Yup. It’s my third blog of the day. There is nothing I like more than a HAT-TRICK of blogs. Blogging is a great way for me to get back into the writing mode. It’s also an excellent opportunity for me to reflect (in essence, “journal” with the world). Anyway, I also blog to engage in the practice of writing and hope that some of what I have to say resonates with someone out there who have the same lessons to learn as I do.
Today was a beautiful sunny day on the Sunshine Coast. It almost felt like summer but it’s only April. 1/3 of the “new year” is now complete. Where did the time go? Oh man… it’s time for a 2016 WORD REFRESHER. When I was in Prince Rupert on my 2-week spring break with my ‘little family’ in March… I totally forgot my 2016 word. I had to look it up. Thank goodness for blogs. Scroll back… ahhh yes, it’s ALIGNMENT.
What does the word ALIGNMENT mean to me? It means authenticity, feeling good, wholeheartedness, and being vulnerable. It also means doing what’s right for me. This would entail saying YES to some things and NO to others. Normally, I am a YES person. Unfortunately, I would have too much only my plate (some may not aligned to my purpose) and very little accomplished. This was a tough lesson to learn.
My purpose is education related… but what about education? I’m still figuring this out. Yes, I am a math educator, school trustee, and doctoral student. What do all of these things have in common? STUDENT LEARNING and STUDENT SUCCESS. That has always been my primary focus. Some may call this advocacy, others may call this teaching. For me, it’s finding a way to promote this in the best way I can.
For now, I am focused on my dissertation. It’s been an 8-year journey. Wow. I even hate saying that, but I know I’m not alone in saying this. I have always struggled with my reading and writing skills ever since I was a small child. I hate reading and writing. There. I said it. Admittedly, it’s not my favourite thing to do and I’m terrible at it. Can you hear my inside voice? So why not write a dissertation? Am I right?
Isn’t that what’s life is suppose to be about? Facing adversity… Learning life’s lessons… and doing something about it. Well, I never thought I would pass English 100… and I did. I never thought I would complete my degree in Chemistry… and I did. I never thought I would get into the Faculty of Education… and I did. I never thought I could complete a Master of Education degree… and I did. Do you see a pattern?
We can be so consumed by self-doubt and uncertainty that we can never realize what we are able to do. I never thought I would be accepted into the EdD program… and I was. I never thought I would pass the coursework… and I did. I never thought I would pass the comprehensive exam… and I did. It took me a whole year after I completed my comprehensive exam for me to say to others that I am an EdD candidate.
The pattern continues… I never thought that I would get my research question… I never thought that I would do quantitative research… and I never thought that I would find anything interesting in my research that would add anything to the discipline. Boy, was I wrong AGAIN. Maybe my pedagogical journey is about proving myself wrong. That seems purposeful. Apparently, I am doing a great job at it.
Each day I am reminded of my 2016 word and my job is to recognize it and seize the opportunity. What I know for sure is… I have to believe in myself. I was reminded of this at #Edvent2016 with the last speaker. His story was absolutely amazing and all it took was the words of one individual (his daughter) who believed in him. That’s all it took. “Yes you can, Dad” motivated him to move forward and do the impossible.
I really get that. Right now, my supervisor is my cheerleader. I know that I have many cheerleaders and I am grateful, but for some reason the encouragement and patience from my supervisor seems to make all the difference for me. “Awesome”… “great job”… and “excellent” add fuel to my fire. Also, working with him as his research assistant also boosts my self-confidence and sense of self-efficacy. I can do it.
Now, I am at Chapter 5. I never thought this was possible, yet here I am. One step at a time… the willingness to try… accepting feedback… and feeling validated moves me forward. I am thankful for where I am. I never thought that I would be where I am today. ALIGNMENT. I am on the right track. I love what I am doing. And, I trust that I will finish my dissertation and defend this summer in preparation for what’s next.
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, April 18th, 2016 | Comments Off on Word Refresher
Wow… the BCSTA (BC School Trustees’ Association) AGM has ended and it’s time for me to get back to writing mode, parenting, and all that I do that is edu-related. THANK YOU to all those who had supported me at the BCSTA AGM. I am so honoured to represent you all again as BCSTA Board of Director. And, thank you to all those who put their names forward. This is not an easy thing to do… putting yourself out there amongst your peers with hopes of appealing to them and representing them at the provincial table. I have a high regard for those who have the will, love, and intention to advocate for BC public education… and even more so for those who put their names forward for the Board of Directors annual election. I look forward to working with the 2016/17 BCSTA Board of Directors as we head towards the provincial election next year in May and making BC Public Education a priority.
