Happy New Year! 2017 is just beginning and
the future is spread out before us; a blank slate, an empty book to be filled
with new ideas, thoughts and adventures.
I know that in popular culture, social
media and even in social circles it has become almost “en vogue” to lament the
negative aspects of 2016, with its plethora of losses, international conflicts
and unforeseen political events…the past 12 months have certainly been
perplexing at times. For me, these moments have fostered some positive and even
challenging conversations among students, colleagues and friends alike.
I, like everyone, have faced personal
challenges throughout the last year. Yet, as somewhat of an internal optimist,
I choose to reflect on the past year and highlight some of my best moments of
2016 and share them here. In (mostly) chronological order, here are my “Top Ten
Moments of 2016”.
1. Starting the New Year in
Ecuador: I was lucky enough to spend a week in
Ecuador and the Amazon Jungle with Me to We on an Educator’s scouting trip. (You
can read about this adventure here.) We started 2016 by exploring the capital
city of Quito. There were so many historical buildings, interesting Spanish
Colonial architecture, and the market place to take in. It was an amazing was to start the year and
created the opportunity for me to bring my own students back to the Amazon
jungle on a service learning trip in 2017. I began the year determined to embrace new opportunities
and accept challenges head on.
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| The view in Quito |
2. Theatrical Moments: Going to the theatre is something I’ve loved to do for years, but
tickets are often expensive and finding the time can be a challenge. However,
early in February of this year I was able to get front row tickets to the
Mirvish production of “Kinky Boots” in Toronto and headed downtown for a
theatrical evening with my sister. It was such an incredible show with a
beautiful message of “be who you want to be”.
It was a message I tried to carry with me throughout the year and share
with my students in the classroom. From the front row of the theatre you can
see the orchestra pit, the legs of the stage and even the facial expressions of
the talented actors. I left the show feeling engaged. Then later this fall I
was able to see one of my favourite childhood novels come to life on the stage with
the production of “Matilda.” Roald Dahl’s protagonist was my very first
childhood literary hero and still ranks among my favourite novels. She taught
me that smart girls could change the world for the better and the world of
literature could open endless possibilities. Watching the show on stage transported
me back to the magical innocence of childhood and reminded me of why English is
one of my great academic loves.
3. Niagara falls- Exploring
the Wonders of the World in your Own Back Yard: In
March my family and I headed to Niagara Falls for the day to explore with my
young niece and nephew. I forget how majestic Niagara Falls is and the fact that
we have one of the wonders of the world essentially in our backyard is
something many people in the GTA take for granted. It was a great family
adventure and a wonderful opportunity to spend some quality of time with my
niece and nephew. As we walked along the falls view path, we talked about
everything from how electricity works to international borders. Capitalizing on
teachable moments when they arise in organic ways is part of lifelong learning,
not to mention a great chance for me to get to know more about them and their
own curiosities. Learning can take place anywhere and anytime. This little
adventure was a good reminder of that.
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| The wonder of the natural world |
4. From Vimy to Juno-
Canadian History: Traveling to France in the summer
of 2015 changed the trajectory of my teaching career for the better together
with deepening my understanding of Canadian history as a whole. In March I was privileged
to attend the opening of the From Vimy to Juno exhibit at Casa Loma in Toronto.
Together with veterans, current service men and women and the minister of
Veterans affairs, I was able to see the exhibit and learn more about the
Canadian contributions throughout WWI and WWII. It was a great opportunity to reconnect
with colleagues and support to amazing work of the Juno Beach Centre in
preserving the legacy of Remembrance.
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| Casa Loma for the Vimy to Juno Exhibit |
5. Adventures at Boldt Castle-
Exploring Beyond our Borders: In August I met my
parents in Kingston and spent several days with them on their boat exploring
the St. Lawrence Seaway. We traveled across the international border into the
United States and cruised down to Boldt Castle a gilded aged architectural phenomenon
of the early 20th century. Together with my parents, I explored the
grounds, the boat house, the play house and the castle itself. It was beautiful
and the history behind it was amazing. I had never studied much history from
this era, however, it was intriguing and gave me a new perspective of the
historical importance of the Thousand Island region.
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| Boldt Castle from the Water |
6.
We Day- Finding Inspiration in a Canadian Icos: This fall found my students and I at WE Day once again celebrating
the hard work in making global and local change in the world. Among the amazing
performers, there was YouTube sensations Lilly Singh who had a powerful message
of anti-bullying and Connor Franta who talked about LGBTQ+ advocacy. Yet, one
of my favourite and most impactful performances came from Canadian icon Gord
Downie of the Tragically Hip as he sang a track from his album “The Secret Path”
about the life and death of Chanie Wenjack. Through this performance, Downie spread
a powerful message about the importance of Truth and Reconciliation. This was
the first time many of my students had heard about Canadian Residential schools
and it provided some opportunities for dialogue about the dark moments of
Canadian history and how we can work together to achieve reconciliation. It was
an emotional moment for me as a Canadian and an educator, but a good reminder
that the difficult conversations with students are sometimes the most important
ones to have.
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| Gord Downie at We Day 2016 |
7. Cuts for Cancer- A Hair
Raising Event: About a year and a half ago I
decided to grow my hair for the purpose of hosting a “hair cutting” fundraising
at school in support of the Canadian Cancer Society and our school’s Relay for
Life team. Our students have attended the annual event for years, and cancer is
a disease that has touched so many Canadians personally. I lost an uncle to
cancer several years ago. I’ve been involved with the school’s relay team for
many years and was looking forward to supporting the team in this way. Two
other teachers at my school agreed to shave their heads in support of the cause
while I cut about 30 centimeters of my hair to donate it to the Beautiful
Lengths program which provides wigs for women fighting cancer. Students and
staff raised money, and we held a BBQ lunch before the staff cut their hair
publically in front of the whole school. It was one of my favourite events we’ve
held as our whole school rallied together to raise a significant amount of
money for the Relay Team. I left school that day sporting not only a new haircut,
but pride in my school community for their support of such a great
organization. It made me feel good knowing that something as simple as a
haircut has the potential to make a difference in someone else’s life.
8. Random Acts of Kindness: This December, my youth group kids and I completed a variety of “Random
Acts of Kindness” to make the holiday season a little more kind for everyone in
our community. These surprise acts of kindness ranged from shoveling a
neighbour’s driveway to providing a treat for someone. It was a fun way to
brighten someone’s day throughout the sometime dark days of December. Kindness
is something the world could use more of, and this was an easy way to add a little
more kindness into the world. Plus it was fun finding creative ways for “kindness
sneak attacks”.
9. Exploring your Own
Backyard: Quite recently, I had the opportunity to
visit the Aquarium in Toronto with friends of mine and their toddler daughter.
While it would have been an incredible experience all on its own, exploring the
underwater world housed in the aquarium with and, seeing it through the eyes of
a toddler was amazing! She was thrilled with so many of the creatures and it
was hard not to get caught up in her enthusiasm. There is a whole wide world
swimming around underwater and getting a glimpse into it via the aquarium was
intriguing. It was a great way to end the year.
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| A glimpse into the underwater world |
10. Family, Friends and the
Future: I’ve been blessed with an amazing family
and incredible friends in my life. Together we have weathered storms this year,
celebrated milestones and created memories. Each day I’m grateful for the
wonderful people I have in my life and as I sit on the cusp of a New Year, I’m
excited to see what new adventures 2017 will bring. Here’s to a whole year of
possibilities…
