Archive for category Moral Stewardship

Let’s Rethink “Kindergarten Readiness”

Jan 13

Posted by Chris Wejr in Leadership, Moral Stewardship, Parent Engagement, Relational Leadership, Teaching and Learning | 18 Comments

A great family moment. Skating together on their own for the first time.

Considering it is kindergarten registration at our school next week, I wanted to share my personal thoughts.

I have never taught kindergarten nor have I ever run a preschool program. I have been an elementary educator for 8 years and am now a father of two wonderful girls that so many people think we should be getting them ready for kindergarten. I read so much from childcare “experts” that push parents to get their kids “kindergarten ready” and this often focuses on skills like letter recognition, counting, colouring, sitting still, etc. Preschools and daycare centres market themselves as the “best places to get your child ready for kindergarten”. Parents feel the need to give their kids the edge by getting their children into the “best preschools”. (I LOVE the preschool our kids go to… not because they are focused on academics but because they love and care for our kids and give them an opportunity to be happy learning and exploring with others – and to be clear, I don’t blame preschools for marketing themselves – they are a small business and often must do what the market demands).

When did we “realize” that pushing children to learn outside the home at a young age best prepared them for kindergarten? I have yet to meet a kindergarten teacher (and I have had the privilege of meeting some amazing ones) that says to a parent that their child should have this ideal list of skills prior to entering kindergarten. Yet, so many articles say “kindergarten teachers all want…”. What message does this send to parents if we say a child should know how to print and spell their name and their child comes to school not knowing how to do this? ”Thank you for bringing your child to our school… but she cannot print her name so you have failed as a parent to get your child ready for kindergarten.” We would never say this but how many parents feel this? How many parents are so stressed out to get their child ready for kindergarten that they miss out on the wonderful moments of love, exploration, curiosity, and play?

A kindergarten teacher said to me, “The only thing I ask of parents is that they give their child all the love and care they can provide… I will teach them once they arrive. It is up to me to be ready for your child”. Of course we want to encourage read alouds, exploration, outdoor play and so many other joyous parts of being a parent; however, we don’t need (as parents) to feel pressured to sit at the table going through a kindergarten readiness workbook trying to ensure our kids learn how to sit still and do worksheets so they have a better chance of “graduating” from kindergarten.

As a parent, I have been blown away by the constant comparatives of our children – percentile scores, toilet training (some call it the real life “pissing contest”) and other quests to achieve milestones earlier than the “norm” (who’s Norm?). Parents are constantly inundated with marketing ploys and information to give their child the “edge”. I get it – we want our kids to be successful. I also know that there is such strength in parent/family attachment. I worry that the pressure to give kids an edge actually affects parent attachment in our kids. Through pressure to get kids involved and schedule them in activities so much, we actually encourage attachment to someone else and take time away from family time… time which we will never get back. I am not saying we don’t get our kids involved in activities they enjoy; I am saying let’s do this for the right reasons.

The current reality for many of our families is that both parents work. This makes time with family that much more important. I never want to tell parents what to do but I feel that we need to relax a bit and stop worrying so much about giving our kids an edge and preparing them for kindergarten. Education is a life-long journey and the years of parenting kids seems to fly by at an incredible rate. Let’s give parents a break from the stress of always being told what to do to be the “best parent”. Let’s stop forcing families to constantly compare the development of their “baby” to some arbitrary “ideal” academic standard for preschool aged children. Let’s rethink the pressure of things like “kindergarten readiness” and instead promote ways that families can spend more time together playing, reading, imagining, exploring, and living in that moment… because we all know how quickly these moments pass.

I would love your thoughts on this… as I am still trying to figure things out for myself as an educator and a parent.

A plug for my friend Scott Bedley who, along with his brother Tim, have created an opportunity to start a conversation around the importance of play. February 4th is Global School Play Day and this is a great kick off to encourage schools and families to embrace the joys of creativity, exploration, friendships, and learning. It is a reminder to put down the devices, put aside the schedules and be in the moment.

Tags: attachment theory, kindergarten readiness, parenting, Play, preschool

10 Ways to Start With Strengths in Schools

Nov 30

Posted by Chris Wejr in Educational Change, Leadership, Moral Stewardship, Relational Leadership, Strengths and Passion | 10 Comments

CC Image by Frank Wuestefeld https://flic.kr/p/7yvVKy

I sometimes struggle with the volume of posts that give lists of ”5 ways…” or “10 reasons…” but I have recently been asked a few times how schools could get started using a strength-based model with students. This list is by no means the end but more about the start; these are thoughts that have worked in schools I have had the privilege of working in; however, the context of your school is different so the ideas will vary depending on the school. If you have further ideas or examples, I would love to read them (and steal them) so please leave them in the comments below.

Shifting the lens in schools to a focus on strengths rather than deficits… a focus on CAN rather than cannot… has been one of the most significant changes for me as an educator, formal leader and parent. Where do we start? What can we do this month? This year? (there are links embedded in the list if you would like further detail on some of the stories and ideas).

Shift from MY students to OUR students. A previous teacher or a teacher in a different subject area can have knowledge of a child’s strengths and a positive relationship with the child. Do we embrace this relationship or do we shut it out? If we shift our focus from being classroom teachers or subject teachers to school teachers, can we better tap into the strengths of other adults in our building? Relationships are not zero-sum in that if one person has a strong relationship, it does not mean that others cannot as well. Students need at least 2-3 strong, positive relationships with adults in the building. These strong relationships often come with the knowledge of a student’s strengths… embrace these.
Make the first contact about the strengths. Make that first contact a positive one. When we start the year, inquire into the strengths of our students – inside and outside of school and tap into these throughout the year. Run a class or school Identity Day. Make the first contact with parents a positive one. It doesn’t have to be about something the student has done but more about sharing that we value him/her and we know who they are.
Schedule in time for a child to use his/her strengths in school. If a child has a strength in the arts, technology, or with helping younger students (for example), provide time in the day or week for this to happen. A student who struggles will often flourish when given a purpose or an opportunity for leadership beyond the classroom. The important thing is to not use this as a punishment or reward. If it is important to help change the story, schedule it in… but do not use a child’s strength as a carrot/stick to have them do the things we want them to do. If we use it as a reward, we may get some short term compliance but the student will soon figure out that his/her strength is not valued. Having said this, I do know that students will try to get out of doing the things they do not want to do and things in which they are not successful (adults do this too). This is why it is scheduled in to the day/week/month so the students have to continue to work on areas of struggle AND they continue to get opportunities to use their strengths in a way that helps the school community.
Teach parts of the curriculum through the strengths/interests. Start with one lesson or one unit and ask how we can include the strengths and interests of our students. It doesn’t have to be a big shift like Genius Hour but can be smaller shifts that include the curriculum like guided inquiry, writing assignments, reading reflections, and different ways of demonstrating student learning.
In meetings, start with the bright spots. If we are having a meeting about a child, start with the positives and see how these can be built upon. We need to acknowledge the struggles and look to how we can tap into the strengths to build confidence and change the story. As principals, we can model this in staff meetings as we start each meeting/topic on sharing the bright spots.
Start the conversation on how we honour students in schools. Are there certain strengths we honour over others? How do we honour the strengths of students that fall beyond the traditional awards and honour roll? Are traditional awards ceremonies the best we can do?
Reflect on our assessment practices. In our assessments, do we build on what students CAN do or do we focus more on what they cannot do? Do our assessment practices build confidence or strip it away? I know it is not a black/white practice as we need to support the challenges too but we need to reflect on the balance of strengths/deficits in our assessment practices.
Watch those labels. Do the designations of our students define them? I realize there is a need for designations but I wonder if sometimes these work to put lids on kids. A designation should come with a plan on how to embrace the strengths of the child and help us to support the deficits; it should not BE the story for our students.
Start with strengths of staff and the school community. Are we embracing the strengths of the adults in the building? Do we tap into the strengths of parents and families in the school community? Once we know a child’s strength, how can we use the aligned strengths in our school community to help?
Share the stories. Share the stories of strength in your classroom and schools. When you look for the bright spots and you share these beyond the classroom walls, you shift the culture of the school.

