Kauai: The Garden Isle

Posted on October 6, 2013 by jameswhoddinott
Kalapaki Beach

Kalapaki Beach

Traveling is a great opportunity to try out many new things. This summer I took the opportunity to try my hand at a little photography. The new digital age has allowed one to feel free to experiment with a variety of camera settings and take numerous pictures without having to print them to see how they turned out. Kauai was the perfect place to try one’s hand at taking a wide range of pictures as despite the small size of the island it has beautiful beaches, lush forests, canyons, rivers and of course the beautiful Na Pali Coast. The Na Pali Coast was one of the beautiful places I have ever experienced and even with my new Sony A57 camera and a variety of lenses I was unable to capture the true magnificence of the island.

The wonder of the Waimea Canyon was spectacular. Laying on the beautiful Kalapaki Beach and then driving just a few hours down the south shore to Waimea Canyon takes you to a spot so different from where you just were. It is more than the stark contrast of environments that makes this a beautiful place. It is the abundance of colours, views and depth of the canyon that take your breath away. Don’t worry as the lady said when I asked for directions at the Car Rental Agency, “There is only one Road”. Well one main road anyway which does make exploring the island easy.

Waimea Canyon: Above the Clouds

Waimea Canyon: Above the Clouds

A journey to the north shore once again brought you into a different environment. From the almost arid conditions of the South Shore to the lush and wet conditions found on the north shore near Princeville.

Taro Fields of Kauai

Taro Fields of Kauai

Princeville is a beautiful park like golf and vacationers community that sits high on the cliffs overlooking the ocean. It is a great place to relax in comfort as well as serve as a home base for exploring the more natural wonders of Kauai. The Rainbow Eucalyptus line the golf course on the main drive of Princeville’s walking and jogging path that meanders its way through the small community and numerous condos and hotels.

Rainbow Eucalyptus: Most Colourful Trees on Earth

Rainbow Eucalyptus: Most Colourful Trees on Earth

A mistake made by me was staying on the north shore to take my Zodiac excursion of the Na Pali Coastline. Boats leave from Kikiaola Harbor in Kekaha on the south shore. However, again since there is only one road finding it isn’t difficult it just makes for a long drive home after your amazing, heart stopping experience seeing the Na Pali Coast. Scenery was spectacular, waves were rough, shore lunch was fantastic, ancient Hawaiian village was interesting and well worth the experience.

Inside a Sea Cave on the Na Pali Coast

Inside a Sea Cave on the Na Pali Coast

The Rugged CoastLine

The Rugged CoastLine

 

Our "Cruise Ship"

Our “Cruise Ship”

 

Another must do on Kauai was kayaking the Wailua River. The five-mile kayak and the two-mile hike with Kayak Wailua was scenic and well worth the time. The Kayaking is easier than one may think as at first five miles may seem like a difficult journey but the water is calm and the scenery breathtaking. The hike at times was interesting and you can’t wear your best shoes as they will get dirty but the end destination of the waterfall although busy is well worth the trip.

The Destination

The Destination

Wailua River: About to cross the river on the Hike

Wailua River: About to cross the river on the Hike

Despite the beauty of all I have shown, a sunset on the pristine beach of Hanalei Bay still left one speechless. Whether it be a sunset stroll, or sitting on the dock as the sun sets it is hard to imagine a more peaceful place.

Sunset at Hanalei Bay

Sunset at Hanalei Bay

Hanalei Bay Dock at Dusk

Hanalei Bay Dock at Dusk

This is just a small sampling of some of the photos I took on the eight adventure in Kauai. Not enough time but certainly a great taste of what this Hawaiian Island has to offer.

All pictures taken by: James W. Hoddinott

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Teaching, Modeling, Learning…Humanize

Posted on September 29, 2013 by jameswhoddinott

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The Internet has created a wealth of information and knowledge at our finger tips. In an instant one can read about the French Revolution and Robespierre who became the spokesman for democracy to bring freedom to all men; stating that the rights of man should be extended to all including the poor and slaves. Yet France has no statues to Robespierre for he is also responsible for what has become known as the time of ‘Terror’ He sent more people to the Guillotine then the ‘Aristocrats’ the French Revolution was fighting against. It is what leads us to thinking about the words of Edmund Burke who feared democracy. He feared the frailties of mankind. Burke talks that “liberty does not exist in the absence of morality.” For me as I read his thoughts; I tried to relate the issues of the battle for democracy to current issues that are challenging today’s society.

I imagine today Burke would say it is humankind’s frailties that prevents schools being built-in California, meaningful gun legislation or even real action on the misuses of social media, the internet and how it is public opinion that drives change rather than ‘doing the right thing’. In education we speak of ‘Servant Leadership’ or ‘Moral Leadership’. Dean Fink in “Leadership for Mortals” speaks of bringing each other together professionally and personally into a commitment of creating a ‘learning community’. Fink indicates leadership is working towards that common vision. What are the essential values we espouse at our schools? What is the culture of character and competence we are striving for in ourselves and our students?

