One of my daughter’s favorite restaurants is SUBWAY. She would rather construct her own ham sandwich at Subway than order one of six Happy Meals with toy from McDonald’s. Who am I to argue? Sandwiches it is!
After her swimming lessons on Saturday, we went to Subway. All of a sudden my parental role changed from chauffeur to hero. It’s the small things we do as parents to make things a little brighter in our child’s life. It was lunchtime and she was famished.
At Subway, I love how my daughter knows the routine of ordering a sandwich. First, we walk into the restaurant. She stands in front of the line and begins ordering the kind of bread she would like, 6″ or 12″. Then, she asks for the kind of sandwich she desires: HAM with cheese. She likes the white cheese instead of cheddar and she asks them not to toast her sandwich. She slides over and asks for lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives with salt and pepper. No sauce please. With a big grin on her face, they wrap her sandwich in paper. To close the deal, she asks for “the meal.” Her biggest decision is whether or not to go for a bag of chips or 2 cookies. A tough choice indeed. That day, she chose baked potato chips. Once that decision was made, she heads to the soda fountain to make herself a ‘swamp water’ (that is, a mix of soda pops). I don’t have to nag her about eating vegetables or policing the choices she makes. She makes good choices and in the end, she is happy.
How does this relate to learning? As an educator, I think the Subway sandwich is an excellent metaphor of “personalized learning.” Personalized learning is about making choices that are personally relevant. At Subway, every consumer will walk out with a sandwich (or soup, or both). In the educational system, learners will walk away with something. This ‘something’ looks different from student to student, much like the Subway sandwich, depending on what was chosen en route of the educational journey. Although the number of choices may be limited, the combinations are infinite. Furthermore, how the sandwich is filled will vary too. My daughter could have just chose the bread, ham, and cheese. That’s it. Or, she could have added mustard or jalapenos to the sandwich she had originally composed. It doesn’t matter. What does matter is that she is enjoying the sandwich. Personalized learning is about choices. When choices are limited, personal relevance is minimized.
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, April 17th, 2012 | Comments Off on Subway Sandwich Learning
A day of gratitude… First of all, it’s a beautiful sunny day. I cannot complain about that. Blue skies, the sun is shining, and the birds are singing. It’s a beautiful spring day. Second, it’s the day after my CUTL completion. CUTL is the Certificate of University Teaching and Learning program offered at the Teaching & Learning Centre at SFU. It doesn’t matter how long you have been teaching (for me, 16 years), you an always learn more about the teaching practice. It feels great to be accepted into and complete the program. CUTL shifted my views of teaching and learning in higher education, adult education, and K-12 education. Third, I spent the morning with the Superintendent of Schools touring schools on the south end of the Sunshine Coast. It was a unique opportunity as a former employee and new school trustee to see school principals, teachers, support staff, and students in action. I loved visiting the schools and feeling the energy each school provides. Furthermore, I am grateful to see the entire school district as a collection of distinct school cultures and communities. I feel very lucky to be a part of School District No.46 (Sunshine Coast) as school trustee. The day concludes with an engaging committee meeting at the Board office with the Superintendent and Trustee Mewhort. There nothing I like more than to talk about education (it’s true… ask my husband). The best part of my day is hanging out at the pool to watch my daughter swim while I remote blog to share my gratitude with you. Thank you for reading, Bloggies. Happy Friday the 13th.
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, April 14th, 2012 | Comments Off on Friday the 13th
Ever since she was born, my daughter oozed FREEDOM CHILD. At the hospital, moments after her birth, the nurse wrapped her up tightly in a blanket to stay warm and secure. My daughter managed to wriggle her way out of the swaddle. She never liked being wrapped (or smothered) in a blanket. She didn’t like being “trapped” in her crib. And, she doesn’t like to snuggle. The best time to hug her is when she is almost sleeping, otherwise she wants her FREEDOM. I remember sending her to my friend’s place for child care when I returned to work. My daughter was just over one, her stomach was her main mode of transportation, and she muttered a few words like “muck” and “mum.” After one day of child care, my friend reports back to me with my child’s mantra: “You’re not the boss of me.”
It is not to say that my daughter does not like rules. She loves rules and regulations. In fact, I would often take her aside to say, “Stop policing your friends. You’re not the boss of them.” Ironic, I know. She has a huge desire for justice and values her freedom to choose and make decisions for herself. She prides herself on being INDEPENDENT. Just the other morning, my daughter greeted me when I woke. “Good morning Mom! Can I make you breakfast? Would you like an omelette or a pancake? Doesn’t matter. I’ll make both.” She even made me a cup of coffee to go with. Amazing or what? I often think that she is my mom instead of it being the other way around. I feel very lucky.
