The Month of Contrast

Even beyond family (see my last post – The Turbo Season), December remains very much a study in contrasts. I always love Christmas festivities: things like carol services, shows, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day celebrations (not to mention the holidays); but am struck by the pressure that accompanies December. There are often more tears, more guilt, and more anxiety in December than in the rest of the year, which seems so ironic for a season of joy.

For students, in large part this is due to exams. Based on the number of people I know who still have nightmares about exams (often decades after writing their last one,) they must rank up with fear of public speaking, arachnophobia, and fear of heights in the hierarchy of phobias.

Just a couple of weeks ago, we were in the middle of the Appleby carol services. While I am only halfway through my first year here, it is hard to imagine warmer, more beautiful, and more community-fulfilling events. And now, the Gym and the Bubble are full of Upper and Senior Schools students in exam mode. They must feel a bit like they have run out of a sauna and dived into a snow drift. The prospect of holidays in only a week must also seem like an invitation back into the sauna. But first is the task of digging out of the snow bank.

Not surprisingly, exams have been the focus of a great deal of conversations around here over the last few weeks. People have suggestions about the length of exams, formats, locations, how to deal with health issues, and whether they should be held in January rather than December. Exams are important on many levels. From an assessment standpoint, they provide a common platform for teachers to understand how successful each of their students has been. But there is also the question of stress. Stress is a good thing … in the right dosage and circumstance. Most of us have achieved our greatest triumphs in stressful moments. They are almost over-stated realities that we grow most when we are outside our comfort zones, and we learn the most about ourselves in times of failure.

While performance in school, university placement, and preparation for success in university are all important aspects of great schools, our real game is a 25-year one: our number one priority must be preparing our graduates with the attributes and attitudes – things like empathy, creativity, a strong moral compass, critical thing skills, courage – to be successful throughout life. While there is an immediate argument for the benefits of exams, I am most compelled by the longer term view.  It’s a bit like Senior 2 Boarding at Appleby. While we are interested in how students perform today, we are trying to prepare them for university when they may be facing 100%, three-hour exams; or making it through the defense of their doctoral thesis; or making the pitch to their company’s most important client, after staying up all night with a screaming newborn, and knowing that jobs are on the line; or dealing with a crisis involving life and death. Exams here are a baby-step towards life readiness.  How we – as parents and educators – help prepare them to address stressful situations is profoundly more effective in the long-term than helping them avoid these times. It becomes a critical, iterative process – face a tough situation (like an exam)… succeed or fail … reflect and adapt … face the next situation … get better … reflect and adapt … etc. If you take this perspective, it becomes more relevant to focus on effort than result. So long as the student shows commitment to the “reflect and adapt” steps, s/he will continue to get better prepared for life’s challenges. With that attitude, the process becomes a virtuous circle. Without it, it can become a destructive vortex.

There are two cautionary points. The first is to recognize when kids end up “over the line” in terms of the impact that stress has on them. One of the recent positive trends in education and society in general has been the more deliberate approach to mental health, especially relating to anxiety and depression. Organizations like CAMH, The Jack Project, and Queen’s University, among many others, are lending voice and providing tools to help young people and their families recognize and address these conditions. It’s important to recognize when our kids are dealing with challenging stress in a healthy way, versus when it may be contributing to mental illness.

The second caution is to try and keep the long-term perspective when reacting to sub-par performances. We have to know our children well enough to understand how to keep them motivated to be in the “reflect and adapt” mode, rather than either tuning their parents out, or living in fear of the parental reaction. Fear as a motivator is neither sustainable, nor healthy in the longer-term.

And if anyone knows how to get me to stop dreaming about showing late, half-dressed and not having attended any classes prior to my 100% Civil Engineering 293 final exam, please send word ASAP.

The Turbo Season

So many of us have this either wonderfully or excruciating complex relationship with December.

For most, be they Christian or not, Christmas is a dominant catalyst for what we do and how our relationships play out. It seems turbo-charges everything – from shopping to family dynamics to social interactions with friends and colleagues. Whatever usually happens during the rest of year seems, for better or for worse, to be magnified three-fold in December (just like the Grinch’s heart!) This applies equally to joy, loneliness, anxiety, happiness and generosity of spirit.

One aspect of this dynamic is how we see our families. Many of us look at other families assuming that they are “perfect” and wondering how we can ever compare with whatever our own blend of weird uncles, intra-sibling conflicts, control fixations, and off-beat traditions. I was reminded of this when our family attended Stuart McLean’s Vinyl Café Christmas show last weekend.

(For those who don’t know about The Vinyl Café, it is a CBC radio show that is a bit like Garrison Keillor’s A Prairie Home Companion, with a blend of music and stories, either sent in from listeners or written by the show’s creator and host Stuart McLean and his team. Many of these are about the fictional family headed by Dave and Morley and relate to interactions with families, neighbours and life. Dave seems like a hybrid of the cartoon character Herman and a Bill Cosby creation, all neatly wrapped in a stereotypical, earnest Canadian package. The Christmas stories about Dave and Morley are often the best. You either love The Vinyl Café or hate it, and I am devotedly in the former camp. McLean takes his show on tour across the country on a regular basis, and Alison and I have been going to the Christmas show for about a decade. For the last few years, we have included our kids, my mother and aunt, as well as a variety of friends and relatives. It is one of those experiences that cuts across generations and I always leave with a smile on my face and my heart feeling just a little bit warmer. I highly recommend it.)

This year’s Vinyl Café Christmas show featured, in addition to the usual amazing and often little-known Canadian musical talent, two new terrific Dave and Morley stories. One of these dealt with Dave and Morley’s first meeting with their daughter’s boyfriend’s family, and over Christmas dinner no less. McLean does an inspired job humorously capturing the angst created by the collision of a teenager’s two previously separate worlds.