 When I read ‘Burke’s quote “All it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing’; one cannot help but wonder if as John F. Kennedy said ‘Ask not what your country can do for you but rather what you can do for your country,’ that needs to be part of our cultural make-up. On a smaller scale at schools; as we look towards what actions are required in order to improve the competencies and character of our students it will certainly require a commitment from each one of us to work towards that common vision and the creation of a learning environment. How many of us use the Internet to seek the opinions of the scholars or do we sign on to ‘Twitter’ to read the opinions of the masses? Will it be the opinion of the masses that determines our course of actions or will it be from creating a culture where the common virtues of ‘Respect for self, others and property’ that determine our teachings?

I attended a professional development session by George Couros whose topic was ‘Leading Your School in a Digital Age’.  Technology is certainly a tool our students are very comfortable in using be it not always in the way we want. Technology and the Internet have a world of information both good and bad that can be accessed by anyone and as educators and school leaders how can we bring our schools and students into the Digital Age accessing the benefits of the Internet and social media. I have been to be leery of the negatives of what the Internet can bring to us and our students. Although Burke would be fearful of how individuals can misuse social media and the Internet, maybe there is another way. Perhaps it is through education and modeling that we can teach everyone the power of creating a global learning community as well as enhancing our ‘Digital Footprint’. As we work towards creating an environment rich in writing and learning how are we using technology and the internet to enhance literacy in our students? How can we use our students’ interests to increase writing, engagement and meaning in our classrooms? How can we teach our students appropriate ways to communicate and share on the Internet? How can we all be aware of the ‘Digital Footprint’ we are leaving? How can we share with colleagues, students and community?

George Couros spoke of our kids looking up and modeling what we do and requiring our guidance. He speaks of teachers needing to model/learn/humanize. The world is changing around us and we can either stand around, let it control us or embrace it and use it to create better learners, better students and better citizens.

Moving forward will require each of us to look at our own roles as ‘Educational Leaders’. With reflection do we oppose actions or change because of how it will affect us or because it doesn’t match the school’s mission or vision? As educator’s we have an important responsibility in creating society’s leaders of the future. Will we create those citizens that will know to report abuses on the Internet? Will we continue to fall victim to having images of rape, violence and cruelty going viral. Will we guide our students into understanding the importance of not being a bystander? Will we all work together where student’s learning to read means inspiring critical thought, developing imagination and being a place where every student also leaves our school knowing their basic facts? When students leave our schools will their exit slips be filled with the comments like; my school is a place where teachers care but also a place where I discovered the love of learning and myself.

Each of us will have different roles as we strengthen our school’s learning and cultural environment. It will be up to each of us to determine how we can ‘Make a Difference.’

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Creating a Greener Winnipeg

Posted on September 21, 2013 by jameswhoddinott

urban sprawl

Canadians generally would consider themselves to be increasingly environmentally conscious and many of our activities such as walking, biking and our drive for healthy living would make us feel pretty comfortable that as a society we are taking care of our planet. Despite a raised consciousness the actions of Winnipeg’s development or more accurately depicted as urban sprawl is creating a society that will become more reliant on cars, more reliant on providing city services to sparsely populated suburbs and an increasing need to provide bus service to the suburbs in an ineffective and not cost efficient or environmentally friendly way to provide public transportation.

Just over 10 years ago the C.D. Howe Institute discussed the implications for cities for developing lower density population communities. The study can be found at http://www.cdhowe.org/pdf/commentary_160.pdf

When a developer choosing to build communities in what use to be farmland on the outskirts of the city it creates a need for the city not the developer of the community to provide roads, sewer, transportation and as the communities grow schools as well. Currently in the news is the move towards to the revitalization of the downtown. The development of a mixed-use area that involve the building of condos, businesses and services in a small compact zone that increases population density by using currently existing city services. The C.D. Howe study states: “Urban sprawl has become an important policy issue in both Canada and the United States. It is receiving much attention not only because it is a characteristic of urban form in North American cities but also because it raises issues of sustainability: how to accommodate future growth, how to pay for it, and how to minimize the negative impact on natural resources.”

On August 24 in the Winnipeg Free Press there was an article in regards to tax fairness for Winnipeg’s Condo owners. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/winnipeg-condo-owners-lobby-for-tax-break-1.1391188 . The article misses the mark in many respects. The need for Winnipeg to reduce Urban Sprawl is required to reduce the capital costs associated with increased infrastructure development in sparsely populated areas that do not generate the revenue required to support the burden put on Municipal, Provincial and Federal Governments to provide services to these new communities. Creating an Environmental Property Tax Credit for the development of more densely populated communities using existing infrastructures would not only increase revenue to the City of Winnipeg but decrease expenses as well. The benefit also would be our ability to create more cost-effective public transportation systems to reduce our negative impact on our natural resources and environment.

