In Retrospect: My 11 Favourite Photos of 2011

A colleague of mine posed a question on twitter: "What are the top 11 things you learned in 2011."  And while I've been thinking through that question over the last three weeks and jotting ideas down, I noticed that a good portion of the list fell into the photography category. This year I did a 365 project (a picture a day for the whole year).  Unfortunately I didn't finish (only got through 248 pictures).  Once the yearbook began I was taking photos for the school, and my photo-priorities shifted.  However, through both opportunities I found that my abilities as a photographer grew immensely.  So while I am finishing up my top 11 things "learned" I am here to share with you my 11 favourite photos taken this year (in no particular order):

1.  Hatteras Island, North Carolina.  After driving from Langley, BC to Hatteras, NC, we were finally about to set our feet in the Atlantic Ocean.  It's just over that ridge. #coasttocoastroadtrip

2.  Underneath the St. Louis Arch my eye was drawn to this family, who appeared to be #lost

3.  Fire.  Every camping trip needs a camp fire.  And every campfire needs a boy to find a stick, and carry that fire around with them.  #campingtraditions

4.  These are a few of my favourite things.  Books.  I love love LOVE books.  Strangely enough, I have not yet read Crime and Punishment (but have read all the others).  But I singled it out because I love the colour red. #justaddawarmcupoftea

5.  Tassels and Beads.  Each bead is represents someone or something important to me.  The four tassels represent my university graduations (BSc and BEd) as well as my husbands. #blessed

6.  Pike Place Spices.  This is an amazing store in the Pike Place Market with wonderful spices and hand made loose leaf teas.  I love the colours of the spices and would have taken so many more pictures if I wasn't getting the evil eye for wandering through with a camera.  #pikeplace

7.  Being that my family is entirely dutch, I cannot help but love tulips in the spring.  I hope that one day I can go to the Netherlands in the spring to take pictures of fields. #proudtobedutch

8.  Crispness.  I love taking pictures in the spring (Which is evident in most of my 365 pictures as well).  I enjoy a beautiful piece of nature, the colour green, and great bokeh.  My Nikon 35mm/1.8 lens is by far my favourite and used for 90% of my pictures this year. #makeawish

9. Lake Michigan, Indiana Sand Dunes, facing Chicago, Sunset.  #beautiful

10.  SPLASH!!!  This photo, worked on along side one of my yearbook editors, took 5 hours of staging, manipulating light, perfecting the writing, hanging sheets, rearranging mugs, choosing new mugs, and testing shutter speeds.  It was created by dropping a rubber chemistry stopper into a mug of warm tea.  400+ photos later and we had one we loved!  #perseverence

11.  Movember.  Many of my colleagues grew moustaches and raised money this past November in honour of prostate cancer research.  In commemorate their hard work we had a photo shoot.  The goal was to show the many faces of a man. #testosterone

Twitter Etiquette, Students, and You

At our school we have been using twitter as a means of connection with students.  Part of the idea is to develop the community outside the confines of the "four walls" of the school.  Students can share what's going on in the community.  Photos and scores from soccer games, interesting moments in Biology class, grad or student council spirit events and so on.  I see some students engaging the medium so successfully. They are interacting with each other, teachers and the community in a way that demonstrates school spirit and pride.  They are dialoguing with teachers and peers, sharing great moments and demonstrating why they are proud to be stars.  There are tweets I see that force me to pause in awe of what amazing leaders and positive students are in this school.  They are taking ownership of their learning and their high school in ways that can only be for the better.

And then there are students who aren't.  It seems that twitter has become their own personal venting ground.  They can be mean - to teachers, to others.  They over share private information.  They swear, and scream and vent.  They dwell on everything they dislike and "hate." Of course, they are teenagers.  This isn't abnormal.  But is twitter the place to do it?

We have encouraged students to engage a medium with such power.  But that power can sway both ways.  As I've said above, I have seen it used so well by so many amazing students who are learning and growing and taking charge of becoming positive citizens (and positive digital citizens).  But on the other side, there are those who aren't.  Have we taken the time to "teach" students how to use it responsibly?  And should we?  If students want to post things that are negative, and angry, and have the potential to hurt others, whose responsibility is that to address?  Is it freedom of speech? Is it for parents to deal with?

