Gratitude as "Fuel"

I have been reading a few blog posts about the importance of gratitude  - most recently from colleague and friend Chris Wejr

Coincidentally I have made "gratitude" an ongoing focus and a personal goal of mine this year - as an administrator, husband and father.

I shared this personal goal of gratitude with the students and parents at the school to start the school year.   My main message was that I was going to be more attentive, mindful and grateful for those things in my life that I often “forget” or take for granted. I shared that I wanted to be mindful and grateful for things such as a my job, the love of family, friends, personal health and the country in which I live.

Team members add a message of gratitude to this book before each meeting

To help me maintain this focus on gratitude and to share this "gift" with the admin team, I placed a small book of “Gratitude” on my table in my office.  I then invited the team, when so moved, before our weekly meeting to hand write a note of gratitude anywhere in the book.  We have maintained this little ritual as an administrative team, and from time to time a member of the team will write in the book about something or someone for which they are grateful.

Today, this book is full of inspiring messages of gratitude.  When I need a boost, I often pick up this book and read the many personal notes of gratitude - proving once again, that gratitude often provides necessary “fuel” and motivation to take on the many challenges and goals in our lives. 

In a similar way, we have a long standing tradition the school that all staff meetings end with "Acknowledgements".  This is essentially the practice of "staff thanking and acknowledging staff".  Teachers and staff stand up and thank each other for the various ways in which they support other.  I always marvel at how uplifting those moments appreciation are for everyone.

Me writing this post serves as another personal reminder to be mindful and grateful for those wonderful things and people I often fail to fully appreciate.

And trust me, I am still figuring this one out....

Patience: A Christmas Messsge

The following is what I shared with my school community this Christmas season:

FreeImages.com/Schoeman

Waiting is a period of learning. The longer we wait the more we hear about him for whom we are waiting.” 

- Henri Nouwen

---

Advent is a time of patience and waiting. We are reminded that in waiting for Christ’s birth we are blessed with many unanticipated gifts - most importantly getting to know Him better.

As a parent, teaching my children about the importance of patience and waiting can be challenging.

For example, here is a typical exchange at home in the build up to Christmas:

Kids: “Dad, can I open the gifts from under the Christmas tree?”
Dad:  “But it's only December 5th! You need to be patient.”
Kids: “How about just one? Please…...”
Dad: “You know that patience is a virtue!”
(And the debate goes on from there)

We are living in times when immediate results get the most and loudest attention and instant gratification is the norm. Ironically, despite this growing sense of impatience, we know that the practice of patience offers us important spiritual and cognitive benefits.

Here at school, waiting and being patient is an important aspect of the learning process. Many of us might get frustrated when we encounter a problem, concept, or skill that we cannot understand or demonstrate immediately and might choose to give up or (worse yet) sabotage our own efforts for fear of failure.

Interestingly, patience in the learning process often requires us to be very “active” in our patience by requiring us to persist and to embrace the value of perseverance, even when the waiting is longer than we'd like.

In the first four months of school I’ve seen our teachers reinforce many of the virtues of “active” patience with our students and their learning - whether in the classroom, on the field, in the gym, or on retreat. I have also seen the benefits of this “active” patience in our efforts around continuous school improvement and campus redesign efforts.

As we look to embrace more patience in our lives, especially during this Advent Season, on behalf of the faculty and staff of Vancouver College, I extend to each of you a restful and blessed holiday, a very Merry Christmas with wishes of hope, health and happiness for the New Year.

When Pedagogy & School Design Intersect

I have written before about our Vision for Learning & subsequent Dashboard of Learning and how these processes were (and are) a vital aspect of our plans for building new spaces on our campus.

Now, some two years later, we are on the verge of beginning the first phase of construction. This short two minute “fly through” video captures, to scale, the spaces we are planning to build. What is also very important is that the Learning Priorities identified by our faculty, parents and students are already being implemented so that when the new spaces are completed, our pedagogy will be able to optimize the newly imagined, designed and constructed learning spaces.  One might say that these spaces have been imagined and created at the intersection of pedagogy and design.

As you watch this video keep in mind some some of our Learning Priorities such as: Learning that is mission driven, connected, visible, formal and informal, informed and empowered. You will notice new spaces that we currently do not have such Learning Neighbourhoods, informal common learning spaces, small multi-purpose breakout rooms and a large learning commons.

Still Figuring It Out......

I Used to be Present to People But Now I Check Email

I was recently invited to give an Ignite talk as part of the Ignite Your Passions event held in conjunction with a Canadian Education Association conference. As presenters we were as asked use the theme of  “I used to ____________ But Now I __________ ”. 

I chose: I Used to Be Present to People But Now I Check Email

My presentation itself, part serious and part facetious, was a brief synopsis of my "hot and cold"/"off and on" relationship with email.

Personally, email hit mainstream as I was beginning my career in the mid 1990's and came with some exciting promises - it was going to save time, remove barriers to collaboration, streamline communications and improve work flow!

To some degree email has accomplished some of this. Today email can be a good "gateway tool" to access, sort and share information.

But there are some problems.....

The biggest issue with email is that it is being used as a  "one size fits all" communications tool.  Metaphorically speaking, email is seen as the "Swiss Army knife" of communications when, in fact, it should be seen as one part of the communications "knife".

Information Smog and the flooded inbox

We are living and working in an era of information smog and our flooded email inbox - often perpetuated by the misuse of email functions such as "Carbon Copy and Reply All" - is compounding the problem.

Has anyone ever tried to schedule a meeting using reply all?  Organizing a meeting with  four or five people with everyone replying all can easily generate 15 to 25 emails!

Too much emotion
Another concern is that email be can lead to harmful miscommunication and misrepresentation (cue the ALL CAPS message here). From my understanding, email was never intended to communicate sensitive and/or emotion filled messages.

More screen time and less people time
Another, more philosophical concern, is whether email has allowed for an unrealistic sense of time.  Put more simple, are we overly available?

I would suggest that the daily and even hourly expectation to clear our in boxes is drawing us more to our desks and screens and, by extension, contributed to what Charles Hummel coined, the  tyranny of the urgent.  The implications of this, from a leadership perspective are serious.  I worry, for example, that in our need to manage the day to day clearing our of inbox we are seeing an erosion of slow and thoughtful strategic thinking and diversions from what is core to who we are and what we do as educators.  On a personal level, my need to clear my inbox is taking me away from being present to those that matter most to me!

Today, before I send or respond to an email, I ask myself if there is a better way? Should I, for example, use a different tool or pick up the phone or have a face to face meeting over a cup of coffee?

