February 2015 BCPVPA Journal Volume 27 • Number 3

Adminfo February 2015

BCPVPA Journal

Volume 27 • Number 3

BAHAMAS TRIP FOR TWO

February 2015 • Adminfo • 2

$5,000

CASH

Inspired by our leaders BCPVPA President Gordon Li writes about the Association’s Aboriginal Leadership Advisory Committee.

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ith the BCPVPA and Canadian Association of Principals’ conference, Connecting Leaders: Inspiring Learning only months away, I am looking forward to connecting

2014 – 2015 Board of Directors President Gordon Li (Burnaby) [email protected] Directors Susan Clough (Surrey) [email protected] Darren Danyluk (Rocky Mountain) [email protected] David DeRosa (Kootenay-Columbia) [email protected] Heidi Grant (Nechako Lakes) [email protected] John Horstead (Surrey) [email protected] Brett Johnson (Greater Victoria) [email protected] Bryan Johnson (Sooke) [email protected] Lee Karpenko (Prince George) [email protected] Carol-Ann Leidloff (Kootenay Lake) [email protected] Brian Leonard (Coquitlam) [email protected] Kevin Reimer (Comox Valley) [email protected]

ISSN: 1201-4214

with colleagues from across Canada and participating in the many engaging sessions on the program. One such session will be a keynote address by Wab Kinew. He is a teacher, writer, hip-hop artist, motivational speaker and, as Postmedia News says, ‘one of nine Aboriginal movers and shakers you should know.’ Drawing on the wisdom of the Anishinaabe elders, ‘Wab is passionate about motivating youth through hands-on learning, artistic performance and motivational speaking to find their passion and to transform those passions into purposeful action.’ My son recently shared a piece of his writing with me. He wrote about a dream-catcher that brought together spiritual animals in the community to help a boy see the consequences of his selfish actions. I enjoyed the story, but more than that, it reminded me that we have many educators in our Association whose stories are both inspirational and aspirational. The BCPVPA Aboriginal Leadership Advisory Committee is an example of what I mean. I was moved by the unique and powerful stories our members shared when we recently convened for our first meeting. I know that their experiences and wisdom will serve us well in guiding the work of our Association. This group has been formed to advise the Board on policies, programs and initiatives that encourage Aboriginal educa-

tors to seek leadership positions in the public school system and to play important roles in the Association’s liaison with the Ministry and education partners. DeDe DeRose is the Principal of David Thompson Elementary in Kamloops-Thompson. She was formerly the Superintendent of Aboriginal Achievement and continues to represent us at the K-12 Education Partners’ table. DeDe has a vast knowledge about and experience in Aboriginal education, including work on the UBC President’s Advisory Board, BC College of Teachers, and the Truth and Reconciliation Student Day. (Be sure to read Kit’s column on Cecilia DeRose, DeDe’s mother, in this issue.) Juanita Coltman is the Principal of Stawamus Elementary School in Sea to Sky. She has worked for 19 years as an Aboriginal teacher, vice-principal, principal, and district principal. Her experiences in a variety of remote and urban First Nations communities across BC include Nuxalk, Nuu-chah-nulth, Squamish, Lil’wat, and N’Quatqua Nations. Juanita has also lived and continues page 18

Blending future forward

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he BC Education Plan’s emphases on personalized education plans and 21st Century learning has set the bar high. However, the parents, teachers, administrators, and community members associated with Comox Valley’s Navigate Program are convinced that they have a strategy that fits and that the work they’re doing in blended and online learning is the way of the future. Jeff Stewart, District Principal for Distributed Learning, is a keen promoter of the program. “The traditional approach works for academic kids and their families, but I’ve seen far too many disengaged. It is difficult to break out of the mold and do things differently, but we’re so lucky.

We’re actually being asked to do that [by the Ministry of Education]. “And it’s not about richer resources. We don’t need more money to do these things.” However, he did point out the value of having senior staff and a school board that is forward thinking and supportive of this approach. Teacher Roger Vernon added, “They had the courage, during very trying times in education. But they heard the call.” Government funding for directed learning (formerly called distance education) follows the students, so the pressure is great to keep the students and their parents engaged and supportive. The school recently received an award from the International AsFebruary 2015 • Adminfo • 4

By Leslie Dyson

sociation for K-12 Online Learning for providing an effective model that can be replicated in other schools. The program, along with three other programs in Canada, was nominated by the Canada eLearning Network. While still relatively new in Canada, the blended approach is well known in the US. Navigate has a school budget of $5-million and enrols 5,000 students, many part time, but with a full-time equivalent of 950 students in Kindergarten to Grade 12 as well as adult learners. Distributed Learning doesn’t follow the traditional funding formula. However, Navigate’s model which included creation of a new school in the district (Aspen View) and blending class time and online learning

Photos by John Bonner

A raft of unique programs guides Navigate students to success.

