A Message from Margaret Boersma
We all have defining moments in our lifetimes and they shape who we are and what we do with our lives. I will share a few of my defining moments to inspire you to think of your own. I believe we are here to make a difference; however, it can be challenging to discover our purpose and where we should focus our energy. They say hindsight is 20/20 but in the present and looking into our future, things can be very unclear.
I am the oldest child of Dutch immigrants. Learning English as a second language was not considered novel, but weird, in the area where I grew up.
Pit Moment:
At 11 years old, I am on the back doorstep and I hear my Mom talking on the phone exasperated, “She just can’t learn!”
What I hear is, “I am stupid. Life will always be hard!”
I remember all the times Mom would help me with homework. It was often so frustrating! Spelling, Math and Reading comprehension! Aaahh!
Search Moment:
In grade 10 my marks really drop. It is my first year in high school and I am in survival mode.
Mom says, “I talked to the guidance counsellor and she highly recommends you go to the general stream next year.”
In a way I feel relieved but I wonder if this track is cutting off future opportunities. I ask, “Can I go back to academics if it doesn’t work for me?”
“That is never done. Once you are in general, it is too hard to go back to academics.”
I try it in the general stream but don’t see myself as one of “them”. I feel like I don’t belong.
I make a plan. I work hard all year so I can ask to move back to academics for the last year in high school…something that is never done. But I do it! And I move back to academics for my last year of high school.
Breakthrough Moment:
I am in my last year of high school and as I walk past the elementary school, I hear children singing. The sound takes me back to my childhood when I used to sing with my sisters in the back seat of the car and dance to the music of Mary Poppins. This experience leads me to think about my future and what I really want to do with my life.
I think,
"If I were a teacher, my students would learn through singing, dancing, acting, and playing games."
The thought of making learning fun for children excites me as I wonder, "What should I really do with my life?"
The answer becomes clear to me. I want to become a teacher and change the way things are taught.
I attend Teacher's College and excel in my studies and practicums. I love working with children and teaching them about life. I especially love seeing the "aha!" moments when they finally understand something.
I also realize I am an artist and I love using the arts to teach in a way that reaches the children on an emotional level.
Through mime and creative dance, I am able to communicate deep issues. I am creative and love coming up with new ideas.
As a teacher and artist, I find joy in supporting people emotionally. I love walking alongside them and being there for them. I am fulfilled by my work and feel that I am making a difference in the world.
Now:
Now I am still passionate about changing the way things are taught at school. And my passion has expanded. After teaching for many decades, I am making a difference at the school and board/district level. Working as a consultant, speaker and teacher trainer, I work both locally and abroad.
Teaching social and emotional learning inside a school curriculum or inside a company’s goals radically improves the entire mission of an organization. Using a unique methodology involving the entire brain, allows for engagement and transfer of skills. My gigantic goal is to transform the school system so effective life skills are taught inside a robust curriculum. The result is students and teachers thrive. I know my purpose is to train educators to teach for optimal learning (whole brain) in ways that are engaging, and relevant (using innate ways of learning) addressing the whole person (mentally, socially, emotionally, physically, and spiritually).
I imagine a better society when all children and adults have a mature development of essential skills such as collaboration, creativity, innovation and problem-solving. This includes practical social and emotional learning skills such as knowing how to de-escalate a conflict, bring down one’s own stress level and that of another, clear the air when there are hard feelings, teach empathy and deal with potentially triggering situations. These skills are basic in our world right now and ALL educators need to know the basics.
I never would have guessed this path when I was struggling in school as a child. But looking back, I was not served by the school system in which I was raised and I am still working to transform it now.
What is your path? What is your purpose in life? How can I support you in making your difference?