Below is a copy of the slide deck I used for the presentation.

Still figuring it out....

I used to be present but now I check email from johnnybevacqua

How Can We Re-Imagine School? An EdTalk

Recently I had the privilege of being an "EdTalk" speaker at the 2016 FISA Convention.  Below is the video of my 8 minute talk in which I attempt to answer:

"How can we best reimagine school for our students?"

Below are the slides from the presentation.

Still figuring it out....

Leadership as Incubation

I believe that a learning disposition drives improvement and innovation.

A few years ago I may have said that "things" drive improvement.  You know....things like curriculum, the Internet, tablets, computers, reading programs, discipline programs.....

Now don't get me wrong, many of these "things" have brought great improvements and efficiency to the educational landscape. 

But programs are fleeting. Curriculum changes. And while technology is changing our lives and transforming the educational and learning landscape, it's effective adoption and implementation is, at its core, an iterative process. 

And while there is a place for leadership to introduce "things", real improvement, lasting transformation and innovation is about creating systems and conditions that promote continuous learning and improvement -for all learners.

I have come to realize that I am most effective when I promote the creation of systems and conditions that promote individual and collective improvement (& not necessarily programs).

This year we are embarking on a process of continuous school improvement that is less about initiating programs and more about creating the systems and conditions for the teachers to assess the needs of the students they serve and act accordingly (which can include introducing new programs, resources, etc). 

In a sense we are embarking on a process of creating a "learning incubator".

In the business world, an incubator is a place:

designed to accelerate growth and success..... through an array of (business) support resources and services that could include physical space, capital, coaching, common services, and networking connections .

 From Entrepreneur.com

We are striving to create the conditions and systems where the working professionals are given time, supports, resources and opportunities to reflect, act and network in order to provide for the further success of our students.  

Here are a few ways we are creating an incubator for learning:

A Visible and Connected Continuous School Improvement Plan

Connecting the dots of learning...

Flowing from a comprehensive visioning process, we have now implemented a more formalized process whereby by faculty (and department teams) reflect and document their learning.  Learning goals and action plans are made visible by all in the school via our newly created "Dashboard" of  learning.  This Dashboard is publicly shared and posted for all in our community see in order that we make our learning visible, connected and networked.  We want people to "connect the dots" of learning.

Time for Learning

For the second year we are continuing with our school Learning Teams.  This year, we have added a learning innovation grant that teachers can access to further support their learning.  

Physical Space

We are currently in the process planning for renewed facilities for our students, faculty, and staff.  Some of the key design principles being implemented include: learning neighborhoods, learning commons, transparency and flexibility.

By creating some of these "conditions for incubation" we are already starting to see some new teacher driven initiatives.  For example:

• Teachers are implementing online digital portfolios for students (e.g.  Freshgrade, Google Drive, etc.) 
• New courses/programs have been created including a "Make It" class, a culinary class, technical theatre class, robotics club and the imminent launch of Google Apps for Education for students. 
• The increasing dismantling of curricular silos and replaced by cross-curricular and cross grade connections. 

At the end of the day- this process is about creating a climate of continuous learning that empowers teachers so that they can, in turn, empower student learning. 

As usual, I am still figuring it out.........

The (Sometimes) Reluctant Principal

I have the best job in the world. Being around talented, passionate, inquisitive, creative, compassionate and fun people is inspiring.

Sometimes, however, I'd rather not be "the boss".  At times I'd rather not have the "buck" stop with me. Sometimes I'd rather not have the spotlight. Sometimes I'd rather not "skate into the puck". There are times that I'd rather not have to make difficult decisions. Many of these leadership competencies and responsibilities can be physically and emotionally draining- and sometimes take a personal toll.

There are times when I'd rather not be that person. There have been moments where I have felt like a reluctant leader.

However, these moments of reluctance are overwhelmingly overshadowed by a powerful internal force.  It's a force that comes for an internal restlessness to do what is right for those I serve.

It's a force that comes from a passion and a strong desire to do what is right for students. It is this restless passion that keeps me on this path despite my moments of reluctance. 

Some will read this and wonder...."isn't leadership about confidence and assertiveness?" Yes, I would argue that these are required leadership traits. Nonetheless my reluctance enables me to be more confident and assertive.

More than assertiveness and confidence, my reluctance fosters certain other dispositions and traits.

For example, being a reluctant leader allows me to be vulnerable. I am comfortable asking for help, admitting to my mistakes and letting people know that I don't have the answers.

My reluctance allows me to more reflective and less reflexive.

Being a reluctant leader allows for a natural inclination to include others in decisions - allowing for more collaboration and collegiality. 

My reluctance allows me to trust others. 

Being a reluctant leader forces me to be plugged in to my "why" - always reflecting on my own internal values and compass points.

My reluctance allows me to be a restless learner - always thirsting for opportunities to network, collaborate and learn from others. I'm always trying to figure things out - always wondering if there is a better way....

My moments of reluctance allow me to be humble and rooted in the those that I serve.

I feel blessed to have moments of reluctance because ultimately they make me a better person and a better leader. 

All of this ultimately leads to a fundamental question: What motivates you to lead?  The answer will ultimately define you as a leader. 

As usual, I am still figuring things out and would welcome any feedback...

From Future Possibilties to Priorities: Inspiring a Vision for Learning

This past school year marks the first for me as principal at my school.  One of the exciting opportunities that stand before us as a community is the renewal a large portion of our campus with newer, safer and more modern facilities.  

With the exciting prospect of building newer walls and spaces, comes a much more profoundly important prospect of examining and renewing the teaching and learning culture at the school.  

Typically, the idea of building walls gets people's attention.  Given that we have peoples', attention, this year we decided to ask one basic and fundamental question:  "What should teaching and learning look like at the school in its next century?"

We spent the the first five months of the year engaging faculty, staff, parents and students in answering this important question.

The process involved surveying and holding small and large group meetings with all stakeholders. Of particular interest was the process for engaging the faculty of the school in asking them important questions about teaching (pedagogy) and learning.  

The questions were clustered in three broad categories: Delivery, Curriculum & Assessment, and Facilities.  Teachers were asked to reflect on their practice and rate where they see themselves currently and where they might want to be in the future.  For each pedagogical practice, teachers were give a 5 point scale from "traditional to transformed".

For example, in the category of "Delivery" there was a question regarding "delivery modes". Teachers were given descriptors from 1 (traditional) to 5 (transformed) for this question.  At the more traditional end of the scale, delivery was described as predominantly teacher direct instruction with little student participation while at the transformed end of the scale you saw more project based, discussion based instruction with direct instruction only when needed (see below for a the sample questions and criteria.

