Season's Greetings

This is one of my favourite times of the year.  The days leading up to the break are very busy, but the sense of belonging at our school is more appreciable. It is humbling and heartening to be a part of so many thoughtful students and staff who are engaged in such a wide variety of socially responsible endeavours - volunteering locally and in the downtown east side, gathering blankets and toiletries, collecting food, raising funds for less fortunate families at our own school and for the people of the Philippines, knitting scarves or singing for local seniors  are just a few examples.  It is genuinely inspiring to be a part of such a caring community.   

I also look forward to having some time away from work and enjoying a little holiday cheer: good food, gatherings with friends and family, the chance to read a couple of new novels and going for walks and getting more exercise.  I will enjoy watching the World Junior ice hockey tournament, this year being played in Sweden (Go Canada Go!).   Most importantly, the Christmas break is a chance to reconnect with our two children who will come back home briefly - one from an athletic scholarship at university and the other from playing junior hockey in Saskatchewan.

I love my children more than I will ever be able to fully describe and being a father is the very best part of my life. When wrestling with dilemmas at work, using the framework of "what would I want for my kids?" has also made me a better educator.  I miss them when they are away but also admire their independence and resilience. I am blessed to be able to share in the lives of two very interesting and thoughtful young adults, siblings who love and care for one another, but also different and unique people.

I wish you and yours a wonderful holiday and hope you're able enjoy the gift of time spent with family and friends.  I will leave you with a timely blog piece written by our daughter - Merry Christmas and please enjoy "The Art of Giving".    

The Leaning Tower of PISA

The latest Program for International Student Assessment (PISA - 2012) results were recently published and, once again, students in British Columbia have our province among the highest performing jurisdictions in the world.  Implemented by the Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the most recent PISA test included questions on math, science and reading and involved over 500,000 15-year olds from around the world.  Among the 65 participating countries and economies, only one jurisdiction statistically performed above B.C.'s range in reading, only two jurisdictions in science, and nine jurisdictions in mathematics. On a straight numerical basis, B.C. is sixth in both reading and science and 12th in mathematics.  In Canada, our students were at the top in reading and science and second (to Quebec) in math.  Significantly, B.C. also demonstrated high equity in student performance, which is the gap between the highest and lowest performing students, showing our system is delivering high student achievement in a very equitable manner.

The PISA results are highly politicized and, when it comes to performance, you can be damned if you do and damned if you don't. B.C. students performed well, yet, despite a high standing internationally, the day after the PISA results were released, a Globe and Mail headline read, “No time for educational complacency, Canada”. The Globe article is distrustful of educators and warns parents to “get their pitchforks out” as current reform proposals in B.C. are a “child centred, less structured way of learning that drove Ontario’s system into the ditch...”   Makes me wonder what this columnist would have written if our results were not strong? 

As with any snapshot assessment, PISA data are incomplete as they capture test results from randomly selected 15-year olds at one moment in time.  While I support the publication of school achievement data, I am opposed to ranking schools or, in the case of PISA, jurisdictions (I have written a previous post about rankings). The effectiveness of educational systems should be measured on far wider criteria than a 2-hour test, indeed, the top performing PISA jurisdictions like Shanghai, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Korea are often criticized for having schools overly focused on high stakes tests.  Test taking skills may not translate well into more complex and creative problem solving tasks.   Ironically, thousands of parents living in these areas are spending a fortune to have their kids educated in places like B.C.   Since the PISA tests began in 2000, Finland has been widely considered the world's educational lighthouse. Interestingly, Finland's results dropped again slightly in 2012 and many in the small Scandinavian country seem relieved, as their focus is on having every student as skilled and educated as possible and Finland's egalitarian schools have never focused on test results.

I visited Italy last summer. B.C. schools, like the famous tower in PISA, are not perfect, but they're very good.

The facts are that B.C. kids are doing well when measured by international standardized tests and, more importantly, our schools offer diverse learning opportunities and a wide range of personally and socially responsible endeavours.  We have a culture passionate, dedicated and professional educators working together to create caring, safe and engaging schools.  Public schools remain the foundation of our nation’s healthy, pluralistic and progressive democracy and the gap between high and low performing students in our province is narrow.  Forward thinking provincial governments make the commitment to invest in public schools as they ensure equitable access to a quality education for every young person and this leads to sustainable economic growth.   American schools do not perform nearly as well as Canadian schools on the PISA measurements and the choice mandate in the United States has created “have” and “have not” jurisdictions that are not good for students or for society.

