I’ve created a presentation about the things that I want for my children and from my children’s teachers.
My hope is that it will move you, it will motivate you, it will make you think and it will inspire you to get involved in your child’s education, to support your teachers and to be part of creating great schools!
Join the conversation!
Heidi,
Your hard work has paid off… this is wonderful!
This gets to and remains at the heart of the matter… our kids. And it speaks to everyone involved in the ‘partnership’ of raising our children.
What I love most about it is that what you ask of educators, you also ask of parents! ‘We’ are in this together and with parent leaders such as yourself we have the potential to be powerfully collaborative and effective advocates and change agents in our school system today.
Thank you for making a difference!
I can’t believe no-one has commented yet on this great piece of work. I too am a mom who is struggling to find my place in the education system to support my kids and their teachers. I often worry that my involvement is seen as ‘telling them what to do” or “sticking my nose in”. Reality is that I see that they too want things to change but sometimes need support, expertise, advocacy and cheerleading to make it happen.
This project you have shared really encapsulates what I would like to say to them so that they learn not to fear parent involvement. That we simply want to be part of finding solutions for our SHARED interest. We are all after the same thing, we just need to drop the “roles” and work as a team.
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This an incredibly moving presentation. It highlights the essence of successful relationships with parents and school. The link to your video was passed onto me by a parent in my online network. I have shared this already and will continue to do so. Every parent and teacher should watch. Thank you so much for creating and sharing.
@David – Thanks for your encouragement and, more than that, thanks for being passionate about education and about children. Sharing learning conversations with you has been an amazing experience!
Have a great weekend and I look forward to seeing where we all go next with this!
Heidi
@Penny – I’m just behind at approving the comments!
Thank you for dropping by, commenting and I look forward to checking out your website soon!
There is such passion in all the people that I come in contact with – I can’t help but believe that we’re going to achieve the best for our children!
Heidi
@Lorna – It’s so wonderful to hear that this moves you! I knew it made me cry (the first part was hard to get recorded since I kept having to restart…) – but it’s validating to hear that it touches others as well.
The response so far has been fantastic – including a couple of schools and a request from a District Pro-D person who’s asked me to come present!
I knew it would resonate with parents, but wasn’t sure how teachers would receive it. I’m so glad it’s being received as a positive and inspiring message for all partners!
I’m off for the weekend but will check back for more comments if I can (but no guarantees – depends on wireless access).
Looking forward to more wonderful conversations next week!
Heidi
Heidi
Your video will really spark some thinking amongst teachers and parents. Is it ok if I share this link in my next eNewsletter home to parents?
Dave Matheson,
Principal
Gleneagle Secondary
Very inspirational Heidi. I will be hosting a parent forum in my district (Fredericton, NB) next month and I had planned to use my opening remarks to convey some of the things you covered in this video. Now I’d rather show them this wonderful piece of work.
I look forward to reading more of your blog.
@Dave and Jeannine – I would be tickled pink for you to share this with your learning communities!
If you prefer, a direct link to the YouTube video is http://tinyurl.com/whatiwant
Let me know what kind of feedback you get!
Thanks for dropping by
Heidi
Heidi,
Beautifully done! Congratulations!
in gratitude,
pete
Thank you, Heidi, for these wonderful momentum…
It came deep from your heart and I heard it deeply in mine!
I’m a father and a teacher as well. Your message should be spread all over the world.
Teachers and parents gathered in the same way for THE MOST WONDERFUL TREASURES WE HAVE: C-H-I-L-D-R-E-N!!!
Thank you so much, Heidi.
Heidi, your presentation is both moving and provocative, caring and challenging, respectful and arresting. Thank you – I will be sharing it on the Parent 2.0 wiki and my blog.
The power of the network brought me here – David Truss is a friend on Twitter (saw his tweet), and several commenters are friends as well.
Thanks for sharing, Heidi
That was great. You hit many of the points I believe in myself and it is so beautifully done. Your voice is calming, but sincere and the narration is smooth. I’d love to show this at a Pro-D event sometime this year when we talk about Social Responsibility. I realize that’s not entirely your focus, but they’re certainly related!
Great job!
Brad Helland
Vice-Principal
Peace Arch Elementary School
HI Heidi! This is great! Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I agree with your deepest feelings about the value of each child and the shared responsibility we have to give all children the ability to thrive. Yes, we need to be active and supportive of creating the best opportunities we can for children and their education.
We need to listen to the needs of children and those who oversee their care. As a teacher, I am often frustrated that I cannot provide the best learning environment for the children I teach. I am limited to the resources that I am given. I am frustrated that I cannot teach to my fullest abilities in the ways I would like to teach the children of today.
More people need to get involved. Parents can have a voice but the community at large needs to contribute too. They need to know how we are all working very hard to meet the growing needs of children and the changing world around us: to prepare them to be able to work and contribute to our changing world. We need a huge tidal wave to move us forward and this means more people need to take a stand to bring us up to speed so your children are up to the pace of the world around them.
Keep sending out the message, in as many ways you can. Your words can become contagious and reach the ears of those who can move us ahead. Thanks for working with us!
Heidi,
This is a truly beautiful and inspirational piece. I can relate whole-heartedly to your message, both as a parent and a teacher. Yes….our children are so precious. I often watch my daughter go off to school with her heavy back pack, looking like she’s carrying the cares of the world on her shoulders… and wonder…. How does she fit in? Do her teachers like her even a little? Will she feel successful, supported and encouraged by her teachers and peers?