The older I get, the more that I realize that there is an absence of “perfect” families (the Cosby Show was just that – a show, not reality,) and that all of our families are quirky in their own special ways. The major differences are in terms of degree and specifics. The quirkiness of great aunt Edna in your family is matched by, but completely different than, old weird cousin Harold in mine. And while your brother may be completely fixated on how to cook the ham, my sister has meticulously strong views where every light bulb should go on the Christmas tree – exactly. (And none of these may come close to our own personal peccadillos.) In many cases, there comes a time when we have learn to do more than accept – we have to embrace our quirkiness and realize that it can be fun and interesting … and even enjoyable. Imperfection at Christmas dinner will make it more memorable, more exciting and more entertaining, if we choose it to be.

A Different World

Appleby has had a long tradition of great hockey, a tradition that has included boys hockey for more than a century and girls hockey for close to 20 years.

During our centennial celebration last year, the school hosted an invitational start-of-season hockey tournament with separate divisions for both men and women. What could have been a one-time event was so successful that I had the pleasure of watching most the games in the second annual Appleby Invitational Tournament three weeks ago. My youngest son Alec and some of his young cousins accompanied me to some of the games and the intensity, speed and agility was riveting. While standing in the arena and taking in what seemed like mid-season performances, any worries about the NHL lockout vanished. If you have an opportunity, come and watch one of these games. They are really entertaining.

Both Appleby teams acquitted themselves well during the tournament, but the thing that has stuck with me most relates to another team. One of the girls teams was a select team visiting from Moscow. To the best of our knowledge, none of the team members – coaches or players – spoke English, so some of the Russian-speaking Appleby students helped out with translation over the weekend. The women’s final featured the Moscow team versus Appleby. Sadly, we lost with 14 second left in the game, but it was a superb match. (There is a photo in the slideshow on the right of the two teams at the end of the game.)

The incident I remember happened at the start of the game. The Russians were a fairly dominant team during the tournament and expected to win. Appleby took the opening face-off. Our right winger blew by her mark outside, then cut inside the Russian left defense before roofing the puck over the goalie’s right arm. We were up in spectacular fashion after less than 30 seconds.

The Russian coach called over the five girls who were on the ice. He didn’t go into a long diatribe, nor did he bench them. He ordered them off the ice, to go to the dressing room and change. Their tournament was over. I was at the door when the five 14 year-olds (+/-) came off – all of them either in tears, or fighting to hold them back. Everyone in the vicinity was stunned.

For a hockey-mad country like Canada, this was a poignant reminder that different cultures have very different ways of operating. (The 5 girls aren't in the photo.)

Finding Sugar Man

Last month, I wrote about a tip passed my way from our lawyer regarding the singer/songwriter Sixto Rodriguez and a documentary about his strange story entitled Searching for Sugar Man. On Saturday, my wife Alison and I finally managed to get out to the see it. (She was quick to point out that this was our first dinner and a movie couple night in many, many years. Whatever credit I should have received for the date seemed to be negated by the frequency! But I digress …)

It is a fabulous movie that we recommend to anyone. It is hard to imagine writing this story as a fiction because no one would judge it sufficiently believable. And neither of us thinks the story, which takes place mainly from the 70s to the late 90s, would even be possible today in the age of the internet.

While the story is captivating, I found myself mesmerized by Rodriguez himself – his personality, his values and how he interacted with society. Despite our watching his story for an hour and a half, he remains mysterious. It raises questions about those we meet during our lifetimes who seem to transcend traditional paths and roles. While it would be hyperbolic to consider him a prophet, it does make you think about those special individuals whose words, actions and auras affect far more than could be imagined.

Here again are links to a couple of his songs ...

Sugar Man

I Wonder
 

The Parent's Dilemma - When to Let Go of the Tiller?

When I was driving back to the office a couple of weeks ago, I had CBC Radio on the dial and was listening to the noon-hour call-in show. (Note to self: Why is it that I often listen to such shows when I have hated them for decades?)

The guest was a well-known television businessman Brett Wilson, best known as the Dragon (on The Dragons’ Den) who has made the most deals with aspiring entrepreneurs who pitch on the show. He is also known as a philanthropist and speaker, but was on the radio show to talk about his new book Redefining Success/Still Making Mistakes. The call-in aspect of the show was listeners sharing how age, (often negative) experiences, and wisdom have led them to define success more broadly and in less material ways. Factors like quality of relationships, impact on community, and happiness become far more important than earlier in their lives.

There were a couple of comments that really struck me. One was from Wilson, when he said that, contrary to the impression given by the show, he is never really investing in products or specific ideas. This is because so many of them will fail. What he is really identifying when forming a new partnership is the calibre of the people.  In particular, he is looking for passion, adaptability, innovation, willingness to make mistakes, and character. Whether a specific idea makes or not is not as important as the person who is behind the idea. He used a number of examples of partnerships that were successful not because of the initial failed concepts, but because of the subsequent ideas and the people who drove them. That is a powerful message for educators about what we should be promoting in our students.

The other comment that stuck with me is a version of an old adage: Success is not defined by the abilities you have, but by what you do with them. As educators and parents, we have to find that right line between embracing/loving kids for who they are at their core, while also pushing them to reach their potentials. That is a giant grey area for most of us. How do we encourage kids to do well, to make the most of their abilities, while not forcing them to be someone they aren’t?

On one hand, there are many teenagers who need some big pushes. Some are used to the path of least resistance, others are lacking in self-esteem, some have limited ambition relative to their talents, and some are averse to trying something they may fail at. So, part of the adult role is helping them overcome these challenges.  My wife and I are always asking ourselves whether we have done this at appropriate levels for each of our three children, knowing that the answer is very much child and age-specific. When is the right time to allow the child not to be in the band or play that sport ... and what takes its place?

