Feb 03

Painting the fence or building a new one!

Alberta Education is involved in a high school flexibility project that is focusing on how learning can be improved outside the Carnegie Unit. The Carnegie Unit was developed from a business point of view and is based on the factory model of education. It was initiated to standardize education. A parallel process in Alberta is Inspiring Education. Inspiring Education is about transforming what we do at the core of education. It is based on developing, engaged thinkers, ethical citizens with an entrepreneurial spirit. Reviewing it on a superficial level, will cause some excitement for most parents, staff and communities. Who wouldn’t want those motherhood and apple pie outcomes? But if you really delve into both of the initiatives you have to begin to ask, “Are we building a new fence or just painting the old one?” If we truly want to meet the needs of all students instead of just some, we must build a new fence. Painting the old one may look nice, but it will have little long term effect on the changing educational needs of our students and society as a whole. Building a new fence requires a significant shift in how we deliver education and how we account for our results.

Pedagogy leads Curriculum

The driver for educational change must be pedagogy. Our instructional practice must meet the needs of current students in order to prepare them for their future and not our past. An interactive whiteboard is nothing more than a glorified chalkboard and blogging is just a journal if the pedagogy remains 20th century. Learning centers can be examples of highly, engaging students with choice or the same task performed in a group setting. We know our students are different, our society is different and therefore we must recognize that our teaching practice must also be different. We will only shift from compliant students to committed learners with innovative and creative practices. Building a new fence of teacher practice is challenging on both a competence and confidence level. We are asking teachers to drastically change their approach to education to meet the needs of all students and not just some. And, how we have taught in the past has been good- there is no argument there! But in order to become great and more importantly ensure success for all, we need to build a new fence.

Pedagogical reform cannot wait for new curriculum.  The development of curriculum is a long and arduous task at best. Decisions (usually disagreements) about curricular outcomes, alignment with colleges and universities and choice of resources all contribute to this painstaking endeavour. With the fast paced world we live in, often the best curriculums or at least the resources to support, are almost outdated prior to their full implementation. Curriculum development is cumbersome and so to wait until we get it just right is just too long. In the past, we have had some excellent curriculum developed in Alberta with less than desirable results. If teachers simply look at what is different from one program of studies to the next, without understanding the rationale or philosophy, great curriculum is lost. New curriculum doesn’t transform education in isolation; innovative and creative teaching practices do! Even with the tremendous work of Alberta Education on Curriculum Redesign, the driver of educational change must be pedagogy!

Responsibility trumps Accountability

A favorite saying of mine is, “As responsibility increases, the need for accountability decreases.” I believe this from a parenting and system management point of view. However, there are some caveats that need to be established before this statement can be fully realized. The first condition that must be present is trust. Just as parents must trust their children to make right choices, organizations must offer trust to their employees. Trust is built with environments that encourage risk taking, innovation and creativity without fear of retribution. The teaching practices that are required for students’ futures may often fail miserably at the beginning and be messy throughout the process. But, teachers must feel liberated to fail and try again without the “big bad wolf” looking over their shoulders. Trust must be initiated from both top down and bottom us for success. Trust focuses on “what could be” instead of “what is.” It is a vulnerable position and one that must be navigated carefully and openly.

The second condition that heightens responsibility is action. Once leaders offer trust through the creation of liberating environments, teachers must take full advantage in evolving their own practice.  Teachers cannot just paint the fence, they have to build a new one. Trust from leaders dwindles rapidly when the conditions are right for change and action lags behind. Action does not indicate immediate success but it is at least moving forward. I’ve worked with some skilled leaders who have become extremely frustrated due to this lack of action. Teachers who choose to remain stuck in 20th century practices are a disservice to our students. The old paradigm of sorting and selecting students in the factory model will not meet the needs of all students. Although it may be comfortable to continue to instruct students as we always have, it simply does not work for all students. In order to decrease the amount of external accountability, responsibility must be action orientated!

Thirdly, responsibility is never selfish. The act of being responsible is never about us individually but always about our students.  Responsibility eliminates all excuses. Responsibility moves us from “I can’t” to “I”ll try.” It moves us from thinking about “if only…” to “why not?” Responsibility is our professional duty and is based on informed professional judgment. It doesn’t mean that we will move mountains but it certainly suggests our attempt!