Absolutely, all schools and educators must continue to evolve, grow and innovate as the world is changing.  However, it is also okay to express gratitude and recognize our schools, students, teachers, support staff and school administrators in British Columbia for achieving at a high standard.  

Thank you to everyone who works in our schools and remains committed to helping all young people learn, grow and succeed.  You’re doing good work – please keep it up!

Another thoughtful summary of the meaning of PISA can be found here.

I Tweet, Therefore I Am?

At the risk of seeming like a technophobe, let me quickly say that I have both a school and a personal Twitter account. I am on Facebook, Instagram and I manage our school web site.  I have a small professional learning network or PLN consisting of people I follow, borrow from and sometimes share information with online. Occasionally, I’ll write something about my work and post it on my blog - this being an example.  All of these platforms are interesting and being connected through technology and social media has allowed me greater opportunities to access and consider the ideas of others and reflect on my practices as an educator.  I also actively encourage others to use web platforms and social media in their practice.  However, tweeting, blogging or even being connected to a PLN does not guarantee my effectiveness as a school principal and the notion that those not actively connected to Twitter or social media are becoming illiterate or obsolete is inaccurate.  (Indeed, the proliferation of text and twitter shorthand may be more of a bane to literacy, but that is a post for another time). Canadian Marshal McLuhan wrote "the medium is the message" over 50 years ago, yet it remains as provocative today in the Internet age. Is the content of a blog post, tweet, Youtube clip or Ted Talk video as influential as the medium?  Does it have impact on creating transformation in a school?

Great teachers and principals spend the vast majority of their day interacting with people in their classrooms and schools, getting to know them as learners and building trusting, caring relationships.  Once they have mastered the challenge of presentism and the incredible number of everyday tasks, management duties and short-term thinking and acting, the best principals are looking ahead and leading by engaging and working directly with people in their buildings.   

The principals I admire most get out of their office and sit in on classes and find time to talk to students about what they are learning and how engaged they are in their classes, yet not in a token way.  They demonstrate their belief in establishing a shared vision and a professional learning community at their schools by being immersed in it. They help build a caring community by visiting club meetings, watching games, plays and concerts, participating in socially responsible events and sharing with staff and kids how much they enjoyed their event, performance or efforts.  They communicate with parents personally, to express an emerging concern and, also to reach out and tell parents that their teen has shown improvement.  They connect with teachers and support staff, every day and in person, by observing them teach and work and by listening to them describe what they are trying to help kids learn and what supports they may need.  These principals are more often sitting in on study groups and the meetings of others, to show support, to better understand the work of staff and to participate as an equal, than they are creating agendas and chairing meetings.  They spend time getting to know students, staff and parents as people – and once they build trust and develop understanding, they have the courage to ask difficult questions and have crucial conversations when necessary as well.

In September, I will enter my 22nd year as a school-based secondary administrator and 15th as principal.  I work as hard now as I did then, a have not taught a class in over a decade and while I read, reflect and strive to remain current, this has to diminish my credibility when talking with teachers about the challenges of meeting the diverse needs of learners in their classrooms.  The ideal principal should also remain a teacher.   If the principal also has the time and energy to reflect and write about their day (and thoughtful writing takes time), more power to them. Certainly understanding the use of technology to augment and hopefully transform learning is an important part of our work, yet, a lot of dedicated, well read, reflective, innovative and caring school-based leaders choose not to make time to blog or tweet.  If we're choosing to spend hours every week on social media and this becomes a big part of how principals connect, what are we giving up?  Are we meeting enough with the people who most need personal connection and guidance, including our staff, our families or ourselves? After days when I have done more observing, listening, understanding, discussing, questioning, interacting and engaging (and hopefully, smiling and laughing) with people, I feel better about my work and my role in the school.  I should be doing more of this every day, in all of my relationships, and less time scrolling through my Twitter feed.

  

Mea culpa - While I use several programs and online platforms, I am not very tech savvy.  Certainly some part (a big part?) of posting my writing online satisfies my ego and my need to be published or recognized.  I entered the profession with the goal of being an inspiring teacher and I do not pretend to be a 'great principal' as I have lots to learn and improve.   However, great principals can never be measured by the number of followers they have on social media.

New Year, New Possibilities

Welcome back to school!  For students, educators and parents, this annual transition typically brings a few butterflies and a night or two of fitful sleep.  We wonder what the new school, classes, students and teachers may have to offer.  It is also a very exciting time as a fresh start always brings the promise of a better year ahead.