The BCSTA AGM 2016 was a success. The opening keynote with Samantha Nutt and ending with deliberation at the AGM. BCSTA is a member-driven organization and the Board of Directors seek direction from it’s members from motions from AGM and Provincial Council, but also from its members directly. I love the diversity of our 2016/17 board but also continuity of many of the board members returning from the 2015/16 board. I was absolutely surprised that the board of directors were elected with only ONE BALLOT. Normally, this would take 3 to 7 rounds of ballots. This sent a message to me that it was very clear to the assembly who they had wanted on the 2016/17 board of directors. However, this blog is about SUCCESS STORIES.
First I would like to mention Gloria Jackson who topped the polls this weekend. She was nominated from the floor by her colleagues from the BCSTA Aboriginal Education Committee. She is the outgoing chair of the Aboriginal Education Committee. I loved how her colleagues from this committee nominated her, supported her, and introduced her to everyone in their network during AGM. It was amazing to see how membership can wield a particular outcome. Coming from the floor, Gloria handled the Candidates Forum and 3-minute speech beautifully. I appreciated the support from her family (AKA. BCSTA Aboriginal Education Committee), I enjoyed working with her as a member from the BCSTA Education Committee, and I look forward to working with her this coming year on the 2016/17 board of directors.
Second, I would like to mention Stephanie Higginson who placed a close second in the polls. She too was nominated from the floor last year at AGM. She is a grassroots advocate and has been an excellent addition to the 2015/16 board of directors. I much enjoy her passion and motivation to activate. Stephanie is also an educator and academic who has invested her time as school trustee, public education advocate, and parent of her two little boys. She did exceptional at the AGM as well and delighted to see that members welcomed her return. To follow up, Alan Chell is a stable pillar to BCSTA and I appreciate his knowledge, expertise, and clarity. Both Stephanie and Alan are a pleasure to work with on the board. Then, Donna Sargent and myself round out the 2016/17 board of directors. Thank you to all those who provided me with feedback and encouragement. It’s going to be a great year.
Third, I would like to mention school trustees. Admittedly, I was not campaigning as much as I should have during the AGM as I would rather connect with individual trustees, to get to know them better, and gain a deeper understanding of what is. There is always a story behind what we see and sometimes this cannot be established without taking a moment to get to know person and figure out what is motivating a person (or board) to do what they do. I am also curious as to why people become school trustees. Some trustees are former educators while others come from PAC (parent advisory councils). After the election and AGM, I took the opportunity to hang out with some trustees after hours at the pub. This is a great way to connect with trustees without worrying about speeches, campaigning, or making an impression on others. I am grateful that some trustees are willing to chat about their school districts with pride, but also share some personal stories about themselves.
There are two trustees I would like to mention without mentioning their names. I feel connected to these two and wanted to know more about them. I have great respect for both of these trustees. They have so much to bring to their boards of education. They are both parents, but not former educators or PAC members. They are community members with a vested interest in public education. I love their authentic nature, expertise and knowledge of their communities and work, and contribution to public education. They are both kind and generous… and apolitical. They are just fun to be around with. I feel very fortunate that they shared a few stories about themselves. They talked about their childhood, schooling, and where they are today.
As much as I thought I had much in common with these two, after listening to some of their stories I felt that I had nothing in common. I felt uneasy about sharing my stories because they are nothing like their lived experiences. These two had vulnerable home lives as children, a grade 12 education, and few fond memories of their K-12 experience. Yet, these two are the nicest people, extremely successful professionally, family-oriented, and wholehearted in the truest sense. And, they think that I am much younger than I truly am. This is a good thing. What we do have in common is our love and devotion to BC public education, governance, and doing what’s best for our students. I am aligned to these two, as well as many others.
I appreciate these success stories. We all want to make a difference in BC public education. Thank you for the time together… as well to all those I had the chance to HUG and converse with during AGM. We’re doing great work. Keep it up!!!
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, April 18th, 2016 | Comments Off on Success Stories
Professional learning is taking a new direction for educators. It’s going beyond professional development days and conferences to find inspiration from our peers. The first one I would like to mention are Edcamps. Edcamps are grassroots professional learning opportunities where where participants vote with their two feet, topics are derived from those who are attending the event, and topics chosen that morning are led by those who propose them. The host helps facilitate this professional learning with conference structure, facilities, and technological & pedagogical expertise. For example, I just missed Edcamp35 this weekend. Edcamps are usually held on Saturdays and a great way to meet your PLN face-to-face (F2F).
