My daughter loves puzzles. Of all her wonderful interests at the core of her beautiful spirit, this endless pursuit of the classic jigsaw puzzle pleases her doting father to no end. Witnessing her deep immersion in the seemingly unforgiving challenge of compiling 1000 tiny pieces into an otherwise forgettable monochromatic landscape brings unparalleled peace to […]
I’m reading my most recent post (from nearly a year ago! ugh), and my determination to honour time. This is an outcome of loss and tragedy: a pronounced need to slow down, to treasure each moment and remain connected to what matters most. There is a tension – a well documented, ancient tension – within […]
How’s this for an Action Plan? Survival. Hanging on. Getting through. Soul-shaking tragedy, loss, trauma. To be clear. I most certainly owe a separate blog post to a personal journey of healing, filled with endless gratitude towards a community of colleagues, friends and family (Cohort21!) that spreads well beyond that of the great school at […]
First, a few thoughts balance: In a community, such as say a teaching faculty, it’s important. It’s not a directive, it’s a choice. It’s achieved through active, ongoing engagement. It is personalized. It is not provided, it is sought. It is maintained through shared experiences and ongoing discussion, listening, respect, open-mindedness, thoughtful contribution. The very […]
This past week in our Discovery Program (Grades 9 and 10) we “disruptED” the general routine of learning with a symposium on the skill of “presentation”. It was awesome for all the reasons we imagined it would be awesome. It was also awesome for many reasons we may not have fully imagined. All of these reasons […]
Recently, I had the privilege of visiting the Grade 12 higher-level English classes to guide a dramatic reading and discussion of Shakespeare’s Hamlet. It’s been years – 15 was my rough estimation to the students – since I’ve interacted with this play with any amount of intimacy. What a treat, and, as is the enduring […]
This is embarrassing. I fell off the Cohort 21 wagon and I feel terrible about myself. “Cohort21 guilt” is a real thing (no matter how self imposed!). At least for me it is. And thank you to the unending-positive enthusiasm of Derek Doucet for bringing me back! I hope there’s still room on the wagon […]
Sneaking through the woods, I stumbled upon a group of Grade 9 students, in a close circle, reading aloud from a zombie novel, while hiding from the threat of zombies. That strikes me as pretty rich learning. And this was the kind of experience I witnessed again and again throughout “Zombie Day”. The day itself, […]
MY ACTION PLAN: TAKING A HARD LOOK AT MY OWN PRACTICE, AND WORKING FROM MY CLASSROOM OUT, I WILL STRENGTHEN THE READING CULTURE IN OUR SCHOOL. Because, as an English teacher, I feel like I’m good at getting my students excited about English; however, I’m not so sure I’m fostering a love of reading. (Yes, […]
Well, most importantly (I keep telling myself) we did it. We performed Shakespeare. And if I’m to consider it in terms of experiment – which it is – then I’ve achieved a necessary beginning on which to build. Sure enough, while the experience was NOT a total disaster, there is much building to be done. […]
NOTE FOR NON-ENGLISH TEACHERS: Please don’t be put off by what appears to be English heavy content. My needs are far reaching! It’s an age old struggle for an English Teacher: I love Shakespeare and the kids hate him. Worse still, I understand exactly why they hate him. I hated him too. Passionately. Actively even. […]
Welcome to Cohort 21. This is the first post on your new blog. This journal is an integral part of your Cohort 21 experience. Here you will reflect, share and collaborate as you move through the C21 learning cycle towards your action plan. Cohort 21 is a unique professional development opportunity open to CIS Ontario […]