C AT H O L I CPRINCIPALS’C O U N C I L ON

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Winter 2013 • Volume 17 • Issue 2

EDITORDeirdre Kinsella Biss

ART DIRECTORAnia Czupajlo

ADVERTISING & SALESJohn NijmehGaby Aloi

CONTRIBUTORSTony Agro, Vincent A. Colucci, Michelle Coutinho, Sandra Donaghue, Debra S. Lean, Sonia Mastrangelo, Bridget McCann-Girard, Lucie McCartney, Mark G McGowan, James T. Mulligan, Mirella Rossi, Michael Schmitt, Lindsay Sirois, Margaret Wiley, Michael Wilson

CPCO TEAM

Andre Potvin, President president@cpco.on.ca | ext. 22

Paul Lacalamita, Executive Director placalamita@cpco.on.ca | ext. 23

Deirdre Kinsella Biss, Communications Coordinator dkinsellabiss@cpco.on.ca | ext. 38

Michael Schmitt, Protective Services Coordinator mschmitt@cpco.on.ca | ext. 27

Marcelle DeFreitas, Professional Learning Coordinator mdefreitas@cpco.on.ca | ext. 37

Gaby Aloi, Manager of Corporate Operations galoi@cpco.on.ca | ext. 26

Vanessa Kellow, Professional Learning Assistant vkellow@cpco.on.ca | ext. 31

Maria Cortez, Administrative Assistant mcortez@cpco.on.ca | ext. 32

Bessy Valerio, Receptionist bvalerio@cpco.on.ca | ext. 21

Ania Czupajlo, Sr. Designer aczupajlo@cpco.on.ca | ext. 25

Stephanie Zakhem, Communications Officer szakhem@cpco.on.ca | ext. 30

John Nijmeh, Advertising Manager events@cpco.on.ca | ext. 28

Chris Jung, IT Supervisor jkstree@cpco.on.ca | ext. 34

Jay Jung, IT Support jjung@cpco.on.ca | ext. 24

IN THIS ISSUEWinter 2013 • Volume 17 • Issue 2

We thank all those who contributed to this issue.Please note, however, that the opinions and views expressed are those of the individual contributors and are not necessarily those of CPCO. Similarly, the acceptance of advertising does not imply CPCO endorsement.

Publications Mail Agreement No. 40035635

CONTACT US

Catholic Principals’ Council | OntarioBox 2325, Suite 3030, 2300 Yonge StreetToronto, Ontario M4P 1E4

1.888.621.9190 toll free • 416.483.1556 phone416.483.2554 fax • info@cpco.on.cawww.cpco.on.ca

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IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Imagination - A Primary Seed of Creativity | 4

Catholic Imagination and the Catholic School | 8

Art + Mathematics = Engaged Learners | 12

Leading for Creativity & Innovation | 22

The Value of Dramatic Play for Children

on the Autism Spectrum | 26

The Performing Arts: One Extra Gear to

Improve Student Self-Confidence | 30

Building Hope One Person at a Time | 38

KEEPING YOU INFORMED

Student-Led Learning Walks | 16

Conducting a Faith Audit | 20

Leaders in the Know | 32

Perspective: Privilege and Inclusivity | 36

Integrated School-Based Mental Health

Intervention - Essential for All | 43

IN EVERY ISSUE

Creative Leadership | 2

Time for Imagination, Creativity and Dialogue | 3

Walking in a New VP's Shoes | 11

Paying It Forward | 35

People of Courage, People of Hope:

Martin Joseph Quinn | 40

ON THE COVER

Creativity & ImaginationCollage by Ania Czupajlo

C AT H O L I CPRINCIPALS’C O U N C I L ON

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A Primary Seed of Creativity

Michael Wilson, Arts Education ProfessorFaculty of Education, University of Ottawa

In my 2012 book, In a grain of sand: A new vision for arts education

I write about two unifying principles of all arts education –

creativity and aesthetic experience. This article is framed by the

chapter on Imagination, which is one of the seeds from which all

creativity f lowers.