Students, in cohorts of 24, meet in classrooms with their teachers on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. On Mondays and Fridays, they do online work from home, participate in field trips, or do their work and learning in the community with adult mentors, agencies, and businesses. effectively blurs the line between the two approaches and allows regular school funding. Several unique programs have been launched, including the K-9 Fine Arts eCademy and two levels of a grades 6 to 9 eCademy of New Technologies, Engineering and Robotics (ENTER). Students, in cohorts of 24, meet in classrooms with their teachers on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. On Mondays and Fridays, they do online work from home, participate in field trips, or do their work and learning in the community with adult mentors, agencies, and businesses. The Mondays and Fridays “free the kids to take on the sparks, passions, and interests that they deem important for their growth as a person,” said Vernon. “They can really work on their skiing or hockey without falling behind in school. “There’s a lot of wasted time in educational institutions,” he added. “Everyone knows that.” However, Vernon said, it’s been an adjustment moving from the traditional approach to this model of education. “Before, it was 30 students, ring the bell. The next 30 students, ring the bell. But how do we develop personal education plans when we run them through a batch system? I had to change my identity as a block-by-block teacher. Now I coach them.” There is a different role for parents as well. They are not co-teach-

ers, but rather co-facilitators of learning and their input is required to help teachers know how to spark students’ interests and personalize their education. Parents are expected to take on added responsibility, which Stewart estimates takes about twice the time parents usually devote to their children’s elementary school education. “Not all parents are bound to the regular nine-to-five workday,” he explained. “The parents are very involved and some struggle with it, but their kids love it so they deal with it. They’re spending quality time with their kids and that changes the whole dynamic of the family.” Vernon noted that the whole socio-economic spectrum is represented among students in the Navigate programs. Marilyn Nettleton, mother of a 13-year-old in the program, has been involved for three years. Her 11-year-old son is doing well in his

regular school. “It’s empowering for parents to know that they do have a choice and they can move their children around,” she said. Her oldest son was immediately hooked when he entered the lab during a Navigate open house. “They’ve taken all this theoretical talk around 21st Century learning and are making it work.” Nettleton said she hears parents talking about the power struggles they’re having with their children to get them to do their schoolwork and then they ask her about her son’s experience. “Once parents get to understand what it is, there will be more demand for it,” she said. “There’s a lot of buzz around independent learning, but here they’re being taught the skills systematically,” she added. “Kids can be functioning at the level appropriate for them because of the design of the curriculum, the instructional skills of the teachers, and the relationships they have with their students.” Nettleton said that in her son’s case, much of the credit goes to Vernon. “Roger is highly skilled and has an amazing impact on these students and an innate ability to motivate them … He finds some strength in every student to build on.”

Adminfo

VOLUME 27 NUMBER 3

Adminfo is published five times per year by the BC Principals’ & Vice-Principals’ Association. Subscriptions for non-members of the Association are available for $33.60 per year, including taxes. Adminfo welcomes your editorial contributions and student artwork. All material should be sent to: Richard Williams, Editor, Adminfo, #200-525 10th Avenue West, Vancouver V5Z 1K9 [call 604-689-3399 or 800-663-0432, fax 604-877-5381 or email: [email protected]]. Editor

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Richard Williams

Randy Grey (District lead teacher–Work Experience & Technology Education), Jeff Stewart (District Principal–Distributed Learning), Roger Vernon (ENTER 2 teacher), Meiko Matsumoto (ENTER teacher), and Marieke Holtkamp (Navigate Vice-Principal)

Key requirements for success is that students have to learn quickly how to be organized, stay motivated, communicate effectively with adults, and advocate for themselves. Having that maturity before entering the program helps, said Vernon. Teachers are available through Skype and email on the Mondays and Fridays, in the evenings, and on weekends. A learning cycles calendar breaks the school year into four eight-week blocks with the weeks in between being used to celebrate the work that’s been done and to allow staff to have rich pedagogical conversations with parents and other important adults in the children’s lives (community champions) about what’s been accomplished and the plan for the next cycle, said Stewart. At the core of Navigate’s approaches are Martin Brokenleg’s Circle of Courage model focusing on belonging, mastery, independence, and generosity. Also informing teachers’ work is the human devel-

opment theories of Peter Benson which focus on knowing each student’s spark and building on his or her assets. “Kids don’t always know what their passions are and you have to mine those,” Stewart said. Also at work are the theories of Ken Robinson who has harshly criticized outdated education models and urges schools to adopt strategies that encourage divergent thinking. All this theory needs structure and Stewart said that much of the conversation leading up to the launch of Navigate in 2012, and as the programs go forward, centres on the question, “How do we get to the most important things in learning?” “There’s no model to take from,” said Vernon. “It’s ground-level work. Distributed learning requires an entirely different skill set for supporting learners and parents and providing peer and social learning.” The parents come to the program because the regular approaches weren’t working for their children. “They were willing to be February 2015 • Adminfo • 6

