SD46 Student Forum

Closing remarks by Student Trustee Maya Treuheit

On April 30th, SD46 held it’s first Student Forum at the Sechelt Learning Centre.  This inaugural SD46 event was developed and facilitated by the SD46 District Student Leadership Team (DSLT).  Topics such as extracurricular activities, social media, and student stress were discussed at 7 round tables.  Each table consisted of one school trustee, DSLT representative, SD46 staff, and student representation from each secondary school.  At my table, “Team Double Green,” we had myself, Student Trustee Maya Treuheit, Principal Carolyn Spence, and one student representative from Elphinstone, Alternative Schools, Chatelech, and Pender Harbour ranging from grades 8 to 12.  We had an excellent discussion… coming up with great ideas such as an OPEN INVITATION to extracurricular activities, considering BYOD in schools, and creating a sensitivity to RACISM and racial slurs.  Thank you students of SD46.  I look forward to next year’s SD46 Student Forum.  Your voice matters!  #StuVoice  #StuVoiceBC

BCSTA AGM 2014

The BC School Trustees gather in Vancouver at the BCSTA AGM.  The event starts with a keynote, followed up by concurrent sessions, and concludes with our deliberations of motions at the AGM.  I am so proud of SD46 at this AGM.  First, our student trustee, Maya Treuheit, attended this event advocating for student voice and spoke at the microphone in favor of motion 18.  Second, SD46 teachers Kirsten Deasey and Kathy Stoddart eloquently presented SPARK 10! as a concurrent session to delegates.  Third, trustees Lori Pratt, Silas White, and Chair Betty Baxter moved 6 motions that ranged from the BCPSEA Board, UBCM, to the Auditor General.  Fourth, Trustee White chaired the first part of the AGM along with Student Trustee Treuheit reading motions beside him.  And, I was elected to the 2014-15 BCSTA Board as director.  Well done SD46!  The little district that could.

Food For Thought

A proud prize winner… yup, jam made locally.  I answered a trivia question correctly and voila… FOOD.  Thank you to all those who presented, planned, and organized the Centre for Civic Governance at Columbia Institute titled, “Food for Thought” in Vancouver.  I was not sure what to expect, but walked away with so much.  First, I learned a tonne the pre-conference session on public speaking.  We were called to task with speech writing, video recording, and critique.  It was intense, but worthwhile.  This was followed up with several concurrent sessions.  The ones I attended focused on food, schools, and student learning.  The first session I attended had several speakers talking about bringing fresh food to students.  Their passion to do was astounding, not to mention their journey to ‘make it happen’ for students.  Inspirational.  The second session I went to was led by three grade 12 students talking about their learning experiences with a project-based learning adventure in culinary tourism and the “Taste Trail.”  Exceptional.  I fully endorse and support student leadership and advocacy.  My third session was to support my colleague SD46 Trustee Silas White and Principal Sally Thicke who presented on Davis Bay Elementary’s K-3 Primary Nature Program, from governance to implementation.  An excellent presentation that derived much interest and dialogue.  It’s nice to know that SD46 are on the leading edge with this environmental education initiative.  Well received.  Finally, I ended the conference with Indigenous Sovereignty.  A change in rhythm but an excellent way to conclude the conference with my ultimate take-away… FOOD BUILDS COMMUNITY.  #gratitude

BCSSA Spring Forum 2014

With personalized learning as the ‘new direction’ of BC education, Ron Berger’s presentation on Expeditionary Learning at the BCSSA Spring Forum was inspirational and enlightening.  The Spring Forum was an excellent opportunity to imagine what project-based learning is like and what it could be.  It can be purposeful and service oriented.  Berger started the keynote with building character through commitment, courage, compassion, and contribution… instilling virtues in student learning.  Various examples of students demonstrating their learning were shown… ranging from field guides, music videos, to student-led conferences.  What captured my attention was the Butterfly Critique… using formative assessment and multiple drafts to establish quality work.  Learning was more about WE and less about ME.  My biggest take-away is, project-based learning is structured by formative and summative assessment.  #absolutely

