Because It's 2015

There has been much talk of Justin Trudeau's "mic drop" moment this week.

For the first time that I can remember, I am excited about politics, and Canadian politics at that. Many of my friends and family are too. Justin Trudeau was elected as our 23rd Prime Minister on October 19th of this year and my Twitter and Facebook feeds have been filled with excitement, hope and lots of memes about our new PM.

He and his new Cabinet were sworn in on November 4th, two days ago.

It was a historic event for many reasons:

1. Justin is our first ever second generation Prime Minister. His dad, Pierre Elliott "Trudeaumania" Trudeau, was our fifteenth Prime Minister and a media sensation. Justin is already following in his father's footsteps on both counts.

2. The announcement of the Cabinet Ministers included Justin following through on his promise to appoint an equal number of men and women. For the first time in Canadian history, we have gender parity in our federal Cabinet.

3. Some big changes were made to the titles of the Minister's portfolios, filling people with hope that our new government will make issues important to Canadians and the world a priority. We have a Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, a Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs and a Minister of Environment and Climate Change.

4. I was glued to the TV and Internet, following political news. Although I vote in every election, I have largely been apathetic about Canadian politics. Suddenly, I'm not.

The "mic drop" moment occurred when Justin, unlike his predecessor, took time to address the media immediately following the swearing in ceremony. He was asked why it was so important that his Cabinet be gender balanced. He replied simply, "Because it's 2015." The gathered crowd erupted in cheers. In the days that have followed, the Internet has also erupted in cheers.


Watching the ceremony, I was captivated by the short commentary being made by newscasters as each new member of the Cabinet approached the front of the room for their swearing in. Their ages and backgrounds varied widely, and the diversity of this group of individuals was something I'd not seen before. Not only are 50% of the appointees female, but they vary in: age; place of birth; hometown; marital status; sexuality; religion; skin colour; former professions (a teacher, doctors, lawyers, a social worker, athletes, scientists, a geologist, a police officer and war hero, professors, entrepreneurs, economists, journalists and writers, volunteers, community leaders, an orchestral musician, an astronaut); culture (we have two First Nations Cabinet Ministers); health (there is a Minister who has battled breast cancer twice); abilities (one Minister is quadriplegic, another is visually impaired) and life stories (one Minister was falsely imprisoned in another country for two years, another is a refugee to Canada).

I searched for a complete list of the Ministers, their job titles and facts about them. Finding none, I took Chris Hardwick's advice and made a thing. I Googled each member of the Cabinet and sought to find out their full name, new job title, hometown, age, place of birth and additional interesting information. This I called "Special powers." Many of the Cabinet Ministers had only local news articles and a Liberal campaign page as I began my search. In the minutes and hours that followed, I discovered that busy Internetters were creating Wikipedia pages for each of them, even as I sought information elsewhere. I've been able to return to those and get information that I was unable to find elsewhere. Eventually, I finished the 31 cards, one for each of the 30 Cabinet Ministers and one for our new Prime Minister. I have called them Canada's Cabinet Trading Cards.

I Skyped with a former student the day after he attended the Swearing-In with his class. He excitedly showed me the work they did in class to follow-up. He had marked the hometowns of each of the Ministers on a map of Canada and tallied how many males and females were in the Cabinet. This nine year old was as excited as I am, and had watched the historic event live, at Rideau Hall in Ottawa.

Right now, I wish I was in the classroom. There are so many things I'd like to share with my students.

• I would like to take the trading cards and give one to each of my students, assigning them to that Cabinet Minister for the year. I would have them research their portfolio and follow the news to see the changes they proposes throughout the year. I would encourage the student to write letters to that Minister, sharing what they learned and any advice they could share. 
• I would print two sets of the trading cards and teach them how to play "Guess Who" with their new Cabinet.
• I would have them order the Ministers by age and then do math about that. Find out when they first started in politics, figure out how many years of experience they each have.
• I would have them attach the Ministers to the locations of their hometowns on a Canadian map. Then, we'd find the birthplaces of those Ministers born outside of Canada. 

Fortunately, I have awesome friends who are still in the classroom and excite me with stories of how they are teaching their students. My former teaching partner and soul sister, Tiiu, is now the Prime Minister in her grade 5/6 class. All of the students, after witnessing the swearing-in first hand, have selected ministerial positions for their class and had a raucous swearing-in ceremony today. After posting the Cabinet Minister Trading Cards on Facebook and Twitter, I have had friends add to the document and share it with other teachers, suggesting ways to use the cards. 

Tiiu's class' Ministers.

Back to the reason for this post. Gender parity was a priority in our Cabinet because it's 2015. Gender parity is important in education for the same reason. You can tell by looking around almost any elementary school that there are a higher percentage of female than male teachers. Search for the names of principals and vice principals at those same schools. You'll notice that there are a lot of men who take power positions. Look at the lists of those in power at a board or district level, and you'll see the female names continue to decrease. Attend a big teaching conference, especially one focused on technology, and look at the names and photos of the speakers. You will notice that most of them are men. Why does this disparity happen? There are so many possible reasons, and I'm not OK with any of them. 

If Justin Trudeau can assign 50% of his Minister positions to intelligent, strong and successful women, we can surely do the same in education. We need to make it a clear priority to balance out gender (and race, and sexuality, and religion, and physical ability, and age) in the most powerful and visible positions in education. 

50% of the population is female. 50% of our students are female. More than 50% of our teachers are female (some recent numbers that I was able to find show that: in Canada in 2006, 84% of elementary and preschool teachers and 57% of high school teachers were female; in the US in 2011-12, 78% of teachers were female; on a table created by The World Bank, listing gender balance of teachers from 2011-2014, most countries have a significantly higher percentage of female teachers)

Like the Canadian Cabinet now having a wider variety in voices at the table, we need more equal representation in the education conversation, at all levels.

The new Canadian Cabinet shows us what change can look like. We need to follow the excellent role modelling and make it easier and more comfortable for women to share their voices. 

Some excellent resources are available, if you want to learn more. 