Over the last number of years cities have done the opposite. Winnipeg’s Condo owners use to pay at a rate of 32.7% and without consultation or negative publicity it was raised to 45% while at the same time single family houses rate fell from 48.6% to 45%. If one was to look only at the share is now equal at 45% they would think this is fair. However, studies like the one done by C.D. Howe would tell you it is this kind of thinking that has caused an increase in Urban Sprawl. Our governments continue to look for short-term solutions to raising revenue while not looking at the long-term impact of their decision. If we want to reduce Urban Sprawl we will look at a Property Tax System that recognizes the huge burden on all taxpayers to continue to see the expansion of the suburbs that require extensive infrastructure support and instead find ways to encourage people to consider the benefits not only financially to our city but environmentally by creating more densely cost-effective communities that utilize already existing infrastructure.

For more information you may wish to visit this link which provides numerous links to other articles about the Costs of Urban Sprawl. http://insight.mrsc.org/2013/08/14/societal-costs-of-sprawl-a-new-look/

smart growth  Visit Smart Growth Canada Network to learn about the principles we should be following in developing our communities.

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Inclusion – We’ve come a long way

Posted on September 14, 2013 by jameswhoddinott
Manitoba Council for Exceptional Children

Manitoba Council for Exceptional Children

It has been almost 15 years since Manitoba’s Special Education Review’s Final Report was published. Taking recommendations and turning them into action is always the difficult part of any review of the way services are offered. Many individuals will cite the Legislation in regards to Appropriate Educational Programming for All and the subsequent regulations and standards as being the point these changes occurred. Having worked in education before and now after Legislation, although Legislation, regulation and standards play an important part, the changes in education are a result in what we believe and they way we act or teach in our schools.

In 2001 Manitoba adopted the ‘Philosophy of Inclusion’ which provided educators, community, parents and students with the foundation for what we believe is important in not only Manitoba’s schools but in our communities as well. Having had the opportunity to be a part of the development of this Philosophy I remember thinking at the time how important the statement of every individual feeling safe, valued and accepted is. I have used this as the cornerstone in many of my presentations and discussions about education and how to support students in our schools. The true change in Manitoba Schools though is a result of our fundamental belief about students. The true change is more to the words just prior to every individual feeling safe, valued and accepted.  Inclusion is about a way of thinking and acting.

The way we think in schools has changed. The way we act in schools has changed and therefore the strategies and our methodology to build community, teach reading and math has also changed. The concepts of developing positive school climates and behavioural support systems was not the common beliefs or language used in schools prior to 2000. Conversations revolved around punishment and exclusion for those students that didn’t fit into the expectations of the schools our children attended. My earliest presentations about understanding behaviour were often meant with we need to punish harder, suspend students who can’t behave. Working as a Special Education and Resource Teacher I was often asked ‘Why are these students in our schools?’ Both of these comments occasionally still occur but are no longer accepted as an appropriate belief system. The questions now are in regards to how to we develop that safe and caring community or how do we program for students so they are valued and accepted.

Inclusion has never been about placement. It has always been about the way we think and act. This is not just in our school systems or for students we identify as having special needs. It is about creating an environment where we build on the strengths of our students, teachers and community members. If we are going to have on a larger scale a world, a country, a community, a school, an individual feeling safe, valued and accepted it will be by the way we think and act. We must believe that all our citizens have value and then we must put those thoughts into actions. Now that is the hard part, but at least in our schools in Manitoba we are moving in the right direction.

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Say Goodbye to the Residential Parking Pass

Posted on August 26, 2013 by jameswhoddinott

exchange 

Residents of the Exchange will need to save their loonies and toonies!!

It would have been easy to get angry at the Winnipeg Parking Authority (WPA) upon receiving a letter stating formally that the current Residential Parking Pass will no longer be valid after August 31st. The letter in itself was filled with many components that if one was aware of the history of the Residential Parking Pass Program one would become upset at the claims being made that it was a necessity in order to meet with the current traffic bylaw that the Parking Authority changed a year ago with minimal consultation of stakeholders and City Council for that matter. It would be easy to be angry at the Parking Authority’s current CEO Randy Topolinski for changing a program that was promised and part of a commitment to the Residents of the area by the former CEO of the WPA. It would be easy to be frustrated when the letter speaks of a consultation process over the last year and they have proposed a Pilot Project allowing Residents to park on four streets in the Exchange for a meager one hundred dollars a month with no guarantee a spot would be available to you. It would be far too easy to blame the Winnipeg Parking Authority.

