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“Come on Jagger”, I say to my dog as we leave 

the house.   He trots beside me as we walk 

towards the small hydro-powered car in the 

driveway.  

I open the passenger door and Jagger hops into 

the front seat.   He is familiar with the routine of 

coming to work with me at the middle school 

and the students respond well to his presence at 

the school, particularly those from more 

challenging backgrounds.   Those students also 

tend to be great volunteers with our cat shelter 

program.

Usually I walk or bike to work, since it is 

relatively close by.   Most people work from home 

in my community, or rely on green transportation 

to deliver them to the aspects of their jobs that 

are not able to be completed with the use of 

distance technology.   I think about how this is 

similar to my students. All of my students 

complete their basic course work online.   They 

can work through the prescribed North American 

curriculums at their own pace, progressing to 

each new level when they are ready, not when 

they reach a certain age, as happened earlier in 

my career.  

I cringe at the memories of holding back students 

from progressing through the next grade’s 

curriculum because the age group the student sat 

with all day was not 100% all ready for that level.  

Thank goodness our school boards have seen the 

importance of allowing students to complete 

“required work” at a student’s own pace.   That is not 

to say that students never join their own age 

group…of course they do!   “School is primarily a 

social institution”, said John Dewey over a century 

ago, and many of our   projects revolved around 

similar age groupings.   

The school is open year round for various 

projects that students might be involved in; 

for meals; and of course, for the students who 

choose to billet at the school. Many of our 

billeted students are involved in programs 

which their home towns may not offer due to 

geographical constraints or specialization of 

staff.  

My school is geared towards “Outdoor Education” 

– all things related to conservation of our 

provinces natural resources and activities that are 

done in the lakes, mountains and trails of the 

great outdoors.   The programs range in intensity 

and areas of possible future specialization.   The 

students will be prepared to take further 

coursework in high school related to the areas 

they are most interested in after the exploration 

they do in my middle school.

My son was part of the Outdoor Education course until 

he was in grade 9, then he decided to switch to the 

Hockey Academy on the other side of town.   While he 

did not ever make the NHL, he did get a background in 

all things sports-related ranging from Sports Medicine 

and Physiotherapy to Marketing and Branding of 

Athletes, while playing a game he loves.  

He has continued on into the realm of Sports Reporting 

and is now in the process of travelling overseas to 

report on the upcoming Summer Olympics!   I chuckle as 

I think of my ice-loving son reporting on the melted ice 

events that have become his specialty.

My daughter enjoyed her schooling immensely, although it 

was difficult to see her leave home as a teen to travel 

several hours to the Northern Animal Preserve where she 

worked with land animals in preparation for a career in that 

field.  

She is now also travelling throughout the province visiting 

communities and schools to help educate people on how to 

lessen the human impact on her favourite creatures, 

wolves.   Luckily through FaceTalk we can maintain contact 

on a regular basis, although my husband had mixed feelings 

about seeing her new wolf paw-print tattoo she had inked 

on her shoulder last month.

At all educational institutions in North 

America, staff members work a variety of 

shifts to suit the courses they teach.   At my 

middle school, the senior Outdoor Education 

class is away on a back woods canoe trip this 

week.   When they arrive home next Saturday, 

the teachers and students will have several 

days off to relax and prepare for their next 

outdoor adventure.   I make a brief verbal 

note to the small PinPhone on my collar to 

check the year plan of the Outdoor Ed course 

to see what is next in their curricular 

schedule.   I think it is Forestry Camp in a 

location a few hours north.  

I will check my resources for interview availability 

with Camp Staff, Loggers and Tree Planters.   I will 

help secure tours of sawmills and pulp and paper 

mills, wood manufacturing plants and 

woodworking shops.   I will check my contacts for 

ride-alongs with truck drivers, helicopter logging 

pilots and tug boat operators.   Students will have 

a taste of all jobs related with the Forestry 

Industry and will be able to make sensible 

decisions for their future careers before they even 

finish their public education.

Of course, not every child knows what they want 

to do for their future…and interests do change as 

you mature.   Every school offers a generalist 

program for their “catchment” of students who 

choose not to enter a specialized program.   My 

school’s generalist program includes maintaining 

a garden, lifestyle arts – including household 

management, foods and textile arts and family 

life.   Students involved with this program also 

attend several community related classes and 

programs, such as volunteering at the Cat Shelter 

program and the Elder Care centre.  

I have arranged for a community nurse to come into the 

school today to talk about foot care.   It never fails to 

surprise me how many students (and their parents) 

need help with trimming their toenails and avoiding foot 

fungus!   I will need to make sure all the audio visual 

equipment she requires for her multi-age presentation 

is available in our presentation room.   Since the 

presentation is for all family members who would like to 

attend, I think I better put on a pot of coffee, as well, to 

entice them to stay and connect with other adults.  

Many parents and caregivers who are invited in for 

these presentations end up volunteering with, and 

eventually running, our community outreach programs.  

And we never say “no” to more volunteers!

Today I need to drive to the school, although the weather is 

fine.   I smile as I think of the special package I have in the 

trunk.   My students love surprises!   The other Teacher 

Librarian will be happy as well.   It has been a while since 

either of us has brought in a bundle of these special items.

I think of my teaching partner and smile.   He is young, “hip” 

(not in my curvy way) and energetic.   He loves learning and 

new technology…all the things required for an information 

literacy specialist – aka “Teacher Librarian”.   Johan was 

assigned to our school last year to finish off his training in 

Languages.   When he saw what we do with languages in our 

school, as well as having a love for the outdoors, he decided 

that this was the place for him.   He loved the idea of multi-

cultural language choices that we offer the students through 

our online programs where students have “face-time” with 

people from around the world who speak a variety of 

languages.  

While many of our students choose French as their 

second language choice, a large population of our 

students are learning Spanish, Cantonese, Japanese, 

Italian and more.   The local First Nations aboriginal 

language is also a popular choice.  

Johan himself is attending the sessions with the Russian 

group, as it was always on his “bucket list” to learn his 

grandmother’s first tongue.   The language groups meet 

twice a week at a specific time to practice with each 

other and their tutor – either an online professional or a 

community member who speaks the desired language.  

It is amazing what happens when you mention at the 

Elder Centre that you need some volunteers for the 

language program!

Johan’s hours overlap mine so that the learning 

centre can be open for longer hours.   He starts a 

bit later in the morning and keeps the library open 

until 5:00 pm.   He also helps with our Outdoor 

Education program on their overnight excursions, 

so we rarely have time together to plan and order 

programs, materials and so on.   Today, he is 

coming early to “meet” my contacts for the 

Outdoor Ed program, since it really is his passion.  

He will gradually take over that aspect of our job 

and arrange the experiences for the students.

I am happy for that, since I want to focus more on 

our pet volunteer program.   Penny, the Teacher 

Librarian Johan replaced, retired last year, and she 

is continuing in the pet pals program as a 

volunteer, but I know she wants to move to the 

interior of B.C. very soon. Her sister runs a donkey 

refuge there and Penny is committed to helping 

there.   She is sure an animal lover!

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