We find what we are looking for. When we start with strengths, we change the lens we look through and see the strengths in our students more than the deficits. When we change this lens, we change the stories of our students at school. For many, this change in story can be life changing.

In BC, we have many schools that are already making this shift and we have a golden opportunity to create more space for us to bring in the strengths. This list is just a start. If you have other ideas, please write them in the section below. Hopefully, I can tap into YOUR strengths which will help me and others through the stories and the comments you share.

Click here to access a FORCE society “In The Know” series webinar on the topic.

Tags: Assessment, confidence, identity, inquiry, interests, self-confidence, stories, strength-based teaching, strengths

Start With Strengths: Change the Lens. Change the Story.

Sep 10

Posted by Chris Wejr in Educational Change, Leadership, Moral Stewardship, Relational Leadership, Strengths and Passion, Teaching and Learning | 3 Comments

CC Image from https://flic.kr/p/4BDBPS

How many of our students have strengths that either go unnoticed or unacknowledged in school? When we discuss students, do we focus on their strengths and all they CAN do or their deficits and all they CANNOT do? What are the stories of life at school for our students? Are they all positive?

In my first year as an intermediate teacher and vice principal, I struggled to reach some students; I especially struggled to reach a student named Dom. After about 6 weeks of trying, I went to my principal, Roxanne Watson, and asked for help. I sat with her and listed off all the things he could NOT and would NOT do. After about 8 examples of things he could not do, she said, “Stop, tell me what he is GOOD at.” That question changed not only who I was as an educator but also as a person. I did not have an answer to the question. After 6 weeks, I sadly could not state a strength of a student I had more contact with than anyone else. In the 6+ weeks that followed, we worked to embrace the strengths within Dom and that changed everything. We tapped into his strength as a First Nation drummer and singer and Dom became a leader in the class, the community and the school (please read Dom’s full story here). When we changed the lens, we changed the story.

I recently interviewed Amy, a student at my wife’s dance studio. Amy is one of the top dancers in the Fraser Valley, a dedicated leader in the studio, and a devoted student-teacher that helps develop dance in the younger students. Passion for dance and the arts runs through her veins and she has such presence on the stage and in the studio. Yet, when I asked her what her life was at school compared to the studio, she said

When I am at the studio, I am confident and get to be the real me. At school, well… I am not good at school. I just try to blend in… just be invisible.

This student, who can passionately perform in front of 600 people in a theatre and who consistently places at or near the top in every dance competition she enters… when at school, tries to be invisible. Amy went on to say that hardly anybody knows her creative side and she rarely gets to share who she is at school. She did, however, get to do this with Mr. C. Mr. C embraced her strengths in the arts as Amy was able to demonstrate her learning through creating – some through music and poetry and others through writing and sketching. She flourished in his class (and was rarely absent). There were tests and quizzes but there was so much flexibility in how the student could learn and show their learning that Amy felt that she COULD do well in his class. She felt like Mr. C was truly interested in who she was as a person and because of that, she was completely engaged in his class.

You see, our students are building stories of who they are right now. What we say to them and about them creates part of their story of who they are in school and beyond. The conditions we create for them in schools affects who they are. With this in mind, what stories are we helping to create in schools? Are we helping to create positive stories that we can build upon or do we sometimes unintentionally work to create negative stories that cause our students to be disengaged from school?

During my years at Brookswood Secondary, Kent Elementary as well as my short time at James Hill Elementary, I have witnessed the power that occurs when we start with strengths. When we create the conditions for children to use their strengths at school… they rise, they lead, and they flourish. I am not saying we ignore the deficits; we definitely need to work to support the areas of struggle. Struggle can be a good thing. What we must do first, though, is start with strengths. Too often, when a child struggles in school, we look at all the ways that he/she needs support in the areas of weakness… yet we fail to focus on using the “bright spots” or strengths. Appreciative inquiry is a great place to start when discussing our students; ask questions like “what is working well? when does he/she flourish? what strength can be tapped?”. Through my work with some wonderful students, staff, and families, I have seen the change that occurs when the first question is “what is he/she good at”? I have seen a child that has severe anxiety with academics lead by reading to kindergarten students in the library each morning. I have seen a child with significant behaviour challenges lead our tech crew by setting up and maintaining sound and tech equipment in the school. I have seen students who could not be on the playground without engaging in conflict become a “coach” for primary students in the areas of dance and tumbling. There is ALWAYS a strength within a child… when we take the time to find it and embrace it at school, the story changes.

We find what we are looking for. What we look for gets bigger and we observe it more often. Teaching (and parenting) is a very difficult job. There are days when I look back on my day and disappointingly wonder if I even said a handful of positive things to my kids and students. Of course we need to continually challenge our kids to try new things (and make errors) and expand their comfort zones; we must continue to embrace the struggle and provide effective ongoing feedback for growth. However, we need to seek out those strengths more often. Julie Collette, of the Force Society and Kelty Mental Health said to me, “notice what we are noticing”. We need to reflect and ask questions like: What are we focusing on? When we interact and assess our students, is there a balance of strengths and deficits? Are there structures in schools that allow some students to share their strengths but hinder others? We need to shift our lens… start to reflect 0n what we are looking for and start to look for the strengths within ourselves and our students.

My challenge to myself and to all of us is to start with one child in our class/school (or our own child) and make an effort to find that strength and work to use it more often in schools. Create assignments and learning opportunities that not only get students to do what we need them to do but also provide the opportunity for them to share who they are.

When we start with strengths, we change our lens… and by doing this, we change the story for many of our students at school.

I would love to hear more examples and stories of educators and families that have embraced the strengths of their children/students. Please share those bright spots!