In reality the WPA is working to fulfill their mandate. Their mandate is to make sure that surface lots and parking at the meters are used to a higher capacity which will increase revenue for the WPA which then ends up into the hands of the City in the form of dividends. So if one is to look at the mandate of the WPA then the CEO in fact is doing his job. His job is not to worry about parking issues for residents or businesses for that matter. His job is to make sure more people use metered parking and the surface lots that are available. His mandate has nothing to do with the Residents of the Exchange and in that respect he has shown these residents of the fine city of Winnipeg they are second class. So if this is not the issue of the WPA then where is the problem?

The problem is a lack of leadership by our Mayor and City Council. It is up to the Mayor and City Council to help to determine the mandate of the parking authority as well as make sure that when we look at Urban Development there is a sustainable plan for the development of a mixed use area that will include business, restaurants, cultural venues and of course residents. Centre Venture has the mandate to look at Urban Development and has put forward proposals which at varies times history has shown us is implemented to a varying degree or ignored completely by the Mayor and City Council.

As a matter of record at one time where the new hotel is being built it was part of a green space that was to be saved to help with the ongoing beauty of Juba Park. Previous developers had been denied building on that site but yet now a hotel is being built on that site. I am not saying the building of the hotel is good or bad but it is one of the many examples of what the real problem is and what is hindering planned growth in downtown Winnipeg.

You have to love the architecture and what the Human Rights Museum adds to the Winnipeg Skyline. Can you imagine across from this beautiful architectural masterpiece a water park? Remember that is what our Mayor and City Council proposed. Why such absurd thoughts and ideas would be happening in our City Council chambers? It is simply because there is not a plan they are aware of or a vision of what is needed to make sustained and positive growth in downtown Winnipeg a reality. The reality of Mayor and City Councillors is development looks like: a business or corporation comes up with a proposal for use in a particular area and the City decides on to approve or not approve the proposal.

One must congratulate Mayor Katz on bringing the Goldeyes to Winnipeg and for the building of Shaw Park. It is certainly a positive for Winnipeg and is a beautiful facility as well as great place for families. However it must be remembered the Goldeyes are his business. One is starting to wonder if Winnipeg is still a priority for our Mayor. As a businessman he would know the importance of a long-term planning. As a businessman he would know that to work with all the stakeholders of your business is essential if you are to be successful. All those things are also true to make the City of Winnipeg successful.

The Mayor and City Council should have blueprints, a work plan as well as a ten-year vision of development not only in downtown Winnipeg but for the entire City of Winnipeg. The parking and problems associated with getting to Bomber Games was predictable. The infrastructure was not in place prior to the building of the Stadium. There are too few access points for traffic to get to the game. Again a great facility, a needed facility but where does it fit into the plans of our city. Has one heard from the Mayor or City Council in regards to the decisions they make or do not—– make for the long-term health of our city?

Great things will continue to happen in the City of Winnipeg because there are many people committed to the development of Winnipeg. Our citizens continue to support the Bombers despite a team performing poorly and the ongoing issues related to getting to the game. What other city would do that? The people and the City of Winnipeg deserve a City Council that is dedicated to planned and systematic growth of not only downtown Winnipeg but all of Winnipeg.

One would have to wonder how other Winnipeggers would react if all of a sudden they were told that they needed to pay 100 dollars a month to park on the street with no guarantee there will be a spot available for them on top of the City taxes they already pay. They would be very angry indeed. I began this blog by stating it would be easy to be angry at the Winnipeg Parking Authority but it was the responsibility of the Mayor and City Council to protect the interests of the Residents of the Exchange not the responsibility of the Parking Authority. It is also the responsibility and mandate of our Mayor and City Council to have a vision for development in our city. Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to ask Mayor Katz, ‘In your plan for downtown development where do you see the much-needed Grocery store being built?’ Please let’s hope he doesn’t answer across from the Human Rights Museum.

Four Years ago the Residents of the Exchange were told they would have access to parking in their neighbourhood. Times have changed for them. Who’s next?

 

StadiumZoneSign

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The Adventures of WestJet Flight 1833

Posted on August 19, 2013 by jameswhoddinott

honolulu 006

Travelling is always an adventure. Whether we travel by car, air or are one of those brave souls that take the ultimate adventures by bike, hiking or boat the unexpected can happen. We often don’t plan for a flat tire, a car getting stolen or some mishap that can put a damper on a vacation. My dad always said to me anyone can be a good person when things are going well but the true measure of an individual is how they react in times of difficulty or stress. I happen to also believe the measure of a good company is how they react when things don’t quite go according to plan.

