#OneWord2020 #OneWordOnt #OneWordEdCan

A belated Happy New Year 2020 and Happy First Day Back to School!

For someone who initially mocked the concept of selecting a single word as a guiding principle for a year in lieu of New Year Resolutions, I've become quite enamored of the idea. I've thought a lot about how my 2019 word kept arising in ways I hadn't expected.

My 2016 word was continue.
My 2017 word was forgive
My 2018 word was seek.
My 2019 word was enough.

Turns out, I had enough and retired from several cherished organizations and responsibilities.

• My husband and I retired from serving as the marriage preparation course head facilitators at our parish.
• I ended my term with the Digital Human Library as a Regional Curator.
• I took a hiatus (which will probably be permanent) from my role as the Volunteer Coordinator at Maker Festival Toronto.
• The upcoming Ontario Library Association Super Conference will mark the end of my volunteer career with OLA that began with The Teaching Librarian magazine in 2006

My 2020 word is both similar to my 2019 and vastly different. When I mentioned it as a possibility during dinner, my husband said that it wasn't much of a stretch - but I think it could be. I know it excites the coaches at my gym. My word is:

push 

In 2020 I hope to do a lot of pushing.

I will push myself.

I plan to push myself physically. (I hate push-ups at the gym, and I don't do them properly. Hopefully in 2020 I can do a proper push-up without modifications like using the wall or a box or getting my legs to help me cheat. My gym goal is to perform more than one double-under skip in a row.) I will keep going to the gym, even though I don't always like it. I will push my own learning further along, by taking an AQ course this winter with York University.

I will push limits. 

What's possible? Almost anything. By continuing to be an innovative, creative educator, this means that I may have to push traditional concepts of librarianship around and aside. It means that even though I promised I wouldn't bring sand in the library again doesn't mean that I won't bring other weird things in (like thinking putty) as long as it benefits the students and the learning environment. In fact, according to the online Oxford dictionary, "push the envelope" (see the image next to this text) means to "approach or extend the limits of what is possible."

I will push against things. 

Injustice? The status quo? Inequity? Actions or words that are morally wrong? It will take courage but as I continue to develop my understanding of equity and anti-oppression (I read White Fragility last year and I bought How To Be An Anti-Racist this year) I will need to speak up and push back when things aren't right. (This is where the similarities to "enough" lie.) I will continue to be a union steward and this coming year looks uncomfortable as teachers continue to negotiate with the provincial government and school boards. Class size matters and I will need to push against those who think otherwise.

I will push and make things move.

Usually pushing in school is frowned upon. We aren't supposed to use physical force on anyone. The kind of pushing I want to do is the kind that leads to action, maybe even with those who don't want to take action. I suspect I will need to push the issue of dealing with (edited to remove specifics) extended family issues, even though this is going to be a difficult series of conversations to have. I will need to push my youngest to make decisions about his post-secondary education and investigate on his own. (Is it possible to push someone so they don't need pushing?) Even my spouse may not escape my pushes.

For someone whose nickname is "Push-It" (mostly because I try to push as many errands or activities in a single day as possible), it'll be interesting to see how the word push evolves over 2020.