Recently, I had the opportunity to volunteer some community service time on a field trip that connected with our learning about Remembrance Day and Canada’s contribution to world conflicts.  On Friday October 24th, 20 of my classmates from grade 5-6 had the opportunity to help organize the Field of Crosses Memorial Project. One of the founders of this project was Murray McCann. The story behind this man’s inspiration starts in a small community called Menlo, Georgia. This area had a population of less than 500 and people came to gather and remember the soldiers that served and died from their community. He then realized how important Canadian soldiers are overall. When Murray came back to Calgary, he called up a friend, George Bittman. They made the decision and agreed to make 1 cross for each lost soldier that served from Southern Alberta. George Bittman passed away on December 3rd, 2011 tragically, so family members took over and continued his contribution to the project.

The process to make 1 cross takes lots of time and effort. First the volunteers and members had to research each soldier and find things like their full name, age they enrolled into the military, age they died, day they died, honours they received, and their rank. After collecting all the information needed, they made the crosses using molds and plastic.  They sadly add to these crosses each year as they find out more about local soldiers’ sacrifices.  Currently, they have 3,050 crosses. Very few people make this project work, so our help was greatly appreciated by the organizer.

Students from Hillhurst School contributed to the project by cleaning last year’s mud off them and drying over 300 of the crosses. The organizer told us we did in a few hours what their volunteers took a week of 10 hour days to do.  We also put all of them in alphabetical order to be packaged.  Then we took the bundles of 10 crosses the adults packaged and made a ‘bucket brigade’ like they did in the army to load all 305 bundles (but 3050 crosses individually) into a u-haul truck so they could be shipped to be planted on Memorial Drive for the annual display. It felt really good to help out this cause, and as our principal reminded us, this was a great experience in active citizenship.

For more information go to www.fieldofcrosses.com or go to the actual memorial from November 1st-11th. You can view the crosses at Memorial Dr. between 3rd St. NW and Center St. Calgary Alberta. I would strongly recommend you do so to fully understand the sacrifices these individuals have made for our country.


Tomoe K is in Grade 6, and her hobbies include singing, dancing, reading, art, writing, and outdoor activities. She has many inspirations and is always open to new opportunities. In her free time, violin, robotics, projects, mingling and family are some extremely important things to her. Tomoe’s experience with the Field of Crosses Memorial Project helped her understand the true meaning of Remembrance Day.

Today a student gave me a hug.  My heart melted.

I am a lunchroom supervisor and I sometimes feel that it’s a thankless job. We are in the school for 2 hours/day and we often aren’t able to participate in school culture like teachers do. However, there is so much more to the job than the basic job description. I feel we are sort of parents-away-from-home, especially when I think I constantly repeat myself in encouraging students to eat their lunches (main course first, dessert last!), to not talk with their mouth full, to sit on the bench properly and use inside voices --and please don’t cry over spilled milk. Like all lunch supervisors, I’ve opened countless fruit cups, thermoses and yogurt tubes. I’ve become skilled at soccer reffing and solving playground disputes but I wish someone would invent magic fairy dust to sprinkle on children that could make someone play with someone or stop the tattling. However, I also know that handing out a Kleenex, ice pack or band aid--and especially a kind word--works wonders at making things right again. I wish I had time to get to know students more individually but in a lunchroom with 100+ kids that’s not often possible; hence I feel I’m not doing enough. 

Today that hug taught me that I really have connected with students, that my role is indeed valuable and I am not so invisible in the school community after all. 


Carla (@LunchBuster) fills her non-lunchroom hours being with her husband and son and volunteering with her community association. She is also on the homestretch of completing her B.A in English through Athabasca University.

A group of student teachers from the University of Calgary was touring through our facility last week, and although I won’t have the chance to work with them directly, I wanted to briefly extoll the merits of online learning with each of them.  I wanted a little context, so I asked about their backgrounds. I learned that every pre-service teacher I met with had taken some online course – whether through CBe-learn, another High School or during their post-secondary studies. Online learning can (and should) be a pervasive and persistent part of each student’s educational journey – it was for these future educators.