• Read about and reflect on Speaking While Female. Consider the gender biases present in the structure of meetings you attend. Are the female participants barely heard? Are they judged to be too aggressive if they speak out? Do men in the meetings take their ideas and get the credit?
• Follow the hashtag #changetheratio and add your own observations to it. Next time you are at an education conference or professional development event, observe the ratio of male to female participants and presenters and reflect on how you feel about it. 
• Check your Twee-Q: enter your Twitter handle (or anyone's, for that matter) to analyse the proportion of recent retweets, based on whether they came from a male or female's account. Consider, as a connected educator, whose stories you are celebrating and sharing. 
• Consider ways that we could accept blind applications to conferences. Instead of putting a name and gender on an application, assign applicants a number. Selection committees could chose based on merit of ideas, not preconceptions about the individuals sharing them. 
• If you're a woman, Lean In. Get more involved. Don't let yourself sit back. Become empowered to be confident and believe in yourself. 
• Ask4More. Demand equal pay for equal work in all fields.
• Explore "mansplaining" and do what you can to stop the cycle.
• Share other ideas and resources you have with your communities, in person and online.

Our classrooms are full of young children who see themselves in the world around them. Seeing our most powerful governing bodies become more representative of them and their families can give them a lot of hope. They can see themselves in positions of power. Starting in their classrooms and school buildings, they need to see a more valued and diverse population of leaders. Why do we need to do this now? Because it's 2015.

A Work Space Where No One Works: 11 Lessons from Innovative Work Spaces

Today, I visited a couple of friends at Idea Couture, a strategic innovation and experience design firm.

Every word in their title and description is amazing. Imagine if you described your school in a similar way. Schools should be strategic and innovative. We should carefully design the experiences for our students (and staff and families). Ideas should be fresh and couture - they should be designed to our students' specific requirements. It wouldn't be enough to just describe your school this way. In fact, fancy mission statements and statements of vision mean nothing without follow through. The day to day operations of your organization need to match the words you use to describe it, or they need to change.

This summer, I visited a couple of innovation hubs (MaRS and CommuniTech), which, like Idea Couture, have put a lot of time and thought into the design of their space. Schools can be innovative hubs and the physical design of them should reflect this idea.

Idea Couture published a book called "No One Works Here." The secret subtitle that appears inside the book is "Everyone Plays Here." This would be another great way to be able to describe school. Instead of looking at learning as work, if our students looked at it as play, we would see an increase in engagement and excitement.

I was really impressed by Idea Couture's atmosphere, right from the moment I walked in. I have a school in my head and I am constantly gathering inspiration for it. If I could kick out the staff at Idea Couture and move my grade 4-12 students in, I think we could do some amazing things.

Schools can learn lessons about turning work into play by carefully designing learning spaces from innovative companies like Idea Couture.

Lesson 1
Celebrate individuality and learn about the importance of branding.

photo from ideacouture.com

Everyone is encouraged to make their mark at Idea Couture. When they are hired, they're given a plastic toy bear that is like a blank canvas. They can decorate, brand and individualize them in any way they choose. At their San Fransciso office, they have several of these bears on display in a gallery.

photo from ideacouture.com

From the beginning of the year, students should know that their classroom is their space. For the past few years, my students spend part of their first day of school decorating a shaped popsicle stick. We use these for many purposes throughout the year, including as washroom passes, to determine partners and groups and to draw names in random order for a variety of activities. By expressing themselves and individualizing one of these on their first day, students get a chance to tell their own stories.

Lesson 2
Celebrate and commemorate past successes.

photo from ideacouture.com

One of the seating and working areas is decorated with stylized posters of some of the past projects Idea Couture has completed. There are simply designed graphics that represent clients and products they have worked on. These can provide inspiration for guests and clients, as they are posted in an area that is as close to a waiting room as IC has. It is also a work space for employees and is surely intended to celebrate their past work and successes.

In your classroom, the walls can be covered in student work, instead of store-bought posters. Tell the story of your team and what you have accomplished. Showcase your learning and successes.

Lesson 3

Write and share your story.

IC has bears that help individuals share their stories. They have posters that share the story of the company for visitors. They also publish a quarterly magazine and books to share their ideas, work, philosophies and lessons for others.

I'm sure other educators would have similar excitement when my friend told me that I could take a copy of any or all of the books that are beautifully designed and were on display all over the three stories of the office. I left with a backpack that was so full of gorgeous new hardcover books that I was worried about the stitching on the straps. You'll be happy to hear that I made it home safe, as did my backpack. My shoulders were less fortunate.

My cat is concerned that these books will cost her my attention. 

Help your students write and share their learning story and share it widely. Though you likely don't have the capabilities to print gorgeous hardcover books, you can share your photos, videos, work and writing very professionally for free. Make use of media that is available to you and help your students create media to share with their families and the world. It is no longer enough to share a newsletter with parents or a yearbook commemorating the events of the whole year. Make a class blog. Have a class Twitter account. Create videos and share them on a class YouTube account. Update these regularly by sharing your students words, ideas, work and reflections on their learning.

Lesson 4
Create a space that is inclusive.
On the doors to the washrooms at IC, I noticed labels that were a bit unusual. Instead of a recognizable stick person, each of the two washrooms was labelled with "He/Xe" or "She/Xe." Xe is a gender-neutral pronoun and the writing on these washrooms made it clear that any person was welcome to use these facilities, regardless of assigned gender.

From my understanding, "Xe" is theoretical pronoun and many people, instead, prefer the gender-neutral pronoun "they." I appreciate the effort with the labels, regardless.

There is considerable debate happening in educational institutions about how to make all learners feel included. Gender-neutral and private washrooms are a great step.

Lesson 5
Value physical activity and brain boots.
IC has devoted two rooms to physical activity. They have a small gym, with a treadmill and weights and a ping-pong room. Employees can self-select when they need a brain boost and use these rooms to play or exercise. They also have a single golf hole set up on one floor.

In your classroom, create time and space for students to boost their brain power through physical movement. Full class activities from a site like GoNoodle are great. Providing students with tools and strategies to self select brain boosts is also important. I have had a stationary bike and mini trampolines in my classroom for this purpose. Students practice Brain Gym and use the actions they've learned to renew and refresh themselves as needed. I do not control the times they are "allowed" to do these activities. They know their bodies and take time when they need it, making sure to be respectful of others' work habits.

