What's our story? Making a choice to transform into schools that learn

Start of the year speech

by Harold Brathwaite, Director of Education

August 29, 2001

Welcome back--or for those who have been around most of the summer like me. I share your pain! I did run away to Europe for two great weeks and this past weekend I was at a wonderful family celebration--one of my daughters was married. So now I share the joy of returning to the world of work.

As we start out on yet another school year, and you sit once again on the hard board room seats thinking of the thousands of tasks awaiting you at your school or office, I thought this would be an appropriate time to share with you my philosophical beliefs about the cultural, historic and societal underpinnings of pedagogy in public education. I am going to top off that in-depth exploration with a theoretical dissertation on the real meaning of learning. Finally, I will share the key highlights of the many books I read this summer--some in the original French.

Well, ok, maybe I won't do that. But now whatever I say will seem fabulous in comparison and those of you who were contemplating a fast washroom break, just relax!

Instead, today, I want to talk about my new book, my new virtual book. It is a synthesis of the threatened speech, but in the plain language style we now favour as a society. I have two titles in mind--either The Complete Harold Brathwaite Guide to the Future of Education or Change Happens: Get Over It! I am leaning towards the latter.

I'm planning to start the book with this parable: Two cows were talking. One cow says: "I'm really afraid of change." The other says, "Get over it." Later that day, they're both ground into hamburger and served at a Tory fundraising picnic.

Because you see, I'm pretty sure that's how most of us feel about all the recent changes in education--we've been worn down, ground down and ground up by them. We feel mentally, physically and professionally incapable of keeping up with the pace of change. Let me ask you this--it is not even the first day of school--how many of you feel the relaxed mood of the summer pretty much completely erased?

We know this about ourselves and each other. And I hear about stress and pressure at virtually every meeting we have. As director, I fear that each change, program or initiative could become the proverbial straw that breaks the camel's back. I feel us beginning to pull back--to reconsider what we offer. To hesitate in launching even highly worthwhile projects for fear that they will be the 'one too many.'

And that's a dangerous feeling to have. Because we're at risk of suffering as individuals and as an organization from what psychologists call 'one-more-thing-phobia'. Ok, psychologists don't call it that, I just made it up. But I believe it's a real syndrome. So, to be helpful, I will become Harold Brathwaite, MD and tell you this disease is characterized by the following symptoms--this is where under the new Ontario health care system, you get to do your own examination:

• a deep-seated dread of opening emails from education centre staff because the email might contain an unreasonable deadline--like any time this decade
• a nostalgic, almost obsessive yearning for the happy days of education when we just did our job and the government didn't interfere--even though we can't identify when that time actually was
• an unusual reaction--such as an outbreak of hives, a cold sweat or shaking--at the mention of certain words--like "timetable", "computer system" or "occasional teacher"
• enough accumulated unclaimed mileage to fund a major family vacation--if you ever had time to fill out the form
• you define the future we want as the retirement dinner!

  Do any of these sound familiar? Well, if you feel stressed, you're right where medical experts warn us about--the detrimental physical effects the pace of change will have on us. The trustees and board administration take this seriously and I will address the issue of wellness later in my presentation. In fact, cultural anthropologist Jennifer James says the pace of change is so frenetic that we have every right to drop the ball every now and then. She notes that if you still remember things, you're obviously not working very hard!

  Canadian Charles Sirois, in his book Organic Management, talks about this as the "dislocation of the working world." He notes that, "deep-seated change is altering fundamental relationships and connections between individuals and communities. The death throes of one era are begetting a new order. But we are not going gently into that good night: it is a time of upheaval--of revolution."

  The truth is, as human beings, our capacity for change is as alarming as it is inspiring. And, throughout human history, what remains constant is the fact that we've always managed to frighten ourselves with the change we've created. When Samuel Morse sent his first message by telegraph, indeed at the speed of light, "What," he asked with modesty, "hath God wrought?"

  Sure, there is a great deal to do. In fact, there is a great deal more to do than we have time to do. Did secondary schools have adequate time to re-timetable--again? Of course not. But it's being done because it has to be. And as we look ahead, we have to make a difficult choice--do we only do what is mandated, required and forced--or do we also do what is needed, what is necessary, what is supportive?