Mathematical potential is not necessarily “born”. We can “create” potential in the least likely situations if we accept that art has its place in the “craft” of mathematics. There are as many ways to teach mathematics as there are to paint the same scene. (Stix, 1994)

12 Principal Connections • Winter 2013• Volume 17 • Issue 2

Lindsay Sirois, Student Achievement OfficerThe Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat

Discovering the Link…As a principal begins her daily walk of the building, she visits a lively grade one classroom in the middle of an exciting activity. The students are working on creating a picture using shapes. Some students have drawn ice creams cones and cats while others are designing rocket ships and sail boats. What intrigues the principal the most is the sub-context of the lesson. Students are using pattern blocks typically seen only in a math lessons to design and build their pictures. When the principal asks some of the students what they are doing, math or art, the answer is surprising. One giggly grade one student says, “Both of course! We are using two-dimensional shapes to build what we want to draw.” The principal is surprised that the students are so clearly able to articulate that they are in fact creating art based on mathematics. That which seems so natural and authentic to the students is in fact a carefully planned and integrated lesson, which weaves together curriculum elements.

When the principal leaves the classroom, she is full of questions and wonderings:

• What did the teacher do to get students to build so effortlessly on what they already knew?

• Was this happening often? Did the teacher develop integrated learning opportunities like this for her students regularly? And if so, how to capture this and share with other educators?

• Once the students were done their creations, would the products be seen only as art or as a blend of mathematics and art?

The Research Says…Many art forms are intrinsically linked to mathematics. The counting of tempo in music, the symmetry in ancient mosaics or the delicate curves of Rodin’s Thinker, all rely on a foundation of mathematics to become the art we ap-preciate. From the ancient caves of France to the mod-ern day classroom, art and math have been linked.

It requires careful c o n s i d e r a t i o n and forethought to highlight the mathematics in the arts and vice versa, to enhance

the creativity of mathematics, rather than automatic-ity and algorithms. Researchers have made the connection between left brain math and right brain arts, and the benefits to learners of all ages are amazing. In concert with each other, the child “is engaged not only in the realm of thinking but in all the other domains of social-emotional, creative, language and physical devel-opment.” (Church, 2001) Arts and math equal the “complete devel-opmental package.” (Church, 2001)

When students are engaged through the arts, the research shows they remain engaged. By blending mathematics and art, students learn in physical and embodied ways and collaborate with peers, responding emotionally and calling upon their cognitive capacities. Research from Canadian academia “affirms that spending time in the arts does not come at the expense of achievement in other subjects, but improves estimation and computation skills.” (Upitis, 2011) This is confirmed by

ART+ MATHEMATICS = ENGAGED LEARNERS

16 Principal Connections • Winter 2013• Volume 17 • Issue 2

STuDENT-LED LEARNING WALKSVisible and Engaging Learning Communities

Mirella Rossi, Principal Precious Blood Elementary School Toronto CDSB

We continue to be inspired to transform the world through imagination, witness, faith and action.

As educators, we know that student engagement, achievement and well-being f lourish when students, staff and parents share a common understanding of learning goals and related success criteria, especially when there is the opportunity to take part in in descriptive feedback.

Ongoing descriptive feedback linked specifically to the learning goals and success criteria is a powerful tool for improving student learning and is fundamental to building a culture of learning within the classroom [and within a school community].

~ Growing Success, 2010

By introducing Student-Led Learning Walks during curriculum or parent-teacher interview nights, our school has been able to increase parent support by purposefully inviting them to play an integral role in their child’s education. Not alone has this practice enriched our school by creating a positive inclusive learning environment but it has also had an encouraging impact on the alignment of our instructional practices.

As a principal new to Precious Blood Catholic School, the staff embraced the potential benefits of a Student-Led Learning Walks. It would allow our community to get to know one another in a meaningful academic-centered capacity. We wanted to create the conditions with our families that would result in highly supportive, interactive and productive partnerships with the shared goal of reaching higher levels of student achievement and engagement.

We set into motion our first Student-Led Learning Walk within the first three weeks of the new school year during our Curriculum Night. Our focus was Visual Arts. What an awesome sight ... to walk into a

gymnasium and see displays of two and three-dimensional works of art come alive! All created by our students from Kindergarten through Grade 8. Coming together as a community around student learning, all the while including parents as active participants, is an energizing experience!

Experience and research tells us that parents that have confidence in themselves, in their children, in their school, can make a difference in their children’s learning and achievement. When parents hold high expectations for their children and have concrete information on how to help them, everyone benefits.

Mary Jean Gallagher, Assistant Deputy Minister

Student Achievement, Ministry of Education

What is a Student-Led Learning Walk?The Student-Led Learning Walk is a practice that invites students, educators, parents and community partners to journey into learning together.