Lesson 6
Everything is a writing surface.
Most of the walls in IC do not have permanent art or decorations. They are covered in white boards. Windows are used for writing on. There are large, portable whiteboards in common working spaces. Neon sticky notes and colourful dry erase markings cover every surface. The tables seemed to be covered in whiteboard paint, but I told they weren't. Being a visitor, I didn't test it out to try to prove myself right.

not IC, from logovisual.com

More and more schools are investing in whiteboard paint on walls and tables and giving students opportunities to write and draw ideas all over their classrooms. You can buy a large sheet of whiteboard at a hardware store and have the employees cut it into one foot by one foot squares for students to use instead of paper. My biggest problem is always in keeping enough whiteboard markers in working order. They dry out easily and can be very expensive. Doodling in one of the rooms at IC, I realized that schools are not unique in having this problem.

Lesson 7
Be transparent.
I have fallen in love with, instead of total open concept, lots of different sizes of work spaces with transparent walls (otherwise known as windows). IC has several conference rooms, meeting spaces and offices that have at least one glass wall. The benefits to this are many. I saw writing on several of these windows. A wall of windows provides the perfect mix of privacy and transparency. People can speak to one and other without being overheard or disrupting others, but as you walk by, you can see what they are doing. Natural light is disbursed throughout the entire floor when workspaces with windows to the outside world also have windows to the inside world of the office.

not IC, photo from southwestsolutions.com

The school in my head looks a lot like this. Students will work in groups in windowed rooms and cubes. As they walk by, other students and staff are encouraged to look in, see what's going on and enter, sharing their input.

Lesson 8
Use a variety of tools: analog and digital. 
Employees at IC had laptops at their desks, or on their laps (as the name helpfully suggests). They also have piles of paper with jars of markers and pencils. Whiteboard markers and whiteboards are all over the office, as mentioned earlier.

Some schools (more specifically, purchasers for some schools) believe that innovation will happen when students and teachers are given fancy new technology tools. By investing in devices for all students or SmartBoards in all classrooms, they believe that learning will transform. The tools are only that, tools. It's up to the user to effectively harness the power of thinking and learning, and use a tool to enhance that. Make sure that your students have access to and strategies for using analog and digital tools.

Lesson 9
Be flexible.
IC provides desk space to employees, but nearly all the desks were empty. Instead, people were working on couches and in collaborative work spaces surrounded by windows.

When they have the choice in my classroom, many students lie on the carpet to do their work. Some sit on benches or stand up. My dream school is full of a variety of flexible learning spaces that feel more like living rooms, cafes and restaurants than a traditional institution. In ten years of teaching, I have never had individual student desks. I scrounge for tables and make spaces for students to work individually or in groups.

Lesson 10
Flatten the hierarchy through sharing the space.
Though senior team members, including the CEO have offices at IC, they are not wasted space when they are not being used. The CEO was out of his office when I visited and groups, including ours, use the space. Like many of the collaborative work spaces, his has a huge window as the internal wall. Instead of a desk and filing cabinets, as you might expect in a CEO's office, there is a huge conference table surrounded by comfortable chairs, welcoming working groups. Next to that office is another large office, this one with a similar set up in addition to a short table with floor pillows. People can work by sitting at a regular height table or by sitting on the floor at the much shorter one.

Lots of educators are being encouraged to get rid of teacher desks to make room in their classroom for students. Acknowledging that teachers spend a lot of time working at their desks after school and in breaks, I don't think this is necessary. Instead, I think it is an individual choice, but the placement of a teacher desk (or, even better, table) should be carefully considered. The classroom that is familiar to many is one with the teacher's desk at the front of the room, backed by a black (or white) board. The students sit in rows of desks, facing that. Though much of student seating has changed, teacher desks often remain in the "traditional" position. I would encourage teachers to consider placing their desk in a corner of the classroom and making a point to work with their students at it and around the room as much as possible.

I will not sit at the front of the classroom all day. I will not sit at the front of my classroom all day. I will not sit at the front of my classroom all day. Write that on the blackboard 20 times.

Visually and in practice, eliminating the hierarchy of individual work spaces, creates a more welcoming atmosphere.

Lesson 11
Inject fun through themes and names.
Each of the collaborative work and meeting spaces at IC has the name and image of a toy or game on it. Instead of meeting someone in conference room B, you might meet them in "Tinker Toys." At MaRS in Toronto, the conference rooms are labelled with inspiring quotes.

In a classroom, themed immersion adds an element of fun to the culture. Use language and names that are relevant to your students. Give them the opportunity to pick them. We had "Work Apartments," instead of "standing files" for students to store their notebooks. They used class iPads that they named "Isaac," "Ivy" and "Ilys."

Spoiler alert: This is very similar to the school in my head.
Photo from The Jetsons

Design is important in everything we do. Consider the purpose for a space instead of just doing what's "always been done." Create a place where people feel engaged and excited to work and learn.

Reflecting on Reflecting

Reflecting on reflecting is a funny thing. It starts to feel like an Esher painting as you think about the importance of the importance of thinking about how you think. Even that sentence has my brain in knots.

I have learned that, for me, self-reflection is the key to my own learning. For years, I told my students it was key to theirs' and helped them do it, with some effectiveness. It isn't until recently that I realized I wasn't doing very accurate self-reflection.

The problem was, I wasn't practicing what I was teaching. I told my students to celebrate their efforts, not just their successes. I told them to internalize positive feelings and feedback. I told them to objectively look at themselves and their work and appreciate what they were doing. I told them to look for ways in which they could continue to improve and grow.

The only one of those that I was effectively, consistently doing myself was the last. I am really good at finding things I need to get better at.

All of the positive aspects of reflection that I taught my students were falling on my own deaf ears and mind.

Recently I realized that when I told myself I was reflecting, what I was doing looked more like the Magritte painting above. I tried to examine my actions and thoughts in a mirror, instead I blocked myself off. I looked at the back of my head. I was really good at looking back and terrific on focusing on what didn't go as well as I'd hoped.

When I would ask my "Mirror, Mirror on the wall" how I was doing, a very angry version of myself was more than eager to respond with criticisms and a tongue-lashing.

I discovered that, instead of treating myself as I would expect my students to treat themselves, with kindness and honesty, I was behaving as if I had a panel of judges commenting on every choice and action. Although the audience loves a harsh judge, like Simon Cowell, on a panel, if all we had were Simons, people would change the channel. My internal panel was filled with versions of Simon Cowell and they dictated to me how I "should" feel about myself and my work.

In Inside Out, things go very wrong for the protagonist, Riley, when Joy and Sadness leave the control panel to be operated by Fear, Anger and Disgust. In thinking about myself, I realized that I let those three take the reins for my self-reflection for far too long.

