Children and youth repeatedly tell me that they turn to hopeful people when they feel the hope suckers settling in. The hope suckers that visited me this morning were voices from my past reminding me how I struggle with writing. Instead of letting my 'fearful self' take over my thinking, feeling, acting and thus my ability to connect with myself through writing, I intentionally turned to Wendy's blog at www.thehopelady.blogspot.com.
As I read Wendy's latest post, my ears let go of my shoulders, my lungs expanded, I picked up my pen and started to write what I needed to know.
Our mission at the Hope Foundation is to study how intentionally using hope enhances quality of life. I believe that seeking out or thinking about what a hopeful person would do is an intentional act that distinguishes hope from wishing. Hope researchers, Farran, Herth,and Popovich (1995) state that wishing is the precursor to hope. I agree. Wishing might be construed as an intentional act that enables one to envision and work toward a future that one can participate. In other words, I needed to do more than wish that the words would flow through my fingers. There are those of you who might say that I could have picked up my pen and started writing. However, past experience has taught me that that does not work for me so I did what does work. Paying attention to thoughts, feelings, actions, and relationships that enhance our hoping selves is one of five hope practices that are outlined in our most recent resource, Nurturing Hopeful Souls: Practices and Activities for Working with Children and Youth available at www.ualberta.ca/hope.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Hopeful Places
I have the good fortune to be working alongside grade seven and nine students in the Hope-Focused Service-Learning program. Today we wrote about 'hopeful places' in the grade nine classroom. This is not as easy as it sounds. I was proud of how the students worked hard to generate a list of words to describe how hope feels when we are in these places. There were a couple of students who had difficulty thinking of a 'hopeful place' - past or present in their school or community. I wonder if they will remember a place when their classmates share stories of their experiences in these places next week.
In the grade seven classroom we created collages of 'hopeful places' in groups. And then using the collages, filled in a T chart to describe what hope looks, sounds, and feels like. We also brainstormed 'hopeful places' and how the places are hopeful in the community surrounding the school. As I said, we worked in groups in the grade seven class and so we were able to talk about the skills we were developing as 'team' members. We discussed how group skills will help us when we go out into the community to bring hope to others. As we encounter the challenges that go with an inquiry project it will help to know how to contribute to the team.
I leave you with a poem that one of the grade nine students gave me to share with you about what she is learning about hope.
Hope is...
Laughter, tears, and strength.
It's the weakness facing it's opponent to prove
the power and will be become stronger.
It's clarity developed from the frustrations
and confusions of our lives.
It's that feeling of accomplishment, of victory
after experiencing the 'battle of anger, sorrow and loss'.
It's the comfort and love of our family and friends, ~
the trust, loyalty, honesty, bravery, faith.
It's the never ending story of the world's diversity, completely
different and unique and one.
In the grade seven classroom we created collages of 'hopeful places' in groups. And then using the collages, filled in a T chart to describe what hope looks, sounds, and feels like. We also brainstormed 'hopeful places' and how the places are hopeful in the community surrounding the school. As I said, we worked in groups in the grade seven class and so we were able to talk about the skills we were developing as 'team' members. We discussed how group skills will help us when we go out into the community to bring hope to others. As we encounter the challenges that go with an inquiry project it will help to know how to contribute to the team.
I leave you with a poem that one of the grade nine students gave me to share with you about what she is learning about hope.
Hope is...
Laughter, tears, and strength.
It's the weakness facing it's opponent to prove
the power and will be become stronger.
It's clarity developed from the frustrations
and confusions of our lives.
It's that feeling of accomplishment, of victory
after experiencing the 'battle of anger, sorrow and loss'.
It's the comfort and love of our family and friends, ~
the trust, loyalty, honesty, bravery, faith.
It's the never ending story of the world's diversity, completely
different and unique and one.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Lessons From Grade Five Students
Today I met a group of grade five students who were introduced to the Hope-Focused Service-Learning program for the first time. Since we are in phase one of the program we talked about what researchers do. The teacher and I do this to frame our work together at the beginning of the program as a quest to awaken new understandings. We had not yet talked about our hope study. I finished reading The Three Questions by Jon J. Muth as I often do when starting this work with a new group. When I asked if anyone had a comment, wonder or a-ha they would like to share after hearing the story of The Three Questions, a hand shot up in the air. "How can you study hope when it is unique to each person?" I want to say that I handled the question well, but the truth is that I did not. The question, as I acknowledged, was an excellent question. What I did not say was that it was one of the questions that drives much of our work at the Hope Foundation of Alberta. We know that there is more than one way to search for the many wonders that we have about the multi-dimensional nature of hope. My own research interests are to use narrative inquiry or the telling of stories to uncover and discover how hope guides our actions, thoughts, feelings and relationships in the Hope-Focused Service-Learning program. I did not say all this because I was too astounded to respond with any clarity. I think I said something like, "That is what we will be discovering over the year."
