A smile. “Good morning” at the door or the school. “Hi” in the hallway. Chatting on the playground. Working together in the school garden. Navigating through conflict. Teaching calm down strategies, conflict resolution skills, and perhaps kindness. Supporting budding leaders in their ventures. Visiting classrooms to talk with students about their learning. These are someContinue reading “Maintaining Principal Communication with Kids During “School At Home””
Category Archives: School Community
School in the Wake of COVID-19
Spring break is almost over in Vancouver, British Columbia. On Monday, March 30th, for the first time in my life, the doors of the school will not open to welcome students back. The doors of the school will remain locked. Students will not return to in-class schooling as per the direction of BC Health officials. Continue reading “School in the Wake of COVID-19”
Back to School
It is that time of year where I am filled with conflicted emotions. I desperately want to eke out every possible enjoyment of summer. The lazy days of summer start to pick up the pace. I desperately want to maximize reading of fiction, organizing, writing, socializing, exercise and random opportunities into the last days ofContinue reading “Back to School”
Who are “Breakaway Learners”?
Sometimes, happenstance or serendipity, or whatever you want to call it, just happens. Subject line in my overly full email inbox reads: A seemingly out of the blue email from a children’ book author based in US and living at UBC The text: Long story short, I am a visiting scholar at UBC through MarchContinue reading “Who are “Breakaway Learners”?”
Wild About Vancouver
Wild About Vancouver is a celebration of the outdoors being held from April 18-25, 2018. Activities are planned by individuals, schools, sports organizations and community groups and centres. All activities planned during the week are free to participants. The goal for the week is to generate lots of energy, ideas and momentum for participation in outdoorContinue reading “Wild About Vancouver”
The Best Version of Ourselves
This year I have read a plethora of reasons NOT to participate in the tradition of New Year’s resolutions: “If you can’t love yourself at 185 lbs., you can’t love yourself at 150 lbs.” “Embrace who you are.” “Be gentle with yourself.” I am a believer in self care and proactive, positive change but these loudContinue reading “The Best Version of Ourselves”
“We are story…”
Richard Wagamese calls it. It’s up to us to create “the best story we can create while we are here”. The celebration of relationships with the earth, family, community and spirits as well as the embedding of history and survival techniques in story is what sustained our First Nations people for thousands of years pre-Continue reading ““We are story…””
UBC Students Support Outdoor Learning in Schools
I met Hartley Banack’s Faculty of Education (EDCP323) class outside the Botanical Gardens at UBC. The class is a diversified group with some students completing Bachelor of Education requirements and some practicing educators working towards a diploma in Outdoor Education. Several Vancouver schools are actively engaged in working with teachers and their Community SchoolsContinue reading “UBC Students Support Outdoor Learning in Schools”
A Season to Celebrate
June in schools… The amount of things on the “To Do” list grows exponentially and it is easy to get overwhelmed. The beauty of June in schools is the sheer quantity of things to celebrate. Monday I was called in as an extra adult for the Grade 7 kayaking trip in Deep Cove. My deskContinue reading “A Season to Celebrate”
The Faces of Truth and Reconciliation
Learning our own history and the racism and miscarriages of basic human rights and justice is important. The United States has long grappled with the existence of slavery in its past and the tumultuous path of moving forward. Canada as a country has needed to step off its moral high ground and reframe our understandingContinue reading “The Faces of Truth and Reconciliation “
Inquire2Empower Consulting 