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My Reflections from 2025-2026

/ Dave Eberwein / Leave a comment

June is a great month — a time when we celebrate student successes. It is also a great time of reflection — not just on what we did, but on why it mattered.

A Year of Reflections

As usual, the school year has been busy — full of change, full of momentum, and, as always, full of people doing great work on behalf of students. As I look back — both on the year and on the blog posts that helped me process it — a few themes rise to the surface.

Leading With Our “Why”

If there’s a thread that continues to run through everything I write, it’s this idea of why.

Throughout the year — from late summer planning to mid-year check-ins to my spring reflections — I found myself returning to the same reality — public education is about people creating the conditions where students feel connected, supported, and challenged.

Many of my posts this year explored the why of public education — the purpose of what we do. And when things felt complex — which they often do — remembering to come back to our why helped to ground the conversations.

Because when we’re clear on why we exist as a system, decision-making becomes a little less noisy and a lot more focused.

The 2022-2027 Strategic Plan: Progress You Can Feel

The Board of Education’s 2022–2027 Strategic Plan is the big why for the District, as it continues to shape the direction we take as a system — but more importantly, it’s also shaping day-to-day experiences in our classrooms.

We check on our success against the plan in our annual Enhancing Student Learning Report which gives us a meaningful opportunity to step back and ask: Are we making a difference?

What stood out wasn’t just the data — although there are encouraging signs there — it was the story behind it:

  • Increasing attention to student voice and belonging
  • Ongoing work to support Indigenous learners and embed local ways of knowing
  • A continued focus on literacy and inclusive practices
  • A growing recognition that personal well-being and learning are deeply connected

Progress in education is rarely linear, and it’s never fast enough for those of us working inside it. But there is something powerful happening when you start to see alignment — when classroom, school, and district priorities move in synergy.

This year is one of those moments.

The Reality of AI… and the Case for Being Human

It would be impossible to reflect on this school year without acknowledging one of the biggest shifts we’re seeing– the rapid emergence of Artificial Intelligence. AI is now part of our landscape — in classrooms as well as in the district office.

Our position on AI in Saanich Schools has been articulated in our Framework for Artificial Intelligence. We’ve taken a stance that’s grounded and realistic.

We’re not ignoring it. We’re not fearing it. We’re learning alongside it.

Human Intelligence is the Point

But at the same time, I’ve been thinking a lot about what this means for education. AI might be everywhere — but Human Intelligence is the point. Because the future isn’t going to reward students for simply having answers. AI already does that. The future belongs to those who can:

  • Ask thoughtful questions
  • Think critically
  • Show empathy
  • Collaborate meaningfully
  • Make sense of complexity

In other words, the future belongs to people who are deeply human. And so, as much as we continue to look at how AI might integrate into learning, we’re also doubling down on the things that make education irreplaceable — relationships, curiosity, and connection.

The Power of Relationships

If there’s one thing that continues to stand out across our schools, it’s this: relationships are still the most powerful driver of learning.

Throughout the year, I had the opportunity to see this in action — in classrooms, hallways, meetings, and community spaces.

  • A teacher taking the time to check in with a student who’s struggling.
  • A team collaborating to support a learner in a more inclusive way.
  • A school creating space for student voice to genuinely influence decisions.

These aren’t new ideas. But in a world that increasingly values efficiency, they are more important than ever. And they showed up again and again in the stories I found myself writing about this year. Because no matter how much education evolves, the human connection at the center of it doesn’t change.

Heading Into Summer … and What Comes Next

As we close out the 2025–2026 school year, there’s a lot to be proud of — but also a recognition that the work continues.

Education doesn’t really have a finish line. It evolves. It adapts. It responds to the world around it. And right now, our world is moving quickly. But if there’s one thing I’m confident in, it’s this — we have people across Saanich Schools who are committed to doing this work thoughtfully, collaboratively, and with purpose.

So as we head into summer, my hope is that everyone finds a bit of time to rest and recharge — but also to reflect. Not just on what we accomplished, but on why it matters. Because when September comes that clarity of purpose will matter more than ever.

Thanks for reading along this year — for being part of my thinking and the conversation.

Wishing everyone a wonderful summer break …

Executive Functions are our ‘Air Traffic Control’ System

/ Dave Eberwein / Leave a comment
Searching for the Invisible Skills of Executive Functioning

One of the most effective determinants of student success is building the invisible skills called Executive Functions — the foundations to effective learning. In fact, studies show a stronger correlation between executive functions and student success, than with IQ and student success.

When I visit schools, I’m reminded that student success is actually based on what we can’t see — things like:

  • keeping the teacher’s instruction in their mind;
  • staying focused while resisting distractions; or
  • shifting problem-solving strategies when their first attempt doesn’t work.

