The Music of My Pen

The experience of participating in etmooc – Educational Technology Media Open Online Course – since January was awesome in developing my literacy with the digital and media opportunities that abound for education.  Thus I felt confident that I could pursue my learning goals without the constrictions of traditional learning models.  So, as etmooc is gearing down, I have ventured into the hope that this MOOC – English Composition course through Coursera at Duke University – will develop my writing skill as a teacher, a learner, and a writer.

This first piece of writing completes the challenge to introduce myself to my class.

Image of a modern fountain pen writing in cursive script. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The magic of finding the pen tip its voice onto the blank stave, harmonizing ideas into life.  A breathless rest followed by a slow heartbeat until the thoughts bleed from the melodious voice of the subtle nib.

As a reader, my heart and mind have always been enraptured with the beauty of words.  To see how one’s imagination, heart and mind can find its voice onto a page has always enchanted, yet muted me.  I, too, have always wanted to make the journey to where my nib flows freely.  Sure, I have captured a riff here and even a song there – but never fully committed to the orchestral enchantment of being confidently called a writer.

This is the ironic ideal that precedes the old pithy idiom that “those who can, do; those who can’t, teach.”  Yes, the truth is … I teach Senior High School English.  So I navigate the cacophony of teenage writing, but for years – never dared reveal the melodies in me. 

All this changed one day in a ballroom in Chicago where I basked in the glory of the gurus at the NCTE conference, wondering if I’d ever really grow up and be wise like the big kids and as energetically creative as the young kids?   After many enlightening presentations – actually most of them just perpetuated my self-doubt of mediocrity – I sat in the packed audience to hear Jim Burke, Kelly Gallagher, and Penny Kittle prophetize that I was to “Practice What I Preach” – writing and sharing it publicly, with my students!  Way down, deep inside, my chords shrieked: “I’m not good enough – I just pretend”!

However I have embarked on the elusive quest of my own rhapsody by “Blogging Beside My Students” at http://thehunni.wordpress.com/.

Through this course I intend to reflect on the process of learning as a writer, hoping to transfer such skills into my classroom.  But, truly, I hope to inspire my symphony. 

A Brief Blog Buzzing with Bits and Bites

In the etmooc (Educational Technology Media Open Online Course), I have learned how to use some interesting sites where you can curate and collaborate with information.  This has been incredibly eye-opening, useful, and liberating.  I began by lurking, dabbled by retweeting, blabbed with tweeting, flirted with reviewing, buzzed on my blog, and now – with these exciting new sites – aspire to curate.

Those who can, curate … Those who can’t tweet, retweet @bethkanter (Photo credit: planeta)

To begin, I am excited to be a publisher of stories or sites of interest to share with my “PLN” (Personal Learning Network), my colleagues, and friends.  The two sites that turned this simple hobbit-sized teacher into a powerful publisher (okay, I do exaggerate the power part, but not the hobbit part) are Storify and Paper.li.

1)    Paper.li  curates the material for you from tweeters that you choose to follow in your paper.li

• Here’s mine – THE WEEKLY HUNNI

2)    Storify allows you to curate your material by adding a “STORIFY THIS” button in your toolbar.  So, each interesting or relevant read can be “Storified”.

• Here’s MY COLLECTION today
  • with some favourite student blogs, some 21st century Learning info, some writing info, and spoken word poetry of Shane Koyzcan “to this day” and Sarah Kay.   http://storify.com/PamelaHunnisett/storypad

To help me sort through the confusion, this blog “Paper.li vs Storify” explains the pros and cons between Paper.li and Storify.  I, actually, like both.  I feel that Paper.li does a great job curating the PD reading of interest to me, which might interest my PLN too.   Whereas Storify offers me the power to select some great blogs, sites, articles, etc.. that I can customize to my audience and purpose.  (i.e. to share with my classes, or my Committee work on Learning Commons, or Travel info, etc…).  If I get to teach Creative Writing next year, then Storify is definitely a site I’d teach the students to use to curate their sources of inspiration with the PLN of the class.

