Guest Blog: A Hope in the Seen

It might sound strange to some people, but the ultimate test of the quality and strength of any public education system is founded in the principle of equity. The idea that you can achieve to high levels regardless of your gender, racial, ethnic, or social background is the bedrock of our education system. While we know that school systems in North America are shaking off their Euro-centrism to embrace and capitalize upon the diversity that is Canada, we know that there is still much work to do to live up to the ideals of public education.

You need only read below to see the encouraging progress and bold aspirations that principal Lance McDonald from Yale Secondary (www.yalesecondary.com ) aptly describes. It is a hope that we have for all children. The title for this post is a spin off from Ron Suskind’s book "A Hope in the Unseen", which spoke of the struggle that inner city youth in the United States experience in realizing success in the school system. The fact is that in Canada, we have seen it. We know what it looks like, and thankfully, we realize it for most of our children. We just want it for every single child in every school.

~ Kevin Godden

Teenagers are interesting! I have been blessed with three amazing boys, all presently in their teens. Needless to say, a house full of teenage boys is a home full of high intensity, emotion, physicality, joy, and enthusiasm! Likewise, a high school, full of teenagers is another fascinating environment.

I have worked at the secondary level for many years now. This age group continues to be very unique, but can also be a very difficult age to figure out. Teenagers believe they are adults, yet we know the frontal lobe of their brain is not fully developed until their early twenties. The ability to think about cause and effect just doesn’t play as big a role in a teenager’s decision-making ability. In fact, the ability to make good decisions is biologically more difficult for a teenager. They take risks because they don’t actually see the actions as risky behaviours.

As high school educators, we are challenged with helping teens to find their way in life. We guide them, encourage them, teach them, and care for them. The job is not always easy. We sometimes feel frustrated, or discouraged that we can’t get through to a teenage student. Years ago, these teens would have been kicked out of school or quit school and pushed into the work force far too early. They would not have the same marketable skills that many of them receive in today’s educational system. Some would actually do well in life after high school. Unfortunately, many would have painful memories of their secondary school years. With today’s educational mandate, we are tasked with finding a means to an end – high school graduation is now more than ever, a necessity for young adults.

Our educational system today still needs some growth in the area of high school completion, but I am encouraged by the many options, interventions, and programs that are available for our teens today. Here in Abbotsford we have an alternative school, Bakerview Centre for Learning which focuses on individual programs and smaller class sizes for teenagers. We have the Abbotsford Virtual School and online classes to help students who need to learn at their own pace. We have Career Programs enabling our kids to explore different trades prior to high school graduation. We have sport academies giving students an opportunity to receive expert coaching and school credits simultaneously.

I became the principal of Yale Secondary in the spring of 2014. The staff at Yale is committed to providing quality education to a diverse range of students. Yale is a school on the cutting edge of the new B.C. Education Plan. Our staff is embracing new assessment practices, and taking the needed risks to challenge the status quo of a secondary classroom. The philosophy of assessment and what it should ‘look like’ is one of the biggest growth areas in the field of education today. We have teachers who are willing to explore a project based learning approach, and many who are investigating inquiry based learning. Our new challenge is to make students think critically, while at the same time cover the necessary curriculum. We have two teachers working on a grade 9 inquiry-based learning experience, in which a Math 9 class, and Social Studies 9 class (56 students in total) will blend their learning through classroom lessons, field trips, and in-depth conversations. This is a district pilot project where the students are guaranteed the same curriculum in a hands-on learning experience. Yale Secondary offers a Pre-Apprenticeship program that certifies some of our teenagers with skills that are needed in many trades today. Our Advanced Placement courses are giving high school students first year university credits. Our hockey, baseball, and softball academies, are helping our athletes hone their athletic skills, while helping with scholarships or even professional careers. These are very exciting times!

All three of my boys are very different in personality, ability, stature, and interests. They are all very unique and special to all who know and love them. The same is true of every child. Our system should be proud of the options they now present to secondary students. Our drop-out rate and failure rate at the secondary level have certainly improved over the years. We may not ‘succeed’ with all of the kids in the system, but we sure are attempting to be innovative in our delivery of secondary educational programs. I am very proud to work at the secondary level, and believe our secondary schools are exploring the necessary options to support my three boys and the teenage boys and girls of many Abbotsford families.

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