These are our brain’s executive functions — our ‘air traffic control’ system for successful learning.

Executive functions: a set of higher-order cognitive processes necessary for managing oneself, focusing attention, planning, and achieving goals. The three core pillars are:

  • working memory (holding and using information);
  • cognitive flexibility (trying a new approach); and
  • inhibitory control (pausing before acting).

The great news is that these abilities can get better over time — sometimes substantially — from early childhood through adolescence. And, as with most things in education, consistent practice can lead to significant gains.

When students’ executive functions get stronger, the results are noticeable in several ways. Things like:

  • clearer writing;
  • better problem‑solving; and
  • smoother collaboration with others.

Not surprisingly, when stress or poor sleep become factors, we see the opposite happen — less focused writing, weaker problem-solving skills and less cooperation with others. Behavioural outbursts out in school, MAY be the result of a child’s Executive Functioning either not being developed or being temporary depressed because of stress or lack of sleep.

This is another great reminder that personal well-being and learning are so intimately connected. Well-being supports like our district’s Mental Wellness Snapshots help families with practical strategies for routines, sleep, and stress management — the foundations for strong executive functions.

Games like Jenga can Build Executive Functions

Here are a few more ways that families can help promote these critical skills:

  • Invite your child to lead the planning for a family activity: “What is our 3-step plan for today’s adventure?”
  • Do an activity that requires cooperation, planning and problem solving — like cooking or baking.
  • Praise the process behind the problem solving: “Congratulations, you tried Plan B when Plan A didn’t work!”
  • Play strategy-based games that build impulse control, thinking ahead and adapting strategies: Uno, Jenga, Chess, or Memory are good ones.
  • Protect sleep time like their success depends on it — because it does!

So, as parents or caregivers when we are looking to build our children’s success at school, we don’t always need to know how to help them with their Calculus homework to assist them in becoming more successful.

What we all can do is find ways of practicing those critical brain skills that open the doors to successful learning.

And I thought Uno was just a game that I never won!

Hitting the Sweet Spot – Criticism and Praise

/ Dave Eberwein / 2 Comments

In every classroom — at every grade level — a quiet tension exists between correction and encouragement. As educators, we find ourselves navigating the delicate balance between offering constructive criticism and celebrating effort.

Can well-meaning praise sometimes do more harm than good? Is that possible?

An article in Forbes magazine, “Criticism Is Good, But Praise Is Better,” reminds us that while feedback is essential, the tone and intent behind it can shape a student’s confidence and motivation. I recently wrote a blog post about Confirmation Bias (Why Students and Adults Struggle to Be Wrong — and How to Help, Dec 2025) where I outlined the vulnerability of students whose self-image is still developing and can be inadvertently and negatively influenced by both praise and criticism.

The way we speak to students can dramatically influence not just their academic outcomes, but their belief in themselves. Finding the balance — or sweet spot — for optimal personal growth is tricky.

When used well, praise is a powerful motivator. A teacher once told me how her classroom transformed when she shifted from pointing out mistakes to highlighting effort: “I started saying things like, ‘I noticed how you kept trying even when the problem was hard.’” The result? Students became more engaged, more curious, and more willing to take risks.

But, not all praise is created equal.

When praise becomes automatic or overly general — “Great job!” or “You’re so smart!” — it can lead to Confirmation Bias, where students begin to seek validation rather than growth. They may cling to familiar strategies, even when those strategies aren’t working, simply because they’ve been praised for them in the past.

A student praised repeatedly for their vivid vocabulary might resist feedback about their sentence structure. Why change what’s already being celebrated? In these moments, praise can unintentionally close the door to deeper learning.

So, it’s important to recognize that giving praise runs the risk of actually stifling creativity and broader thinking.

That’s why the most effective praise is both specific and reflective. Effective praise acknowledges what’s working while gently inviting students to consider alternatives. For example: “I love how you used descriptive language here. What do you think would happen if you varied your sentence lengths to build suspense?” This kind of feedback affirms effort while encouraging exploration. It minimizes the risk of contributing to confirmation bias.

Parents can adopt this approach at home, too. Instead of saying, “You’re amazing at math,” try, “I noticed how you broke that problem into steps—that strategy really worked. What might you try next time if it gets trickier?” This not only builds confidence but also fosters a mindset of adaptability and growth.

Ultimately, the goal isn’t to either eliminate criticism or flood students with praise.

It’s to create a culture of thoughtful feedback — striking a balance where students feel safe to take risks, reflect on their choices, and revise their thinking. When we do this, we’re not just helping them succeed in school. We’re helping them become resilient, reflective learners for life.

So, praise wisely, correct with care, and you’ll keep the door open for personal growth.