Finally, I have long suggested my disdain for our current accountability system. Even though I have shouted from the rooftops, “Don’t worry about test results”, the external pressure is seemingly difficult to overcome. When I look at the desire of our provincial system to develop “Engaged thinkers, Ethical citizens with an Entrepreneurial spirit”, I fully realize that those cannot be accurately measured by a single test result. I am confident that learning will be greatly enhanced when we build that new fence both in the classroom and from the system/government level. Realistically, we need problem solving students not knowledge regurgitating drones. We need students who have solid literacy and numeracy skills AND who excel in the competencies needed in the 21st century.  This will not come to fruition if we continue to narrowly define student success as we currently do.

In order for pedagogy to lead curriculum and responsibility to trump accountability, all levels of the education system must be prepared to open their doors. The hands of trust must be extended with vulnerability from all organizations. It is time for everyone to lay their cards on the table and be willing to be fully transparent as we shape an educational system that prepares students for their future and not our past. This is not easy for any of the levels of organization but trust must be extended in order to “Build a new fence!”

 

 

 

Feb 01

From the Desk of the Superintendent- February 2013

February marks the mid-point of the school year, the start of the second semester or the third quarter. It also signals the beginning stages of planning; 3-year education, capital and annual budget for 2013-14.  There is a certain flow that occurs in the planning cycle in education. The government provides school jurisdictions with their Accountability Pillar results in October.  Audited Financial Statements are approved and the Annual Education Results Report is provided to the Board, staff and stakeholders at the end of November. The information is complied in short form (AERR mini summary) and also published in an annual report that will soon be released. All of these documents allow us to look back and reflect before we begin to plan and move forward.

The planning cycle was a foundational component of the regular Board meeting in January.  Trustees reviewed our enrolment projections in preparation for the capital plan and scheduled a further working session to delve more deeply into what these trends suggest. Overall, our system continues to maintain strong student numbers and expects an increase of nearly 800 students in the next 10 years. This same information has been shared with our Learning Leadership Team, who are critical in providing grassroots perspectives and leadership precision in the development and operatization of these plans. Additionally, the Board and Senior Administration requires feedback from staff and parents on our current state of affairs and assistance in furthering our mission of delivering high quality Catholic education. This year, the Board will provide two separate opportunities for consultation with staff (February 5th) and with parents (February 11th).  Conversations with both staff and parents have warranted the decision to move to two separate consultation evenings. This is a new endeavour for Holy Spirit and we will evaluate the effectiveness of hosting individual staff/parent evenings. In order to plan appropriately for the evening, interested participants are asked to register by contacting Rose-Marie Nyberg by e-mail (nybergr@holyspirit.ab.ca) or by phone (403-327-9555). For a complete recap of the January Board meeting please see the Board Brief.

An important meeting was held in January with the Minister of Education Jeff Johnson. Minister Johnson’s provincial tour allowed trustees to meet and discuss areas of mutual interest. It was an extremely positive meeting, that allowed our trustees to highlight many of the innovative practices currently established within our division that support a transformed education system. Minister Johnson is a tremendous supporter of an education system that puts students at the center of all decisions and was most impressed with many of our initiatives in Holy Spirit that are developing engaged thinkers, ethical citizens with an entrepreneurial spirit. In fact, earlier this week, I was invited to present at the Curriculum Redesign workshop organized by Alberta Education to talk about how we were addressing Inspiring Education.  Our AISI project continues to leverage our work with teachers in supporting creative and innovative practices that are engaging for our students. It is a great source of pride to be recognized at the provincial level for the outstanding work happening within our schools.

Finally, the month of February brings the important season of Lent upon us. In Lent, we are asked to engage in purposeful action to help those around us. We are called to respond to Christ and ensure that He is placed in the middle of our lives. We prepare for the death and resurrection of our Lord.  As we enter the season of Lent with Ash Wednesday on February 13th, we are reminded to see the face of  Christ in all we meet and be Christ-like in our thoughts and actions. Lent provides an opportunity to share our many gifts through sacrifice and alms-giving to those in need. May God bless you this Lenten season!

 

 

 

Jan 27

In search of failure and purpose!

