Christine Ho Younghusband

Math Tutoring

Kelly & Grace – Cramming for Principles of Math 12

This is probably one of my most favorite photos.  Does it look natural to you?  Two of my favorite students studying for Math 12 with latte in hand… it’s a vision that puts tears to my eyes.  As you can see, modelling plays a huge role in student learning.  Thanks girls for looking so natural in this photo opportunity.  I hope that both Kelly and Grace do not mind that their picture is posted in this blog for the world to see.  By now, they have finished their undergraduate degrees and have moved on with their academic and/or professional careers as young adults wondering what they want to be when they grow up.  Both of them went into the Faculty of Arts.  Kelly graduated in Honors English at UBC and Grace was a pre-med student.  Math tutoring was one of the most fulfilling parts of my job as a high school mathematics teacher.  It is at this moment when relationships are built, trust is formed, and mutual respect is reciprocated 10-fold.  As much as I enjoyed teaching in the 4 block tumble of the timetable, it was the lunch time tutorials, after school help, and weekend math camps that made my job rewarding.  As an independent educational consultant, my new self-employed position focuses on two avenues I adored as a high school teacher: (1) teacher professional development and (2) math tutoring.  Last year I had delivered more than a dozen workshops to high school teachers about Assessment for Learning.  With that said, the math tutoring portion of my business is flourishing.  I love working with students one-on-one.  It has offered new challenges to my teaching practice as I try to cater the tutoring session to the learning needs of the student and attempt to figure out how to best fit our work with the work of the teacher.  Not an easy task but I love the challenge.  My inspiration for this blog entry is my gratitude to those individuals who have been recommending my services to potential clients.  My clients range from public school students, home school students, and adult learners.  My tutoring business has grown in the last year from a handful of clients to a few dozen per term.  As the school year ends, more phone calls, emails, and Facebook messages are received as I best try to accommodate all of the requests.  Thank you clients and those who are making recommendations for your vote of confidence in my abilities as an effective mathematics educator.  There is no question in mind that teaching mathematics is my passion.  I hope to one day return to a teaching or leadership position that involves mathematics education.  For now, my dissertation and service as school trustee call my name.  Guess what?  My research and school board work still involves mathematics, student learning, and teacher professional development.  It’s all good.

SC Botanical Gardens

“Composting” – SC Botanical Garden Society – West Sechelt

What a wonderful day… today we had our Education Standing Committee at the Sunshine Coast Botanical Gardens in West Sechelt.  The society’s president, Paddy Wanes, generously provided the SD46 Education Committee the Botanical Gardens Pavilion as venue for our May 2012 meeting.  Loved it!  Before our ‘official’ meeting, Paddy took us on a short tour of the 40 acres property.  Absolutely beautiful.  We opted not to walk around the entire grounds and looked at the vegetable gardens and ponds instead.  Paddy’s enthusiasm for the facility, biodiversity, and educating others was awesome.  I learned so much today about the Botanical Gardens during the tour that I failed to take pictures, but I took this one.  This is a compost pile of blackberry bush cuttings.  It has no seeds or roots.  The pile is not a “hot compost” such that heat will be generated.  This compost, one of many, will eventually decompose and works it’s way back into the land.  Amazing.  I learned something new.  Can you tell that my background is in Chemistry and Mathematics.  I was quite awe inspired with Paddy’s take on the life sciences and the capacity of the Botanical Gardens does have and could have with student learning.  Best of all, the Botanical Gardens sustains itself with numerous grants, rental of the pavilion, and countless volunteers.  I am grateful to have the opportunity to tour the Botanical Gardens.  I loved listening about how West Sechelt Elementary students learn about vegetables, how Chatelech Secondary Foods classes harvest the garden, and how the Botanical Gardens Society’s partners with the Sechelt Food Bank.  Service learning.  What more can you ask for?  Coffee, cookies, and an awesome Education Standing Committee meeting.  Thank you committee members for the discussion. And, thank you Paddy for the tour and meeting place.  Our next Education Standing Committee meeting is scheduled for September 26, 2012 at the SD46 School Board Office.  Looking forward.

