Weaving Hope Through Our Education System
Summary
Excerpt
Table Of Contents
- Cover
- Title
- Copyright
- About the author
- About the book
- This eBook can be cited
- Table of Contents
- Table of Contents
- List of Figures
- These Leaders by Derrique DeGagné
- Introduction: Weaving a Tapestry of Hope: A Professional and Academic Journey by Joanne Wynn
- Threads of COURAGE
- Where Audacious Angels Fear to Tread on a 13 Step Commute by Katharine Weinmann
- Why? by Emily Ratcliffe
- To Whom It May Concern by Dr. Farha Shariff
- Do You See Me? by Clair Sprake
- The Story of My Name by Betty Fu
- Experiences with Courage and Hope by Gail Wozny
- Mother.Black.Teacher.Survivor by Janice Pinnock
- Resilient Resistance by Dr. Elizabeth Shen
- The Journey from Imposter to Infiltrator: Deconstructing the System from the Inside by Mari Chartier with Dr. Farha Shariff
- Tie Your Camel by Youssra Badr
- For the Future Generations by Sheila Williams
- 1-3-S-T-E-P-C-O-M-M-U-T-E by Derrique DeGagné
- Finding Courage in Hope by Hon. Sarah Hoffman and Dr. Shelagh Dunn
- Threads of CONNECTION
- Your Words, My Words, Our Words by Katharine Weinmann
- The Art of Entanglement by Angela Saxby
- An Ode to the New Teacher by Lila Berg
- Let Loss Live by Theresa Purificati
- I Am From by Jamie Reilly
- Looking Back to Move Forward by Jamie Reilly
- How do I learn? by Melissa Purcell
- I am the Revolution by Gail-Ann Wilson
- Here by Rin Lawrence
- Threads of COMPASSION
- I Am Enough to Be Enough by Katharine Weinmann
- The Breathing HeArt as Antidote to Collective Emotional Dysregulation by Sandra M. Nicholls & Nelle M. Meers
- The Daily Ease: Taking a Moment for Mental Rest by Nora Hajar
- Reflections of Reformed Hopeless Losers: A Play in One Act by Laura Dahl
- To My Educators by Laura Dahl
- The “I” in Community by Ashley Vu
- Hamila, The Clown by Maralyn, Kate, and Emma Ryan
- Threads of CURIOSITY
- I Wonder About by Katharine Weinmann
- I’m Stubborn About Belonging by Stacy Fysh
- Silent Conversations: An Exploration of Who We are Today in the Classroom as Teachers and Students by Melanie Bye
- Our Gifts: Cognitive Differences Make Us Exceptional by April MacDonald Killins
- Threads of CREATIVITY
- Unmask My Manifesto by Katharine Weinmann
- Pieces of Peace by Angela Saxby
- Music Teacher Musings, Part 1 by Lindsey Walker
- Designing for Empowerment: A Literacy Manifesto by Erin Quinn & Tara Vandertoorn
- Music Teacher Musings, Part 2 by Lindsey Walker
- Behind the Smile by Jennifer Peebles
- Music Teacher Musings, Part 3 by Lindsey Walker
- And … goosebumps by Derrique DeGagné
- Knotting the Threads
- When Fool’s the Hope by Katharine Weinmann
- Conclusion: Hope and the Fool by Jan Henderson
- Recommendations
- Index
These Leaders
by derrique degagné
Welcome.
Come in.
I want you to meet someone.