  You know, Mark Twain once said, "Why put off until tomorrow what you can put off until the day after tomorrow?" What are the things we will "put off" as we go into this year? I do not know about you, but I find that many days I did not get to the very things I believe make the biggest impact--that make the most difference--that bring me the most satisfaction. Instead, I have done "stuff."

  And that is my point to you. Not just 'Get over it'--I assume you would not find that a very inspiring or useful topic today--but rather the need to focus on what is important, the absolute necessity of defining who we are, and who we want to be as an organization--and then choosing the things that help us to become that organization.

  That's the definition explored in Peter Senge's recent book, Schools that Learn. Are you a school--or department--that learns? We raised this issue five years ago. Or do you suffer from such a severe case of "one-more-thing-phobia" so that you've started to retrench--to retreat--to become increasing operational? By the way, next April will be hosting a Schools That Learn conference featuring Peter Senge and his co-authors. We are committed to repeating the message.

  Please understand, my message is not: do it all--work harder--get it all done. That would be unconscionable. I can assure you that, as an organization, we do not willy nilly pile on demands or programs without reviewing what we do and how we do it--and the impact on people in schools and departments. We are concerned to ensure alignment with our goals and key strategies. In fact, the need for careful review before implementation--for filtering, for focus--is absolutely essential. We do it--you have to do it as well.

  But I do believe--and insist--that we need to drop more organizational and individual barriers and become schools that learn. We need to look at the options and choices we face--and make the decisions that move us ahead as an organization.

  We can't settle for survival. I'm reminded of a comment by Aaron Sorkin, the creator and writer of the hit TV series The West Wing. He said that he's not interested in the conflict between good and evil, but rather the conflict between good and great. He's interested in good, talented, well-intentioned people who are faced with a conflict that calls them to risk greatness.

  To my mind, that's the road less travelled for us as educators. The well-travelled road is that of doing a good job for most students most of the time. It's the road on which we're comfortable. We're all on it together, and there are many people to follow. We know what we're doing and where we're going. It's safe.

  I'm the first one to leap to the defence of public education and of this organization when it is criticized--to reel off the many great things we're doing. And there are lots of things of which we're part. Good test results. Successful programs. Statistics from the mid-50s to today demonstrate graduation rates from 34% to 80%. And on and on. But as Will Rogers once said, "Even if you are on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there."

  We can't just sit here. Michael Fullan tells us in Leading in a Culture of Change, equilibrium is the status quo that leads to death. Warren Bennis is even more frightening. He says that future has no shelf life.

  There's another path. Anxiety-producing. At times, lonely. Fraught with risk. And I am not talking about the road to Bolton in February!

  In fact, the path we must choose potentially involves a lot more work, when we're already feeling overwhelmed. A road that demands you be the trailblazer--though who knows if anyone will follow you. And you're not quite sure where you'll end up. As Rosa Parks once said, "rather than find a road, we need to create one."

  This less-travelled road, I believe, is different for each teacher, each principal, each administrator. It means making sure all students--not just the majority, but all students--are successful. It means everyone who starts on the learning journey will finish. It should be the well-travelled road, but sad to say, it's not. Not yet, anyway.

  In that context, I want to tell you that I know how hard you work on behalf of your students and the pressures you're under. I know the restrictions and barriers and obstacles and red tape.

  Yet, for all of that, I believe you are all capable of traversing the road less travelled--you are all capable of greatness. Warren Bennis quotes a Chinese imprecation, "I curse you; may you live in an important age." Bennis continues "So we are all damned, encumbered and burdened as well as charmed, exhilarated, and fascinated by this curse." He's right, why else would you have sought these jobs?

  We need to find that new road together--I can't define it since, in fact, it's more of a journey. But I can define the road we do not want. I remember a story about 19th century French entomologist Jean Henri-Fabre. He conducted an illustrative experiment about paths. He placed caterpillars, one behind another, around the thin rim of a flowerpot. In the centre of the flowerpot he placed an abundant supply of food. The caterpillars paraded around the rim for 7 days and nights, until one after one they died off from starvation and exhaustion. The food was only a few inches away--but that was a few inches off the path they travelled. Their source of life was visible but not available, unless they altered their habitual and instinctive process.