My Bubble Has Broken

I can’t believe that my bubble has broken.  I liked living in my bubble.  The world was bright.  Life was about integrity, honesty, and trust.  This gave me the courage to take risks and learn something new.  Don’t get me wrong, I still have faith in others.  That is a relief.  I remain hopeful.  That’s also a good thing.  My bubble burst when I realized that I know a bit too much and I have to make sense of it.  I don’t have all of the information, but I know enough to make me feel sick.  My heart is heavy.  Even with all this information, not everything that needs to be said is said.  As a result, my world does not look as bright.  Today is a new beginning.  I’m looking forward to the future… bubble-free.

Formative Assessment

Principles of Math 12 and Assessment for Learning

One of my greatest passions in education, next to teaching mathematics, is Assessment for Learning.  Understanding the difference between formative assessment and summative assessment was transformational to my teaching practice.  I remember one of my colleagues insisting that there was a difference between the two, but I could not wrap my head around it until I spoke to another teacher from another district who professionally provoked me to question my practice.  To both colleagues, many thank you’s.  I spent almost five years revising my teaching practice to incorporate the values of Assessment for Learning and doing my best to provide feedback to my students without grading or judging them.  On the one hand, my math classes seemed like ‘high stakes testing’ because I had very few items I collected for marks.  On the other hand, students felt like they had a second chance and were more motivated to learn because the door was never closed.  Using formative assessment in my math classes was a HUGE awakening for me.  Not every counts for marks, but everything is important. I no longer had pages of marks to compute a final grade for a student, but I had no more than a dozen items and many observations to determine how a student was achieving in my math class. It was liberating and I felt like I was more focused on teaching and learning, not counting and evaluating.  Inspired, I have given many workshops in the past year about Assessment for Learning and how to get started.  I was reminded last week at the Pacific Institute for the Mathematics Sciences (PIMS) 2012 Conference on Changing the Culture that Formative Assessment continues to be a HOT TOPIC for mathematics educators in K-12 and higher education.  The continuum of “everything counts” and “formative feedback” still exists.  As much as I enjoyed the entire conference, the panel discussion on Formative Assessment was dynamic, inspirational, and tense.  WOW.  This session made it very clear to me that the assessment and evaluation of student learning is strongly held on the personal beliefs of the educator.  A big aha… All that I know is, thank goodness for professional development sessions such as the PIMS 2012 Conference.  It is a great opportunity to discuss with other practitioners about our practice, what’s important, and what’s not so important.  Much enjoyed all of the speakers and what I have learned as a mathematics educator, graduate student, and educational consultant.  All is possible and “all students crave feedback.”

Solving Algebraic Equations

Life lessons learned from math… not.  Well, it does make me question.  On the one hand, many people out there believe math is difficult.  The truth is, it’s not.  We think may be true because we will often “memorize” a zillion math facts and fail to put them together.  The trick to math is grouping the ideas together so that you can reconstruct the question into something that looks familiar.  For example, solving algebraic equations in high school mathematics is somewhat straightforward if you know the rules and how to use them.  If implemented correctly, you will always come out with an answer (well… most times, but that’s not the point).  The method to solve algebraic equations is universally understood by everyone from around the world.  There may be some minor differences, but generally it’s the same.  Procedurally, the same steps are used over and over again.  The trick is to identify the nature of the problem and set out with a strategy with your pocket full of rules to solve the equation (i.e. isolate for x).  Once fluency, solving rational equations or quadratic equations is a small step forward from solving linear equations.  In the end, calculus and finding derivatives is easy-peasy.  So, what’s the lesson?  Life is not as straightforward.  There are rules, but not necessary understood by everyone.  Not everyone lives by the same rules or believe that the rules actually work.  Some of us may not even know all of the rules.  That gets even more frustrating.  As a result, a finite solution like x = 3 is not easy to find.  Whenever you think that math is hard, think about “What do you want to do with your life?” or “How can we achieve world peace?” or something else BIG that seems impossible to solve.  Considering these questions will make you want to do math… for fun.  Consider this… The best thing about math is, most times there’s an answer to the problem.  Sometimes, there’s “no solution” and that’s OK. 

Mother’s Day

Happy Mother’s Day – “Best Mom Ever” (inside card)

I love how my kid is a bit delusional about my role as a mom and how I compare to other moms.  I am the “best mom ever.”  As moms know, there are good times and bad times.  What I do appreciate about my kid is that she keeps me on my toes.  I am always learning.  The rules keep changing.  No one sends you a memo to inform you these changes.  They just do and all of a sudden your kid is someone else.  I love my kid to bits.  I was inspired to write this blog when I heard my kid “play” the recorder downstairs as she “composed” a song.  Very admirable.  Life as a kid.  Love it.  She keeps me humble.  Mother’s Day.

