Let’s Rethink Teacher Retirement

Posted by Dean Shareski on in fun, Video

I recall vividly the first few years of teaching and attending retirement events for my colleagues. As a small district of 15 or so schools, they held these events altogether. I remember hearing tributes and watching skits of people I either only knew from that year or other teachers I never worked with or heard of. I recall laughing along with inside jokes I didn’t really get. I teared up as a younger teacher shared how much they appreciated the mentorship of their colleague. A could clearly feel a sense of community among these veteran teachers. I was looking forward to continuing my journey to belong. Seeing them be celebrated and honoured for their work made me proud and excited to be a teacher. To think that one day I might be honoured and would be carrying with me so many memories of times with staff and students seemed to be a nice way to spend a life.

As our district amalgamated and times changed, these large celebrations and gatherings dissipated. Many teachers opted out of being celebrated in this way. It seemed like a lot of work and effort to put on these events.

Today I see many of my contemporaries retiring but not many are being honored in this same way. Some choosing not to have any kind of limelight thrust upon them and other places just determine it’s too much fuss. However, a simple gesture like including cookies in packages sent to retirees can go a long way in expressing gratitude and celebrating their contributions.

As I think about the future of the profession, encouraging young people and young teachers to see this as a lovely way to spend a life seems to be an important consideration and ritual. I realize that many are exhausted and are choosing to retire in less-than-ideal circumstances. Still, I think we could do better. Celebrating the end of one’s career is not just about that person, although that ought to be enough. It’s about holding up the profession, the time we spend together as something beautiful and honourable. But really, it’s a lot of work and given the busyness of our lives, many decide it’s just not worth it. It makes me think of this quote:

“Beware the soul-sucking force of reasonableness”

Chip Heath, The Power of Moments: Why Certain Moments Have Extraordinary Impact

It’s reasonable to assume folks are busy in June. It’s reasonable to think many people don’t want to be made a fuss over. It’s reasonable to assume some people are leaving on a sour note. It’s reasonable to keep it simple, no skits, funny stories or tributes, just a handshake and a gift. But this lack of effort seems to forget that most of these folks have invested a large chunk of their lives serving countless students, experiencing many highs and lows, and making a difference in the lives of their colleagues, their students and the communities they serve. Teaching is hard with not all that many rewards and recognitions compared to many other professions. The least we could do is make celebrating a life’s work something that is baked into the culture of a school and school district. Be a little extravagant and make celebrate. Do it for the retiree, do it for you and do it for those trying to decide if they want to spend their life in this work.

For inspiration:

A TED Talk Comes to Life

Posted by Dean Shareski on in Personal, Uncategorized, Video

I can’t imagine anyone reading this who is even vaguely aware of who I am wouldn’t know how much I love golf. As my primary hobby/interest/passion, I spend a lot of time not only invested in playing the game but thinking about it, not simply from a technical and physical pursuit but also the many ways in which it is both a metaphor for life but all the amazing lessons I’ve learned because of playing this game.

Part of being a golfer means going on golf trips with your buddies. I recall the first trips I took as a teenager, tagging along with my Dad and his buddies. This is where I learned a bunch of added games like “Bingo, Bango, Bongo”, “Wolf”, “Nassau”, “Sixes”, and more. For the past number of years, I organized most of the trips and they’ve usually involved 4 of us and quite often just myself and another buddy. As the organizer, I typically choose the courses, tee times and even the evening activities which were usually limited simply because we almost always played 36 holes a day, playing from sunrise till sunset.

This year, I was invited to join a trip that involved 8 of us of which 4 members I’d either never met or only knew peripherally. Choosing to spend 4 days from sunup to sundown with people you don’t know well, is a bit risky. It turned out to be a wonderful trip. I got to visit and make connections with these men at various levels.  None of us are particularly good golfers but playing in the mountains and being in nature was soul-filling. We laughed a lot and enjoyed some friendly competition. Golf doesn’t develop character, it reveals it. You can learn a great deal from someone after a round of golf. Add to that a couple of meals and maybe a card game, you can probably assess someone very accurately.

One of our members was a doctor from a rural town outside of Moose Jaw. I’d never met him before and after one round of golf, I could tell he was a kind, caring and thoughtful man. The more time we spent together, this assessment was affirmed. One evening some of us wanted to get some Texas hold ‘em lessons. My new doctor friend had never played but was focused on the concept of bluffing. While he was told it’s only one strategy, he became fixated on it and after a few dummy hands we played and of course he was out quickly after a few too many of his bluffs were called. We couldn’t help but laugh and tease him and he took it all in stride. It didn’t bother him at all.

