’s time to serve and empower.