In a thought provoking tweet from @Ms_Horner, she asks "Regarding public/private lives for teachers and students on Twitter:  should teachers follow students?"  She follows it up by asking where the line is between on campus and off campus behaviour.  And when it comes to twitter - where is that line?  I don't follow many students.  I never really thought it was necessary.  I do follow a few though.  Students who work with me on the yearbook (in which we use twitter to communicate regularly), student leaders and coaches and those whose twitter focus is the school and the goings on in the school (which is helpful for a yearbook teacher).  It's a new era of student communication - and the answers aren't clear.  If we are wanting to teach students and mentor students in how to engage the twitter medium effectively and appropriately, should we also be engaging with them on it (and modelling this behaviour)?  Or should we be avoiding both?  Or something in between?  What do you think?

What are the ingredients of a Sullivan Star?

Bear with me - this may get a little long, but it's worth it.

I have the privilege of being the yearbook "teacher" at my school.  I use the term teacher loosely, as I really feel like it's more of a team leader or mentoring process.  I have done this job once before - and I have to be honest - it wasn't much fun.  It would be easy to blame it on a difficult group of kids or intensely steep learning curve of the management involved or software used, but the truth is that I was missing the point of why it is we make a yearbook at all.  I lacked vision.

On my way into the classroom back on that fateful day in 2009, a colleague stopped me in the hallway for conversion.  He argued that in an age of social media, maybe the yearbook was irrelevant.  It that moment I wondered if he was right.  I didn't really understand, as the teacher of the class, what it was I was trying to accomplish.  What was the point?  

But then last year I was forced to move schools.  I spent a year away from home.  And it was in this time away that I truly began to understand the idea of school culture.  And when I was lucky enough to get my dream job and return home again I was able to look at Sullivan with a new lens.  

So today, in my yearbook class, I asked my students "What are the ingredients of a Sullivan Star?"  What makes us "us"?  Why do you love being a part of this community?  What aspects of this school make you feel at home here?  What makes you belong?  If there were a recipe for Sullivan Heights, what would it be?  Because if we know this.  If we know who WE are as a community, then we can make a yearbook.  We can produce 192 glorious pages that reflects this world to which we all belong.

At first they were reluctant.  There were limited answers and kids wanted to move on.  But I pressed forward.  I asked them again.  and again.  and then it started.  The answers.  And they continued for an hour.  Pages and pages of things that made them proud to be part of this community.  People who made them feel valued.  Experiences that, to them, defined all the things they love about the school.  And I'd like to share them.  For the audience of readers to know this school - please read this and know how much you are loved by these students.  For those who do not know my school, take the time to think about your own school.  What makes you who you are?

Ingredients of the Sullivan Community (in the words of my students)

• Quirky and Laid Back (students, teachers, environment)
• Amazing Dance teams (that dominate) 
• Setting records in all areas (ex. Field Hockey or History 12 Provincials)
• Teachers who aren't afraid to have relationships with their students 
• Teachers who aren't afraid to let their personalities show (ex. Neuf and Edwards)
• Clubs - we could do anything.  We have the freedom
• Amazing Artists
• Everything related to Mr. Vaughan.  He's really inspiring.  Especially in how he cares about the environment and seeing us become good leaders
• Our Co-ops are awesome.  And we love Mr. Hepting.  
• There are so many opportunities.  More than I have time for
• We get to go on great field trips, like visiting temples, grouse grind, or bard on the beach.  Teachers go out of their way for us
• The athletic department.  everything about it.
• The way teachers focus on student responsibility.
• Our school has a lot of student leaders.  And a lot of them (and others) are selfless and give of their time for others
• We care about our reputation.  We don't want to do anything to hurt the school name.
• Our Janitors are the best.  Ian and Tony always go the extra mile for us.
• We have big dreams.  We always aim to do the best we can.
• Teachers encourage us to go above and beyond expectations.
• Our VPs are the best.  They go out of the way to say hi to us and treat us with respect.  They are friendly and care about us.
• Our school is inclusive of all people.  Students are respectful, considerate and friendly.
• Band trips are some of the best memories from being here.  Mr. Williams goes out of his way to create amazing experiences for us
• Mr. Mitchell's Physics class
• The Grade 8 retreat was my standout high school experience.  Without it I wouldn't have made the great friends I have today.
• Ms. Yahn's Dance class is my favourite place to be.  
• Great Coaches
• Mr. Neufeld as Taylor Swift will probably be one of my favorite high school memories. 
• Mr. Neufeld in general
• PE field trip to play Broomball was the BEST! (I followed this one up with what is broomball?)
• Halloween Fashion show is the highlight of the year
• Mr. Pederson's PE Class
• Guitar Class
• Being able to make amazing friends.
• The Teachers.  
• The Teachers.
• The Teachers.
• I agree.  The Teachers.
• Totally.  The Teachers here care about us.  They want us to do our best and push us to go above and beyond.  (insert 20 nodding students).  We definitly have the best teachers of anywhere.  