EdCamp35 Reflection

What more can I say… awesome, awesome, awesome… YUP.  #EdCamp35 was a ‘hat-trick’ of awesomeness and I loved it.  This is my 4th or 5th #edcamp and this one in particular was magical.  Food trucks, thought provoking discussions, and cross-pollenation of ideas made #EdCamp 35 memorable.  For me, #EdCamp35 was #myPLN… sharing ideas in-person.  I was star struck.  I met so many people from #myPLN face-to-face.  I am so grateful for Twitter and my virtual professional learning community.  Meeting #myPLN face-to-face in Langley was an incredible experience.  So what do I love about #edcamp?  First, we have no title… you can be a student, superintendent, teacher, parent, support staff, principal/vice-principal, or school trustee… we are all invested in education… we are all equal.  Second, we choose what we teach/learn with our two feet… no hard feelings if you walk out mid-session or join a session late… we personalize our learning.  Third, we are teaching and learning… #edcamp is participant driven and most likely discussing ‘hot topics’ in BC education as teacher and/or learner.   Best of all,  I realized that the conversations ‘go deeper’ with #myPLN at #edcamp because I already have an online relationship with them.  Learning becomes more authentic and meaningful.  I owe much gratitude to #myPLN.  They inspire and motivate me to learn more about education.  Thank you to all those within #myPLN I met face-to-face and those who made reflective blogs of #Edcamp35 (see below).  #highfive to all those who ‘showed up’ and embraced the #poetrychallenge.  The poems were absolutely #Bryndges… (yup, it’s a hashtag).  And a BIG THANK YOU to the organizers and supporters of #EdCamp35.  #muchgratitude #myPLNrocks

Victoria Olson (@MsVictoriaOlson) – A Tech Teacher on a Mission – My #edcamp35 Reflections
Shawn Davids (@sdavids51) – Leadership with a Purpose – EdCamp35: Oh What A Day!
Karl Lindgren-Streicher (@KarlLS) – Student Centered History – #edcamp35: A Reflection
D’Alice Marsh (@DAliceMarsh) – A Lifelong Learner – Edcamp35 Another One Under My Belt
Bryn Williams (@brynmw) – VP Stories – Reflections of #Edcamp35

EdCamp Haiku

CISVA Math Teachers

Thank you CISVA Secondary Mathematics Teachers for taking the time to engage in professional learning.  It was my pleasure to return back to CISVA to discuss project based learning (PBL), assessment for learning (AFL), and the new curriculum.  To my delight, many of you are on your way with PBL and AFL.  Thank you for sharing your excitement, enthusiasm, and ideas during the workshop… and thank you for collaborating with your colleagues to create new ones.  Mathematics can be a challenging subject area to skew away from traditional pedagogy.  Ideas such as PBL and AFL forces us to reconsider, reflect, and redesign our teaching practice and imagine ‘how things could be different.’  You all inspire me.  Your kind words set the benchmark high.  I hope I met your expectations.  I appreciate your feedback and will be making revisions to my teaching practice.  I love this about education.  We are all learners.  We are all teachers.  Collaborating collegially.

Gratitude

Gratitude.  It’s so nice to take a moment and “smell the roses.”  Sometimes we can get so busy ‘doing things’ and ‘getting things done’ that we cannot appreciate the little things in life that brings us much happiness.  Although I do not have any roses in my garden or roses near by me, the metaphor reminds me to take a deep breath… look around… and observe.  Blogging is an excellent tool for me to ‘stop’ and ‘smell the roses.’  I’ve wondered why I blog… Who’s reading?  Who cares?  What’s it’s purpose?  What’s my purpose?  It gets big like that.  When I do blog, I am sharing what’s important to me, but also it’s an opportunity to influence others to do the same.  I am awed by the wonderful people in my life and incredible learning experiences I’ve engaged in wholeheartedly.  It’s humbling.  Thank you all for being a part of my pedagogical journey.  I appreciate the little things… a smile, a compliment, an idea, a hug… it’s all good.