The results were then collected and plotted on a spider graph. The intent was to see where staff saw there practice today and where they saw their practice in the future. The graphics below are a sample of a summary of results from a few different department groupings.  You will notice that red line indicates where faculty see their practice today and the blue line indicates their future goal.

The results of this process have proven to be extremely informative. On the whole most faculty members want to move their practice to a more "transformed" place (in a thoughtful and student centred manner).

As principal, the burning question for me is: how do we help staff bridge the gap between where they are now and where they want to go?

Over the next 12 months we will embark on a process of continuous school improvement. The intent is create a system where faculty and staff can come together in a strategic way to support each other in their desired future goals.  









An important take away in this continuous improvement plan is NOT to create goals for teachers.  Instead, we will create school wide priorities based on the feedback we received. 

Our priorities will be evidence based, inspiring, future orientated, challenging and inspiring action statements that will give direction to the entire school.  From these priorities, departments, sections and teachers will be asked to create goals that make sense for them in their practice and context.  

This process is not about micromanaging action.  

It is about taking the collective future possibilities and transforming them into strategic priorities.  

It is about inspiring and cultivating action that will best serve the learning needs of our students. 

It should be noted that to support teachers and their goals, we will continue with our Learning Teams initiative (I suspect these teams will become even more focussed and purposeful!).

This process has underscored a few important points for me, namely: 

• It is a constant truth that teachers care deeply about their students and their learning needs.  
• If you create a space that allows teachers to reflect and exercise their intelligence, they will, in the main, use it thoughtfully and effectively

and

• When it comes to inspiring change, process is as important as product.

Still figuring it out.....

New School: A Principal's Mid-Year/New Year Reflection.

It's been just over 4 months since I've started as principal at Vancouver College.

In short, I've been finding my way. Some days have felt more comfortable than others. I have had purposeful moments with feelings of having taken "two steps forward". I have also had feelings of frustration - feeling as if I've taken no steps forward.

Some days I've felt that I'm "figuring it out" and other days, not so much.

But here's the thing- I love what I'm doing. And I'm grateful for the wonderful people that surround me.  I feel that I have the best job in the world!

So as I enter the second half of the school year, here's a little reflection and update on how things are going:

Relationship Building & Earning Trust
Like I've said before, relationships are at the heart of leadership and teaching. I would say that my first four months have been intensely focused on relationship building. Either directly or indirectly, whether in a meeting, in my office, at a retreat, at a game, in the hallways; talking with a parent, a student, a teacher or colleague - it's been about building relationships.
Ultimately this continues to be a process gaining trust. After all, trust is the currency of leadership.

I'm also keenly aware that, while the process of "relationship building" has been personally uplifting and incredibly supportive, it can also be taxing and impact those with whom I already have relationships. While not unique to me, I continue to be mindful of the professional/personal time commitment balancing act in my life.

Humbled by the gratitude, enthusiasm and work ethic
Being intensely focused on relationships has allowed me to see great professionals do great things in service of students. School life is a buzz with learning activities both inside and outside the classroom. I have felt myself humbled by the level of dedication that the faculty and staff have exhibited. I have been equally humbled by the level of gratitude students and parents express in response to this service.

The students at the school are a constant source of inspiration. Whether I'm in the Kindergarten class watching the boys play and learn (I have to admit, when I'm having a bad day, a short visit to K is the perfect remedy) or simply chatting with a senior student about their studies or their future plans - it is extremely inspiring to be around this group of students.

As an example, check out this student organized event where 1200 staff and students came together to support men's health by wearing fake mustaches
 


And the parents....in short, their support of students, staff and the school is equally inspiring and humbling.

A few new things
1. We've allocated contracted time for staff collaboration and created a rotation of staff meetings, department meetings, and learning team meetings. In an effort establish a collaborative and sharing culture, our staff meetings begin with a different learning team sharing an exciting practice or discovery. We have already heard from teachers share discoveries around "play based learning", fostering a growth mindset for students and formative assessments across the curriculum.

Not surprisingly, this new collaborative structure has not been perfect and we have had to make some early adjustments in response to some feedback from teachers. With time, I suspect we will continue to make more adjustments.

2. We are continuing to see more technology integration throughout the school. Early in the school year we asked teachers what types of technology they need to further empower student learning.  In response to their input, we will be increasing WiFi accessibility to students and will be seeing more students bring their own devices to school.

We have also ordered a few class sets Chromebooks and Android tablets for use throughout the middle and senior school. We are also seeing more requests personalized mobile technology - whether through various cloud based tools or hardware (e.g. more Google Apps, personalized fitness monitoring devices)

Of note, I am not a fan of a scripted "technology policy or strategy" per say. While there is a need to be strategic and forward thinking, when it comes to technology decisions, those decisions need to be derived from an appetite for technology from students and teachers.

As a school leader, I need to create the conditions for this appetite. For a variety of reasons, the appetite for technology is increasing and as a school we need to respond.

3. Advisory Groups. This is the first year of our cross grade advisory groups (Gr. 10-12). I am seeing great potential for these groups moving forward.

4. We have also started a gentle review of the schools education program. Our first step has been to ask teachers what they are passionate about and how that might leverage into new courses/assignments  they may want to teach or develop at the school. Some of the early feedback is exciting!

Exciting Near Future

Mapping our Pedagogy
We will be embarking on a process of campus renewal here at Vancouver College. However, rather than just building "more of the same", within the coming months we will be developing a "vision for learning" to help shape the design of the school. One of our first steps is to develop a "pedagogical map" of where our teachers see themselves now and where they want to go into the future in terms of their pedagogy. The "map" will chart teacher attitudes regarding all aspects of pedagogy - curriculum, assessment, and instruction- from "traditional to transformed". This will provide critical information for our design team and for our admin team as we support our teachers professional learning needs into the future. (There will be more news to come on this)

Continuous Improvement
We will also be developing/adopting some sort of continuous school improvement framework. I have been thinking a lot about this lately. I'm a firm believer that if everything is a priority than nothing is a priority.

Here's the thing- I've seen lots of nicely packaged (principal created) school growth plans that virtually no one in the school knows about (other than the admin team).

The challenge will be to empower and engage all the teachers in the process, to make the process relevant to their day to day teaching and learning needs, embed our values and to make it visible to parents and students. Interestingly enough, I've been looking into some cloud based tools to assist with this process. Again, more news to come.

Teaching Lab
As we enter the hiring season we are thinking about implementing a "teaching lab" element to our hiring process. I've always wondered why we don't ask teachers to teach a lesson as part of their interview process. This year we are thinking of giving this a shot. I'm sure we will learn a lot about this process moving forward.

