Tuesday, October 9, 2018

Life on the Leash by Victoria Schade

It seems like forever since I've read something a bit lighter with a touch of romance. Gallery/Simon & Schuster sent me an ARC of this novel, and I'm so glad they knew I needed a novel about dogs, friendship, and romance before I realized it myself. 

Cora Bellamy is an ex-corporate woman who has taken her passion and natural talent for dog training and created a full-time business in the Washington, D.C. area. Her main squeeze, Fritz, is adorable, as are all the dogs she trains for well-to-do clients. Cora's world is filled with some lovely people: her roommate Maggie, their friend Darnell, and Cora's client Fran. Then there's the delicious Charlie, boyfriend of one of Cora's clients, and owner of Oliver, a dog in need of training. 

Charlie's a hottie, and he knows it. Cora is attracted, but obviously he's taken! Is he flirting with her, or is she reading him wrong? Meanwhile, Eli, a charming, quirky gentleman, is crushing on Cora, but she's got him in the friend zone. Will her hormones choose Charlie, who's clearly wrong for her, or will Eli win the day? 

Cora's chance at fame comes with the chance to audition for a new dog training show. It's her life passion, and she's damn good at it. But being on national tv is something she's not so sure about. Will what comes naturally to her--that effortless bond with dogs, translate onto film? 

I liked Cora, just hated that she let her hormones override common sense and her douche-meter. The many dogs she trains are a big part of the novel, and they are all delightful and distinctly different in personality. Cora's got a pretty great life, no doubt. But as always, change comes when it's least expected, and that's exactly what happens to Cora. I don't know much about dog training, and even though it's a big part of this novel, it's not dry and boring. There is clearly some author experience (Victoria is a dog trainer) shining through, and that made Cora a credible character. 

Love dogs? I do. I can't wait for the day when I have the space and time to have a dog again. I grew up with dogs, and haven't lived with one since my early 20's. Someday...

Rating:  4/6 for a novel full of dogs, delightful supporting characters (with a cad and an evil dog owner for contrast), a strong and charming central character, and a romance that doesn't happen quickly, but takes some time. You don't have to be a dog lover to enjoy this refreshing read. 

Available in paperback and ebook.  Thank you Gallery/Simon & Schuster for the ARC! 




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Sunday, October 7, 2018

4 Steps to Deal with Not Feeling Supported

Maybe you feel overwhelmed?

Maybe you feel that you are on the wrong path?

Maybe you feel there is a personality conflict?

Whatever the reason, feeling like you are not getting support from your administrator can be frustrating and can lead to a lower quality experience for your students. Not because you are not giving it your all, but as human beings, we can be worn down and that will take a toll on things. I get so many emails from teachers that feel frustrated and although I know that I do not know the entire story, it breaks my heart because I can feel the frustration from the other side of the screen.

Here is the thing…Administrators, in their heart, always want to help teachers be their best at what they do because they also want to serve students. People are learning and growing in all positions, even those that may be your “boss”.

So what can you do when you feel that you are not supported in doing your best work? Here are a few things that I would suggest.

1. Share that you are not feeling supported.

Sometimes the best path to solve a problem is a direct one. One of the things that I believed as an administrator is that I can’t solve a problem that I do not know exists.

In a respectful way, share that you are feeling you are not supported in your work and how you are feeling. Be clear on why you feel like that and why it can help.

If you hold onto it without communication it can lead to bigger problems in the future.

2. Identify ways that might help.

Again, the direct path is usually best.

Is there something that can be done immediately that might help you feel more empowered in your work? Is there something that can be taken off your plate that is not allowing you to do your best?

If you know a solution to the problem, it can help someone else understand the process that would best help. This doesn’t mean that someone should do exactly what you say, but sometimes providing solutions that make you feel supported might be something simple that someone else can do and could make all the difference.

But your solution might not be their solution. It is important to have some back-and-forth that helps both parties move forward.

Communication is key.

3. Follow-up

Now that you have worked out a plan, how will you come back and revisit how things are moving forward?

Maybe, you just needed to vent.

Maybe a plan was necessary.