Flying home from the Big Island after a great vacation aboard  WestJet Flight 1833 is when the unexpected happened. When you leave at 11:55 pm your intentions throughout the day are to try to enjoy your last day on paradise and sleep until you safely arrive in Vancouver to make that last leg of your journey home. About 90 minutes into our anticipated six-hour flight the announcement came, ‘This is your captain speaking,’ for a brief instant your mind is filled with a range of thoughts like; ‘On today’s flight you will be receiving complimentary food and drinks’ or on the negative side  ‘I should have listened to the safety talk or boy I wish I could swim’. However as is usually the case our minds over exaggerate the news we are going to hear and of course It was none of these things it was simply, ‘The plane has an electrical problem so we will be turning around and flying to Honolulu.’ It might have worried some passengers but when the pilot also added we will need to fly around for about an hour or so to burn off some fuel, you kind of got the sense this wasn’t an I need to call my kids and tell them ‘I love them’ kind of situation. It was just going to be one of those long days sitting around the airport in Honolulu waiting for them to fix the plane and find the approximately 200 passengers an alternate route home.

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Our plane landed in Honolulu at about 3 am. The two hundred passengers quietly got off the plane and waited to hear the next steps. We were immediately given ten-dollar food vouchers to grab something to eat while we waited for WestJet to find hotels for the same two hundred passengers to stay in. Well it is looking up. An extra day in Hawaii, perhaps a nice hotel on the beach and fly home the next day. Not so bad. I can live with that. So now to use that ten-dollar voucher. The only place open at the Honolulu Airport at three in the morning is Starbucks. You can imagine 200 passengers heading off to Starbucks ten-dollar voucher in hand. The line-up was long as two young women did a fantastic job making Lattes and smoothies or whatever the customer ordered. They did so with a smile and also the traditional Hawaiian ‘Mahalo’ meaning thank-you. It was at this time I also knew the character of the passengers I was stranded with. There was no pushing or shoving or cutting in line and I didn’t hear anyone complaining. We all waited in line patiently and smiled as we got our order from these two hardworking and polite young women.

It was six in the morning before we discovered there were no empty rooms in Honolulu. Imagine a long weekend in Honolulu on a Saturday NIght and the rooms are full. We were however informed that WestJet had made arrangements with the Marriott Waikiki Resort to house the passengers in a ballroom and provide cots for the passengers. We also were informed shuttles would be arriving and we would have full access to the resort facilities. The shuttles took us in groups to the Marriott where we were greeted by the Marriott staff and the ballroom already had some cots set-up and they would be bringing more. Pillows and blankets and sheets were also provided. It is important to remember this is a large hotel that was already booked to capacity. When they ran out of cots they simply went to the store and purchased some additional air beds (still in their boxes) for some passengers while others like me decided to go pool-side and fall asleep in the warmth of the Hawaii sun.

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As we entered the Ballroom a Marriott representative handed every passenger a voucher to enjoy their breakfast buffet and informed us they had extended the buffet hours to accommodate us.  We were also informed the flight would be leaving at about 5 pm so to enjoy our day and an additional voucher would be provided for lunch at eleven.

After a restful time poolside on return to the room we were informed by a Marriott representative the plane would now be departing at 6:30 and shuttles would be arriving at the hotel at shortly after four to return us to the airport. Should I sleep or should we go exploring Waikiki Beach. Again I thought of the wisdom of my father who always said ‘Things are what we make of them’. Well here was a gift to explore Waikiki and so in reality the choice was obvious. For those of you who have never been to Waikiki you may have felt a little bit like me. Wow this is beautiful and Wow this is busy. People and shops everywhere. People surfing, swimming and relaxing. We of course, in this short of time, didn’t get the true Honolulu experience as there was no tour of Pearl Harbour or visit to Diamond Head but we kind of got the cruise ship version of Honolulu.

There was a long flight ahead of us so time to visit the poolside restaurant at the Marriott to make use of the twenty-five dollar a person lunch voucher provided to us from WestJet. So for those of you with an accounting background it would be interesting to note that so far we had been provided a ten-dollar voucher for food upon landing, another ten-dollar voucher at about six in the morning, a voucher for a decadent breakfast buffet ($22.95 per person) and twenty-five dollars now for each person for lunch. The poolside restaurant at the Marriott offers magnificent views of the ocean, the surfers and Waikiki Beach. Fish Tacos and seared Ahi as an appetizer was my lunch time choice as well since I was kind of feeling a little like a taste of home so a Canada Dry Ginger Ale was my drink of choice. Once again the restaurant was busy but service was excellent and the staff welcomed us warmly making sure all our needs were met.

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It was now getting close to departure time from the hotel and for those of you that travel and spend time on a plane realize every once in a while you just need a good shower. It had been posted on the board that there was a hospitality room for our use so off to the Front Desk to get the key to the hospitality room and have that refreshing shower before leaving the hotel. Shuttles were there and promptly took us to the airport where we were greeted by six staff checking us all in and providing us with all the information and tickets for our flights home. We were told that since we were arriving in Vancouver at 3:30 in the morning we all would be provided a room to wait for our next flight.

