Kids anxious to play on the playground and in the trees, tennis players, Green Party candidates, birders, book club members, dogs and their owners, people out for a bike ride and fans of Tatlow Park came together to celebrate the role of the neighbourhood park in learning and celebrating outdoor possibilities. This event was fundedContinue reading “A Celebration of Outdoor Learning at Tatlow Park”
Category Archives: Mental Health
Back to School for Teachers: Building Classroom Culture
I loved Back to School throughout my career as an educator. I loved buying new school supplies. Choosing new posters. Back to school clothes shopping. Fresh bulletin boards. Welcoming students to a new school year. I was a big believer in tapping into student excitement to be back and involving them in creating an inclusive culture. The concept of “inclusive classrooms”Continue reading “Back to School for Teachers: Building Classroom Culture”
Triggering Joy in Vancouver Life Outdoors
A conversation with a Vancouverite will lead you to one conclusion about Vancouver, British Columbia. It is either the most brilliant place in the world to live or a drab haven of rain to be tolerated or simply abandoned. Just before any of my travel adventures when I was young, my maternal grandmother who was born andContinue reading “Triggering Joy in Vancouver Life Outdoors”
Garden Librarians in Our Midst – Education
It was a breath of very fresh and very cool air on my visit to Homma Elementary School in Richmond, British Columbia. I was welcomed to the School Garden and teaching space by the garden librarians, Megan Zeni and Sarah Regan, and two Grade 3 / 4 classes of students. All of the kindergarten to Grade 7 students at HommaContinue reading “Garden Librarians in Our Midst – Education”
Tidal WAV Returns
Wild About Vancouver (WAV) Outdoor Education Festival is a free public outdoor education festival offering practical ways to get children (and adults) outdoors more regularly. WAV is open to the public and aims to unite and create long-term sustainable outdoor experiential learning networks for organizations, schools, youth programs, and the broader citizenry of Vancouver. WAV isContinue reading “Tidal WAV Returns”
A Parent’s Work
Parenting is one of the most challenging tasks that a person will take on in life. It is not work for the faint of heart and it not for the person requiring unconditional acceptance and appreciation along the way. Love alone is not enough. However, it does guarantees your child a safe context to testContinue reading “A Parent’s Work”
Social Emotional Learning Through Children’s Literature
Enthusiastic by nature, I became a school principal because of my steadfast belief that high quality instruction drives student success. I am a product of the school system I went through in Vancouver, British Columbia. My children are successful products of the school system in Coquitlam, British Columbia, a suburb of Vancouver. However personal experienceContinue reading “Social Emotional Learning Through Children’s Literature”
School Leadership In Times of COVID-19
I have a particular penchant for instructional leadership. In my history as a teacher, the principals and vice-principals who fed my enthusiasm to learn and supported me in all kinds of wild and wonderful projects and inquiries, were the ones who empowered me. I was encouraged to try, celebrate grand feats, and laugh about thingsContinue reading “School Leadership In Times of COVID-19”
Seeking Out Joy
The first tweet @GurdeepPandher that I saw was from his little cabin in the Yukon. His bhangra dancing with abandon filled my heart with joy. For those of you that know me well, this will not surprise you. Dancing with abandon always fills my heart with joy. And so, I retweeted. And I have continuedContinue reading “Seeking Out Joy”
The COVID-19 Office
One positive change that could emerge from the COVID-19 global pandemic is the change in how we do our work. People working at home have been exposed to a whole new reality. To work, it is not necessary to be sitting in front of a computer 24/7. Flexibility in work schedules is allowing people toContinue reading “The COVID-19 Office”