[A Pause]: An #Ode to Living On #Earth

Visual artist (and a favourite kids book author in our house), Oliver Jeffers, delivers his second TEDTalk in over a decade with this beautiful letter to his newborn son. I rarely view anything three times (let alone twice!) on the Internet, but the mesmerizing combination of Jeffers' lilting rhythm, magnificent poetic delivery, and use of … Continue reading [A Pause]: An #Ode to Living On #Earth →

‘Ways to Be Home’

The ache for home lives in all of us, the safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned. ~Maya Angelou As I often do, I give immense credit to my brilliant, deep-thinking, and reflective teaching colleague, Barbara Hargreaves, for her inspiration for this post. In anticipation of our current home … Continue reading ‘Ways to Be Home’ →

Emergent Strategy: Never a Better Time Than Now

We are socialized to see what is wrong, missing, off, to tear down the ideas of others and uplift our own. To a certain degree, our entire future may depend on learning to listen, listen without assumptions or defenses. ~ Adrienne Maree Brown With a desire to rethink and reinvision the true purpose of public … Continue reading Emergent Strategy: Never a Better Time Than Now →

A Humbling Dose of Perspective

As both a parent and educator, I am so grateful to a colleague for sending along this very humbling dose of parent perspective. An Israeli mother of four children candidly shares her frustration and lack of perspective about the rush to get home schooling cranked up... https://youtu.be/H7_wvQHMGOI Modelling Perspective As I make my way through … Continue reading A Humbling Dose of Perspective →

What #Teens Want Us To Know About #SexEducation (and waiting for us to ask)

Parents are not sex education experts just because they are parents. ~Pepper Schwartz With our second teen hanging out with a regular female friend, we feel as though we entering into the 'fire in the hole!' phase of his pubescent maturation. Our family continues to have healthy, open, honest, and at times, uncomfortable conversations. You … Continue reading What #Teens Want Us To Know About #SexEducation (and waiting for us to ask) →

Finding Equanimity: It’s Not Just For Yogis Anymore

You always own the option of having no opinion. There is never any need to get worked up or to trouble your soul about things you can't control. These things are not asking to be judged by you. Leave them alone. ~Marcus Aurelius Lately, I have, for lack of a better phrase, worked on not … Continue reading Finding Equanimity: It’s Not Just For Yogis Anymore →

Teaching (and Learning) Science Through Two-Eyes

This we know. The Earth does not belong to man; man belongs to the Earth. Man did not weave the web of life, he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself. All things are connected like the blood which unites one family. All things are connected. … Continue reading Teaching (and Learning) Science Through Two-Eyes →

Unconventional Advice: Remember the Pain(ful)

I recently came across a speech from Chief Justice of the United Supreme Court, John Roberts who is currently presiding over the presidential impeachment trial. While the passionate and honest address was directly to his son's Grade 9 graduating class at an exceptionally exclusive private school for boys in Grades 6-9, it might be one … Continue reading Unconventional Advice: Remember the Pain(ful) →

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) →

Die Wise: Wisdom for Living/Dying

I just began reading Stephen Jenkinson's amazing book , Die Wise: A Manifesto for Sanity and Soul. And as most profound, deeply informed, highly reflective writing as apt to do it has significantly shifted my thinking about my relationships, my mortality, and what really matters in my life. With chapter titles like "The Ordeal Of … Continue reading Die Wise: Wisdom for Living/Dying →