BRILLIANT

Christine Wood, Allyson Fawcus, Susan Shinn

West Sechelt Playground Enhancement Committee

Thank you West Sechelt Playground Enhancement Committee (WSPEC) for an amazing evening… “Ladies Night” at the Sunshine Coast Botanical Gardens was outstanding.  It was so nice to go to an evening event with women, eating delicious appetizers, enjoying a glass of wine, and SHOPPING.  Seems like this was a winning combination.  It was standing room only.  Best of all, we were all there to support WSPEC with their continued efforts to raise money and build an inclusive playground at West Sechelt Elementary.  This fundraising event was so impressive on so many levels… I am truly grateful to have been part of this event… as a community member, parent, community futures board member, and school trustee.  It seemed to satisfy all of my interests, all at once.  Coincidently, I attended another community event the day before at the Sechelt Indian Band Hall titled “A Community Without Borders.”  The theme of this event was to “build a community you want to live in.”  It was looking at innovation, inclusion, literacy, and economic prosperity.  The event entailed various presentations by local champions describing their work and lived experiences on the Sunshine Coast.  To follow up that event with WSPEC Ladies Night astounded me.  Here is a group of women… Christine Wood, Allyson Fawcus, and Susan Shinn… at the core of the WSPEC… innovating, fundraising, and envisioning ways to raise money and awareness for this HUGE endeavor of building and affording an accessible playground at West Sechelt Elementary School for all kids… building a community they want to see.  This is a sub-committee of the West Sechelt Parent Advisory Council (PAC).  Their passion and enthusiasm are infectious.   Parents from the school community, teachers, friends, and family members came out to tonight to volunteer their time and expertise to make this event happen.  Each person had a unique job, whether it be collecting tickets, serving appetizers, or pouring glasses of wine.  This passionate and humble team pulled together to make a memorable and enjoyable event.  Furthermore, local businesses and individuals donated the gifts, prizes, and services for the silent auction table… including a trip for 4 to Whistler, which was raffled.  The 50/50 winner received $440 tonight and other raffle winners won prizes portions of the “wine wall” and gifts donated by vendors.  I loved how these vendors were small business on the Sunshine Coast and having live music, displaying local art, and photographer were a nice touch.  The WSPEC Ladies Night event was an outstanding evening to reconnect with those in my community.  The food was excellent.  The venue was extraordinary.  The people were AWESOME.  This is one of the best community events I have attended.  Lots of smiles.  Lots of winners.  Lots of LOVE.  This is how I want MY COMMUNITY to be…

Persistence

Sadly, I underestimated this writing project.  This current state of being is not uncommon but I took some significant time to arrive here.  Finally, I dealt with this huge pile of papers that sat on my shelf for the last two years.  I could not bare going through it… emotionally, cognitively, and logistically.  I truly thought I could do this HUGE project on my own and in one draft.  What was I thinking?  Huge vulnerability issues… I wanted to jump BIG, but I have to take small steps instead.  Something done is better than NOTHING.  With some guidance, I am beginning to create a path down the tunnel… a very long tunnel.  Focus on a few things instead of many… do one step at a time… block time… create doable tasks to achieve… stay focused… and completion is key.   Sounds like a reasonable plan for my dissertation even though I was doing this for my business.  With some COURAGE, I blocked out time to sort through my articles, notes, and feedback.  I managed to sort these articles into 7 themes.  This activity was a nice reminder of the work I have done and striving to do HUGE chunks, like Chapter 1 in one sitting, is not achievable.  This is where I lose momentum.  If I look at myself, it reminds me of what I advise people I teach… To be successful, you have to be open to feedback, make mistakes, and be willing to try again.  Hello?  Practice what you preach Younghusband!!! #learningbydoing