These leaders have
exchanged knowing glances across staff rooms and Google meets
folded my laundry while I healed and nursed my first child
waited out snow storms in Red Deer hotel rooms, laughing until we cried
revealed the scribbled notes on their pages, mirroring the ones I tried to hide
shared their nanna’s crib tips
given speeches that stirred my soul
held me while I wept
pushed me past imagined limits
laid their hearts in my hands
broken open my heart
inspired me to learn with curiosity
inspired me to teach with authenticity
inspired me to lead with heart
reminded me of the value of play, even and especially for adults
gifted me with the understanding that comes with shared experiences
reminded me of my privilege
led by sharing a seat at the table and asking who is yet to be invited
included me when I didn’t feel worthy
held me capable of sharing my opinions and abilities
waited patiently while I learned something the hard way
taught me that the way others treat me is about them, not me
assured me that my tears were a sign of my caring and not my weakness
showed me how to grow and change, proudly marking each scar as a map of my journey
taught me grace by extending it to me
These leaders
are courage, connection, compassion, curiosity, and creativity.
These leaders are hope.
Introduction: Weaving a Tapestry of Hope: A Professional and Academic Journey
by joanne wynn
“Hope is passion for the possible”
~ Kierkegaard ~
Our lives are filled with serendipitous and often surprising “ah ha!” moments that create turning points for our understanding, and jumping off places for new adventures. One such event happened on a beautiful Fall lunch hour in the company of a dear friend as we crunched through leaves on a much needed walk break. Sharing our dreams, she asked what I would write about if I pursued a doctoral program. As we passed the street of the 100 year old brick building in the inner city where I experienced my first role as principal, in a moment of clarity, I answered “Hope.” It was that inspired moment I first understood how significantly my leadership practice was founded in creating cultures and moments of hope. I knew I had to find out more.
An Introduction to Hope Research
“Literature reviews have identified twenty-six theories of hope and fifty-four definitions, while pinning down the characteristics of hope has been compared to catching the spring breeze”
(Webb, 2013, p. 398).
This metaphor of “catching the spring breeze” captures the essence of my journey to learn more about hope. The more I read, the more I realize how much we still need to understand, both in scholarship and as educational leaders. The following is a summary of some of the research that most resonated with me in my leadership practice. It will provide an introductory context for our stories of hope in schools throughout this anthology, and maybe inspire you to think in a new way about your role as an educational leader.
In a brief history of the scholarship, the topic of hope was largely the realm of theologians and philosophers until the 1950s when it began to be studied empirically in the healthcare profession. Since then, research particularly in nursing and psychology have demonstrated the necessity of hope to the human condition; to cope, provide comfort, and to navigate times of challenge, change and complexity (see Eliot, 2005; Pleeging et al., 2021).
Proving the power of hope has been easier than defining it. Hope has been described as a trait, state, virtue, resource, network, emotion, cognitive strategy, and multidimensional process (see Synder, 1995; Scioli & Biller, 2011; Dufault & Martocchio, 1985). While investigation to define and characterise hope continues, scholars share some enduring understandings about the experience of hope. In their review of the literature, Larsen et al. (2007), identify the most common characteristics of hope as a multidimensional and dynamic process, essential to life, future oriented, personally significant and goal oriented. Hope arises from our relationships with each other, our environment, memories, and spiritual connections that activate our hearts and souls, as well as our minds to affect our behaviour and outlook. Hope comes when we are struggling, and frees us to reconnect with possibility. Larsen et al. suggest the most succinct definition of hope is proposed by Stephenson (1991), as “a process of anticipation that involves the interaction of thinking, acting, feeling, and relating, and is directed toward a future fulfillment that is personally meaningful” (p. 1459).
Details
- Pages
- XXX, 312
- Year
- 2024
- ISBN (PDF)
- 9781636673165
- ISBN (ePUB)
- 9781636673172
- ISBN (Softcover)
- 9781636673769
- ISBN (Hardcover)
- 9781636673776
- DOI
- 10.3726/b21011
- Language
- English
- Publication date
- 2023 (December)
- Keywords
- hope courage connection compassion curiosity creativity community leadership identity equity diversity inclusion Weaving Hope through our Education System Derrique DeGagné
- Published
- New York, Berlin, Bruxelles, Chennai, Lausanne, Oxford, 2024. XXX, 312 pp., 19 col ill., 1 b/w table.
