Leadership

Seasonal Traditions – At Home and at School

/ Dave Eberwein / Leave a comment

Last year at about this same time, I wrote a blog post about the importance of hope and light in many cultures around the world (‘Tis the Season for Hope). This year, I want to continue along that theme and discuss the importance of traditions or rituals at this time of year. Things like festive music, seasonal food and decorations make this time of year truly sparkle.

In education, we also have traditions at this time — Report cards and Parent-teacher Interviews come to mind.

I know, I know, I know — WOW! We really know how to capture that festive spirit!

Elf on a Shelf

Actually, I was in a couple of schools recently and they already have some decorations up for the season. The mood was festive, fun and happy. One little girl was so excited to tell me about the Elf-on-the-Shelf that just showed up in her classroom — “It’s magic. She just appeared out of no where!” Seeing that pure joy reminded me that traditions are so critical to that sense of belonging.

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Failing Forward

/ Dave Eberwein / 3 Comments

Before I get too far into this blog post, I need to give credit to Chris Smeaton who shared his concept of ‘Failing Forward’ a few years ago when he was Superintendent of an Alberta school division. He has since retired, but is still influential in the educational field. Chris is a quality person who believes in the possible — a leader who builds a culture of risk taking and emotional support — someone who embraces the idea of failure being a springboard to better things.

Our conversation was about 3 years ago at a conference table. I loved the visual imagery of his ‘failing forward’ message.

Even if You Trip – You’re Still Falling Forward

Even if you’re experiencing a temporary pause in your momentum, you can still move forward if you’re supported and encouraged, but not if you’re condemned for your mistake during your exploration of something new.

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A New Year Begins – Along With Some Anxiety

/ Dave Eberwein / Leave a comment
Autumn in Victoria, BC

September is such a magical time of the year.

Autumn is the season of cooler weather, crisp leaves on the ground and corn on the cob — all worth looking forward to for sure. But, for me and others in public education, September is also our New Year. It’s a time of starting again, the excitement of seeing the kids back in classrooms, maybe some fun new equipment in the school and the optimism of tackling new challenges with some energy in one’s personal tank.

It’s really a great time of year.

As I enter my 34th year in public education that excitement is still there — freshly polished floors, big ideas on our learning agenda and a bunch of exciting new projects to tackle.

Yet, similar to last fall there is still a feeling of anxiety amongst many in our community. COVID continues to provide a significant distraction for many and a challenge for us as we focus on teaching and learning.

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