Joyeux printemps

It is good to be back after a couple of weeks off. I enjoyed hearing about everything that students did over the break, holidays to the sun and snow and rain, tournaments, time with friends, movies, books, and all things Hunger Games. I had a quiet break in town, baking and gardening with my daughters, reading (including Hunger Games 1 & 2!) and a quick trip last weekend back to the Juan de Fuca Trail.

I can't believe we are a week from April. The year has gone by quickly and this final term always flies by. In French and Socials we will be finishing up our Media unit over the next two weeks, then plunging into the Middle Ages and finishing the year looking at the Renaissance. We have just started another Lit Circle round, this time with discussions in class and on the Wikispaces site (at http://mbarwin.wikispaces.com/project/list) once a week or more. We will also look at French literature from medieval times through to Molière, a French contemporary of Shakespeare.

In English students will be working on Radio Plays. In Science we are continuing our study of optics, followed by microscopes, cells, body systems and ending with ecology.

Here is what is coming up over the next couple of weeks:

• Thursday, March 29th: High School counselors will be joining us to guide students through the course selection process. Students will be bringing home course booklets and forms for you to sign and return.
• Thursday/Friday March 29-30: Choir Trip to Powell River.
• Friday March 29th, 9:15-12:00: Broadway Brilliance concert at the Royal Theatre with the Victoria Symphony and Cdn College of Performing Arts; we will be walking down at 9:15 and require at least one adult to help supervise; please email back if you can come along.
• Friday afternoon: Restoring Natural Ecosystems program, with visiting expert from UVic. Feel free to join us for this indoor/outdoor experience.

• Wednesday, April 4th: Rite of Spring Concert
• Thursday, April 5th: Research Project Conference - at long last, students will be presenting their research to their peers, families and the Central community; we are working on the schedule but I will post it on the Wiki and send it out to you next week.
• Friday, April 6th & Monday, April 9th: Easter (no school)
  
• Tuesday, April 10th: Media to Change the World project due (a group project including a poster, an radio message and a video, to be posted on the Wiki).
• Friday, April 13th: Complete research project due (title page, table of contents, all chapters, revised if necessary, etc.); this is the final chance to submit work for the research project.

I did send home Term Two marks before the break. If you have not seen the mark/self-evaluation form, let me know and I can send you the Term 2 grades. As always, please feel free to send me a note or leave a message at school if you have any questions or concerns.

Joyeux printemps!

Looking at the world; leading the world

 

Over the past few days I've been looking at the world, looking at our leaders, considering the challenges facing our community and our world, and how we go about addressing the challenges. I went to hear anthropologist, National Geographic "resident explorer" (what a great job!) and photographer Wade Davis talk about the Sacred Headwaters of the Nass, Stikine and Skeena rivers and the threat from the Red Chris Mine. I went to a PAC meeting with our district superintendent and listened to ideas on what qualities make an effective leader. I was immersed in the conflict between teachers in BC and our provincial government. I listened to the Imam of the local mosque talk to my class.

The message: Listen. Be respectful. Do what is right. Allow others to do what they do best. Appreciate.

Wade Davis said, when talking about Shell Oil executives looking to develop natural gas deposits in Northwest BC, there are no enemies. We must look for common ground, be opportunistic (in the sense of taking advantage of every opportunity), and recognize the values others have. He was talking about the non-monetary value of the land to the Iskut people, and of the ecological value of the biodiversity. 

We, as teachers, and the government, need to understand and respect the value that the other puts on economic prudence, on creating balanced classrooms, on supporting learning. How that can happen is up for discussion, but without the respect, without the search for common ground, hon the process of reconciliation begin? As hurtful as I feel Bill 22 is, I do not doubt that the BC government wants a strong education system, one that other jurisdictions strive to emulate. Indeed many of the aspects of the BC Education Plan reflect how I teach and what I feel is important in education: personalized learning, quality teaching, flexibility, technology. Is it complete? No. Where is the focus on ecological literacy, on getting kids outside, on community, on traditional knowledge? And for the plan to be successful there needs to be adequate funding and supports for every student, and working in conjunction with teachers, parents and administrators. 

Solutions do not work when they are imposed. Look at Bill 22! They do work, as we advised our superintendent, when change is organic, when participants are empowered and feel valued, when all the skills and knowledge of the community is taken into consideration. Once one does that, they can see the leverage points in the system and work with the system to effect positive change.

And thinking about appreciation, take time to appreciate every moment, as Louie Schwartzberg explains in his short: Nature, Beauty, Gratitude.