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Build it and they will come!

Has anybody been around cinema long enough to remember a couple of the famous lines from Kevin Costner’s 1989 film, A Field of Dreams : “build it, and he will come” or “go the distance”? Now I have to admit, the film I automatically think of when I hear Kevin Costner’s name is “The Bodyguard.” Blame it on the soundtrack, but I digress – tee hee hee! Kevin Costner’s character in A Field of Dreams , Ray Kinsella, was practically mocked, ridiculed; and he almost went for broke for building a baseball field on land that had historically been used for farming – something predictable and something that upheld current social patterns. Perceptions, relationships and other variables were immediately strained, as Ray felt compelled to transform the land and eventually the hearts of the people in his community. Why would Ray change what on some level was working. The land was familiar, traditional and it just “fit” into the existing community, expectations and cultural patterns. Withou
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Awareness & Impact of Identities

It is an immense joy to serve our community as a public school servant. As a seasoned public school educator of nearly twenty years, I wholeheartedly believe that public schools can work for ALL students! The tension in this statement is partially rooted in the level of consciousness and actions among the individuals who operate in these learning spaces. Learning, schooling and education do not manifest themselves in a vacuum! Individuals bring the beauty and baggage of life with them into learning spaces. This lived reality thrusts those who are called to educate into a very delicate context. Public education today is a very complex situation and in a very nuanced ministry. Successfully operating in today's learning systems requires individuals to engage in a high level of consciousness, most pointedly around identity and interdependence. For instance, given the intersectional identities of our students and of the individuals who are connected to our students, a thriving educato

Preparing our learning spaces for all!

Our rapidly changing demographic landscape has highlighted the need for educators to fine tune our ability to navigate differences among our students, our students' support systems and among our colleagues. This skill set has become as critical as educators' ability to engage and facilitate content knowledge.  The probability of educating students from different backgrounds has increased significantly and it is common knowledge that this reality is the new norm. Given the dynamic and complicated nature of teaching and learning, individual's beliefs, assumptions and values are always at play. This rich interpersonal exchange is interwoven in adult relationships too - educational staff to family systems/parents and educational staff to educational staff.  The lived reality of schooling more children of color and/or a more diverse student body has positioned some districts to strategically hire more professionals whom are  qualified in content and whom also look like the l