Either way, administrators and teachers want to know if they are on the right path. Check later to see if things have improved or something else is needed.

4. Breathe

Nobody wants to do a bad job. Not administrators. Not teachers. No one. People feel pressure from areas that others might not be aware of, whether it is personal or professional. After you have shared your feelings and worked on ways to move forward, take a step back and try to look at the situation as an opportunity for growth, not an obstacle that cannot be overcome.

Through all this, just a reminder that a little problem left unresolved can turn into a bigger problem later. Communication, direct but respectful, can solve things quickly and should not only lead to a better work environment for yourself but a better learning environment for your students which should be the goal for every person involved in education. Any administrator that wants to do best by students knows that they have to support the people that work closest with them.

Not all problems can be solved through this approach, but very few problems can ever be solved by ignoring them.

Keep that in mind as you move forward.

Source: George Couros



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4 Steps to Deal with Not Feeling Supported

Maybe you feel overwhelmed?

Maybe you feel that you are on the wrong path?

Maybe you feel there is a personality conflict?

Whatever the reason, feeling like you are not getting support from your administrator can be frustrating and can lead to a lower quality experience for your students. Not because you are not giving it your all, but as human beings, we can be worn down and that will take a toll on things. I get so many emails from teachers that feel frustrated and although I know that I do not know the entire story, it breaks my heart because I can feel the frustration from the other side of the screen.

Here is the thing…Administrators, in their heart, always want to help teachers be their best at what they do because they also want to serve students. People are learning and growing in all positions, even those that may be your “boss”.

So what can you do when you feel that you are not supported in doing your best work? Here are a few things that I would suggest.

1. Share that you are not feeling supported.

Sometimes the best path to solve a problem is a direct one. One of the things that I believed as an administrator is that I can’t solve a problem that I do not know exists.

In a respectful way, share that you are feeling you are not supported in your work and how you are feeling. Be clear on why you feel like that and why it can help.

If you hold onto it without communication it can lead to bigger problems in the future.

2. Identify ways that might help.

Again, the direct path is usually best.

Is there something that can be done immediately that might help you feel more empowered in your work? Is there something that can be taken off your plate that is not allowing you to do your best?

If you know a solution to the problem, it can help someone else understand the process that would best help. This doesn’t mean that someone should do exactly what you say, but sometimes providing solutions that make you feel supported might be something simple that someone else can do and could make all the difference.

But your solution might not be their solution. It is important to have some back-and-forth that helps both parties move forward.

Communication is key.

3. Follow-up

Now that you have worked out a plan, how will you come back and revisit how things are moving forward?

Maybe, you just needed to vent.

Maybe a plan was necessary.

Either way, administrators and teachers want to know if they are on the right path. Check later to see if things have improved or something else is needed.

4. Breathe

Nobody wants to do a bad job. Not administrators. Not teachers. No one. People feel pressure from areas that others might not be aware of, whether it is personal or professional. After you have shared your feelings and worked on ways to move forward, take a step back and try to look at the situation as an opportunity for growth, not an obstacle that cannot be overcome.

Through all this, just a reminder that a little problem left unresolved can turn into a bigger problem later. Communication, direct but respectful, can solve things quickly and should not only lead to a better work environment for yourself but a better learning environment for your students which should be the goal for every person involved in education. Any administrator that wants to do best by students knows that they have to support the people that work closest with them.

Not all problems can be solved through this approach, but very few problems can ever be solved by ignoring them.

Keep that in mind as you move forward.



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Saturday, October 6, 2018

Time's Convert by Deborah Harkness

I finally finished Time's Convert yesterday afternoon, after two weeks of reading a little bit, setting it down, then coming back to it. I wanted to take my time, and enjoy it, since I've been waiting some time to get back to the world of Diana and Matthew de Clermont.  

So I'll just blurt it all out: I enjoyed it, but wasn't blown away by it. 

There. I said it. 

