Heal-O #10: The relaxing meadow for the mind

Last weekend, I went to Portland. This is what transpired during my journey there.

[March 8, 2014]

The relaxing meadow for the mind

Rows and rows of trees

Families of bushes

A vast body of water

Creeping mountain of rocks

Mild and wet patches of grass

A long and murky river

Sprawling roots of naked branches

Endless power lines

Isolated homes

A bright red barn

Rain splattering the windows

Dark grey clouds looming above

Horses and cows kindly interacting

Birds perched upon jagged rocks

A woman waiting at the platform

Two children peering through the gates

An attendant walking by

Tracks that go on for eternity

The conversation between two people

The light breathing of a sleeping neighbor

Murmurs of voices from the other cart

Wonderful laughter echoing the space

The opening and closing of a door

The light rumbling of air conditioning

Voices crackling through the radio

The flip of a page from a magazine

The clicking of an ipod classic

Gentle rumbling of the engine

The iconic sound of an approaching train

The clicking and clacking of wheels on steel

Buttons being pressed on the phone

A story being told

A compliment being delivered

The silence of a child staring out the window

A breath of relaxation

Of appreciation of time

The train is speeding by the natural landscape

That changed from land to water

To land again

Passing by homes and farms

Leaving me to wonder what lives are led there

Faster and faster it goes

To keep with its promised schedule

The outside world is passing by quickly

Only viewing nature for a second

Gone in a blink of an eye

The sounds inside the train indicate otherwise

Of friends speaking to each other

Catching up, using spoken words

Ignorant of the purpose of electronic devices

The sound of leisure is ever so pronounced

Time to read a magazine,

Time to nap for a few,

Time to watch the landscape slip by

Sounds of relaxation grow louder and louder

Like there is no time for anything else.

We know what comfort sounds like

Speaking to us in a language we cannot hear

At work, in school, or at play.

Calmness speaks to all passengers

Telling us stories that have no meaning

Yet is meaningful all the same.

Reflective practice nags at our minds

But it needs not to nag

For the restful state of mind

Gently encourages and envelops us

In a soothing realm of comfort.

Worries and stress are lifted

Creating a light and easygoing being.

There is a reassurance that

A busy schedule and busy life can fade away

And is overpowered by a calm and relaxing life

Where time has no limits.

My train ride to Portland

A save haven for the body

The relaxing meadow for the mind.

Heal-O #9: Learning with a loupe

Who knew something like jewelry loupes can provide a different lens and shape thoughts on different aspects of curriculum, learning, and personal reflection? During this class, we had the opportunity to look at different objects using a jewelry loupe. Our instructor, Kathryn, lead us through an exercise known as the “Private Eye – Looking/Thinking by Analogy”.

[Loupe & supplies. Source: LM, Jan 25, 2014]

..:: Through the loupe ::..  

First, we used a loupe to examine our hand and palm. What did I see?

I started looking at the lines that spread across my palm. Words I used to describe this were: roads, a map, rivers, forks in the road, endless possibilities, journey, crossing paths, exploration, and adventure. Each line I followed lead to a different path that leads to a multitude of other pathways and possibilities. Phrases like, journey is a destination” and “a unique journey on every palm” popped up in my head during this exercise. The loupe magnified these pathways  [five times] and helped me focus my view. Analogically speaking, it made me think about my current situation in terms of the different possible pathways for next steps in my education and career that I am hesitant but intrigued to explore.

[Loupe focusing on a shell. Source: LM, Jan 25, 2014]

In line with this analogy of pathways and journeys from my palm, I had a similar analogy for the object that we looked at next. I had brought in a shell that a good friend of mine gave me from a trip he went to, a shell (I can’t remember where!).  This is a part of what I wrote in our “free write” after the observations of seeing this through the loupe:

"Through the loupe, this shell is not a shell to me. It is multiple pathways – each person has their own pathway leading to the same thing in the end. That ‘end’ point does not matter because we are all heading in the same direction in life – it is the journey that counts. There are grooves, dark spots, and some guck on different parts of the shell that represent life obstacles and opportunities along the way. These “paths” are so close together that at any time, we can choose to hop onto the next path, change our life course, and continue our journey until we feel like we reached a destination."