On the other hand, I recently read a piece by Jane Brophy in the NY Times about the role of adults in helping youth shape their futures … who they are. It brings together a variety of concepts including the nature/nurture debate, concepts of embracing diversity, and how we sometimes want kids to be who we want them to be, rather than who they truly are. As much as I see teenagers who need to be pushed, I see examples of families who force kids in direction that is not right for them, despite what are the parents’ best intentions. I was, however, heartened by some lunchtime conversations with Appleby students last week where they all indicated that their parents are fully supportive of their pursing their dreams at a high level, even if the dreams are unconventional or unlikely.

Brophy’s article is excellent food for thought.

Understanding

“Data is not information, information is not knowledge, knowledge is not understanding, understanding is not wisdom.” – Clifford Stoll

“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” – George Bernard Shaw

“The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn't said.” – Peter Drucker

 

One of the speakers at the CAIS annual conference for Heads, Prof. Chris Bart from McMaster, had a stimulating presentation on good governance as it applies to independent schools. He used a variety of tools to ensure that his session struck the right balance been intellectual depth of the content and enjoyment for the audience (… always a nice thing when you are in three days of meetings.)

He made some comments about communication that made sense on many levels. I couldn’t help but think about my own challenges in being both a good spouse and parent with respect to communicating. (My wife Alison has made it clear that further references to Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus are no longer de rigueur at home!) And it is clear that schools and teachers are constantly searching for ways to provide students the tools to be good communicators and to fully understand what that means. It is universally recognized as one of those critical life skills.

Bart revisited the view that communication has only been achieved when a message has been a) sent, b) received, c) understood, and d) interpreted. Many assume that the job is done after only step a) or b). Often (but certainly not always) the understanding of that sequence is directly proportional to age, so it is an important focus with students.

What really stuck with me from that portion of his presentation was the tool he used to illustrate it – an ad relating to the French translation of the fabulous movie March of the Penguins (about the migration of Emperor Penguins in Antarctica.) Take a look and use it with anyone who tends to focus only on sending messages.

Remembrance & Generations

On Thursday, we held our annual Remembrance Day Chapel services, which were both poignant and lovely. (There are videos of the services included in the selection on the right side of my blog page.) Much of the impact was due to the elements of the services – music, lessons, the reading the Honour Roles, and the laying of memorial wreaths – and how they were delivered by students and faculty.

I was particularly delighted about two specific parts of the service. First was the address by Curran Egan ’08, who in addition to doing graduate work in military history and serving on the Appleby Alumni Board, is a 1st Lieutenant in the Royal Regiment of Canada. Curran did a wonderful job talking about the act of remembrance, including the nature of our military history as well as the reality and tragedy of war. He also did an uncommonly good job in linking our acts of remembrance to the lives of students today, including how young men and women can honour the legacy of previous generation through their own non-military actions. I think Curran struck the perfect balance between asking his audience to appreciate the past, and asking them to allow it to inform their futures. He also made his point in a way that translated into the diversity of the Appleby student body of 2012.

The other aspect related to the second service when it was our privilege to host, in addition to Curran, three alumni veterans: Don Benson ’52 who served as a Lieutenant in the 48th Highlanders of Canada; Tom Holden ’41, who served in the RCNVR as a Lieutenant (N) on HMCS Gananoque on active service in the Atlantic, and Bill Joyce ’34 (also a long-serving Appleby faculty member) who was on active service in Europe with the Fort Garry Horse as well as in Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery’s Headquarters. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel with a DSO. (There are also some photos of these guests in the slideshow on the ride side of the blog.)

There are times when alumni and students come together and there is a magic of interaction, which electrifies the community. For me, that was the case on Thursday. Not only were students humbled and fascinated to see men who were part of history, but I could also tell that there was a deep appreciation to be in the presence of those who answered a far more dangerous call of service to society than we will ever face. We all wonder how we will react to moments that require courage.

There are times when adults lament about lack of values or respect in the young people of today. If Thursday was any indication, this generation has a very healthy sense of respect and thoughtfulness.

My sense is that our veterans also found the services to be meaningful and special. Not only did it connect them to their “second homes” growing up (including remembering the school-mates, some of whom never came home,) it also allowed them to feel a sense of appreciation from the Appleby community for their service. In the 1970s and 80s, as a society we didn’t do a very good job paying tribute to those who served and those who died. It is one of those things that we are getting better at. It’s just too bad that so many who would have appreciated it are no longer with us.

I hope that we will be able to have more veterans return for future services – it is one of those things that they would enjoy, and there is no doubt that their involvement is a powerful experience for students and employees at Appleby today.

I am also interested in other ideas about how alumni involvement can enhance student experiences. Inter-generational connection is an important part of growing up, as it can create a profound, broader and more fulsome perspective for our young people.

A Day (or Two) in the Life

I often get asked by friends and relatives what I do in a typical day. This is usually followed by a more incredulous inquiry about how it is possible to stay busy working over the summer in a school. And there often a great deal of speculation by faculty in schools and universities about how effectively school administrators use their time. (Fortunately, that’s not an issue at Appleby … I hope!)

While I don’t plan on itemizing a typical day in my Appleby life, it did occur to me that the end of last week included some remarkable school events, which I had the privilege to be a part of. So I thought that I would highlight a few things that took place here from Thursday night to Saturday afternoon:

·         Thursday evening was the first ever Olla Podrida! The name for a seasoned Spanish stew of many ingredients, OP was a variety show tied to the theme of love that combined many of the arts in a fast paced 90 minutes +/-. It was wonderful. With emcee (and Arts Prefect) Ryan Hubner directing traffic with in his own a friendly and humorous way, there was a fine mélange of ingredients in the 2012 version of OP: a mesmerizing magic show, a super guitar performance, 2 funny one act plays dealing with the complexities of blind dates, two evocative and beautiful modern dances; and a series of remarkable music performances that showcased a wide variety of talents. It was a very special evening and, without exception, the performers acquitted themselves well. Check out the photo in the slideshow (to the right) of the cast at the end of OP.