Back to the BOC

Saturday was the first day of the DIET… it was also the day that I’ve returned back to the BOC (Bag of Chips).  This is very bad. As it turned out, it was also a day of stress.  The day begins with me rolling out of bed and getting ready to chauffeur my daughter to swimming lessons.  It was the beginning of a beautiful day… hot and sunny.  My daughter capitalized on the good weather and headed out on her bike to find friends to play with.  Reminded several times of swimming, she reassures me that “she knows” and will return home soon.  Tick tock.  Tick Tock.  One minute before swimming lessons begin, there is no kid to be seen.  “Where is she?”  In short, not a good scene and off I go in my car to find her.  “She’s at the park,” I’ve been told.  After going to two parks and heading out to a third, I saw my daughter riding beside her buddy heading away from our home.  Not a good sign.  And so, the riot act begins.  Is this a good thing?  Not really, but we were going to lessons in one way or another.  We had missed a couple of sessions earlier in the month and we were not going to miss a third.  Starting the day with a ‘fight or flight’ mentality, it was a natural progression to head to the BOC.  I could not help myself.  And you know what, it tasted good too.  Soothing the soul with a BOC… as you can see, Miss Vickies – Original is my go to.  Not a good start with my DIET intentions.  According to Weight Watchers, the BOC is worth 28 points.  I am allowed 20-25 points (with the Winning Points program).  Oh ya, the BOC is more than a days worth of food.  Well, there you go.  Back to the BOC is not pretty, I will admit.  The day ends with a bit of guilt and a huge nap.  Mental note to self: Start the day “stress-free” to avoid the BOC.

Cleaning Out My Closet

My house is a complete mess (well, at least the top floor).  I am overwhelmed with all the “things” I have accrued over the years and have been inspired to go through my closets, shelves, and any storage spaces to get rid of stuff I no longer use or need.  This is not an easy task.  Apparently, I am somewhat attached to some of these “things” that I have not used or seen in years.  Why is this?  I pick up an item and I can remember when I bought it, why I bought it, and about how much it cost.  Then, I look at my closet and get totally obsessed with losing 30 lbs in hopes of fitting clothes I wore 5 years ago.  I was so close to pressing OK on the Weight Watchers Online website.  Weight Watchers… again… successful twice, but thrice?  Is it really success when you have to keep returning to WW to lose weight?  I don’t think so.  In the end, what started as a ‘purge the clutter’ process has evolved into a ‘spiritual cleansing’ process.  Just let it go.  I am questioning my wishful thinking of what could be, when I should be celebrating what is.  Life is full of shoulds.  I should vacuum the floor.  I should eat fruit and vegetables.  I should take the dog out for a walk.  Blah, blah, blah.  I get overwhelmed with the shoulds that cleaning out my closet does not seem like a daunting task… but it is.  Ugh.  I don’t like looking at my size 8 pants thinking to myself that those were good times… and, will they ever come back again.  The pain.  The anguish.  I need is Stacey and Clinton from TLC’s What Not to Wear to come fly to Sechelt from New York City and help me out.  I need a complete $5000 clothing intervention.  What’s my size?  What’s age appropriate?  What style looks best on my body type?  My inquiring mind wants to know.  I just hope that I’m not the only one out there who struggles with this.  Here’s a clue. The only reason I am blogging is to take a break from the purging process (aka. classic avoidance).  That was 30 minutes of ranting and no progress with my closet.  Maybe I will have a bowl of ice cream before I look at another piece of clothing.  Mmm… ice cream.

The Canoe

Pulling Together Canoe Journey 2010

I feel so fortunate to be invited to be a part of the Pulling Together Canoe Journey 2012 (Powell River).  I did not expect to be invited to paddle for a third time with the SD46 s-yéwen s-néxwílh – Spirit Canoe, but I feel honoured to be asked once again.  I have paddled with the SD46 canoe in 2010 (The Salish Sea) as a teacher and in 2011 (The West Coast) as an educational consultant.  This year I will be journeying as a school trustee.  The canoe has been with me throughout my transformation as an educator and look forward to the lessons I will learn.

s-yéwen s-néxwílh (The Spirit Canoe) entered my life at a critical point in my teaching career.  I was a mid-career secondary mathematics teacher.  I had taught Science 8-10, Earth Science, 11, and Chemistry 11/12.  My undergraduate degree is majoring in chemistry with a concentration in mathematics.  As I navigated through my teaching career, I found passion in mathematics education.  I love how students are so candid with their learning in mathematics.  They get frustrated and elated in such a short period of time.  I found teaching mathematics extremely rewarding and reworking my practice so that students can learn mathematics was super fun.  Best Job: teaching math.

