Christine Ho Younghusband

Edu-Tension

Everyone has a desire to learn.  The act of teaching and learning reminds me of Little Red Riding Hood and the Three Bears.  The learning process could be too easy OR too hard… What we want is the “just right” of learning.  I call this edu-tension.  It’s like walking through jello.  This is not to say I have walked through jello before but I imagine it would be challenging, messy, and doable.  The learning process is not suppose to be easy.  If there was no edu-tension, why bother?  It’s like walking though air… done it, did it… Next!  Similarly, if learning process is too hard, don’t expect learning.  Try walking through a brick wall… challenging, yes… not doable.  Too much tension means why bother, once again, but for different reasons.  Whether is you are the learner or the teacher, the learning process is a complex balance between what is too easy and what is too hard.  Much like Little Red Riding Hood… our job is about finding the “just right.” #studentegnagement 

Being Vulnerable

Pulling Together Canoe Journey – Spirit Canoe

We are all on a journey.  For some of us, we have a clear destination.  For others, it’s a meandering river.  Either way, we are moving forwards.  On my pedagogical journey, I have a clear vision of what I would like to achieve.  I want to learn more about education.  I want to support student learning.  And, I want to make a difference.  On the other hand, I am uncertain how to get there.  I am passionate about education and want my hand in every aspect of education… teaching, learning, leading, and decision-making.  My journey is not straightforward.  There is a huge part of me that wishes life would unfold in a straight line.  Unfortunately, it’s not.  Curriculum development, school trustee, education doctoral student, educational consultant, #bcedchat co-moderator, edu-blogger, and teaching math are just a few things I do.  Admittedly, it may seem a little out focus.  With that said, I am learning more about education, I am supporting student learning, and I am making a difference.  Therefore, I believe I’m on the right track.  Now what?  As I contemplate my next steps, I realize that I have to be vulnerable.  Being vulnerable may entail asking questions, divulging information, and making decisions.  The consequence of this may include disappointment, disapproval, and discontentment.  Or, it could result in joy, happiness, and fulfillment.  You never know unless you try and put yourself out there.  #WillingToTry #success #failure #TrueToSelf #trust #clarinet

SFU Thesis Bootcamp

Exam Week at SFU. Good times. Undergraduate Memories.

This photo brings back many memories of my undergraduate learning experiences 20 years ago at UBC.  I remember writing Math 100 and Chemistry 120 in the Armouries.  It looked much the same.  Luckily, I was not on campus to write a math exam.  I was going to the SFU Thesis Bootcamp for Masters and Doctoral students.  Thank you SFU Research Commons for hosting the Bootcamp.  I tried to register for this workshop several months ago, but was wait listed.  On Monday, I responded to an SFU email call out to fill two unexpected openings.  First come, first serve.  Winner!!!  Cleared my schedule and on the first ferry to SFU from the Sunshine Coast.  It was an incredible learning experience.  Loved sitting in silence with my dissertation.  Loved listening to the guest speakers.  Loved meeting other graduate students sharing the same experiences.  No more pacing at the foot of the mountain.  I’ve taken the first step up and prepared to climb.  #muchgratitude #selfefficacy #lookingback #progress

e-Portfolios

Do you want to think out of the box in education? Think about e-portfolios. I am such a huge advocate for formative assessment and Assessment for Learning (AFL) practices in the classroom as an effective means to help students learn about their learning.  Yet, the reporting process seemed incongruent to what is achieved with AFL.  At the end of the term, formative feedback is reduced to a final letter grade or percent.  It’s a tough connection, but as teachers, we are required to report out on student achievement with a number, a letter, and a short comment.  At the BC Superintendents’ Association (BCSSA) Fall Conference 2013, I attended an awesome workshop by teachers from SD71 on e-portfolios.  It was a wonderful presentation for many reasons.  First, these teachers felt the same inconguency as I did with AFL and reporting.  Second, these teachers mutally agree that 3-4 report cards and an interim report is not good enough to report student learning for both students and parents.  Third, these teachers under the leadership of the school district’s Director of Instruction are stepping out the box to explore the possibilities of e-portfolios as learners and professionals.  Finally, these teachers shared their stories of their students’ learning stories with delegates of the BCSSA Fall Conference.  Photos, pictures, quotes, anecdotal comments, ongoing reporting, QR codes, technology, parent engagement, and student pride… the possibilities seem endless.  Thank you teachers from SD71 for taking a bold step forward with assessment and reporting.  To me, e-portofolios is the LAST CHAPTER of AFL.  All stakeholders are re-invested.  #closure #makessense

