By Lyonel Doherty
Darren Danyluk has spent every day in a school for the last 54 years and has gathered this advice for graduates: Expect change and don’t listen to that little voice inside that sows doubt in yourself.
While nowhere near ‘Fast Times at Ridgemont High’, Danyluk has seen a lot during his tenure as an educator and principal at DTSS.
His first teaching position was in Fort St. James after being inspired by his own Grade 12 English teacher.
Danyluk actually decided before graduating that he wanted to teach young minds.
“My own teacher had a way of making students, me included, feel important and valued. I thought, ‘what a great way to spend your day – making people feel accomplished and good about themselves – I think I want to do that for a living.’ I never regretted my decision.”
No doubt, the most significant changes he has seen in his career is technology. “It has changed things for the better in many ways, but the gains have come at a price: engagement – with the world around us, with each other, with experience not viewed through a screen.”
He admits that he has a love/hate relationship with his own cell phone.
Danyluk has truly embraced diversity, noting that inclusion and the freedom to live authentic lives are ideals fostered by youth now, adding it has been amazing to witness this evolution in school.
He pointed out that while the environment has changed significantly over the years, youth are still largely the same. But now they are faced with pressures which manifest in behaviours, such as high anxiety.
Danyluk said behaviour is communication. “When students’ behaviours are not acceptable, what are they saying to us? There is a greater focus on trying to understand the underlying causes for behaviours and addressing those, while at the same time holding up accountability and consequence.”
Looking back, the educator has so many fond memories, which all relate to students’ self-discovery.
“To be present when a child achieves something for themselves and realizes they are responsible for their own success, and to have contributed – even a little bit – to that discovery is a remarkable gift.”
Danyluk told the Pioneer that reading, writing, and arithmetic, while still critical to the role of schools, now share the spotlight with a list of priorities that recognize the whole child, their families, and the entire community. That’s why he finds it difficult to articulate the complexity of what it is to be an educator today.
He doesn’t have a crystal ball, but Danyluk predicts that AI (artificial intelligence) will continue to evolve and change the landscape.
“The days when we went to school to acquire knowledge have long passed. We carry in our pockets little devices that place knowledge – about virtually everything – at our fingertips. So, what do we go to school for now? We need to understand what we can do with that knowledge; we need to learn how to examine that knowledge; we need to scrutinize and weigh the value of that knowledge; and we need to recognize bias and falsehood. We need to learn how to think and debate and collaborate and cooperate. More than ever, in the future, we’re going to need to learn how to engage with each other in supportive and productive ways.”
But now Danyluk’s retirement beckons with the goal to drive across Canada and back one more time. He also plans to make more of his “brilliant” pancakes, which is a hidden talent of his.
