Top 10 Influential People of 2013
Looking back on 2013, I have identified 10 individuals as having the greatest impact on my professional learning. In this post, I identify 5 of these individuals - and also give one honourable mention. The other 5 key influencers will be revealed in my next post.
#10 Senator Vern White
On May 24, Senator Vern White spoke at Mother Teresa High School on restorative practices. Senator White came to the school to meet the exchange students from Cape Dorset, Nunavut. Mother Teresa students had spent a week during the early spring in Cape Dorset, and in return, hosted the Cape Dorset students in late May. In his time with the RCMP, Senator White found that a person's likelihood of re-offending was cut in half when the person went through a restorative process. Senator White helped put me on the restorative journey to safer and more accepting schools.
#9 Eric Roher
During 2013, I had the privilege of listening to several presentations by Eric Roher, an education lawyer and partner with Borden Ladner Gervais LLP. On April 24, Eric provided Ottawa Catholic principals and vice-principals with a Legal Update on Bill 13 and also took them through a presentation entitled How to Conduct an Investigation in Your School. I heard Eric again on October 1 at the 10th Annual Summit on Emergency Disaster Planning for Colleges, Universities, and Schools. His presentation was called Clicks and Stones: Cyberbullying in Canadian Schools and Universities.
What most resonates with me is Eric's great advice to principals with respect to bullying and cyberbullying prevention and awareness: "Do everything!"
#8 Lucy West
On November 12-13, Lucy West shared both theory and practice on critical thinking with Ottawa Catholic learning leaders - including principals, vice-principals, and superintendents. Among the many insights she provided were 3 essential "talk moves" for students that support critical thinking - Turn and talk, Tell me more (or Why do you think that way?), and Who can repeat/paraphrase what was just said?
On May 24, Senator Vern White spoke at Mother Teresa High School on restorative practices. Senator White came to the school to meet the exchange students from Cape Dorset, Nunavut. Mother Teresa students had spent a week during the early spring in Cape Dorset, and in return, hosted the Cape Dorset students in late May. In his time with the RCMP, Senator White found that a person's likelihood of re-offending was cut in half when the person went through a restorative process. Senator White helped put me on the restorative journey to safer and more accepting schools.
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| Senator Vern White |
During 2013, I had the privilege of listening to several presentations by Eric Roher, an education lawyer and partner with Borden Ladner Gervais LLP. On April 24, Eric provided Ottawa Catholic principals and vice-principals with a Legal Update on Bill 13 and also took them through a presentation entitled How to Conduct an Investigation in Your School. I heard Eric again on October 1 at the 10th Annual Summit on Emergency Disaster Planning for Colleges, Universities, and Schools. His presentation was called Clicks and Stones: Cyberbullying in Canadian Schools and Universities.
What most resonates with me is Eric's great advice to principals with respect to bullying and cyberbullying prevention and awareness: "Do everything!"
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Yours truly with Eric Roher at the 10th Annual Summit
on Emergency Disaster Planning Conference
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On November 12-13, Lucy West shared both theory and practice on critical thinking with Ottawa Catholic learning leaders - including principals, vice-principals, and superintendents. Among the many insights she provided were 3 essential "talk moves" for students that support critical thinking - Turn and talk, Tell me more (or Why do you think that way?), and Who can repeat/paraphrase what was just said?
#7 Will Richardson
Author of several books on technology, Will Richardson presented in September to Ottawa Catholic Learning Leaders. His book Personal Learning Networks (reviewed by me in am earlier blog post), which he co-authored with Rob Mancabelli, presents a convincing rationale for educators to become networked learners and is a primer for them on effective use of social media. Will is the reason I began tweeting and blogging!
Author of several books on technology, Will Richardson presented in September to Ottawa Catholic Learning Leaders. His book Personal Learning Networks (reviewed by me in am earlier blog post), which he co-authored with Rob Mancabelli, presents a convincing rationale for educators to become networked learners and is a primer for them on effective use of social media. Will is the reason I began tweeting and blogging!
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| With Will Richardson |
#6 Archbishop Terence Prendergast
I first met His Grace, Archbishop Prendergast four years ago when I was principal of St. Francis Xavier High School. I recall thinking at the time, as he challenged the 50 or so students to whom he spoke to "Learn more about the life of your patron saint", that he is as great a teacher as he is a shepherd.
Although I heard him speak several times in 2013, including at the annual Catholic Education Week Mass on May 6 and the Archbishop's Charity Dinner on October , I was particularly inspired by him when he spoke to Ottawa Catholic Learning Leaders on January 8, 2014 on discernment and the Examen. He shared, in a most personable and humble manner, his own prayer life. It was a moving encounter.
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| His Grace, Archbishop Terence Prendergast at annual Archbishop's Charity Dinner |
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