Realizing how inaccurate my perception of myself was ended up being the easy part. I acknowledged that it wasn't helpful or productive, but I had a huge fear (look who's driving again) that I'd over-inflate myself image. I worried that I'd become the house cat who saw herself as a lion.

Finally, I have begun to figure out how to be a better reflector.

Here is what I have learned.

1. Quit judging yourself for thinking about yourself. Everyone does it. No one thinks of us nearly as much as we think of ourselves. If you're worried others are judging you, they probably aren't. They're too busy working on themselves.

2. Balance being genuine and honest with being gentle and humble. I consider genuine as being truthful with others and honest as being truthful with myself. I have to be truthful with myself before I can truly be myself around others. Though I try to be genuine and honest, I am aware of the need to be gentle with myself and humble towards others. This has been extremely difficult for me. To help in gentleness, I picture myself as the four-year-old version of me and it's easier to treat her better. Humility is scary. I want to share my learning and successes, but worry that others will perceive what I share as bragging.

3. Projecting isn't the same as reflecting. For my whole life, I have projected confidence and self-esteem. People around me think that I have my stuff together and might be surprised to learn that what I project into the world does not match how I feel about myself. What I see reflected is described above. The best way I can describe it is dysmorphia, instead of seeing my body as something different than it is, I see my entire self in the most critical way possible. I am working on reflecting more accurately, so that what I project is more genuine.

4. Taking the time to reflect means accepting vulnerability. By honestly looking at yourself, your choices and your actions, you are open to all kinds of feelings. Seeing yourself as you truly are and accepting that you are in a constant state of becoming isn't easy. Even reflecting silently in a journal can rip you open. If you want to really feel raw, try making that journal public and blogging about it.

5. Despite everything, reflecting is one of the most valuable things I do. Thinking about my thinking, thinking about my progress and setting goals keep me moving forward.

Tonight, I'm co-moderating #cdnedchat with the amazing Dana Ariss. We'll be talking about reflection in education.

The First Day (That I Didn't Go) Back

Today was a strange day. For the first time since I was three years old, I didn't go to school on the first day after Labour Day.

The nervous, excited feeling I've had for thirty straight years, butterflies in my tummy keeping sleep away the night before school starts left me alone last night.

All day, I eagerly devoured Facebook, Twitter and Instagram posts. Not only were friends and colleagues returning to school, but so were the tiny babies of many friends.

The first day of school holds so many emotions. As a student, I didn't love it. I was always overwhelmed by nerves and intimidated by new routines. I did, however, love the new school supplies. My favourites were fresh new binders, filled with crisp lined paper purchased at 19 cents a package and the occasional fancy set of pens or markers. From grade five all the way until my Bachelor of Education, I spent time during the first week decorating those binders, jazzing up my class schedule and making elaborate plans of how to avoid procrastinating, finally. The binders started off pretty, the schedules colour-coded and the procrastination always arrived.

As a teacher, the first day of school is awesome. Instead of snazzy new binders and hand coloured schedules, I have charts, tables, lists and plans on the Google Drive. Colour coding remains a necessity. I spend a lot of the summer planning for my new class and always over plan the first day. I have at least four times the amount of activities than I do time. Getting to actually see the names on my alphabetical (by first name) class list come to life as small humans is exciting. I remember how I felt as a student on the first day every year and do my best to calm nerves and make sure each and every student knows how happy I am to have them there.

The day always flies by. Huge amounts of paperwork magically appear. Very soon, it feels like you were never gone. The eight weeks of summer are a distant memory eight hours into a new school year.

My bladder starts its training process for retaining massive amounts of water until the moment that the children leave my sight.

By the end of the first day, my body knows that its holiday was over. The sleep lost the night before and the constant motion and attention. I drive home, one of those delirious car rides where you cannot remember a single detail from the moment you turn the ignition until you remove the keys. Attempting to get new information, like bus schedules, parent contact information and last minute changes to every schedule and routine sorted out, I inevitably decide to lay down on the couch to "rest my eyes". Four hours later, I wake up long enough to shove food down my gullet, tell Captain Handsome I'm way too tired to talk and head back to sleep.

Then, the learning adventure begins. Individuals who started out wary of one another slowly begin to merge into a community. I start to see lessons I have purposefully planned begin to pay off. I see lessons I painstakingly created fail magnificently. Students start to trust me and each other. Each morning, I am greeted with excited faces and each afternoon, there are at least a few people who don't want to leave.

No matter how chaotic and exhausting those first days are, they pass. My students and I become a team. We laugh, explore, discover, question and learn together. Sometimes we even cry together.

The first day of school always feels like a mixture of predictability and total freshness. I've been in a classroom on the first day for thirty straight years. I know that first day jitters wear off and real learning begins.

This morning, I didn't set an alarm clock. I let my body, not the chime that Captain Handsome hates on my phone, choose when to get me up. This morning, I smiled as I looked at the pictures and status updates shared by friends. I nearly cried when my teaching partner told me she missed our morning greeting. I felt wistful seeing photos of former students bravely traipsing off to new adventures.

I don't feel left out, though. Instead of returning to what has become a comfortable new start, I am in the process of a totally uncomfortable new start. Like the mix of emotions we all feel when starting something new, I'm reminded of the nerves and excitement I felt as a child starting each new school year. I have the time and freedom in a new city to explore some incredible opportunities.

Instead of spending the night before school staying up with butterflies in my stomach, I spent it in front of my computer, in the final stages of writing my first book. Sending the manuscript to my publisher in the middle of the night, I took a moment to realize that it's still a first day for me. It's just a little different than the last three decades of first days.

I don't know what this year will hold for me, but I know that I'm proud that I learned from EPCOTclass' motto last year of be brave. Instead of finding something comfortable, I've tried to find something totally different.

Who knows where I'll be this time next year. I certainly wouldn't be disappointed to be asleep on the couch, after an exhausting first day back in the classroom.

Going Vir-ish: 7 Lessons from a Dead Raccoon

If you've been online in the past 24 hours, you may have seen the ridiculous "news" story that blew up and has my phone buzzing almost non-stop.

The Story

Yesterday, across the street from my new apartment in Toronto, a dead raccoon appeared. I have no idea where it came from and have spent entirely too much time speculating on its origin. What I do know is that something about that dead raccoon captured people's imaginations and its story went viral. The reason I'm writing about it on here is that some photos I took and comments I shared on twitter have become a part of the raccoon's narrative.