The first 140 days have been exhilarating, exciting and humbling. The next 140 should be equally so, as I continue to figure it out.....

Moments of Vulnerability in (New) Leadership & Learning

The start of a new school year approaches.  This year, like last, I once again start a new job (this is not how I scripted things).  I suppose there are times in your life where you have go for it.  To follow your heart and "let go and let God".

Next week I start a new learning and leadership journey as Principal of Vancouver College - a K-12 all boys Catholic School in Vancouver.

To say that I am excited is an understatement. To be surrounded by nearly 1200 students, over 100 teachers and staff and countless parents  - all learning and growing together as a community of faith is inspiring and well, a little intimidating.

As I embark on this new role, I have, over the course of the summer, in quiet moments of vulnerable reflection, found myself asking:

• Will they respond to my leadership?  What if they don't?
• Expectations seem high.  Do they know that I don't have all the answers?
• Do they realize that I see myself as equal part learner and leader?
• Many see me as "a technology guy".  How will they respond when they see me as a "learning guy"? 

My experience tells that I am entering a warm, caring and high functioning faith and learning community - but still moments of doubt creep in.

I like to think that my own vulnerability and self doubt keeps me sharp and focused.  It simultaneously keeps me grounded and focused on what's important  - namely doing what's right for the students entrusted to my (our) care.

And speaking of students.... as I reflect on my own moments of doubt I also wonder about the many students who enter our schools and classrooms with their own doubts.  We must always be vigilant of their doubts - both those spoken and those kept in the silence of their hearts.  As educators, it is those moments when we turn self doubt into unimaginable successes that we earn our greatest  reward.

As usual, I am figuring it all out.....

Starting with Relationships, Focusing on Learning

Yet another new beginning....

For those that have not heard - next school year brings a new and exciting job opportunity - this time as Principal of Vancouver College - a K-12 Catholic school in Vancouver.

Of course with a new beginning come thoughts of transition.  Lots of thoughts - coming at me at all hours of the day and night!  Needless to say, these past few months have been full of joy and self-reflection.

There have been no shortage of colleagues, family and friends who have expressed their congratulations and best wishes.  There have also been no shortage of questions, such as:

What is your plan?
What are you going to implement?

or the famous.....

What is your plan for technology at the school?

My response to each of these questions has been fairly consistent - my first order of business is to immerse myself in the community and establishing trust in relationships while maintaining a focus on learning.

Like I've said before - I believe that trust is the currency of leadership.  To earn and distribute trust I must immerse myself in relationships.

Of course what I'm actually saying is that I need to immerse myself in the culture of the school  - to become fully absorbed in its mission, vision and values.  I need to experience how the mission and values intersect with the underlying assumptions and actions of students, parents and teachers.

I need to hear, see and experience what students, parents and teachers are proud of.  I need to see and witness the successes of students and staff.  I need to bear witness to challenges and triumphs.

And throughout it all - maintain a focus on learning  -  my own learning but of course student, teacher and parent learning.

And so, the relationship building process begins in earnest.

I have already had to the pleasure meeting with a few teachers, parents, board members, trustees and students in casual and social settings.

In the near future I will formally meet each staff member (close to 80 people) for a short 15 minute conversation.

In preparation for these conversations I have distributed a short survey (using Google Drive) for each staff member to reflect upon and respond to.   Here are the questions:

1. What do you like best about teaching/working at the school?
2. What "learning" are you currently engaged in? Think about teaching and working in service of our students.   What do you want to learn more about?  What excites you?  What are you passionate about?
3. How would you describe "learning" for teachers and staff at the school?  Secondary questions to think about: How is the school supporting your learning?  Is the learning relevant to your needs? Describe collaboration among staff members? 
4. How would you describe "learning" for students at the school?  Some secondary questions: Think about the students you work with.  When it comes to "learning" -  what's working?  What may not be working?   Predict how your students might respond to this question.  How are students making their learning visible to you, each other and the community? 

As next year progresses, I look forward to asking students and parents a variation of these same questions.

Needless to say, I am very excited to be joining such a dynamic, passionate, and faith filled community.  I am equally exciting to be working with teachers, staff  and parents in humble service of the students we serve.

Said another way - I am looking forward to "figuring it out" in a vibrant Catholic school community.

The "This Too Shall Pass"...Stall in Education Reform"

I recently attended  a Canadian Education Association regional workshop (facilitated by Stephen Hurley and Ron Canuel) at the University of British Columbia.  It was a gathering of passionate and talented people tasked with answering one question:

What's standing in the way of change in education?

This was one of a series of events, held across Canada, to study and explore answers to the aforementioned question (for more information on this exciting research click here).

The day began by exploring some of the barriers to change in education.  Participants shared many insights and ideas - identifying barriers such as:  funding models, policy decisions (school, organizational and government) , institutional memory (by all stakeholders), societal expectations, assessment models (and many more).

As we shared the many barriers to change I couldn't help but think about the long history of (failed?) education reform in Canada and British Columbia.

On a personal level, I can think of the many conversations I've had regarding BC's latest education transformation initiative (The BC Education Plan, Curriculum Transformation) and the inevitable "conversation stopping" sentiment:

This too shall pass.

The proverbial “we tried that back in..(insert year)" can be a little demoralizing when in comes to school improvement and change in education.

And yet these sentiments do cause me to pause and think about some "recent" failed reform initiatives here in BC.  For example:

• In 1987 the government of BC commissioned Barry Sullivan to review the BC education system and make recommendations for improvement.  The Commission came down with sweeping recommendations for BC's education system including such things as: cross curricular integration of content, a shift in focus from content to "learning to learn", child centered instruction, multi-age grouping of students, emphasis on school within community, more authentic performance based assessment of students and anecdotal reporting of student learning.  I came across this pdf version of the report here: It is both a fascinating and sobering read. 

• Open Classrooms.  Talk to a teacher who was around in the late 1970’s early 1980’s. They will tell you this was a good idea gone bad. The walls went up shortly after they were taken down.

• School Portfolio’s. In 2005 the government initiated a mandatory graduation portfolio for every student in British Columbia.  By 2007 the program was scrapped. More fodder for the "been there done that" camp.

These examples can teach us a tremendous amount about reform and change in education. Bottom line – it is not easy.

And yet I am hopeful that we can we learn from the past.  This is why I am excited to hear about the work that the CEA is undertaking in understanding the barriers in education reform and change.

