Uncommon Beauty in Writing

Prepare yourself for an exhilarating experience at Modernism Week in Palm Springs, California—an electrifying celebration of design and culture that captivates visitors worldwide! This ten-day event showcases the best mid-century modern architecture, design, art, and fashion, giving attendees the rare opportunity to explore stunning homes, attend informative talks, and participate in guided tours. Each year, Modernism Week brings together designers, architects, and enthusiasts to celebrate the innovative spirit of the 20th century. We had an unforgettable journey into the world of modernist creativity and style. We walked headfirst into the stunning world of mid-century modern architecture, vibrant art, and a lifestyle that screams innovation while envisioning a stylish and sustainable future.

Start your day with an exhilarating burst of flavour at Cheeky’s, a lively gem hidden on Palm Canyon Road—the vibrant pulse of Palm Springs! This colourful bistro, bursting with enticing pinks and greys, is so much more than just a breakfast spot; it’s a feast for the senses that captures the artistic spirit of the trendy Uptown Design District. Here, you’ll stroll through a haven of artist-owned galleries, quirky coffee shops, and eclectic boutiques overflowing with mid-century modern furniture and vintage treasures.

But let’s talk about food! Greater Palm Springs is a culinary paradise with a dazzling variety of restaurants ready to tantalize every craving imaginable. From casual bites to sumptuous fine dining, you’ll find no shortage of mouthwatering options to ignite your taste buds!

For all you coffee aficionados, Koffi is an absolute must-visit! Wherever your adventures lead, this coffee sanctuary consistently serves up the finest espresso in the desert. Get there early, though—those lines can get pretty long! But trust me, each sip of that divine coffee makes the wait worth it!

One of the most unforgettable highlights of our seven-day getaway was stepping inside the reimagined midcentury modern shop of the incredible artist Josh Agle, known as Shag. This immersive tour transports you straight into a vibrantly colourful Shag painting! Meeting the dramatic artist Josh at an art reception was just the icing on this once-in-a-lifetime experience.

So travel light, pack your luggage with simpilicity in mind and prepare to bask in the sunshine, style, and the heat of the desert in the future. It is one adventure you definitely won’t want to miss!

Imagine that it’s the day of your retirement party. As you look back on your career, what makes you proud? What will you say to the people who have gathered to celebrate with you? What do you hope to hear them speak about you and your work?

I am celebrating two years of retirement and continue to learn what I can from every situation while working with teacher candidates at the University of Manitoba and being a guest teacher in my former school division. A message to new grads and retirees is to enjoy your time. Don’t worry about the little things because life changes quickly.

What is next for graduates and retirees? During the summer, I look forward to leisurely drinking my Cortado, going for long walks, and
I reflect this time of year on my fondest memories of teaching students. I am grateful to have met so many great kids and supportive staff members over the years. I loved getting to know students because they have stories, backgrounds, and experiences. Teaching is such a rewarding career. I feel lucky to have enjoyed the camaraderie of the staff at many schools. Also, I have loved that every day is different.

The best thing about being a teacher is having made a lifelong positive impact on students in many ways, from opportunities for career choices to advice on their direction in life. The yearly relationships teachers create with each new class, and the growth we see in our students are admirable at the end of each school year.

Whether teachers are retiring or students are graduating, it is an emotional rollercoaster. Excitement, nervousness and at least a hint of sadness are just a few of the many emotions senior students feel as they prepare for the next chapter of their lives.

I can remember all the “lasts” of 2022:

• The last semester
• The last spring break
• The last parent-teacher conference 
• The last report card
• The last graduation class
• The highly anticipated last day of school, and many more.

It’s a lot to take in. Before catching your breath, it’s time to toss the caps and gowns for pomp and circumstance, accept the diploma you’ve worked so hard to get, say your farewells, and celebrate with your favourite playlist as you depart the parking lot on that last day of school. You all have many skills to share with the world – continue to work hard, take reasonable risks, and push yourself to excel in all areas of your life! Have a much-deserved summer holiday.