I was reaching a turning point in my teaching career.  At that time, I felt like I had nowhere to go.  My family loves living on the Sunshine Coast, I had 18 more years until full-pension, and I was secure with my job with seniority and subject specialty but had little mobility for a job change in my school district.  Something had to change.  I joined many committees, took on the role of staff rep, and entered the world of academia with a doctoral program in educational leadership.  What was I thinking?  Doing more did not equate to happiness in the workplace.  Although I loved working with kids and teaching mathematics, I felt like this was “the end” (a disappointing realization).

The Spirit Canoe was been instrumental to my transition.  It brought me hope, once again.  I learned about teamwork, trust, and respect.  It is a metaphor for systems and working together to achieve a common goal.  We all have a role, we all have a purpose.  The Canoe does not suggest that things remain static or that we are all the same.  It acknowledges our differences and our strengths.  Sometimes change is needed so that the canoe can move swiftly in the water.  Changes can look like changing seats or changing paddling partners.  On the 2011 journey, I volunteered to be part of the grounds crew.  This was an amazing experience.  As much as I wanted to be in the water, the work that is done behind the scenes matter too.  Setting up tents and ensuring that the canoes arrive safely to shore was just as memorable as paddling through rough waters.  There is always something to learn and we are all a part of the canoe family.  No crew member is more (or less) important than the other.  We all have a role to play, we are all in it together, so that the canoe can perform its best.

It was from my experience with the canoe that I have learned many life lessons.  I learned more about the Aboriginal culture, I learned more about Aboriginal students, and I learned more about myself.  The canoe symbolizes “work to be done.”  Initially when I thought I was not going on the 2012 Journey, I believed “my work” was done.  This was a good sign.  When asked to return, I had mixed feelings.  I love the Spirit Canoe and wish that everyone has the opportunity to experience the power of the canoe.  On the other hand, returning back to the Canoe meant that I have “work to do.”  The transition into my ‘new’ life has not been a swift one.  There are calm waters and rough ones.  What I do know is, my heart is open.  Thank you s-yéwen s-néxwílh for inviting me back.  All my relations.

Level 8 Swimming

Here is my kid… swimming in the ocean.  Ever since she was a blob, she loved swimming.  To support her with her passion, she is enrolled in junior lifeguard, swim club, and swimming lessons.  It’s pretty amazing what she has achieved considering I am not a swimmer.  I can float and drift, but that’s it. I’m pretty proud of her.

I want to share a story with you about my daughter and swimming lessons.  It is not a story to judge others or seek justice, but it’s something to LEARN from.  One year ago, my daughter was enrolled in swimming lessons that met once a week.  I believe that she had attended all of the classes and she enjoyed the swimming nonetheless.  At the end of the 8 or 10-week session, she got her “report card.”  She failed Level 8.  To be truthful, I support that kids should pass all competencies before moving onto the next level.  On her report card, she had everything checked off except backstroke.  No biggie.  Next time.

When the swim students were given their report cards, the swim teacher huddled with the students to give them feedback on their performance and report cards.  My daughter returned to the change room a little annoyed and angry.  I tried to reassure her that there is always next time.  Don’t worry about it.  She replied, “I did not know that I was doing bad with my backstroke until my report card.”  What?  Really?  I can see why she would be annoyed and angry with the situation.  How can you get better at something if you were not told that you needed to improve on it?  I ask this question disregarding those who may have been told and refused to listen.  It’s situations like this where the individual genuinely did not know what was going wrong and was not given an opportunity to make it better.  By the time my daughter got her report card, it was too late.  She’s repeating Level 8 Swimming.

What is the moral of the story?  This is about justice, honesty, and courage… Alasdair MacIntyre’s (1984) three virtues.  Without one, two, or three of these virtues, the system is in dysfunction.  There would be no trust, no respect, and no potential for change.  Formative feedback matters.  A final evaluation is the worst time to find out you could have done better.  There should be no surprises.