Christine Ho Younghusband

The Body Knows

Ever since returning from the Hawaii International Conference on Education in January, 2013 has been moving along in a flurry.  I have not had much time to reflect on my experiences nonetheless move forward to explore other ones.  I’m not sure where January went and I cannot believe it’s already March.  With much to accomplish, I don’t want to slow down.  From one event to another, from one meeting to another, from learning experience to another… I was beginning to feel like I had no time.  The last thing I wanted to do was slow down.  The body knows... I kept doing more, sleeping less, and eating/exercising when I could.  Soon after presenting at the BCTF New Teachers’ Conference a few days ago, I got sick.  Your classic cold… runny nose, headache, and sore throat.  I had to stop.  Two full-days of rest and nothing else… I feel much better now.  Life’s Lesson:  Listen to yourself.  If you need a break, take it.  Otherwise, you’ll just get sick. 

BCTF NTC 2013

BCTF New Teachers Conference 2013, Richmond, BC

I had the great fortune of presenting at the BCTF New Teachers’ Conference 2013.  It was a well attended two day conference with approximately 400 new teachers, teachers teaching on-call, and teacher candidates.  My workshop was scheduled on the second day in the afternoon (aka the last session of the conference).  I was a little concerned about attendance and what I was attempting to present.  I learned two weeks ago at the BCAMT New Teachers’ Conference that new teachers know a lot about formative assessment.  How could I make “The Implementation Dip” mildly relevant?  Yup.  Another workshop about Assessment for Learning and formative assessment.  With the help of my daughter, we had 10 out of 12 attending and many of them engaged.  These teachers asked excellent questions… thought provoking and edgy.  Personally, I loved it.  These teachers make me hopeful… with their pedagogy, critical thinking, and assessment practices.  Yay You New Teachers…

Honesty

Call me naive.  Call me stupid.  Call me ignorant.  It is in my nature to want to trust everyone.  I want to believe the good in others.  I want others to trust in me.  Why am I a politician?  I begin to question… What am I doing?  Where am I going?  How am I getting there?  On my pedagogical journey, I became disconnected.  Less than three years ago, I lost my sense of purpose.  I was a successful mathematics teacher.  I loved teaching mathematics.  I was even the department head.  After 15 years of service, I left the profession.  Why not stay teaching?  It seemed like a good fit.  Unfortunately, I was misaligned.  As a teacher, I valued building relationships with my students and colleagues such that you could not distinguish between the teacher-self and true-self.  What you got was me, like it or not.  In my last few years of teaching, showing signs of weakness or strength seemed unacceptable.  Aside from a few close friends, I was unsure of who I could trust.  By the end of my teaching career, I felt lied to, hurt, and misled.  I needed to find my authentic self again.  Who could I trust?  Could I be honest?  Could I be trusted?  With much reflection, soul searching, and forgiveness… I found myself.  As an educational consultant, school trustee, and SFU Site Assistant, I am honest.  I am trusted.  What you see is what you get.  What a relief…  It feels great to be realigned and reconnected.  My dreams and aspirations for educational leadership are within an arms reach, my false beliefs were challenged and dispelled, and my faith in others (and myself) restored.  My next personal challenge to overcome is my dissertation.  It’s about trusting myself, being honest with myself, and having the courage to move forward because it’s the right thing to do.  

Professional Learning

BCSTA Provincial Council at the Wosk Centre

My name is Christine Younghusband and I am a professional development junkie.  When I was a practicing mathematics teacher, I would attend any conference, workshop, or in-service session; I engaged in various teacher leadership opportunities endorsing teacher professional development; and I was the School Pro-D Rep.  Today, I continue to work with the BCAMT Executive, I assist with a Master of Education Cohort at SFU, and I present to teachers as a consultant.  As school trustee, I continue my professional learning as a Board member, SD46 Education Committee Chair, and BCSTA Education Committee Member.  Last weekend I seized the opportunity to observe part of Provincial Council at the Wosk Centre for Dialogue in Vancouver.  My understanding of governance is broadened and I appreciated being acknowledged by the BCSTA President as the BCSTA representative on the Ministry of Education Standing Committee on Provincial Curriculum.  Learning is fun.  Yay me.

Let It Go

When do you listen to your intuition?  I’ve had this aching feeling in my gut telling me to do one thing and my mind telling me to do the opposite.  In the end, I become misaligned.  I get agitated, frustrated, and annoyed.  My patience is quickly depleted.  It’s a sign to LET IT GO.  As much as I want to let go, there are so many reasons why to hold on.  Unfortunately, the only person I can control is myself.  I cannot change how others feel, think, or behave.  I can only influence, support, and encourage them.  Trying to help people who are not ready or wants help, is achieving nothing.  It is energy wasted.  I let their fear, anger, and resentment hold me back.  I want to help.  I think I’m helping, but really… I’m not.  I reach out, but it’s not reciprocated.  Who am I saving?  The person I have to save is myself.  If I don’t, I’m the loser.  Unacceptable.  Let it go.