I recently had the honour of presenting a webinar for the Force Society for Kids’ Mental Health as well as a keynote for educators in North Central BC on this topic. You can find a September regional viewing session close to you here or view the 60 minute webinar presentation on your own here. You can also view 2 sets of slides below:

Start With Strengths – Change the Lens. Change the Story from Chris Wejr

Starting With Strengths: The Stories We Build #edfling from Chris Wejr

Tags: confidence, self-confidence, strength-based teaching, strengths, The FORCE Society

10 Belief Statements About Student Discipline

Apr 22

Posted by Chris Wejr in Leadership, Moral Stewardship, Punishment, Rewards, Awards, Relational Leadership, Teaching and Learning | 13 Comments

CC Image from Charlie Baker https://flic.kr/p/aTHCev

As I continue my journey in the first 4 months at James Hill elementary, I wanted to share my beliefs around student discipline with the staff. Although my views continue to evolve and grow through formal and informal learning and school/home experiences, I want to be transparent about the lens I look through around student discipline. At a recent staff meeting, I took the time to share these brief belief statements with staff:

“Kids do well if they can…. if they could do well, they would do well.” (Dr. Ross Greene) Behaviour is a skill. When a child struggles with reading, we provide interventions and differentiation to support and teach. When a student struggles with behaviour, we also need to support and teach… and then we teach some more. Many students do not do well living in a grey world so, as with all learning, students need clear models and criteria (ex. criteria) of what effective behaviour looks like. By focusing on skills, I am not saying that we do not use consequences; however, when we use consequences, they must be logical and not punitive. We must be investigators of the skills that students lack to be successful and then work to teach those skills. (See video below from Greene.) Create the conditions for student success.
Start with strengths. We must create the conditions for students to see and feel real success. We cannot wait until a student is on a long string of setbacks before we talk about what the students strengths and interests are… include these in their learning from the start! These strengths should be embraced and never used as a carrot to be dangled or taken away. If a child’s strength is working with younger students, put it in their schedule. This will help build confidence and give them a sense of purpose and positive identity at school.
Students need to belong. We ALL need to belong. If a student is consistently being sent out of class or moved from school to school, how can we expect a sense of belonging? I realize that there are some students whose behaviours can pose a safety concern and we must look at and balance each student’s needs… but we must maintain the goal of creating a sense of belonging in the classroom.
Students need to know they matter. Take the time to connect with kids. Find out their strengths and interests. Find out who they are. Take the time to show the students that you do care about their life beyond the classroom. Differentiation is not just about teaching at a child’s level, it is also about including their strengths and interests.
Focus on self-regulation and self-control skills. If a student cannot sit still, they are telling us they need to move. Yes, sitting still is a skill but it is also developed more easily for some. If a student has meltdown, there are likely many opportunities to intervene (that occur prior that point) to help teach the student the skills needed to self-regulate his/her emotions. We also need to reflect on if our classroom environments help or hinder a child lacking self-regulation skills. Do our classrooms have a calming sense (as Shanker asks… have we removed some of the “visual clutter” in our classrooms?)? Do we provide opportunities for students to move as needed?
We cannot motivate students. We can only create the conditions for students to motivate themselves. (adapted from Ed Deci and Richard Ryan) The use of carrots and sticks will help students to become good at… getting carrots and avoiding sticks. Students should learn to do the right thing… just because it is the right thing to do. Carrots and sticks are effective in the short term but ineffective in the long term. Teaching the needed skills and creating the conditions for students to motivate themselves takes a lot of time but it is worth it in the end.
Students make mistakes… and they need to make things right. Every student will make a poor choice, an error in judgment, or react inappropriately at some point. When this occurs, it is important that we look to restitution to help make things right (ex. doing something meaningful for the person that was hurt – see the work of Diane Gossen). Some view this as “letting him/her off the hook to do something positive” when what it is really doing is helping a child FEEL what it is like to do something positive and then creating a moment to reflect on the difference between what it FELT to do something negative.
We need to move from MY students to OUR students. We need to tap into the many relationships and resources in our school. If there is an education assistant or former teacher that has a positive relationship and can help, embrace this. If the teacher across the hall can offer a quiet area when needed (for self-regulation), explore this idea.
“How we teach becomes what we teach.” (Larry Cuban) If we want to see it… model it. If we want children that our caring, kind, empathetic, inclusive, etc, we need to model this at all times. We are not perfect and we make mistakes but it is how we respond to these mistakes that teaches our students how to respond to theirs. Whenever we have that opportunity to discipline and “teach the child a lesson”, we need to be reflective on what that lesson is. Even at the most challenging times, we must do our best to remain respectful as our actions teach so much. Being respectful, kind and caring does not mean we need to be permissive. A teacher once told me that when we are working with students with challenging behaviours, we need to be kind and firm.
“The kids who need the most love will ask for it in the most unloving ways.” (unknown) We must seek to understand. We often hear that we should “send kids home” when they misbehave. There are many problems with this but the main one is that for many (not all) students who struggle, life outside of school is not filled with love and care. Sending a child home to a stressful, uncaring situation can make matters worse. In addition, if the goal is to teach a child to behave at school and in life, when we send him/her home we are crossing our fingers and hopeing for change… which rarely (never) happens when he/she returns to school. As stated, kids need to feel they belong and they are cared for… sending a child home can escalate behaviours in the long term.

Kids need us. For students who struggle with behaviour challenges, it is never a simple solution. Teaching 30 students (with a variety of academic, social and emotional needs) for an entire day can be completely exhausting. When discussing solutions, though, we need to ask the question: who is this about – the teachers/admin? or the student? It likely falls somewhere in the middle but it is important to keep in mind the needs of everyone. In the end, it is our job as admin, teachers, and staff to create the conditions for student success. Meet students where they are and teach the needed skills from there.

I share these statements here not to state that my views are correct but to share with others for understanding as well as provide an opportunity for feedback to help me grow. Please add your thoughts (support AND challenge) in the comments. Are there key areas that I have missed or need to be changed?

Tags: behavior, Dr. Ross Greene, restitution, rewards and punishment, self-regulation, sense of belonging, student discipline

How Does School Choice Impact Our Neighbourhood Schools?

Feb 16

Posted by Chris Wejr in Educational Change, Moral Stewardship, Organizational Leadership, Relational Leadership | 30 Comments

cc licensed ( BY ND ) flickr photo by Nicola Jones: http://flickr.com/photos/photomequickbooth/2870985192/

As an educator and a parent of three year-olds, I often get asked the question, “where are you going to send your kids to school?”. This still tends to catch me by surprise and my response is always… “the one down the road”. This often leads to another series of questions like “you’re NOT sending them to _____?” or “really? you think that is a good school?”. Recently, I had a conversation with a colleague that lives nearby and when I responded with “the school right near our house”, she was so relieved as she said that, as a parent, she was feeling so much pressure to choose to drive her children to another school outside her neighbourhood and that by “just” having her children attend her neighbourhood school, she was doing them a disservice.