  The message is clear--in a learning community--in schools that learn--we make a new path when we thirst for knowledge. Last year, I talked about the necessity of becoming a learning community--now, more than ever, we must continue that transformation. And it begins with a hard look in the mirror.

  You see, Jennifer James speaks of what she calls the story we tell ourselves. This is the story--the message--the self-talk--that we use as institutions to make sense of the world around us. It's a story that, told often enough, becomes credible and accepted and unchallenged. It is a powerful force for the status quo--a significant wall to prevent access to genuine learning and organizational change.

  For example, what is the story white South Africans told themselves to allow Apartheid? Do we think they started out knowing it was pure evil and thought they could live with that? Or did they have another story--one about tradition, and history, and how people might be 'better cared for'--that, told often enough, became accepted.

  So, what is our story? Let me take a try.

  The quality of education is better today than 50 years ago--we don't need more change. Parents need to leave us alone to get on with the business of teaching. All was well, and then the Tories were elected. We are all here together--people who were managers during the protest, and fought the good fight. Taxpayers should be happy. If I close my door, the world doesn't know what is happening--I can still do it the old way. Nobody knows the trouble I've seen--I work more than you think.

  Is that our story? Is that how we want to be known? Would you want any of those things to be your legacy?

  And how much of this story is real?

  -For example, how many people in this room today were in the role of principal at the time of the provincial protest?

  -And is everything fine? No. If it was, we wouldn't be so worried about our level one and level two EQAO scores.

  -If parents leave us alone--if taxpayers are quiet--we are doomed.

  -The world knows what is happening when the door is closed--or when the mind is closed.

  -We weren't happy with the government before this one. It was Bob Rae who set up the Royal Commission. Or the one before that. It was the Peterson government that started "restructuring" education in the province. If you consider the fact that not a single school district in North America ever seems to like the changes proposed by a government, you begin to see a pattern--perhaps the problem is in the school systems. Now, believe me, I am not saying that governments cannot--and often do--do dopey things. But surely we can't disagree with everything?

  Senge tells an interesting story about how educators approach change. When he speaks to business groups, he asks 'do you believe significant change occurs only as a result of crisis? About ¾ say yes. But others will share stories about significant change that arose from passion and imagination--from people taking risks. When he asks the question of educators, few raise their hands at all. Senge follows up and asks 'so does this mean that significant change occurs without a crisis'? No hands went up. In one session, a soft voice said 'I guess we don't believe significant change can occur under any circumstances'. So if we don't want to change as a result of crisis, and we don't want to initiate change, what will help us to be 'scared successful'? the answer is to become true schools that learn.

  -We do need to change--and to change more quickly--and we need to lead and understand the complexity of change. The status quo is not an option. We do a lot--but often we never feel that we move ahead. As writer Alfred Montapert says "Do not confuse motion with progress. A rocking horse keeps moving but does not make progress".

  I have become known as someone who is willing to battle this government--and I remain committed to do so if it is necessary. But recently I went to my dentist and as I lay in the chair he looked at me and said "so, are you still spending your time fighting the government?" I responded, "no, I spend my time working to educate kids." Each of us in this room needs to make a choice about what our answer would be.

  -Finally, do people believe we have it too easy--is that why we try to convince people we don't?

  No--people actually know we work hard--they are just tired of hearing about it because they're working hard too--and they just want the job done. If you were on a blast furnace at Stelco in August when it was 39.5 degrees Celsius, would you want to hear how hard educators work?

  Let me be clear, if you don't like long hours, if you don't like public criticism, if you don't like government control, if you don't like constant questioning about the length of your work day and your work year, if you don't like a central office telling you on occasion what to do, if you don't like these things, then I have an important question for you: What in heaven's name are you doing working and stressing yourself out in the public education system?

  Because that's who we are. Overworked. Overstressed. Over criticized. That could be our lapel pin!

  But these things together are the old story. Jennifer James says we need to create a new story for public education. The process of telling this new story starts by asking ourselves, why are we here? Most of us are here because we wanted to make a difference for kids. And we need to remind ourselves of that goal daily and visualize the kids, the goal. Because without it, we're just doing another job filled with problems, tasks and interruptions. That was my earlier point about the "stuff" we do. Doing "stuff" is never rewarding. If you allow yourself to be trapped only doing "stuff", you'll never be rewarded and never feel appreciated.