DESIG

N • STO

RY • SYMPHONY • EMPATHY • PLAY • MEANING

The Importance of Fostering Creativity and InnovationA recent IBM survey of chief executives from around the world states that creativity is the most sought-after trait in leaders today. Creative thinking has enabled the rise and continued success of countless companies, from start-ups like Facebook and Google to stalwarts like Procter & Gamble and General Electric. At a time when businesses are increasingly looking to employ tech-savvy people with strong creative skills, traditional good grades may no longer suffice to equip the workforce with the skills needed to fuel innovation-driven economic growth.

According to author Daniel Pink1, we are moving from an economy and society built on the logical, linear, computer-like capabilities of the Information Age to one built on the inventive, empathic, big-picture capabilities of what he coins the Conceptual Age. In order to survive and thrive in Pink’s Conceptual Age, we need to complement our left-directed reasoning by mastering six essential right-directed aptitudes, or the six senses.

1. Not just function but also DESIGN. It’s no longer sufficient to create a product, a service, an experience or a lifestyle that’s merely functional. Today, it’s economically crucial and personally rewarding to create something that is also beautiful, whimsical or emotionally engaging.

2. Not just argument but also STORY. When our lives are brimming with information and data, it’s not enough to marshal an effec-tive argument. Someone somewhere will inevi-tably track down a counterpoint to rebut your point. The essence of persuasion, communication and self-under-standing has become the ability also to fashion a compel-ling narrative.

3. Not just focus but also SYMPHONY. Much of the Industrial and Information Ages required focus and specialization. But as white-collar work gets routed to Asia and reduced to software, there’s a new premium on the opposite aptitude: putting the pieces together, or what Pink has labelled as Symphony. What’s in greatest demand today isn’t analysis but synthesis — seeing the big picture, crossing boundaries and being able to combine disparate pieces into a new whole.

4. Not just logic but also EMPATHY. The capacity for logical thought is one of the things that make us human. But in a world of ubiquitous information and advanced analytic tools, logic alone is not enough. What will distinguish those who thrive will be their ability to understand what makes their fellow man or woman tick, to forge relationships, and to care for others.

Lucie McCartney, Student Achievement Division, The Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat

Leading for Creativity & innovation

22 Principal Connections • Winter 2013• Volume 17 • Issue 2

The Value of Dramatic Play for Children on the

Autism Spectrum

Dr. Sonia Mastrangelo, Assistant ProfessorLakehead University, Faculty of Education

The Research

Autism spectrum disorder has been identified throughout the world in families of all racial, ethnic and social backgrounds. Approximately 75 per cent of children with autism spectrum disorder also have an intellectual disability that is marked by significant pragmatic communication and social impairments (Starr, Foy & Cramer, 2001). More specifically, children exhibit difficulties with imitation, gesturing, observational learning, joint attention, symbolic play and understanding the expression of emotion (Soucy, 1997). The degree of impairment, the continuum of symptoms and the extent of ability differ significantly from child to child. The characteristics

of autism spectrum disorder may vary within the same individual across time and some social impairment may be situation dependent (Toomey & Adams, 1995). Autism spectrum disorder falls under the category of a communication exceptionality and many educational interventions have focused on expressive/receptive language, social reciprocity, play and the arts.

Wolf berg and Schuler (1993) note that qualitative impairments in reciprocal social interaction and dramatic play are hallmarks of the autism spectrum. One of the most visible signs is the inability to relate to others. Understanding subtle emotional cues and facial expressions can be particularly challenging for these youngsters. Furthermore, the capacity for intersubjectivity — that is, the ability

As educators and administrators we face the challenge of over-coming traditional notions of drama as a once a year perfor-

mance presented to a larger school audi-ence. In addition, many may feel that their personal ability to use drama as a tool for teaching and learning is limited due to a specific lack of training. Putting these initial reservations aside, we can discover that drama is an art form that can be easily

adapted from the stage to the inclusive class-

room environment.

For children on the autism spectrum, drama provides an ongoing story for the development of imaginary characters through the process of interacting and co-creating safe spaces where they can develop social skills. By providing opportunities for dramatic play experiences to happen in our schools, we are opening the window for children on the autism spectrum to participate more meaningfully in a social world and to strengthen those aspects of brain functioning necessary for more f lexible thinking with the added benefit of strengthening communication skills (Peter, 2003). Within the context of drama, children on the autism spectrum may be

more willing to take risks and make creative choices and decisions.

The positive effects of drama based-interventions for children on the autism spectrum are well documented in the literature (Guli, 2004). However, the challenge remains translating the research into practice. Placing drama at the heart of a child-led, interactive approach to curriculum planning allows us to gain greater insight into the perspectives of children who are socially challenged (Peter, 2009). We become more mindful and develop possibility thinking in our planning and execution of lessons. Re-conceptualizing drama as a form of play rather than as a technical art form may help quell our fears and move us to incorporate this powerful tool in cross-curricular ways.