This past week,  I had the privilege of  presenting at a TEDxYouth event in Lethbridge, Alberta. The youth aspect of the event allowed me to hear some outstanding students and young adults. Some may have been more polished than others, but the messages of all were powerful. Events that allow youth to speak about what is important to them, provides me with two streams of thought. One, we are in great hands if we allow these young people to lead and two, youth voice provides for great learning when you really listen. Sometimes we can get caught up with “style points” but it is the heartfelt message that really needs to be heard. Interestingly, there were a couple of themes that permeated most of the talks.

The first and by far the most prevalent theme was that of failure. It wasn’t failure as a permanent condition but rather failure as a pre-condition to learning. It was an acknowledgement that without an understanding of failure, the likelihood of trying anything new was remote.  Most of the youth had conquered something in their lives (some more difficult than others) that without immense fortitude and sometimes support would have ended in a permanent condition. Instead, either the fear of failing or the recognition that mistakes were acceptable and part of the learning process, propelled these students and young adults in becoming who they are today.

I’ve often stated that we don’t allow our kids to safely fail enough. In our society, we have been brainwashed in believing that failure in itself is inherently harmful. We have often equated it as the only pre-cursor to poor self-esteem. Parents, (myself included) want to step in and protect, believing we are saving our children. And, while our children should always know we are in their corner, we do injustice, if we never allow them to taste and overcome safe failure. Listening to those students, solidified my belief that a little challenge and the potential to fail, truly builds strong character. Each took a chance, stumbled once or twice, but came out mentally stronger and more learned. Most, always knew where their safety net was situated, in order to venture out into the unknown. Those parents, whether they did it consciously or not, should be proud of their children’s life-learning skills. 

The second theme, seems to logically follow this ability to fail forward. Without the paralyzing fear of failure, these students and young adults have engaged in purposeful activities that made a difference in their local communities or beyond. This generation, has a far better grasp of social issues than any generation before. They recognize global injustice and more importantly, do something about it. What is most impressive about this purposeful life, is our current adult generation are generally not role models for this behaviour.  With the “I” mentality we exhibit in our lives, it is amazing that any young person thinks about anybody other than themselves. Our generation, probably should have been listened to more by the previous generation, but WE need to listen, observe and learn from our young adults.  They have tremendous potential and must be part of the solutions to the problems we’ve created. 

It is not an either/or world. We cannot simply stop honoring or respecting the past and live only in the eyes of the youth. But we must look through their eyes more often than we do now. This adult generation must find ways to expose our children to safe risks, build learning through safe failure and find opportunities to gain purpose. It is about creating a future for them, not a past for us!

Jan 20

Connected Educator equals Informed Professional Judgment

There are times in our careers that we use the term professional judgment as a license to do whatever we believe is right! We’ve earned our degree! We’ve “practiced” our skills! We’ve been inducted into the profession! The very definition of a professional supports our “right” to trump any disagreement of practice. Quite honestly, a rigorous pre-service program and a Bachelor of Education should allow for some latitude in our ability to deploy professional judgment. However, the world has changed at an alarming pace and as educators we need to be continually seeking to heighten our own informed professional judgment.  Earlier this week I read Tom Whitby’s (@tomwhitby) post entitled, “ Confidence through Connectedness” His thoughts provoked my own reflection on how informed professional judgment is linked to both the art and science of teaching and overall confidence required.

When I began my career in the mid eighties, I was convinced that teaching was only an art. Although I “enjoyed” my university experience, I really didn’t see the direct connection between theory and practice. While some of my professors were highly engaging, others didn’t seem to have a good sense of the real world in the classroom anymore. Furthermore, I was a coach and a successful coach at that. And so, the art of teaching came very close to what I did coaching hockey or instructing at hockey schools.  My professional judgment was more based on the successes I had as a coach and how I was able to transferit  to the classroom.

Being nostalgic and looking back at my own experience in school, many of my favorite teachers were coaches. They weren’t necessarily athletic coaches, but they certainly employed sound coaching methods in their practice. I was a relatively strong student who, because of my sports upbringing was also fairly disciplined. Today, I would probably be considered as a compliant student because as an athlete back then, you just did what the coach told you. Now that style or art works well when your players or students are compliant and/or engaged, but what happens when they aren’t? Today, with our correct move towards inclusion and overarching goal of student success for all, we can no longer just “coach” the compliant or engaged.  