early adopters and go through the bumps,” Vernon said. Not that it hasn’t been difficult for some. Nettleton said, “I struggled with it. I couldn’t comprehend what it would look like.” Nettleton had worked in adult education program development. “I was a resistor initially. It looked great in theory but I hadn’t seen it work. I strongly believe in public education and I thought I was taking on two days of teaching. Where’s the equity? Why am I stepping in as teacher? I had to unlearn everything I knew and understood. My level of frustration was higher because it was hard to be the coach and guide.” Nettleton was used to the pressure that many parents feel of trying to help their children get assignments done and ready for the next day of school. “Even if you didn’t agree or understand, the goal was to get the math sheet done. So I thought I had to teach him the math but I would end up having him do things unnecessarily.” She recounted how concerned she was when he decided to study the Odyssey to determine how Odysseus helped win the Trojan War. “Oh my God, I thought, he’s going to get himself in trouble. It’s way too big. It’s going to take all weekend. But he was so excited.” However, all the students were given the formula to stay on track and in one afternoon, her son had completed a three-page essay. “It was about the process,” said Nettleton. “That was the turning point for me … You’re trying to help them become independent and then you get out of the way. Learning is about taking risks. Not about getting right answers.” On another assignment, she saw her son’s research leading him “down the garden path.” Time

was wasted and he was not happy with the model that he built. “He was quite disgusted with it,” she said. But he was able to explain the steps he’d taken, where he spent too much time, and the science behind the concepts. From Tuesday to Thursday, students in the Kindergarten to Grade 8 fine arts program (music, and visual and performing arts) meet in their pods in the mornings before spending time with their specialist teachers. “We’re shifting to a focus that’s more globally minded,” Stewart said. It also ties in with UNESCO’s holistic and integrated vision of education and the four pillars of learning: to be, to know, to do, and to live together. In the case of ENTER, students work in industrial arts classrooms located in each of the three secondary schools in the district. The teachers are generalists who act as guides or coaches. Students are also partners in the design of their learning. So rather than assigning arbitrary activities to fit prescribed provincial learning outcomes, a backwards design approach is used where project work is linked back to the outcomes. “We drive learning from the inside out,” Stewart said. “It’s dynamic, project-based learning. We’re taking the core curriculum and turning it on its head. “Reading Don’t Fix No Chevys,” he said, a reference to a book on literacy and young men by educators Michael Smith and Jeff Wilhelm. “We’re using Lego robotics. They eat it up. They love science.” More than one-third of the students in ENTER have Ministry of Education special needs designations. “But if you went into the classroom, you wouldn’t notice it,” Stewart said. “All the kids are speak-

ing the same language.” But they also come with a sense that they don’t fit in the regular school system. Vernon said staff soon realized that ENTER appeals to particular students. “They are very much the gaming, tinkering kids who tend to live in their own spheres. They’re in a creative mind space a lot. They’re used to having success on their own.” Teacher Meiko Matsumoto said she’s heard many students talk about why they like the program. “We’re like a little family,” they’ve told her. “We’re not geeks. We’re just people.” The district covers a large sparsely populated geographic area so there were not many opportunities for students of like mind to connect with each other, Vernon said. These students also did not have much experience working in groups, so the staff restructured the original program to include opportunities that help them develop the social skills that are required when working in teams. Stewart said he’s seen where “the social agenda is treated as a sink or swim situation,” but at Navigate, the

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staff see themselves as “raising the whole child.” So while they may be in the arts or technology program, there is an equal emphasis on social and emotional learning (SEL). Referencing Lynn Miller and Kimberly Schonert-Reichl’s work, he said, “We know that any amount of SEL raises their achievement levels.” The teachers “work with the kids on the mat, learning to learn,” Stewart said. “We have strict rules for engagement. Teachers are mindful of the social dynamics and give the kids tools to negotiate them. We have to get to executive functioning. It’s not officially part of the curriculum in BC yet, but there’s been a shift to EQ as much as IQ.” Another driving force, Stewart said, is helping students get into the “flow,” the mental state in which people are fully focused, involved, enjoying their work, and the sense of time disappears. “That’s the optimal mental place to be in,” he said. So teachers are highly responsive to the needs and interests of the students. “There’s no gentle immersion” into complex processes. Recently, students were using AutoCAD to work on a project. They

needed an advanced mathematical formula to solve a problem. “It was Day 1 and by 2 p.m. they were all 100 percent engaged,” Stewart said. The program does appeal more to boys than girls, Vernon acknowledged, but he said that will change as more women enter non-traditional fields and powerful women advocates are more well known. “We’re seeing changes with [groups like] Women in Trades and Women Who Code.” Vernon said the bigger concern is that inaccessible group of students who “just don’t care about learning.” Matsumoto is in her first year teaching at ENTER. She was the shop teacher at Cumberland Junior Secondary. “I spent a day looking at the program and I just loved it. It’s way more individualized and there’s way more freedom. It’s just so different from the brick and mortar model where everyone’s at the same place at the same time. It’s more cross curricular too.” Matsumoto described a typical Tuesday. She and the students began by sitting on couches talking about their days away, what they learned that was interesting, and the things that made them happy or frustrated. “It’s sharing and community building,” she said. Shortly after, timed paper and pencil exercises got their brains working. Then the students did an hour of coding. Some wanted to learn Java Script, while others wanted to know how to make an app, a video game, or a website. Matsumoto uses Lego robotics and said that the free Khan Academy videos, used to teach math concepts, are fun because the program uses avatars in its incentive program.