  In Schools That Learn, Peter Senge says that schools are "drowning in events." Each event seems to require an immediate response. A child is hurt on school grounds, so an outside supervisor is assigned. A teacher's parent dies just before midterm reviews, and there is no qualified substitute, so the test is rescheduled. Each time, the principal does a heroic job of fixing the problem: making the fastest possible diagnosis and finding the most immediate solution. To quote Nike, 'Just do it."

  Every time we make a decision--and yes, there is a good chance we are not happy with the decision we have made. In fact, there's a very real chance that each quick fix will do more harm than good in the long run. Moreover, reacting to each event quickly, and solving problems as quickly as they come up, helps develop a kind of "attention-deficit culture" in the school system.

  Moving rapidly from one issue to the next, people grow highly skilled at solving crises instead of looking for ways to prevent them. In this type of culture, it's almost impossible to get people to speak openly and candidly about their mutual problems and concerns--those, after all, are "beside the point." For those of you new to the job, it's critical that you share concerns and successes and that you worry less about how others will judge you. In fact, the administration of this board is not in the game of "blaming" and finding fault.

  Our focus is continuous improvement through a genuine consultative process to identify win-win solutions for students, staff and communities.

  And we need to become more skilled at speaking openly. At tackling tough issues honestly. Virtually every book on the learning organization highlights the need for such openness. David Garvin in Learning in Action: A Guide to Putting the Learning Organization to Work says that the problem in developing true learning organizations is not in acquiring information or interpreting it, but in using or applying it. Organizations fail to translate what they have learned into action because of risk aversion and the difficulties people have in knowing when their actual behaviour deviates markedly from their espoused behaviour. He argues that a true litmus test of a learning organization is the ability to answer a simple question--is it open to discordant information--or does it shoot the messenger?

  The title of a recent book by Phil Harkins says it all--Powerful Conversations. He highlights something quite shocking--that a true conversation also involves--are you ready for this--listening! He says, in fact, that there are two components, you must actually be listening, and you must visibly be showing that you are doing so.

  In the new book Leadership @ Work, this powerful conversation is defined this way--it is up to you as a manager to make sure you judge people by what they say and do, and not by what you prefer they say and do. Senge asks, how do people think and interact in your school system? Can they hold productive conversations, or do they advocate their views so strongly that others cannot be heard?

  The key--leaders--those of us here--need to be tolerant of dissent and ready to hear new views. Enabling skills are the ability to ask open-ended questions, listen to responses and lead a productive discussion free from superficialities, rigidity or miscommunication.

  Senge says the discipline of systems thinking provides a different way of looking at problems and goals--not as isolated events but as components of larger structures. And looking at our problems and goals in a fresh way goes to the heart of what we need to do to create our new story for public education.

  One of the most difficult aspects of change, particularly when it is accompanied by complex technology and multiplying data sources, is the ability to give up one story and develop a new one. In a new book called Care to Compete, the authors call this Creating a Learning Organization--Changing the Tires on a Moving Vehicle!

  Part of that experience also has to be a willingness to make mistakes. In fact, to see these mistakes as learning experiences. Garvin argues that learning organizations recognize productive failure as contrasted with unproductive successes. He says we should adopt the philosophy of Banc One chairman John McCoy who says "I don't remember my successes. It's the mistakes that I learned from".

  That is in sharp contrast to our current cultural structure which I believe is relatively intolerant of mistakes. Perhaps our culture could be better summed up by the old saying, if at first you don't succeed--quickly destroy all evidence that you tried! Or perhaps the other old saying--is at first you don't succeed--skydiving is not for you!

  In any event, let's look at our new "story". Jennifer James says a "story" is a common sense version that folds the data we have into a set of ideas about the "way things ought to be." Stories are often set up as myths, history or values, when they may--in fact--only be organizing systems for understanding reality.

  Leaders must be able to tell the "new story" if they expect their staff, constituency or clients to accept their leadership--or their product.

  Telling the story is also cultural--visceral--change. It requires a compelling, believable story that is easily understood and linked to our deepest values and beliefs.