Another avenue of professional learning is IGNITE. This is where presenters tell a story in 20 slides and 5 minutes. It’s much like a Pecha Kucha. Here’s a Storify documenting a recent IGNITE session held in New Westminster, #SD40IGNITE. I totally missed this one. It SOLD OUT before I even found out about it on Twitter. This is a good problem to have. I would encourage anyone who has a story to share to inspire others to apply to speak… or facilitate an IGNITE session. This is an awesome opportunity for educators to share their stories, make connections, and meet your PLN F2F (once again). Lots of cheering, celebrating, and collaborating. These events are held in the comforts of a pub or restaurant on a weekday during the evening. If you hear of one, sign up for one and check out an IGNITE in your area.
The last type of professional learning I would like to mention is Edvent… it’s much like IGNITE, but no slides. Using a PowerPoint was optional, but this Edvent emphasized the storytelling aspect of sharing stories versus powering through 20 slides in 5 minutes. Last week, I attended #Edvent2016 in Burnaby. Here, I was soooooo inspired. First, I met Craig Mah (@craigmah) whom I co-moderate #bcedchat with 8 others. We have never met F2F but love working with this guy. It tells you how technology can bring people together. Second, I loved listening to people’s stories and their message. I was so inspired by the final speaker who shared his edu-journey of being embarrassed in school as a young child and hating it, to succeeding as a rugby player, injuring oneself to never run again, and rebuilding oneself to be a extreme marathon runner. Wow. There are no limitations when someone believes in you and YOU believe in yourself. Finally, Edvent also served as a reunion where I can meet my PLN F2F. Loved reconnecting with @KLirenman, @RosePillay1, @JKwasnicki, @GabrielPillay1, and @CraigMah to name a few… but also meeting new people.
Any opportunity where we can CELEBRATE EDUCATION, share our stories, and celebrate each other is a great way to inspire others as a way to motivate professional learning. Preparing for these events offer educators an exceptional opportunity to reflect on their practice and think about ways to convey one or two ideas about their practice to inspire others or validate them. For those facilitating the events, it’s an excellent opportunity to create a framework of possibilities for educators to connect and learn from each other. For participants, it’s just super fun to learn. Thank you to all those who are participating, facilitating, or presenting at these events. It is super awesome and YOU ARE EDU-AWESOME. #professionallearning
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, April 18th, 2016 | 1 Comment »
Christine Younghusband– School District No.46 (Sunshine Coast)
“The time is always right to do what is right.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
Thank you members of BCSTA for electing me in 2014/15 and 2015/16 to be your BCSTA Director. It has been my deepest pleasure and honour to advocate for BC public education and represent your voice at the table. In my 2 terms, I have liaised with the BCSTA Education Committee, Metro and Northwest Branches in 2014/15, and Vancouver Island School Trustees Association (VISTA) Branch in 2015/16.
My name is Christine Younghusband and I am looking for your support as BCSTA Director in 2016/17. I am a second term school trustee with SD46 (Sunshine Coast) Board of Education with 4-years experience as the SD46 Education Committee Chair, BCSTA Representative on the Standing Committee on Provincial Curriculum, and BCSTA Education Committee member representing the South Coast Branch.
As BCSTA Director, I love connecting with school trustees from around the province, listening to your concerns and stories, and representing your voice at the table. It has been a challenging but enriching two-years on the BCSTA Board of Directors. I am proud to be a school trustee and the work that we do as Boards of Education for BC public education to serve our students and student learning in our communities.
Local autonomy, good governance, and quality public education are integral to our success. Thus, I would like to take this moment thank former BCSTA Director Ken Clarkson from SD42 (Maple Ridge) for your service, advocacy, and passion for public education on the Board of Directors. Your voice and input will be greatly missed.
I have appreciated the work the BCSTA Board of Directors have accomplished with our member-driven organization and acknowledge the progress made building relationships with our provincial partner groups and Ministry of Education. There is still much work to do to advocate for BC public education so that local boards can continue to support student learning, student achievement, and student success.
With more than 20 years of experience in BC public education, I am invested… as a school trustee, educator, community member, graduate student, and mom. I have served on the BCSTA Board of Directors and Education Committee, contributed to the Math K-9 curriculum, served on the SD46 Board of Education, studied at SFU, taught in BC public schools, and served on the Community Futures Board of Directors.
Students deserve quality public education and boards create the space to do so.
Thank you for your support in my re-election as BCSTA Director for 2016/17. If you’d like to chat or have any questions, please contact me and stay connected.