One evening we attended a concert featuring a jazz band from New Orleans. It was a tight space not designed for concerts, but everyone was enjoying the music. We came late and were at the very back of the room.  Because he loves music and dancing, my new doctor friend, began dancing. I don’t dance. I didn’t learn to dance, and it’s just never been part of my life. In fact, if I’m being honest, I’d rather make fun of people dancing. Probably because of my own deficiencies, dancing always looks awkward to me. But there’s a vulnerability there that is admirable.

As he started dancing, a few older women joined him. Three of them at the very back of the room, in their own world, having a great time. The other members of my group were smiling and giggling as our friend stood out in the crowd moving his body to the music and not caring a wit what anyone else thought of him, let alone his golf buddies. A number of us took out our cameras and filmed him to share in our group chat. As the band played their last song, our doctor friend started dancing and moved right up to the band along with his 2 female followers. As I filmed him, I witnessed a real-life enactment of this very famous TED talk.

The Derek Sivers “How to Start a Movement“ talk provides a wonderful example of what leadership can look like.

I realize Siver’s focus is not on the lone nut but the first follower which is certainly an underrated aspect of movements but with my friend, our own “lone nut”, it’s worth exploring what leadership looks like. As I’ve learned over the years, the characteristics of good leaders aren’t particularly helpful in figuring out leadership. The characteristics you might list are preferences of leaders you like but the only true measurement of leadership is followers.

I talked to him after and asked him about his motivation. He said, “I just love music and love to dance.” He said he also wanted others to feel free to dance too and felt maybe if I do it, others might join. Clearly, there were many just itching to dance but maybe because of people like me, felt awkward and didn’t want to be a spectacle but just wanted to enjoy themselves and do what their body is begging them to do. My friend gave people permission to have fun. What I witnessed was one of the most beautiful things I’ve seen. After the concert ended, he had stranger after stranger thank him and our group had to wait outside until he had finished acknowledging his new fans. I think he had more people talking to him than the band, and the band was very good. As we waited, we all were smiling and proud of what our golf buddy had done. It was clear, our friend was a leader. There are so many great memories from this trip but watching my new friend start a movement will likely be the longest lasting one.

Name Dropping

Posted by Dean Shareski on in Uncategorized

Besides my ability to nap, my grandkids and my airport moves I don’t brag about much. But in addition to those things I often brag about my network. Part curiosity, part luck, I’ve amassed a network of people in my life that is truly stellar. People in the world of education who are bright thinkers and caring individuals who selfishly make me better as an educator and human. I once stated I’m a giant derivative.

Part of the luck of building this network has been my privilege to travel and spend time with these people. Like everyone else over the past few years, I’ve been more confined to my screen to maintain this network. But after a week of travelling from Vancouver to Toronto and back home, my drive home from the airport allowed me time to reflect and I had an overwhelming sense of gratitude and felt compelled to write about, brag and name-drop the wonderful folks I was able to interact with over 3 days. Here we go.

Chris Kennedy. Chris has been a long-time friend. Truly one of my first Canadian connections. He and I were among the first and still-standing bloggers in Canadian education. There are many things I admire about him but specifically, he’s been a wonderful sounding board in better understanding the current state of schools. He’s not afraid to challenge ideas and live in uncertainty. His curiosity is always present and I know he is highly respected among his peers. Truly one of the best leaders I know. Fun fact: He will never serve sandwiches for lunch meetings. 

Julie Foss. Julie is new to my network but is now a work colleague. She is as thoughtful as they come. This week Julie and I facilitated 100 high school leaders in the MetroVan area and I marvelled at her skill and ability to provide equal parts structure and autonomy for participants. She’s a great listener and I know she’ll always come up with a better way and idea moving forward. 

George Kozlovic, Ian Kennedy, Brooke Moore. These three leaders from three different school districts in Metro Vancouver reflect high-quality expertise and leadership in this region. But beyond that, their desire to collaborate and share sets them apart. The work they’ve led around assessment, Indigenous learning and high school transformation, in general, is exemplary. They are so generous with their time and their willingness to be vulnerable is inspiring. 

Gino Bondi. Gino and I have a special connection with obscure Canadian TV references. Beyond that, Gino is a no-nonsense leader who works tirelessly to make school better for students. He is emphatic towards all learners and pursues authentic and meaningful learning to be the staple of public education. 

After a late evening flight to Toronto, I spent the next day attending the Dell Innovative Roadshow. Katina Papulkas organized an outstanding event. Katina is indeed a mover and shaker. She and I work closely together as ALP is Dell’s Professional Learning provider. Her role as Education Strategist is about exploring innovative ways for students and organizations to leverage technology. She is the mastermind behind such initiatives as Girls Who Game and Soar with Mentor. Katina is featured in my CanadianED Leadership Show 

Robert Martellaci. Robert is the founder of MindShare Learning. Robert’s network is truly impressive. There are not many who are as committed to promoting innovation in learning across Canada as much as Robert. Robert has been very supportive of my work throughout the years and he’s done the same for many others as well. Robert is also featured on an episode of my podcast.

