Author: Margaret Murray

Who would think that a slice of teachers’ professional development time would be devoted to mental health wellness? Friday, the Science department at KEC provided healthy snacks to begin our day. The plump delicious ruby red strawberries were a smashing hit. Two speakers from Winnipeg Regional Health Authority provided an interactive two hours of ideas that can be utilized with both our own lives and with students. Five aspects of mental wellness include: physical, emotional, social, intellectual and spiritual. Often we spend time on one or two of these and we need to strike a balance of the five.

One of the morning interactive sessions that confirmed value for me was the idea of moving 20 steps from my comfortable group setting and meeting someone whom I haven’t had a conversation with in awhile. We both shared significant moments in our lives. Another wonderful idea shared was to complete our prescription for positive mental health. Take time to think about and write down three good things about your day. The recommended dosage is do every day to bring more happiness and health to your day…enjoy life more!

I have been an advocate of striking the balance for years. We have priorities, relationships, interests and activities that compete for our time. However, it is imperative to take time to enjoy life’s littlest pleasures including spending time with family and friends, making healthy meals, blogging, reading, walking or running. Balance is something that is not achieved in a day; it’s something that is achieved over time.

Kildonan-East Collegiate accomplished positive initiatives in March, 2017. Several of our sports teams triumphed victories and also a former student was drafted to a basketball team in the US. Xyza, a current student of mine was nominated for young women’s distinction award and was recently granted a scholarship.

Our Aboriginal Academic Achievement group hosted a demonstration of the blessing of the drum which led to tipi teachings from the grassroots. A traditional feast included several students and staff from many of our family schools. Acknowledging the warmth of conversations through interactions presented us with successful initiatives and more to happen later this year. In addition, interacting with our cultures around the world resonated with us that it’s crucial to know our identity and be proud of who we are as individuals.

Adding to the mix of events, High School English department leaders invited a colleague to a divisional meeting. We celebrated successes of both our classroom and personal lives.   Reaffirming our purpose of common literacy beliefs will be shared with our teams on Friday. Teamwork is the result of accomplished initiatives.

Two months ago five of my former colleagues chose Tuesday, February 28th to connect at Cafe 22 and reminisce about our busy lives whether it’s school, family lifestyles or upcoming spring holidays.

Two days prior to our outing, the texting begun. One gal’s son’s hockey team made it to the finals and therefore arriving thirty minutes late was her plan. The timeframe was fine.

Tuesday arrived and the connecting of us five was looking up since we rescheduled once before. We are an energetic group and relish each other’s stories. I left school at 4:30pm. A thread of four text messages arrived one after the other stating, “my son got sick in the afternoon and I had to leave work to take him home…as a result, hubby at hockey game and no one to keep an eye on him.” Therefore, Brenda and I texted and suggested, “let’s dress warm, connect and walk in our neighbourhood.”

Brenda and I walked briskly for 45 minutes and shared a few intriguing stories about our lives and jobs. We turned the corner on Waterloo and Academy, Brenda bent down and pocketed a shiny $10.00 bill. Wow, we thought maybe there will be a few more loose bills sticking through the grimy snowbanks.

Even though life sometimes present us with the unknown, it is valuable to take time for people that matter.

My grade 12 students are studying the novel Ordinary People by Judith Guest. This novel’s  opening line in the first chapter…To have a reason to get up in the morning is powerful and provides encouragement for teenagers. As a result of meaningful conversations, I get to know my students even better when they share their guiding principles and drawings in their writer’s notebook. I believe that we must live for today and enjoy life. It was once said beautifully by Rabbi Malomet, “people’s sense of fulfillment can be identified by five crucial signs: contentment, hope, awe, meaning/purpose and deep connection,” (edutopia.org, Feb. 2017). Martin Luther King Jr. also confirmed that intelligence is not enough; we must build character. Our classrooms need to be places where teachers weave in social and emotional learning as well as academics. Last Friday our students received their semester one report cards and I articulated to them to be proud of their improvements and to celebrate those accomplishments with their family.

The importance of taking ownership of our values and defining what is important to us clearly resonates with myself. Therefore, I have confidence to reinforce students in guiding them toward their fulfilment.

Valentine’s Day is upon us and the craziness of red, white and pink hearts are scattered throughout the stores. The degree of pressure that individuals place upon themselves varies from mild to over the top. Receiving a meaningful message is better than being showered with loads of gifts and last minute discounted materialistic gifts.

Spend the evening preparing a mouth watering meal for two and celebrate all those year long happiness is moments demonstrates that sharing is caring. End the day with a glass of wine and taste those finest bits and pieces of chocolate that we discovered for each other will definitely put a smirk on our faces with the famous words…I Love You!