Despite any "mistakes" made in the education reform past,  I will suggest that there may be different forces at play today that are providing a different type of momentum to the school reform movement:

This election of Pope Benedict (2005) vs Pope Francis (2013)

Mobile, Web-Based, Social Technology
The proliferation of mobile, web based, social technology is giving us access to an abundance of diverse information and people. Accessing the information is not solely dependent on "school" or the educators that work in them.


Neuroscience
There is a growing amount of brain research that is dispelling myths about how the human brain learns best. This article does a nice job summarizing some of the recent research: Neuroscience: Brain Based Learning Myth Busting

Shrinking, Shifting, Connected World
Many have written about how world has changed -economically, strategically and socially.  In a compelling and informative TED talk, Paddy Ashdown talks about the Global Power Shift. One of his more compelling arguments is that:

In the modern age where everything is connected to everything, the most important thing you can do....is what you can do with others.  

Ashdown emphatically states that the paradigm structure of our time is the network.  If we buy Ashdown's argument, then as educators we need to ask ourselves how equipped our students are to navigate this shifting world.

Some enduring constants....
Yet, despite these momentum generating forces, I would argue that there are some enduring constants in education and school that will continue to positively serve our students.

Namely that teachers, working in relationships (with students and colleagues) matter immensely and that learning is personal (individual) and social and it needs to be shared and made visible.

So moving forward I have a few questions for reflection:

• What will be the compelling reason for school as a place, moving forward?
• Will, what many see as “extra” in schools, actually become the compelling "core" of what will make school relevant?
• Will we look back twenty years from now and see this time as yet another failed attempt at change in education?

I am still figuring it out.  Your thoughts and comments are welcome......

Some Leadership Attitude(s)

I have a style issue.  No, I'm not walking around wearing my 1980's acid washed jeans or rugby pants...(oh the good old days...)

The "style" issue I am referring to has to do with leadership.

To be blunt - I don't think I have a leadership style.  

Instead, what I have come to see are some personal attitudes that have sustained me throughout my time in school administration.

Upon reflection, here are a few of the attitudes that have helped me along the way:

I trust therefore I lead. 
Trust has been the currency that has allowed me to be effective as an administrator.  The more trust I give away - the more I seem to get in return.  More than simply waiting to trust, I have often sought out opportunities to trust - whether it be with colleagues or students.  The results?  I have been blessed in my career to work with people who have responded to my trust with support, integrity and an inspiring ethic of care. Coincidentally, as parent I am realizing that one of the important gifts I can give my children is my trust!

Ripple Effect of Respect
In the context of school leadership, I realize that how I behave is more important than what I say.  Modelling respectful interactions, a calm demeanor, and genuine ethic of care have been, and will continue to be a "non-negotiable".   The idea is to send a ripple effect of respect throughout the school community.

I'm am...sorry, unsure, wrong, scared, concerned

Being vulnerable and naming my own feelings has been a game changer.  For example, if we say that we learn from our mistakes, we must also own our mistakes in a real and transparent way.

"Walk a mile in their shoes"
As teacher, to be most effective, I need to be deeply empathetic to individual students.  As an administrator, I feel like I need to maintain this attitude towards students AND teachers.   For example, I need to be mindful that I don't keep on "adding" to teachers "must do" without considering what needs to be taken away.  One simple and important way to do this, is to "walk a mile in their shoes".  Being an "Embedded Principal" has been helpful in this regard.

"You" before the "it"
This is closely related to the attitude above.  This is about putting people before policies or systems.  I have learned that I need to be present to the person I am interacting with.  I need to see and respect the person before I see the policy.  In the end, the person may disagree with my decision, but they will  youalways know that they are respected and will fully understand the "why" behind the decision.

Restless Learner
It is probably not a healthy thing, but I am one of those people who feels a perpetual sense of anxiousness about "missing" learning opportunities that will make me, students or teachers better.  I feel a certain restlessness when it comes to learning, schools and education.  Interestingly enough, John Hattie's research  compares the impact that instructional leadership and transformational leadership has on student learning. Surprisingly (or not), Hattie's research tips the scales towards the idea of instructional leadership.  My experience not only confirms this, but also tells me that I have a better chance of becoming a transformational leader if I am a restless learner in my community. 

"Just Let Go" 
This is all about me letting go.  Give up control and gain  personal engagement and ownership .  Of course this is the antithesis of micromanaging - which invariably leads to apathy,  boredom and risk aversion.  Said another way - I have found that I need to trust, let go and empower others to do what they need to do.

This attitude reminds me of a scene in the movie Finding Nemo when Marlin is clinging on to Dory, inside the mouth of a whale - about to be swallowed.  Dory is demanding to be "let go".  Marlin yells: "but how do you know that something bad isn't going to happen?"  To which Dory replies "I DON'T"

"It's not about me"
Some may call this -  being rooted in the "why".  It's not "my" school or "my" school system.  I need to remind myself that my job is to bring the community to an agreed upon destination - rooted in values, mission and vision. This is where I constantly remind myself to check my personal agenda, desires and ego at the door.

It's not my issue

The job demands that I make decisions using my best judgement.  Certain issues demand that I skate into the puck.  I've also come to understand that some of my best decisions are the ones I don't make.  Not all issues are my issues.  Knowing the difference has been critical to my leadership.  Despite my sincerest desire to intervene in any and all situations that arise in a school, sometimes I need to step back and let others step up.

"It's only school"
This may sound like I am trivializing or demeaning my work - but that is not my intent.   I love and am passionate about my job.

Sometimes, however, we do take ourselves too seriously.  For example when dealing with students we need to remember that they are- well - kids.  They are growing up.  They're supposed to make mistakes.  All they really want is to be accepted for who they are, to find personal fulfillment, to be trusted and to have some fun and excitement while figuring it out.

When we consistently take ourselves too seriously we lose perspective of who we are actually serving - which ultimately leads to decisions, policies and systems that don't respect kids for who they are and where they are at any given moment.

I'm still figuring it out and invite you to share your thoughts and reactions.

Go Study! Strategies with Impact

As an administrator, teacher and parent I have caught myself preaching about the need to study.

Certainly my own children have heard me talk about the importance of preparation, being organized and work habits.

But I must confess that while preaching about the importance of studying and preparation, I probably could be a little more specific about what effective study strategies look like.

For this I turn to John Hattie - who has compiled  a list of meta cognitive study strategies that, the research shows, are most effective in preparing students.

Here are the TOP 5 study strategies (Visible Learning, John Hattie):

1. Organizing and Transforming
This is about being organized in your thinking and making it your own.   It includes such things as making an outline before you compose or mapping your thinking.