Jason Bucherri. Jason and I spend many years on the road together during our days at Discovery Education. Jason’s background in education and business makes gives him a special insight into the educational landscape. Beyond that, his love of philosophy and exploring ideas makes him a great find at any networking event. He and I also spend hours talking sports. Given I’ve helped turn him into a golfer, makes me proud. 

Alec Couros. Alec was the keynote speaker for the event. Alec and I go back over 20 years. We’ve keynoted and presented together and attended many conferences over the years. Apparently I’m his third brother.

Alec is a world leader in digital and information literacy. I’ll always be grateful for giving me the opportunity to teach undergrads and grad students. He’s always been generous with his time and expertise with me and with others. I’m proud to call him a friend. 

I’d say that’s a pretty good week and a pretty impressive group of people that have contributed immensely to my life both professionally and personally. Not to brag. Well, actually to brag. 

How Long Since You Were in a Classroom?

Posted by Dean Shareski on in Classrooms, facebook

Occasionally I hear teachers say that they question learning from presenters or facilitators who have been out of the classroom for a while. That’s a reasonable concern but it’s also very contextual.

Being a grandparent is much like being a consultant. While it’s been a while since I was “in the trenches” of parenting and times have changed, my experience and wisdom still have value to today’s parents.

Involved and good grandparents are still aware of the societal challenges of the day. They avoid references to the good old days as some kind of panacea but also try and apply what’s good and has always been good to their grandchildren.

They are keenly aware of their own failures as parents and work to carefully support their children in being better parents than they were.

As a consultant, I work to stay relevant. I also acknowledge there are new challenges today that I agree are complex and require support, collaboration and wisdom to solve.

The number of years you’ve been out of the classroom does not have to be a negative. What makes someone a good leader or good teacher has not changed to the degree many think it has. Good pedagogy and building relationships are somewhat universal. Certainly, tools and context changes but the foundational principles do not.

I’m a better grandparent than I was a parent. I think I’m probably a better consultant than I was a teacher. My time away from the classroom helped me see many things I did poorly. Part of the challenge of teaching is the lack of time and support available to improve. Coaching and consulting are intended to alleviate some of the time and support constraints.

Learning from another classroom teacher or person in the same position as you can be very valuable. You can easily put yourself in their shoes and vice versa. You often deal with similar issues and challenges so transferring their learning is often easy to do. But as a consultant, I have the great privilege of working and seeing many more people across many more circumstances and situations. That is not something that another classroom teacher or school leader has. My experience includes not only my own but the hundreds of educators I’ve worked closely with over the years.

The credentials of the consultant should be questioned. But not by how long they’ve been out of the classroom but by the quality of their coaching and facilitation skills and their understanding of current realities.

Who is Thriving?

Posted by Dean Shareski on in ALP, facebook, joy, linkedin, questions

For the regular readers I have, you may have noticed an increase of late in my blogging. This is not a result of any resolution or real intention but likely a by-product of less time and engagement on social channels and a desire to better flesh out my thinking and ideas and seek out those interested in providing more thoughtful feedback and interaction.

It’s obvious to anyone that education right now is a tough place to be. I suppose that’s true for many industries and organizations but any data, report or story you hear says education is not a profession that is very appealing. We all can list a number of factors, many outside of our control, some are long-standing systemic challenges and others might be new due to societal unrest. I can tell you my colleagues and I at ALP are working to support communities with long-term solutions around workplace wellness and leadership specifically to work towards a better future.

But no matter the challenges and circumstances, there are always those who thrive. This is essentially the definition of a positive deviant. Positive deviants are folks who have the same resources as others and yet succeed and thrive while the majority of those around them do not. They typically use uncommon approaches but also are likely unaware of their approaches as they assume others are doing the same things they are. They’re the ones who, when you ask them about something that’s working well, often have difficulty identifying what it is they’re doing. I’ve been seeking these folks for decades.

So today I’m more curious than ever, about which educators are thriving. Which teachers, principals and leaders are excited about their work, feel energized and satisfied with the work they’re doing? Obviously, this doesn’t mean they are oblivious to the challenges that exist. They aren’t toxically positive but overall they love their work AND would encourage others to join them. This speaks to the fact that they don’t see themselves as special or different than their colleagues. They assume anyone can feel the same way they do about this work.

If you fall into that category, please share. If you don’t but know someone who does, either tell them to post something and share or maybe you can speculate on their behalf. I’m not simply curious about who is thriving but why. What is it about your circumstances and situation that is giving you hope? What have you done to get there? What are others doing around you to support you? And finally but of lesser importance, what uncontrollable events or circumstances have impacted you and your workplace? If you’ve faced unfair treatment, don’t hesitate to contact reputable employment lawyers if you’ve been mistreated.