"I'm Talking About a Place Called A-S-P-E-N"

“We got no food, we got no jobs. . . our PETS’ HEADS ARE FALLNG OFF.”

In the 1994 hit movie, “Dumb and Dumber,” Lloyd Christmas and Harry Dunne have fallen on hard times.   Upon finding their pet bird, Pettie, decapitated in its cage, Lloyd delivers an emotional plea to his loyal friend to join him on a journey across the continental USA to escape the miserable state of their affairs, and to return a forgotten briefcase to Mary Swanson.

Lloyd paints a picture of the Promised Land: “I’m talking about a place called Aspen“ he tells Harry. 

 

Lloyd and Harry decide to go to Aspen

Everything will be better in Aspen.   

For the past six months I have been painting a picture of a program called Aspen.

I received notice in March of 2014 that Unity Christian was going to be a part of the first wave of schools on the new student records program called Aspen. The Ministry of Education is systematically phasing out its previous program called BCESIS; all schools in BC will be using Aspen by 2016. 

When I first heard that the program is called Aspen I couldn’t stop referencing the scene from Dumb and Dumber.  I would catch myself describing the program to teachers at a staff meeting and concluding with,  ““I’m talking about a program called Aspen“ Thankfully, like Harry, the staff jumped on the bus (not a Shaggy Dog van) and embraced the journey.

The switch from BCESIS to Aspen has been a significant change for office staff and teachers.  It has vastly impacted the way in which we register and enroll students, create timetables, complete attendance, and track student learning progress.   The office staff went to a workshop in the summer and continues to take part in online learning sessions. Teachers have taken part in numerous online workshops, and have had tutorials to learn the attendance and grade book functions.  Teachers will be updating their marks and assignments minimally every three weeks.    

The rationale for switching from BCESIS to Aspen as part of the first wave was to make use of the online reporting function.   Effective Christian education involves a strong partnership between the school and the home.  You have probably heard the phrase that education involves the home, church, and school; schools alone cannot address all the development needs of a child. Our staff handbook highlights our schools value on partnering with parents:

Unity Christian highly values the parent-school relationship. Teachers are expected and encouraged to take the initiative in communicating with parents.  Our goal is to work together with parent to best serve our students.  Appropriate and timely communication with parents is critical.

The central role of the parent in the education of their child requires that we make use of all possible tools to communicate with the home.   The online reporting functions of Aspen are a welcome addition to our communication toolbox.  Although it has taken much longer than anticipated, the parent portals are currently open and operational.   The portal gives parents the ability to track their child’s attendance and learning progress.  Beyond seeing the up-to-date course mark, parents are able to see each individual assignment and keep track of incomplete and poorly done work.   The objective of the parent portal is meant to strengthen the partnership between the home and school to the benefit of student learning.

There will be a time in near future when students will be given their own portal.  It is interesting to note that students were extremely excited about the parent portal.  They want to know the status of their learning progress.   

All of this change is thanks to a short conversation in my office with Mike Campbell on November 23, 2013:

Matt Van Muyen - “That’s it.  I’ve had it with BCESIS.  Why are we using it? “

Mike Campbell: “Ok. Calm down.  What else can we use?”

Matt Van Muyen: “I’ll tell you.  A program with colour.  A program that doesn’t lock you out for 90 minutes.   A program with an online portal.”

“I’m talking about a little program called A –S – P – E – N”

Mike Campbell: “Ok Matt.  Aspen it is.”

[Tears of Joy were shed]

Blessings

Busy Weeks and Extra-Long Weekends...

It's been a busy week.  And now, I sit on my couch looking forward to an extended long weekend.  The fact that I'm blogging at 9:30 on a Friday night kind of surprises me, but...here I go!

As I said, it's been a busy week - one in which a number of things did not go as planned - some due to my own silly errors, and some due to life - or Murphy's Law.  Why is it that it seems things seem to go awry at the most inopportune times?!  Not that too many major things went awry (other than a broken dishwasher...and with a staff of 40, that's not an insignificant thing - thankfully, it was fixed within the day!).  But things didn't necessarily go as I might have anticipated when I was on the front end of the week. 

We had parent teacher conferences this week.  That meant 2 back to back late nights at school...and a professional development day today...and a staff meeting on Monday...and then there are the things that don't even have anything to do with work!

Now, on this end of the week, as busy as it was, it was a good week.  Parent teacher conferences went really well.  I know that teachers sometimes go into them feeling a bit uncertain about how they will go.  How will parents hear the information that is shared - especially if some of it may be difficult information?  Will parents express a concern that I'm not sure how to deal with?  Will I be blindsided by anything?  Will I be able to express what I want to say appropriately so that parents know that care for their child?   The late nights are tiring, but the emotional exhaustion from 25+ conferences is no small thing.  I'm so very thankful that our staff felt that conferences went well and that they were encouraged and supported in their work.  We value the parent-school relationship and are so appreciative of the work parents do to support their children's learning. 