3)    Finally, another two AWESOME sites for collecting information is DIIGO and EVERNOTE (these are buzz sites among educators).  This can be for personal use or collective usage (i.e. like our shared drive – but easier access, upload, and downloads).
a.    DIIGO -  offers a “Bookmarking” site that is easy to organize all the websites we educators collect.
b.    EVERNOTE – offers a sharing site of files and websites – allowing access to your storehouse of info, from any computer with internet access.

Such sites could offer awesome “sharing” and PD opportunities among staff and like-minded friends and PLNs.   I look forward to learning how to become “buzzingly” proficient with these bits and bites of sites that improve my interaction with the golden honey of the world wide web!

Etiquettes with Blogging

Etiquette and expectations for blogging and commenting has always been part of my blogging journey with my students.  Being thoughtful as both a writer and reader are important.  I love that my students start to think of themselves as writers, but more importantly, I love the community they build through the process of joining the conversation with each other through feedback.  Their virtual community has transferred into the classroom itself – bringing the students together as a family. Blogging has allowed our walls to literally and figuratively disappear as the students work together to inspire, encourage, respect, and validate each other.   Here is an example of a student’s comment from our student blog:

Dear Abdullah:

This is an amazing piece of writing. I actually enjoyed reading it and liked the information that it gave me. Your first line on the second paragraph sticks to me as being honest and completely true. One question i I wanted to ask you was why you thought that children now are becoming less innocent? I think that this peace is nearly flawless, but you few tiny mistakes like where in one place your sentence sort of does not make sense, “Ignorance is an actuality in society, which is traditionally instilled negatively within the hearts and minds of people in today’s society,” if you did not include the “in today’s society” at the end, then i think that this sentence would flow better.
Overall amazing.

Sincerely,
Ashar
P.S thanks for commenting on my first blog

So, I have been very happy thus far, but I am ready for next steps to improve our process.  Thanks to Sue Waters’s Thursday session on Advanced Blogging through etmooc, I have had some “aha” visions for my next steps with my students:

1. We need to learn to embed pictures, music, videos, and links in their blogs.  It makes their work more interesting, inviting, honest, and it joins the conversation with the rest of the world.
2. We need to learn to write engaging, creative, thoughtful and relevant titles.
3. We need to respond and link to each others’ work to further the discussion.
4. We need to be grateful to those who take the time to read our work and comment.
5. We need to take commenting to the next level.  We already write to our blogger in the form of a letter, we offer positive and a constructive criticism, but I want to add the expectation of furthering the discussion.  (see my ideas in the box below)
6. We need to be “tagging” our own work as I believe that is part of the metacognitive process in the “final touches” of their posts!
7. Finally, we need to be more mindful of “polished” work; we don’t take the time to structure, revise, edit, or embed with their posts.

So, if you have any comments, questions, feedback, models, suggestions, or if you just want to join the conversation on this subject, I look forward to it!

Cheers,

Pamela

ETIQUETTE and EXPECTATIONS for COMMENTING

Format = friendly letter form Dear ______________________, A)   POSITIVE: Encouragement Praise Reaction – when positive (be specific, thoughtful, friendly tone) B)   CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK: Suggestions for improvement Be specific Be a helpful and kind tutor C)   Further the Discussion: Response to another comment Enter the conversation about the idea the blogger presented in their post Provide added value Offer links that could help to improve or continue the conversation Sincerely,  ________________________________ *Etiquette is to ALWAYS respond to any comment that was given to you on the blog.  Try to further the conversation! CRITERIA for ASSESSMENT: SPECIFIC   *   THOUGHTFUL   *   GUMPS   *    STRUCTURE     *   FRIENDLY TONE

 

The Light Shines in the Dark

A powerful light shines in the dark. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The mysterious forces of the universe never cease to amaze me.  As doors close, windows open.  Once, in a relationship crash of my twenty-something years, my father – who thinks pragmatically like any true businessman – tried to comfort me with “don’t look at this as an obstacle, rather, look at it like an opportunity!”  This “insensitivity” sparked a teenage-like rage of disbelief and betrayal in my heart!  How could he liken my broken relationship to a business euphemism?  Ah – but that travelling salesman – my daddy – was all too wise!  That truth has become a mantra of my life; thankfully I could put my emotional ego aside to see that wisdom – those loving and supportive words, eventually, brought light to my darkness.  Thus, the universe does this to us too, repeatedly!  It brings us situations that are obstacles and conflicts until we learn how to make them our opportunities.