My friend, Gillian, was staying with me for a few nights before heading off on an eastern Canada journey and back to her home in Scotland. My life's been even busier than usual lately, and, as always, I slowed down for a couple of days and promptly got sick. Gillian and I stopped at the pharmacy to get Halls. As I was paying at the cash, I noticed a gnarled hand out the corner of the window. Puzzled, I pointed it out to the cashier, she explained that there was a dead raccoon out front and people were giving it gifts. As a lifetime lover of the bizarre, I knew I had to see this with my own eyes. I called to Gillian to follow me when she was done and zipped outside.

If Periscope was intended for anything, it was this. You'll notice lots of citizen detective work and speculation naturally occurred as the neighbourhood came together around the dead raccoon and its continually growing shrine.


If you watch the video, you'll notice I seem like I'm interrupting myself a lot. Apparently when you save a Periscope video it only saves your footage, not the comments and questions people post.
Also, I know that videos are better in landscape. Periscope just works better in portrait.

Still perplexed, I shared a picture on Twitter using the hashtag (that was now spelled correctly). A quick search showed that there had only been a couple of other tweets using #deadraccoonto by that point. I confirmed that the city had, indeed, been notified of the roadkill and that they had responded that they were aware of the situation.

Hours later, after a movie and dinner, we noticed the raccoon was still in the same place, but people had turned it into a candlelit vigil. Once again, I shared via Periscope and then Twitter.


We walked the 120 m back to my apartment (seriously, it's that close, I checked) and watched as #deadraccoonto went viral. My phone didn't stop buzzing for hours as I was notified by Twitter about each favourite, retweet and comment.

This is a screenshot from about 24
hours after first posting this tweet,
note the retweets and favourites.

Pretty quickly, news outlets started picking up the story and I began to get calls, texts, Facebook messages and tweets from friends and family about Buzzfeed, Mashable, Imgur, BoredPanda and The Washington Post featuring my tweets and name. I can't lie. This was hilarious and giddying. I've never been a part of something that's been shared with so many people so quickly.

However, if you know me at all, you know that, while I do love the bizarre, I equally love analyzing situations. So, if you just came here for #deadraccoonto, hope you enjoyed the post and pics, bye!

If you are here to figure out what lessons I learned from a dead raccoon and going vir-ish (only going a bit viral), read on.

What I Learned:

1. People Love a Break from the Ordinary
In the middle of an ordinary day, pedestrians on this busy Toronto street found an unexpected sight and most could not help but stop, make a comment and take a photo. Standing over the dead raccoon, people were talking passionately, they were excited, disgusted and confused. We identified the problem and tried to figure out causes and solutions. Roadkill on its own attracts some attention.
This roadkill was brought to a new level by the imagination of the first person who anthropomorphized it and made people think about what they were seeing. I don't know what came first, the Post-It note telling the raccoon help was coming, the framed portrait, the Get Well card, the rose or the hashtag (though I have theories and there is some photographic evidence online) but each element enhanced the experience for passersby. I can't help but think that, while this wasn't necessarily intentional, #deadraccoonto turned into a pretty fascinating social experiment/art installation.

2. Doing Your Research is Really Important
The first article that I saw about the raccoon came from Buzzfeed and included several photos and tweets, including one of mine. Most of the articles that followed contained the exact same information and photos. Even as the story continued to develop (a donation box was added, more flowers were delivered, candles were lit), articles were published without updated information.
This reminds me how important it is to explore primary sources and not just recycle information that has been published elsewhere.
(Edit: In this article, I'm described as a woman who was "particularly touched by it") 

3. You're Always Being Watched
I love sharing my experiences and learning, both personal and professional, into the world on my blog, Twitter and Periscope (and, to a lesser extent, Facebook and Instagram), but it's easy to forget that anyone can see what I post.
This experience reminded me that the things I put into the world can be viewed, shared and interpreted by anyone. This lesson title sounds really creepy, kind of Big Brother-y, but I have kept it that way because, I guess, it is a little creepy. A video was shared online of a city worker looking at the raccoon, clearing a nearby garbage can and driving away. This was filmed from across the street, many floors up. As I viewed the raccoon, I shared what I saw and heard on Periscope.
We live in a world where very little is private. I stress with my students the importance of getting permission to photograph or record anyone, and especially if you are going to share what you've recorded.
Watching back my Periscope videos, I wish I had been more transparent with others that I was sharing what we were seeing publicly.

4. Spelling is Important
It's raccoOn, not raccon. The hashtag was misspelled initially. In the spirit of this collaborative public grieving, someone corrected the spelling. Had she not, who knows if this story would have been shared so widely.
Also, hashtags are so awesome. Students and I create hashtags for events and projects and #deadraccoonto, more than even #iste15, reminded me of the power of discussing a topic and sorting it with a single hashtag.

5. Give Credit Where Credit is Due
It was pretty neat to see my name and photo shared all over the place. When I started seeing people using screenshots of my photos in articles or their own posts without giving credit, I realized that, if I was really proud of what I'd created, I would have been cross. These were photos of an undeniably goofy event, but had these been photos of work my students or I created, I would have felt like they were being stolen.
Several media outlets used my photos and name without ever letting me know. I need to do more research, but I'm assuming that, by posting to Twitter, I'm giving them permission to do so. Others contacted me via Twitter for permission, which just seemed like good manners. The speed of online sharing is so fast that the rules don't seem to be keeping up. Once I put things online, I know that, to some degree, they're not mine anymore. It was interesting to experience that first hand.

6. Goofy Can Lead to Good
Remember the Ice Bucket Challenge? People criticized it, but there's no denying that it raised a lot of money. Surely many people who posted videos didn't donate, but Canadians donated $16.2 million to ALS research because of it.
Right now, mourners of "Conrad" the raccoon are being directed to the website of the Toronto Wildlife Centre to care for orphaned wild animals.
With creativity, a goofy situation can be turned into a good cause.