For our students, I encourage you to make this your best year of school yet.  The school will do their very best to provide a safe, caring, engaging and interesting learning environment, but always remember that you are in charge of your learning. Learning is not something that is done to you, but by you.  I invite you to write down a couple of goals for the year as well as an "action plan" for how you will achieve these goals.  Be specific and revisit your goals regularly during the year.  Spend some time thinking about how you learn best (become metacognitive) and self-regulate - that is, reflect on your learning and what works best for you and strive to be calm yet engaged in class.    Going to school is a tremendous opportunity to explore, learn, discover your interests and passions, meet new people, make some great friendships and have fun.  It is a time to uncover who you are and who you might become.  Care for and respect one another, always.  Engage in class, in life outside of the classroom and embrace this incredible opportunity.  See the wisdom in what most grads say every June, "wow, I can't believe how fast the time went by..." and enjoy each day.

For our teaching and support staff, I encourage you to let each student you work with know that you care about them and that you believe in their ability to learn.  Accept that change will always be (and should be) part of our profession as we desire to best prepare students for an ever-changing world.  Despite the uncertainty of provincial negotiations for support staff and teachers, remain positive, respectful and supportive of each other.  We must expect from ourselves the same as we expect from other professionals in our lives (e.g doctors, dentists, accountants, veterinarians, etc.) and continue to learn and be reflective, strive to remain current and improve our craft each year.   We all chose to work in an important, exciting and energizing profession and are fortunate to do so in a great school - I hope we love our work! 

For our parents and guardians, I urge you to stay engaged in your teens' lives. Adolescents need to develop autonomy and independence as they grow into adulthood; however, they also need parents who care, love and support them.  Parents should know their teen's timetable and teachers' names; know when parent nights and report cards are on the calendar; be checking that assignments are being completed accurately; contacting teachers when they have questions or concerns and paying attention to their teen's social habits and friends - including what they are doing online via ever expanding social media platforms.  If you have a concern, talk honestly with your child and also contact the school.  As partners, we must work together to help your teenager succeed.

As we head back, I encourage all of us who are fortunate enough to attend or work in our school to reach out and connect with one another in positive, inclusive and supportive ways.  Embrace the incredible opportunity to learn and grow together in our fabulous building.  In the end, our year will be as engaging and rewarding as we choose to make it.  

Let's make it a great one!

Our House on the Sea - Naša Kuća Na Moru

A lifetime ago, after graduating from university and teaching for a year, I had an opportunity to play hockey in Europe.  It was 1985, a year after the XIV Olympic Winter Games in Sarajevo, and ice hockey was becoming very popular in the former Yugoslavia.  Like countless former Canadian junior, college and minor pro level players, I had hoped to go over, play for a year and travel and see the continent.  I ended up living for long stretches of 1985 to 1988 in Zagreb and enjoyed playing three memorable seasons for a team called the Medveščak Bears.  It was a life changing experience.  I  got to live in an interesting city during an incredible time of history, travel all over Europe, including "Eastern Bloc" nations that no longer exist like Czechoslovakia and East Germany, form some great some friendships and meet my wife, Andrea.   

Fast forward thirty years and we have established our lives in our beloved country of Canada. However, like millions of Canadians, our lives have been enriched by our cross-cultural experiences.  We have two adult children who both speak Croatian (my Hrvatski is mostly limited to ordering hladno pivo) and we retain roots in the old country by way of a house on the Adriatic Sea. Both kids have visited Croatia on their own and with friends, and we have been back many times. Each visit, I learn to understand and love the place a little bit more.

Croatia is no longer an unknown destination as everyone in the European Union (Croatia joined the E.U. on July 1, 2013) is well aware of the magic of the Dalmatian coast along the pristine Adriatic Sea.  Places like Dubrovnik, Hvar, Trogir, Split, Pula, Šibenek, Korčula, Rovinj and the incredible sailing amongst the thousand small islands along the coast are increasingly well known all over the world.  If you’re travelling to Europe in the future and it is not already on your list of must-see places, I fully recommend a stop in Croatia. Of course the downsides to being a popular travel destination and EU membership are more western franchises and amenities, tons of tourists and rising prices; however, the country and beautiful coastline are still very much worth your time.

Croatia - population 4.5 million 

Croatians are rarely in a hurry.  Living on the sea, this becomes even more evident.  The temperature is typically in the low 30s from May through September and the pace of life reflects the heat.  People do what they need to do, in the pace by which it will get done.  If we need to have a break, eat a little, enjoy a coffee, a glass of wine or a cold beer, this is what we will do.  Social interaction through getting together to drink something and talk for an hour or more is a normal part of every day life.  For someone like me, who has type-A, workaholic tendencies, every visit to Croatia is like therapy and this summer (2019) we enjoyed another six weeks on the Adriatic Sea.