I have thought of this often this week through challenges!  There have been many obstacles and my emotional side often frustrates through it all.  But slowly, the week has offered me far more opportunities and I will choose to focus on those.

To begin, I – gulp – took up the call for proposals for NCTE  2013 regarding the blogging journey I’ve experienced with my students.  This is pure opportunity, a dream to hope for!   I do not expect such an honour of presenting at this event that I truly, truly love, but I am proud that I took a chance to make a dream come true.  After-all, as my first blog here states: “Pretending that next time I could be presenting at such a conference as this! But in truth, I just basked in the glory of the gurus and the geniuses wondering if I’d ever really grow up and be wise like the big kids and as energetically creative as the young kids?“  I truly believe in NCTE and how it has transformed me as a teacher!   The PLN and sharing we speak of here in our etmooc course really made me feel the confidence I needed to take a risk and try.

Second blessing of my week – tweeting with  one of my professional idols – Penny Kittle.  As an English high school teacher, this  fine lady is a mentor to my professional growth.  I first encountered her at 2011 NCTE and again I basked in her glory at 2012 NCTE!   She is pure inspiration!  If you are an English teacher – you truly need her!  In fact, my subtitle on this blog is “Blogging Beside My Students”, which is an emulation to her book Write Beside Them.  Alas, I am so excited that she will be coming to Alberta to do workshops with writing!  I noticed on her website that she would be in two other provincial cities this coming month – so I advocated to our local PD and they are bringing her to us too.  Okay, true, I could be accused of being a stalker.  But, I promise you Penny, I’m just humbly respectful of  your amazing energy and talent!  I hope you’ll still take me up on the coffee and tour (it seems Oprah wasn’t interested when she came to town this week).  Just the courage it took me to tweet Penny warrants a coffee – I hope!

Now, as the universe has offered me some painful lessons this week, it also brought great “lights” to my life!  First of all, I reconnected with this amazing teacher who has been a virtual friend and mentor to me – my PLN  (personal learning network).  I met this amazing lady – Carol Mayne – about four years ago via the English Companion Ning.  Ironically, she is in neighbouring Canmore (in the mountains via Calgary).  As I was learning about PLN and sharing, I longed for my friend who I had lost touch with over a year ago.  Luckily – I quickly found her – and it turns out we were finding each other serendipitously via this course.  Amazing!  I am so grateful to have her back in my world and we are planning an actual meeting, as real humans!  Furthermore,  I just saw great clarity of good people in my life – the gifts  of my family, dear friends, and amazing student teachers who I get to collaborate with in my classroom!  I have been blessed by many loving, light-filled people!

Finally, I have really enjoyed reading many blogs this week that transform one’s “wounded” spirit.  But the two that truly to spoke to my inner truth were:

• Message in a Bottle
• “You May Be the Walking Wounded, but Teacher, Stay in the Game!”

These blogs, this course, that conference, the tweets, these people all remind me: “don’t look at this as an obstacle, rather, look at it like an opportunity!”  Essentially, there is much more grace and gratitude to be had in my week than I had felt before.  I choose to focus on the opportunities and be grateful for them.  I guess that pragmatic dad of mine was right all along!  Thanks Daddy!

View of Canmore, AB from the abandoned tea house up Mount Lady MacDonald (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

“Tell all the Truth …”

I was reading some poetry this evening, cause that’s what lit-geeks like me do, and serendipitously found this Emily Dickinson poem that resonated deeply with me on many levels, especially in regards to my quixotic pursuit of the paradigm shift with educational technology that I spoke of in my last post.

Tell all the truth but tell it slant,
Success in circuit lies,
Too bright for our infirm delight
The truth’s superb surprise;

As lightning to the children eased
With explanation kind,
The truth must dazzle gradually
Or every man be blind.

