Barb Holden's Page

I was introduced to the 'Six Thinking Hats' as an Assistant Principal with PSD.  A group of administrators had been reading the book and shared their learning through a really fun bag of hats - each hat in the bag a different color.  Each hat represented collaboration in the task of looking at an existing landscape or an initiative from different perspectives.  I was particularly intrigued by the black hat.



As an administrator, the black hat can be the most challenging to work with…

I have two sons.

One is practicing in the field of law.  One is a Mechanical Engineer.

One loves hockey.  One loves cars.

One has blonde hair.  One has red hair.

One is straight.  One is gay.

I had the opportunity to attend #tedxedmonton this last weekend, and I did get a wake-up call - and a call to action.  That is what this blog is really about.

Speaker Kristopher Wells, researcher at the University of Alberta in the…

In the winter of the current school year, I found myself looking forward . . . and I realized that I was in the enviable position of choosing where I wanted to live.  My husband’s job was no longer tied to a specific geographic location – and my kids were making decisions about where they wanted to be. . . based on post-secondary education and career opportunities.  The world was my oyster. . .

I am a principled person, and so I began to think about what I wanted – really…

This I believe. . . with an attempt at order. . . but none are negotiable -

10.  Working with kids is a privilege.

The privilege of working with kids is just that – a privilege.  If your heart isn’t in it, you aren’t going to be effective and could probably make a better contribution elsewhere.  If your heart is in it, you are so needed – and you can make the world a better place. 

9.  Together, we are better. 

Parents,…