These conversations lead me to ask, “when did we start thinking that schools in our own neighbourhoods were not ‘good enough’?” When did we think that going to school with kids in our neighbourhood was only an option if you could not (or do not) choose to go to another school?

Choice is a form of power and I completely understand how parents want the power to choose what we feel is best for our children. I also know that we want our children engaged in school and when a specialized program across town can offer this, it because an enticing option. I am concerned, though, about our neighbourhood schools. I am concerned about our communities. What impact does school choice have on the health of our communities if some or many of the children and youth do not attend school there? If our children spend the majority of time outside of our communities, will they have as much pride and ownership over our communities?

I don’t like to romanticize the past but I will for a moment. I grew up in a small town where we had only one option and that was to attend Coquihalla Elementary. Was it a great school? Absolutely. Were there issues there? Absolutely. The school was the hub of the neighbourhood. If there was an event, every kid in the community was involved and people took pride in the community. There was no statements said to my parents like “wow, you are just going to send him to that school?”. The best part of it all for me was that all my friends and every kid down the road went to school there.

One thing I have heard people say to me is that “our neighbourhood school has so many troubled families and kids… I want my child to be in a less stressful environment.” I get that and I can respect that; however, these same troubled families and children are in our communities… they are OUR children too. At the far end of the spectrum, the impacts of decisions like this can be seen in many neighbourhoods in the US (and some in Canada) in which many people with money and access choose to drive their child to a different school… and the community school becomes a school with mostly families with high financial (and often other) stressors. This can lead (and has led) to a large inequity of educational programs and opportunities for students (just google the debate on charter schools and vouchers in the US).

I understand there are situations in which a school cannot provide a child with the services he/she needs and the district and families can choose to transport the child to a different school to access more services. I also know that there are some children for whom the current structures and education system does not work. I can completely respect that as some students have a very difficult time experiencing success at school without options for extra services and more flexible environments.

School choice and market theory in education seem to be a solution many districts are forced to provide. If they do not provide this, families can (and do) opt to leave the district and, on a large scale, can a significant impact on the financial well being of the district. The BC Ministry of Education promotes school options for parents but, to me, this seems like a slippery slope. In a recent conversation with admin colleagues from different schools, it was stated, “it’s like we have ended up competing with each other… and families seem to be always seeking a ‘better’ school to try.” To provide what some families want, many districts have created specialized schools and academies to try to attract students (and beat out other schools/districts in the competition for students). By doing this, neighbourhood schools often lose students and staff with strengths in certain areas. For example, if we have a school that specialized in music education, they will attract many students and teachers with strengths in music. How does this impact the music programs in other schools? How does this impact the music education of the students who cannot access the specialized school? If we have a school that specializes in trades and it attracts those with interests in trades, how does this impact the trades programs of our neighbourhood schools? There are some that state that providing school choice is a key strategy to better meet the needs of all learners as they can access more specialized programs and become more engaged as their education will be tied more to their interests. However, when we look beyond the surface, if not ALL students can be provided with this access, how does this impact our neighbourhood schools? Do our community schools become schools for those who do not choose other schools or for those who cannot access the programs at other schools? Can we do both? Can we have specialized programs in some schools AND maintain effective options for students within our neighbourhood schools?

I am not blaming school districts for providing school choice as I think they have been forced to try to compete with each other for students and left with having to offer school choice as they try to service the needs of the families within their catchments (I cannot imagine the ongoing dilemmas faced by superintendents and boards of education). I also recognize that sometimes this competition has led to innovations within the schools and districts (although I would argue that if we spent more time collaborating than competing, innovation could be even higher). I also do not blame, nor do I have anything against, parents who choose other schools and try to provide the best education for their child. I do think, however, that we are on a path that is hard to stop and this worries me about the future of our neighbourhood schools. I realize some parents do a ton of research on schools; there are also some that make choices about schools based on test scores, rankings, neighbourhood incomes, school structures, and reputations without ever having set foot in the schools within our own neighbourhoods. School choice is everywhere in BC (apart from some rural districts) and North America so I am not trying to challenge every school district in the western world. My questions and concerns about school choice is a concern not about districts and people but about what long term impact this might have on our schools down the road. Once we have opened the gates to market theory in education and more and more school choice, academies, and specialized schools, how can we possibly go back? So if school choice is here to stay, then how do we work to provide effective opportunities in our neighbourhood schools so they are not just the default option? How do we provide equitable access to choice schools?

Many families (and voters) want the ability to choose the best education for their child. School districts have a role to listen to their communities. But what long term effect does driving our children outside of their communities have on our neighbourhood schools and our communities as a whole?

I have stated some of my opinions but I also wonder if I am being a traditionalist here? Will my views change in the coming years? Has this school choice bus already left the garage? Have we already moved beyond the idea of a “neighbourhood school”? Am I participating in school choice as I choose to send my kids to the school closest to where we live? Many of us commute to work and are often more connected to people outside of our communities (through work and social media)… so am I putting too much emphasis on community?

I don’t know the answer to these questions and I do not have children currently in the school system but I do know that, in a few years, I will proudly send my kids to the same school as our neighbour’s kids attended… the school down the road.

What are your thoughts?

Note: in my Master’s of Educational Leadership program at the University of British Columbia, we were always challenged and encouraged to reflect upon current trends in western education; market theory/school choice was one topic that was continually critiqued and discussed. For a more academic post I wrote in 2011 on school choice, click here.

@chriswejr

Tags: academies, market theory, neighbourhood schools, school choice, specialized schools

Do We REALLY Believe in Inclusion?

Jan 28

Posted by Chris Wejr in Educational Change, Instructional Leadership, Moral Stewardship, Relational Leadership | 9 Comments

cc licensed ( BY ) flickr photo shared by D. Sharon Pruitt

As an education system and society, we have made huge strides in the inclusion of students with visible disabilities in our classrooms, groups, sports, and friendships. I wonder, though, if we have made as much progress in including ALL students… especially those who appear on the outside to be similar yet are different (or perceived to be) on the inside. I am not talking about the act of everyone having a seat in a classroom; I am talking about having a mindset of real inclusion.

“We all have one basic desire and goal: to belong and to feel significant” — Alfred Adler

This is an area in which I have far more questions than answers but here are some observations that make me wonder if we REALLY believe in inclusion.

I have seen parents/caregivers of children with behaviour challenges (due to a wide variety of reasons) judged, scolded, and ostracized for being a bad parent when the behaviours are often far beyond their control.
I have seen and heard of children going through their entire elementary school years and never receiving an invite to a birthday party.
I continue to hear the terms “gay” and “retard” used in derogatory ways from adults and students.
I continue to hear and see students and adults from the LGBTQ community not being accepted and included… and unable to be themselves in certain environments.
I see students not being able to attend schools of choice because their families do not have the capital (ex. money or transportation) to access.
I have heard adults say, “why can’t they just work harder?” when discussing how people from poverty could/should gain more resources.
I know of people that will not hire certain applicants based on their culture and/or race.
I have heard the statement “I don’t want my child in a class with THAT boy/girl”.
I have seen many students not get the needed funding for support in schools because they do not have the correct diagnosis… or worse yet… correct paperwork.
I have heard people state that Aboriginal people need to move past the impact of residential schools and colonialism… and just “get over it”.

