Jan 13
I started my administration career back in 1991. I was 29 years old, had just completed my master’s degree and I was brash as hell. I moved from a strictly high school setting to a K-12 environment and from a middle to upper class socially economic school to a community facing significant poverty issues. Success …
Jul 23
Canada has one of the best education systems in the world. This is especially true when you consider that the majority of students are educated in public schools, the vast diversity within our classrooms and the highly inclusive environment we continually cultivate. Most countries marvel at the results we consistently get year in and year …
Jul 17
Earlier this year, I attended the Central Alberta Teachers’ Convention on behalf of Nelson. I was pleasantly surprised when one of my former teachers, Laurie McIntosh (@lauriesmcintosh) stopped by the booth to say hello. I was then humbled when I dropped by her sessions, and she kindly recognized and affirmed me in for my actions …
Apr 11
Last week, I had the pleasure of moderating a C21 Canada webinar entitled, “The A, B, Cs of High School Programming.” The webinar featured five Superintendents/Directors from across Canada. The two main questions that framed the discussion were: What pandemic opportunities have occurred in high school/secondary program models that encourage a deeper look at pedagogy? …
Apr 05
A couple of weeks ago, veteran NHL referee Tim Peel was caught on a live microphone wanting to call a penalty on a team. He was subsequently released as the NHL believed strongly that the integrity of the game was at stake. There has been a lot of discussion on his punishment and whether it …
Mar 21
I was most interested following my social media feeds during virtual Teachers’ Conventions this year. The pandemic has certainly changed the way that professional development has been offered. There will be an end to the pandemic but with that end, what will become of professional development as we know it? I remember one of the …
Dec 12
Last week I wrote a blog post entitled, “There are no curriculum police!” which addressed the very real need of shrinking the number of outcomes taught to ensure essential learning for all students. With the general loss of teaching time from the pandemic, it is imperative that teachers, using their professional judgment both individually and …
Dec 06
Back in 2014, I had the pleasure of sitting on a panel at the Curriculum Prototyping Symposium in Calgary and followed it up with a blog post entitled, “Why curriculum needs to change.” The panel brought together a wide array of stakeholders debating the “big why” of curriculum redesign. The process of prototyping in itself was revolutionary …
Nov 08
If I was able to wave a magic wand to establish a priority in all organizations, it would be for wellness! Most might assume that it is due to this ongoing pandemic and while the need for wellness may be more pressing today, it was a growing need long before COVID-19 hit. The importance of …
Apr 21
“Leaders should never engage in self serving politics during a time of crisis.” Unless you are “very” old, you are part of a population that has never faced this type of epidemic in this lifetime. We are in unprecedented times and the requirement of leaders to lead with integrity is essential. Regardless of your political …