·         On Friday morning, my day started with coffee with Appleby’s greatest modern day volunteer leader and philanthropist Aubrey Baillie ’63. Aubrey, who must have left his home in Toronto at an unmentionable time to meet me in Oakville at 7 am, is the perfect role model for Appleby graduates. He combines well-known and respected career success in the financial services industry with a longstanding and profound commitment to both serving and bettering the many communities he is a part of (including Appleby.) To top it off, Aubrey is wonderful and loving family man – the perfect “triple threat”.

 

·         Aubrey and I then participated in the Appleby Foundation’s Loan Committee meeting, chaired by another great community champion and former Chair of the Appleby Board, Peter Willis. Many people don’t realize that Appleby distributes more than $2.25 million in needs-based scholarships, bursaries and loans annually to students who would not otherwise be able to attend the school. Some of these kids are from economically challenged backgrounds and receive large awards, while others are from middle class backgrounds and receive much less – it is all based on their family’s financial profile. I believe passionately that great kids are at the heart of a great school, so our ability to attract wonderful students, regardless of their backgrounds, is an important plank of our future success.

 

·         Later that morning were the two all-school chapel services, this week being run by the Peer Counselors and focusing on the theme of “gratitude”. While we are very much a multi-faith community, chapel serves as a powerful connector between students and faculty as a communal time for reflection and celebration. Chapel is grounded in our Anglican tradition but Canon Lennox and his team ensure that all major world religions are included in readings, sermons, music and other elements of the services. The Peer Counseling program is an important part of school culture. The empathy and advising skills that our student counselors show is a testament to their maturity. Their ability to help many students with a variety of life challenges contributes a great deal to what is a warm and supportive school culture. I was most impressed with the beauty of the prelude guitar/vocal performance at Friday’s service, as well as the energy of the counselors’ rendition of “I’ll Be There for You” (better known as the theme from Friends.)

 

·       On Friday afternoon, I watched of boys varsity volleyball team play in the league semi-finals at St. Mike’s in Toronto. The boys get full credit for getting into the playoffs, but didn’t have their best game, eventually succumbing to the volleyball juggernaut three sets to one. Fortunately, three days later they had a superb match against Crescent, thereby qualifying for the provincial championship tournament (OFSAA) in two weeks.

 

·         Friday evening brought Appleby Rocks – the culminating performance for 19 students in this fall term co-curricular. I loved the show (as did my parents-in-law who were staying with us for the weekend.) The performances were spectacular and I was floored by the calibre of musicianship, energy, and creativity. Most of the tunes were right up my alley - there was a great variety of R&B, jazzy folk, rock and rap, including a couple of original compositions. Between Olla Podrida! And Appleby Rocks, there is no doubt that the arts are an area of immense strength and passion for our students.  (See the slideshow for a photo of the finale.)

·         On Saturday morning, Appleby hosted the CISAA championship tournament for Junior Girls Field Hockey. Our team finished fourth in the regular season, so were matched against #1 seed Villanova. In a really exciting match, our girls came back from a 1-0 deficit to upset the league champions and secure a birth in the final versus LCS. The final was well-played by both teams, but we ended up with the silver. The smiles and satisfaction of the girls (see the photo) certainly helped warm the hearts (if not the bodies) of the many family and friends who watched on a cold but beautiful fall day on the shores of Lake Ontario.

So, that is a snapshot of a couple of days in my life at Appleby. I hope it provides you a glimpse of why I feel fortunate to be the principal of such a wonderful school.

Big Questions for Appleby

Last week I attended the Canadian Accredited Independent Schools (CAIS) annual conference of Heads and Board Chairs, held in conjunction with the business officers’ conference. I usually count on at least one “dud” session per day for conferences I attend, but this one was very good and   “dud-free”.

Perhaps the best part of it was the opportunity to spend time and compare notes with principals from schools across the country, as well as a couple of international ones. I was surprised about how many (at least 20) of them I knew from past lives, and how collegial heads are, even with competitors. I was touched that, in the months leading up to my start at Appleby and over summer, I was treated to lunch or dinners with seven current or former principals and I was shocked to receive flowers and gift baskets from another half dozen in my first month. I count many of these people as good friends and some as extraordinary mentors and role models.

Education has an uncommon range of complex relationships between both people and institutions that are at the same time both competitors and partners. For example, Appleby has that kind of relationship with many outstanding feeder schools with whom we also compete for Grade 7 and 8 students. It takes a great deal of nuance to make these work, but effective relations are more the rule than the exception.

The conference had a great range of presenters including: a panel of senior Canadian leaders from the finance sector moderated by Steve Paikin; Roger Martin, Dean of U of T’s Rotman School of Business (who announced the previous day that he will stepping down); Kendra O’Donnell,  retired Head of Phillips Exeter; Susan Wright a popular governance and strategy consultant in the Canadian independent school sector, and Fred Dust, a partner of IDEO ( a superb design firm focused on organization change, optimization and human dynamics – in my previous post about Tony Wagner and Innovation, he uses IDEO as a model for creativity in action.)

There were lots of takeaways, but Roger Martin was the most provocative in his presentation on strategy, and how educational institutions are often not sufficiently laser-focused on it. While he uses an eight-stage approach to strategy definition, he believes that the key revolves around only two questions:

·         Where should we play? For schools, this relates to student market (geography, student profile), program niches, and school culture niches.

·         How will we win? He was emphatic that saying “we will do what others do, only better” is not strategy and very rarely works. It is far more about differentiation. Clarity in strategy is often found by defining what an organization is not … what we do not do relative to our competition.

Roger also feels that management teams, boards and other stakeholders should all be clear and in agreement about what the succinct answers to these questions are. At Appleby, we have very strong programs that have changed remarkably in the last couple of decades. Moving forward, we also have a large range of priorities in our Strategic Refresh. Having said that, I would like to know what employees, students, parents and alumni think the answer to these questions are today. And more importantly, how do you think those answers should change as we look out five years?