7. There Are So Many Things I Would Have Preferred Going Viral
Far beyond my love for the quirky, offbeat and strange, I adore my students. There are so many incredible things that they have done that I have wanted to share with the world. We have been very lucky to connect with many people, learn with them and get feedback on our work. We've never gone viral, though. We've never reached a huge audience in a short time. Celebrating the strangeness of humans is terrific. I'm all for that. #deadraccoonto is hilarious. Celebrating the awesomeness and thoughtfulness of kids is way better.
I wish that these stories* had gone viral:
I wish that #spreadthesticky had friends and families texting me, saying they heard about it on the local news.
I wish that #Unicorns4Molly had been featured on Buzzfeed.
I wish that Drallibots got 600 retweets in less than 24 hours.
I wish that Project Thank You was written up in the Washington Post.
All of these stories touched me deeply. I am so proud of the kids who dreamed them up. I wish the whole world knew about their initiatives.

After all this, what I do know is that I'm really happy that social media exists. Being able to share, laugh, question and celebrate the details of life is one of the many reasons I'm happy I live in the future. The opportunities my students and I have had because of social media have been transformative. Please keep sharing, I know I will.

*If you don't like links, here is a quick rundown of the projects listed in Lesson #7:
I have amazing students who have shared about these initiatives online.
1. For Valentine's Day, grade 5/6 students started posting positive messages around the school to spread the love. They wrote their messages on sticky notes and hoped that others would contribute.
2. My hero, Molly Robillard, died of brain cancer in October 2014. She was twelve. I was her teacher for two years. Her best friends wanted to collect 1000 unicorns in her memory. The project was a success, we had more than 2600 unicorns on display at her funeral. We even had unicorns from (Canadian) celebrities Rick Mercer and Chris Hadfield. 
3. To raise money in Molly's memory, her friends were inspired by the Brave Bot Molly was given as a gift and kept with her in treatment. We created more than 700 hand-painted robots on dominoes. These robots are programmed to give their owners bravery. They raised more than $1100 for the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario.
4. Project Thank You was created by a grade 6 student. He realized that people weren't showing enough gratitude and encouraged them to pass on words of thank you and then pay it forward. When you receive a Project Thank You card, you are encouraged to pass on two more.
See, aren't those EVEN better stories than a raccoon memorial!?

Weirds of a Feather: Finding my Tribe

At a time where I was being deafened by the sameness of the education world online, I was refreshed to find voices that stood out for their difference in what was amounting to an echo chamber on Twitter. For the last year, Wednesday nights have often been marked with #WeirdEd chats hosted by Doug Robertson. In his characteristic way, Doug looked at Twitter chats and found a way to make them weirder. Topics range from goofy to innovative to controversial. The remarkable thing is, whether we're talking tattoos, making a thing or most recently, Charleston, people who are in these chats push their thinking, make great (and not so great) jokes, and open my eyes to new ideas.

When I first discovered Twitter chats, I was ALL IN, often participating in multiple ones each day. For a time, I even had my iPhone alarm full of notifications 15 minutes before daily chats so I wouldn't miss out. I soon learned that the way I was taking part was very surface level, sharing about things I'd tried, but I was not getting into any genuine conversations or challenging my own thinking.

#WeirdEd lets me face things head on and learn from the unique perspectives of other people. The people who join in are hugely varied in opinions and backgrounds, but you can almost literally touch their passion when communicating with them.

Pretty soon, the once weekly chats weren't enough. Connecting with participants in the chat throughout the week helped, but things were brought to the next level when the groupthink came up with the idea for a book club. A Google Doc appeared, a Voxer group started and weekly satellite chats, #WeirdTBC. Things got real. The stories got more hilarious, there were more opportunities to collaborate, people supported each other through the challenges that life throws at you. I found my tribe.

image via the Queen of Sketchnotes, Sylvia Duckworth

Lest you think this is the Cult of Doug, the remarkable thing that has emerged from his book and chats is the ability to connect not with like minded humans, but fascinating humans who, not only march to the beat of their own drums, but throw the drums out completely. I'm not sure I could have found these people in person. I don't know that Sally, Melissa, Kory, Amanda, Maria, Nathan and I would have spotted each other across a crowded room and just *known*. I don't know that Rosy, Derek, Sandy, Sarah, Ross and I, sitting in a session about Google, would have sniffed each others' weirdness out. I don't know that Courtney, Jenn,Vickie and I would have locked eyes in a crowded Expo Hall and shared stories about our lives, families and students. Yesterday, though, I got to hug and see and laugh with many of those people in person, in a balcony area they're calling "The Bloggers Cafe". The opportunity to connect with these people online before meeting in person has been really special. The stories Doug tells and the questions he asks have brought out a real, genuine side of me and allowed me to find people who really genuinely inspire and excite me. The opportunities that Doug has created are the gift I've gotten from him. (Sorry all, I do realize this is likely to make Doug's ego even bigger!


To celebrate weirdness in teaching, we have created a session that is taking place at ISTE today. In the true spirit of #WeirdEd, there will be some surprises thrown in. Everyone is warmly and enthusiastically welcome to join the Birds of a Feather session, that we affectionately call "Weirds of a Feather". This is a time for those of us who like to do things differently, want to do things differently or want to hear stories of people doing things differently to get together in the same room, in the same time zone, at the very same table and share, support, connect and laugh. You could not be more welcome. I could not be more excited.

We're hoping for laughter, but not so much crying and hurling.

Disclaimer: the names mentioned above are people who I am thrilled to be connected with and learn so much from. I hope they feel the same way! There are many many many others who have had a huge impact on my learning as well! If I missed your name here, it is totally my fault and only because I am in a rush!

ISTE Day 2

Today, people were pouring in from all over the continent and world to ISTE in Philadelphia. That means that the Pennsylvania Conference Center was flooded with incredible, passionate educators. I am lucky enough to know some of them, in real life and through social media, and got to chat, hang out and learn from them today.

Dance Card

Top Three Ideas from the Day (idea via Jennie Magiera)

will change throughout the day

1. Ignite presentations are best when the presenter is passionate, asks great questions and looks at things in a new way. I don't care if they have their speech memorized or not.
2. How can people of all races and backgrounds show empathy and understanding to others who are being discriminated against?
3. The Wonderment is everything. A great initiative run by passionate people. You can sign up to be a Wonder Guide.

After a full day yesterday, my day began with a beautiful stroll through Philadelphia and then the first set of Ignite presentations. I'm pretty sure they stack this one with the all stars, which makes me think that by the time I present mine on Wednesday, there won't be a big crowd. That's definitely a good thing for me. The Ignites were incredibly well attended, there were thousands of people in the room to see the first fourteen five-minute presentations. Here are some things that stuck with me (thank you to Andrew Parent for tweeting some of the best bits, as I was Periscoping several of the presentations!):

Doug Timm - “Your students and work are worth showing off. Everyone has Youtube; create a channel to share with the world and connect to staff, parents and students.”