SketchUp, a 3D computer-modeling program, helps students come up with designs and ensure that they are feasible before putting them to the test with band saws, drill presses, and 3D printers. MakerSpace (an online community of inventors) also helps them with their design and development work. Students stay organized and aware of assignments using Desire to Learn. “It’s an online version of your school,” Matsumoto said. Different pages link to different courses and classrooms have links to a calendar, class log, and assignments. Google docs and Blackboard Collaborate are also effective online tools for working one on one, in small groups, or as a class. On Mondays and Fridays, students check in with their teachers between 10 and 11 a.m. to explain their plan for the day and again between 2 and 3 p.m. to talk about what they accomplished. “If they get nothing done, I ask, ‘So what’s the plan to get it done?’ They take responsibility for their learning.” PE is also offered on the face-to-face days. Students use the school gym and the surrounding fields and forests. But they take the activities one step further and talk about how it correlates to video game design. “I think this is the way education is moving,” Matsumoto said. It will take a decade or so of tracking students to show the effectiveness of Navigate’s initiatives. “We’re not perfect,” Stewart said, “but there is anecdotal evidence and we’re seeing world-class work being done.” Leslie Dyson is a regular contributor to Adminfo. She can be reached at [email protected]

ShortCourse

UBC, July 6 – 10 connecting with your passion • appreciative enquiry creating & enhancing layers of understanding • the balance between managing & leading www.bcpvpa.bc.ca

Moral Stewardship Values, Vision, & Mission. Ethical Decision Making Instructional Leadership Supervision for Learning. Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment Relational Leadership Intrapersonal Capacity. Interpersonal Capacity. Cultural Leadership Organizational Leadership Management and Administration. Community Building. Inspiration to Lead Partners in Education February 2015 • Adminfo • 8

Return-It School recycling program opens up a world of possibilities

Last year, over 3 million beverage containers were recycled through the Return-It School program

ith 2015 well underway, Encorp Pacific (Canada) is reminding schools in British Columbia that there is still time to enroll in the Return-It School program. The Return-It School recycling program started in 2000 and provides schools with the tools and support to implement or improve beverage container recycling programs. It is offered free to any registered elementary, middle or high school in British Columbia. As Joanne Drew from Windsor Secondary in North Vancouver explains, the Return-It School program is about more than just recycling beverage containers. Her school has been involved for the past nine years. With the program, special needs students learn valuable life skills by participating in various community activities.

“Our students learn practical life skills like learning how to communicate and fundraise by holding community bottle drives and handing out flyers. We use the extra resources to provide fun and interactive experiences for them so they learn to do everyday tasks. We take these everyday activities for granted but for these students, they are important lessons that impact their future.” The staff at Yale Secondary in Abbotsford couldn’t agree more. Resource teacher Jim Heinrichs points out that all the deposit refunds go back into their special needs program. This gives them additional resources and freedom to provide more enrichment activities. “Not only do our students benefit by learning useful work and life skills, they also get to participate in more recreational outings like

going to a farm, interacting with neighbours and also giving back to the community through charities. They experience rewards that go beyond just collecting bottles. It enables them to enjoy a sense of freedom.” Dana Wainwright, a parent and volunteer at David Livingstone Elementary, emphasizes that it’s all about enriching the lives of students. “Whether it’s helping the school by making sure that every child goes on fieldtrips or purchasing technology and equipment that students need or even bringing in presenters and authors to speak at the school, at the end of the day, it’s the kids who benefit.” Organized annually by Encorp Pacific (Canada), a not-for-profit product stewardship corporation, the Return-It School program encourages students, teachers

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and parents to recycle and collect beverage containers. Participating schools are given everything they need to run the program, including recycling bins, online support, educational resources, in class displays and mobile pickup where available, absolutely free. The schools keep all the deposit refunds earned. In 2013, some schools raised more than $10,000 to go towards their own resource programs.

IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO ENROLL! Teachers, parents and students can learn about the Return-It School program and register at returnitschool.ca

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Reading for

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ike most schools across our province, we are concerned about vulnerable readers and how to support them most effectively and efficiently. We have tried many different methods of assessment and intervention, searching for those that will give us the biggest “bang for the buck.” We know that there is no one perfect approach that will work for all children. What seems to be having the most impact upon learning in our school is the practice of the Case Study.

By Margaret Paxton Principal Squamish Elementary School Sea to Sky Read Margaret’s blog at

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As part of the Changing Results for Young Readers Project for the third year our primary teachers have been focusing on one child for a Case Study, and with the permission of the parents, they thoughtfully examine that child’s learning strengths and needs in the area of reading. Teachers meet once a month with the other participating schools and talk about their practice, sharing their inquiry questions, strategies and resources that have worked, and those that were not so successful. We also weave social-emotional learning, self-regulation, and Aboriginal Ways of Knowing into our work with children. As we have learned from our colleagues across the province, the case studies have resulted, almost without fail, in students having increased self-confidence, a self-image as a reader, and most importantly, a growing love of reading. Last year, this increased enjoyment of reading tweaked our curiosity. We know that students need to spend big chunks of time with text, preferably text they have chosen themselves. As Richard Allington states in his article Every Child, Every Day (Educational Leadership, Vol. 69, Number 6, March, February 2015 • Adminfo • 10