KEC’s English department collectively made a decision to celebrate the last week of Semester One indulging with treats Monday through Thursday. To start the week, we brought our favourite pieces of chocolate. One teacher arranged the chocolate into several bowls which included the tastiest chocolate to the re gifted. Clearly, the Ghirardelli milk chocolate caramel squares was rated tops over the Icy Squares, Aero bars, or the handful of M&M’s. This day created many laughs as to which chocolate each of us brought in.

Tuesday welcomed us with many flavoured bags of chips and dips. We shared jokes around the dips and this craziness kept us engaged for the next two days while we marked exams and created report card comments.

Thursday was a celebration of three birthdays in our department and saying farewell to one term staff member. Everyone stepped up the quantity and quality of the treats which included pizza slices, brownies drizzled with salted caramel, chocolate chip cookies, butter tarts, fresh fruit platter, and of course, chocolate dipped cherries.

As a result, all of us appreciated the silliness that each of us brought to the table.

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to hear Devon and Pearlene Clunis read their children’s story The Little Boy From Jamaica. It is beautifully written. Emily Campbell, a student at Red River College was the illustrator. Devon left his birthplace at a young age and attended school here in Winnipeg. Their story’s purpose is to inspire people and to give everyone hope. We all know of children who have “fallen through the cracks” in education. Also, Devon spoke to the audience and solicited that we must give every child the potential to succeed. His former teacher Ms. Hannah believed in him and often would say, “Devon, you will be successful one day; just keep trying!” 

Devon met his wife at Grand Beach, Manitoba and twenty five years later they both still support one another through their faith. Devon became the first black police officer and Chief of Police in Winnipeg. His gentle manner is most admirable and his story is inspiring to people of all ages. Teachers are important coaches for young people. Furthermore, they must believe their students will succeed at something.

Students must possess three things: belief, motivation and creativity. As a result, we must teach students to belief in themselves that they are unique with their own talents.

Cecilia, our library technician at KEC emailed staff a fabulous inspiring article that appeared in Winnipeg’s Free Press featuring Isabella Dryden, a teacher of eight decades who takes the transit bus three times a week to work at Creative Retirement Manitoba where she teaches computer classes to seniors. Isabella is 99 years of age. She admits that she’s proud of all the students whom she’s taught throughout her lifetime and many of those students have done great things in life. Ms. Dryden is amazing and truly inspires us to live life to its fullest potential. Yes, I am thrilled to hear that she will be honoured on March 23, 2017 for all her dedication in educating youth and adults over the past eighty years.

Isabella believes the essence of teaching isn’t just lecturing rather, it’s an act of creativity. It’s imperative that today’s teachers pique the interest of their students. Isabella states that “we’ve become less conscious of the world around us and that we need to get out and see the world…don’t become sedentary with our eyes focussed on our iPhones” (Isabella Dryden, Free Press 20/01/2017).

With all the skills that we possess, it’s valuable to share them with others so that they,too can help many people experience a better day.

Returning to work in 2017 after a two week holiday brought many dramatic stories which were shared amongst friends and colleagues. Some of these stories occurred while families were holidaying in Mexico and Cuba. Indeed, laughter brought us together during the frigid January weather.

Manitobans experienced some of the coldest windchill days during the week of January 9-13th and having some hilarious travel stories dramatized to us took our minds away from the icy outdoor temperatures.

However, on January 11th at 4:40pm I left the school parking lot and I discovered a folded note on the windshield of my my new VW Golf. The note from the irate person was typed and stated,  “You have been taking up too much space on my side not once, not twice but for three years and as a rule of thumb park your car in the middle of your assigned number.” Really, on the coldest meanest day of the year and this individual took the time to type out his note. I laughed and said to myself, “let it go!”

On the flip side of this story while driving to work on Friday with a wind chill of -39 I heard Chrissy Troy announce that Ace Burpee and LTI travelled from Pembina Highway out to North Main at 7:00am to offer their generosity to a woman who needed her car boosted. Her daughter needed to arrive to school on time. This was a remarkable idea and I know they made many more motorists happy on Friday the 13th.

Our world needs more people to take courage to  speak up when something is not quite right and  discover ways to value and consider each other’s ideas and actions.

January 6, 2017 brought spectacular memories for me and each of us shared stories during a breakfast at Stella’s on Pembina. Four of my retired colleagues are currently living their lives that are filled with meaningful opportunities that gives them a purpose in life. It was  amazing to sit and engage in listening to their stories. These stories included teaching in Brazil, Korea, travelling to NYC to visit grandchildren, working out with husband at REFIT Centre here in Winnipeg, writing and presenting workshops to colleagues about managing aging parents, running marathons at age 65+, travelling to see family members in Europe, teaching courses at St. Boniface College, reading close to three dozen books a year, and getting to know Winnipeg’s community through social activist groups. A common thread we all had was sharing stories about our families.

I worked with these inspirational and motivating women in many capacities for over fifteen years and I feel blessed to know them. Many rich rewarding experiences were had at my former school, both professional and personal, and will always be remembered fondly.