It’s our two-week spring break. First time ever… so we decided to pack the car up and head up to Prince Rupert. My husband and I were born and raised in Prince Rupert. It’s been about 6-years since we revisited the town (with exception to a BCSTA Northwest Branch meeting that I attended last year and toured Charles Hays Secondary School).
We would not normally come up during spring break because it takes about 18-hours to drive up to Prince Rupert from the Sunshine Coast and that would be 4-days of driving. With a 2-week spring break, we seized the opportunity. There was no road construction, no snow, and no RV’s en route. It was certainly a different experience. For example, Cache Creek was not freaking HOT when we stopped to get our DQ treat.
Wow… a whole week in Prince Rupert to spend time with my husband’s family and connect with some of our friends. Here’s my Grad 88 photo from my days in Prince Rupert Senior Secondary (now known as Prince Rupert Middle School). My other former schools I have attended were also repurposed or closed: Booth Memorial Junior Secondary School is now known as Lax Kxeen Elementary School and King Edward Elementary School no longer exists. Prince Rupert has experienced declining enrolment for many years. It’s amazing how things have changed in 28-years.
Just last night, I was reminded that my 30-year reunion is just around the corner and my peers were preparing for retirement. What? My husband and I met up with a couple of our former classmates at The Crest Hotel. We had an awesome dinner… and these guys have not changed a bit. It’s great to connect with these people as if no time has passed, yet it has been years. We even bumped into a few more people at The Crest… Who needs a 30-year reunion? It just happened, 2-years too early.
At the Crest, I had a conversation with one of our friends. We talked about education, our kids, and retirement. What? Retirement? Whoa… that is never on my mind. I feel like I’m just getting started… but he was right. 10 years to 55… 20 years to 65. Wow! We are definitely at the halfway mark. Obviously, he is thinking about retirement as I am reminiscing about my childhood as I return back to my hometown… sightseeing… observing what’s the same and what’s different. I was looking back, not forwards.
Truth. I have not thought too much about retirement. I figured that I would be working in the field of education for a lifetime. I see retired superintendents thriving in the academic world. I see academics who have been doing research in education for years and continue to contribute to the discipline with no imminent retirement date coming anytime soon. That could be me. My friend’s point… JUST GO FOR IT. What ever my dream is… just do it!!! Why not? You have a good 20 years left… so might as well do what you want to do. That was super encouraging.
Retirement is imminent. Admittedly, it is now on my radar. That said, I can’t wait to see what’s next in my pedagogical journey. I love what I have learned so far… as a teacher, school trustee, curriculum developer, workshop facilitator, research assistant, graduate student, education consultant, community futures board member, and mom. I’m ready for the next step. Retirement will have to wait.
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, March 20th, 2016 | Comments Off on Imminent Retirement
Thank you Victoria Woelders for inviting me to guest blog in “My Kid’s Locker.” Loved having the opportunity to try something new and I appreciated Victoria’s extension and invitation to answer a few questions for her blog. This is an excellent way to get to know people in your PLN. Victoria and I first met on Twitter. We have met several times Face-to-Face, but it is always a pleasure to connect with her and others on Twitter to “talk education.” Nothing can be more fun for me.
As Victoria probed me with a few questions “about me,” it tapped into a bit of my why… my purpose. There is no question, for those who know me, that I am heavily invested in education. I love the teaching and learning process. I love the governance role I am currently assuming as school trustee. I also love (and humbled by) my self-directed learning as a doctoral student. This is personalized learning at it’s finest. However, in writing in her blog, I was pleasantly reminded of my teaching practice.
There is no question… I loved teaching secondary mathematics. Certainly, there were good times and not so good times, but overall, I have good memories of my teaching practice. In the last two years of my teaching practice, I can honestly say I was in a state of turmoil. My job assignment changed dramatically from year to year and I was losing sight of my purpose. From a long standing grade 12 and Calculus 12 teacher to a grade 8 math teacher with many students with IEP’s (to teaching science 9).
Furthermore, I was completing the coursework for my doctoral program, my daughter was really little and I was working full-time, and Math 8 at the time was subjected to 150 hours of instructional time. It was a busy/crazy time. Make lemons into lemonade… the extra instructional time lent to my own professional learning as to how I could integrate aboriginal education into mathematics education. I was so lucky to connect up with my colleague and District Principal of Aboriginal Education Kerry Mahlman. We discussed and deliberated over many hours on what to do and how. This was truly a team teaching adventure. Trust was integral to our success.
