My 2011 Gratitude List

Happy New Year… 2012 looks promising.  I’m excited for what this new year has to bring, feeling optimistic, and looking forward with Arrows Pointing Right.

The year begins with my 8-year old daughter participating in the 2012 Polar Bear Swim in Davis Bay.  She never hesitated or second guessed herself.  She just moved forward.  In the picture, she is the last swimmer in her division.  It was “mom’s fault” for her “disappointing” finish.  I “suggested” that she wear aqua socks for the race.  She didn’t want to wear the shoes but complied to please her mother.  Once in the water, one shoe fell off then the other.  She even had to swim back to pick up a shoe and proceeded to swim with one shoe in each hand.  Oops.  Sorry honey.  My bad.  We were so happy that she had completed the race.  She was disappointed because she did not meet her expectations.  My daughter quickly recovered from the trauma of swimming in sub-zero temperatures, but remained frustrated with the aqua socks.  Lesson learned: Listen to your instincts.  She did not want to wear those shoes because they “sucked.”  Another lesson learned: Listen to my kid.  I don’t even swim.  Mother did not know best… and, I’m OK with that.  I’ll know better for 2013.

And so 2012 begins with a life lesson and I am grateful for my daughter.  She is my BFF, my side-kick, and my raison d’etre.  I love her to bits.  With that said, it leads me to today’s blog topic: My 2011 Gratitude List.  This list reflects are all of the ‘new adventures’ I was able to embark on in 2011 that I could not realize when I was employed full-time as a secondary mathematics teacher.  Don’t get me wrong… I love teaching math.  One day, I may return back to teaching math.  Who knows what the future holds.  Stepping out of my box, taking risks, and exploring the unknown in 2011 has been worthwhile.  Here is my Top 10 List for 2011… I challenge you to make your Top 10 List too.

1. Walking My Daughter to School:  In my old life, I would rush in the morning making lunches and breakfast.  I would also rush my daughter around to get ready and hurry up.  We would rush out of the door with hopes of making it to school and work on-time.  After school, I would be at meetings and sometimes see my daughter afterwards.  When I started walking her to and from school, I could hear birds sing.  Sounds cliche, but it’s true.  I am loving it.
2. Younghusband Consulting:  I am a business owner.  Who would have thought?  Not me.  I have presented at least 10 times to practicing teachers about Assessment for Learning, attended conferences, created websites and social networking, and I tutor math/science on the Sunshine Coast.  It’s been amazing so far.  I love the flexibility, meeting new people, and making decisions.  My teaching expertise has broadened.  Thank you everyone.
3. Education 809:  Educ 809 has been instrumental to my dissertation journey.  This course was an elective and meant to help doctoral students with their dissertation.  I could not have committed to this course had I not been self-employed.  I love my professor and I love the people I met in the course too.  Although I have not moved at a catalytic rate since the course, the dissertation process has been demystified.  I have the courage to move forward.
4. EGSA SFU:  The Education Graduate Students’ Association at Simon Fraser University has been a wonderful resource for meeting education grad students, engaging in academic opportunities, and gaining new insight on my dissertation.  I was peer-reviewed twice, once with the Speaker Series and the other with the EGSA Retreat.  I sent in two abstracts, presented twice, and got lots of feedback.  It’s been a phenomenal academic experience.
5. Nel Noddings:  Working at home has given me the luxury of time to read emails sent from SFU listserves.  Aside from responding to the Educ 809 email, I also responded to the email announcing Nel Noddings arrival to SFU.  I RSVP’d to both events as a graduate student and loved both presentations.  She writes about the ethics of care and peace education.  Noddings is passionate about her work and public education.  Best of all, she used to be a math teacher.  She gives me great hope and inspiration with my journey.  I was enlightened.
6. EdD Dissertation Defenses:  What an honour is has been to watch 5 of my SFU Surrey Cohort classmates defend their dissertation to earn their Doctor of Education.  It was so impressive to watch each classmate defend.  Each oral defense was unique and individualized.  I loved watching each of them perform, understanding where they came from and where they have arrived to.  I am proud of each classmate and look forward to future defenses.  It’s my commitment to watch all of them.  Each defense has shown me that it’s possible.
7. BCAMT Executive Committee:  I understand that I could be a member of the BC Association of Mathematics Teachers Executive Committee as a practicing public school teacher, but I am truly grateful to be on this committee as an ‘outsider’ or Associate BCTF Member.  I enjoy working with a group of math educators who are advocating for student learning in the realm of math education.  I have met great people, had the opportunity to present at the provincial conference, and feel supported and accepted by my peers.  Love Math-Nerds.
8. Elected as School Trustee:  Big idea… you cannot be a school trustee and by employed in the same school district.  I put my name forward, with great contemplation, to run in the 2011 civic election as school trustee and won.  The competition was fierce and I was uncertain of the popularity of my campaign with community members.  I had limited funds and limited time.  What I can offer to the Board of Education is my knowledge, expertise, and experience in public education.  This was well received during the All-Candidates Meeting where my voice was heard.  Thank you residents in District of Sechelt for voting on November 19th.
9. SFU TLC Certificate Program:  In the summer, I loved taking the 3-day Instructional Skills Workshop with the Teaching and Learning Centre (TLC) at SFU.  I learned more about teaching and learning.  I’ve been recently accepted to the Spring 2012 TLC Certificate Program in University Teaching and Learning.  Initially, I was not accepted.  In 2011, I became a Site Assistant at SFU, which led to the acceptance of my reapplication.  Success.
10. My Dissertation Journey:  What I have realized is… my dissertation journey involves more than the dissertation.  All that I have listed above relate to my dissertation journey.  Yes… I want to “get ‘er done.”  Yes… I need to “manage my time.”  Yes… I’ve got to “get focused.”  The truth is, I needed to do what I did in 2011 to get it done, manage my time, and get focused.  It’s been an awesome year and I feel inspired.  Click, click, clack is all I hear… and it feels good.  I am looking forward to my progress in 2012.  I’m back on track.

Thank you Bloggies if you have read this far… Well done.  It’s been a lengthy blog entry.  My family, sister, brother-in-law, and his dad celebrated New Year’s Eve together.  Barry, my sister’s father-in-law, invited us over for wine & cheese, escargot, and lobster.  It was an a delicious evening.  In curling terms, 2011 was a raise double take-out.  What will 2012 bring?  Will it be a draw for one or an 8-ender… I’m hoping for the latter.  It go big, or go home.  Cheers everyone!