One hundred percent of the students surveyed feel that they are getting better at reading, and when asked how they know, many answered that they gauge their progress by the thickness of the book, but others said things like, “It’s getting easier,” “I’m reading faster and more often,” and “I am challenging myself.” 2012), “The research base on student-selected reading is robust and conclusive: Students read more, understand more, and are more likely to continue reading when they have the opportunity to choose what they read.” We asked ourselves, doesn’t it make sense that if students can choose what they read, and are taught to choose “just right” books, that they will enjoy it, read more and become more proficient readers? Our staff decided to shift our school improvement inquiry from, “Will Tier 1 and 2 interventions help to decrease the number of grade 3 students who are at risk in reading?” to “How can we foster a school-wide joy of reading? What could we do differently to ensure that students are reading more, expanding their literary horizons and having fun in the process?” A report we found, written for the UK Department for Education, Research

Fielding, 1988). To support our inquiry, we wanted to gather school data from a number of sources and triangulate it to tell a story about our students and their attitudes toward reading. We started with a student survey administered to grades 3 through 7. When the results came in, we learned that 61% of the grade 3 girls and 53% of the grade 3 boys said that they read often or “all the time” for enjoyment. In grade 5, 85% of the girls and 63% of the boys read often Evidence on Reading for Pleasure (May or “all the time” for enjoyment and 2012), was encouraging. Key find- 50% of the grade 7 girls and 35% of the boys. They also gave us some ings included the following: ideas for how we can help students • Evidence suggests that there love reading even more at home is a positive relationship and at school, including buying between reading frequency more books, having comfy chairs reading enjoyment and ator beanbags in the library, books tainment (Clark 2011; Clark clubs, more time with the teacherand Douglas 2011). • Reading enjoyment has been librarian, more time to read during the school day, and field trips to the reported as far more important for children’s educational public library to name a few. That success than their family’s so- data combined with other assessment results, began to inform our cio-economic status (OECD, practice and lead to change. 2002). Obviously, staffing, supporting • There is a positive link beand maintaining the school library tween positive attitudes can be costly, but when children towards reading and scoring speak in favour of more librarian well on reading assessment time and more books, it is hard to (Twist et al, 2007). International evidence also sup- say no. With the help of our PAC, ports these findings; US research our teacher-librarian was able to ofreports that independent read- fer three Book-to-Movie clubs, ining is the best predictor of reading cluding a dinner and encouraging achievement (Anderson, Wilson and parent participation. We budgeted

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to open the library at 8:30 every morning so that students would have extra time for book exchange and reading. We got bean bag chairs for the library and reconfigured the space to create quiet reading corners. Most classes walked to the public library at least once during the school year and the Children’s Librarian came to us to promote the Reading Link Challenge. We were proud of our students who competed against other city schools and won. This past October, our PAC once again gave us the funds to purchase Red Cedar and Chocolate Lily books. We pump up reading in our newsletters, in morning announcements, and with the tireless efforts of the teacher-librarian, who passionately promotes and supports students and teachers with all kinds of literacy. We were elated to receive our BC Ministry of Education Satisfaction Survey results in the spring. In 2010, 72% of grade 4 students answered “many times or all the time” to the question “Are you getting better at reading?” In the spring of 2014, it was 93%. The grade 7 results went from 77% in 2010, to 80% in 2014. In the parent survey results, 100% of parents said that they were “satisfied with the development of their child’s reading skills,” as opposed to 57% in 2010. We have recently repeated the Reading Survey with a sample of students in grades 3 – 6. In answer to the question, “How often do you read for enjoyment?” 78% replied

“Often” or “All the Time.” When asked how often they visit the school library, 71% said that they go once a week or more. One hundred percent of the students surveyed feel that they are getting better at reading, and when asked how they know, many answered that they gauge their progress by the thickness of the book, but others said things like, “It’s getting easier,” “I’m reading faster and more often,” and “I am challenging myself.” In our most recent meeting of our District’s Changing Results for Young Readers team, all four of the schools reported that giving student choice in their reading material is becoming a key aspect of their literacy programs. One colleague said, “I had to give up control over choosing the texts for them, and it worked! They love what they are reading.” We praised her courage, as that giving up of control can be scary. Sometimes it takes a shift in practice to shift our beliefs. Teachers have always believed that reading should be an enjoyable thing. In the words of our teacher-librarian, it’s the often unspoken “nirvana” that we’re all trying to move the kids toward! What may be lacking is the purposeful teaching towards that end. In our Case Studies this year we will keep this notion foremost in our thoughts and in our actions: the necessity of joyful reading practice, to model a love of reading, and hopefully inspire our students to be readers for life.

The Canadian Association of Principals’ Annual Conference Connecting Leaders 2015

Inspiring Learning May 11-14, 2015 • Fairmont Whistler February 2015 • Adminfo • 12

Spirals of Inquiry

by Judy Halbert & Linda Kaser is available for purchase on the BCPVPA website http:www.bcpvpa.bc.ca Copies are $20 each (includes all taxes).

Organized to provide readers with specific inquiry tools, research evidence and examples from practice in BC schools. Readers are introduced to questions that can shift thinking and practice. All proceeds from the sale of the book will be donated to the Aboriginal Enhancement Schools Network Provincial Fund, with those funds to be distributed to support inquiry-based learning initiatives.