Essentially, I hear Emily Dickinson stating that all the razzle and dazzle of truth must be revealed slowly and mindfully, otherwise we would be blinded by its immediate radiance.  This, too,  is true for learning in our etmooc course (http://etmooc.org/)!  Essentially, the learning is not a linear process but, rather, it is a indirect process that slowly reveals “truth”.  We are drawn in to explore and question based on our personal interest and needs -  taking the time to find the truths to the  circuitous paths we are each exploring.

Beginnings and Endings

Typewriter (Photo credit: toastytreat87)

Well, it has been a very busy week at school – the summative week with my beloved 1st semester classes.  I truly mean it – I have adored my classes this semester.  So this week has been both stressful and emotional.  Oftentimes, what I love about teaching is the “etch-a-sketch” mentality of being able to shake my head after a semester and start a-fresh.  Sometimes, I (secretly) cheer about the freedom from “that” group that is impending.  This time, I cry.  Each class has embedded its quirks and quarks into my heart and I adore these kids!   So, saying good-bye today was bitter, not sweet.  How is it that our experience was so transformational?  Well, I truly believe that part of the power of our family (x3) was our class blogging ( http://hunniblog20.edublogs.org/ and http://hunniblog10.edublogs.org/).  These blog sites (via edublogs.org) hosts the formative writing of my students.  Moreover, the comments the students make to each other truly demonstrates the great quality of character these kids can have towards each other when opportunity and expectation are married.  Essentially, my classroom walls have disappeared and our learning has become visible and interactive.  Yet, as I mourn the loss of my kids – I celebrate the opportunity to clean the slate and see if I can improve instruction and engagement even further next semester – mindfully and innovatively.

To meet these Professional and Personal Growth Plans (PGP), with hopes for the future, I’ve signed up for this wonderful free online course: etmooc – Educational Technology and Media Open Online Course.  It is a place where I hope to get professional support, guidance, and inspiration for integrating more opportunities to transform the learning forum of my class.

At the NCTE (National Council Teachers of English) conference in Vegas this year I was inspired by the 21st Century Learning and Creative Learning musings and philosophies of the ingenious Sir Ken Robinson who many of you probably know from this transformational RSA Animate:

Changing Paradigms: RSA Animate

This animate just makes sense.  Sir Ken Robinson just makes sense!  When I viewed this two years ago, I knew I had to work towards a paradigm shift too, if I wanted to be relevant as a teacher to my students, in their world.  Hence, I began the journey into blogging as a stage for my students’ writing.  My other identity is that of a theatre major and a drama teacher, so the concept of “page to stage” has always been in the forefront of my teaching in drama.  Blogging now gives me a stage in the ELA classroom – and the kids have been hooked.  Suddenly, audience and purpose are highly engaging lessons – as are grammar  lessons (the GUMPS – grammar, usage, mechanics, punctuation, and spelling)!  Suddenly, a grammar lesson is equivalent to a makeover session!

So in my quixotic quest for paradigm shifts, and in the course of this crazy, busy, emotional week – I signed up for etmooc (http://etmooc.org/).  I haven’t been able to hear any Webinar yet since they are at 5pm here in Calgary, and I’m still in traffic, then on the repeat session – I’m teaching.  But it is okay because of the concept where “cMOOCs are not proscriptive, and participants set their own learning goals and type of engagement.” So, I catch what I can via the twitter (new to me), google + (new to me), blogs, one taped webinar (new to me) and the main site.

Already, I read about some wonderful educators and some cool techie-apps and widgity-thing-a-lings such as “RSS”, “Evernote”, “Mural.ly”, and “Haiku Deck”.  All things that I hope to play with over the next two weeks of exams as I set to re-organize my classroom, my courses, my life, my family, my home, my health, and my virtual work with etmooc “Each Time More Online Organized Chaos”!

1 ETMOOC Orientation wk 1 (Photo credit: dennisar)

Never Stop Learning

Disney – Pooh Reaching For Honey (Photo credit: Express Monorail)

I’m not sure what I was thinking, but I’ve managed to find another honey pot to stick my head in.  I’m not sure if it is another form of procrastination – which I have a PH.D. in – or if it is an undeniable opportunity to learn and gain proficiency in projects I’ve been focusing on developing in my personal and professional growth and development.  Tonight – when I avoiding a dining table full of marking finish – I signed up for a free online Educational Technology course ( if interested: http://etmooc.org/register/).  In my defense, I discovered the course this week at our PD session on Tech in the Classroom via the illustrious Alec Couros, and I was alerted again to the course via an advertisement on the student blog site when I was marking the students’ blogs – I was marking!  So, it could be argued serendipity, not procrastination, led me to join.