2. Self Consequences
Students need to get to a place where they prioritize what is important - preferably on their own. In my house it might look and sound like this: "I know you want play on your rainbow loom, but is there any business you need to take care of first?" This reminds me of the now famous Stanford University Marshmallow Experiment on delayed gratification where:

the researchers found that children who were able to wait longer for the preferred rewards tended to have better life outcomes, as measured by test scores and educational attainment.....However, recent work calls into question whether self-control, as opposed to strategic reasoning, determines children's behavior

3. Self Evaluation
Creating opportunities for students to do structured self evaluations of their own work.  Peer reviews of work are also effective in this regard.

4. Self-Instruction
Verbalizing the steps and thinking involved in a task.  In other words - "talking it through"

5. Help Seeking
Find a study partner and talk it out it with each other.  Don't be afraid to ask for help.  Ask important important questions.  Receive quality feedback.

Here are the three LEAST effective study strategies (Visible Learning, Hattie):

1. Environmental Restructuring
 Selecting or arranging the physical setting to making learning easier.  This one surprises me given that I have given this bit of advice before.  I suppose this one needs to be taken in context.  If you only provide the space without the effective strategies (see above) results are limited.

2. Time Management
Scheduling daily study and homework time.  Again, one that I have recommended in the past!  Nonetheless, scheduling time without purpose is ineffective.  Reminds me of a few meetings I have attended or even facilitated!

3. Imagery
Creating or recalling vivid mental images to assist learning.

An observation
As I think about the "least effective" study strategies listed above, I can't help but wonder if they tend to prepare students for a certain type of demonstration of learning - i.e. memorizing for the test and/or recalling of information.

On the other hand, the top 5 strategies, from what I can see, lend themselves to preparing students for learning that is multifaceted - from recalling of information to project based, inquiry driven learning.

As usual, I'm still figuring it out....

The Pedagogy of the Soul, New Curriculum & Catholic Schools

Given my context here in British Columbia and the imminent changes to curriculum, I have been thinking about how these changes align (or not) with the stated mission, vision and values of our Catholic Schools. 

Not surprisingly, the Catholic Church has much to say about education at all levels.  

For example, Catholic Schools around the world talk about educating the "whole child". 

In 1965,  Pope Paul VI wrote his Declaration on Christian Education (Gravissimum Educationis) where he states: 

.... children and young people must be helped, with the aid of the latest advances in psychology and the arts and science of teaching, to develop harmoniously their physical, moral and intellectual endowments so that they may gradually acquire a mature sense of responsibility in striving endlessly to form their own lives properly and in pursuing true freedom as they surmount the vicissitudes of life with courage and constancy. ......Moreover they (students) should be so trained to take their part in social life that properly instructed in the necessary and opportune skills they can become actively involved in various community organizations, open to discourse with others and willing to do their best to promote the common good.

The Holy Father goes on to write:

Among all educational instruments the school has a special importance.(19) It is designed not only to develop with special care the intellectual faculties but also to form the ability to judge rightly, to hand on the cultural legacy of previous generations, to foster a sense of values, to prepare for professional life. Between pupils of different talents and backgrounds it promotes friendly relations and fosters a spirit of mutual understanding; and it establishes as it were a center whose work and progress must be shared together by families, teachers, associations of various types that foster cultural, civic, and religious life, as well as by civil society and the entire human community.

Archbishop of Vancouver, Michael Miller, when writing  on this topic states:

The enduring foundation on which the Church builds her educational philosophy is the conviction that it is a process which forms the whole child, especially with his or her eyes fixed on the vision of God. The specific purpose of a Catholic education is the formation of boys and girls who will be good citizens of this world, enriching society with the leaven of the Gospel, but who will also be citizens of the world to come. Catholic schools have a straightforward goal: to foster the growth of good Catholic human beings who love God and neighbor and thus fulfill their destiny of becoming saints.

However, as I reflect on the above quotes and a host of articles related to this topic, a couple of thoughts stand out for me.

Curriculum & Pedagogy

Firstly, as members of the Catholic School community it is important to keep these thoughts in mind as we move forward with new curricula in British Columbia.  From my perspective, the new curriculum should be seen as an opportunity to review and reflect on our values as schools and  renew our effort to educate the whole child within the context and culture our times.

To this point, I would argue that we as Catholic educators must take the time to reflect on own pedagogy as is relates to educating the whole child.   

For example:

• Are we, like Pope Paul references, aiding  our students by "adopting the latest advances in psychology and the arts and science of teaching?"  
• How do we define "success" in our schools?  
• How are we engaging students in their learning?
• What role does technology play in pedagogy?
• What is the role of the teacher in today's information saturated world?
• Are we having discussions at the exact point where faith and reason intersect? 
• How are we teaching our students to faith filled, critical thinking men and women of goodness and service? 
• How has our educational program "adopted to the latest advances....?"

In short, if we see the new curriculum as an opportunity to renew our values in educating the whole child, we must, with equal fervor, be committed to reflecting on our own pedagogy as we look to meet the needs of all our students - as they are today.

School & Community

As we look to advances in information technology and the increasingly ubiquitous manner in which  information can be accessed, curated and published - many in education are questioning the need for the "institution of school" as a place of learning.  We can look to the proliferation of on-line/virtual schools and the recent growth of MOOC's at the post secondary level .   I have noticed more and more jurisdictions seriously  looking at "Blended Learning"  environments as alternatives to "traditional" "brick and mortar" schooling.

Again, as Catholic schools we need to pay attention and reflect on the these potential pressure points in our understanding of "school community".  Archbishop Miller succinctly summarizes the Church's teaching on this issue when he writes:

(The Church's) emphasis on the community aspect of the Catholic school, a dimension rooted both in the social nature of the human person and the reality the Church as "the home and the school of communion."...That the Catholic school is an educational community "is one of the most enriching developments for the contemporary school." 

...a Catholic school is thought of in the transition from the school as an institution to the school as a community...... the community dimension is primarily a theological concept rather than a sociological category....Vatican statements emphasize that the school is a community of persons and, even more to the point, "a genuine community of faith."

He goes on to summarize that the Church requires Catholic schools to develop community specifically related to "the teamwork or collaboration among all those involved; the interaction of students with teachers and the school's physical environment."

  

In the article Pedagogy of the Golden Dome, the author, Matt Emerson, attempts to address the issue of school community in the Catholic school context and ultimately asks whether, e-based, virtual post secondary learning environments are equal alternatives to classic school environments.  