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PERSPECTIVE: Privilege and Inclusivity

Michelle Coutinho, Principal of Equity, Diversity and Inclusive EducationDufferin-Peel CDSB

There’s something to be said about the excitement of getting new supplies for the school year. One of my favourite memories was the new backpack I would get each September. It was more than just a place to store my binders and books, it symbolized a new beginning; a sense of hope, possibilities and potential. And, it was with that optimism that I would set off to face another year.

In the 1980s, American activist Peggy McIntosh began to explore a different type of backpack; one which some members of a society don and, although invisible, is full of privilege. Using the metaphor of the backpack, McIntosh wrote about male privilege, and later, white privilege. She described unearned advantages, which are the result of gender and racial inequalities as “an invisible weightless knapsack of special provisions, maps, passports, codebooks, visas, clothes, tools and blank cheques."1

In order to help comprehend the contents of our backpacks, McIntosh posed a variety of statements engineered to deepen our understanding of the privileges we may or may not possess, and how they come into play in our daily lives. Various versions of these statements have since been incorporated into equity-based workshops during an activity frequently referred to as a privilege walk. Participants start off standing together in solidarity and are then asked to respond to statements posed by taking a step forward or backwards. The

physical disparity of participants at the end of the activity helps them recognize how privilege, be it gender, race or socio-economic status, can result in different realities and experiences.

Some examples of these statements include:• Take a step forward if you can move to a new home and be

pretty sure that your new neighbours will be neutral or pleasant toward you.

• If you attended private school or summer camp as a child, take a step forward.

• If you have been discouraged from pursuing a career because of your race, gender or orientation, take a step back.

• If you can get a promotion without others suspecting that you got it because of your race/gender, take a step forward.

If we build on this idea of the privilege walk to examine some of the inequities in our schools related to gender, race, ability or socio-economic status, we have another privilege to consider. Call it curriculum privilege. Google dictionary defines privilege as a special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group2. Interestingly enough, they use the following sentence as an example; education is a right, not a privilege. Yet, this right does not manifest itself as an absolute as the result of common practices in schools. Ontario’s Equity and Inclusive Education

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38 Principal Connections • Winter 2013• Volume 17 • Issue 2

Michael Schmitt, Protective Services Coordinator, CPCO

As the Christmas season approaches, we turn our thoughts to welcoming celebrations and hospitality with family and friends. The celebration of the birth of Jesus provides us with the hope of the season; hope that in being born in His image, we will return to His kingdom.

Hope in this season is easily understood in terms of anticipating – of looking forward with desire and confidence. Our Christmas story is built upon anticipation of the one who will come to save us, a child born who will fulfill the promises of Moses and Abraham. Each year we experience the same feeling of anticipation. We derive strength from the hope that in celebrating the birth of Jesus again and again, we are strengthened in our desire for community and in the faith that Jesus is among us. We are hope-filled at this time of year because of our belief that God will be eternally present in every person’s life.

As I ref lect on the word hope, despite the busyness around me, I think that things will turn out for the best. In this way, hope is described as the capability of not giving up. It can also be understood as a state that calls us to action; that leads us with confidence to expect good outcomes because of the things we do as leaders. You likely recall the infamous quote by J.W. Gardner, “When all else fails, the prime function of the leader is to keep hope alive.”

However, our daily experience does not always look or feel like it will turn out for the best. In fact, we often experience the antithesis of hope in ourselves and in others. When we see the outcomes of poverty, bullying, conf lict, power, hunger, illness and discrimination, we can be easily moved to hopelessness or despair. And yet, as leaders, we are called to keep hope alive!

Really? Why me, Lord?

I live in Waterloo region and every year at this time there is a call for nominations to recognize outstanding community leadership with the culminating award called the Barn Raiser Award. How appropriate that our community gives a nod to the image of raising a barn for one of its key leadership awards, an image that portrays many hands working together, a symbol of reaching out in friendship and communal toil to achieve the building of a barn.

While an important nod to our Mennonite brethren and heritage – it is also symbolic of our Christian tradition and baptismal call to work in harmony for the betterment of all. A barn raising is an active symbol of hope – a communal activity that confidently anticipates the creation of a barn. The hopeful symbol of a barn raising is part of the culture here. It is no accident that our community has survived