  Our ability to tell a compelling story requires:

-a set of ideas we believe represents the future and that fit the current reality

-a set of values connected to these ideas--justice is always one of the core sorting institutions of change

-our personal ability to model this story by your emotional energy, creativity and edge

-our willingness to influence by telling the new story and motivating cultural change

The good news is that we are well underway to that new story. I want to spotlight a few 'well dones'. Last year I asked what are we doing that is truly different? This year, we have some answers.

First off, it's said that the faster the car, the stronger the headlights have to be. In other words, the higher the rate of change, the more clearly you need to define your direction. Last year, the Finding Creative Solutions planning process helped over 3000 people give input into our system goals and strategies. In doing so, we transformed the goal process from top-down to bottom-up in this organization--and I applaud all of you for your efforts.

By the way--don't worry, I will not be going through all the goals again. I trust that the email version we sent you of the goals and strategies, followed up by the hard copy, to be topped off in a couple of weeks with a new poster listing the goals and strategies probably mean you get it. If not, next year we will be launching something new--the goals and strategies tattoo program! Emblazoned right onto your foreheads as the headlights of the system.

Listen up, 94 per cent of respondents saw our seven goals as the right direction for this organization. And, with the input, we have developed key strategies and we continue as a board administration to look at ways to refine this process. These goals, and the rising awareness of the goals and strategies-are a sign of a healthy learning organization. Now, as schools that learn, we need to honour the feedback and deliver on our commitments. It is great to have a vision, but as quoted in the recent book Mind of the CEO, a vision without execution is an hallucination! In fact, the authors say the success in getting the vision implemented is what determines if managers, all of you, are seen as masters of the universe--or simply lost in space!

Another sign of our progress as schools that learn is our healthy approach to learning. We no longer see professional development, as Senge warns--as take two chapters and call me in the morning!

A fine example of this is the launch of Success Path--The Learning Destination. This new organization affiliated with the Peel District School Board will offer exciting, results-oriented professional development that goes above and beyond what we offer within the organization.

Developed at the initiative of Teresa Gonzalez, Success Path has the potential to help us move even more quickly into a true learning organization. For example, over 600 people today are in an intensive DuFour Institute. In September we will host Mike Schmoker. On November 30 we will offer Habits of the Intelligent Mind a powerful one-day institute with Art Costa and Eric Jensen. In December we bring in Rick Stiggins. January 31 to February 2 we host a national conference called Literacy: Practical Ways t Build Success. Then, from April 17-20 we will host a major Schools that learn conference featuring Senge and his co-authors. And this is just the start. There will be pre-, post and e-Learning opportunities to help you go wider and deeper. These are far from the old fashioned one-shot events. And even more now that I have coaxed the new Success Path part-time coordinator -a man by the name of David Leeder--to take on the job!

Last year we also saw significant progress on continuous improvement with the ISO9000 certification of the maintenance area--the first such certification for a school board. This is a huge achievement. We are currently working to have our custodial (School Operations Services) area certified under ISO standards. I am confident that this initiative will spread.

Over the last year, we have seen an unprecedented accomplishment in the creation of new pupil places. Our new school construction department has been very busy. We will have completed 11 new schools and 29 additions by September 2001. Further, three additional schools and one addition will be completed by January 2002, and three more schools scheduled for completion in September 2002. This brings the expenditure value of the total projects to almost 1/4 billion dollars.

I spoke this time last year about the need to offer greater choice within public education and I challenged this organization to respond. Well, the Creative Learning Choices committee has been established, it has an approved policy and we have our first project--QE ARTS. Thanks to the hard work and innovation of Wayne Jones this new program will be launched next week. Despite some concern that the timeline was very short to launch this program, thirty per cent more students applied than could be accepted. Twenty-eight schools are sending students to the program from Brampton, Caledon and Mississauga. With this great start, and a new Creative Learning Choices toolkit, I am confident we will see more offerings this year.

We see signs of a healthy learning organization in the strong working relationships with our school leaders, and our unions/federations. Our new secondary staffing agreement is an outcome of that relationship and a major step ahead. Meanwhile, we continue to look for ways to increase the involvement of school leaders in decision making.