Sugar Man

One of the early pieces of advice I received before I started at Appleby was to meet with the school’s auditor, lawyer, and major partners. So, last week I had the pleasure of having lunch with our lawyer, Eric Roher of BLG, a national leader in the field of education law.

Aside from all the interesting work chat, Eric told me about a fascinating story from the music world that captivated him. It is the story of a singer-songwriter named Sixto Rodriguez and a documentary called Searching for Sugar Man.

According to the Sugar Man website, “After his two critically acclaimed, early-1970s albums flopped in the United States, Rodriguez all but vanished from the music scene. But copies of those records found their way to South Africa, where they became, unbeknownst to him, the soundtrack to the anti apartheid movement.” He was “bigger than Elvis” there. The documentary film-maker set out to tell Rodriguez’s story (he is very much a Bob Dylan-like figure) and find out the circumstances of his death. The unbelievable story has helped spur on the most recent rediscovery of the artist.

Eric told me about the story’s twists and turns - it sounds fascinating. I can’t wait to see the documentary. (I heard that 60 Minutes also did a recent piece on the story.)

In the meantime, I managed to find a few of Rodriguez’s songs online and recommend them to you. It is great stuff and hard to figure out how they didn’t catch the imagination of North America 40 years ago.

Sugar Man

I Wonder

Inner City Blues

And his story

Sandy

Sandy's devastation in the US northeast is clear. (Here is a great but scary series of photos from the NY Times.) With more than 40 people dead in the US and Canada, as well as huge issues with power failures and transportation paralysis, there is tragedy for many.

We wish all those who have been impacted peace and safety going forward.

This is the second major flooding issue in Manhattan this year, which makes me wonder about the future and how increasing weather volatility will continue to impact the major seaboards of the world. There isn't a month goes by where I don't think how luck we are in Ontario. While there are some natural disasters here from time-to-time, relative to most of the world and even most of North America, we are very fortunate. The impact from even the worst blizzard isn't a fraction of the devastation that we have watched from hurricanes.

I've had a few inquiries from Appleby people abroad asking about how badly we were impacted by Sandy. Oakville experienced a very bad rain storm with high winds, but not much more. At Appleby, we had a few trees go down in our forest and a number of large branches, but no power outages and no major flooding. Yesterday, the wind shifted and I snapped a few photos of the big wave action on the beaches by the Inukshuk. You will see them on the rolling slide show to the right of this post. I think you could almost surf some of them if you were so inclined!

It was also a good time to remind the students of some of the most devastating storms of all time:

1) 1970 Bhola Cyclone (Bangladesh – 300K to 500K dead mainly from storm surge); 2) Un-named Typhoon that hit Vietnam in 1881; 3) Typhoon Nina (China – multiple dam failures killed 100K+)

"Our Time to Lead"

 

For most of us, university years were some of the most memorable. They are the years where we wrestled with new-found independence, plotted our courses for our lives, and grew into adulthood.

Last week, The Globe & Mail ran an interesting series on post-secondary education in Canada entitled Our Time to Lead.

I spent the first half of my career in the university sector and have an ongoing interest and loyalty to Canadian universities.  And the college system is becoming an increasingly important entrepreneurial and adaptable answer to economic needs.  Education at all levels – primary, secondary, and post-secondary; both private and public – is the most important lever for improving our quality of life in terms of the economy, culture, heath, and human interaction. It is something we should all take an active interest in.

The Cerberic threats of austere public financing for the foreseeable future, intense international competition, and pace of societal change/expectations pose massive challenges to these institutions that have served our nation well for a fraction of the cost of universities in other parts of the world

Many of the Globe’s pieces are superb, many are thought-provoking, and many raise questions that apply to those of us in the secondary sector.

Here are a few that raise some excellent questions:

·         Why University Students Need a well Rounded Education or the case against specialization too early

·         Transforming the Ivory Tower: The case for a new post-secondary education system. Take a look halfway down this interaction section to the articles on The Innovators

·         What is the one thing every graduating student should know? Advice from a variety of university leaders

·         Can Canada’s schools pass the next great intelligence test? This long article provides the overlay for the entire series – probing into a variety of issues facing universities, faculty and students.

PS Earlier this week, there was also an interesting piece on TVO about the classroom of 2030. While the focus was once again on post-secondary, there were many concepts that applied equally well to schools. Here TVO’s special website on the subject, which includes the show.

On Innovators & Play

In my last post, I mentioned that we just hosted our Optimates dinners where we honoured our top academic students. In the fourth of those dinners, Fraser Grant ’87, our Assistant Head (Academics) talked about innovation and how we can help youth discover and develop the skills that will allow them to be innovators.

Ours is a long-term game. There are lots of important attributes that our graduates will require to be successful (broadly defined) 25 years from now – at the top of my list are critical thinking, teaming/collaborative skills, adaptability, and a strong moral compass. But, I also think innovation is on this list, and it is the trait that is taking on greater importance. The emergence is due to both the flattening of the world as well as the pace of change in everything – our day-to-day lives, the economy, knowledge, and human interaction on a global basis. Our societal and national well-being is increasingly tied to our ability to innovate, both in absolute terms and relative to others.

Innovators are the people who able to find the intersection between creativity/imagination and human need. It is the manifestation of the very special talent of being able to re-imagine and see something in a way that was previously never done. And creativity isn’t just about the arts. The greatness of Einstein, Gretzky, the Wright brothers, Marie Curie, the Beatles and Picasso was all built on creativity. A significant proportion of societal leaders today have reached this pinnacle through applying creativity to human needs and wants.

So what does that mean for educators and for parenting?