Krieger, continues from page 17 tools. Cecilia’s artifact communicated both how far we have come since it was given to her on June 28th, 1951 and how far we still have to go to overcome the legacy of more than a century of residential schools. The report card was issued by Canada’s Indian Affairs Branch (a branch of the Department of Mines and Resources), which is a indication of the relationship between expropriation of land and the challenge of dealing with those whose land was taken. The cover features a message to parents, asserting that the school is in a partnership with parents and urging them to consult with teachers if they live near the school. The back page provides a place for the parents’ signatures following each of the four reporting periods ... but none are signed, undermining the cover page’s claim of partnership. There is nary a word in the space provided for teacher comments and the grid that records attendance is without notation. An admonition cautions parents that the Family Allowance Act provides that allowances will not be paid if children don’t attend school. The page devoted to reporting academic progress lists Cecilia’s achievement and ranking in the class. Cecilia was no slouch, ranking 5th in her class. The meaning of letter grades A through E are explained, but don’t align with the recorded marks, all of which appear to be percentage grades. Subjects are those found in most schools of the day. There is no reference to any field of study that is connected to Aboriginal culture, language or history. We know that the purpose of residential schools was to ‘take the Indian out of the Indian.’ Page three of the four-page report card is devoted to a lengthy list of desirable

habits and attitudes. Parents are urged to “read carefully this part of the report, so that they might help and work with the teachers to cure, wherever necessary these defects in their children.” None of the spaces provided to communicate “Habits and Attitude” have notations. Former attendees at residential schools are called “survivors.” Ce-

cilia Dick survived and spent a lifetime working to enrich an appreciation of her culture and language in BC’s children (see below). Her report card provided a powerful lesson to me about the lengthy, but still recent, history of our residential schools and how we must work, generation by generation, for reconciliation.

Cecilia (Dick) DeRose, language and culture champion In spite of attending residential school as a child where speaking her language was discouraged, Cecilia maintained her language. She worked in all areas of the kindergarten to grade 12 public school system teaching her language and culture to children for 17 years. After she retired from the Cariboo Chilcotin School District and raising six children she began working for universities to develop their Aboriginal language programs. Cecilia has worked tirelessly in writing and developing curriculum to teach our language and culture in an effort to ensure that the language does not die. In recent years, she has devoted her energy to Head Start programs and enjoys working with young children. Also, she has devoted her time to teaching our language at the Elder’s College in Williams Lake. Besides being a “teacher” in every sense of the word, Cecilia has also taken courses to work as a translator for the RCMP, hospital and the court system. She has attained countless certificates from institutions. Besides learning, teaching and translating, Cecilia is also the Elder who is most often asked to make buckskin moccasins and gloves; birch bark and pine needle baskets; beaded necklaces, earrings, and hat bands; and beaded eagle feathers – because her work is outstanding. Because of this, her crafts have been sent everywhere across Canada, Australia, England, Japan, Switzerland, Germany and the USA. It’s for these reasons that Cecilia is worthy of being recognized as a Language Champion in BC! DeDe DeRose in her nomination of Cecilia as a Language Champion in BC.

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Investing a positive twist on anti-bullying Margaret Geddes, Principal, George Greenaway in Surrey, stops to think about bullying and redrafts a positive message of kindness.

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hen I trained as a lifeguard we were taught not to yell “stop running on the deck” but to say “walk please,” same message but a positive approach rather than negative. As soon as I heard about the incident in Nova Scotia where a student was teased and bullied for wearing a pink shirt, and many of his classmates showed up the next day wearing pink shirts as show of support – I was inspired to have the students in my school recognize this same gesture of wearing pink, as taking a stand against bullying. At first we just wore whatever pink shirts we could find but then soon you could buy an Anti-bullying Pink Shirt. I wanted to be a part of this movement but I often did not like the logo on the faded pink shirt and the message to “Stop Bullying.” I wanted a positive message – one that could be embraced all year long, not just one day in February. I thought the message on the shirt should be “It’s Kool 2b kind” and it should look like a text message. I wanted the shirts to be black with a pink message so that the message stood out. I spoke with my childhood friend,

Robyn Sussel who owns a design firm, Signals Design Group. She gave the assignment to one of her designers who had a flair for youth-oriented branding. During the design process there were many discussions and decisions and my original idea was tweaked. When the design proofs were sent to me I was immediately drawn to BKind with a cool, friendly bee. Everyone I surveyed liked this logo the best for our BKind campaign. The design arrived just weeks before Anti-Bullying Day. I had some samples that took to principal meetings and other principals wanted to order the shirts in their schools too. Many more principals have already contacted me at the start of this year because they want to use the BKind shirts in their schools. The BKind message is powerful because while we are not all bullies, we all can be reminded of the importance of kindness. If everyone treats others with kindness – bullying would stop. I even mailed a shirt to Ellen Degeneres because she always ends her show with, “Be kind to one another.” Such a simple message and yet so important!

February 2015 • Adminfo • 14

Acknowledging Anxiety A principal -- who is also a veteran swimmer — suffers an anxiety attack and the experience leads him to reflect on how to help students recognize their anxieties and become more comfortable with the unknown. by Alan Stel (Principal, Penticton Secondary)

Anxiety is real and stress has always existed. Speaking openly about our fears is the first step toward helping us manage them.