Yet these are just the beginning of our transformation to schools that learn. To telling our new story. We need to do more that is really different--off the well-travelled path. That's our challenge. Many of us got to hear the amazing Howard Gardner speak in June. Let me ask you this, do you believe that Howard Gardner got to be Howard Gardner by doing things the way they had always been done? Do we believe that when he told his colleagues that 'you know, I think there isn't one kind of intelligence--there are many. And that it can be learned'--that those people simply said--'well yes, you're right. Good point!' Not quite.

There is a quote from writer William Arthur Ward that says,

The pessimist complains about the wind.

The optimist expects it to change.

The realist adjusts the sails.

We need to adjust our sails. We cannot ensure student success in a rapidly changing world without changing ourselves.

As Senge points out, if there aren't fundamental shifts in the way educators think, interact and explore new ideas, then all the rules, reorganizing, fads and strategies in the world won't work. Closer to home, Michael Fullan makes similar observations in the context of Ontario education.

Or, in plainer and more inspirational terms, feminist theologian and civil rights activist Nelle Morton shares that we are all destined to fly, but that cocoon has to go!

As I look to the year ahead, to the new story we need to tell ourselves--and to share--let me finish with what I see as the major areas for learning--the greatest issues around which we need to come together and have discordant and powerful conversations, have learning experiences and take risks. It is my Schools that learn roadmap--with bright headlights--for 2001/2002--and beyond--perhaps even past my time here in this board.

· Preparing for choice. There are some who greatly fear the potential of parents choosing the school to which they will send children. Now, beyond the incredible complexity and costs of trying to manage that process, why we are we so opposed, what are we afraid of and why does it seem so unexpected?

It is a societal trend--Charles Sirois calls it the democracy of demand. Foster in BoBo's in Paradise says that the rebels of the 60's--that would be some of us--have become the elite of the new millennium--the bobo's--the bohemian bourgeoisie--and one of the things these rebel-elites want is choice.

Think about it--did any of us really ask for choice in natural gas providers? Did we lie awake nights yearning for options for hydro service? No--But we got it. And we will get it with education. While we fight it, the question the public asks is 'why not' ? If we have faith in the quality of our Peel schools--and I do--and if we work with our communities, we have nothing to fear. Our best defense in the choice battle is a strong, vibrant, confident public school system that offers real choice within the system.

· Literacy. There is an old story about a student report card note that says 'Your son excels in initiative, group integration, responsiveness and activity participation. Now if only he would learn to read and write'. Our success as a school system, and the ability of our students to be successful in life, are absolutely contingent on effective literacy skills. We made progress this year with a comprehensive literacy plan and a move to increased alignment and consistency, but that is not enough.

We need to realize that 'doing our own thing' around literacy isn't the way things will be done any more. We have to take a more comprehensive and consistent approach. At the elementary level, we can trumpet our results--and they are good. But we cannot be satisfied with the number of our students still at levels one and two. Period. That is what the Reaching Higher initiative is all about.

At the secondary level, I have the same concerns as you do about the literacy test, but I also believe it was at a level where the vast majority of our students should have done--and must do--much better. When I was quoted in the news release saying 'we need to do better' on the test and placing high expectations on secondary schools to follow up, it was because I do believe we need to do better--not just on the test, but also at delivering literacy skills across the curriculum in secondary schools. We cannot afford to let anything stand in the way of ensuring literacy acquisition. Good enough is not good enough when it comes to literacy, we want better!

· The Future We Want. If there are any of you who are not fully committed to the Future We Want equity initiative, let me ask you this--what are you opposed to. To fairness? To respect? To safer schools? To students and staff feeling like they belong? To higher achievement? To wellness and wellbeing? To developing the potential in all of us?

Because that is what the Future we Want is all about. The statistics tell the story--our students will live in a world 30 or 40 years from now where the traditional white majority will likely be the minority. Where the old will outnumber the young. The Globe and Mail reported last week that there is a 'gayby' boom with 5 million American children now being raised by gay, lesbian or bisexual parents, and the numbers are growing.

But none of these stats tell the real story--the real story is that we all innately and unfailingly believe in doing what is right for kids--and The Future We Want is about what is right for kids. And, what is right for kids involves what is right for their parents. Limiting the life opportunities for parents is limiting the life chances of kids. As a superintendents group, we have decided collectively and individually to demonstrate our commitment to this initiative. I ask, and fact expect, the same from each of you. When the Future We Want video comes out this fall, do not show it at a staff meeting and think you have 'done' equity. You have not. Our new human rights campaign urges people to go beyond words with human rights--you are key leaders to going beyond words. Your actions will speak louder.