The author argues that the alternatives should not be treated as equal and writes: 

I don't believe they should be, and the reason begins with a truth nicely captured in Gaudium et Spes: "For by their innermost nature men and women are social beings; and if they do not enter into relationships with others they can neither live nor develop their gifts" (para. 12). This social nature should, and will, continue to draw people back to campuses, back into community. There is no substitute for an immediate give-and-take, for the chance to see blank faces and quizzical looks and the enthusiasms of an "aha" moment. A non-virtual classroom allows immediate feedback and possibilities for activities and discussions that aren't available through satellites and screens. 

The author goes on to describe his own experience studying law at the University of Notre Dame:

Moreover, as humans, and especially as Catholics, we know the importance of physical space. Where we learn can be just as important as what we learn; even more, the former can influence the latter. I could have studied law online or in a plain urban area, but I would have missed out on something that became essential to me as a lawyer and educator, and most fundamentally as a person seeking truth. Studying law on the gorgeous inspiring grounds of Notre Dame shaped my heart and soul. When I walked across South Quad, past Mary and the Golden Dome, I sensed the ultimate horizon of my learning, that I was participating in something much more significant than ensuring a nice career. When I walked out of the law school and heard the bells from the Basilica of the Sacred Heart tolling for a funeral, I felt the urgency of human frailty and the gift of every breath. When I walked by the bust of St. Thomas More and into the regal space of the law library, I never failed to register what More's example had to mean for me. Soul transcends career. Faith trumps security. 

On a personal level I can attest to the power of connecting to a virtual Professional Learning Network.  However it has been when I have met those people face to face that the relationships have become more meaningful and my learning more challenged.

A few questions and thoughts for Catholic schools to consider:

• Moving forward, our schools will need to come to terms with such ideas as "blended learning" and how such ideas can co-exist with the idea of "faith community". 
• How do can we create real collaborative structures in our schools for both teachers and students to engage in their learning? 
• Does our understanding of "community" need to change given the growth in collaborative and social technologies?
• What does it mean to "come together in faith"?
• What impact does our call to sacramental life shape our understanding of community? 

Pedagogy of the Soul
Which gets me to my final point. I have come to see that what defines us, as Catholic schools, in our quest to "educate the whole child" is our ability engage and nurturing the souls of our staff and students.

I will call this the "pedagogy of the soul" and it exists when:

• Staff and students know and understand that they are loved unconditionally by God and are rooted in this love- without exception.
• Staff and students are socially engaged in the world - to be advocates for those less fortunate
• Staff and students engage with matters of faith - first with their hearts followed closely with their minds. 
• We invite healthy and respectful questioning  - being vulnerable and rooted in love and where the principles of the Catholic Intellectual tradition permeate the conversation.
• We measure our successes  as schools beyond utilitarian ends.
• Staff and students are full of joy and happiness knowing that they are rooted in Jesus and his teachings.  Like Aristotle states: "Happiness is the setting of the soul into its most appropriate spot"

I welcome any other thoughts.  As usual, I am still figuring it out............

Random Facts & Some Homework for You

I have recently received two homework challenges from two members of my PLN (Peter Jory and Aaron Akune) . The "homework" is as follows: share 11 random facts about yourself, answer the 11 questions provided and invite 11 others to answer 11 questions that I ask them. 

So in an effort to share a little bit about myself and deepen the relationships in my own PLN here are some random facts and questions:

11 Random Facts About Me:

1. During high school and university, because of proximity, I spent a lot of time at my grandparent’s house. I enjoyed playing cards with my grandfather and listening to him talk about his time during the war and his story of immigrating to Canada from Italy. His stories (and my parents own immigration story) continue to be sources of pride and inspiration for me and my own children. 
2. I almost didn’t become a teacher (that’s a whole different story).
3. The Oregon Coast and Mexico are two of my favourite places to vacation.
4. I like to golf a minimum of 25 rounds a year. Anything less and I turn into a pumpkin.
5. I can eat sushi every day. 
6. I played high school football. I was a fullback and linebacker. My teammates are still some of the best friends I have.  I also coached football up until I became a principal. I even did a short term guest coaching stint for the University of British Columbia football program about 10 years ago. 
7. Despite what people may see and think, I still get “butterflies” when I have to speak in front of groups (from 5 to 5000)
8. I exercise so that I can enjoy the delicious food in my life (my wife is an amazing cook as is the rest of my family) 
9. On my mother’s insistence, we have weekly dinners at my parent’s house with my own family and my brother’s and sister’s families – (that’s 15 people!)
10. I once spent an entire summer playing Zelda and EA Sports NHL 1997 (on a Nintendo 64) with a roommate. 
11. I have been to China on 9 different occasions..

Both Peter Jory and Aaron Akune asked me some questions so I decided to answer both sets of questions:

Questions from Peter Jory:

1. Where did you grow up, and what place that still feels like "home" when you go there?

• I was born and raised in Vancouver! I have never left. Not sure I ever will.  Because of this I don't own winter boots and I when I need to scrape ice off my windshield I use a credit card.

2. When did you decide to do what you do?

• In grade 9 - my grade 9 social studies teacher was the motivating factor for me becoming a teacher.

3. Describe something that you struggle with and what you've designed as a coping skill or compensation.

• I am not handy whatsoever.  I have had save an inordinate amount of money to pay people to do work for me.

4. What makes you the proudest when you think of your work?

• Watching students and teachers find personal success.

5. Who got you started on Twitter?

• I attended a TEDxUBC event about 4 years ago and saw all these really smart people using Twitter.  I figured I'd better give it a try.

6. Name your all-time favorite fictional character, and describe how that "person" has influenced you.

• The boy in The Alchemist.  His journey to finding his "treasure" took him to exciting places and introduced him to interesting people - only to realize the treasure he was seeking was at home the entire time.

7. In what way are you quirky?

• I can get obsessive about a cluttered email inbox.  I have dozens of folders for my emails.

8. Describe a very public moment that didn't work out for you.

• I am not the most fluent of writers.  Often times I will put out a blog post with some errors or typos.  I usually get a few DM's from folks who will point out my errors.  Fortunately this doesn't deter me from blogging.  

9. What is the best fruit?

• Nectarine 

10. Describe an event where you had a surprisingly brilliant time.

• Singing Karaoke  - I'm always an unwilling participant but end up having a blast.

11. What would you like people to say about you after you are gone?

• He cared about his family and the people he encountered.

Questions from Aaron Akune:

If you could meet one person in the world, who would it be? Why? 

• Pope Francis - His compassion and "people centered-ness" are an inspiration.

If you had one do-over, what would you do differently? 

• I don't really like to live in the "regretful past" too much.  I'll pass on this one

I’d like to thank my wife for everything. 