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oth my parents immigrated to Canada from Holland when they were teenagers after the Second World War. They were loving but not overly indulgent. If we were sick they needed evidence. They were a product of the times. Their families had very little growing up. They worked hard. My mother was one of 11 children. There wasn’t much time for complaining nor much tolerance for it. Times have changed, although a lingering part of that generational attitude resides in our common beliefs. In schools today, educators are speaking more openly about stress and investing more time and energy into understanding and supporting anxiety disorders. I can recall my parents speaking, in hushed tones, about friends and colleagues in our community who had suffered from what they referred to as a nervous breakdown. Back in those days I found this term ambiguous. I can remember asking my mother, “What’s a nervous breakdown?” The answer was always vague and unsettling — mostly because it was unlike any other physical ailment that I knew. The pathology was not like the flu or a broken bone or even a ruptured appendix. It was not discussed openly and there was also some shame attached to admitting to

these feelings. That changed for me this past summer when I participated in a four-kilometer open water swimming race. I have been a swimmer my entire life. I have swum in all kinds of water and all kinds of conditions. I respect water and I love swimming. Before the race I was advised to acclimatize myself to the lake and to my newly-purchased wetsuit. Perhaps it was arrogance or pride but I dismissed the advice. The week before the race I swam the full course. Ten minutes into my swim and breathing hard, I was overwhelmed by a growing sense of agitation. This sensation grew along with an ever-expanding sense of panic. I knew my feeling wasn’t a rational reaction. In spite of the buoyancy of my suit, I felt constricted and frightened. Suddenly, the water felt sinister and foreboding. The shore appeared distant and inaccessible. My breathing was laboured and short and I felt like I was gasping and flailing. I remember asking myself, “Why am I doing this?” I thrashed about for what felt like a long time, but in fact it was possibly closer to 30 seconds. As quickly as it arrived my panic subsided along with my breathing. I fell back into the rhythm of the swim and focused on controlling my breathing. I experienced February 2015 • Adminfo • 15

subsequent “attacks” varying in intensity throughout the duration of my swim. Maybe it was the tightness of the suit, but there was no apparent reason for my reaction. By the time I finished the practice swim I was seriously considering swimming without the wetsuit during the race the following week. I have experienced this kind of fear before when I was much younger. I remember having night terrors, which from my recollection closely resembled my experience in the lake. Terror defies description and reason. It is triggered by an instinctive primeval fight or flight response to a real or perceived threat. Stress is often at the core of this response. More often than not, the instinctive reaction is to exit quickly or even to freeze on the spot. People reach a breaking point and feel like they can no longer cope. They feel depleted. Escape is the only option. A person’s predisposition to an anxiety disorder is attributed primarily to genetics and life experiences. Everyone experiences stress. For students it can take the form of concerns about grades and homework to stresses related to family, friendships, and relationships. Bullying and peer pressure can also play a role. Getting ones’ driver’s license, applying for jobs, even dating can generate stress and trigger anxiety. Our high school counseling department is inundated with these kinds of referrals, and most of the clinical information contained in this message comes directly from the resources that they provide our students. The good news is that anxiety and stress aren’t physically harmful and can be managed in a variety of ways from calm breathing to getting plenty of sleep, eating healthy food, regular exercise, and avoiding drugs and alcohol. Other more specific suggestions come from the AnxietyBC website

http://www.anxietybc.com/ They challenge students to rethink their worries and negative thoughts, to learning how to recognize when they are anxious and to train themselves how to let thoughts go. They also instruct students on how to be comfortable with the experience of not knowing what’s next and how to make uncertainty friendly and familiar. It also recommends using visualization techniques and gradually exposing oneself to things that you fear. Finally, using muscle relaxation techniques, telling yourself helpful things, and teaching oneself to avoid overthinking things enables students to take control of their stresses and anxieties. Anxiety is insidious. Testing and reporting periods for students can be as anxiety provoking as my swimming ex-

perience was for me. Fortunately, the techniques identified above are just as effective in minor instances as they are in serious crises and for panic attacks. No one is immune to stress. Anxiety is real and stress has always existed. Speaking openly about our fears is the first step toward helping us manage them. My parents and my grandparents undoubtedly experienced stress. Internalizing their insecurities was critical to their survival in post war Europe and North America where there was little time for reflection. Stress evolves and social emotional survival is as real now for our students as putting food on the table was for 11 children. Understanding the complexities related to anxiety management enables all of us to speak more openly and honestly

about our mental health and prepare us to lead happy balanced lives. Right up until the moment of the race last summer I employed many of the strategies mentioned above to manage my fear and reduce my anxiety. I wore the wetsuit and exceeded my own expectations. I did not experience a stressful encounter during the race. In fact, I am registered to swim the race again next summer. These techniques really work. There is nothing heroic about denying these feelings and internalizing our fears. Discussing our feelings liberates our anxiety; however, when anxiety becomes unmanageable the modern day shift toward speaking openly and candidly about our anxiety makes seeking professional help the obvious and natural choice.

