School 2 Go

Teachers are Scientists

noreply@blogger.com (Donna Fry) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 13:14:00 +0000

Image shared under a Creative Commons License by ExpressMonorail http://www.flickr.com/photos/expressmonorail/3877004502/sizes/z/in/photostream/

When I was growing up, all I ever wanted to be was a scientist.

Okay, I will admit, through most of my adult years I have wanted to be a scientist.

But initially I settled on being a science teacher. If I couldn't be a scientist right now, at least I could help to inspire others to do it.

Teaching science did not last long for me. High school science was nothing like real science. "Experiments" were like following a recipe. In the high school classroom, science was reading big books and writing tests - nothing like science in the real world.

The job of the scientist is to figure out what questions to ask, ask them, then figure out how to find the answer, not to memorize and regurgitate.

I left the science classroom for the most part, and I spent 25 years teaching in every single department in a high school, without ever realizing that being a teacher should very much be about being a scientist.

You see, if you really want kids to learn, a teacher needs to be a "scientist" every single day to find out where kids are, where they need to be, and what you can do to get them there.

You may not have the answer to help a specific student, and that is why collaboration with other teachers is so critical. It's not just about collaborating with others in your school. You need to reach outside to find that person who has the answer for your student.

In the same way that science is moving to operating more openly - sharing data online and looking for answers collaboratively instead of competitively - we as educators need to work together to find solutions to meet the needs of our students.

So as we look at every single student in our care, we need to put on our lab coats and be the scientists that find the questions and collaborate to find the solutions that will move students forward in their learning.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Where do I begin to build and inquiry-based classroom? Try starting with the suggestions found here: Shifting the Classroom, One Step at a Time.

(Thanks to @EurekaTeacher and @smarterscience smarterscience.ca for the link)

A Compilation

noreply@blogger.com (Donna Fry) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 04:11:00 +0000

Holidays are over and school is back in. Here is a compilation of some of the resources I discovered while relaxing over the holidays.

First, a fabulous mashup of some of the coolest stuff on 21st Century Learning from Royan Lee, Ontario Educator.

http://spicylearning.wordpress.com/2012/01/08/21st-century-learning/

And then, a good read on the Ontario Connected Leaders site: Why Blog?

http://ontclc.ca/?p=112

Of course, one of my favourite sites - MindShift - has a great post on trends that define the future of teaching and learning: http://mindshift.kqed.org/2011/12/three-trends-that-define-the-future-of-teaching-and-learning-2/

And then, the most important couple of minutes - from Sir Ken: http://www.itlresearch.com/images/stories/reports/microsoft-sir_ken_robinson_on_the_role_of_policy_in_education-hq_1.mp4

If nothing else, take a moment to listen to this!

Happy New Year all!

Texting While Driving?

noreply@blogger.com (Donna Fry) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 02:08:00 +0000

Shy-Anne Hovorka - spreading an important message through music.

Join In, Your PLN is Waiting!

noreply@blogger.com (Donna Fry) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 10:16:00 +0000

This post is from Ontario ConnectED Leaders: http://ontclc.ca/?p=99

It's another Sunday evening. The dishes are done and we are winding down after a busy weekend. Before planning for the week, I check in with my PLN to see what they are sharing. Tweetdeck makes it easy to follow the ongoing conversations about learning.

I quickly scan the postings and in my #edchat column, I click a post with a link that takes me to a page listing administrator blogs to follow. I've read some of them before, others are new to me.

I click on Pair-a-Dimes, a blog I have not read in a long time, and posted there is David Truss' presentation for the K-12 online conference: Transforming Education Together. While viewing his VoiceThread, I hear some very insightful comments about how to encourage and support teachers in moving from knowing they want to use educational technology, to actually using it.

The common thread? Having a PLN supports teachers to take the plunge and start using educational technology in the classroom.

: Shared under a Creative Commons License by Rosaura Ochoa

While thinking about how much support I have received from my PLN on Twitter in my own learning about technology, a few email messages arrive from my OntCLC colleagues, outlining why connection on Twitter is important to them.

Shannon Smith (@shannoninottawa)(http://shannoninottawa.com/) says "Connecting via twitter to a global network of individuals from a variety of backgrounds exposes me to thinking I would not otherwise access. It pushes my own learning in directions I might not anticipate and it provides me with a wealth of resources and experts to tap into when I need it. It is just on time personal and professional development that is highly personalized. If we are going to lead learning communities that support students preparing for a future of rapid change and unknown possibilities, we need to learn how to navigate the world of digital connections ourselves".