Our online school encompasses learners from grade 7 through grade 12, and we offer an exceptional amount of flexibility due to the nature of our digital environment. However, I’ve learned that without the appropriate philosophy and vision of solid pedagogical practices, even high-tech digital environments can quickly become static and obsolete. All of our online teachers have a strong background in their core subject area, and have become masterful at using the digital tools at their disposal. In addition, I’ve learned that many teachers have taken online courses as a student – either through formalized professional development, as part of continuing education, or to bolster their own personal learning. As students and learners, these are some of the most flexible, adaptable, compassionate and conscientious educators I’ve ever known.

 I’ve learned so much from each teacher I work with, and clearly recognize the strengths that each person brings to the team. As educators, we need to build and foster relationships in order to prepare our students for the next step in their journey – whether that is the next Sr. High course they are taking in series, the transition from grade 9 to 10, preparing for post-secondary education, or entering the world of work. Through the passion and dedication of our teachers, students are provided with opportunities to excel in their coursework, and therefore feel adequately prepared for their next steps.

 I’ve learned the commitment and enthusiasm for teaching and learning online allows for students to excel in their academic courses.

 I’ve learned I’m exceptionally lucky to work with the team I work with.

 And I’ve learned that I’ve never had it better.


@montitanner: Assistant principal @cbelearn; MEd graduate @ulethbridge; Partner to @nealphilip; Daddy to @_xella_ & @TonquinTortoise.

Last year I attended Opal School in Portland, Oregon.  I was lucky to be part of a group of professionals who were learning about Story Workshop.  This year in my classroom, along side my team partners, we embarked on an exploration of using Story Workshop in the classroom.  We wondered who our students were and what they were interested in and Story Workshop provided an environment where we could listen and learn with them.

Our students embraced the idea of building stories.  Story Workshop provided a place where language and literacy are supported through the use of materials such as clay, paint, props, or blocks.  It offers an environment where students see themselves as storytellers and authors.

As I follow the children’s lead I am learning that creating stories is so much more than just writing.  My students have demonstrated their understanding of story in a rich and authentic way, making connections to their world.

I have learned Story Workshop creates confidence in my students and that 'my story' is worth telling and sharing.  There is no wrong way to tell a story.  Story workshop inspires creativity.  Students explore a variety of media to tell their stories.   They have opportunities to express their ideas in multiple ways.  I am learning who the children are in my class and what they are curious about, as they share their thoughts, ideas, and fears with their classmates and with me.  

A student in my class said, “its fun because we get to build with our imagination and we are also learning about the parts of a story”.


Dale Wilson (@lymington) Early childhood educator, ed tech geek, traveler and lover of the outdoors.

We don’t always realise the impact of what we do each day. There’s plenty to do besides teaching. IPPs, field trips- you name it. This was a week where I received the gift of perspective. Several kids made it abundantly clear that what I and my colleagues do is impactful.

A student with some serious mental health concerns last year has turned a corner. He’s feeling better, he has his bad days, but he is feeling better. He and his parents told me that he’s happy to have someone to talk to. (We all cried during his parent-teacher interview.) They did the work to get him here, but a hug and caring ear go a long way.

Travis and I team teach Humanities 20, we took our 72 students to City Hall for a week in September. We thought it went pretty well but we learned that one of the kids was so inspired that he applied for the Mayor’s Youth Council. Meanwhile, his brother was so excited about last years’ Social Action project that he’s now on the Youth Central Board approving grants for deserving youth.

An unexpected message from a former student came this week. Feeling that he needed to share with someone that wouldn`t judge, he came out to me as transgender. As honoured as I am that he feels this way, I am happier that he is able to proudly be himself. 

We do more than teach curriculum, I saw that this week.

What a week.



Lori (@lmagale) is a Social Studies and Community Learning Leader at Robert Thirsk High School. A little judgy about music, Lori is passionate about teaching, art and the Montreal Canadiens.