These observations sadden me as they demonstrate a lack of understanding and empathy. They make me question what we actually believe when it comes to the goal of inclusion; however, there are also many examples that give me hope.

I have seen a parent reach out their hand to help another parent struggling with a child meltdown at the supermarket.
I have seen students tell others that “it’s not cool to use that word” when hearing the “g-word”.
I have seen huge numbers of students embracing students that are different and actually working together to create change.
I have heard and seen parents and teachers modeling empathy and inclusion to other adults and children.
I have seen parents ask the family of a child, who struggles with behaviour challenges and lacks real friendships, if they would like to meet up for a play date for their kids.
I have seen and heard of many teachers providing the opportunities for students to bring their strengths into the classroom and demonstrate their learning in ways that create more confidence and success.
I have seen many districts create policies to end homophobia, heterosexism, and other acts of prejudice in schools.
I have seen educators and community members actually listening and supporting First Nation communities to develop ideas and plans to help all students.
I have seen parents of students with disabilities reaching out to others to help them get over the many challenging times.
I have seen schools become the safest and most caring places in some of our students’ lives.

The latter examples inspire me. They show courage and leadership. In order to include and accept all people, we must first seek to understand and listen to the stories of our students and neighbours. We need to educate about the importance of inclusion and acceptance of ALL students (and adults) not only in our schools but also beyond our walls into the communities and business world.

First we need to ask the question, do we REALLY believe in inclusion? Then we need to reach out a hand rather than point a finger. We need to continually act and create environments that model empathy, care, and equity… and work toward a society of real inclusion.

I was given the book “Don’t we already DO inclusion?”, by Paula Kluth, by some parents at my former school so I looking forward to diving into that to learn more practices to help me in this area.

Still learning, reflecting… and coming up with more questions that answers.

Please share any ideas of how you or your school/community are encouraging inclusion so others can benefit.

@chriswejr

Tags: equity, inclusion, LGBTQ, prejudice, special education

Not Everyone Is Able to Tweet and Post Who They Are

Jan 22

Posted by Chris Wejr in Leadership, Moral Stewardship, Personal, Relational Leadership, Social Media | 19 Comments

There is often much discussion around the separation of our professional and personal lives on social media. Some districts strongly encourage this separation while others encourage the blending of both. I have been a supporter of the latter as I believe that if we share who we are online we develop better relationships with others. In December, I tweeted the following:

I struggle w “separate professional from personal in SM”. Prof identity and personal identity are blended. Just be a good person in both.

— Chris Wejr (@ChrisWejr) December 1, 2013

From an organization perspective, I wholeheartedly agree with my tweet. I encourage people to share who they are and be transparent in their views on education.

However, my friend Royan Lee gave me some pushback on this idea when he tweeted,

@Nunavut_Tweeter @ChrisWejr Not all educators have identities or personal lives that are accepted by our dominant education culture. 2/2

— royan lee (@royanlee) December 1, 2013

What I did not realize when I tweeted that, was that my view on the subject was coming from a lens of privilege – the lens of a middle class, white, heterosexual male. Where I fell short in my tweet was that I failed to empathize with those whose lives are considered less acceptable to some.

When Royan brought this side to my attention… I stopped and thought about deleting the tweet, but then realized this is all part of the learning. It was not my intention to be ignorant but by wearing my invisible napsack of privilege… I felt I was.

I immediately thought about my friends who have struggled most of their lives with a target on them for being gay. I thought of my gay friends who are now so happy with their girlfriends, boyfriends, husbands, wives, and kids. I thought of how these important friends that have inspired me and taught me so much cannot always share who they are for fear of being attacked by those who judge and throw stones.

I have been attacked for my views on education and sometimes these became personal; however, I have never been attacked for who I am or who my family is. For those with a personal social media account where they share all of the joy in their lives and happen to be gay (expand to LGBTQ), it is a sad reality that, because of societal views and judgment from others, they feel they cannot share this personal joy in their professional streams.

I recently shared a video of who I am with the families and staff of my new school. It was very well received and it immediately help foster some relationships with families. In reflection, I cannot help but think about what it would be like if I did not have the “typical wife and two children” family. What if my wife and kids were a husband and kids? Would I still share this? I feel we have a fairly liberal society in BC but there would likely still be some families that would shut me out or view me differently. We all love to belong and love to be accepted and although I would hope that I would have the courage to be publicly proud of my family, I am not sure I would as that might be risking this feeling of acceptance. It is reflection like this that help me to attempt to look through the lens to help me understand how difficult it must be for my gay friends and many others who want to share who they are but live in a society that still has some people that look to judge rather than seek t0 understand.

I was going to write another post about the importance of sharing who we are… and I still believe this is important; however, it is much easier for people with a life that is more acceptable in society.

Although Royan’s tweet was not specifically about the LGBTQ community, it was a wake up call for me to change my lens and seek to understand the difficulties for students and adults to post and tweet who they really are. To all my friends, as well as those in my network, for whom I failed to understand their lens…. I apologize. Thank you so much to Royan and the many others who continue to teach me to empathize with others and attempt to view life through a new lens.

Looking through a better lens.
cc licensed ( BY ) flickr photo by Kevin Dooley: http://flickr.com/photos/pagedooley/4196773347/

Tags: Facebook, LGBTQ, social media, twitter

Looking Forward With Excitement; Looking Back With Pride

Jan 5

Posted by Chris Wejr in Assessment, Educational Change, Instructional Leadership, Leadership, Moral Stewardship, Organizational Leadership, Parent Engagement, Professional Development, Punishment, Rewards, Awards, Relational Leadership, Social Media, Strengths and Passion, Teaching and Learning | 11 Comments

Walking on, looking back with pride.

Pardon the delay of this post. It was originally written a week ago but the flu hit our family and it never got posted.

As I begin the next exciting journey of my career with the honour of being the principal of James Hill Elementary in the Langley School District, I have had many moments of excitement as well as many that have caused me to pause and reflect on my time at Kent. Prior to the final week at Kent, I found myself looking back with a critical eye – looking for all the things I could have or should have done differently. Maybe this was because I was handing my “stuff” over to the next principal, maybe it was because I was struggling with leaving a school and community I love, or maybe it was just me reflecting on how I need to continue to grow as an educator… but I think this caused a bit of a shadow over the many truly wonderful things I was privileged to be a part of at Kent. After talking to a great friend and teacher at Kent, Stacey Garrioch, my sadness, nervousness, and minor regrets began to turn into happiness and pride.