Self-Assessment

Just presented at the BCAMT New Teachers’ Conference at Queen Elizabeth Secondary in Surrey on February 16, 2013. My presentation was titled, “Not Worth Marks, Not Worth Doing.” It was about Assessment for Learning and formative assessment. One of the big ideas is ongoing assessment. That is one thing that conference presenters are not privileged with. What I learned during this workshop presentation is that these new teachers were already in the know of formative assessment, making most of my presentation meaningless. That was a “teachable moment” and a humbling experience. Now what? On the fly, the purpose of my presentation changed. Although we had a discussion about quizzes and student motivation, my NEW message was to “persevere, make a difference, and BE BOLD.” I loved their enthusiasm and passion for student learning, engagement, and professional dialogue. This was exciting to me. In the end, I hope that these new teachers walked away with something new to consider. If anything, I was the learner. This group taught me so much about what they already know about assessment and what they want to achieve with their students. Thank you new teachers for giving me something new to consider. I will certainly rethink and revise my BCTF New Teachers’ Conference presentation on March 2nd in Richmond titled, “The Implementation Dip.” Thank you to Dawn Driver, the conference coordinator, and the BCAMT Executive for hosting this event to support new teachers and teacher candidates with excellence in math education. MATH MATTERS and I appreciate the work of the BCAMT.

Leadership Opportunities

Trustee Mewhort, ME, Trustee Pratt & Superintendent Bocking

Being a school trustee with the SD46 Board of Education has exceeded my expectations.  Not only do I appreciate the learning curve of transitioning from the classroom to the boardroom, I love the leadership opportunities I have been presented with so far.  I liaise with the West Sechelt Elementary PAC, Halfmoon Bay Elementary PAC, District Parent Advisory Council, and Sechelt Indian Band.  I chair the SD46 Education Committee and I am a member of the BC School Trustees’ Association (BCSTA) Education Committee.  It is truly a fantasy of mine to talk about education and student success.  I feel so lucky.  Recently, I was appointed by the BCSTA to represent the BCSTA on the Ministry of Education Standing Committee on Provincial Curriculum.  We had our first meeting on February 13, 2013.  The experience was phenomenal.  Thank you District of Sechelt constituents, SD46 Board of Education, and BCSTA for the opportunity to lead.

SD46 Trustee Tour Day 3

SD46 Board of Education visiting the BRIDGE Program

On February 12, 2013… The SD46 Board of Education, Superintendent, and Assistant Superintendent embarked on DAY 3 of the Trustee Tour.  This day was dedicated to visiting the Sunshine Coast Alternative Schools (SCAS).  We visited 4 sites located in Sechelt and Gibsons.  Our first stop was at the Sechelt Learning Centre (SLC).  The SLC houses 5 programs: Endeavour, SPIDER, Horizons, Sechelt Outreach, and Pre-Culinary Arts Program.  The “Free-Store” portable is also located here for students to exchange clothes and other personal items.  Our second stop was at Phoenix in Sechelt.  Check out… ProjectPhoenix46 online.  In Gibsons, we visited the Social Development and Field Road Programs at Cedar Grove Elementary and then to our final stop at the Gibson Heritage Building.  At Heritage building, Pathfinders, Gibsons Outreach, and BRIDGE Programs are housed.  Thank you staff, students, and Principal Spence for the tour.  We appreciated the visit.

Aboriginal Math Symposium

Photo by: Colleen Hannah (February 8, 2013)

Manifestation.  Celebration.  Fascination.  I would like to thank Dr. Cynthia Nicol for inviting me to speak at the 3rd Annual Aboriginal Math K-12 Symposium.  It was an honour to speak to a crowd of approximately 200 educators at the UBC Longhouse about math and Aboriginal education with “Math Embedded and Professional Learning.”  I would also like to thank Kerry Mahlman for bringing me to the symposium two years ago.  At that time, I left teaching in public schools and she encouraged me to speak about a project we collaborated on in 2009 during the Math 8 IRP implementation called “Math Embedded – A Tribute to Susan Point.”  This brief presentation left a lasting impression which led to my invitation to speak at this year’s symposium.  Sometimes it takes a problem to motivate someone to do something.  I did something two years ago… and here I am… celebrating.  I had fun talking about teaching, learning, and leadership.  In the end, the math symposium was an alignment of life’s circumstances.  I was reunited with Cynthia and Kerry, but also with Colleen Hannah, an opponent from the 1988 Junior Girls Curling Provincials, and Maize Longboat, a youth from Pulling Together 2011.  Each played an integral role in my pedagogical journey.  I met many other people too that day.  I like how life is unfolding.  I am truly grateful.

Check out the Aboriginal Math K-12 Blog: http://blogs.ubc.ca/aboriginalmathnetwork/

Be Bold, Be Brave

Life is a journey… We are all on a journey and sometimes our paths will cross, others may collide, and some we’ll never realize.  This photo is about paths crossing.  This is FLAT US from a summer session course at SFU.  We are all in education and we were ABD… “All But Dissertation.”  We took this summer course with hopes of moving forward with our academic work and research.  We each took a FLAT BUDDY to support and encourage.  I’ve picked FLAT CAREY.  Can you spot FLAT ME?  I took the course almost 2 years ago and my progress has not been substantive, but I have made great strides personally and professionally.  I needed to do this work first before moving forwards.  Writing has been so much easier.  I am optimistic.  What I understand about myself and my research is, “Be Bold, Be Brave.”  Sometimes it’s not easy.  However, this mantra reminds me a lot of what my HERO would say and do.  So, I’m doing it.