I recently read Sue Bruyns’ first blog post of 2018. Each January, Sue selects #oneword which is to become her mantra for the coming year. This year her one word was Courage. The word courage immediately struck a chord with me as I was thinking about what my one word choice would be. I kept returning to her idea of courage.
In my previous role as a principal, within a school, I was comfortable sharing my passion for take risks in teaching and learning in order to be an effective instructional leader. I was comfortable blogging about topics that I had spent much of my life learning about and living on a day-to-day basis. In my current role as a system principal I have an incredible opportunity to take learning risks in several new areas that are within the scope of my role. Equity, inclusion and privilege are areas of learning that have ignited within me a passion and a renewed sense of hope. Even so, I have not written regularly for a very long time – not because I do not have things to say, but mostly because I have been lacking courage.
Because I feel I still have so much to learn about equity, inclusion and privilege, because of the emotional nature of the conversation, and because I am fearful of writing something that would seem presumptuous about those facing far more challenges than I ever have had, I have paused in my writing.
My fears are:
- Will my blog resonate with others?
- Will I ‘get it right’?
Really, who am I to talk about equity when in reality I have far more privilege than many people that I have been so fortunate to meet and learn from in the last two years? So what can I do?
Ontario’s Education Equity Action Plan Click on the image to open the document
The recent release of Ontario’s Education Equity Action Plan (2017) highlights many commitments of our education system to support those who are marginalized through bias, systemic barriers and discrimination. This document has me reflecting deeply about what I can do to support the realization of a truly equitable society. I have decided that my entry point starts with courage.
Courage to:
- ask questions;
- make and admit my mistakes;
- listen deeply;
- learn with and from those who have experienced discrimination, bias and systemic barriers;
- leverage my privilege to be an ally to those who do not have it.
As I continue to blog about ideas related to equity I will be transparent in my learning journey. I must acknowledge that I come from a position of considerable privilege (white, middle class, heterosexual, university educated, able-bodied). I commit to coming from a place of humility, curiosity and learning. I cannot talk about challenges that I have not experienced, but I CAN be an ally. I CAN move from bystander to up-stander and leverage my privilege to support others. I am committed to having COURAGE and sharing my learning journey.
Read more about the portfolio I am working with this year as a system principal. (Learning Supervisor)
(Click on the image to go to our website)
Also follow this Twitter feed to learn more about what we are doing throughout our Board with regard to Equity, Inclusion, Mental Health and Well-Being. (click the image below to see and follow that Twitter feed)