Settling into this novel felt a bit like revisiting old friends, and I was pretty happy to be back with Diana and Matthew, and Ysabeau, and the whole world of the de Clermont vampire family. It was pretty great to see how Diana and Matthew are fairing as parents to Becca and Philip, their adorable twins--who are a mix of witch and vampire. Where their talents will lie, no one knows. And the rarity of these two little people (witches and vampires have never been able to have offspring, and normally avoid each other) means that there will come a day of reckoning for their parents and for both of them. That is an underlying tension in the novel, but I kept saying to myself "They're just babies, so there's plenty of time."  I suspect, and I hope, Deborah Harkness crafts a compelling tale of adult Becca and Philip.  

But, the big part of this story concerns Phoebe Taylor, a warmblood, and Marcus MacNeil, a vampire. They're in love, and were featured in the first three novels that make up the All Souls Trilogy. Now Phoebe has decided to become a vampire, so she can wed Marcus and live with him for, well, a very long time. It's not just a matter of biting someone, draining their blood, and bingo! vampire presto. There's a protocol to follow, and Phoebe and Marcus aren't allowed to see each other for 90 days after Phoebe has turned. After the 90 days, they reunite, and she officially claims Marcus as her mate. But within those 90 days, she has to learn how to move through the world as a vampire. There's a lot to learn, and it's not easy. 

Marcus stays with Diana and Matthew, who is his maker, and in vampire families, that makes Matthew Marcus' father, and Diana his step-mother. Another big chunk of the novel is about Marcus; who he was as a human, how he was turned by Matthew, and what he's done until present day. It's an interesting tale that centers on the American Revolution, the French Revolution, and the horrible childhood Marcus had at the hands of an abusive and alcoholic father. You get to know Marcus very well, and follow him on his journey as a young vampire. He makes plenty of mistakes, and gets in trouble with his family over and over again. Much of what he does haunts him, and he is concerned when Phoebe does drink from him, she will be disgusted at his deep secrets. Cause when you're a vampire, when you drink blood, you see everything about that person--no secret is hidden. 

There really wasn't much tension in this novel, and that was good and bad. The trilogy was so damn good, in part because Diana and Matthew as a couple were so forbidden, and Diana was struggling to accept her family history as witches, and come into her own immense power. There was none of that in this story, which I kind of missed. But seeing Diana and Matthew as parents, and happily living their lives (as well as they can as de Clermont) was sweet. It was all enough to keep me turning pages, and enjoying what I read. But it wasn't OMG THIS IS SO GOOD I CAN'T STAND IT!

Thank you, Deborah Harkness for another peek into the wonderful world you created. I am ready for more!

Rating:  4/6 for the continuing tale of the de Clermont family, and their fascinating experiences living through some of history's most dramatic and legendary moments. 

Available in hardcover, audio, and ebook. 



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Friday, October 5, 2018

When Student Behavior Is Like Looking in the Mirror



I've been thinking quite a bit lately about negative student behaviors and how we respond effectively. 

Here are five ideas that have been on my mind...

1. It can be really easy to become judgmental about negative student behavior, especially when it's repetitive. It's always appropriate to be corrective about non-learning behaviors, but it isn't right to place ourselves in a position of greater worth than the student. We might think, I would never do that. It's like we think we're superior in some way. And then we make generalizations about their motives based on the behavior. We act as if we know what's going on in the student's heart. 

That's the type of judgment that causes resentment and steals dignity. Judgement isn't always a bad thing. We actually know having good judgement is a good thing. That's how we know when something is right or wrong. But relationships get crazy when we start to judge motives. That's not ours to judge. Judge behaviors. They are observable and there are standards that must be held. Don't judge intentions. We can never know another person's heart.

2. Every negative behavior a student exhibits is probably closely resembling a negative behavior I've exhibited in my own life at one time or another. If I'm really honest with myself, it's probably like I'm looking in the mirror. I may not have done that exact thing to the degree that it was done, but I've struggled with that issue at some point and acted in a similar manner. There are only so many categories of mistakes, and I'm pretty sure I've covered them all at one time or another.

3. Number two is really important because it reminds me to have empathy, to be understanding, and to work with a student through the issue instead of towering over them and being iron-fisted about the issue. We want to correct the issue and preserve the relationship. We need to walk through this with the student.

