You know when things are going right when everything seems to be going right and you feel good.  As of March 1st, I feel like I have arrived.  It was a day of commuting from the Sunshine Coast to SFU.  It was an awesome CUTL (certificate of university teaching and learning) session with Sarah Turner and Kathryn Ricketts.  Loved it.  I felt connected to what they were trying to achieve about voice and body language.  They are both actors sharing their knowledge and expertise to a group of SFU graduate students on how to teach.  It was amazing. To end the day, the CUTL teacher assistant said that he enjoyed reading my Teaching Philosophy Statement (TPS), an assignment of CUTL.  That was great feedback.  Needed it.  I used my TPS and cover letter for a ‘real job application’ at SFU in the Faculty of Education.  I was certainly on cloud 9 after CUTL and celebrated with a Vancouver food truck lunch.

On March 2nd, I returned to the Sunshine Coast to participate in the SD46 Trustee Tour.  Not only did fellow trustees picked me up and drove me around from school to school, we had a wonderful time visiting schools on the north end of the peninsula with the Superintendent of Schools.  I enjoyed meeting and greeting teachers, staff members, school principals, and students in the context of their schools.  It was so refreshing to see so many familiar faces working in our schools.  The Superintendent asked me how I felt about visiting schools as a school trustee.  My reply, “I love it.” It was a privilege to see SD46 teachers and staff doing what the do best… teaching and helping students learn.  Others on the tour asked if I liked my new role as school trustee.  Once again I replied, “I love it.” It was great to see these practitioners in action and kids engaged in their learning.  Who wouldn’t love that?  I’m such a EDU-JUNKIE.  Touring around the school district gave me a greater perspective on the district and what SD46 has to offer to student learning.

Well, as per usual, good things come in three.  After curling Friday evening in the SD46 District Spiel with a School Trustee rink (placing 2nd overall), on March 3rd I caught the first ferry to return back to SFU-Surrey campus.  My husband graciously gave me a ride to the terminal because there is no 5 am bus on Saturdays.  Oh well, I managed to catch the boat and arrive on time for the 830 am class.  It was the last class with the MEd Leadership cohort whom I support as the site assistant.  I love being a part of their edu-dialogues and helping out the students when and where necessary.  A long story made short, I chatted with one of the students who was overwhelmed with her feedback from the sessional.  In a private conversation, I encouraged her to talk to the sessional and related her situation to Alasdair MacIntyre’s 3 virtues, what she would expect from her students, and building her sense of self-efficacy to advocate for her learning.  It was pretty awesome and this student did take the opportunity to talk to the sessional.  All went well.  I loved working with the sessional. 

Three awesome days, three different roles, three great experiences… I’m a graduate student, school trustee, and site assistant.  I had a hat trick of great days and I am feeling connected.