Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Competencies in Action


Last week we took sixteen grade 6 and 7 students to the RCMP detachment, to decorate the Command Vehicle for the Christmas Toy Drive.  We worked with the officers at different stations while listening to Christmas music, drinking hot chocolate and eating cookies.  While a little shy at first, the students responded to the friendliness of the officers and the enjoyed the chance to be out of school, in the fresh air and fall sunshine.

With the redesigned curriculum frequently on my mind, I realized that I was watching the students practice the competencies of Communication, Critical and Creative Thinking, Positive Personal and Cultural Identity, Personal Awareness and Responsibility and Social Responsibility. The tasks to be completed fell into the zone of "not too easy, not too hard."  Some students had never wrapped a present before, so that was a bit of a challenge.  Using spray snow to decorate the vehicle was another   job.  Decorating Santa's chair with garlands of greenery and ornaments definitely took some dexterity and teamwork.

We need to plan even more of these real-world, authentic experiences for students to connect and engage with the community.  Some of the statements successful students can make are:

I can work with others to achieve a common goal; I do my share.
I can give, receive and act on feedback.
I make my ideas work of change what I am doing.
I can experiment with more than one way of doing things.
I can show a sense of accomplishment and joy.
I can interact with others and the environment respectfully and thoughtfully.

Thanks to the teachers and the RCMP members for giving our students a chance to step up and contribute.  I helps us learn and makes us feel good.



Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Scanning

Big Change!  How wonderful!  So many new things to learn and discover!  I will not deny that a change of district and a move to "the city" came with some stress and anxiety, but I have loved the uncertainty, the uncovering, the exploration, the adventure. I love my new school.

I have now been the acting principal of McNeely for almost three months.  During this time, I have been so curious.  Who are our families?  What matters to them?  What do our students like about our school?  How do our staff members communicate with one another?  What are structures, traditions, rituals and celebrations that define our place?  Who holds power and influence?  How can we integrate new staff, students and families?  What makes McNeely tick?  And how does Mrs. Farrow remember everyone's name and story?

Some of the things I have noticed in my scanning of the school are:

  • The staff and many of the families have a strong emotional investment in the school.
  • There is a sense of pride, history and tradition in the place.
  • There is strong relational trust among the staff.
  • The students respect their teachers and want to do well.
  • It is a place of social, emotional and academic learning, with a multicultural flavour that is appreciated and celebrated.
I have enjoyed being invited to teach in all of the classrooms.  The students have been so kind and welcoming.  Teachers have been generous and patient in the time they have taken to help me get a grip on how things work in the District and have been very forgiving when I have made mistakes.  They have also been open to having conversations about topics such as Mindset and Mindfulness, which are some of my favourite social-emotional topics and lessons.

I think what sums up my experience so far are the smiles I see on the faces of the youngest of our students, when I show up to take them to gym twice a week.  To me, that is a measure of my success: the relationships I can build with our 4, 5 and 6-year olds, which is "money in the bank" for years to come.  I am so lucky and so grateful.  

Change is good.