a peek inside the fishbowl

I learned a lot about journalism when I was studying at Carleton. My four years there included a lot of communications theory but also a lot of very practical lessons in how to interview people and craft a story, but one of the most valuable things I learned about the interviewing and writing process didn’t happen during my time at school, it happened years after I left.

One of my first freelance articles was for a restaurant trade magazine. This was many years ago, but I was asked to cover a chef’s conference in Gatineau. I knew very little about food, and even less about the food scene. I was painfully aware that this article, seeing as it was for a trade magazine, would be read by people who know more than I will ever know about the business.

And so, with notebook and a pen (and about a dozen spares in my purse) I showed up at this conference. I was sick with anxiety, in fact, I arrived painfully early and hid in the bathroom for the first little while. After cowering in a stall for who knows how long, I gave myself scolding, sucked it up, and forced myself to march out into the conference. There was a huge escalator in the foyer – I remember all these men going up and down – almost immediately I fell into step with one of the few women who was there. Later on I sat down with her for a chat about the challenges of being a female chef in a male dominated industry. Surprisingly, it was pretty painless.

My biggest problem wasn’t my inexperience. I figured I could write something good, but I afraid of looking like a total idiot. And so, as I went around the room, I decided it was okay to admit that I didn’t know very much about the restaurant business. Amazingly, it worked. I’d walk up to someone and introduce myself as a freelancer working on an article for such-and-such magazine. Then I would ask them to tell me what was new, what it was like to be a chef, what conference sessions they were excited about, and what their biggest issues were in the restaurant business. I never pretended I knew about the industry, in fact, I said outright that I know next to nothing but that I was very interested. And you know what? Everyone I spoke to was so kind to me, and patiently explained what I needed to know. Everyone was cool, and I had no reason to be worried or afraid.

I’m had lots of time to think about my experience since then and I learned a couple of excellent lessons that day. (1) Never pretend to be smarter than you are. If you don’t know something, admit it, otherwise you run the risk of looking very foolish. (2) Most people are very happy to talk about themselves and about their passions. So if you ask good questions and pay attention, your story will practically write itself.

I was fortunate to attend a fairly progressive public high school. There was a special stream for students who wanted to get their pilot’s license; “gifted” level classes in math, science, English, and social studies; French immersion; a computer lab at a time when they were incredibly new and no one really knew what to do with them; a “creative media” class which included desktop publishing and access to a darkroom; and a co-operative education option that – in hindsight – is the reason I chose the career I did.

I don’t think I fully realized the remarkable opportunities I had at the time, even as I compared notes with friends who attended “regular” high schools in the area. I learned about fonts and white space. I studied French, and took a year of German. I went on a school trip to Europe. I did some pretty cool dissections in biology class that some of my friends didn’t get to do. I remember thinking that although our school experience was similar – we’d sweat over our math equations, curse our gym teachers, and had the same exams – the route we took to the same learning outcomes was different. In my classes we divided into teams and debated aspects of Canadian history, spending hours at the library doing research about our respective positions. My friends, they sat at home and memorized names of and dates listed their textbooks.

Is one style of education better than the other? I’m not sure what the answer to that question is. I do know that my friends who memorized all those names and dates fared well in the grand scheme of things, but I will say this: I certainly am grateful for the education I received because it built the foundation of who I am today.

As a parent of young teens, I think about what they are learning in school and try to facilitate new and interesting opportunities for them. This might be something as simple as going to the library, exploring some local caves, firing off a rocket, microwaving a bar of soap, looking at a dragonfly wing under a microscope, or dragging the telescope outside to see the recent super moon. :)

I had a chance to visit The Element – a Fishbowl patron – at the beginning of the school year, and it’s given me a lot to think about.

The Element is a not-for-profit private school newly located at Lansdowne Park. (The Element is part of OMS Montessori. I wrote about my visit to the school earlier this year.) The Element serves grades 7 to 12 in the Montessori tradition of learning. I will say this: they knocked my socks off.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I arrived at The Element. At the very least I was a little excited about the location, not for me, but the students. Can you imagine going to high school at the new Lansdowne?

I’ve only been to this area a handful of times since it opened. It felt strange to walk around this completely new development. It’s like visiting FUTURE OTTAWA. It’s Ottawa, but it’s also not Ottawa. (I realize that might sound just a little bit nutty, but there it is.)

I was early, so I poked around. There is a huge amount of green space out back and community gardens bursting with flowers and produce. And of course, some familiar sights as well:

When I finally knocked on the door and went inside, the entire school – oh, about 30 students and teachers – were in the middle of their weekly community meeting. One student was in charge of the agenda, and classmates took turns voicing their concerns and making announcements. It was all remarkably mature. Agenda items included basketball team sign ups and the location of garbage bins and recycling, among other things. When a concern was raised, another student addressed it. Here were students who were taking charge of their own experience, but it extended farther than just the merits of recycling. They were managing issues and problem solving on the fly. This was a team in the making!

Correction: the team had already been made. The younger grades started their school year off with an epic canoe trip they call The Odyssey. To get a better idea of what kind of team-building exercise this is, check out this student-produced video. I totally think all high schools should do this. Imagine how different high school relationships would be if you had to portage with your classmates? When you saw one another at your best and at your worst? What kind of foundation does it lay for the rest of the year? (FYI, the parents spoke out about it in a different video.)

I chatted with two Element students – Sydney and Amelia – who told me all about the trip and were practically beaming the whole time they described it:

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• Andrew Coyne v The National Post, canadalandshow.com
• “Throwout,” by William Thorsell, Medium.com
• Flipping out, nbcsports.com
• The Death of the Party, nytimes.com
• Femvertising: how brands are selling #empowerment to women, theguardian.com
• 2015 Nikon microscopy contest winners: Science is art, arstechnica.com

p.s. don’t forget to enter my latest giveaway. You can win some shopping money at Ottawa’s favourite toy store!