Mr_JSpike - “Your digital footprint isn’t just what you create, it’s how you conduct yourself online. Treat others with kindness.” (best thing to do to a Youtube troll is visit their channel and leave a positive comment)

Christie Fennewald - “Students rock at PD. They can often identify where teachers need help with tech and design interventions”

Rafranz Davis - “Real change is intentional. Diversity won’t happen by chance. Let everyone see themselves in what we do.” Rafranz's Ignite was so powerful, she was asked to repeat it to open this evening's Keynote presentation!

Global Nomads - they create virtual exchanges, “All students should and can have meaningful cross-cultural exchanges.”

Pernille Ripp - admitted she wouldn’t have wanted to be in her own class, but has made changes. Her honesty and genuine, kind nature make her compelling to listen to. “We cannot change our students, so we must change how we teach.”

Robert Dillon - is from St. Louis and spoke with passion about the race issues in America today. He was captivating and raised hard truths.

I was happy to hear a mix of edtech successes and real world issues mixed into this first set of Ignite presentations. Stories of great things happening in classrooms and people asking hard questions make for terrific learning opportunities.

The rest of the day flew by in a blur. I got to meet many more incredible educators in person, which is endlessly exciting. Even though I've only been here for a day, there are new friendships forming that I am BEYOND excited about. Seeing familiar faces throughout the day makes this feel a tiny bit like a high school reunion. If I went to high school with the most devoted, engaged humans of all time.

The People in My Neighborhood at ISTE

Day one of ISTE, which was actually basically a pre-camp day is over. As with so many events that are chock full of activity, it's hard to believe that it's only been one day. I easily surpassed my 10 000 step goal on my new Fit Bit and participated in some incredible sessions and discussions.

Most importantly, however, I connected with people I've been working with online and others who I met for the first time today.

Jenni Magiera, an educator who I really admire, suggested in an article to create a "Dance Card" and have only three spaces on it. In those three spaces, list the three most important things you learned each day. I love this idea and used it during the HackEd15 un-conference today.

Here are a few of the most important things I learned:

1. When you are using PBL, be purposeful, ask yourself if what you are doing is project oriented or project based. BIE 8 Essential Elements, TRUCADOT, Classroom Observation Template
2. Supporting students on social media: When you decline to create or curate a culture in your spaces, you’re responsible for what spawns in the vacuum. - Alexander, 2014
3. The teachers who are here are already converted into integrating technology into effective classroom practices. How do we go back and give the less proficient educators assistance and make them have agency?

Every day, I'll share my learning on Google Docs. Today's learning is captured here.

So, you've read this far and you're wondering, who are the People in Your Neighbourhood, Shauna? As always, I've taken a circuitous route to getting where I'm going, but I'd like to share with you some of the amazing connections I made today and the lessons I learned.

Lesson #1: Wave Your Weird Flag

If you follow me on Twitter, you know that I love Doug Robertson's book "He's the Weird Teacher" and have been so happy to connect with other members of his ever growing Weird Army. I love people who push boundaries, aren't afraid to be themselves and stand out in a crowd. More teachers from #WeirdEd have arrived tonight and I look forward to meeting them tomorrow, but I got to meet some totally unique and exciting educators today.
I was thrilled to connect with an energetic and inspiring Matt Fratt when I plunked down next to him for the three-storey HackEd group photo. We didn't even pose, we were so busy chatting. We shared a lovely lunch - or rather, we shared a lovely line up for lunch when Matt had to run, thinking he was running a session after we stood in line for an hour for cheesesteaks! Matt led an incredible, interactive session after lunch and we created a ridiculous short film. By being fearless and weird, we had a blast!

Lesson #2: Be Aggressively Friendly

After learning that this is a trait that Disney Cast Members are expected to have, I reflected on the way I behave in new situations. Although I feel nervous, I always try to be approachable and friendly. Disney uses the term, "aggressively friendly", which I love. Push yourself to be friendly and personable, even if it feels awkward. Oftentimes, you'll win someone over. Sometimes you don't. Aggressive friendliness helped me connect with Brenda Druecker, who I am pretty sure is a kindred spirit. I also managed to make a friend with our totally overworked server at an after-party and get wonderful service.
Recognize, acknowledge and show your excitement when you see someone you've worked with in the past. I was thrilled to hang out with

Lesson #3: Back Off

Sometimes the people you interact with online seem different in person. You may have the expectation that you'll be fast friends and it just doesn't work like that. It doesn't mean you'll never be friends, but sometimes you just can't speed up the process of getting to know each other in person, now matter how much you felt like you knew someone online.
If the person you are talking to checks over your shoulder constantly, looking for someone else to talk to, take the hint. I had to do this several times today. Clearly, connections were not as natural as I had hoped and I let things be. I'll try again later!
People are here to meet up with their tribes, their people, and aren't always interested in welcoming someone unknown into their group. For some people, it just takes time.

Lesson #4: Sometimes Things Just Click

Today, the Voxer group I've been talking with for months headed to Rosa's Pizza to enjoy inexpensive, fresh pizza and buy slices for needy folks in town. It was terrific. The hugs, laughs and selfies (and #turnies) came quickly and naturally. I feel so happy to know these people.
At Rosa's, I approached a trio who were there at the same time and asked if they were participating in ISTE. They were educators and administrators from Pittsburg who were full of interesting stories and shared my sense of humour. A great instant connection occurred. I look forward to continuing to get to know them.

Lesson #5: Go Up and Say Hello

I spend a tremendous amount of time (entirely too much) online, reading blogs, participating in Twitter chats, listening to podcasts, watching videos, etc. and the same edulebrities (yep, that's education + celebrity!) pop up time and time again. Thought leaders emerge and are embraced by huge masses of educators and I, myself, have been so incredibly inspired by so many.
Seeing, hearing, watching and reading the thoughts of certain people makes it feel like you know them, but they are still surrounded by the magical aura of celebrity.
If you know me in my non-educator life, you know that I have no shame and will always approach well known or famous people, chat with them, take photos and interact.
I am the same with edulebrities. If I have learned a ton from you and admire you like crazy, I am going to come up to you and say hello and thank you.
Today, I got to meet personal heroes including Ginger Lewman, Kevin Honeycutt, Pernille Ripp and Angela Maiers. They were all as delightful as I could have hoped. Even if they weren't, I was proud of myself for going over and saying hello. I think that people deserve to know the difference they've made in my life and my career.

