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This was my first year in my 11 years at Greenwood where another teacher was teaching Philosophy.  Mark is an incredibly insightful teacher and if there was one teacher in the school I feel comfortable with teaching it - it is him.

I still miss the class.  It was a break in my day where I got to exercise my brain.  Film is an incredibly poetic art form - though when students are just learning the basics it becomes a mechanical skill.  Philosophy was a course that was not bound by any specific ideology or technical paradigm.  It was boundless and I have struggled not teaching it.

I recently re-read The Tao of Teaching by Greta Nagel.  It is an incredibly simple book.  It demonstrates the importance of being in the moment as educators as well as instilling the 'nowness' in our students as they work.  It not only helps them remove the pressure of academic performance, it instills a love of learning, not the expectation of result.

I still miss the class.   This is the first year since I have begun this profession where I re-read a book, let alone re-reading a book on education. It was a big part of my growth this year.

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Reflecting on the successes from this school year allows for a fresh perspective on ways on how to grow as an educator and leader at Greenwood.  I need to....

Find efficient ways to execute complex ideas

I take a great deal of pride in each of the initiatives from this year, but in many ways I bit off more than I could chew.  I am going to continue to refine creative ways of implementing each of our arts initiatives.

Hold my students more accountable

This is a tough one to admit.   I found that I did not follow up with my students on long term projects to the same extent as I did in previous years.  I caught this slip mid way through the year, though it is certainly an area of improvement.

Think First

I can reflect on several times where I moved forward with a solution before contemplating other solutions. This also applies to immediately having an answer for a colleague.  I now see the benefit of reflecting on a next step as it provides more room for objective decision making.

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-Balance my meeting schedule evenly throughout the week
-Work on identifying avoidance in students as project deadlines approach
-Have the Executives in the Arts Committee take the lead (IE I need to back off)
-Enlist members of the Arts Department to assist with Arts Everywhere! in May
-Present a professional development strategy at a staff meeting

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Grade 11/12 Film

What I saw:

-A well organized classroom
-An agenda on the whiteboard
-Routine
-Grade 11s/12s working independently on differentiated tasks.

Next steps:

-Could you have specific times that the students in the hallway could be out there for? It might keep the groups you can't see more on task.

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I feel like I might have over extended myself this year.  I am committed to continuing all of our initiatives as I find ways to work more efficiently

-Directed Sr. Play
-Co-ran Arts Committee with Amy Edkins
-Started the Arts Everywhere initiative
-Rebranded the Arts Showcase as 'Arts Everywhere' - A larger scale arts event
-presented 47 videos in assembly
-Co-presented The Groscars

Personal Accomplishments (Bragging Rights, in and out of Greenwood)

-Presence of Art around the school at an all time high
- Was short-listed for the 2019 Ballie Award for Excellence in Secondary School Teaching from Queens University (Nominated by a Greenwood Alumni)
-I released my second feature length documentary, winning 4 awards, and screening over 150 times world wide.
-Became a vegitarian (9 months in!)

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My school year was rich with change, both personally and professionally.  At Greenwood my time was split- in the classroom as an educator, and as the Arts Coordinator working alongside my peers on phenomenal events. I felt pushed, challenged and valued.  I consider this year my best year at Greenwood thus far.