After the students created representations of symbols that came to mind when they thought of hope and had a chance to "think about their thinking", the student raised his hand again to ask if the downturn in the economy is affecting the study of hope or hopes of individuals. We added that one to our list of questions. Later when the class was getting ready to go home, the student informed me that he had another two questions for me to write down. "How did I decide to study stuff? Why did I decide to study hope?" These are stories that I can tell next time. In the meantime, I will repeat what I often tell children and youth. That is, "We should have engaged them in conversations about hope a long time ago!
After the students created representations of symbols that came to mind when they thought of hope and had a chance to "think about their thinking", the student raised his hand again to ask if the downturn in the economy is affecting the study of hope or hopes of individuals. We added that one to our list of questions. Later when the class was getting ready to go home, the student informed me that he had another two questions for me to write down. "How did I decide to study stuff? Why did I decide to study hope?" These are stories that I can tell next time. In the meantime, I will repeat what I often tell children and youth. That is, "We should have engaged them in conversations about hope a long time ago!
Friday, December 5, 2008
Minifying the Hope Suckers
The following is a piece I wrote this morning to help me stay hopeful. This was after a very heated discussion with my husband at the breakfast table.
Frustrated, angry and fearful of what is in store for Canada with the latest events? Imagine what could happen if we thought outside the box for a minute. For example, instead of having another election in the spring of 2009, what if we locked the four parties into a room and made them use hope language to determine the future of Canada? But then again, we know that those who create the problem are least effective in finding a workable solution. Who, then, might be in that room?
For starters, how about a business woman, Aboriginal Elder, one representative from the various ethnic groups that make up Canada [I know what you are thinking ~ but we ARE thinking outside the box and who knows what is possible~], a Union worker, one of the youth who most recently participated in “So You Want to be the Next Prime Minister” television show, two mayors, one urban, one rural, a homeless person, a doctor, teacher, and social worker, sitting around a table. With the exception of the Aboriginal Elder, all are under that age of 40. Imagine if you will, the possibilities for Canada and the world.
This is only one of many possibilities of what could happen in the next few months. Please send along your ideas ~ if for no other reason, but to humor me so that the events of the last couple of weeks do not paralyze me like it has my country.
In the meantime, I am thankful that we have a few weeks to sort out what happens next.
Frustrated, angry and fearful of what is in store for Canada with the latest events? Imagine what could happen if we thought outside the box for a minute. For example, instead of having another election in the spring of 2009, what if we locked the four parties into a room and made them use hope language to determine the future of Canada? But then again, we know that those who create the problem are least effective in finding a workable solution. Who, then, might be in that room?
For starters, how about a business woman, Aboriginal Elder, one representative from the various ethnic groups that make up Canada [I know what you are thinking ~ but we ARE thinking outside the box and who knows what is possible~], a Union worker, one of the youth who most recently participated in “So You Want to be the Next Prime Minister” television show, two mayors, one urban, one rural, a homeless person, a doctor, teacher, and social worker, sitting around a table. With the exception of the Aboriginal Elder, all are under that age of 40. Imagine if you will, the possibilities for Canada and the world.
This is only one of many possibilities of what could happen in the next few months. Please send along your ideas ~ if for no other reason, but to humor me so that the events of the last couple of weeks do not paralyze me like it has my country.
In the meantime, I am thankful that we have a few weeks to sort out what happens next.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
A Story from One Who Inspires Me
I am very fortunate to work with some of the most awesome people in the world. One of them is Wendy Edey. She is Director of Counselling at the Hope Foundation of Alberta.
When I arrived to work with the HOPE KIDS program, she gently stood by my side to help my find my way. When I was called out for the first time to work with grade eight students and their teachers, it was Wendy who told me stories of things she did with students that gave me the courage to go out to hear about their hope. It was her encouragement that helped me begin to pull together the Nurturing Hopeful Souls resource. In addition to her talents as a hope-focused counsellor, Wendy is a story teller extraordinaire.