I then made a list of the positive (major) moments, ideas, and changes that occurred during my time at Kent. I have written about many of these in my blog before (linked below) but as I add closure to my journey at Kent, I wanted to describe the proud moments and changes that stick out to me and pay tribute to the efforts of the staff, students, and community of Kent Elementary and the Fraser-Cascade School District. Please note that these changes were not my doing; these changes often arose from an individual or group on staff or in the community and I just helped to make the change a reality.

Ending awards This conversation began prior to my arrival at Kent but I was honoured to be part of the final decision to move away from student of the month and year-end awards. Rather than award a select few students for strengths in which we chose to be the most important, we decided to honour each child at one point during the year for the strengths and interests they brought to our school. Our year end ceremony moved from an awards ceremony, in which often only parents of award winners attended, to a grade 6 honouring ceremony in which our gym was packed as each child had family members there to support him/her. Death of An Awards Ceremony and Rethinking Awards.
Moving away from rewards and punishment This is another conversation that was initiated prior to my arrival but I was proud to be part of its evolution. We moved away from sticker charts and behaviour prizes to instead place emphasis on students doing the right thing… just because it is the right thing to do. When negative behaviours arose we placed the focus on determining the lagging skills, putting supports in place to teach/coach the lagging skills, providing opportunities for restitution, and working to ensure their is a positive sense of belonging. In the past few months, the school has also created a team to implement self-regulation strategies into a few classrooms. My Issue With Rewards, Creating the Conditions: Student Discipline, They Need Teaching – Not Punishment, and Movement Is Not A Reward.
Focusing on student interests, strengths and passions Too often we place all the emphasis on the deficits of our students and staff. The previous principal of Kent, Roxanne Watson, helped to show me the powerful shift that occurs when we start with strengths. One of the successful initiatives that we have had at Kent for the past 6 years is the Choices Program that provides the opportunity for teachers to teach in an area of their passion and for students to choose to learn in an area of interest or passion. Kent has a tradition of strong athletics, music, Aboriginal culture with dedicated staff that support this each year. Honouring A Student’s Strength: The Story of Daniel and Giving Students Choices
Putting a focus on outdoor play It started with a group of teachers working together to create a beautiful garden in the back field. Parents then built a sandbox. We then built a hill! All of these provide the students with so many more opportunities to be inquisitive and active in the outdoors. The Power of Outdoor Play: We Built A Hill.
Making the school library (and the teacher-librarian) a priority Kent School has shown me the impact a passionate teacher-librarian and well-designed library can have on literacy (not just skill but, more importantly, a love of stories and reading). In addition to literacy as is traditionally defined, a teacher-librarian can be a leader in the areas of research, education technology, inquiry and professional learning. The staff at Kent have also shown me that we do not need pizza parties, prizes, nor points to encourage kids to read. Creating the Conditions: A Love of Reading.
Fostering a partnership with our First Nation Communities Although Kent School has a effective relationships with a number of the First Nation communities, the working relationship with Seabird Island is one that should be a model for others to follow. The Seabird Education committee consists of band leaders who are passionate about creating positive change and working to ensure all children get the best education possible. The admin and (passionate) FN Support Worker met with the education committee four times a year (in addition to other less formal meetings) in which we discussed evidence and actions that could help the students. The education committee supported and challenged Kent School in ways that created change that benefited not only First Nation students, but also all the students. This was REAL collaboration with REAL trust in which there was a dynamic tension that allowed for intellectual collisions to help move us forward. We have a long way to go to ensure more success of our Aboriginal students in BC but Seabird Island and Fraser-Cascade have made significant gains in this area. Seabird Education Committee: Learning Together
Increasing parent communication with technology A key belief of mine is that in order to best communicate with families, we need to meet them where they are. At Kent, we moved beyond the paper newsletter to include more frequent information (that can initiate 2-way dialogue) sent out in our blogs, Facebook Page, Twitter feed, Remind101 (SMS), Flickr, YouTube, etc to create a variety of ways to share the wonderful things that happen at the school. Using Tech To Meet Parents Where They Are, Parent Communication: To vs WITH, and Your School Needs a Facebook Page
Shifting the focus away from grades This is not as significant of a jump at an elementary school as it is at a high school; however, a focus for our school has been to put less emphasis on the grade and much more emphasis on growth minsdset with descriptive feedback, success criteria, and clear learning intentions. This has helped to create better evidence of learning, decrease anxiety, and increase confidence. 6 Big Ideas of Assessment Practices
Continuing to make inclusion a priority This was nothing new for Kent School as we just continued down the path that was set in motion long before I arrived. I was always proud to see all students fully included with support throughout the day; not only does this help the child with special needs but it also has a huge impact on all students as they learn communication skills, empathy, care, and (most importantly) friendship. Modeling and Teaching Our Kids to Reach Out and Include
Creating time within the day for teachers to meet and tinker with ideas We often say that collaboration is important and that we want innovative practices in schools yet we often fail to provide the structures to make these a priority. In the past, I have tried some extra preps for innovation (“FedEx Preps”) but this year, we placed time in the schedule for innovation and collaboration. FedEx Prep: Time For Innovation, FedEx Prep: A Reflection, and Creating Time for Teachers To Tinker With Ideas
Providing opportunities for student leaders Student leadership is part of the culture at Kent School. Whether it is through buddies, supervision, help with decisions, or running activities to improve the culture of the school, the students worked hard to lead. I recall someone asking what our “leadership program” was and, although I am sure there are some great programs out there, I responded with “we had dedicated teachers that model and encourage it… they create the conditions for students to lead.” When we moved to a “Play First Lunch”, our staff, along with the grade 6 students, made sure that the younger students were supported in the transition.
Increasing opportunities for students and staff to connect with others Encouraging and supporting the use of technology and social media to connect and learn from others had a significant impact on our school. Although we did provide release time for staff to visit other schools, the technology provided the opportunity for staff to connect with and learn from other passionate educators around the world. I am proud of the many ideas that were ‘stolen’ from others to benefit students at Kent. How Social Media is Changing Education
Continuing to foster community partnerships Being in a small town in which relationships are key, the school has a lengthy tradition of community partnerships. Here are just a few examples: twice a week before school, retired community members come in and read aloud to children (one-on-one) in the packed library; students regularly work with the Fraser Valley Regional Librarian to help support stories and literacy; the choir regularly travels to community halls and care homes and performs for others; the grade 6s reach out to the care homes to play games, read, and do crafts with elders; the Kent athletes participate in tournaments and playdays with nearby First Nation communities of Seabird and Sts’ailes; students also attend celebrations such as Sto:lo New Year at Seabird each year; the high school leadership students are regular helpers at a variety of events we host; students and staff from the Agassiz Centre for Education buddy up with Kent students and also partner in a number of “Senior-Teen Luncheons” at the Legion Hall to promote generational relationships and understanding; then at Christmas, the school invites the community supporters in for a huge turkey dinner in our gym. One of the most memorable (and heart-wrenching) moments was when our community embraced Lilee-Jean and her family as we welcomed this beautiful 2 year old in to spend her first and only day at school. These community partnerships help the students learn far beyond the school walls. The Most Beautiful Morning Spent Dancing in the Rain
Embedding Aboriginal ways and culture Some key staff members have worked hard to make sure that Aboriginal education and knowledge of First Nation language and culture moves beyond being a “field trip”; culture, language, history, and story-telling all occur across the curriculum and throughout the day. The idea of honouring a child for the gifts he/she brings to us is just part of what is done at Kent.
Showing pride in who we are We worked hard to honour children for who they are. We challenged and supported students to grow and excel and also remember the strengths and interests in their lives that help to create their identity. One of the most memorable activities I have been a part of was Identity Day in which each child in the school did a project on themselves. The conversations and learning that resulted from Identity Day spilled over into days and months following the event and helped to create better understanding and more confident learners in the school. I will always remember a luncheon/honouring ceremony when a cousin (a young adult) of one of the students nervously and emotionally spoke up; she said, “I went to Kent 8 years earlier… and struggled… and I am so proud to see my cousin go through Kent school and be PROUD of who she is”. Identity Day: Pride in Who We Are