Alas, I’m a workaholic high school English teacher who is always struggling to make each day better than the last with my children – Luca and Tulia, my love – Cristian, my students, my classes, myself, and my friends – in that order, probably!  I have a nagging  habit of getting stuck in multiple pots – but it is my passion of learning that drags me into these various bee nests.

So, why have I climbed this latest tree?  Well, for the past three years I have been pioneering blogging with my students, and I have learned to do so via trial and error and from the educational community online.  Technology is not a natural extension of my skills – it is a strange and foreign forest that often overwhelms.  But I believe in the transformational power of online learning for both me and my students.  So, I continue to seek out platforms to engage their learning and empower them to find their voices as readers and writers.  I love that blogging allows my students’ hearts and minds to be enjoyed by a larger community of readers, than just me!

But I believe there are many platforms for me to learn and embrace as an educational leader with my students – so it is my hope that Alec and his direction of this #etmooc course will help me build my skills and knowledge for more growth and development that takes our learning to the next level.

Furthermore, next year it is our family plan to live in Argentina for a semester – second semester.  So, I’m hoping this course can introduce me to learning with online technologies as well as, perhaps, open up opportunities to collaborate with my school online.

So, in the wee hours of the morning here in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, I bid the #etmooc community a fond hello.

Disney’s adaptation of Stephen Slesinger, Inc.’s Winnie-the-Pooh (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Moment of Truth

Perenoel1875-1 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

He stared.  He glared.  His lip pursed.  His forehead crinkled.  He was silent.  “What’s wrong bud?” I queried as I busily put away the dishes.
“Are you and dad Santa?” the silence was broken with a knockdown punch.  Caught cold, I floundered and sputtered trying to improv my way through this dreaded moment.  I have no idea what I replied, but it was a weak cover-up, and the glare continued to weaken me.  It has come to THIS moment! Help! “I was playing the X-Box Kinnect [the gift from Santa], and there is a picture of daddy on it.”
“Well, daddy was playing it last night!” I thought I had a clear recovery!
“Mom!  It has the date and time on the picture from last month!” Argh!  Why does he have to be so darn smart! “So?” he asks impatiently!

And I am revealed.  There is nothing I can do  – this is the moment they speak of, the moment when you can no longer sell belief because magic is now a lie!  My heart cracks and bleeds as innocence is slaughtered with my solemn confirmation, “Yes baby, mom and dad are Santa!”  His intense glare bursts into a painful sob with tears streaming down his sweet baby cheeks.  I hold him.  I want to reverse the last two minutes and find a way to maintain the magic.  I’m at a loss.  We hold each other – he is now only two inches shorter than I am – and we collapse into a common grief, both wishing this didn’t just happen.  He doesn’t tell me at this moment, but I know the truth is only revealed to him.  He has protected his sister.  I know.  But I couldn’t protect him.

I release him and tell him we need to go upstairs to tell daddy.  I’m at a loss and can’t bear this alone.  He protests, he pulls back, he begs – he does not want to talk to his daddy.  I’m confused and frustrated.  I need daddy. We need daddy.  So I drag and demand him up the stairs.

We enter the bedroom and daddy responds, “What’s wrong?”  I retell to him about the moment of truth that just left our spirits in a knockout on the kitchen floor.  Luca cries.  I cry.  Daddy holds us and says, “you shouldn’t have told him; why didn’t you come and get me?”  “I couldn’t!  It was that moment where I needed to be honest – he knew!  It was that line where I could never ask him to be honest with me if I was not honest with him when he asked, directly!” I protested, emotionally, defending my action, although I too was condemning my own actions.

“I understand” he consoles us.  We three grieve.  Luca realized too that no Santa means no Tooth Fairy and no Easter Bunny either!  But then my magically wise husband reweaves the magic.

