Category: Education

The Beautiful Art of Boredom

Boredom is just the reverse side of fascination: both depend on being outside rather than inside a situation, and one leads to the other.  ~Arthur Schopenhauer "Daaaaaaaaaad...I'm bored." Yep. With the winter holidays finally seeing its end, this has been audible a few times over the past two days. It is, of course, a very … Continue reading The Beautiful Art of Boredom →

This Is Us (with Grade 9, baby)

Middle school is exactly what it sounds like. A mixed-up mess of nothing, and yet everything at the same time.   ~Julia Remillard I couldn't help myself. Cue the music... https://youtu.be/IOLl-8ZqMZw All That Is Old Is...Still Old In my twenty-two plus years in British Columbia public education as both teacher and administrator one thing has become … Continue reading This Is Us (with Grade 9, baby) →

A Healthy Professional Balance

Any political agenda and organization which doesn't begin with personal responsibility is just half the argument. It's just not going to succeed.  ~Peter Coyote I have an admission... For years I complained publicly and privately that our school district was not doing enough to support its teachers. Past professional learning opportunities included sponsoring a $10 … Continue reading A Healthy Professional Balance →

Talking Porn With Our Teens Benefits Everyone

Sex education has to do with what's in people's head. ~Donna Shalala I recently came across this TEDxTalk by public health researcher and advocate, Emily Rothman. I watched it a couple of times while fully digesting the power of what she was advocating: use porn as a pretext/context to have discussions with teens about healthy … Continue reading Talking Porn With Our Teens Benefits Everyone →

Cynefin: Learning to Live with/in Complicated/Complexity

We are glorious accidents of an unpredictable process with no drive to complexity, not the expected results of evolutionary principles that yearn to produce a creature capable of understanding the mode of its own necessary construction.  ~ Stephen Jay Gould A respected colleague recently introduced me David Snowden's Cynefin (ku-nev-in) model. The framework itself appears holds … Continue reading Cynefin: Learning to Live with/in Complicated/Complexity →

Off And Running: Random Thoughts To Start Another Year

You. Got. This. Three important words that I bring back into my consciousness each and every September. My mantra, of sorts. As a begin the second year in a new assignment I am committed showing up open, clear, and curious for myself, my students, and our learning journey together. A New Adventure! Speaking of a … Continue reading Off And Running: Random Thoughts To Start Another Year →

Hi…Remember Me?

I don't have any sentimental notion about how people are going to remember me. ~Billy Corgan, musician/songwriter Summertime. A time for rest and rejuvenation. A time to be out and about in our small, three-degrees-of-separation community. More time spent in local shops. More time visiting our local nature haunts, camping nooks, and hiking spots. More … Continue reading Hi…Remember Me? →

Sh&$ Happens (or Why Destiny Matters)

I can control my destiny, but not my fate. Destiny means there are opportunities to turn right or left, but fate is a one-way street. I believe we all have the choice as to whether we fulfill our destiny, but our fate is sealed. ~Paulo Coelho Sh#% happens Emerges (for a reason) Admittedly, I struggled this year … Continue reading Sh&$ Happens (or Why Destiny Matters) →