I am so thankful for all the opportunities that were offered to me during my time at Kent School and the Fraser-Cascade School District. Writing this post has shown me the awesome power of having a blog as I was able to look back and read about the learning moments that occurred during my journey.

As I finish the chapter that is my journey at Kent, I look back at powerful learning, close relationships and wonderful memories. As I start my new chapter at James Hill, I look forward with excitement for the opportunity to create new learning, new relationships, and new memories. I have only been at James Hill a few times now and I am already learning so much from the staff. One of the greatest aspects of education is that, although we may have similar goals, things are done differently with a variety of perspectives in different communities and contexts. Each school community has its own ‘ecosystem’ and these new perspectives and relationships inspire me and help me grow that much more. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to be part of this community and write a completely new chapter of my life full of moments that will make me proud to be a principal and educator at James Hill. Hopefully I can add a few small pieces to the already strong cultures and traditions at our school.

My girls and I “looking forward” with excitement!

Thank you so much to the communities of Kent and James Hill along with the districts of Fraser-Cascade and Langley.

If you are interested, here is the video I created for the community of Kent School that was shown on the last day of school.

Tags: Fraser-Cascade School District, James Hill Elementary School, Kent Elementary School, Langley Schools, walking on

Teaching Kids to be Good Losers?

Nov 30

Posted by Chris Wejr in Educational Change, Leadership, Moral Stewardship, Punishment, Rewards, Awards, Strengths and Passion | 19 Comments

Confidence

Ok, I admit it. I hate losing. I hate losing even more when I know i don’t have a chance to win. I have played hockey since I was in preschool and I continue to play to this day and I have always tried to play at my level or slightly higher. If I found myself in a game in which there was absolutely no chance of winning, I often disengaged and made a joke about the game (picture me and some buddies from high school playing in a 3 on 3 tourney against a bunch of ex-pro’s… it happened and it wasn’t pretty).

Because of my stance on awards, people make assumptions that I am opposed to competition. People who have played sports with me or for me know that I truly love what can result from a positive athletic experience. Here is the thing, though… I love competing when it is my choice and when it is at a level that is challenging and there is a (even small) chance for success. I do not enjoy being thrown into a competition in which I have no choice and I have very little skill compared to others (think – me in a trades competition… yikes). I would rather practice, set goals, compete against myself, and gain some confidence. If I choose to compete following this, I will likely enjoy it. (note: I also know that as a coach trying to build a program, we purposefully faced competition that was way beyond our skill level once in a while but our goal was different.)

So this is why I REALLY struggle with all the articles and posts going around that say “we need to teach kids to lose” and “we need to have our kids in highly competitive environments so they are ready for the real world“; I also struggle with the ones that state “all competition is bad for kids“. What do these statements even mean? They are surface level comments that often end there and do not allow us to go deeper into the discussion around learning. I think much of what we do falls in the middle and this dichotomy of all ‘competition vs no competition’ misses the point of what we are really trying to do: teach skills and build confidence and resiliency.

When we state, “we need to teach kids to lose”, we make a huge assumption of what “losing” means and that our kids live in a world in which they never lose. Kids lose every day. Some kids come to school have had losses before they enter the doorways. If they lost the battle to have a mother and father… if they lost the battle to have a breakfast… if they lost the battle to have a good friend… if they lost the battle to be a “typical” child (whatever that means)… and yet, they still come to our school with a smile on their faces – are we supposed to teach them to be better LOSERS?

What we really need to be talking about is the need to foster a growth mindset (Dweck), develop self-confidence, teach resilience, and help our kids understand what to do when they set a goal and we do not achieve it. (feel free to insert the buzzword “grit” anywhere here).

Confidence. It’s what it is all about. I am not talking about self-esteem, I am taking about self-confidence. Telling kids they are great or giving or setting them up for fake victories may give them some self-esteem but this will quickly disappear when faced with an authentic challenge. We need to work to develop real confidence and resiliency. When we are confident enough and are provided with a safe environment, we take risks, we fall, we reset, and we keep moving toward our goal. Rosabeth Moss Kanter writes,

“…at the beginning of ever winning streak there is a leader who creates the foundation for confidence that permits unexpected people to achieve high levels of performance” (via Tom Schimmer)

So if we move the discussion beyond the idea of teaching kids to be losers (and a few winners) and we focus more on confidence and resilience, how do we actually do this as parents and teachers? Here are some of my thoughts (and please feel free to add yours in the comments below – would love to learn more ideas)

Teach about a growth mindset – that intelligence and skill levels are not fixed… that humans are malleable and can learn any skill with purposeful practice.
Provide a safe environment for taking risks. Don’t catch them when they fall but provide a smaller fall and guide them on how to respond when they fall. Check out Sheila Stewart’s excellent post on this.
Help our kids to set personal goals that are focused on growth and do not depend on beating someone else. We cannot control what others do… if we win because we defeat someone with less skill level, is this a success?
“Get them on a winning streak” (Tom Schimmer). Provide enough teaching, guidance, and practice so that kids can achieve small victories. Many of our kids have lost in school for a number of years and therefore, have no confidence and become disengaged. By “over preparing them” (Schimmer) and creating authentic victories based on personal goals, we can increase confidence.
Embrace their strengths and support the deficits. Every child can be successful at something so find out skills in which our kids have confidence (or are interested in) and key on those strengths and use this as a platform to change the trajectory of their learning.
Meet them where they are. Back up to where our kids can have success (or move forward so they can be challenged). As Kanter writes, “Expectations about the likelihood of eventual success determines the amount of effort people are willing to put in.” If students are faced with a task in which they believe that there is a chance of success , engagement and effort will increase.
If you are going to use competition, provide choice and work to place kids at a level that challenges them and provides an opportunity for success.