The art of teaching must be married to the science of teaching. There is considerable uniformity in the belief that students are very different today as compared to when most of us in the over 50 club started this profession. We can provide numerous reasons why or lay blame until we’re blue in the face but it doesn’t change this fact. Given this, educators must become more learned than ever before. The professional judgment we gained in our undergraduate degree is simply insufficient. The soft skills we employ as educators may be an art, but strong, effective and engaging pedagogy is a science. Educators today, now have the benefits of the latest brain research to inform practice. It changes our perspective from “he won’t do his work” to possibly, “he can’t do his work… in this way.” It pushes us away from the factory model of education and truly highlights the uniqueness of each child in our classrooms.

Secondly, the student of today requires far different teaching practices for high levels of engagement and learning. In order for students to develop their own creativity and innovative talents, our educators must demonstrate those same qualities in their classrooms. It is understandable that some educators shy away from those practices for a number of reasons. Often, the barrier of an accountability system that numerically ranks schools, teachers and students can be found to be at fault. When only test scores rather than true learning are measured, there is a disconnect. Additionally, many educators are being asked to engage in practices that initially are out of their comfort zone. It makes sense that until educators build some confidence in a different pedagogy, it is likely to remain on the “practice” court only. Informed professional judgment is defined through actions in the classroom. More than ever before, educators need to be innovative in their practice utilizing a skillful art and science to reflect informed professional judgment. And stakeholders and governments need to be patient and supportive by creating and/or maintaining environments to allow the development of these skills. 

Informed professional judgment is a non-negotiable for today’s educators. Educators need to stay informed not on a yearly basis but on a daily basis. Schools and school districts will never be able to offer the amount of learning opportunities required to keep our professionals up to date. That is the reason why educators must become connected within their school, their division and with the use of technology. Educators of today are unable to provide informed professional judgment on an ongoing basis without being connected personally or virtually. Connected educators build up their own confidence levels. Connected educators are supported by others who act as reference or sounding boards. Connected educators find ways to ensure that their professional judgment is always informed.

We know that the classroom is very different today than it was even ten years ago. We also know that education is one of the only saving graces for many of our children and for society as a whole. With that in mind, it is critical that leaders and teachers continually strive to provide their most informed professional judgment and in order to achieve, they must be connected!!!

Jan 13

Early Learning: A great way to start!

In June 2011, Alberta Health and Wellness and the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health released a document entitled, “Let’s Talk About the Early Years.” This major report highlighted the importance of early childhood development on life-long health, well-being, learning and behaviour. It is a powerful reminder of the need to focus on children’s early years. Ensuring a high quality environment and positive experiences within the first five years of a child’s life is essential in the development of physical, emotional and social abilities.

Late last year, TD Bank released a report indicating that investing in early education programs has far reaching advantages including helping Canada address the major economical threats in the future. Children accessing high quality early learning programming are more likely to remain in school and succeed. They are also less likely to smoke, drink alcohol, and use drugs and more likely to own a home and a car later on. The evidence is quite clear on the health, social and educational benefits of early learning.

But what constitutes a strong early learning program? I would have chuckled if it would not have been too sad watching parents in the States stampede each other to get their children registered into an “engineer” based kindergarten program. Subjecting children to this type of high stress at such a young age is hardly supported in research. Instead, an environment where play is encouraged is essential to children’s development. Play develops emotional resilience, adaptability, self-control and confidence. Children learning through play explore and cultivate skills necessary for life long success. Programs that encourage play allow children to discover and interact with activities and peers while building a solid foundation of curiosity, creativity, thinking and problem solving skills.

Another aspect of a strong early learning program is ensuring a safe and caring environment. Nurturing relationships are essential. Positive and caring environments both at home and in school promote self-confidence and sound mental health, motivation to learn and achievement in school, the ability to control aggressive impulses, and resolve conflicts in nonviolent ways. The quality of the child’s human relationships provides the necessary steps for life long success.

Holy Spirit Catholic Schools is provincially recognized for our early learning programming. We have developed age appropriate programs for three, four and five year olds that support language and early literacy development, social skills and complex cognitive skills. We honor children for who they are and allow them to grow within their natural continuum of development. Beginning January 7, 2013, Holy Spirit Catholic Schools will be accepting registrations for our early learning and kindergarten programs. Visit your neighbourhood school and ensure a great start to your child’s learning today and for the future.  