I am grateful for applying and accepting the Practicum Advisor representative role of the Bachelor of Education (BEd) program at the University of Manitoba.

I am grateful for the professionalism and support of other PAs who provided me with different perspectives.

I am grateful for the opportunities to work with teacher candidates and mentor teachers to interact and collaborate with diverse personnel.

I am grateful to you all for the guidance and for building partnerships to allow my educational landscape to flourish.

I’m grateful for all the conversations, whether it was phone calls, emails, in-person or via Zoom, our voices were valued, and because of that, we grew more assertive.

I am grateful that the Practicum office provided many learning opportunities for us in this new role.

And I am grateful to be with a caring and supportive team.

My goal was to grow as a reflective Practicum Advisor and to offer my wealth of learning to my teacher candidates. I will continue to pause and reflect, to impact teachers and learn along with them.

The Practicum office is a niche where everyone is knowledgeable, communicates and offers many opportunities for us to be open-minded, reflective, and successful.

Teacher candidates were compassionate, resilient, and thoughtful individuals who instilled curiosity, energy, and kindness in their students. They ranged wildly in their learning abilities and preferences and taught me something new during each school visit.

As an educator, I passed on my passion for teachers to plan cross-curricular teaching plans and create a fun, inspiring, safe and inclusive classroom. Students should love coming to school, feel safe within the classroom, learn about topics that interest them, and be able to make mistakes and learn from them in all courses.

When working with teachers, I often shared that I try to learn something new every day and hope that I can bring this into our reflective practice. The best teachers are those who strive to learn and reflect on their work so that they can continually grow not only as teachers but also as individuals.

I was nervous and excited when I started as a Practicum Advisor last September. The first month was a blur. During my Fall term, I experienced some of the most profound learning with teacher candidates. Valuing each other’s differences and accepting our similarities allowed us to collaborate on what worked well and how to improve their lessons. It highlighted the importance of building community, self-confidence, and collaboration. My first year as a Practicum Advisor was an incredible experience and allowed me to learn and grow.

I brought what I learned in 39 years as an educator into my PA experience, which scaffolded my learning. It is essential as a teacher to look at what works and what we can do better and to gain new insights and perspectives while constantly searching for relevant, meaningful lessons matched to the curricula outcomes. Students should also be allowed to make choices in their learning, and teachers provide them with real-world learning experiences. 

I asked the teachers to reflect and respond to the following two questions in their self-assessments. What is your most important goal for the upcoming week? Tell me about a time when you positively impacted a student’s life. What specific things did you do that promoted a positive outcome?

If you look at these famous hockey players, Bobby Orr, Mario Lemieux, Gordie Howe, and Mark Messier, they got better every game, and that’s how I see myself, becoming a more decisive leader and learning new things all the time throughout each practicum season. We are all learners, and let’s continue to have casual conversations with our students and get to know who they are and their interests.

Hanging out with a couple of girlfriends – not to study or work on a committee but just plain chilling out together on a mini-road trip was a perfect way to begin the spring 2023 season. Our purpose was to have an unstructured time with no specific agenda and catch up on conversations with the gals.

Getting together with friends, starting a road trip and getting there is more than half the fun. Some of us struggle to map out unstructured social time with our friends. However, I like to schedule time with friends and have quality visits with them for coffee, lunch, shopping, or an evening out at one of our favourite restaurants.

The overnight mini-road trip proved beneficial because it helped us confirm what matters most about friendship: carving out time, reminiscing about the great times in our lives, and shopping at unique boutiques. We all lived exciting lives and told stories about our families, friends, and colleagues. One day away with girlfriends was a time to reminisce and make new memories together. Fargo is a destination where all of us can sit back and relax and shop along Broadway Avenue. There is something for everyone in our group.