By the time we had settled on a topic and learning outcome, we proceeded as we knew best… on the fly. I was able to connect up with another master educator, Enid Goodman, our resident Art Teacher to establish what we could do on a $0 budget and the Math 8 students’ prior knowledge of Art 8. Voila… an integration of 3 curricular areas into one. The best gift of all was the students’ engagement. Some of the students self-identified as aboriginal at the end of the unit and created beautiful tributes to Susan Point with their version of Mathematics Embedded and the spindle whorl. This was an awesome edu-experience. If I can do it, anyone can do it.
Here’s my follow-up blog in response to my initial blog: #BCEDchat Resolution Challenge. It’s been fun working with @Ms.VictoriaOlson as co-moderators. This is taking edu-Tweeting to a new level where #bcedchat participants are challenged to make a resolution, commit to it, reflect, and take action. This is professional learning at it’s finest where educators who are not physically connected to each other can put their professional wants and dreams in a Google Doc or blog to share and connect with others. Here’s what people have to say so far in 2016: #bcedchat88 – Resolutions – Challenge Intention. For me, having to write my learning intentions down, taking the time to commit, and sharing this with others not only made me accountable, but it has created ACTION. The follow up entails 3 questions, as seen below, to reflect on your 2016 resolution and figure out your next steps. Here are my 3 responses:
What progress have I made?
I have made a tonne of progress. I am so happy about it. I had collected my data in December and wondered how to move forward in the new year. Maybe not mentioned in my original blog entry, but I had wanted to make a full-commitment to my professional learning in 2016 and this included the completion of my dissertation. Well, since making my resolution in January, I had analyzed my data, drafted Chapters 4 and 5, and now undergoing my first edit through all 5 chapters. I am almost finished editing Chapter 5. I am on the last section of 7 found in that chapter. Woohoo!!!
A few weeks ago, I had attended the SFU Thesis Bootcamp in Vancouver. It was an incredible 3 days and I would recommend it to anyone writing a master or doctoral thesis, or capstone paper. Wow! I went to a Thesis Bootcamp about 5 years ago and got the “big ideas” on how to write a thesis. This time I got writing consultation, learned about Copyright, got someone to help me with the thesis template one-on-one, talked to the librarian TWICE on Literature Review (revisit), and… got my survey questionnaire PDF “redone” as pictures to put into my dissertation as Appendix E. I was reassured that I must be near the end of this process… and I’m building momentum. I had also learned more about my learning and how/when I like to write… and set SMART goals. I loved the SFU Thesis Bootcamp. Learned lots!!!
What have I struggled with along the way?
Along the way, I have struggled with carving out time to write my dissertation. In saying that, I realize now that I’m good with 1.5 hour stints. This is good to know. Breaks are good. Walking is good. Having a life besides completing my dissertation is good. As mentioned, I had a tonne of questions regarding my dissertation. I have friends who are also helping me out along the way… like get my thesis on the thesis template. I did, but was totally confused. The Bootcamp really clarified that for me.
Another thing that I have struggled along the way is being certain of the uncertain. In writing my dissertation, I am trying to make conclusions based on my data and analysis. Wow!!! When all is said and done… and the numbers don’t lie (if done correctly)… to say what I really mean and interject my own voice back into my writing has been challenging. I have spent many years trying to get my voice out of my dissertation and feel that I have been successful… but now I am “burdened” to be BOLD and speak to my findings in an authentic, wholehearted way. Challenging.
However… knowing that the 1.5 hour stints are effective in my writing… when I’m not writing, I am making connections, thinking about how things could be better, and sense-making. Time away only means time away from the act of writing and giving space to thinking. Very grateful for the conclusions that I have derived and look forward to submitting my draft dissertation soon, revising, and defending.
What are the next steps?
My next steps… finish my first round of edits for my first version of my dissertation. Revisit the literature review and enhance it accordingly in the second version of my dissertation. Then, I will go through a second round of edits before handing it into my supervisor to review and give feedback. Hopefully, I can get my final draft completed this term and start focusing on my defence next term, which would include getting an internal and external examiner and possibly go through several revisions before heading to my oral defence date. Somewhere in all the mix, I would like to hire a professional editor to ensure that all of my p’s and q’s are in place with my formatting, citations, and good ol’ grammar. Oh… and yes… keep attacking my dissertation at least 1.5 hours per day. Progress not only takes time and effort… it’s patience, persistence, and passion. That’s what I walk away from this.