Please Note: This article was published in the Lethbridge Herald on January 9, 2013.

Dec 31

Not another New Year’s resolution

You can probably tell from the title that I’m not a fan of New Year’s resolutions. It really doesn’t make sense to me to wait until the beginning of a new year to change some aspect of your life. Why is January 1st so important? Didn’t we want to have a healthier lifestyle, lose weight, learn to play the piano sometime during this past year? Haven’t you heard this before, “I’m just waiting until the new year to begin my new diet!” I always chuckle at the increase in the number of people at the gym in January coming with their new resolutions! Usually by February, they have lost their “resolution” motivation.

I’m not against people becoming more active, living a healthier lifestyle or just being a better person. What I’m against is leaving that change to the beginning of the new year. The fact of the matter is it should happen today and any other “today” throughout the year. All of us and society in general can ill afford to put off necessary changes until the “new” year.

Probably because of my work in education, I’m a strong believer in the concept of continuous improvement. It is a term that fits all situations. As individual professionals we are continually honing our craft. As a school system, we have a continual focus on improving student learning. It is irrelevant as to the starting point, only the movement from that point. Strong or weak school systems can engage in continuous improvement. It is universal!  

Whether it be one’s soul or one’s ability, it is never a wasted effort to focus on improvement. By focusing on improvement we heighten the importance of the journey and not just the destination. Quite honestly, it is the journey that is far more important than the destination. Continuous improvement allows us to falter or to miss a step. It is not about where we started but where we have travelled to and therefore it is considered ongoing and everlasting.

If you have committed to making a change on January 1st then do so! But look at your change as part of a long journey that you will travel. Welcome the challenges you will face, the obstacles to overcome and the hills you will climb. Accept that the path will sometimes be smooth but more often rocky. Understand that your progress will stall and you will often take two steps backwards before you can take a giant step forward. Enjoy the rough terrain of the path with its many twists and turns.

If you must have a New Year’s resolution this year, make it the beginning of your continuous improvement journey… forever. Begin building your legacy today and don’t ever stop, because it is not okay to just wait until the new year!

Dec 16

A Different Christmas Message

The weeks leading up to the Christmas vacation are always hectic but extremely enjoyable. I’m in schools for Advent celebrations, Christmas concerts and far too many turkey dinners! It is heartwarming to see so many children (and staff) excited about this season. I recognize and can appreciate the tiredness in the adults’ eyes knowing full well that they are looking forward to some well deserved rest and relaxation over the holiday.

Christmas is suppose to be a time of joy! It is intended to be a time of peace. It is a time when we prepare and ultimately celebrate the coming of the Messiah. Christmas is to be spent with our families in homes filled with love and laughter. The smells of the season should waffle through our homes. The sights of the season should be reflective in our eyes. Our Christmas traditions are anticipated with great excitement by young and old alike. Yes…Christmas is suppose to be a time to look forward to, a time of joy!

Yet, I know that Christmas also brings about many fears and negative feelings. Many of our children live in extreme poverty and food will be scarce during the holiday season. Their only turkey dinner is the one that is provided at the school. Many of our children go home to fractured families and unhealthy living conditions. The school with its warm and welcoming environment is often replaced by a dull and unloving atmosphere.  For these children, Christmas is not a joyous event. It is filled with anxiety! They are leaving a place we call school that protects and nurtures, accepts and acknowledges, cares and loves. Holidays for them is leaving their regular routine and safe haven!

And Christmas this year will be very different for those families impacted by the school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. Twenty beautiful 6 and 7 year old students and seven adults ruthlessly gunned down. Their presents under the tree will not be unwrapped! There will be no more Christmas concerts, no more birthdays, no graduations or weddings! Instead anger, heartache and despair remain. As I watched the news coverage this weekend, it was impossible for me and I’m sure most of us not to feel the same.

This is where we turn to our faith. We pray for God’s comforting hands, for peace and we pray for hope. We visit or phone our parents, hug our children a little longer and tighter and say “I love you” to our spouse. We acknowledge, and are grateful for our many gifts and talents and we share them unselfishly, with our families, our friends and our students. We provide hope to the downtrodden, the poor, the isolated and the sick. We bring back joy by giving gifts of the heart.