Luca and I sit on the end of the bed and daddy kneels down in front of Luca as he says, “Luca, you need to understand that Santa does exist.  He does!  Mommy believes. I believe.  Think of the news on the TV the other night where all the people at Canada Post were sorting the letters to Santa.  Why would they do that if they don’t believe?”  Luca shrugs.  I’m confused and worried as to where this is going.    “Those people at Canada Post do that work because they believe in the magic of Christmas.  They do this to save the belief in magic!  Mommy and daddy work hard at making Christmas happen because we believe in the magic of Christmas.  Luca, Santa is a belief that you hold in your heart.  When you’re little you believe in an actual Santa coming into your house, but when you get older and you learn what you learned today, you need to understand that Santa is real, in your heart. You are now a Guardian.  A Guardian of magic and belief.  As a Guardian you need to help weave the magic in the world to protect magic in the hearts of children, like your sister.  But you also must be a Guardian to keep the magic in your own heart.  Inside all people – like mommy and daddy – are child versions of us and the magic of believing is important for our inner children to continue believing.  We can keep believing when we become Guardians.  It is like how people believe in God, it is important to have belief because it pulls people together with positive energy to believe in something better.  Magic and belief pulls you through dark moments in your life.  So, Luca, it is important that you are now a Guardian of magic and belief.”

With that magical speech, my brilliant and wise husband restored the magic of the season and even elevated it to a higher level and purpose.  His intuitiveness recognized the pain in our beloved son – the fear of losing the magic.  But, instead of the emptiness of nothingness,  he gave Luca the power to believe. It is so important to us that Luca can still be a kid and by bestowing the honour of Guardian, he has protected both the kid in Luca and other kids.    The motto of Luca’s Guardianship role: ” Be Magical!  Believe!  Imagine!”

Prophetically, Luca has spent the rest of the holiday getting lost in the magical worlds of The Hobbit and The Never-Ending Story and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.  Building belief and realizing true magic is the most powerful moment of truth!

English: Thomas Nast’s most famous drawing, “Merry Old Santa Claus”, from the January 1, 1881 edition of Harper’s Weekly. Thomas Nast immortalized Santa Claus’ current look with an initial illustration in an 1863 issue of Harper’s Weekly, as part of a large illustration titled “A Christmas Furlough” in which Nast set aside his regular news and political coverage to do a Santa Claus drawing. The popularity of that image prompted him to create another illustration in 1881. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I’m From …

I’m from Norman Avenue in North Bay – a land of lakes and forests
A kid-ridden lower middle-class street ending at a long-grassed, beaver-havened swamp.
I’m from wander-lusted forest floor hideouts of endless summer play in the wild, uncouth land;

Escaping into our daily wonderland of wooden bark homes and muddied decaying leafy floors,

Taunted by bears and moose above the escarpment, beyond the creek.
I’m from the broken bridge balanced over rocks -
Tossing stones into that creek, wet-leech covered feet, daring to enter the unknown other-side.

I’m from pool red flags that beckoned us to drown away hot hours into summer BBQs.
With long summer fantasy days fading into bells and brief chilled visits to my forest escape.

 

I’m from crimson flames of falling leaves crunching
While dinner bells ring, drawing my forest clan away one-by-one, by each distinct ring.
I’m from wafting smells of family favourite feasts:
Hams ringed in pineapples, scalloping of potatoes, beans of green and yellow
A devil’s chocolate cake with the fragile boiled white icing – a sticking sweet delight.
I’m from bordering boys of hockey who would dump peas into my milk,
Who would steal the candy of the halloweening children with trip ropes,
Who would torture me with their teasing and star-trekked taser wars.
I’m from a baby sister – a diva of a drama princess,
Stealing my precious Love’s Baby cologne and breaking of my Barbie treasures,
Charming the crowds with tiny tumbles and belting out ABBA tunes

- a devilishly delightful doll of a sister.

 

I’m from Christmas’ where Santa would make a visit to children hoping to make the nice list;

A father – the favourite elf – slaving to transform our home into a winter wonderland;
A mother who rivaled Mrs. Claus with baked delights and dinners well-dressed.
I’m from a treasured time of traditions that would bond us in envied awe from neighbours.

