Professional Learning

EDUFAIR2020 and Intentionality

Week 39 – December 7, 2020 – EARLY START TO BLOGGING

I am giving myself some grace. I spent the weekend planning and prepping #EDUFAIR2020 to end the term at UNBC School of Education for teacher candidates, instructors, and practice evaluators. Hosted and facilitated #EDUFAIR2020 this morning and I think the event went very well. Of course I would ask my colleagues soon after the event for feedback. It went well. This ties in so closely to what I advise teacher candidates about lesson planning. When you plan with intention and prep accordingly, all will go well. You are able to flex and adapt because you’ve planned for it. Well, that’s how things went this morning. That said, I am grateful for the #UNBCED teacher candidates who supported and encouraged me just before the Celebration of Learning event started. TECH ISSUES. #classic. They helped and walked me through, and we were back on track soon after 9am. Honestly, it takes a village and I am 100% grateful for this learning community. Thank you all for participating!!!

The power of INTENTIONALITY. Everything that I do has to come from a good place. My WHY is tied in to who I am and I will act accordingly. This has taken me some time to learn my authentic power. I am still learning. What I am understanding is, when we move forward honouring our purpose, karma will work in your favour. Sounds spiritual or “fluffy” but it’s starting to make sense to me. What I need to focus on is, where am I going to spend my time. This is big. I’m back to “what’s important to me?” What I do know is, the work invested in #EDUFAIR2020 was worth it. It came from the intention of community, connection, and collaboration. HELLO? This is completely aligned to My Manifesto. Huh. That’s a wonderful realization. The day was meant to honour the learner and celebrate the learning. From what I understand, mission accomplished. I am also focused on FEELINGS. How are people learning the learning activity? Do they feel good? Do they feel inspired? This is the aim of teacher education. If anything, I also appreciate the SENSE-MAKING opportunity of #EDUFAIR2020, which is based on the framework of Edcamp. Focus on learning.

Anyway, I am happy as to how the morning ended and I am very happy about feeling satisfied. It’s a good feeling. This state of transformation is complicated and shifting mindsets takes time. I am so proud of the teacher candidates. All 5 cohorts reconnected today… from Prince George, Terrace, and Skidegate. Being online and teaching/learning remotely at the university is NOTHING like teaching/learning face-to-face, but it as radically improved accessibility and what can be possible. I don’t want to be limited by the status quo and I don’t want to rely on what was comfortable. I am struck by the term LAZY and motivated to develop my practice to transform my pedagogy to maximize the learning experience of teacher candidates, thus K-12 students they will teach during practicum. I am set on my 2021 challenge. Not only will I get that selfie-stick and tripod in action to video record asynchronous learning that is situated in place and on the land, but also to find ways to design learning experiences that are engaging, participatory, and transformational.

#pandemicreflections #2021ambition #beingintentional

Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, December 07th, 2020 | Comments Off on EDUFAIR2020 and Intentionality

Filed under: pandemic reflections, Professional Learning, Program Renewal |

Indigenous Day of Learning

Week 28 – September 25, 2020 – SD57 Lhulh’uts’ut’en

What an incredible day of learning. I am so grateful that SD57 Indigenous Education Department invited the UNBC Teacher Candidates and Instructors from the School of Education B.Ed. to participate in this day of professional learning. It’s an opportunity for our teacher candidates to learn from Indigenous Canadian Scholars, Dr. Dustin Louie and Dr. Niigaanwewidam Sinclair, but also learn with currently practicing teachers and from community members from the north and central interior of BC. This gesture of generosity and grace from the SD57 Director of Indigenous Education Pam Spooner strengthens the relationship between the school district and School of Education. I am so honoured and humbled to be part of this Indigenous Day of Learning as an instructor, educator, and learning.

The pandemic lent to a unique opportunity for myself, our teacher candidates, and BC educators to access professional learning via online. I was learning from home. I loved both of the keynote speakers, but I also appreciated the break out sessions I attended to deepen my understanding of Indigenizing, Decolonizing, and local and national lived experiences with respect to Truth and Reconciliation. What resonated with me the most was MAKING SPACE. I’ve been thinking about this as an educator but also as educational leader in higher education. How do I make space for Indigenous Voices? How do I become an activist as an educator? What does it mean to Indigenize and Decolonize my teaching practice? How can I contribute to Truth and Reconciliation in Canada? How will I deepen my understanding on Indigenous Education and deepen relationships in community?

I love how a professional learning opportunity leaves me thinking and left with questions to ponder, address, and hopefully answer. The goal and hope of professional learning days like this one is to KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING. Professional learning days serve as a catalyst, but now the work is in our hands. What are you going to do about it? It’s so easy to move forward and forget about some of the lessons learned on these incredible and inspirational days of learning. I was so provoked on this day of learning and I took many photos of powerpoint slides for me to return to and consider. I also tweet during these days with some of the big ideas I walk away with. For the remainder of my blog post, I will share the tweets I made on this day. This is a great way to collate and re-share what I have learned that day. Thank you again to SD57 Indigenous Education Department and to all the speakers, staff, and participants who made this incredible event possible. All my relations.

Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, October 12th, 2020 | Comments Off on Indigenous Day of Learning

Filed under: Professional Learning |