Category: Relationships

Circle It Up: All in the Name of Community

It's not foreign for me to be talking about my problems in circles. ~Matthew Perry As a part of our re-visioning for a newly expanded middle years program (grades 7-9), we made it essential that we could have a designated space for a twice-a-day circle to fit 49 students, five staff members, and room for … Continue reading Circle It Up: All in the Name of Community →

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? →

They?…I Think: The Beauty of Empathy

They? He? She? With the latest round of learning reports (aka report cards) completed and another year in the books, a colleague and I reflected on our reporting of learning to our students this year. A common thing that came flashing back was the use of pronouns in our reports. We started using "They" as … Continue reading They?…I Think: The Beauty of Empathy →

Letting Kids Be…[kids]: Reflections to Responses

With the tent now dried out and put away, I have had an opportunity to reflect back on a recent three-day retreat outing with forty-eight middle school students earlier this month. I know what you are thinking...? My response to that question is for another post. Smack dab in the cross-hairs of my reflections have … Continue reading Letting Kids Be…[kids]: Reflections to Responses →

Beauty & Power of Shared Experience

Recently, I was embroiled in complex (aren't they all?) and deeply rooted conflict at the workplace. Excepting familial conflict, there are few more disheartening and frustrating dilemmas than conflict at the place. It is where we spend the second largest part of our lives, time, and investment of energy and passion. After nearly three and … Continue reading Beauty & Power of Shared Experience →

Not Extinct: Beautiful Storytelling

Our family recently received a copy of Marilyn James and Taress Alexis' book, Not Extinct: Keeping the Sinixt Way. Wow. After being declared extinct by the Canadian government over 60 years ago, the Sinixt First Nation won a court battle to have their existence recognized in the spring of 2017. This beautifully illustrated and extremely … Continue reading Not Extinct: Beautiful Storytelling →

Knowing Thy Learning Environment: Learners’ Perspectives

I think that I'm starting to get it. No, seriously. I am. I am starting to recognize the importance of knowing and understanding the place in which you learn (formally that is). Our amazing learning support teacher recently asked a group of  Grade 6 aged students what makes Wildflower School a bit unique. This is … Continue reading Knowing Thy Learning Environment: Learners’ Perspectives →

Sitting with It: A Healthy Reflection

This past week ended with our fall parent-teachers conferences, and unlike many educators, I actually look forward to them. However, one of the 15-minute sessions left me shaken, confused, and unsure about my planned approach for the remainder of the year. I felt judged. Or at least my pedagogical approach was being heavily scrutinized. The … Continue reading Sitting with It: A Healthy Reflection →

Deeper Learning Dozen: A Longing for Relationships

No significant learning can occur without a significant relationship. James Comer This fall my school district embarked on a journey. With support from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and Jal Mehta's lab, the Kootenay Lake School joined eleven other school districts from British Columbia, Massachusetts, and California as a part of the Deeper Learning … Continue reading Deeper Learning Dozen: A Longing for Relationships →