What makes a “good” school?

I suppose your answer will depend on your experiences with schools both as a student and parent, and your opinion of the purpose of school. The one thing I know for sure is everyone will have an opinion.

We all went to school, therefore we feel we have a good sense of what makes a good school. Which would be true, except that the world has changed significantly since many of us were students in elementary school. So shouldn’t our thinking around what makes a good school change to reflect that? Shouldn’t schools also have changed?

According to the BC Ministry of Education, “The purpose of the British Columbia School System is to enable all learners to develop their individual potential and to acquire the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to contribute to a healthy, democratic and pluralistic society and a prosperous and sustainable economy.”

The purpose of education in BC hasn’t changed much over the years. The school system has been designed to create contributing citizens. The structures of our system (buildings, bell schedules, classrooms) have not changed in a hundred years – yet are meant to support our system.

So what makes a “good” school?

Here’s the thing…

I have very different expectations of the role of school for my daughter than my parents had for me, or their parents had for them. Our expectations have changed, but has our picture of a “good” school changed?

Who decides what a “good” school is? How can you recognize a good one? What does it look like? What are the students like? How do the teachers teach? What is the principal like? How do you feel when you enter the building? How do your kids feel? There are a lot more questions than answers with this one.

A “good” school is more difficult to define than you might think. As is a “good” teacher and a “good” principal. By the way, as is a “good” parent.

If you’re wondering why things are different at school than they were when you were a kid –just ask. Teachers and principals are much more open and approachable than when we were growing up. We are a team. We are in this together with the best interests of your child at heart.

I’ve given an awful lot of thought to my definition of a “good” school, and I would love to chat with you about yours. My definition is constantly evolving, because it’s my job to strive to create and maintain a “good” school. Whatever that means. I’ll let you know when I figure it out.

My door is always open – and my cell phone is always on. Let me know your thoughts.

Stacy

Welcome back to school!!!

I can feel the excitement in the air. Parents are relieved – almost giddy – to be getting the kids back into routines. School staff are bright eyed and cheerfully welcoming each student. Even the most resistant of kid seems to be looking forward to getting back to school if for no other reason than to break the monotony of being at home.

Even with a delayed start, this is a wonderful time of the year. The first day of school is upon us!

There is something cyclical about the start of school. Seasonal. Traditional. It helps us mark the rhythm of the year. The start of school, that crisp bite of the cool morning air as we make our way to school on the first day. Fall is here. Time for schedules and routine again. Time to say good bye to carefree summer days.

And now we turn our minds to the business at hand. This is a place of learning, but in order for learning to occur there are a few things that need to be in place. Our staff and students will be spending the coming days and weeks working on building community in their classrooms and in our school. Before any of us can learn, we need to feel safe, cared about and like we belong. That goes for kids and adults.

So how do we create a culture of caring?

There are only three “rules” I ask kids to keep in mind at school.

• Take care of yourself.
• Take care of others.
• Take care of this place.

Here’s the thing….

If you are doing these three things, you are likely doing your job.

I’m not a fan of having a big list of do’s and don’ts with varying degrees of consequences in black and white for each infraction. I don’t know much, but one thing I know for sure is that there are very few black and white decisions in my day. Each situation has a context. Each child is a person with their own set of experiences. Each mistake that’s been made is an opportunity for learning. I make six mistakes before I even leave the house each day. Thankfully I have an understanding daughter! We need to look after each other, like a family. Also like a family, we don’t need to always like each other, but we do need to care about one another.

We will be working in the coming days and weeks – all year really, to make this a cohesive, caring community as I know it already has been. The staff agree that all the kids at our school are ALL OUR KIDS. Each teacher cares about each of our students whether they are in that class or not. We want school to be a place where kids feel cared about and included and welcome. Yes, we will have some conflicts with each other – but we will solve them together.

I believe in the red car syndrome. You buy a red car and suddenly all you see are red cars everywhere. Anyone who has been expecting a child knows that during that time there seems to be pregnant people everywhere. The same goes for looking for negative things. You see what you look for. So I’m going to focus on the caring. We will look for and teach ways to take care of ourselves, each other and this place. When things go sideways, we will help everyone involved to get back on track, because this is a place of learning.

I know you will let us know how we are doing.

Happy first day back!

Stacy

Many parents are understandably concerned about the continuing job action and schools not being open yet. Parents, many of them friends of mine, have been calling me lately to let me know that they are having their child do math drills and spelling tests in preparation for school starting. Some are doing their own version of book reports and science research. The kids are miserable for the most part. The parents are stressed. And it is creating tension at home. Some of my friends expected me to tell them to keep up the good work. Instead, here’s what I have been telling my friends…

Please stop! Don’t worry. It’s going to be OK.

Real learning is about being curious, passionate, questioning, and thinking critically. You don’t need a certain number of days in a classroom to be a learner. Any facts and figures anyone requires can be Googled. This is an opportunity to ignite your child’s passion for true learning. What do they love? What are they interested in? Take them out into nature. Teach them about something you love. Fly fishing. Quilting. Gardening. Music. Mechanics. Cooking. What is your passion?

Learn something together! I asked my friend if he liked doing “drill and kill” math times tables after a long day of work. He said not really, nor does his child, but he doesn’t want her getting behind.

Here’s the thing…

Math flash cards and times table drills and spelling lists are just exercises in short term memory. Those of us with good short term memories got the gold stars when we were in school. Those of us without good short term memories did not. I’m not saying we shouldn’t be concerned that school is not in session. I’m saying there is little we can do about it, so let’s embrace the opportunity to learn in a different way. Let’s not make our kids hate school before they even get back through the doors.

One of the most powerful things you can do for your child’s education is to model being a lifelong learner. Talk about what interests you. Talk about how you learn new things. LEARN SOMETHING NEW TOGETHER. Learn a few phrases of Italian. Learn to cook a perfect soufflé. Learn to paddle board. Fix your own lawn mower. What can you learn together? What can you learn on your own that genuinely puts you out of your comfort zone, and demonstrates the perseverance and positive attitude that we expect kids to have toward learning? Learning something new is uncomfortable. Every time. You get that knot in your stomach. Your heart rate elevates. You feel frustration. In order to learn something new you have to push through and struggle and get to the “YES!”

Many of my friends say they are tired of their older kids being glued to technology all day while they are at work. So leave your kids with a challenge that must be completed by the time you get home. And let them use technology if they want. Who can build a spaghetti bridge that holds the heaviest weight? Who can create a simple machine that eliminates or reduces the work load for an undesirable chore (raking the lawn, taking out garbage, picking up laundry)? Recognition for a job well done (bragging rights) and the choice of the next days’ challenge are sufficient “prizes” for such challenges. (More to come on my thoughts about rewards and awards another time…) Involve other parents. You come up with one challenge, they come up with the next, etc.

Use this as a chance to connect with and care about your own community, neighbourhood and neighbours. How can your kids contribute? How can they demonstrate caring? Picking up litter? Helping seniors harvest their gardens or prepare for winter? Volunteering at the food bank?

Learning should be fun. (Not kidding) It should be interesting. It needs to be rewarding in and of itself. Take this time to foster your child as a learner. We will cover the curriculum once school is back in session. I promise.

Don’t worry. It’s going to be ok.

Looking forward to meeting you all in person soon.

Stacy