In her most recent posting on The Hope Lady Blog, Wendy tells what happened when she visited a classroom of very young students who wanted to share their hope representations with her. I urge you to check out Wendy's story called "Drawing Hope in the Classroom" because it is one that I have often experienced, but have not been able to say so eloquently!!
When I arrived to work with the HOPE KIDS program, she gently stood by my side to help my find my way. When I was called out for the first time to work with grade eight students and their teachers, it was Wendy who told me stories of things she did with students that gave me the courage to go out to hear about their hope. It was her encouragement that helped me begin to pull together the Nurturing Hopeful Souls resource. In addition to her talents as a hope-focused counsellor, Wendy is a story teller extraordinaire.
In her most recent posting on The Hope Lady Blog, Wendy tells what happened when she visited a classroom of very young students who wanted to share their hope representations with her. I urge you to check out Wendy's story called "Drawing Hope in the Classroom" because it is one that I have often experienced, but have not been able to say so eloquently!!
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Student Engagement
Finding the following list of questions embedded in the article "Bringing Student Engagement Through the Classroom Door" in Education Canada Vol 48 no4 by Jodene Dunleavy made my heart sing.
I believe the Hope-Focused Service-Learning project addresses these questions. Take a look ~
Does the work they are asked to do matter to them?
Does it connect to the lives they are living now and the ones they look forward to in the future?
Do they feel the work has value to them beyond achieving success at school?
Do they have opportunities to engage with the ideas of the disciplines they are studying in ways that allow them to develop a deep understanding of complex interrelated concepts and a chance t build 'new to them' ideas or knowledge in a community of learners?
Do they have a sense of ownership and responsibility for their learning, a role to play in co-designing and assessing how and what they learn?
Are they challenged in their learning and supported through relationships that encourage them to take risk, ask questions, make mistakes, and discuss how they feel about learning?
What do you think?
I believe the Hope-Focused Service-Learning project addresses these questions. Take a look ~
Does the work they are asked to do matter to them?
Does it connect to the lives they are living now and the ones they look forward to in the future?
Do they feel the work has value to them beyond achieving success at school?
Do they have opportunities to engage with the ideas of the disciplines they are studying in ways that allow them to develop a deep understanding of complex interrelated concepts and a chance t build 'new to them' ideas or knowledge in a community of learners?
Do they have a sense of ownership and responsibility for their learning, a role to play in co-designing and assessing how and what they learn?
Are they challenged in their learning and supported through relationships that encourage them to take risk, ask questions, make mistakes, and discuss how they feel about learning?
What do you think?
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
From Audacious Hope to Living Hope
As I watched the crowds gather and then listen and cheer as President Elect Obama spoke last night, I could help but think about how things not possible at one time sometimes become a reality. Wendy Edey, my mentor extraordinaire, taught me how things that are not possible at one time, do sometimes become possible. Wendy learned this in her conversations with clients in her hope-focused counselling practice at the Hope Foundation of Alberta. You can read about Wendy's work on her blog at www.thehopelady.blogspot.com.
Having read a good number of books on Obama, both his autobiographies and a biography done on him, I think about how he built his vision on a dream. He did so through tenacity and conversing with others, face to face, in a crowd or through his writing. He mobilized a country to say WE CAN make a difference.
But he did something more than that. Obama demonstrated through his thinking, relating, feeling, and acting that hope is about belief and expectation. He lives hope, audacious, imagined and real. Because his imaginations are "as if behaviours" (Sarbin, 1998), we are drawn toward his vision, believing and expecting that WE CAN work together to be the world a more equitable, peaceful and sustaining place for a greater number of people.
Barack Obama has taught us that if we embrace the multi-dimensional nature of hope great things are possible.
(for more information on "living hope" see Keen, J.A., 1995)
Having read a good number of books on Obama, both his autobiographies and a biography done on him, I think about how he built his vision on a dream. He did so through tenacity and conversing with others, face to face, in a crowd or through his writing. He mobilized a country to say WE CAN make a difference.
But he did something more than that. Obama demonstrated through his thinking, relating, feeling, and acting that hope is about belief and expectation. He lives hope, audacious, imagined and real. Because his imaginations are "as if behaviours" (Sarbin, 1998), we are drawn toward his vision, believing and expecting that WE CAN work together to be the world a more equitable, peaceful and sustaining place for a greater number of people.
Barack Obama has taught us that if we embrace the multi-dimensional nature of hope great things are possible.
(for more information on "living hope" see Keen, J.A., 1995)
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