Then, as a teacher, yes…. I try to create an environment that will nurture every child who comes into my room. There are times, however, when I feel I am inadequate for the huge task at hand. Sadly….no…..I don’t always reach my students. As hard as I try, I cannot provide for them in a way a parent’s interest in their well being, their education can do. There are many who experience so many obstacles to being happy and successful that come into our rooms ….
You have put an enormous challenge out to us all….parents and teachers alike. You have given us all something to think about in a unique and poignant way. Oh, if only all parents could express the same level of passion in their children’s education as you have for your children’s education. But while many parents are just trying to keep their lives afloat, at least they have you to be their spokesperson to speak up for their children. They are, after all, the whole reason behind what we do!
Thank you, Heidi, for creating this and sharing it!
Congratulations Heidi on a powerful and creatively communicated message.
One thing that struck me anew is the reality that every single child in our schools is precious and important. We as educators have a serious obligation to help every child strive toward their potential. This obligation requires a shift from the mindset of “education for the masses” in which individual differences are ignored for the sake of efficiency and uniformity.
Every parent wants their child to be treated in a caring, special way. Every child needs this. The key question therefore is how can we accomplish this.
Heidi,
Very powerful. What you alliterated came from the heart and rings so true. The advice and insight you offer is superb. I will be passing this on to our community.
Bill Trask
Principal
Maple Creek Middle School
@Jose – Thank you! It has been a learning opportunity for me to see that when I still my mind, reach down deep and let myself create from that place in my heart – it touches others there as well!
You hit on the most important point, really – our collective passion and care for the children brings us together and gives us enormous power!
@Cindy – thank you for your support and for spreading the message further!
@Brad – thanks for coming by and commenting!
Please do use it for your Pro-D and with your community. I believe that acknowledging and valuing our children as individuals is the foundation of socially resposible behaviour – so it fits perfectly from my perspective!
So good to hear from you again! Been too long!
Hi Heidi – what an inspirational way to start my thinking at 7ish in the morning. Imagine, the emphasis on ‘emotional democracy’ that emerges in relationships between parents and children. Imagine, a focus on vulnerability, strong emotions and complicated ways of thinking in our children. Imagine if we focused on educating the heart as well as the mind. Thanks for the challenge – now what will I do today to change the world?
Maureen
Heidi – great job on communicating this message and great use of a digital medium. I look forward to working with you over the next year and more on innovative projects involving parents, students, and schools.
Brian
@ everyone – Thank you all for coming here to see my presentation and for contributing in spreading the message!
@Julia – I agree that this is big change that we’re trying to make. I also believe that the huge tidal wave is still one drop at a time – and the combined passion of educators and parents together will indeed move mountains!
@Sian – your comment is so poignant! Your dichotomoy of parent and teacher perspective teaches me much about the compassion that we need to feel for each other!
I do believe that while most parents struggle to express what I’ve said here, the feelings are there and that’s why it’s resonating with people.
And that recognition of our deep down feelings is what will allow us to come together with a common purpose!
@Murray – the critical question really is “what will we DO?”, isn’t it? I think this partnership and mutual support is the foundation. Then the set of techniques, supports, shared lesson ideas and excellent pedagogy/practices will be the toolbox that teachers will choose from – based on their own strengths, passions, abilities and comfort level.
The next step is really in filling that toolbox then, isn’t it?
@Bill – My heart sings when you say you’ll be passing this on to others in your learning community! Thank you!
@Maureen – I’m so glad to hear I inspired you to think today! You have so often done the same for me!
and finally, @Brian – thanks for your feedback. You are a thoughtful, authentic leader in our District – I look forward to working with you as well!
Good night y’all!
Thank you again for all of your support!
Heidi
Heidi,
What an inspirationally moving video – well done! I am so honoured to know you, to know your passion and commitment, not only to your own three beautiful children, but to the collective whole.
Amazing!
I loved it! It speaks for itself-well-done! Thank you for sharing!
when I see the work we are all willing to do – to produce the very best in our kids, our students, ourselves – I know the teaching profession is exactly the place I’m happy to be. Thank you Heidi.
Here it is the portuguese subtitles for the “What I Want for My Children”! That’s my contibution for this wonderful message…
Inspirational, moving, relevant! I listened and identified from start to finish, and feel hopefull. You have approached this with such kindness, and from a place of support not only for our children, but our teachers as well. Well done, and thank you for reminding me (as often I need reminding) of the path I am on, and the 3 big reasons I chose this path.
This lilting, very beautifully-composed message, brings us all into focus on what the most important things are in life.
Great video, Heidi! A very powerful message. I shall spread it around…
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Your video was very moving. I have written a blog about my teaching day and how your video sensitised me to the special nuances of teaching young children in a computer lab. Thank you!
This was a great video Heidi. I would like to use it in my next post (when i finish my thoughts) about involving parents in what students are learning
Beautiful presentation, Heidi! Glad to be following you on Twitter. I sent the link to my superintendent, and I truly hope she enjoys it!
Jill @MomsL8
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Heidi,
Wow! I watched your video because Or-tall and David Truss were talking about it on Fireside Learning. I would love to highlight it there, get many people in that community to watch it. Might you consider joining the network and posting the video?
Thank you for your fine work and inspiration.
Connie
Hi, again Heidi
your video is still alive around the world. As you may remember, I’ve contacted you asking your authorization to subtitle it in Portuguese language. It was done 2 years and 4 months ago and it is still available here: http://www.overstream.net/view.php?oid=l6ssere6l3uj.
As you can see, there are more than 78,000 views! Amazing! I get emails from Portuguese teachers, parents, associations saying this message moves people a lot and they share it everyday.
Again: thank you so much!
Best wishes