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, February 28th, 2016 | Comments Off on Resolution Revisit 2016
I am so fascinated by the learning process. I love learning about student learning, especially in the context of mathematics education. I love learning about teachers as learners, the premise of my dissertation. Best of all, I am learning about my learning. It’s been almost 8 years since I’ve started the doctorate program in Educational Leadership at SFU… and I’m almost done. So why am I blogging? Good question.
As mentioned in a previous blog entry, “What Motivates One To Blog,” I blog when I’m inspired. There is no schedule for inspiration. First, I hate to be writing something that may not have a mutual benefit to the reader and writer. Second, sometimes if I don’t blog, I get blocked from doing my other writing (aka. my dissertation). Also, it’s a good reminder to me of what’s important. What’s my boundaries? What’s my goals?
One aspect of learning I would like to blog about today is… The Goods Internal. This concept comes from Aladair MacIntyre (1984), The Nature of Virtues. I first learned about this during my Master of Education degree I started in 1999. It was my first course with Dr. Murray Ross. My brain went for a loop. Education philosophy as my first course was a humbling learning experience, but also an awakening.
At the time, I could only make sense of MacIntyre’s (1984) work when I referenced it to curling. I guess, for me, that curling was one of the few practices I have engaged in to truly understand the goods internal to the practice, the goods external, and standards of excellence. I just loved the example given in his book as he describes a young boy first learning how to play chess. At first, the boy was rewarded with candy to play chess. In time, the boy learns through engagement the goods internal to the game of chess and not longer needed candy to motivate him to play and win.
For some reason, I wanted to include this concept in my literature review of my dissertation. Unfortunately, it seemed disconnected to my research question. The goods internal to the practice is more about the ‘why’ and not about the ‘what.’ So, I deleted this section from my literature review. Admittedly, I was disappointed. I felt that the goods internal had some relevance to my study. Maybe I was wrong.
Here’s my moment of inspiration… finally. From writing in my blog… I have learned the goods internal to the practice of writing. Never thought this would be possible, but it also transfers to my dissertation. The goods internal are the ‘good feelings’ or intrinsic reward from engaging in the practice. And, you can only understand the goods internal to the practice when engaged in the practice itself. I think I’ve got it!!!
Well… so what? Guess what I found out from my data in the data analysis? Engagement in the practice matters in the professional learning experience. Boom!!! Let’s be real. I’m not going to disclose the results of my research now in my blog. That would be totally ridiculous. You’ll have to read my dissertation, when published, to find out those results… or come to my oral defence examination (TBA).
What I did realize is two-fold. First, I have had a huge dislike for reading and writing for many years… almost 40. I would say that reading and writing are not my strengths and had spent much of my formative years and higher education avoiding opportunities to read and write. It just wasn’t my preference on my ‘things to do.’ So, what do I do? I decide to go into education. I thought I was not going to make it passed the application process… for my B.Ed., M.Ed., and now Ed.D, The most crazy part of this edu-journey is that now I have to write a dissertation!!!
I am not going to lie… I did have some demons to work through. No question. Writing in a blog was one vehicle to practice writing, but also a new opportunity for me to express myself. I was living the life of an extrovert for over 15 years as a secondary mathematics teacher and when I left my job, my life transformed to one of an introvert… aka. academic/researcher. That was not a natural transition for me and would still rather extrovert than sit quietly… alone… to read and write.
Guess what I’m doing now? I’m sitting quietly… reading and writing. It has taken some time to engage in the practice of writing… reading is coming along as a close second… and enjoying the process. Looking back at how I started to compose Chapter 1 draft compared to writing Chapter 5 was almost night and day. I was paralyzed before. Overthinking. Overanalyzing. Overcritical. Now, I much enjoy free-writing to purge my thoughts, in a thoughtful and tangible way. I have found the goods internal.
Second, I have learned that the goods internal are a part of my study. I am not sure how I will integrate this back into my literature review or discussion/conclusion, but I am confident to reach for excellence in anything, one has to engage in the practice. Yes… initially one may be lured by the goods external. But it’s the goods internal to the practice that is the transformative staying power of the learning process where one will strive for excellence and develop a PASSION for what he or she is doing.
Hmm… I never thought that I would be a writer… and enjoy it. I have enjoyed the dissertation process thus far and excited for what’s next in this edu-journey. What an incredible vehicle for me to understand and appreciate the goods internal. In this case, persistence pays off. Tomorrow I’ll be going to the SFU Vancouver Thesis BootCamp. Three full-days of complete dissertation immersion… and I’m looking forward to it.