There is an iconic TED talk from February 2006 by Sir Ken Robinson on the “How Schools Kill Creativity”. It is, in fact, the most viewed TED talk in history with more than 13.5 million viewers. Robinson’s message still lingers in my mind many years later. His premise is that children have an abundance of inherent creativity that schools squeeze away by over-emphasizing regimentation and working within systems. Not only do schools not develop creativity, they actually force it out of children.

At the start of the term this year, our faculty read a book by Tony Wagner (Innovation Education Fellow at the Technology & Entrepreneurship Center at Harvard) called Creating Innovators, and then we used it as the focus for a series of professional conversations about how we can better promote innovation through our teaching and our broader learning environment.

Wagner’s message (as introduced in his own TEDxNYED talk and fully addressed in his interactive Creating Innovators Website) is not only that innovation is the essential driver of societal development, but also that there are some very specific ways schools and post-secondary education should address it.

Some of his key points are:

·         Innovation can only happen when you have three factors coming together: 1) expertise (knowledge), 2) critical thinking skills (like flexibility, problem-solving orientation, ability to integrate many ideas, perseverance, empathy), and 3) intrinsic motivation (including some of Daniel Pink’s ideas – most importantly, an enduring, driving sense of purpose.)

·         An enduring sense of purpose can only be based on first the development of passion, which is very intense but time-limited (think the first couple months of dating a new person with whom you are infatuated.) Purpose is focused and perseveres long after passion burns down. Wagner also believes that the most effective way for youth to develop passion is by providing time for unstructured play, especially with peers in the out-of-doors. This runs counter to so much of current parenting practice, where time is the most valuable commodity for both children and their parents, so we become highly efficient “programmers”.

·         Mentors, encouraging parents, and enthusiastic teachers are essential in helping empower students as they move along the Play to Passion to Purpose Continuum.

Generally speaking, great schools have always been very good at the “expertise” factor, and we are becoming better at “critical thinking” aspects. Both schools and parents used to be better at providing unstructured play.

I recommend Creating Innovators to you, and would love to hear what you think about Wagner’s premise. More particularly, I am interested in your views on the Play to Passion to Purpose Continuum, as well as how we should better address the “critical thinking skills” in the right balance with “expertise.”

I look forward to hearing from parents, alumni and employees, but am most interested in what current students and recent graduates think about this.

How We Come Together

Last week was another super week at the school. It included the Appleby Walkathon – a whole school event where all students and employees play a role. All of our students – old and young, short and tall, athletic and not so much – ran or walked 21 km throughout Oakville while raising funds for local causes as determined by the students themselves. At last count, the kids raised in excess of $60,000 and the tally continues to grow.

What I loved was the smiles on so many faces. Smiles as they warmed up to talented direction of Mr. Buchanan (Boy, do I have a hard time showing any sense of rhythm in aerobic routines – thankfully I wasn’t also trying to chew gum at the same time!) Smiles as they huddled together in the cool, clear morning air before the race; smiles as they made their way along the route; and smiles that were broadened as the passed by refreshment stops staffed by myriad parent, student and employee volunteers.  While some kids/staff went all out in a highly competitive race, others went back and forth between running, jogging and walking, and yet others had a refined slow amble that would seem to prepare them well for life as an octogenarian in a rocking chair in front of a country store.

And the competition at the front of the pack was intense. I was delighted that a student stopped in my office early that morning confidently calling out for a top 5 finish … as “a gift to you, Mr. V.” Indeed, he finished #5. Talk about smooth.

It was one of those really special days when a whole community comes together in a positive, engaging and purposeful way.

Indeed, the whole week was special. Earlier, we held our final two Optimates dinners, honoring our top academic achiever from last year. Will Hackney, our Academic Prefect, spoke very well at all the events and I was delighted to see the pride of both students and their parents. Fraser Grant ’87, our Assistant Head of School (Academics), served as the Master of Ceremonies at the dinners, and provides different but superb remarks at each of the four dinners. In my next posting, I am going to speak a bit about one of his speeches relating to developing innovators.

The week finished with Harvest Colours, the incredible fall fair put on by the ACPA (Gay Longo chaired this year’s version.) My mother and aunt joined us for this wonderful day. Our kids particularly enjoyed the baked goods, and the whole family contributed significantly to the coffers of the many artisans present. The number of volunteers – especially parents and students – showed another perfect example of the power of coming together as a community.

For three days last week, I was also at the meeting of Heads of Independent Schools from across Canada hosted by CAIS and held in Toronto. While hearing lots of great tales and war stories, it struck me how lucky I am to be at Appleby and what a remarkable community we have here. Last week was an impressive series of activities that spoke to the power of collective experiences for both teenagers and adults. It is a critical aspect of building community and family. Last week, I was particularly proud to be the Principal of Appleby.

Opening Address: What makes a Great Class; Relational Leadership; Acts of Kindness and Optimism

We are now into week 5 and there is a great vibe around the campus. People made it through week 1 – with all the anxiety of new students trying to find their places (both physically and socially), and returning students re-establishing relationships. Week 2 started the “normalizing” process as students and staff got into the rhythm of the typical school week. Week 3 started with an energetic Spirit Day and ended in a fabulous Homecoming weekend. Post-Thanksgiving, it seems that most are in their grooves.

I thought it would be appropriate to post some of the thoughts I shared with students at the all-school Assembly, which started the school year. I was impressed that the students gave me their full attention throughout this long address.

“This morning, I have 3 distinct messages for you – one to new students, one to the Senior 2s, and finally one to the whole to student body.

First, to the new students, my fellow “12evers” – today will likely feel a bit more overwhelming than was Friday. Everyone is here, classes start, and the pace of life has just kicked up a couple of notches.

Instead of repeating everything I said on Friday, just remember two things this week: #1) you will find your place here in terms of friends, successes and passions – it will be fine; and #2) if you are not sure about something, make sure to ask. There is an army of fellow students and staff here who are in your corner, and who want you to succeed, because we have all been in your position.