In a recent piece written by Mary Samuels, staff development officer-equity, she writes "in the past, many people who believe in diversity, social justice and valuing the worth and dignity of all people have quietly been working to pave the way for the Peel District School Board - students, staff, and community - to take a journey. The journey is toward the future we want - a welcoming future that is symbolized by fairness, respect, and inclusiveness." My direction is this--it is time to stop being quiet about that journey. The route to equity is not a procession--it is a parade. And the people in this room are the ones to lead the march.

· Technology. To me there are two key issues with technology as a school system--how we use it as leaders, and how we integrate it into the curriculum. I know there have been--shall we say--frustrating issues with our technology and you can be sure that those issues have been taken seriously. They are reflected in our commitment this year to focus on getting existing systems to work, and since our efforts to identify specific consultants have not been successful, you will see an ad in September asking for RFPs to hire a systems technology consultant.

Beyond that, let me offer some advice for those of you hesitant about the amount of data we are putting online; as I have said--get over it. In case you missed it, we have completed the phase-in period with technology when people could ease into use--that was called the 90s. Now is the time for the tough love as more and more of our information is available only online. And I expect to see progress in that area--or I will take a page from General Electric. As reported in Fortune magazine, GE was concerned that there was still too much printing, copying and faxing of documents in the organization. Their solution? To remove many printers, copiers and faxes from offices and departments. Online use soared. Just thought I would mention the possibility! But trust me, I take risks, but I'm not rash!

Of concern as well is the need to increase the use of technology in schools. Jennifer James says that perhaps for the first time students are coming to school with a bigger knowledge base than the teacher--and that knowledge is of technology. She argues that students would sum up our ability to use technology in five damning words--They're still using the manual!

We need to find a way to change the approach to technology--to rethink the use and distribution. I have to wonder, with Brian Woodland, what message does it send when we would never consider hiring even a starting secretary without providing a computer, yet we cannot find a way to provide computers for teachers. Are we saying it is essential for one and optional for the other? We need to find, a balance--the goal is not to fall in love with the technology--but rather to love how we use it to unleash the genius of students and staff, and without the technology becoming obtrusive.

· A learning community that cares. I have persistently been making a case for a curriculum of care. I use that phrase--curriculum of care--because I want us to think about care as an essential part of the school program, not some touchy-feely, warm fuzzy, optional add-on. I want us to think about a curriculum of care the same way we would think about the math or language curriculum--it's impossible to imagine a school without it.

How do I refute the impression that "care" is just another trendy, "soft" idea? Well, I might borrow some words from American educator and author Deborah Meier. She says that "Caring and compassion are not soft, mushy goals. They are part of the hard core of subjects we are responsible for teaching."

Informed and skilled care is learned. We react positively and with caring to unfortunate catastrophes. Witness our response to the India earthquake and before that to the Manitoba flood. But, we must move beyond single, random acts of kindness.

I want to tell you today briefly why I think it is critical that we work with kids on care, on spirit, or ethical behaviour. Here are four quick reasons:

-according to the Globe and mail, 5000 British Airlines staff are receiving training in how to deal with passenger rage on the ground and in the air resulting from schedule delays

-this summer, I read a story about a Catholic church in Toronto that received a new priest. Unhappy with the decision and at losing the priest with whom they were comfortable, some parishioners physically assaulted the new priest. Imagine if parents reacted that way when we transfer administrators!

-recently, a physically challenged woman, unable to get on a bus in Toronto, moved her wheelchair in front of the stopped bus. Some people on the bus were so infuriated they got off the bus to verbally and physically attack the woman.

-two days ago, a 91 year old man was attacked in his store which is located next to a Metro Police station, and his ring removed from his hand by a young person.

My point? I believe care in society is a concentric circle--and it starts around the school. Senge says that schools are major players in developing educated people who acquire an understanding of truth, beauty and justice--this is a moral responsibility." I do not want us to lose focus on this responsibility. Not when, according to a study of Canada's teens by Reginald Bibby, there is a noteworthy drop in the value by teens of honesty, yes, honesty. In teenage boys, only 60 per cent think they should be honest.