A reunion of cousins and family gathered to celebrate the frozen spirited season.
I’m from screams of terrorized glee whilst sledding down the slippery escarpment hills,

Hot cocoa piled high with marshmallows and whipped cream – and melted cheese dreams.

I’m from stories piled high under the covers with a flashlight – escaping sleep
Enchanted into lands unknown where imagination and dreams wrestle through the witching hour

Kidnapping my heart and spirit into adventures of wild exciting people and places
Igniting the winter slumber with passions of knowing, believing, and being anywhere …
Until my imagination found life again in the forested floor of summer escapes beyond the creek!

 

With much emulation from Penny Kittle, Kelly Gallagher, and George Ella Lyon!

Graduating Class of 2012 – My Toast to the Students

It is such an honour to be asked by a graduating group to be the teacher, among such incredible teachers, who gets to give the speech at the Grad dinner.  I thank you for thinking of me.

So, my dear graduating class of 2012 – you and I have travelled quite the road together that has been fraught with peril and wonder.  Incredibly, most of you, I have taught at one point or another in our 6 years together at FFCA.

• If you were in my homeroom in Grade 8 at Andrew Davison – please stand.
• If you were in Mr. Butterfield’s class that year – my other ELA class – please stand.
• If , in Grade 8, you were in my drama electives, technical theatre electives, or after-school dama – please stand.
• If you were in my Grade 9 English class at DNB, please stand too.
• Grade 10 drama (oh lord help me) – please stand.
• Grade 11 English and AP English – please stand.
• Grade 11 Drama – please stand.
• Grade 12 English this year – please stand.
• Any drama or musical extra-curricular throughout these past 5 years – please stand.
• Those of you who are not standing – can rest assured that you are not the ones responsible for any of the many grey hairs that I was dying this morning at 7am!  So thank you for being wonderful students who I could love but not have been  tortured by!
• To all my little grey hair makers standing –I love you – but goodness,  you owe my lots and lots of therapy and spa sessions!!!!!
• You may now, Sit down!

So, when I agreed to do this speech I knew I had to do it because I love you, but I had no idea what to talk about.  So, I decided I’d talk about the personality of this group.  As you can imagine from the ceremonies earlier – this group can be a wee bit of challenge and a wee bit of a gong show.   So, how is it that you are so embedded in my heart, when you have driven me so crazy all these years.  Then I realized that it is your charm, your love, and your mischievous child-like sense of wonder and awe.

Then I realized you – as a collective – are PETER PAN and the Lost Boys: the children who never want to grow up.

And I round out many of the other characters in our lil’ epic journey of Neverland!  At times, I’m Nana the dog, barking away as you fly off into the stars.  Often I’m Wendy – the mother-figure – here taking care of you.  Other times, I am the Great Captain Hook – trying to take you down.  Sometimes, I am that big ol crocodile, Tick Tock, chasing you around the waters, reminding you of your doom with looming deadlines.  But mostly, I think that I am the hopeless Tinkerbell – dreaming in Neverland too often too – always buzzing around giving you all my pixie dust, drinking poisoned cups to save you, and stomping my feet, crossing my arms, frowning and nagging at you – but all the while, loving you!!

Often, most teachers here would agree, we have all had moments with you, like this one:  To illustrate – Mr. Widmer, may I borrow you please?  And, although I could pick 85% of you for this role, the infamous Jared Burtch – may I please borrow you, too?

(Give them their scripts and costumes/props for a Peter Pan/Hook battle)

Narrator: For long the two enemies looked at one another, Hook shuddering slightly, and Peter with the strange smile upon his face.
HOOK: “So, Pan, this is all your doing.”
PETER PAN: (sternly) “Ay, James Hook, it is all my doing.”
HOOK: “Proud and insolent youth, prepare to meet thy doom.”
Narrator: For long the two enemies looked at one another, Hook shuddering slightly, and Peter with the strange smile upon his face.
PETER PAN: “Dark and sinister man, have at thee.”

