Thursday, January 18th-Friday, January 19th, 2024 I stayed at the Hampton Inn in Burlington on Thursday night to ensure I caught the 6:00 am train on Friday morning. I woke up at 4:00 am and had a quick bowl of oatmeal before showering and heading to the Burlington Go Station to meet my travel companions. We went to…
I picked up supply educational assistant jobs at three local school boards. It becomes evident how some forms of bullying become more common than others. A common form of bullying grade seven and eight students use is passive-aggressive. For example – I walk into a classroom and immediately hear the snickers, the “wow” [...]
My presentation at the Vienna International School was fantastic. We stayed in the old part of Vienna with its historic buildings. The city is filled with years of history. People were busily walking, driving and biking through the city. It was like watching a giant game of chicken as people weaved in and around traffic…
MUSKRAT DAM & SACHIGO, ONTARIO First Nation Communities Muskrat Dam is a First Nation community located east of Manitoba, north of Thunder Bay and south of James Bay. I was invited to travel to this community to present leadership and anti-bullying presentations. I flew from Billy Bishop Airport in Toronto to Sioux Lookout to Muskrat…
COURAGE TOUR GOES TO SCOTLAND I was walking through an old cemetery in Edinburgh, marvelling at the age of the tombstones, when I heard the sound of children laughing and screaming. I understood the screaming; I was in a cemetery, however, laughing. I walked toward the sound and peered through a wrought-iron gate, only to…
MY ADVENTURES PRESENTING IN SCOTLAND TAKING SCOTTISH KIDS TO CAMP When I was over in Scotland, I connected to an organization called the Young Carers. These were children who supported family members who had either mental or physical challenges. The Young Carers Organization supported these children, giving them respite and fun activities to [...]
BANANA MAN I had just finished performing in Montreal and Ottawa and was preparing for my COURAGE TOUR. I would present in Bermuda, Calgary, Edmonton, Alberta, and Edinburgh, Scotland. Then, BAM! All schools were shut down due to the COVID-19 virus. All my presentations and after-school programs were cancelled. Now what? I tried my hand…
What fun, creative things could I do during the COVID-19 epidemic? Hey, how about making a leadership and anti-bullying video? I needed to do something creative. I wasn’t able to run my after-school leadership programs or anti-bullying presentations. What could I do to feel like I was growing and moving forward? I contacted my…
I had been presenting around Southern Ontario for almost thirty years. I wanted to present at Balhousie Primary School in Perth, Scotland. This was my mom’s school. I flew to Scotland and presented at Balhousie, St. Ninian, a Young Carers group and for the Perth Kinross ADHD support group. I believed that every connection I…
I travelled back to Scotland in June and October of 2022. I presented at GEORGE HERIOT School in Edinburgh. The presentation in June was exciting. In the middle of my presentation, the fire bell rang. I had to evacuate the school with the students. We walked to the back of George Heriot School near Grassmarket.…