Why do I even bring this up? During spring break, my daughter opted to participate in ‘hockey for girls’ with HOCKEY FOR HEROES. I was somewhat skeptical if she would like hockey because of the equipment but inspired that she was motivated to try. My husband plays hockey, refs hockey, watches hockey, hockey pools, and formally coached hockey… bottom line, he’s a hockey guy. I was encouraged that my daughter wanted to play, but I was worried about the EQUIPMENT. So much gear for my daughter to put on (and off) just to play hockey. All I can say is, my intuition was right. She liked playing but she was a grump before and after hockey. I wonder why? Freedom child.
On the other hand, my daughter loves to swim. She has been swimming since she was a little baby. She loves the water. Right now, she swims four times a week. There is minimal equipment (i.e. suit and goggles) and she is in and out of the pool with no problems. Often, she would beg after each lesson to stay longer in the water. If she could, she would swim every day of the week. Seems excessive, but when you love something… why not? She loves the freedom and the rules. It seems like a good fit. When her swim club coach asked if she would swim competitively, her face lit up.
What’s my point? When my daughter says to me… “I don’t like colouring at school. I mean, I like colouring, but you can’t colour the ocean yellow”… makes me wonder, what is her need? She will question and test the boundaries until she understands or negotiates a deal. She will follow the rules, but demands to know why and expects others to follow. This behaviour could be perceived as defiant. Sometimes she gets “in trouble” for questioning or doing otherwise. Or, this behaviour could be perceived as critical thinking or creativity. It should be celebrated and nourished. My advice: Don’t be constrained by “the rules” or expectations. Sometimes, rules are meant to be broken.
Life is about doing the right things, not about doing things right.
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, April 12th, 2012 | Comments Off on Freedom Child
What do I really care about? This is the BIG QUESTION. I’m not being existential, but I’m contemplating what’s the SO WHAT to my dissertation. I lost focus and may have stepped away from my project for a bit too long. Now, I am given the opportunity to redefine what I want to research. This is scary. It’s almost feels like where I was two years ago, faced with the same question. I think that I have found myself in the dissertation trap… I want to ‘save the world’ with one research project. A bit too ambitious and unrealistic. This is a bit of a reality check. At this point in time, I am open to reconsidering my proposal but I am not sure what I truly care about. I care about K-12 mathematics education… I care about quality teaching… I care about student success. So… what’s the SO WHAT?
I hate that mathematics is always the subject that people feel OK about to ‘dis’ in conversation. It seems culturally OK to say, “I hate math.” It’s a mantra that resonates with many and I hate that. It almost seems everywhere I am… watching television, on a school trustee tour, or shopping in a women’s clothing store… when the topic of mathematics comes up, people will often say (1) I was never good at mathematics. Or, (2) Wouldn’t you rather do this than go to math class? Ugh. I don’t feel that way. In fact, I think math is fun. I wonder why kids or people in general hate mathematics so much. When I started my doctorate program I was always curious of people’s math stories and what traumatized them in such a way that they carry such strong negative beliefs about mathematics.
It is clear to me that I will be writing about mathematics education. Kids are important to me and their sense of self-efficacy to achieve in mathematics. I am also interested in professional development and quality of teaching. I hope to form my research question soon so that my literature review and methodology can be determined. Thank you for reading my blog. It’s been a good way to sort out my ideas before I commit to a ‘new’ dissertation question that is meaningful, doable, and succinct.
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, April 09th, 2012 | Comments Off on So What?
Do not underestimate the research question. I did. Big mistake. Looking on the bright side, the best part about making mistakes is learning from them. This is the basic premise of Assessment for Learning (AFL). Engage, get feedback, and revise. Guess where I am? I am in the AFL cycle. The biggest hurdle for me is getting feedback. Well, I got it. Strangely, it was not as bad as I thought it would be. Yes, I am in the midst of revision and thinking about what’s important to me, but it was reassuring to hear that how I feel resonates with the feedback I received. This is a good connection. On the one hand, it was deja vu. On the other hand, I heard what was said. This is promising.
As much as I am passionate about teaching mathematics, students learning mathematics, and students LOVING mathematics, I cannot pinpoint what is actually “important” to me in terms of research. What question do I want to know the answer to? That is the question. At first I was looking at out-of-field teaching, secondary mathematics education, quality of teaching, building expertise, content and pedagogical content knowledge, professional learning, and student achievement. Whew. As you can see, it is a mouthful. Although the “topic” is good, what is my entry point?