[Source: LM, Jan 25, 2014]

[Source: LM, Jan 25, 2014]

I love using analogies; sometimes I may be over-thinking it. But using these loupes to look at an object as simple as a shell, a leaf, a rock, or anything at all, can provide a different perspective and frame of mind. It allows you to focus on the miniscule details that we may not glance twice at. It provides the opportunity to closely observe one aspect of your thoughts or explore an inquiry that is quite removed from the actual object at hand but allows exploration in such depth. Oftentimes, we don’t have that opportunity to stop and focus on something in this way. Interestingly, the little tool (loupe), along with a wonderful facilitator, can create such a mental adventure.

..:: Dewey and the loupe ::..  

This exercise made me think about John Dewey’s piece, “MyPedagogical Creed”, where he brings up his beliefs on the relationship between education, the student, and the educational process. In particular, he speaks about the educational process being a result of a student’s psychological and sociological aspects of learning. He indicates that “…education must begin with a psychological insight into the child’s capacities, interests, and habits”. This relates to my analogy on journeys and pathways of the shell. Each individual has their own pathway, but they may not know what that pathway entails. Therefore, it is important for educators (whether that is formally known like a teacher, or informally known like a friend) to foster opportunities for children to explore and be curious about their own pathway of learning. It is important for there to be acceptance of uncertainty of what pathway in learning they are on and for there to be support for those who decide to change pathways.

Dewey also brought up that schools are a form of community life and not just a place to learn. I completely agree with this. Schools present opportunities to foster social connectedness among students, instructors, administrators, and community members. A student is part of a larger community. When looking (not literally) at students without the perspective of a loupe, we may see them as part of a larger picture of learning. When we focus on the student “with a loupe” we may see that student and their learning in a whole new light.

..:: Learning with a loupe ::.. 

I end this post off with a poem that summarizes my experience:

A shell is a storyteller about pathways and journeys in life.

A leaf is a platform for choices and decisions.

A string is a river of possibilities.

A palm is a map of your adventure.

Loupes are guides that inspire your curiosity and creativity.

Let the loupe lure you in life-long learning. 

[Sketch of the shell. Source: LM, Jan 25, 2014]

Heal-O #8: Here we go..! What is curriculum?

..:: We're back! ::..  

After a break of over a month, it was wonderful to see my MEd HEAL family again in the new year! We walked into a new classroom with a new instructor in the first class of a new term, but it felt like nothing has changed. As with the fall term, the first thing we do when we walk into the classroom (besides greeting each other!) was reconstruct the layout of the tables and chairs so that we are forming an inclusive rectangle, ready to respond to and get inspired by each other’s inquiries and comments. I love the unspoken energy that fills the room!

I am actually not quite sure what to expect out of this course on Curriculum and Instruction in an Individual Teaching Specialty. I have not been exposed to curriculum in the way the others have been in their roles as teachers or instructors. I am very interested in this topic, but it also makes me feel a little nervous about being able to fully contribute to this course.  I may be approaching this course with curiosity, inquisition, and exploration. 

..:: What is curriculum? ::..   

When I hear “curriculum”, I associate it with words like school, education, structure, and expectations. I only refer to it within the context of a school. However, after reading Egan’s “What Is Curriculum?” work, I was intrigued by the different influences and changes that occurred throughout history that fuelled my thoughts on curriculum and curriculum inquiry. My favourite quote from this piece is from the section where he brings up Rousseau’s claim, “…the belief that children are naturally good, and will naturally incline to the good if not prevented by social and institutional constraints, leads one to believe that educational methods which allow the freedom to attain this goodness will by definition be beneficial.” Everybody starts out on the same level, in a sense, but the educational methods one is exposed to influence each person’s experience, process, and outcome. Who are our learners? How is curriculum developed in a way that accommodates different types of learning styles, interests, and influences?

I think that curriculum forms a foundation for educational content that should be able to be adjusted to fit the needs of the students and the instructors.  However, how broad or specific does a curriculum have to be in order to maintain consistency but allow for flexibility in change?