As we enter our last week of school, I ask that you pray for all those in need in your school community and around the world. I ask that you continue to be a beacon of hope and a ray of light for our students, their families and each other. I am thankful for the work that you do and the vocation you have chosen. And I ask for God’s blessing on you and your family during this Christmas season. May you experience God’s love, the peace of Christ, the gift of the Holy Spirit and much Christmas joy!

Dec 01

From the Desk of the Superintendent- December 2012

November is a busy month for senior administration and the Board of Trustees with a number of local and provincial meetings. Catholic Superintendents get together for two days of meetings to discuss issues directly related to Catholic education. I welcome the opportunity to connect with my colleagues from around the province and engage in some intense professional dialogue. Our trustees and I were involved in the annual general meetings of both the Alberta Catholic School Trustees’ Association and the Alberta School Boards’ Association.  A part of the ACSTA convention is a faith component. This year we were treated to a keynote and workshop entitled, “Standing Outside the Fire; The Life that Evangelizes” from Bishop Murray Chatlain of the Diocese of Mackenzie-Fort Smith.  

“As Catholics we recognize the goodness inside of ourselves and in others. Once we acknowledge the ‘gold’ inside of us, then we can examine our limitations/weaknesses and build on a humble and honest foundation. This is a foundation that we then use to extend beyond ourselves and create the basis of a spiritual community that combats the potential isolation that arises in today’s individual society.”

The November board meeting is always characterized by three major document approvals: (1) Audited Financial Statement, (2) Operating Budget and (3) Combined Annual Education Results Report/Three-Year Education Plan   These documents are placed on our website to ensure transparency to our staff and public. Here are some of the highlights of the documents that were tweeted out (@cdsmeaton) during the meeting:

  • Holy Spirit spent $12,271 per student in 2011-12 compared to $11,719 in 2010-11. An increase of 4.72% 
  • As of Aug 31, 2012, $767,144 in school generated funds are in our 13 schools.
  • KPMG provided a clean audit report to Holy Spirit Catholic Schools
  • Operating reserves of $699,649 will be required to balance the 2012-13 budget.
  • Certificated staff increases by 4.75 FTE from 2011-12. Preliminary budget expected a 1.57 FTE decrease.
  • Non-certificated staff increase of 10.42 FTE from 2011-12. Preliminary budget expected a reduction of 8.2 FTE
  • Holy Spirit will spend $42,105,974 on instruction this year, which = 78.16% of the total budget

Included in our November board meeting were a number of important information items. The first item that is of interest to our parents is the nomination package for the Excellence in Teaching Awards. The deadline for nominating one of our excellent teachers is February 13, 2013. A second item shared with our trustees was our beginning work on the Collaborative Peer Mentor Program. This is an exceptional program that will see teachers working together from an instructional coaching model that will positively impact teacher pedagogy. Finally, the Division’s Continuous Improvement Plan quarterly report was presented.   For complete details on the November board meeting, please check out the Board Briefs.

There was also a couple of major announcements from a provincial perspective in November. The first was the passing of Bill 3- Education Act in the Alberta Legislature on November 19, 2012. This is exciting news for school boards throughout the province. At the joint Council of School Council Chairs/Board meeting on Monday, December 3rd, I will be presenting information on the highlights of the new legislation. Although the Bill has passed, there is still much work to be done in terms of corresponding regulations. Given this work, it is expected that the Education Act will not come into effect until September 2015. The second major announcement came from the provincial body of the Alberta Teachers’ Association stating their withdrawal from tripartite negotiations. Reactions from the two other partners in the tripartite discussions, the government (Education Minister Jeff Johnson) and ASBA (President Jacquie Hansen) are included in these links. The next steps of the negotiation process will depend on the decisions of the government.

The first week of Advent begins this Sunday, meaning we are just around the corner to Christmas. These next three weeks until school vacation will fly by with activities galore. However, as a Catholic school division, we must be conscious to ensure that even in the busyness of the time, we fully prepare for the coming of Christ. Advent is our preparation time! It is the time when we ready ourselves to welcome the birth of Christ. Santa Claus and reindeers are part of our society but Christmas is all about Christ.

On behalf of the Board of Trustees and Senior Administration, I would like to wish everyone a wonderful December as you prepare for the coming of our Lord! God Bless!