Who has time to manage time?

I started my Masters program this past weekend.  For those of you who have been through this process I am confident you are nodding.  You can probably already see where this is going.

My course runs on weekends - 5 hours Friday nights and 8 hours on Saturdays.  After a long first week of school, getting the yearbook up and running, and navigating the waters of job action I left school (where I teach) to go to school (where I learn) [do not get too attached to the words teach/learn, as I think I do both simultaneously regardless of location].  By the end of class on Saturday I was sent out to read numerous articles, 30% of a book, write 2 critiques, prepare a written position paper for a debate and of course go through a 3 page bibliography to start thinking about topics for my essay.  At first I was slightly outraged. I mean, don't they know I have a JOB!?  How inconsiderate could they be?  I mean this is a masters in EDUCATION!  We are teachers.  WORKING TEACHERS!  Of course after my 2 minute mental temper tantrum I reminded myself that the reason I wanted to do this, and the respect I have for the school, program and level of education I was seeking would have expected no different.  So as I did my sleep deprived Zombie walk back to the car, I found myself wondering how I was going to learn to manage my time.

Fellow tweeps quickly responded to my stressful outcry's saying this was what it was like for them too.  Two years of exhaustion.  @erringreg said to me "the overwhelmed part is the uncomfortable feeling of your previous paradigms shifting :)"  And how can I argue with that - isn't it the reason I signed up for this in the first place?  So I have had to quickly accept this new state of existence - the one where I am once again busier than I thought was possible.  Balancing Science classes, a yearbook, student council, papers, readings, debates, critiques while trying to exercise, eat right, have time for my husband, friends and family.  So how do you do it?  All weekend I swore I was going to take the time to make a do to list for the week.  But one thing followed another, and it's now Tuesday.  And in between working with InDesign and ordering camera parts I have stopped, but only for a moment, to try and meet my Professional Development blogging goal (one more thing on the non-existent list).  The truth is - I don't have time.  I don't have TIME to make a LIST.  I don't have TIME to manage my TIME.  I don't have TIME to figure out how to prioritize.  For the past 10 days I feel like I have been triaging my life.  Dealing with the big things - the pressing engagements, the stuff that needs to be done for tomorrow.  Leaving the rest (you know, those "unimportant" things, like dishes and laundry).

So how do you do it?  What's the trick to managing your time?

Goal Setting Revisited

In April I was encouraged to consider setting goals. It was a first for me personally and professionally, and it took a lot to make the list found in the post below. I was worried that by setting goals, I may just be setting myself up for failure. And truthfully, who wants to do that?

Today was Pro-D at Sullivan Height; my first as a permanent member of the staff. It was run internally with teachers teaching teachers. Over a dozen staff members got up and shared their varied successes, allowing others to sample the vast array of ideas, technologies and communication tools available to the education world (and increasing at an exponential rate according to a math lesson from @bobneuf). The focus was on 21st century learners. There was a good deal on twitter, as well as the sharing of a variety of web 2.0 tools. And then there was a brief conversation about goals.

If you weren't paying attention you may have missed this part. It wasn't a lecture. It wasn't up on the screen with step by step instructions. There wasn't a long drawn out conversation. In fact, it would be more accurate to say that it quietly snuck up on us. First I didn't think must about it. As the day progressed I started to realize how significant it really was.

We were asked to fill out a sheet and set a goal. "A" goal. I mean, how difficult can that be? But as I started to go through the sheet I realized it was nothing like my experience this past April. To make things quick and painless I pulled up my blog with the intention of just pulling one from my already existing list. But this assignment wasn't just a list. I was asked about not just what my goal is, but what others could do to support it. What would success look like? How would I measure my progress? Why would i choose this particular goal? This lead to a few hours of staring at the questions broken up by moments of exploring a variety of web tools, designing a website and thinking about assessment practices.