The flight to Vancouver although it left Honolulu a little late was smooth and again food was offered to us. As for me, I passed on the plane food and took this time to try to sleep. When we landed and made our way through customs we were greeted by a WestJet representative who provided us with our hotel voucher and another 25 dollar food voucher. If you have never been to Vancouver you are missing something. Even the airport is something to behold and attached to the airport is a Fairmont Hotel. Walked up to the front desk and we were welcomed with open arms and were checked in and assigned a room within minutes. The room was beautiful and on the eleventh floor complete with a telescope to view the mountains in the distance.

The flight left in 5 hours so there was only time for a quick nap, a shower and breakfast. Another decision to make. Should we have breakfast at the airport or in the comfort of the Fairmont. Not a touch choice and once again was treated to great service and wonderful food. Can’t say enough about the Eggs Benedict with salmon instead of bacon. Then it was off to catch the last flight home.

When people first hear that we had flight problems they like my first thoughts, imagine hours of waiting in the airport and how awful that must have been. Well I guess it could have gone that way but kudos to the people who worked hard on making a difficult situation better. The flight crew of  WestJet 1833, all the staff at both the airport in Honolulu and Vancouver, the Marriott Waikiki Resort Hotel and their staff who exemplified service and care of people who found themselves on their doorstep. They made us feel welcome. To the people at the Fairmont in Vancouver who did the same. Oh and I mustn’t forget the two young ladies at Starbucks who were bombarded by 200 tired passengers at three in the morning and met us all with a smile and a ‘Mahalo’.

Coming back home to work and getting back in the routine of Winnipeg after a holiday in one of the prettiest and friendliest places I have been is tough. The only solution of course being to do what is great about Winnipeg. A pizza on the patio of Corrientos in the exchange on a beautiful August day and of course looking forward to the street-party on Bannatyne this weekend.

As I write this post in pops an email from WestJet apologizing for the inconvenience caused on our flight and providing each passenger with a three -hundred dollar voucher for our next flight.

Imagine all this service was provided without customers getting angry and as some people would say ‘ripping them a new one’ but rather everyone working together respectfully to make the best of a situation that sometimes happens when you travel. My final congratulations go out to my fellow passengers whose experience may vary from mine and some may have had pressing issues at home that made the extra day in Hawaii a big inconvenience I say thank-you. Your courteous and respectful actions also made this an experience to be added to one’s travel memories rather than something to be found on a You Tube video.

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Beauty Abounds

Posted on August 14, 2013 by jameswhoddinott

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There was a discussion in a writer’s group I belong to that asked a seemingly simple question about ‘How do you define beauty?’ I have thought about that question as I write and then as I have taken some time to explore the beauty in not only the everyday events of the day but nature’s gifts.

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Yesterday, I came across a Giant Green Sea Turtle sunning himself or herself on the Black Sand Beach. I stared at nature’s gift as the waves gently rolled into the lava rock that was the shoreline. A few steps further along the beach another larger turtle fed peacefully as the water cascaded over his back occasionally exposing his long neck allowing you to see that he just wasn’t another rock in the water. Later in the day I walked through Volcano National Park and saw the beauty of the steam rising from the crater from the bubbling magma below. I walked over the lava fields of many former eruptions including one as recently as ten years ago that ran over the road which man had created. A sign encrusted in the thick, dark lava read ‘Road Closed’. Ancient Villages along the Na Pali Coast marked where humans shared and respected earth’s beauty and gifts. Three Thousand foot cliffs towering over the crystal greenish blue Pacific waters indicated  to all on our small craft we were now sharing the beauty nature gives us. Small little caves and beaches offered us a place to stop and share this largely uninhabited part of the earth. People spearfishing, kayaking, sailing or like us on a small zodiac enjoying this piece of heaven.

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There is a drive on Maui called the ‘Road to Hana’. It is a long and winding road with many one lane bridges that has been built respecting nature rather than taking over this island paradise. Past Hana into the National Park you will discover a journey to a 400 ft Waterfall that leads you through a wonderous Bamboo Forest. Along the trail you will move from the heat of the sun, to the dampness and coolness of the rainforest. The man-made path takes you through some beautiful scenery that makes you feel a part of nature rather than invading nature. On your return you can cool off in the fresh water of what has been incorrectly names the ‘Seven Pools’ for there are many more. Small waterfalls mark the larger pools. Many people sit and enjoy the beauty and the fresh water pools as the waves of the ocean crash into the shoreline below. A truly beautiful sight to be enjoyed by all our senses. The serenity of the pools is disrupted by others jumping off the cliffs into the pools below somehow believing it is them that is more powerful or beautiful than nature.

