Hitting High Notes and Key Points- Karen Steffensen’s P3

Karen Steffensen has been in education for over 35 years. Her career spans four teaching divisions within three provinces: British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario. Her main areas of focus for the development of curriculum material has been Literacy, Social Studies, and teaching in and through the Arts which includes numerous choral compositions, an original anti- bullying musical and an elementary Homelessness curriculum written for York University’s Faculty of Education Research and Field Development Office, published on the Homeless Hub. Throughout her career, she’s been involved in developing and presenting on a range of curriculum materials and strategies for use in elementary and secondary settings.

Presently, Karen is the Team Lead for the London East Field Team, Ontario Ministry of Education’s Student Achievement and Supports Branch. Prior to this, she was a Supervisory Officer with the Surrey School District, in British Columbia and Student Achievement Officer on the Capacity Building Team within the Ontario Ministry of Education Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat. Prior to those positions, she was a Curriculum Consultant with the York Region District School Board’s Arts team and was seconded for three years to York University, serving as a Course Director for the Faculty of Education’s Consecutive Education program, teaching and mentoring Primary/Junior Teacher Candidates. Karen is also a board member of Learning Forward Ontario.

Learning Forward Ontario is an incorporated, non-profit professional educational organization rooted in supporting and responding to the needs of Ontario learning leaders on all levels. It evolved from the National Staff Development Council and recently invited new board members to help support their important work. While they receive resources and assistance from their parent organization, Learning Forward, they remain focused on supporting and responding to the needs of the Ontario experience. Members include consultants, co-ordinators, principals, vice-principals, teachers, superintendents, directors of education, business and support workers, and faculty of education personnel.

Learning Forward Ontario focuses on the enabling conditions for professional learning. Karen continued, “A lot of their work is being done around coaching. That part of bringing people together, no matter what role they are in within a system, to look at how they can bring together those qualities of what it takes to coach people through change.” A significant aspect of their work comes from a study on professional learning by Carol Campbell, Michael Fullan and Andy Hargreaves asking questions about “...leadership in schools, culture, trust, relationships, ways in which we create curiosity and strengthen facilitation….” Learning Forward invites “...all of the voices in education that make a difference in how we move forward...with great momentum...challenging our current thinking and looking into new ways of being together.”

When reflecting on preparing for her P3, Karen went straight to her nostalgic song. She wanted to capture the remembrance aspect of nostalgia, thinking of the loss of her mother only one year before. The first song that came to her mind was one that her mother sang to her throughout her life. Referring to the English translation of the song, what will be will be, Karen said, “ We can get too far ahead of ourselves and plan forward in such a linear way, but that’s not necessarily the way things unfold. But, I guess for me, at the heart of it, is how do you be open, how do you go with the flow and seek the best of what you can be in the moment and let it be.” This is the signature tune of the popular singer and actress from 50’s and 60’s and the theme song of her show. Here is Doris Day’s Que Sera Sera:

Karen is a graduate of the University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Music, majoring in Piano, Composition and Voice. She has written and several musical compositions that have been performed publicly and on CBC radio, including performances by the Vancouver Cantata Singers, the UBC University Singers and by numerous instrumental and choral ensembles. In celebration of Vancouver’s anniversary, on of Karen’s compositions was selected to be performed. It was a highlight of her career, and she reflected that, “It’s one thing to write music and have it in your head or perform it for yourself, but the minute it comes to life through someone else conducting it and people singing it is a surreal experience..It gives me goosebumps to think that what is is in one’s head as imagination and an internal creative dialogue, can come out on a piece of paper that can be read and interpreted and performed by someone else. That process of music creation and performance is quite incredible.” Lobbies with grand pianos and open lids are invitations for her now that she doesn’t have a piano of her own as a result of her move from the west coast.

Karen’s identity song is one that she first heard when she was a young, emerging pianist. From that early time, she developed a strong affinity with Bach, and this was a piece that “always resonated”. It was one of the last pieces Karen performed publicly while studying piano at the University of British Columbia, and it’s the tune that comes through her fingers whenever she sits down at a piano, testing it out with the first eight bars of this piece. The Italian part of the composition is a shout out her Italian heritage on her mother’s side. There is also something about this piece that “...gets into the soul of who I am.” Karen says that she discovers something new about it each time she plays it. Here is The Italian Concerto by Bach performed by Austrian pianist, poet and author, Brendel:

Karen’s inspirational song draws her in with the piano introduction and the water features as a key symbol in her life. For our guest, this song is “...a dichotomy of joy and sadness..It’s a reminder that you can be your own driver of your futures... to just get on board and sail away, and to try going to places that have never been tried before.” Karen shared that she has never been afraid to try a new direction in education in order to get past a “stuck point” as a teacher, principal or SO (Supervisory Officer). Referring to the lyrics, Karen wrote to me before our recording that, "I'm sailing away, set an open course for the virgin sea... I've got to be free, free to face the life that's ahead of me...", these lyrics truly capture my desire to not be limited by constraints...being open to possibility and adventure in learning.” In reflecting on the song, Karen asked, “Who are the people in our lives that drive us to want to keep doing things and trying things and go further than we can? Written and sung by Styx keyboard player Dennis DeYoung, this song is about following your dreams by embarking on a journey into the unknown. Here is Come Sail Away:

Karen Steffensen is passionate about leadership, innovation and creativity in education in and through the Arts. You can learn more about her through her website or by following her on Twitter. Karen is excited about the work that she is doing at the Ministry of Education, and she is committed to the work that Learning Forward Ontario has undertaken by supporting those involved in the professional development of others and being strong facilitators of learning. Learning Forward Ontario just began a Twitter account, and the Twitter first chat is coming up on Monday, January 14th. The topic is Momentum. Karen noted that the focus is, “How do we maintain momentum, create those moments for that and sustain them, regardless of what role you’re in...how do we open up our practice...” The next events will include a networking dinner and conversation towards the end of April and a summer event in August focused on building leadership capacity for informal and formal leaders. More details will be available on the website soon. “Learning Forward is trying to create...just in time learning, to open up our practice and ways that people can network, whether it’s virtually or face to face, through article sharing and blog posts.” Karen’s deep commitment to education is evident in everything she says and does.