Our small home is on the island of Cres (pronounced Sress; roll the r, and think Csar).  Cres is a narrow archipelago accessible by a 30-minute ferry ride from the island of Krk, along the north part of the Croatian coast, just a little more than two hours from the capital city of Zagreb.  We typically stay on our little island most of the summer, but trips to other popular  cities and towns are easily accessible by car (Dubrovnik is only 500km south) and the ideal way to travel the Croatian Adriatic would be by renting or hiring a sailboat. 

Andrea’s father was an architect and he designed and built the unique, triangular shaped house in 1971 to avoid cutting down the indigenous trees on the lot.  Surrounded by lavender, rosemary, grape vines and fir, olive, fig and plum trees, the home is situated on a hill, a few hundred steps from the sea and offers a spectacular view of the bay and the red tile roofs of nearby homes.

Our home....sleeps 6....a couple more in a pinch.

The morning view from our small second floor balcony.

The same view each evening at sunset, still at least 25 degrees.

The small town of Cres (population 3000) is a ten minute walk away.  The old town was established before Roman rule (the Italian border is less than two hours away and Venice is about four hours away) and features narrow Venetian-style, cobblestone streets, centuries old city walls and doors, piazzas and churches. Also nearby is the very modern ACI Cres marina, juxtaposing hundreds of large and luxurious yachts with the simpler life of the local villagers.  Indeed, contemporary Croatia is a blend of western-style marketing, shopping and modern freeways and small, simple villages and crumbling one-lane roads that meander down implausible slopes to the sea.

Tower (Kula) in the old town...part of the 16th century city walls.

One of two gates to the Old Town of Cres (recently restored)

Narrow old town streets in Cres.

The inner harbour of Cres featuring small, local fishing boats

More of the old town of Cres on the inner harbour. Over 20 restaurants and cafes within 600 meters.

Dry stone steps, walls and olive trees found all over the Croatian coast.

Some shells discovered snorkelling just offshore at a nearby beach.

Stone walls drop down into the sea - note the colour of the Adriatic!

The island is home to internationally renowned olive oils (maslinovo ulje) and the undulating land is covered by ancient stone walls (suhozid) built without using mortar, that stretch from the sea to the highest points all over the island.  The stone walls protect small terraces so that the rocky soil does not wash into the sea.  The dry rock fences also help shepherd the sheep that are raised all over the island.

Our days here follow a routine of getting up when we awaken, eating breakfast and deciding on which beach to visit on the day.   The Adriatic Sea in Croatia is clean, clear and warm.  The beaches are not the long sandy stretches people in North America are most familiar with, but rocky shorelines with crystal clear, warm water, ideal for swimming or snorkelling.   We try to blend active days of hikes and bike rides with lazy days filled with reading and relaxing in the sun and swimming in the sea. The warm air, fresh breeze and clean sea make every day here a gift.

A great climbing hike near the tiny town of Beli shares beautiful views of the Island of Cres. This is 20 minutes from our little home.

From our home, it is quick walk to the sea and we can visit several of the local beaches or take a short drive to other small villages and countless beach areas on either side of the island.  There are popular, crowded beaches with all the amenities (e.g. parasailing, paddle boats, SUPs, kayak rentals, etc.) but with a boat or a hike, one can readily find totally secluded spots to enjoy a quiet day by the sea as well.  With a snorkel and mask, the visibility of the warm sea (25 degrees) is remarkable and many fishes, rocks and shells wait to be discovered.  If you are lucky, as we have been a couple of times on boat trips to a favourite beach, you may even see dolphins.

We watched a pod of 20 dolphins for 15 minutes on this lucky day.

A couple of jumpers...

A mom and her pup or calf.   

We always pack a lot of water to stay hydrated and fresh, local fruits (e.g. figs, plums, etc.), tomatoes, cheeses, prosciutto (pršut) and bread to snack on during the day.  We head back in the late afternoon and jump in the outside shower – another simple but joyous routine on the warm island (we have a modern bathroom inside the house as well, but typically use only the toilet in the summer). We then prepare a dinner of fresh meat or fish (from the deli or fish market, and often cooked on the barbecue) with pasta or new potatoes, accompanied by a cold bean, mixed or tomato, onion and pepper salad and a cold beer or a glass of wine. Croatian beer (pivo) is good and the local wines have a growing international reputation for excellence. There is also the option of wandering into town a little later to eat at one of the many outdoor restaurants, featuring freshly caught fish and other local specialties (fire roasted young pig or lamb) or thin crust pizza that would be the envy of any Italian. There is something about being outside all day that enhances your appetite and makes even simple, fresh meals incredibly enjoyable and delicious.