I bet everyone here can remember the first day at a new school. I remember my first day in 1972 as clear as a bell. My elderly grandfather walked with me to school, the place was huge, I was undersized, both short and a bit thin (hard to imagine when you look at me now), and completely uncoordinated. What I remember most how intimidated I felt. But it all worked out eventually. 

Now for the Senior 2s.

I have had the good fortune to meet many of you, and many of you have already gone out of your way to make me and my kids feel at home here. (My wife seems to feel at home everywhere she goes.) You guys have been a class act – thank you.

I know many people have already spoken to you about how important this year is for you individually – it is that crucial lead-in to university and your life ahead. Canon Bob, in his thoughtful homily at yesterday’s chapel service, talked about how fast this year will go – a sentiment I concur with 100%.

So there is lots of pressure for you to expend those most precious resources, your time and your talent, towards personal achievements in the classroom, on the stages and canvasses, on the playing fields, and around the world.

I suspect that many of you feel that pressure more than most, and I know that it is more than some of you really wanted. But let me leave that subject for another address.

Instead let me talk about another challenge – and I want to apologize for loading on more expectations.

First of all let me say that we all have a hand in sailing this Appleby ship in 2012 – 2013. Certainly the staff are critical, even the Head of School and Principal have a role. Of course, the student body, in the final analysis, defines the school culture for a given year. But within that context, it is the leaving class, (the Senior 2s, in this case the class of 2013,) who sets the tone, who role models it, and, more than any other group at Appleby, who owns school culture.  They have the strongest handle on the tiller.

I have had thousands of conversations with alumni of numerous universities and schools. Especially over the last nine months, I have had many with Appleby alumni, and I am intrigued by the pictures their stories paint about Appleby. About the differences between today and 5, 10 or 15 years ago when Ms Porter, Ms Cochrane and Ms Cater were here as students; or 25, 30 or 35 years ago, in Mr. Grant and Mr. Suchanek’s times; and about how profoundly different it was from their time compared to the 1950s, not to mention the 1920s and 30s, when the oldest Appleby alumnus I’ve met was here.

One of the questions I love to ask is “What makes a great class?” In every educational institution, there are huge gaps between the quality of classes. Some are amazing and, frankly, some are duds. And often, at the start of the year, you can’t fully predict where a Senior 2 class will end up.

Sometimes it is tough to assess how good your own class is – studies show that we don’t always really see ourselves, even when looking into a mirror. (Once again, a good subject for a future talk.) While how a class feels about itself is an important criterion of greatness, it’s really the classes around you, usually those in the five years younger than yours, and the faculty who are often the best judges of which classes are truly great.

Here is the thing about great classes – they are not great for just one year. They become great for a lifetime, for the next 60 or 70 years. Because an entire generation of students knows that greatness, have benefitted from that greatness, and respect it.

So, what really makes a great class?

Yes – things like the calibre of performances, university placement, funds raised, AP scores, and sports championships are all relevant and contribute to greatness. But let me suggest that they are all secondary to three factors.

First – great classes make those around them feel great. There is a wonderful story about two of Great Britain’s greatest Prime Ministers – Gladstone and Disraeli. Historians tell us that both were remarkable leaders of that nation when the British Empire was at it zenith. I read a piece that talked about the differences between the two of them. It said that after dinner with Gladstone, you would come out feeling that you had talked with one of the smartest people in the world.  After dinner with Disraeli, on the other hand, you would come back saying what a great dinner it was and how you feel like one of the smartest people in the world.

So, think Disraeli. Great classes find ways for the rest of the student body to not just feel good about itself, but actually feel great about itself. This feeling is on a macro level, with a sense of school spirit, goodwill and collective positive energy that cuts across houses, classes and other barriers. But it is also felt an individual level, where each one of us feels a sense of personal connection, and feels respected by the leaving class. 

The second factor is about the leadership model.

Something I briefly spoke with the house councils and prefects about was the role of positional leadership versus relational leadership. Positional leadership is when someone is able to change behaviour and culture because of their position – I say stand up or sit down and you do it, because I happen to hold the position of Principal.

Relational leadership, on the other hand, is based on a foundation of earned respect and credibility – someone can influence behaviour and culture because they are held in high esteem by the peer group. They have credibility and they may, or may not, have a position.

Every piece I have ever read on these differences suggests that positional leadership is doomed to failure if it is not built on a solid foundation of relational leadership. And relational leadership is by far a more powerful lever within communities.

So great classes have many, many leaders. It is broadly-based across the class (both those in formal positions and those who do not have the title), and it is built around a commitment to a series of values; things like: respect for others – how to treat them; responsibility – when to stand up and own something; integrity; and compassion.

The third factor for class greatness is how people interact across cliques. In every school, as I am sure is the case here at Appleby, there are clusters in each class. People may hang around based on neighborhoods, or interests (geeks, artsies, jocks), or ethnicity, or personality type, or other factors. It is impossible to suggest that everyone in a class will be equally good friends with everyone else – that might work in a finale of High School Musical, but it isn’t reality in a school like ours.

However – the very great classes in different schools have all found a way to have a bond that cuts across all of these cliques, and there becomes a baseline of respect that links every member of the class, even if they are not all best friends.

That is also a harbinger of your future because, believe it or not, while you probably know that in 25 years, many of your best friends will be from Appleby, I also predict that some of your closest Appleby friends at that future time are not among your best friends today.  In all likelihood, there are people in this gym right now, whom you don’t have anything to do with, but who will be your close friends in 25 years. They may be teachers or athletes or academics or rebels, painfully shy or wildly extroverted, younger or older. Once you realize that, it completely flips the way you look at and deal with each other.