The underpinning to AFL is exercising the virtues of courage, honesty, and justice (MacIntyre, 1984). Courage means to take risks, honesty is about truthfulness and trust, and justice entails formative feedback from those who are experts in the field. To exercise all three virtues is to strive for excellence and achieve the goods internal to my research and pursuing my degree in Educational Leadership. I need a “good” research question to venture forwards. It is not to say that what I have done so far has been worthless, it is to say that I need to find my focus to make it worthwhile.
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, April 08th, 2012 | Comments Off on The Research Question
Phew. I’m a bit overwhelmed, but Change is Coming. I just finished the last session of the CUTL (Certificate of University Teaching and Learning) program at SFU a few days ago. I received feedback earlier in the week that my literature review met the learning outcomes and I just submitted my “Nugget Notes,” that is, little aha’s of each CUTL session. Now, I am done. Success. Next week is our celebration luncheon and I get my certificate of completion. CUTL closure. Feels good.
After CUTL, I met my supervisor face-to-face at the SFU-Surrey campus. I need to revive my dissertation and I am looking at my committee for some guidance. I feel fortunate that my supervisor has opened his door to rework my research question. It is so true. The research stems from a ‘good’ question. “I’m all over the place.” I feel that in my writing and my supervisor confirmed this feeling. It was reassuring and liberating to get that feedback. A new step forward. Now, I am thinking about… “What’s important to me? What question do I want answered? What do I care about?” Not easy to for me to answer… everything is important. Suggestion: Use a journal to jot your ideas down. Done.
Remember: Good things come in three’s. I had a great CUTL session. I would like to mention that the two guest speakers of CUTL was a sessional I had during my MEd program as SFU and the other is a professor at SFU but also works on the BCAMT executive with me. They were both inspirational. It was good seeing them both again. The second awesome thing that happened was chatting with my supervisor and getting the help I need. Third was having a great day commuting and returning back to the Sunshine Coast to have dinner with both my husband and daughter in Gibsons. Delicious.
Did I fail to mention that there was a full-moon that night? Change is coming. I had a morning meeting with one of my former colleagues in my past life. We had a great chat over coffee. We share similar journeys and share a passion for education. The conversation was equally fantastic and I am grateful that my colleague was giving me a recommendation and recognizes my work in education. I believe he was giving me the “tap” on the shoulder. I feel honoured and humbled. Who knows what’s out there and what’s to come. All I can do is take a chance, take one step forward, and find out.
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, April 08th, 2012 | Comments Off on Change is Coming
Life as a politician and edu-junkie… I am enjoying my experiences and learning as I go. Last week, I attended a professional development conference and networking opportunity at Harrison Hot Springs. First of all, what a beautiful area. I feel honoured and privileged to partake in this event. I met many wonderful people and learning more about governance. Second, what an appropriate venue. The conference was hosted by the Columbia Institute, titled “The Future is Local.” Fantastic theme. The conference was designed for those elected into civic governance (i.e. school trustees, councillors, and mayors). The political vibe was “progressive” that is “nurturing leadership for sustainable communities.” It seemed like a good fit for me. Although I did not take the opportunity to enjoy the hot springs or swimming pools at the hotel, I attended the pre-conference workshop and many other workshops and plenaries afterwards. The pre-conference workshop focused on Aboriginal Education. The boat tour of the lake with the Chehalis Nation known as the “Sasquatch Tour” which had high school students from Hope and Chilliwack and a small group of school trustees from the conference. The facilitator sung traditional songs with his drum and told stories about his heritage, the history of the area, and his experiences. We concluded our tour with a delicious barbequed salmon lunch. It was amazing. This pre-conference workshop set the stage for the weekend. Each session and plenary were stories of real-life experiences, leadership, and governance. I was truly inspired. Aside from the pre-conference, the plenary that I would like to mention was the one delivered by my colleague and fellow school trustee, Betty Baxter. We are both newly elected to the SD46 Board of Education and we both love serving on the Board. With that said, we are both public speakers. Since being on the Board, we have attended several provincial conferences in the first few months of our term. To make a long story short, we appreciate and learn from the content being presented, but we were somewhat critical of presentation. When I found out that Betty was presenting at the civic governance conference… GAME ON. We joked about it before and during the conference prior to her time to speak at the breakfast plenary. All I can say is, BEST plenary I had ever witnessed as a school trustee (and educator). Her presentation was honest, engaging, and powerful. It was the best 30 min of the conference. I was moved. Others cried. You know that she did a great job when conference participants want to talk to her one-to-one for the rest of the day. She was a STAR. Content becomes personally relevant when connected to a personal story. Thank you Betty for Telling Your Story.