Back to Blogging

Whew… I’m back to blogging.  My deepest apologies to my Bloggies who follow my edu-blog regularly, but I took a bit of a hiatus to reflect on my practice, my blog, and my edu-purpose.  This is the magic of professional learning and growth.  Nothing beats experiential learning.  You can never know unless you try.  The “first step” can be terrifying, but according to Kolb’s Experimental Learning Cycle… do it, reflect on it, improve on it, and try again.  This learning process is cyclic, which could feel like a circle, but I am growing and I’m grateful.  Learning by doing requires action, courage, and patience.  Living in paralysis, keeps you stuck.  Think out of the box.  Try.  Move forward.  Blogging is one forum for me to reflect, conceptualize, and sense-make.  I am inspired by my learning experiences and by the wonderful things people say.  I am compelled to share what I’ve learned via blog with hopes that you can share in the learning too. #happyfriday

Vision Quest

I’ve just returned back from the BC School Superintendents’ Association Fall 2013 Conference.  In 4 words, “It was absolutely amazing.”  The overarching themes, for me, were Transforming Curriculum and Assessment, student learning and success, and the journey.  One of the plenary speakers, Wab Kinew from the University of Winnipeg, shared his story, his journey.  I loved his honesty, authenticity, and sense of humor.  One of his stories was about Indigenous Education, experiential learning, and Vision Quest.  You cannot teach about Vision Quest in a classroom.  You just have to do it to understand it.  The Vision Quest is a rite of passage.  No eating for 4 days, isolated from others, disconnect from ego, and be humbled.  The journey is to work your way back up from there.  Love that imagery.  Vision Quest is a metaphor for transformation… stepping out of the box, breaking down, finding your passion, and building yourself up.  I truly get that.  #gratitude

Deja Vu

Life’s lessons… you cannot make them up… they just happen.  There is “something” to be learned by each lesson.  Failure to learn that “something” will result in deja vu.  It just happens again.  Water through the light fixtures… The last time this happened was on Christmas eve a handful of years ago.  My daughter and I were “camping” in the TV room that night… and all I could hear was… Drip.  Drip.  Drip.  Sure enough our toilet upstairs had a slow leak and whoosh our kitchen downstairs was soon flooded.  Nothing says “Ho, ho, ho”… like potential water damage.  This time, our washing machine opted to malfunction and create an indoor waterfall… and all I could hear was…  Splat.  Splat.  Splat.  Yup.  The kitchen was flooded once again.  Serves me right for doing housework.  Lesson learned.  But really… what I am suppose to learn?  Is it patience?  Resilience?  Grit?  In the end, I remained calm and I am oozing with gratitude. #yayforexpertise #notalone

Cheer Leader

What kind of leader are you?  I have always been fascinated by leadership and studied it as a graduate student.  Would you be…
      1. an autocratic leader (power oriented)
      2. a democratic leader (seeks input from others)
      3. a charismatic leader (inspires enthusiasm)
      4. a people-oriented leader (focused on people)
      5. a transactional leader (management oriented)
      6. a task-oriented leader (getting the job done)
      7. a laissez-faire leader (leaving it to others)
      8. a bureacratic leader (by the book)
      9. a servant leader (meets the needs of the team)
or 10. a transformative leader (inspirational)?
I think that we are a little bit of each type in some way and would like to consider myself to be a “cheer” leader… a combination of servant, charismatic, and people-oriented leadership.  I love supporting others.  I am outgoing.  I am driven by helping others to become the best they can be.  Yay me!!!  #classicteacher

SD46 Student Trustee

Trustee Younghusband & Student Trustee Maya Treuheit

This is a time for celebration… SD46 Board of Education is making history… Student Trustee Maya Treuheit from Chatelech Secondary School was sworn in last night at the November 12, 2013 Regular Meeting.  It was so wonderful to have a student sit at our board table and I look forward to the student voice.  Members of the District Student Leadership Team (DSLT) were also introduced at last night’s meeting, that is, two student representatives from each secondary and alternative school on the Sunshine Coast.  I encourage these students to consider sitting on other Board Committees such as the SD46 Education Committee.  As chair of the SD46 Education Committee, I appreciate the voices from different stakeholder groups at the table.  The conversation becomes rich, thoughtful, and diverse.  Representation from the DSLT would raise the bar of dialogue as we discuss education at the governance level.  Congratulations to Student Trustee Maya Treuheit.  Welcome to the SD46 Board!

Remembrance Day 2013

“LEST WE FORGET” Remembrance Day Service 2013 Sechelt Cenotaph