Nothing brings friends closer together than a road trip. After two years of travel restrictions, getting away and exploring a different place felt terrific. I appreciated the fact that no one spent time on their social media. The trip was an opportunity to unwind, reconnect, mellow out and recharge about life. No matter where you go, immersing oneself in the experience while creating memories with friends is essential. An all-girls escape overnight can have a therapeutic effect. Good times, hearty laughs, and fresh perspectives can renew anyone’s energy. “It’s not the destination; it’s the journey.” __Ralph Waldo Emerson

Summer 2022 has arrived. Have you found your exercise passion?

Why not carve out a few minutes of your morning and build a foundation for your summer walking adventures? It might consist of a trip to the beach or a walk in the park. Start slowly and increase your steps. Soon you will exceed many kilometres.

Having summer days free to go for an early morning walk is a splendid opportunity to see many other people exercising and feeling confident. Building your passion for walking is essential rather than seeing it as a must-do. I like to walk 5k or more daily and reflect on how grateful I am to be in good health. I increase my distance gradually and walk at a comfortable pace.

Walking is a fun way to exercise. It doesn’t require expensive equipment and provides a sense of calmness. Also, walking boosts one’s awareness of sights and sounds that I cannot get while working out at our gym. For example, I might look at the canopy of trees and colourful flowers or pay attention to people as they zoom past me on their bikes or running. Therefore, mindful walking is supposed to be suitable for everyone. 

We spend most of our days driving to work and sitting in front of computers and TVs. However, one’s sedentary routine can change with a quick mindset to list walking as one of your daily recommended activities to improve your lifestyle. 

My daily walks take me on the path of sustaining awareness and taking it all in. So give it a try, and I guarantee you will not be disappointed.

For a number of my teaching years, I have worked collaboratively with teacher candidates, and it is the hope that both of us collectively agree that there is a noticeable impact on our students. I recently attended Cale Birk’s three-part series on how we observe educators doing and demonstrating if they were effectively meeting the needs of all of their students.

My teacher candidate this year consistently coordinated his time and ideas with mine. He was always flexible, adaptable and respectful. He demonstrated a somewhat reflective practice in his performance. During our daily feedback sessions, he was able to look at the strengths and areas of improvement in his lessons. Teacher candidates must apply new ideas and suggestions to enhance their development as teachers and lifelong learners.

Across the first three weeks of the practicum, he developed a learning plan that somewhat demonstrated an inquiry-oriented teacher. His inquiry questions focus on a novel study, getting to know the students and how to meet their learning styles better, using technology in the classroom and exploring instructional strategies. In addition, a teacher candidate shares their learning plan before the teaching block, indicating a commitment to their growth as a developing teacher. Indeed, he did, and I offered suggestions along the way.

It takes practice and time to devote to the success of all students. I demonstrated accommodations and modifications to meet the needs of learners, recognizing the diversity and abilities within a class of 28 students of all students. The teacher candidate is sincerely devoted to the success of all students. It’s not an easy task to create an effective program and interactive activities to ensure the success of every student. It takes practice to be attentive to those who occasionally lose their focus. He encouraged risk-taking, asking questions and encouraging feedback while building on the existing classroom structures to maintain an inclusive learning environment for all. On his last day, we both celebrated the successes of all students.

Steve Bollar, in his “The Art of Relationships” chapter, for example, recalls how his art teacher nurtured his growth by providing a safe space in her classroom for him to work before the beginning of the school day. When he suggested “letting a few of my friends hang out in the morning with me,” the teacher readily agreed that “by the end of the school year, there was a sizable group of students hanging out in the art room before the school day began.” Hearing that story brought back memories of how teachers need to connect with their students to nurture their growth as lifelong learners.

Some examples of observable evidence that impacted my students included that he encourages students to develop and have confidence in their ability to think independently and with others. I promote voice and choice when producing a final product. Teachers must shift ownership to students. Using the KAHOOT learning tool, students could generate questions after they complete their novel study.