Friday Forum February 20

Marriott Airport Hotel (Richmond) • 9 am – 3:15 pm Breakfast will be available from 8:00 to 8:45 am • Lunch is included

Connections: Reaching Students Free for BCPVPA members $50 Associate members $75 non-members

Effective strategies and resources for helping anxious youth with Dr. Kristin Buhr, AnxietyBC

Plus four presentations on the effective use of technology

From Alternate to Innovative: Re-engaging the Disengaged Learner with John Tyler (SD61) Mobile Learning with Allen Beckingham (SD67) Blogging with Ian Landy (SD83) Establishing a Twitter Presence to Enrich your Professional Learning Network with Dan Watt (SD57)

Registration: http://bit.ly/1wqLxd9 February 2015 • Adminfo • 16

Building a better future The BCPVPA’s Executive Director, Kit Krieger, reflects on the history of residential schools and how we are working to overcome their legacy.

Cecilia and DeDe with children and grandchildren. Inset, Cecilia as a student.

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grew up in Vancouver about five kilometers from the Musqueam reserve that borders UBC and knew nothing of its existence. I attended a high school, oblivious to the existence of a separate system of residential schools that was established 79 years before I entered grade 1 and ended more than 20 years into my teaching career. I taught Social Studies for many years insufficiently schooled in the history of Aboriginal learners in BC.

My introduction to this history came in 1998 when I read Suzanne Fournier’s and Ernie Crey’s Stolen from our Embrace: The Abduction of First Nations Children and the Restoration of Aboriginal Communities (Douglas & Mcintyre, 1998). A year later, I was privileged to be a signatory, on behalf of the BCTF, of a Memorandum of Understanding in which BC’s partner groups acknowledged past injustices and made commitments to do better for future generations of Aboriginal learners. February 2015 • Adminfo • 17

My education continues and I experienced an unforgettable lesson on January 23rd when five outstanding BCPVPA members of Aboriginal heritage met to kick off the first meeting of an Aboriginal Leadership Advisory Committee. The committee will advise the BCPVPA Board on ways of promoting Aboriginal leadership in the K-12 system. The meeting began with recognition of the traditional territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh nations. This was followed by a welcome and introductions. Each member — Brad Baker, North Vancouver; Jason Cobey, Comox Valley; Juanita Coltman, Sea to Sky; DeDe DeRose, Kamloops/Thompson; and Irene Ives, Greater Victoria — told a story recounting their journey as Aboriginal citizens and educators. I have known DeDe DeRose for a decade from my time at the BC College of Teachers, where DeDe served as Council member. DeDe told her story and passed around her mother’s report card from the Cariboo Indian School in Williams Lake. I have had the privilege of meeting DeDe’s mom, Cecilia Dick, an elder of the Eskstemc nation, and basket maker. The report card reminded me of the power of artifacts as teaching continues page 13

Gordon Li, from page 3 worked on-reserve in a Band-operated school and shares a broad understanding of the public and band systems of schooling. Jason Cobey is Vice-Principal at G P Vanier Secondary School in the Comox Valley. He worked ten years as a teacher and vice-principal in Bella Coola, three years as a principal in Boston Bar, and three years on the FNESC School Certification Team. Jason shares a strong belief that any examination of Aboriginal education must be a part of a systems review. Irene Ives is Vice-Principal at Cedar Hill Middle School in Greater Victoria. She has worked as a vice-principal and district administrator for Aboriginal Education for nine years. Irene brings a great deal of experience working with vulnerable youth, in special education, mental health, and behavioural intervention; and shares her experience as a parent of an aboriginal student in the public school system.

Brad Baker is the District Principal for Aboriginal Education in North Vancouver. He sits on the Squamish Nation Education Committee, and is a recent winner of the Award for Leadership in Indigenous Education. Brad has made

many presentations to teachers and parents including ‘The Politics of Aboriginal Education,’ ‘Aboriginal Worldviews,’ and ‘Indiginized Curriculum.’ (Both DeDe and Brad will be presenting sessions at Connecting Leaders in May).

Members of the BCPVPA Aboriginal Advisory Committee met in January at the BCPVPA office. Front Row: Jason Cobey, Brad Baker, Irene Ives, Juanita Coltman. Standing Gordon Li and DeDe DeRose

Cover Story

Rod Maclean is a former Surrey principal. Visit Rod’s website at www.justkiddingcartoons.com

Our cover art this month is a detail of a work by Max Joe, a grade 4 student from Kinnikinnick Elementary School in Sechelt. We thank Max, his teacher Mr. Chris Allen, and Principal Cathy McCubbin for submitting this work. February 2014 • Adminfo • 18

The annual conference of the Canadian Association of Principals

May 11 –14, 2015 • Whistler

Inspiring Learning Keynote speakers

Simon Breakspear Wab Kinew Jesse Miller Fredrick Brown Stephanie Hamilton

CONFERENCE GUIDE http://bit.ly/1rq36vW REGISTRATION http://bit.ly/1utETY2

February 2014 • Adminfo • 19

N EW!

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PRO GR G N I L ECY C

N OT TE TOO TLO A L! L O R N E

FR E E

AM

O G RA M R P G C LI N Y C E R ING L D O O R A H C W UR S E RE O R Y O E M K MA AN D R E I S EA

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Mobile pickup services where available

Fun educational resources for your students

Online support for teachers and a special section for students

Track your progress to help motivate

FREE presentations and displays

FREE bins!

Keep all the money raised to benefit your school

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