4. The things that push my buttons the most might be the things that I actually struggle with the most. It's ironic, but often we are less forgiving and less patient with the behaviors that are most like the ones we struggle with. Think about an issue that is a struggle for you. Are you especially hard on students when they make a mistake in this area? Maybe not if they make the mistake in the same way you do. But if they make it in a different way or to a greater degree, look out. It might push all your buttons.

5. When students show up poorly and have behaviors that are destructive, I need to also look at the environmental factors at play. If I was in the same environment as the student, might I also act in this way? What can be changed about the environment to help the student make different choices? That does not relieve the student of responsibility or accountability for bad decisions, but I don't want to just enforce accountability. I want to help create conditions so the student will succeed next time.

I think we could all stand to be a little more patient with our students. Heck, sometimes we need to be a little more patient with ourselves too. Mistakes are opportunities to learn more about who we are and to reflect and become stronger, more caring people overall.

I would love to hear your thoughts as always. What's on your mind after reading this post? Leave a comment below or respond on Twitter or Facebook.


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When Student Behavior Is Like Looking in the Mirror



I've been thinking quite a bit lately about negative student behaviors and how we respond effectively. 

Here are five ideas that have been on my mind...

1. It can be really easy to become judgmental about negative student behavior, especially when it's repetitive. It's always appropriate to be corrective about non-learning behaviors, but it isn't right to place ourselves in a position of greater worth than the student. We might think, I would never do that. It's like we think we're superior in some way. And then we make generalizations about their motives based on the behavior. We act as if we know what's going on in the student's heart. 

That's the type of judgment that causes resentment and steals dignity. Judgement isn't always a bad thing. We actually know having good judgement is a good thing. That's how we know when something is right or wrong. But relationships get crazy when we start to judge motives. That's not ours to judge. Judge behaviors. They are observable and there are standards that must be held. Don't judge intentions. We can never know another person's heart.

2. Every negative behavior a student exhibits is probably closely resembling a negative behavior I've exhibited in my own life at one time or another. If I'm really honest with myself, it's probably like I'm looking in the mirror. I may not have done that exact thing to the degree that it was done, but I've struggled with that issue at some point and acted in a similar manner. There are only so many categories of mistakes, and I'm pretty sure I've covered them all at one time or another.

3. Number two is really important because it reminds me to have empathy, to be understanding, and to work with a student through the issue instead of towering over them and being iron-fisted about the issue. We want to correct the issue and preserve the relationship. We need to walk through this with the student.

4. The things that push my buttons the most might be the things that I actually struggle with the most. It's ironic, but often we are less forgiving and less patient with the behaviors that are most like the ones we struggle with. Think about an issue that is a struggle for you. Are you especially hard on students when they make a mistake in this area? Maybe not if they make the mistake in the same way you do. But if they make it in a different way or to a greater degree, look out. It might push all your buttons.

5. When students show up poorly and have behaviors that are destructive, I need to also look at the environmental factors at play. If I was in the same environment as the student, might I also act in this way? What can be changed about the environment to help the student make different choices? That does not relieve the student of responsibility or accountability for bad decisions, but I don't want to just enforce accountability. I want to help create conditions so the student will succeed next time.

I think we could all stand to be a little more patient with our students. Heck, sometimes we need to be a little more patient with ourselves too. Mistakes are opportunities to learn more about who we are and to reflect and become stronger, more caring people overall.

I would love to hear your thoughts as always. What's on your mind after reading this post? Leave a comment below or respond on Twitter or Facebook.


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Maywood on the Park

Maywood on the Park is a new 32-storey condo development by Intracorp located directly to the north of Maywood Park, in Burnaby. This project will offer 298 condominiums, sizes range from 394 sqft – 1,286 sqft. The neighbourhood provides a plethora of shopping and restaurant options, as well as refreshing green spaces. Maywood’s architectural design is inspired by the neighbouring park, with green tinted glass and wood detailing making it an impressive, yet timeless addition to the area.

The post Maywood on the Park appeared first on Vancouver New Condos.



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