Let’s UNLEARN a Few Assumptions About School

Many teachers teach the way they were taught. The B.Ed. program would do well to emphasize the unlearning of wrong assumptions about schooling – like “sit up straight” and “sit still” and “look at the teacher”. Change won’t happen until we all deeply question our assumptions of what school should look like for kids. Thanks to […]

KISS [Keep It Simple Stupid!]

  Tell them what you are going to tell them. Tell them. Tell them what you told them. Keep It Simple, Stupid! These are great words of advice for creating a presentation. Could they work as well for those of us designing professional learning? In his address to the Ontario Leadership Congress in April 2015, […]

Sharing with PQP: Why Do Our Students Need Connected Leaders?

Recently, I was asked to share my thinking with PQP candidates about why connecting as leaders is so important. I wrote about this late last year, and I have presented workshops on the topic a few times.   This time I needed to be able to share my thinking remotely, so I created this very […]

Do You Believe in Science?

This evening, a friend shared this article about a MP from BC who challenges science while in the House of Commons. It led to this hilarious video, which really made me think about the pervasive misunderstandings we tolerate in society when it comes to science. Will today’s children continue to accept a Canadian government that makes major […]

The Importance of Happiness

Several years ago when I was working on my Principal Qualifications, I remarked to my instructor that I thought it was very important that teachers in the building were happy.  She took me to task on that remark.  She said, “It is not your job to keep them happy”.  I have enormous respect for my […]