..:: The "ah-ha!" realization moments...::..  

A few years ago, I organized nutrition education lessons and activities at an elementary school in Port Coquitlam as part of my Community Health Promotion class. The teacher thought that it was important to include health and nutrition education in the classroom, but lacked the time and perhaps the support to carry through with this. In my mind at the time...if it was so important, why isn’t it part of the curriculum? Why isn’t health education integrated into the PDP program for teachers to be able to teach consistent information to their students?

A few months after that, I attended a Healthy Minds/HealthyCampuses summit organized by the Canadian Mental Health Association. At this summit, I had a great conversation with an attendee on the topic of integrating health education into the elementary school classroom. He thoughtfully asked me, “But what good would that [health education] do if the students or families cannot afford to practice health [in that way]?”

Together, these two experiences were “ah-ha!” realization moments for me. Sometimes I get too engrained in a concept or teaching that I forget about the contextual aspects that impact how we transmit information and interact with one another. Whose role is it to ‘teach’ health and wellness? What would a health curriculum look like? How is the subject of health different from other courses like math, science, and language arts (thinking in the elementary school setting). 

Health seems to be more subjective to familial customs, values, and upbringings than the other topics, generally speaking. For example, educators teach students about the importance of eating meals that balance carbohydrates, protein, and fat, based on the Canada Food Guide recommendations. However, if the environment at home does not financially or socially allow for that, this may create disconnect between the educational system and familial values. It will also highlight the fact that some students have different health statuses or experiences based on social determinants ofhealth that cannot be addressed in this manner.

..:: The "significator self" and the "authentic self"::..  

In class, we went over a thought-provoking, self-reflective exercise. One of the most interesting things I got out of that exercise was the exploration of the “significator self” and the “authentic self”. The sigificator self is the “me” in my role at work or as an individual in relation to others. It was surprising to find that the significator self seemed to play a role in a story; a role where one could influence some change but are often met by external barriers that are often challenging to overcome based on institutional boundaries. My authentic self has questioned the significator self in several instances – what are you doing in this role? What should you do? Sometimes, the roles we are in at work or in our volunteer settings may be just that – a role one plays and does not necessarily question or feel that there is no opportunity to change the circumstances. It’s the opposing tensions that pull you in one direction when you want to go in another direction. Which way do you want to be pulled?

As always, I end off my post with “my one thing” that I would do that supports my values in health and happiness:

  

[Source: LM, Jan 19, 2014]

To start off the new year...what's your one thing? 

Heal-O #7: One term done! That was quick...!

Note: I had meant to post this in December but I guess my holiday brain took over…here it is anyway!

[December 2013]

Wow what a term! It went by so quickly! In the very first class in September 2013, I remember walking into the classroom and sitting down and thinking…what am I doing here? Then, we sat in a chairs in the form of a circle and did an introduction activity, partnered up with someone to learn more about them, and introduced our partners as a way to get to know each other. When we all explained the reason why we are in this program, I felt a mixed sense of relief, understanding, curiosity, excitement, apprehension, and happiness (can someone really feel all these emotions at once?!) that I made the right choice in applying for this program.  

Then…the term just flew by with lengthy, exciting, and engagement discussions; thought-provoking questions that sticks to you for a while; such wonderful presentations by our cohort peers; a visit to a horse show; the lunch time walks to the food court; the lovely transit ride home where we continued our discussions; the brilliant sock poi, hoola hoops, and all the surprising but fascinating activities Stephen had for us in that secret little gym bag; and the friendships and bonds that we created over the course of the term. 

It ended with an amazing potluck that proved that the MEd HEAL students in this course are not only inspiring individuals but wonderful sharers of food and recipes! Thank you for a wonderful start to this journey; I could not have asked for a better group to be with. See you all in a month!!

Check out the food!

[Above: delicious food all around!
Source: Cooking and deliciousness by MEdHEAL students; photo by Lehoa M.  Nov 23, 2013]

[Above: more delicious food! Source: same as above caption]

[Source: Lehoa M., Nov 23, 2013]

Happy & healthful holidays!