Lesson #6: Embrace the Super Connectors

Rodney Turner is a Super Connector, and he knows it. He is so easy and fun to talk to and finds ways to connect educators to one another. He is happy to take the time to sit and talk with a new connection and then find ways to enhance your experience. If you're lucky enough to know a Super Connector, take advantage of their connections. Through Rodney, I met Sue Levine, who captivated me with her stories, made me laugh, think and reflect. I've already told Rodney that we need to have a daily sit down with Sue.
Ashley Hurley brought tons of us together to eat pizza and help those in need through her Rosa's Pizza Meet-Up tonight, she even made sure to document the moment.
If you're lucky enough to know a Super Connector, or a few of them, cherish the things they do for you. They're as close as education comes to Fairy Godmothers!

Lesson #7: When in Doubt, Hug it Out

I've seen people questioning whether to hug or handshake when meeting. I try to remember to ask before intruding on someone's space, but I gave a lot of hugs today. Four hugs a day, that's the minimum, right? Even though you may have never met this person, if you've connected with them daily, weekly or monthly, or they've made a significant contribution to your life, a hug never hurts.
Once you've had a chance to meet someone new, why not seal that new friendship with a hug?

Lesson #8: Be Yourself, Even if That Means You're Psych-Oprah
I can seem a little bit intense, I know. I love to meet and talk to passionate people. I want to know what makes them tick. A friend described this characteristic as Psych-Oprah. That's not psychologist + Oprah or psychologist + Oprah, it's psycho + Oprah. It's a reference to my questioning technique. Exciting people excite me. I love busy brains. If you feel like I'm giving you the third degree, it's because I'm super interested in what and how you think. I love humans. I love peculiarities. If I sniff out what makes you unique, I want to learn more.
Even though this is part of what makes me weird, I can't stop. People fascinate me. Fascinating people thrill me. I can't help but bring out the Psych-Oprah if what you're saying is compelling. My interruptions to seek details or clarification just show my intense interest.

Lesson #9: Your Avatar Should Match Your Current Look
On Voxer, I used a picture of me that shows me with straight hair. On Twitter, I'm pulling faces with Jim Carrey. On Facebook, NPH is photobombing me. On LinkedIn, I'm sitting at my desk in my classroom, with curly, unruly hair on display. LinkedIn has my most accurate picture. The others are ones I adore, but make me less recognizable to those who only know me online.
I've decieded to change my Voxer photo daily during ISTE to match how I look each day. I can't let go of Jim or NPH and those pictures showcase my quirkiness and joy and I can't think of better, more happy-making representations of me right now.
If you want your PLN to know who you are, at a glance, make sure that your social media avatars are current, accurate and showcase something awesome about you. Mine are conversations starters, for sure, but not necessarily my day-to-day look.

Lesson #10: Say Thank You
People have a lot of options of things to do and people to see at a huge conference like this. When you really connect with someone and get to share a meal, a drink, a walk or a conversation with them, that's a privilege. I strongly believe that taking the time to appreciate others is never wasted. A thoughtful comment, a call-back joke, an idea to extend someone else's learning, an introduction to new people or a huge hug shows gratitude and, hopefully, will be remembered.

'Twas the Night Before ISTE

'Twas the night before ISTE, and sitting in Philly,
Butterflies in my gut flapping willy nilly;
The devices were charging up in every plug,
In hopes that wifi is a cheetah, not a slug.

The teachers were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of Google Glass danced in their heads;
My friend's snuggled in bed, I'm on the couch,
Unable to settle, but affecting a slouch.

My little driver, so lively and quick,
Got us straight to Philly, lickety split;
We had time to wander, chow down and rest,
And prepare to begin our learning quest.

When up on the Twitter, there arose such a clatter,
That I clicked on the app to see what was the matter;
Away to my TweetDeck, my fingers did flash,
Looked at the hashtag, it's making a splash.

The online hype about #ISTE2015,
Expressed by educators, lifelong learners so keen;
Makes me feel like I'm in for a really big treat,
Incredible discoveries, but really sore feet.

More rapid than eagles, my PLN starts to arrive,
To meet face to face, push one and other and thrive;
Though there are many with edulebrity fame,
I just can't wait to put faces to name.

From Ottawa last year, I felt FOMO syndrome,
Now I'm happy to be here, not watching from my home;
It's time to be learners, with failures and a-has,
To build ourselves up and erase end of year bla-ahs.

The days will be chock full of events and sessions,
Lucky there's time to make good impressions;
Participating, collaborating, that's the name of the game,
So many great chances, I'll list them by name:

There's meet ups and tweet ups and lounges and playground,
Selfies, Turnies and Groupies, new friends to be found;
Topics to propose on the HackEd session wall,
And lectures and keynotes and vendors for all!

Weird Army, SatChat and others from Twitter,
I can't wait to see you and coat you in glitter;
Mystery Skype partners and Global Read Aloud,
Give a smile and a hug and stand out in the crowd.

Future schools are coming, what are their features?
Wayne and Garth will talk about Weird Teachers,
There are stories to hear, ideas to be challenged,
With sessions and parties, the week will be balanced;

There are some people who live in my phone,
I find them on Voxer, I'm never alone;
Only one sleep 'till I see them for real,
When I watch them talking, it will make me squeal.

On the very last day, I'll share my Ignite,
You'll learn about Disney, if I don't get stage fright;
For those five minutes, I'll talk till my voice gets all croaky,
Well, that's my excuse to not do karaoke.

I know that meeting new people can feel like hard work,
But as long as you be brave, you don't have to lurk;
My goal for the week is to be friendly, aggressively,
So that I make connections and giggle excessively.

Making magical classrooms is the thing that I do,
I am so looking forward to learning from you;
My mind will be blown, my body goose bumped,
As I discover the things that make your kids pumped.

I have sketchnotes to make and people to see,
The butterflies are sleeping and I think so should me;
Now I finally upload this poem to my site,
Happy ISTE to all, and to all a good night!



apologies to Clement Clarke Moore, author of "'Twas the Night Before Christmas"