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There is a small river on Kauai where you can Kayak and hike to a wonderful waterfall in the forest. As you hike the trail you cross streams and see the beauty of nature’s trees. There is Noni along the trail as well. The kayak along the stream creates the illusion that we are one with nature. Our guide Renee who moved to Kauai from a larger mainland American city taught all of us to respect and enjoy all nature has created for us to share. She speaks of life in peaceful terms and running a small coconut farm with her husband and two kids. The peacefulness of the day is interrupted by some high-speed boats pulling skiers and tubers disrupting the tranquil waters.

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I guess as I think of beauty it makes me wonder in terms of artificial beauty versus genuine and natural beauty. Our desire to live with nature or conquer nature. Our need to thrill seek versus finding comfort from within. Do we create our cities and homes to be one with nature or to conquer nature? Has our fast-paced world of glitz and glamour made us lose touch with those parts of us that really matter?

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Who’s in our Homes?

Posted on August 10, 2013 by jameswhoddinott

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The Internet has changed the world. Our ability to access information, share information, connect with people throughout the world, share ideas, publicize products and get information instantly. With this still ever-changing technology it has been difficult for society and parents to keep up with the ultimate risks that occur with people being connected everywhere and at all times. We also live in a society that tries to keep itself safe by developing regulations on construction, movie ratings, driving, food and just about every product that reaches our store shelves. Increasingly people are choosing ‘Organic’ food, reading labels and choosing foods that are healthier. However, when it comes to the Internet and the creation of new APPs the standard is certainly not very high.

It seems an everyday message when we hear of some tragedy falling on our children that can be linked either directly or indirectly to Social Media. Kelly Clarkson has a song called “Darkside” and without a doubt we all have a dark side. Temptation is and has always been part of our human make-up. Access for youth to feed their dark side has increased. The culture of our children and society is changing right before our eyes. The values of our own children are changing sometimes from people we don’t even know. The people who at times enter our children’s lives through social media if they came to our front door parents wouldn’t let them in.

Some recent studies are showing a rise in ‘narcissism’ in our youth and college students. ‘Cyberbullying’ is a constant news item. Examples are:  Ask.fm and Snap Chat. The difficulties these two sites have caused is worriesome. People often argue that to use these sites is an individuals choice and as for children a parent’s responsibility. As I am a beleiver in the saying it ‘Takes an entire Village to raise a child’ it also falls on us to do the right thing.

Despite policies how one deals with a particular issue, how that policy is interrupted may depend on their own attitudes to social media. We must remember that students in elementary school are often texting and are on Facebook. We certainly cannot ban social media but we can look at teaching at school and home the correct uses and responsibilities to be responsible. We also need to help students understand the value of face to face conversation rather than only relying on social media tools. Social Media is being used by many to spread rumours about individuals or false and tagged images about our children and adults.

We also need to become diligent in prosecuting sites that are developed that prey on our children. When the information came out that smoking was bad for your health we rallied around to change attitude and opinions about smoking as well as changed laws. The evidence is clear that Social Media is effecting the Mental Health of our society and especially our youth.

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Living in the Exchange

Posted on July 25, 2013 by jameswhoddinott

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Watch CBC News Manitoba on July 31st at 5:00 pm to hear the perspective of other Residents of the Exchange.

The Exchange District has found its way into the ‘News’ lately and it seems what they have wanted to talk about is some issues related to promoting living in the exchange. An example being a $10 000 dollar incentive to entice people to make the Exchange District their home. As with most ‘News’ snipits these days, they seem to present an oversimplified version of what is happening in the ‘Exchange District’ as to reconcile a perceived notion there is a diminished sale of Condos in the area. The new Condos built on James Street by Streetside Development Corporation were built without a parking stall. For Winnipegers given our current mindset; parking is an important aspect when making our decision to buy a Condo. Now to be fair to Streetside, when they were building these Condos the City or Parking Authority would offer Residential Parking Passes to allow individuals access to street parking. Purchasing this with proof of residency the Winnipeg Parking Authority provided a pass that allowed Residents (with some stipulations) access to street parking for twenty-five dollars a year. This program is being disbanded as of the end of August this year. In its place the Winnipeg Parking Authority offered Residents a possible solution that would now cost one hundred dollars a month, allow the Resident to park on a few side streets in the area but no guarantee there would be a spot available for them. This additional 1200 dollars a year is in addition to paying your taxes, condo fees and for most people the mortgage. Let’s not forget that not that long ago these mostly vacant land spaces generated very little revenue for the City of Winnipeg, businesses in the area or Winnipeg School Division.

The second committment residents had been the building of a Parkade on James Street. Yesterday, the Winnipeg Free Press reported the City of Winnipeg was no longer looking to build that promised James Street Parkade. The other difficulty is that the City of Winnipeg does not require developers to provide parking for the Condos they build. Condos that have parking are more expensive to build. Let it be said that the Condos in the Exchange that do have parking as part of the purchase are still selling. The second phase of Sky Waterfront is an example of that. With construction not yet complete only four Condos remain.