Your favorite meal is? Sushi.

Where would you like to vacation to next? Hawaii
What book are you currently reading? Humanize
What do you do most often? Phone, text or tweet?  Tweet
What excites you the most about the work you do? The people I meet and work with
One area we need to pay attention to in education that wasn’t as important 10 years ago is digital citizenship and literacy (broadly understood)
A blogger who has seriously impacted my thinking is too many to list - I'll go with PLN.
10 years from now, I will be healthy and happy.

11 Random Questions for you: 

1. What keeps you up at night?
2. What would you consider comfort food?
3. What is one thing you would change about your job?
4. What is one thing you would change about schools today?
5. What is one piece of advice you would give to someone?
6. The biggest inspiration in my life is___________________?
7. What was the first music concert you attended?
8. What is the first movie you attended?
9. Other than work, I have a passion for_____________________?
10. If you wrote a book, what would the title be?
11. When I grow up I ______________________

I challenge the following people to do their homework:

1. Darcy Mullin
2. Chris Kennedy
3. Maricel Ignacio
4. Denise Lamarche
5. Ian Doktor
6. Ron Sherman
7. Sheila Stewart
8. Ryan Bretag
9. David Wees
10. Michelle Baldwin
11. Dean Shareski

11 Edu Myths I Encounter

As I continue in my learning "travels", I am noticing some reoccurring "myths" about students, teaching, learning and schooling.

Here is short list of  "11 Edu Myths" that I continue to personally encounter:

Myth #1: Lectures

I continue to encounter many teachers who are somewhat "meek" to admit that they use lectures in their classes.   I hear teachers sometimes declare - "this may not be a good class to visit - I am only lecturing. You should have come last week when students were presenting..."

To be clear, direct instruction (Hattie) and the use of clear instructions by teachers is a legitimate pedagogical tool when it comes to teaching.  However, not all lectures are created equally and a good lecture must be also matched with a teacher's ability to capture student voice in the learning process.

Myth #2: It's all about technology

Wrong.  It starts with good pedagogy.  The teacher matters.  Increasingly, technology can be used to engage students in their thinking.  Teachers have a role to play in triggering learning and thinking.  Technology increasingly has a powerful place in that process.

Myth #3:  Students are Internet savvy

Perhaps one of more dangerous myths in education is that students are "digital natives".  I would argue that this type of thinking gives too many adults a certain "crutch" to abdicate their ethical duty to teach digital citizenship.  I have written about this here: Scarcity at the Table of Abundance

Myth #4:   Public vs. Independent 

As a someone who has worked in the independent school system (in British Columbia) I have seen too much rhetoric "pitting one side against the other" often with stereotypical, misinformed comments  .  The more I work with folks from both the public schools and independent schools the more optimistic I am that EVERYONE is working to serve all students.  At the end of day, they are all our children.

Myth #5: Teaching to a Preferred Learning Style

As a beginning teacher, I remember the emphasis on teaching to a preferred learning styles of our students.  The modern research has now completely debunked the idea of teaching to students  "preferred" learning styles.  A study of the proliferation  of "neuromyths" in education explains the learning style myth this way:

An example of a neuromyth is that learning could be improved if children were classified and taught according to their preferred learning style. This misconception is based on a valid research finding, namely that visual, auditory, and kinesthetic information is processed in different parts of the brain. However, these separate structures in the brain are highly interconnected and there is profound cross-modal activation and transfer of information between sensory modalities (Gilmore et al., 2007). Thus, it is incorrect to assume that only one sensory modality is involved with information processing. Furthermore, although individuals may have preferences for the modality through which they receive information [either visual, auditory, or kinesthetic (VAK)], research has shown that children do not process information more effectively when they are educated according to their preferred learning style (Coffield et al., 2004). 

Myth #6: Boys and Girls

Below is a 3 minutes YouTube clip is from a researcher from the University of Notre Dame talking about the impact gender segregated classes have on academic achievement.  Bottom line?  Boys and girls are different in many physiological and neurological ways (duh!).  While there is no academic harm in gender split classes, the overall effect on achievement is "neutral".  A better approach may be to identify the individual learning needs of each student - beyond gender.
(I have little experience in this area so I welcome comments from those who have more insights)

Myth #7: More is better

More homework?  More school days?  More school hours?  More awards?  It seems that many want to equate "more" with "better".   There is a growing amount of research about the effects of homework,  year round schooling and longer school days.  My travels have told me that more is NOT necessarily the total solution in any of these areas.

Myth #8: Educators are using Social Media 

The more I visit with educators, the more I realize that I am in a bubble when it comes to the use social media to share, learn and grow.   As  a profession we need to continue to be more vulnerable with our own learning and network with others.

Myth #9: Faith & Reason

I increasingly see how many want to divorce all matters of faith from reason.  My personal belief is Catholic, K-12 schools can learn from the Catholic Intellectual Tradition that forms the foundation of many Catholic Universities and Colleges.  A definition of this tradition that resonates with me is as follows:

Perhaps the most fruitful way of thinking about the Catholic Intellectual Tradition is in terms of two aspects: the classic treasures to be cherished, studied, and handed on; and the way of doing things that is the outcome of centuries of experience, prayer, action, and critical reflection.” The treasures ...include certain classic texts, art and architecture, music, as well as developments in science and technology. When these things are appreciated as part of the Christian intellectual heritage, they are studied in a way that tends to integrate the disciplines by relating everything to the meaning of human life in its relationship to the transcendent.  

The other aspect of this tradition is the way we have learned to deal with experience and knowledge in order to acquire true wisdom, live well, and build good societies, laws, and customs. Fundamental to this process is the understanding that faith and reason do not conflict. Rather, the continued pursuit of understanding leads ultimately to wisdom. The Catholic Intellectual Tradition invites us out of isolation and into a community whose cumulative efforts contribute to the construction of a whole—a wholeness that is a Catholic hallmark. (Monika Hellwig) 

Myth #10: School is not "real world"
I hear many folks talk about preparing students for the real world.  I often greet this statement with a few questions:  What is the "real world"?  What is that makes school "not real"? How can we make it "real"?  So often schools and teachers create policies, procedures and cultures on a false sense of what the "real world" actually is.  Any discussion of preparing students for the real world requires a genuine understanding of that the current "real world" actually is.   

Myth#11: Recognizing winners and losers helps motivate students
I am not an expert in human motivation and/or psychology.  As an educator and a parent I have witnessed situations where publicly pitting one student (child) against another in the highly personal and "messy" act of learning has caused alienation, disengagement and embarrassment.

Please feel free to comment and add some of your own "Edu Myths"......