Something for everyone on the grill: sausage, chicken, pork, beef, čevapčići and fresh fish.  Dobar Tek!

Pizza with prosciutto and mushrooms (pršut i gljive) - delicious!

In the evening, it cools down slightly, but is often still in the mid 20s overnight.  We typically go for a long walk and then sit around our outside dining area and talk or play cards or a board game.  Later, we may walk into town to enjoy a latte (bijela kava) or cappuccino or some delicious handmade gelato (sladoled) or hot crepes (palačinke) with chocolate at one of the busy cafés along the waterfront.  We rarely watch television and I do my best to avoid the lure of the ubiquitous WiFi on most days.

The next day, we do it all over again. It is a very good life.

Some fresh local selections from the morning fish market in Cres.

Relaxing on a boat cruise to a secluded beach.

The view of the Bay of Cres, the modern marina in foreground and the old town in the background. Our home is in between.

p.s. If the amateurish quality didn't give it away, with the exception of the map, all of the photographs were taken by me.

A Dog's Life

When my children were eight and ten years old, we welcomed a new member to our family with the introduction of a black Labrador puppy.  He was a promise for our daughter, who began persistently pleading for a dog by about the age of four and her younger brother soon joined the negotiations.  Together, they make a persuasive team, but the kids learned that a dog was a “big responsibility” and that we would get a dog on sister’s tenth birthday.  We lived up to the promise. 

I had dogs as a kid and believe that a home is not really a home without a dog, especially for children.  Rocky was an integral part of our family and our children grew up with him.  We walked with him several times every day, played with him, threw thousands of sticks for him, swam with him, went camping with him and loved him.  He was always in the middle of every gathering of our family and was a great listener and observer of people.  He supervised the preparation of every meal and, like a sous-chef, he watched carefully and was always willing to help with tastings or to clean up spills.

My three children

Active and healthy and blessed with a beautifully shiny coat and a friendly disposition, Rocky died suddenly this past spring.  He was not quite 11 years old. This piece is not about the sorrow that goes with the loss of a beloved family member.  Unfortunately, most of us know how this feels and understand that grief is sad and complex, but that it is part of life. Intellectually, I accept that Rocky was a family pet and a dog, yet emotionally, I was surprised by the incredible vacuum that he left in our lives.  I miss him most in the mornings as we shared this time together.  As the first up each day, we had the house to ourselves and our routines became an integral part of my day.  In the recent stillness of my mornings, I have been reflecting on what Rocky gave me.

He taught me that every day is a great day.  He lived with enthusiasm and wore his heart on his sleeve.  He greeted all human beings openly and the people he loved with unfettered joy and happiness, each and every time he saw them.  He taught me that you can communicate best by listening and observing people and allowing them to tell their story. You do not need to speak or offer an opinion to be a loyal friend.    Just by being available, and perhaps going for a walk, people often work out their own problems. He taught me to appreciate the joy that exists in the simplest things in life; going for a walk, having a nap in the warm sun, being curious about all new things and the importance of checking out old things you haven’t seen in a while. Rocky enriched all of our lives and brought us closer together as a family and we are all better people for having known him.

I can't get out of the lake yet, its only been two hours...

Lots have been said and written about dogs, by authors, musicians, poets, presidents and movie stars.  Man’s best friend.  A dog is the only thing that loves you more than he loves himself. If there are no dogs in heaven, then when I die, I want to go where they went.  I hope to be half the person my dog thinks I am. If you have a dog, you know all of this to be true.  If you do not know dogs, you may think this is overly sentimental and that is probably your loss. If you don't own a dog, at least one, there is not necessarily anything wrong with you, but there may be something wrong with your life.  

To honour our dog's memory, I will do my best to begin each day with enthusiasm and optimism and greet those that I love with unfiltered warmth and joy.  Like all dogs, I think Rocky was on to something good.

Rocky...

A sincere thank you to my good friend, Dr. Grant Cumberbirch and the Amherst Veterinary Hospital in Vancouver for their incredibly professional and empathetic care of our beloved dog.  They handled Rocky's passing with remarkable professionalism, dignity and grace.