So my question to the Senior 2 class is: how do you want to lead this year? What is the right balance between pursuing your individual achievements and working towards the greater good? There is no perfect or right answer. All I ask is that you spend some time as a class pushing yourself a bit to have the conversation, and think about what you want to achieve. From what I have seen so far, you have all the potential in the world.

And now finally, my message for all of you – Middle 1 to Senior 2, rookie or veteran.

The start of September is a time for New Year’s resolutions. Of course, every class here should be thinking about the questions that the Senior 2s are facing – those I have just talked about.

I also believe in situational leadership. Every single person in this room will have the opportunity to show leadership to do the right thing when a group is facing a dilemma. And on that note, I’d like to ask you to think about two virtues: courage and optimism

In addition to my asking about what makes classes great, I also enjoy asking alumni about the experiences that had the greatest impact on their student years. What is remarkable is how many focus on what I call “the small acts of kindness.” Even though the impacts are not so small!

Let me tell you a brief story about a high school classmate of mine who I will call Gary. He was very smart, incredibly socially awkward, and physically weak, but a nice, earnest guy. Almost daily, he was tormented by classmate whose favourite habit was to grab Gary by the back of the neck and force him on his hands and knees and make him howl like a dog in front of others. You can imagine the impact with is peers. At his reunion, Gary thanked another classmate because he will always remember this fellow, on the landing of a school staircase not unlike the old one on the north of the Memorial building, stepping in and calmly asking him to leave Gary alone, which he did. Many years later Gary remembered that single act as if it had just happened.

These kinds of stories are many and varied: the leaving class student who stepped in with a word of encouragement for the lonely first year girl; the guy who consoled someone who just bombed an exam, or was cut from a team, or let in a bad goal in a big game; the girl who invites a not-so-close classmate, who felt on the outside socially, to join her to an event; the family who invited a new student from another country to their home or cottage. Interestingly, more often than not, those alumni being thanked don’t even remember the events.

In speaking to alumni at their reunions, the times when they were down, in any way, and a fellow student or a teacher stepped in to lend a hand or a kind word – are seared in their memories. The impacts that these gestures have had on peoples’ lives are deep and profound. It’s even moreso when the kindnesses crossed cliques – a geek helping a jock, a long-time student helping a new boy, a day student helping a boarder, a hetero guy helping a gay one.

The difference between taking and not taking any of these steps is usually not lack of awareness, or not having the idea, but actually having the courage to do it. Because these actions take us out of our social comfort zone. I and, I suspect, many of the adults in the room often ask ourselves if we have courage to always do what our gut says is right. I’d like to spend more time on this subject in the future as well. But before then, my first challenge to each of you is to try one of these acts of kindness – it can be very small or big. Find a way to show decency and show your courage. I promise that you will not regret it.

To quote the great, magical headmaster Albus Dumbledore - “It is our choices that show truly what we are, for more than our abilities.”

Finally – I used to follow hockey rabidly. As a Leaf fan, I understand how suffering makes you stronger. I still love it, but haven’t had the time to watch it as closely in recent years.

When I was younger, there was a coach who some of you may have heard of called “Badger" Bob Johnson. Bob Johnson was one of the great hockey people of the last 40 years. He was an iconic college coach who took his team to 7 frozen four championships (winning 3), international hockey (including coaching 8 Olympic, national or Canada Cup teams), and at the NHL, where he took the Calgary Flames to their first NHL appearance, and was at the helm when Mario Lemieux and the Pittsburgh Penguins captured their first-ever Stanley Cup.

Sadly, the following year, he took ill and ended up directing the Penguins from his hospital bed. In November that year, Badger Bob died. 5 months later, the Penguins won their second straight Stanley Cup

While Badger Bob was famous for this impressive record, what he was best known for was a rabid sense of enthusiasm and optimism, best reflected in his signature, much repeated saying “It’s a great day for hockey!”

Johnson not only used his words to spread positive energy, his whole being glowed with passion. He seemed to take on every challenge with gusto and had a way to make his enthusiasm contagious, so those around him felt the same way. He turbo-energized those he came into contact with, even over the TV. Even though I was not a Wisconsin, nor a USA Hockey, nor a Flames, nor a Penguins fan, I couldn’t help being drawn to him and feeling myself that this indeed was a great day for hockey.

We all have the ability to have that kind of impact, perhaps not on the same scale. But we can affect others with our attitude and outlook. I get that sometimes, as a teenager, it may seem safer to be “too-cool-for-school”, but at the end of the day you can in fact exhibit an important trait of leadership by sharing optimism.

What do I mean by that? Say hi to people you pass in the hall, even if you hardly know them. Be kind and show respect to the custodian cleaning your room, smile, especially first thing in the morning when everyone would rather be buried in bed.

Share an optimistic view of the world. This week isn’t just the anniversary of 9/11, it’s also the anniversary of Sister Agnes Bojaxhiu, while riding on a train, hearing a call from God to leave her convent and minister to the needs of the poor while living among them – and thereby becoming the now beatified Nobel Peace Laureate Mother Teresa.

Great communities and schools thrive on positive energy, and the greatest leaders share an optimistic view of the future

And now finally, in advance of the official tie ceremonies happening later this morning let me ask all of our new students to stand, so the entire school body can see who you are. And now I would like all the returning students to stand with them and, with the same gusto you sing “Guide Me”, let’s give them an enthusiastic and warm welcome to this special brother and sisterhood that we call the Appleby community.

So, here are the takeaways from this morning:

1.      For the new students – it will all work out just fine, and make sure you ask for help if you have any questions or worries.

2.      For the Senior 2s – think about what greatness means for your class, and stay focused on making the student body feel good about itself. Remember that broadly-based, relational leaders are the secret to impact, and ensure that a base level of respect weaves throughout your class, and between all of the cliques.

3.      And to all of you – search for the courage to perform those small acts of kindness, and strive to be the positive, optimistic voice.

Thank you for your attention. Welcome back. And let’s make this “A great day to be at Appleby!””