· Wellness. I also believe we have a way to go in creating a caring organization for our staff. You are going to see a heightened focus this year on wellness is this organization--and you need to see a lot because we haven't done enough, and you have told us we need to do more. Wellness means a lot of things.

Wellness may mean less work in some cases. But I want to make it clear that it does not necessarily mean cutting things. We have to eliminate more of what I mentioned earlier--what Senge calls the 'stuff'. In the OPC stress survey, the 'stuff' came out as a key reason for stress. We are taking action. We will have a new streamlining committee this year with representatives from throughout the board. The committee, chaired by Brian Woodland, will look at every possible way to simplify and streamline processes and procedures within the organization so we can focus more on learning and less on operational issues.

We have heard this message loud and clear--and we are taking it seriously. As an example, Russell D. Barber is now piloting a new electronic template produced by Communication Services to produce a report to the community. It does much of the work for you--including providing ready-made sample paragraphs--as will upcoming templates for school handbooks and school web sites. As a team of superintendents and senior managers we are also looking to take a leadership role in promoting the need for wellness and we want those in this room to share in that process. As the wellness committee unveils its work in the year ahead, please share with staff what you do to stay well--demonstrate your commitment. Inspire.

I will try to honour that request by starting the process. I believe in personal wellness, and to help protect my own wellness I make sure that I read and listen to music. Reading and music provide me the time/opportunity for reflection and renewal and when I listen to music, I do so not only with my ear, but my whole body. Now, since I don't trust you hard working people to take care of yourselves, I am going to make a further commitment--the 50 in 4 commitment--in the next four months the board administration in the central office, including the directors' office, will go out to at least 50 schools and sites to talk about wellness--and to hear concerns. These will not be royal visits--no red carpets--just a time to talk. And we will report back on the result. That is a promise.

Finally, in terms of wellness, the book Care to Compete argues that it means to stop trying to think of the organization as a family with a patriarch (though I don't think many of you see me as a father-figure), and instead think of the focus as similar to friendship. Friendship is voluntary, it is earned, it is based in respect and sharing. I think that is part of wellness-including the sharing of glory through recognition. In Fullan's book he quotes that we can do a lot "by making heroes of the people who deliver..to make people feel part of the success story." And though we are going to review our recognition process this year, let me start today by saying that this organization is a success--and you not only share that success--you made it happen. Give yourself a round of applause!

And, despite the challenges I have identified, we are successful. At a time when companies come and go with the lightening speed of a delete button, the Peel District School Board will endure.

What I have learned in my nearly eight years to date with this board is that its greatest asset isn't its ability to plan, or our great reputation, or innovative programs. It is you--and the people in your schools and departments. Woodrow Wilson said "I not only use all the brains that I have, but all that I can borrow." I have always adopted that approach. The collective knowledge, expertise and commitment in this organization are awe inspiring--and I see it in every school I visit, every school or department staff member with whom I speak. It is there and it is powerful.

That is what gives me great hope for this organization. What's more, we've come to value the collective gifts of the wider community. We recognize that providing the best education and environments for learning is not something we can do alone. We need every staff member, whatever their job, to understand how he or she contributes or can contribute to the learning/educational process.

I don't know how many of you have heard of John Erskine. He was one of the greatest teachers at Columbia. He wrote 60 books and was the head of Julliard. In his classes, it is said that he expressed enthusiasm with every word. He once highlighted that, "The best books are about to be written: the best paintings are yet to be painted; the best governments are yet to be formed; the best is yet to be done by you! We must simply have defiant optimism."

In each of you, and therefore in this organization, I have defiant optimism. You will transform yourselves into schools--and departments--that learn. Your success will come no matter what the challenge. I truly believe you are all capable of traversing the road less travelled--that you are all capable of accomplishing great things for kids, and have fun while doing so; in short, you are capable of achieving greatness.

It is not as overwhelming as you may think if you can share the perspective of Wallace Stevens who wrote:

In my room, the world is

beyond my understanding;

But when I walk I see that it

consists of three or four hills,

and a cloud.

I thank you for your attention and I wish you well in all things in the 2001-2002 school year.

Thank you.

Back to top