And then it came to me. This. This blog. This dialogue and conversation. Looking at my previous list, I realized there is so much I want to do. Some of it is practical like helping out with a club. Some of it I've already done, like getting into a Masters program (start next week) and getting a permanent job (Sullivan Heights!!!). But MOST of it (maybe all of it?), I mean the REALLY IMPORTANT STUFF (and isn't it all), needs to be done in conversation. I don't have the right answers. Or the wrong answers. Or, as I am convinced some days, any answers. But I sure have a lot of questions and ideas and theories. I am ready to try new things. And succeed. And fail. And I am grateful to be in a school, community and PLN that supports and encourages all of the above.

So here it is! My goal for the 2011/2012 school year:

• I'd like to blog, at least once a week. I am doing it because I have questions and ideas that I would like to share, and more importantly, I would like to hear from others. I know that growth often requires the willingness to make yourself vulnerable, so I am taking the leap here and now. I would measure success both by being consistent in my effort, and by the willingness of others to engage in the conversation (comments and questions). My colleagues (near and far) can support me in taking the time to read, and respond. And I hope that this blog isn't the professional development itself, but the catalyst for so much more to come.

So here I am: week one. check. Thanks to Jennifer Spain (@jennifer_spain) and Nicole Painchaud (@painchaud_n) for the idea and encouragement. Kudos to you both.

Goal Setting

A recent twitter conversation with my sister-in-law (@mrspow) prompted me to start thinking about goal-setting. I use to work hard at setting goals, though I don't really feel like I understood the purpose of them. In fact, goal-setting was more of a to-do list that anything meaningful for me. In my personal sphere I have stopped setting goals - partially due to disappointment of being unable to meet them (or control the ability to meet them) and partially due to the frustration of not being able to see into the future (both ridiculous, I know). This is obviously something I'm going to have to work through (ah yes - the burden of seeking personal growth).

But for today, i started thinking of setting goals for my professional life - that is, my teaching goals. And so I've created a list. I don't know if it's realistic, or if I will obtain them, but I wanted to put them out there publicly, if only for the sake of my own personal accountability. And I encourage you to do the same. Take all those ideas and beliefs and wishes and wants and desires and start to formulate real tangible goals. Succeeding or failing isn't the conversation. Goals are both powerful and meaningful with or without success. (For more info on goal setting, see here).

Without further ado...

MY GOALS

Within One Year

• Obtain a permanent position in my school district
• Find 3 extra-curricular needs in the school community (one to meet the need of the students, one to meet the need of the staff, and one to meet my own personal passions)
• Begin my Masters in Education or (if necessary) Apply to a Masters of Education program to begin the following year
• Formally or informally mentor a student teacher in my school community
• Teach all my students how to use twitter for classroom learning
• Try 3-4 new pieces of technology in the classroom (including Pasco products)
• Help 3 teachers develop a PLN
• Get a class website up and running in a way that students will access

Within Five Years

• Complete my Masters in Education
• Take on a role of mentoring and responsibility within my department
• Watch first class of students (from grade 8, 2008) graduate high school
• Have students responsible for developing assignments (and accompanying grading criteria)
• Have grade book sorted per PLO
• Have resources available online for sharing with teaching community at large
• Blog weekly
• Have a student teacher

Within Ten Years

• Remove formal grading from the classroom
• Take a group of Biology students to Costa Rica
• Take a group of students on a humanitarian trip in a developing nation

My 10 Picture Tour

It's been a busy year - prepping lots of new courses and adjusting to 10 months at a different school. Every day I am still, piece by piece, learning about the school culture. Wandering through the building late last week with my camera allowed me to combine something I love (interpreting the world through my viewfinder) with something I'm just beginning to understand. Here's what I came up with: Welcome to Semiahmoo Secondary.

1. Math Hallway. Semi has a large group of students who are very strong in Mathematics - hence the numerous awards from every competition you can imagine (just getting them up). Also helps that Semi is an IB school and has students learning Math at that level.
2. Front Entryway and student art. I've been told these have been here for years.
3. After school fun - cafeteria? or pingpong tournament?
4. Home of the totems (hard to make out, but also home to a lot of banners)
5. Senior Boys Volleyball were Provincial Champions this year

6. Marketing Class runs SemiCo... "Australian for Fun" as their slogan says (not sure if that's true)

7. There is a sports theme: Cross Country and Track & Field are also strong in the school. As is Rugby (though I didn't get out to the fields to get a picture of the tournament going on).
8. Outdoor Ed is also a popular course.
9. The Courtyard - spring is in session
10. my room. I don't fee like i get out of here often enough, so truthfully i could have shot 10 pictures of my room to emphasize "a day in the life..." but i didn't think that was the point. Maybe that will have to be the next assignment.