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, April 03rd, 2012 | Comments Off on Telling Your Story
Attention Caregivers: You know who you are… moms, dads, teachers, grandparents, health care workers, social workers, counselors, school administrators, and the list goes on…
If you ever feel like you are on the brink of burnout, that everything is on your shoulders and can’t catch up, and you are giving more than you are taking… GET OVER IT… and Fill Your Cup.
This is a metaphor for living. Notice, I have chosen a coffee cup for my blog to depict this metaphor because I like coffee. Certainly, choose any cup and beverage of choice you’d like.
Here’s the metaphor: You cannot give to others when your cup is empty. If your cup is empty, there is nothing to give (aka. burnout). When your cup is half full or half empty, it’s not about perspective or level of optimism; your cup is still not full. Fill Your Cup. The best time to give to others and feel good about it is when your cup is overflowing. When coffee is flowing over the rim, your cup is full and there is more to give.
So what? Two years ago, my cup was empty. I burned out. Teaching is a challenging career. I love teaching, I love inspiring students, and I love collaborating with colleagues. For many years, teaching was challenging, rewarding, and fulfilling for me. Then, I turned a corner. I became a mom, I stopped curling, and no longer felt challenged with teaching. My cup slowly emptied, yet continued to give. In time, I had nothing more to give and left teaching.
Strange. I had nothing left to give and something had to give. Since leaving the profession, I have been filling my cup. I am engaged in my graduate studies and the Certificate of University Teaching and Learning (CUTL) program at SFU learning about learning, teaching, and leading. I am tutoring students and adult learners mathematics and loving it. I appreciate the educational leadership opportunities I am involved with as school trustee and the feedback I receive for my work. I am training for the 10K Sun Run race in April and I am spending more time at home. No more Bag of Chips (BOC), it’s now a Bag of Carrots. My cup is full again. I feel confident, purposeful, and happy.
Don’t get me wrong… filling the cup takes time, effort, and hard work. It is recognizing that the cup is empty or emptying and what are you doing to nourish the soul. If you put yourself last, then everyone loses. You can’t help others unless you can help yourself first. This is a tough life’s lesson. I had to learn it the hard way, but certainly enjoying my journey back and looking forward to the day when my cup is overflowing. That’s when the fun truly begins.
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, March 28th, 2012 | Comments Off on Fill Your Cup
It was a hat-trick of meetings today for Trustee Younghusband. The day begins with a working group meeting at the school board office. We started the meeting with the mayor of the Town of Gibsons and ended the meeting with preliminary talks about the budget. The 3.5 hours went by pretty quickly. The dialogue, sharing of ideas, and presentation were engaging and purposeful. With a bit of a muffin break, the afternoon heads into a 1.5 hour Education Standing Committee meeting that I chair. We had two content rich topics for discussion and a quick overview of agenda item #3, parent engagement. Once again, another lively, dialogical meeting with many attendees. My deepest appreciation to those who attended. Swimming lessons, math tutoring, and dinner made by husband… the day concludes with the District Parent Advisory Committee (DPAC) meeting. Another stakeholder group interested in public education chatted for 2 hours discussing the upcoming budget and Strategic Plan. A full day of work for Trustee Younghusband on Trustee Tuesday.
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, March 28th, 2012 | Comments Off on Trustee Tuesday
One of the most challenging mathematical concepts and processes in secondary mathematics is factoring trinomials. When I taught secondary mathematics, there were two distinct areas that students struggled with: fractions and factoring trinomials. Although you can “get through” high school mathematics without understanding these two areas, the concepts of fractions and factoring trinomials reoccur throughout the curriculum. In essence, you can’t get away from it. With factoring trinomials, the idea is introduced in Grade 9/10 and continues into Math 11, Math 12, and Calculus. The same with fractions, finding the common denominator, reducing to lowest terms, and multiplying by the reciprocal are concepts learned in Grade 7/8 and continues into Math 11/12. What happens in Math 11/12, students may understand the new concept but unable to implement due to a lack of math understanding from years previous. As a result, students procrastinate, build negative attitudes, and believe they are unable to do mathematics. This is how I feel about my literature review. I have two to write. Let’s be serious, I am a mathematics/science teacher. I majored in chemistry with a minor in mathematics. Reading, writing, and English as a course are not my strengths. Yet, I have managed to complete a Master of Education and I am trying to complete my doctorate in educational leadership. I have managed to get to a particular level of academia yet struggle with the writing process. My struggle is a misconception. The struggle is, am I willing to do the extra work to learn what I need to learn? I have much to gain but avoidance will not resolve my problem. This is the struggle. Hence, I am experiencing The Literature Review Blues.
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, March 26th, 2012 | Comments Off on The Literature Review Blues