(And they battle in a sword fight – Peter Pan wins)

Sadly, this is often how we feel the battle can go with you – like Mr. Widmer here, we lose!.  But I have CHAMPioned great ACHIEVEment by resorting to this strategy to regain our authority.  (duct tape Jared’s mouth and around and around his body – put him on the floor –  and sit on him).

ME: So class, now that this lil’ annoyance is under control, let’s continue with the lesson.

Anyhow, now that you get a picture of what class is like with this group – back to the speech.

So the more I thought about this little analogy, the more appropriate I realized it is to describe you as a group.  Also, in preparation for this speech, I reread the blogs some of you have written over the last two years and found it wrought with Peter Pans:

When I call your name, please stand while I read the quotation you wrote:

1^st we have a few Peter Pan wannabees::

• Anish dreams: I am a dreamer. I like to imagine myself doing things heroic, just, brave, important, and near impossible. It usually causes a lack of focus in my real life, while I am entangled in one that only exists in my mind. 

• Balraj confesses: I have had an amazing time in FFCA; primarily due to one reason of never being serious.  I am able to look back and not have any regrets for the most part. Not every teacher necessarily appreciates how I was in their class always but all those times that I got into trouble or kicked out of class was all worth it.

• Nathan escapes: When we break free of our fears, nothing will stop us from being all that we can be. … So fly into your sky and be all that you can be.

2^nd we have those who realize that Neverland is ending:

•  Mariana’s realization: I perceive life to be a wondrous journey with unknown quests and conquers- a baffling and free adventure … For we all know that we fight our battles, and come face-to-face with moments of true defeat and sorrow.

• Avneet’s awareness : Although everyone is excited to graduate and get out of here, we all know that we will miss this place because no one is going to treat us like children anymore, we for once, have to act like adults and make mature decisions for ourselves. 

• Joanna’s Oprah moment: Everyone has their own Peter Pan Syndrome. A condition with symptoms such as the refusal to accept the realities of life and displaying immaturity and innocence of a child despite the age of the patient.

3^rdly, it was my job to give you advice in this speech to help you move away from Neverland and into reality, but I think the wisdom of your own peers does a better job than I could ever do:

• Marie reflects: What will have made your life feel full and the memories that you will remember will be the relationships you have built with people, the celebrations you’ve had with loved ones, and the tears and laughter that came with it all.

• Ashleigh inspires: With the powerful combination of the willingness to learn and the willingness become more optimistic, one can truly be deemed unstoppable

• Afsha rationalizes:  ‘every action has an equal and opposite reaction’, therefore, we can deduce that our small purpose in life can leave somewhat of a legacy or mark.

Well through your dreams, silliness, escapism, battles, awareness, tears, laughter, optimism, and life quest – I have been marked, indeed.  Marked with plenty of grey hairs and lots of love through the many lessons we have taught each other.

So, in conclusion, many months ago, I asked a mish-mosh group of Grade 12 “lovely, lazy lumps” (as Ms. Coldwell calls you) to write an essay based on the title “THIS I BELIEVE”.  Well, my darlings, through that blog and the many others that followed, I realized that Neverland and Reality might be able to co-exist in your world.  Perhaps that is why we’ve always connected – you and I – we are the dreamers.  So my parting words to you are stolen from JM Barrie’s Peter Pan:

1)    “Dreams do come true, if only we wish hard enough.  You can have anything in life if you will sacrifice everything for it.” 

• In other words, dream babies, dream – but be prepared to work harder than you ever have before in pursuit of your dreams.

2)     “I taught you to fight and fly.  What more can there be?”

• So, we’ve done all we can do as teachers – we have given you all the pixie dust we can muster! Use it and fly!

3)    “Never say goodbye because goodbye means going away and going away means forgetting.”

• And, I can never forget you, because you entered my world as lil pain-in the-but Pans and you’ve made me a better teacher through it all!

4)    Finally, “You know that place between sleeping and awake, that place where you can still remember dreaming? That’s where I’ll always love you, think of you; that’s where I’ll be waiting.”

• Please return and know that I’ll be waiting to hear from you!!

So, on behalf of my heart and all the teachers here, I ask that you raise your glass to toast our darling Peter Pans on their graduation day!

CHEERS!