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, February 15th, 2016 | Comments Off on The Goods Internal
As mentioned previous blog entries, 2016 is all about ALIGNMENT… meaning, I am going to do what’s important to me… AKA. Education. This includes the completion of my dissertation and defence, my work as a school trustee, and my professional learning as an educator and educational consultant. I have already started 2016 with a bang with TedxLangleyED and iOS Summit Vancouver. What’s next?
FISA 2016. FISA is the Federation of Independent Schools Association where 5 independent school associations are members of this organization, a provincial voice for independent schools. This is the 50th Anniversary of FISA and it was decided that all 5 associations would join together in Vancouver to celebrate this feat and learn together. In doing so, FISA 2016 was able to attract some amazing speakers.
At first, I had no intention of attending FISA 2016. In fact, I did not know about the event until a teacher mentioned it during a workshop I was facilitating about the new BC curriculum. I cite Yong Zhao and Daniel Pink in my workshop presentation with respect to 21st Century Learning and motivation and to know that both of them were coming to Vancouver to the same conference, my curiosity was peaked.
Sure enough, I scroll through Twitter and there were tickets available to attend FISA 2016. How could I resist? Daniel Pink? Yong Zhao? I decided to purchase a ticket as my professional learning as an educator and educational consultant. This meant professional learning on a budget… sleeping on my parents’ floor in their condo a SkyTrain ride away. Well… a person has got to do what a person has got to do.
In the meantime, FISA 2016 held a Twitter contest… win a ticket to meet Daniel Pink. Oh yes, with no shame, I’m tweeting with the hashtag #FISA2016. I could not pass up the opportunity to meet Daniel Pink. People like him are almost fictional to me. I only know of them via Ted Talks. Anyway… guess what? I WON!!! Crazy or what??? Admittedly, it was a memorable moment for me to meet Daniel Pink in person.
5100+ educators attended the FISA 2016 convention. What a production!!! Student performers, incredible speakers, and connecting with those F2F in my PLN. I had the chance to connect up with folks like @RosePillay1, @RachelleAW, and @BrianKoning7, and @JodieSuss… as well as see BCSTA President Teresa Rezansoff, BCSTA CEO Mike Roberts, BCTF President Jim Iker, BCPVPA President Gordon Li, and BCPVPA Executive Director Kit Krieger. It was good to see representation from public schools.
The keynote presentation given by Daniel Pink was awesome!!! It was so worth the conference fee alone. He spoke about the power of persuasion, student self-advocacy, and perspective. He used the acronym ABC for (Attunement, Bouyancy, and Clarity). Loved his messages of lowering one’s sense of power to see someone else’s point of view, the newest skill we want for students is “problem finding,” and what it means to be an AMBIVERT. Everything he has to say is researched based. Love that!!! Daniel Pink is an incredible speaker and writer… something to strive for.
I follow up the keynote with a private reception to meet and greet Daniel Pink in person. I was one of 30 people to have this opportunity. He was so gracious and kind. He’s kind of a ham, really. I took a few edu-selfies with Daniel Pink along with a hug, autograph, and group photo. He connected with everyone in the room. He was so engaged with each person. Again, I had much to learn from Daniel Pink.
After this memorable opportunity to meet one of my edu-heroes, I was off to see another edu-hero Yong Zhao. I did take the opportunity to have a photo taken with Yong Zhao during the reception before getting lost in the sea of educators. I also had the awesome opportunity to spend a good part of this day with @RachelleAW, a teacher from Powell River who took the course I taught at St. Mark’s College.
I’ve seen Yong Zhao twice before, but I love what he has to say about 21st Century Learning. I was also curious how he is able to change his presentation based on the audience, theme of the conference, and staying true to his research. He did a great job. I am a big fan of the entrepreneurial mindset in education… having choice, focusing on talent, and being creative. He was also fun to follow downstairs to get my book signed and for him to say to me, “Your kids must like you. You’re crazy!”
Seeing both Daniel Pink and Yong Zhao made my conference experience. I was pretty much satisfied. Everyone else I would see would be a bonus and there were no disappointments. Loved watching the 5 speakers during Ed Talks looking at the big picture of education. I loved listening to Alan November and his passion for technology and education. I never knew about Wolfram Alpha and what Google can or cannot do. Charles Fadel re-emphasized the point of technology and the need to develop student competencies. The dating video with computer contacts freaked me out. But what I found most impressive was the common theme from speaker to speaker… machines are replacing people… WE NEED TO RETHINK EDUCATION.