Let’s move away from (and beyond) the talk about teaching kids to be good losers. It is a generalized statement and we have no idea what “losing” means to each child. We can teach sportsmanship and respect but, in my experience, I have never succeeded in becoming a “good loser”. Let’s go deeper and talk about confidence and what happens when we do not meet our goals. Let’s meet kids where they are, provide a safe and challenging environment in which risk taking and making mistakes is encouraged… as long as we use it to become better.

I don’t want my kids to become “successful losers” (huh?). I want my kids to grow up and become confident learners. I want them to know their strengths and be aware of their areas they need to work on. I want them to take risks and fall… and when they do, have the support and self-confidence to get back up and try again. I am sure I will continue to make mistakes as a parent and teacher but I will continue to reset and try again. With the aforementioned developed skills and support from family and teachers, I know there is a good chance our kids will achieve more success and eventually lead a worthwhile life… which is defined by them.

I would love to hear more ideas and thoughts on this… feel free to share and/or leave a comment below.

@chriswejr

Tags: Carol Dweck, competition, confidence, grit, growth mindset, losing, resilience, Rosabeth Moss Kanter, self-confidence, Tom Schimmer, winning

The Importance of Modeling Positive Use of Social Media

Nov 24

Posted by Chris Wejr in Leadership, Moral Stewardship, Relational Leadership, Social Media, Teaching and Learning | 7 Comments

Used with permission from the Magnussen family.

Cyberbullying. Stalking. Pedophilia. Narcissism. Screen time. These are the headlines that grab the most attention around the topic of students using social media. These articles and reports strike fear into parents and schools to the point that has resulted in the banning of social media. By banning, we put our heads in the sand and cross our fingers that somehow, in some way, students will avoid using social media or somehow miraculously figure out how to use it in a positive manner. When we do this, what actually ends up happening is we get students sneaking around using social media tools and teaching themselves what is and what is not appropriate. Gordon Neufeld, author of Hold on to Your Kids, speaks of the problems with this on a broader level as peers then attach to each other without adults (teacher, family) and teach themselves which behaviours are acceptable. In order for adults to guide and be the teachers of any skill, we need to be aware and we need to be involved.

As adults, we need to be the teachers. We need to be the models. Much like with other skills and behaviours. We need to focus on the relationships we have with our students/children and model and teach digital citizenship.

At our school we have students up to the age of 12. In a very informal survey I did last year, I found that almost 75% of our students in grade 5 and 6 were using some form of social media (predominantly Instagram and Facebook) and many of them were using it with very limited support from adults. This is not a criticism of parents nor is it a criticism of schools and teachers; we are all taking this new journey together and as we grow with the tools, we start to see the issues that arise. Because of this, I have taught mini-units of social media with our 5′s and 6′s with the focus on digital footprint and online communication (as well as what to do when a child experiences negative behaviour online). We speak of BOTH the negatives (ex. the importance of knowing how to take a screenshot on any device as well as the impact of this) and the positives (ex. the positive impact a child can have on others through supporting and sharing online). My goal with these sessions is not to tell students to connect online but rather to teach the impact of posting online as well as the skills of how to communicate and interact online. In addition to these sessions, as more students and classes begin blogging and connecting for educational purposes, it also provides us with key opportunities to teach digital citizenship.

One thing that I have been thinking about lately is the idea that my friend, George Couros, recently mentioned to me: Digital Leadership. Much like leadership offline, students and adults can LEAD others in how they interact and treat each other online. When we put our heads in the sand and ban social media, we miss a huge opportunity to showcase and tap intp digital leadership and model a positive online presence.

In a recent session I did with the BC Confederation of Parent Advisory Councils on schools using social media to enhance parent engagement, a question was asked about the fear around using Facebook in schools (click here to access the archive of the session). My response was that although I understand the fears involved with posting online, I believe that it is our job as adults in 2013 to MODEL appropriate and positive use of social media. For example, like other schools in BC, we have fairly strict protection of privacy laws (FIPPA) so we need to have specific consent of parents in order to share photos (especially when stored online outside of Canada). This consent is often beyond that of a 12 year old’s understanding… so in addition to the consent that is required by an adult, I ask the students before a post a photo of them. I want them to learn that it is not appropriate to post any photos of friends or peers without them knowing. Another area that I also am trying to model with students is how and when to put the devices away and self-regulate in a world in which there is always someone online that wants to engage. Students know I use social media and they also see me using technology in a very purposeful manner (see Why I Took Facebook and Twitter Off My Phone). By sharing the ways we use social media and including students in this discussion, we schools can be digital leaders and open the doors to some deeper learning experience on how to better navigate this new(ish) world of social media together.

Not only is it important for schools to model digital leadership and citizenship. it is aslo important to share the stories of other digital leaders (particularly youth) who are using social media to make a positive difference to others. Many of you know the relationship that I had with the family of a young girl, Lilee-Jean Putt, whom we lost recently to cancer at the age of two. Because of my online connection to LJ’s mother and father, I came across the Facebook page of a 17 year old girl, Angel Magnussen, who has made it her life purpose to help sick children in a variety of ways. Angel is not your typical 17 year old. She is a 17 year old who is #proudtohaveDownsSyndrome (from her Twitter bio) and a passionate girl who has started her own non-profit business “Hugginz By Angel”. This business raises money for BC Children’s Hospital in a variety of ways but most importantly, by selling (well, mostly raising money and donating) beautiful blankets Angel makes to wrap around as many sick children in need an “Angel Hug”. From her Facebook page:

I have just started up my own Non Profit Fundraising Business “Hugginz By Angel”. I make and sell specially designed cute cuddly hospital pajamas for kids and teens and blankets young children and babies. I knit Love Hats for sick kids too. I want to make sure that every sick child is wrapped up in a warm hug. Sales of Hugginz benefit Variety the children’s charity. Please check out my Hugginz By Angel photo album to see the photos and get the ordering and sponsorship information. You can help me to reach my fundraising goals for these charities by sharing my website www.hugginzbyangel.com and spreading the word about my latest fundraising efforts.

Not only is this impressive, but it is also inspiring to see how she is using her blog, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to share the stories of so many others that are fighting battles and need our support. Because of all the work she is doing, the mainstream media has started to take notice and, in addition to the numerous honours she has received, she has been recently featured at WeDay as well as on CTV. Although I have never met Angel (but hope to one day), please take a moment to like her on Facebook or follow her on Twitter – you will read stories of empathy and unbelievable care that is having an impact on so many families needing support.

Negative issues like cyberbullying are important to discuss with our students and children; however, because of these issues it makes it that much more important for adults to model and be digital leaders for our youth. Angel did not learn to use social media in a positive way one evening; she has the support of her mother to help tap into the power of social media and enhance her message and purpose. As schools, we no longer can stick our heads in the sand and hope this goes away. We need to be digital leaders and find ways to become part of the conversation, share powerful stories like Angel, and model the positive use of social media to our students.

Tags: Angel Magnussen, digital citizenship, digital leadership, Facebook, social media, social media in schools, teaching social media, twitter