Centre Venture’s proposal to the City of Winnipeg had numerous other proposals put forth to Council that look at long-term solutions and provide the opportunity to enhance the community. However, the news has not concentrated on those initiatives. There is no doubt, that long-term Winnipegers will need to look at becoming a little greener and rely less heavily on cars. It is true, in many cities, citizens who live downtown may not have vehicles but their infrastrucutre is different. often with many more transportation solutions. From the perspective of a Resident of the area looking at the 10 000 dollar incentive it seems to be a way to assist Streetside sell Condos not because the Exchange is not a great place and desirable place to live but because the city made a few changes to what was offered and to be offered to Residents and prospective Residents in the area therefore making ‘Condos without parking’ even less desirable to future downtown dwellers.

The exchange is a vibrant and exciting community to live in. The residents play a valuable role in supporting the development and businesses in the area. Just this week there was the excitement of the Fringe Festival, Les Miserable and of course the Goldeyes are in town. This does not include the numerous patios and restaurants in the area that make downtown living vibrant and exciting. Most evenings and weekends I park my car and walk everywhere taking advantage of all the richness of my neighbourhood. There is a ‘Residents of the Exchange’ group that works hard at building community for Residents through almost monthly activities as well as organizing a yearly clean-up of the area. The Exchange District is no doubt a Cultural Hub for the City of Winnipeg with a home to numerous galleries, theatres and venues to enjoy music and diverse foods. Top it off by being walking distance to ‘The Forks’ and all that it offers, it is hard to imagine someone being bored living downtown. People cycle, walk and jog in the area taking in the richness of the architecture in the area.

So is the 10 000 dollar incentive required to entice people to live in this dynamic and evolving community, well not in most circumstances. If the City was serious about continuing to have the Exchange District grow, they will look seriously at an Urban Development plan that includes parking and transportation issues as well as the provision of an affordable grocery store in the area. Sometimes as a leader in any level of government it is difficult to do the right thing. Afterall at times the right thing for the long-term growth of our country, province or city is not going to make people happy. Hopefully when we look at continued Urban Development we can take the politics out of it and concentrate on doing what is right.

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Bringing Thinking to the Classroom

Posted on July 12, 2013 by jameswhoddinott

“Where did we ever get the crazy idea that in order to make children do better, first we have to make them feel worse? Think of the last time you felt humiliated or treated unfairly. Did you feel like cooperating or doing better?” –Jane Nelson

A number of years ago I remember at one of my interviews I was asked “What are reading?” I remember thinking “Reading, when do I have time to do any reading!” In a surprising moment when I didn’t say what I was thinking; somehow I knew it wasn’t the answer they were looking for; I answered some educational author that we had just done in a book study. The second question was “If you could meet and talk to anyone living or dead who would it be?” Who walks into an interview thinking these are the questions that I would be asked? At the time I was teaching a unit on ‘Human Rights’ and had just finished sharing the “I have a Dream Speech” made by Dr. Martin Luther King so at that time the answer was easy.  

Looking back on those questions they are important ones that we need to be asking ourselves as we embark on our journey to create a community of learners. There are many factors that create situations that create environments for learning for children. Surprisingly they are the same as what creates an environment for learning for adults. Two of these factors for children and adults are cultural factors and friends. Cultural factors are what we do in our spare time, what factors influence us be it our conversations, reading, work ethic, sports and so on. It is all our experiences that create our culture all those things that influence our thinking.

Friends are an interesting one. We all have many friends and we all like to think we control our actions as adults but the habits of those around us will certainly influence our thinking and habits. The views and lifestyles of our friends can influence us and I dare say change us. Each of us go through ebbs and flows in our lives but if we reflect on the times we learn the most, we would mostly likely say it was when we were surrounded by people and activities that promoted thought.

Penny Kittle a leading educator in bringing writing into the classroom is reading Kelly Gallagher. He talks about in order to change how our students read and write we must change what they read and write. We must create controversy in their minds. Create the reason and discussions in their minds in order to challenge their current thinking. I used to work with this teacher who almost every day challenged my thinking (not in a bad way). It was that conflict that made for deeper thought. Rich literature and writings can also do that.

 We have so much knowledge at our finger tips, through the Internet and Television. What are we doing, reading and watching? Are the things we are doing enriching our minds or changing our culture and belief systems? These influences affect our children as well. In order for our minds and our children’s minds to grow we really need to think about what that means for ourselves and our classrooms.

 Can we teach music without sharing the music of the great musicians or art without studying artists? Can we teach reading and writing without reading great literature and sharing great writing? Can we become better teachers without seeing, reading and talking about great teaching? It is funny, even for becoming a better cook, it comes from learning and understanding food, watching and working with chefs and then trying what you learn.

So what is the last book you read? So if you could talk to someone living or dead who would it be?

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