The two-day event ends with the closing speaker… Commander Colonel Chris Hadfield. For the entire conference I’ve been sitting up front and centre. I left for a few moments to grab a coffee and muffin. I returned back to the conference room to find not one seat available near the front, centre stage. The room was filling quickly with 40 minutes remaining until the final keynote. I found a seat at the end of the row, mid-left from centre. Two women sat next to me… karmic really. Like stories, a vested interest student success, math education, and doctoral studies. I love meeting new people at conferences… and then, it was the final keynote.
Wowza… I have no words. I have found a new edu-hero with Chris Hadfield. What an incredible story… to dream to walk on the moon as a young child living in Moose Jaw, MB to three flight missions with NASA. From engineer to pilot to astronaut to inspirational speaker. I love his message. Reach the limits of your born potential. Never be satisfied with your expertise. Stand a bit taller. Do what’s important to you. Set an impossible goal and this will inform your next steps. Impossible things happen.
Have a vision and define your perfection. What do you want to accomplish in your life? This will motivate you. Visualizing failure is preparing for change. You have to love and enjoy what you are doing. You need to push yourself to the edge or else you’ll never experience it. Early success is a terrible teacher, but expect to make mistakes when your’ trying to make change. The opposite of fear is EDUCATION.
Chris Hadfield is an excellent storyteller. He connects his story to a message to educators. We need to visualize the impossible. We need to create space for our students to visualize the impossible. He shows examples of those achieving the impossible. It took him 26 years to become an astronaut and he’s from Canada. He closes his talk emphasizing the importance of music is to mental health and starts playing his guitar and sings Major Tom. Wow! More impressive… he accepts questions from the audience and answers them wholeheartedly. What’s my impossible?
Thank you FISA 2016 for this memorable event. Happy 50th Anniversary!!!
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, February 08th, 2016 | Comments Off on Professional Learning at FISA 2016
There is nothing that excites me more than learning more about my learning. This sounds absolutely CRAZY… but, I love it when I experience those opportunities where I can determine my strengths/my weaknesses, my likes/my dislikes, and what steps, if any, I would like to take next. I cannot express how liberating it feels to learn more to understand this about myself. In education, this is called METACOGNITION.
Recently in my pedagogical journey, I have experienced a few edu-aha’s that I did not understand about myself before. We set boundaries or restrictions on ourselves based on the belief of what we can or cannot do. Those mental barriers limit us to realize our potential or possibly our passions. What a huge disservice to self.
My first edu-aha was with my doctoral work at SFU. I resisted the process for quite some time… from qualitative to mixed methodology… and now it’s quantitative analysis. I could not even settle on a research question, forget about the methodology. Was it fear? Yes. One thing I know for sure, I would not know how much I would like research and data analysis until I tried. It’s like a HUGE puzzle to solve and put together in a cohesive way. At first, I did not believe that I had what it takes to become a “researcher,” whatever that means. Boy, was I wrong.
Second, I did not know that I would enjoy blogging as much as I do. Blogging equated to writing… and I never thought that I was a great writer… in fact, I thought I was horrible at it. What made me think that I could write a dissertation and BLOG for everyone to know? Ironically, blogging gives me an opportunity to reflect, share, and analyze my lived experience… a form of sense making… and I love the process.
Third, I learned when I went to the iOS Summit that there is different types of learning. I am defining it as ‘big picture’ and ‘small picture’ learning. This year, I’ve committed to shift my attention to professional learning. Although I am learning all of the time, I wanted to focus on my professional development as an educator. At the iOS Summit, I was interested in using iPads in the classroom and how certain apps could be integrated into my teaching practice to enhance student learning. I loved imagining how I would use iPads with Math 8-12. The big picture stuff did not excite me as much at the Summit, but I do a lot of ‘big picture’ thinking in my work.
Sometimes, you’ve got to do what you need to do to fill-your-cup. Do what you love and love what you do… as I recall this little girl at TedxLangleyEd reminding all of us in the audience to do. Wouldn’t it be great for all students to be metacognitive, to self-direct their learning, and find their passion during their K-12 school experience? Personally, I’m in my 40’s and I just love the learning process. Take risks. Step out of your box. Learn something new. You just never know unless you try.
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, January 31st, 2016 | Comments Off on Learning About My Learning
It’s our two-week spring break. First time ever… so we decided to pack the car up and head up to Prince Rupert. My husband and I were born and raised in Prince Rupert. It’s been about 6-years since we revisited the town (with exception to a BCSTA Northwest Branch meeting that I attended last year and toured Charles Hays Secondary School).