Today, we had a professional development day.  Staff came to school feeling like they'd just put in a full week and were a bit leery of  a pro-d day that would require them to think and stretch and even participate in various activities.  And yet, staff were engaged in their book clubs in the morning...lots of relevant, good dialogue and discussion took place.  Darren Spyksma, one of the new directors of learning at SCSBC, led staff in working on how to engage students in their learning and how we, as teachers, can find ways to have them involved, invested and in charge of their own learning.  He had staff thinking about their learning activities and participating in a great challenge that had all staff engaged in creating various tunnels and pathways for marbles!  And the teamwork and creativity that emerged from that was really fun to watch!  Staff spent the afternoon doing a variety of things.  Elementary staff worked on planning for our all school unit - we laughed a lot together and even had a productive afternoon!  Middle school staff met with Darren to discuss what kinds of learning activities and spaces work best for middle school children.  High school staff worked on finishing up course overviews.  My sense is that people enjoyed the day and may even have been pleasantly surprised at how engaged they were in the activities of the day. 

And now...a 4 day weekend.  Rest and renewal is something that is we all need.  We need time to spend away from the busyness (and business) of work.  We need time to enjoy a leisurely morning, maybe even waking up without an alarm clock!  We need time to enjoy a good book or a movie.  We need time to enjoy some fresh air - time in the garden, or going for a walk or exploring a part of God's creation.  We need time to invest in and renew relationships - with family, with friends, with God.  We need that bit of distance from the job that we all love to do.  And we need that rest in order to our job to the best of our ability.  God calls us to enjoy Sabbath rest.  I pray that we all get a good dose of that this long weekend.

Every Superman Has His Kryptonite

A couple nights ago I had my Collaborative Leadership class at Dordt College delivered through the world wide web.  Everything was going splendidly until Prof. Vos said, "This next assignment will require you to draw".

Drawing; Van Muyen's kryptonite (along with singing, poetry writing, blogging, zip lining, exercise, high jump, and most track and field events, and many, many more).

Of course Prof. Vos quickly adds, "Don't worry class, you won't be marked on your artistic skills."

Every teacher has that line ready to use after assigning an artistic assignment.  I used it last week when I had Bible 12 students draw Ecclesiastes chapter one.  When Prof. Vos assigned drawing the Unity Christian graduate profile I was filled with doubt in my ability to adequately accomplish the task.  This feeling of reluctance is exactly what Jeanette so brilliantly described in her latest post, "Persevering Through Reluctance."

Over the past year the staff and administration at Unity Christian have been putting together the graduate profile.  Last year we had brainstorm sessions and teachers we're able to collaborate together in small groups, and using google docs, provide their feedback on the different elements of the grad profile.  We (the administration) took the feedback from staff and put together a draft and received more info from staff.  We then produced a final copy of the profile.

The core values from our grad profile are: dedicate all to God, grace, acceptable and inclusiveness, community, discernment, and challenge.   When I read the graduate profile I was struck by the enormity of the task ahead of teachers, parents, pastors, support workers, etc as we aim to develop and nurture committed followers of Christ.   I was also overwhelmed by the impossibility  of creating a visual representation of the grad profile.

Needless to say I took a reluctant plunge into the world of the visual arts; I think Michelle Van Dyk will be proud, or terribly embarrassed, probably the latter.  I started by placing a male and female student in the centre of the picture running forward.  We want students to be running the race put before them as they leave the doors of Unity Christian School.  Moreover, we clearly want students to understand that they don't run the race alone!  They are a part of the family of God and it is important that we support each other as we journey through life.  The images surrounding the two students are meant to represent the core values of the grad profile.  Can you guess what core value each bubble represents?  I can't.  Seriously, it has been a couple of weeks and I can't make out my drawings. Over the next few weeks, as our graduate profile is released to the community, I will expand on each of the different elements of the profile.

Joking aside, I am pretty pleased with my picture.  To all my Bible 12 students struggling to complete my drawing assignment - you can do it - your teacher did!


Blessings  

   

Persevering Through Reluctance

Matt has been asking me to post on this blog since the beginning of the school year.  I have, up until now, resisted.  Probably for a variety of reasons.  I don't know what to write about.  I don't think I'll sound like I have anything to say.  And maybe, just because this kind of writing has always been a challenge for me - in my mind, anyway.

Matt and I were talking about his posts today.  I was encouraging him about them and saying how I thought they were great and should be included in a newsletter sometime.  He then, once more, told me I should post.  And so began the discussion between us about why I am hesitant to do so.  But...that did get me thinking...and now taking the plunge into the blogging world.

It made me think about how often I have encouraged a reluctant child to do something that he or she didn't feel comfortable, competent or even capable of doing.  And sometimes, that sure took a lot of encouraging...and coaxing...and supporting...and ,sometimes, even adapting expectations.  But, oh, the joy (from me and said student!) whey they accomplished the task. 

In my role as learning assistance coordinator, I've had a lot of discussions with teachers in the past weeks about how we can support those students who struggle with school.  Maybe they are reluctant learners; maybe school is just tough for them; maybe they are capable, but need support in order to manage the tasks before them.  There are a lot of reasons why students may struggle.  And some students will struggle in some areas, but not others.  But often, we are pushing these children in an area in which they are reluctant for some reason or another.  But we don't make them do it on their own.  We encourage, we coax, we support and, if necessary, we adapt.  And we want them all to feel a sense of pride and success in their accomplishments!

How many of us are reluctant to do things?  Maybe because the task seems too daunting.  Maybe because we don't feel like we have the energy to do so.  Maybe because we don't feel competent or confident.  Maybe because we're scared.  And yet...often, we are able to feel a sense of accomplishment, success, growth or pride in what we've persevered through.

While writing a blog post may not be the most impressive thing to persevere through, I will admit...I do feel a sense of accomplishment in it!  And now, maybe, I won't be as reluctant to post again.  Matt will be very happy about that.