Mark Cabone (@markwcarbone) shares this message: "In many ways, Twitter provides an important pulse on the educational world. I find it keeps me in touch with a broad range of educators (beyond my Board) - gives me insights as to issues, challenges and current thinking about classroom practice. It
also provides a way to connect with other leaders and change agents to stretch and challenge your thinking. I like the open sharing of resources, and blog reflections too. "

Brian Harrison (http://www.connectedprincipals.com/contributors/brian-harrison) (@bharrisonvp,http://thesmalleroffice.wordpress.com/) states "Learning is a both a reflective and a social process. The connections I've made

: Shared under a Creative Commons License by Tveskov.

through Twitter and my blog have become an important part of my learning; they have exposed me to the ideas and questions of colleagues and enabled me to express my thoughts and reflections in a manner that allows for feedback and discourse. I also appreciate the how many incredibly talented and dedicated classroom teachers use social media; I learn a great deal from my interactions with them."

No wonder we all feel so strongly that supporting other educators to join Twitter is a priority!

There are many fantastic resources to guide educators into an online PLN and the opportunity for daily learning and connection on Twitter. If you are new to Twitter and ready to get learning, try the links posted below, and don't be afraid to ask for support.

Twitter in Plain English: What is Twitter Anyhow?http://www.commoncraft.com/video/twitter

Twitter for Teachers (Ontario): http://twitterforteachers.wetpaint.com/

Advice for teachers new to Twitter: http://edtechpower.blogspot.com/2009/02/advice-for-teachers-new-to-twitter.html

Seven Ways to Find Teachers on Twitter: http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2009/03/seven-ways-to-find-teachers-on-twitter.html

The Ultimate Twitter GuideBook for Teachers
http://edudemic.com/2010/06/the-ultimate-twitter-guidebook/

Why is the Fail Whale Smiling? http://www.slideshare.net/thecleversheep/why-is-the-fail-whale-smiling

Twitter Teacher: http://www.twitterforeducators.com/

This presentation is a bit dated now, but it is an overview of the many reasons why Twitter can enhance your professional practice.
Adobe Connect presentation: Twitter for Teachers (Colin Jagoe and Donna Fry from Leading Learning 2009)http://live.virtuallearning.ca/fryll2009/

The Sheer Beauty of Nature

noreply@blogger.com (Donna Fry) — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 19:43:00 +0000

I am sharing this video because the sheer beauty of it makes it necessary to share. I hope you love it as much as I did.

Murmuration from Sophie Windsor Clive on Vimeo.

More on Sharing Science

noreply@blogger.com (Donna Fry) — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 20:49:00 +0000

Open Culture posted this great view from space. It reminds me that we are all in this together, that creating pillars and hoarding data are not in the best interests of our collective survival when it comes to scientific research.

What are the northern lights?

The Aurora Borealis from Per Byhring on Vimeo.

125 Great Science Videos: http://www.openculture.com/science_videos

Cultivating Resiliency

noreply@blogger.com (Donna Fry) — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 14:00:00 +0000

http://www.flickr.com/photos/serilium/1096513475/sizes/m/in/photostream/

Over the past week I was very fortunate to have the opportunity to work with the Ontario Provincial Police on their strategies for working with youth. One of the speakers for our sessions was Dick O'Brien, who spoke to us on the importance of developing resiliency in our young people.

For now, I am just sharing my notes from the session. This is a topic I intend to pursue, and if you have further resources on this topic, please feel free to share.

Encouraging Resiliency in Children – The Adversity Quotient

Dick O’Brien

The goal of resiliency is to navigate. The goal of stress management is to cope.

Parents over-rescue their children because they can’t deal with them dealing with life.

We need to do everything in our power to prepare them for life.

When is caring not caring?

When do you overprotect so much that your kids are not prepared for life?

High school students are lost because parents are overprotecting them.

We have a large number of kids 19 to 29 who just don’t know what to do.

There is a desperate need to teach resiliency.

Give children some type of a “bullet-proof vest” to deal with what life is going to send them.

Your mind can take you places you don’t want to go.

We are foolish enough to believe our own thoughts.

All of our thoughts are distorted.

Your mind is reactive, judgmental and feeds on thought. How do you notice the contents of your own mind and challenge them?

Your biggest enemy can be your own mind.

A life anchor is a thought you can call up in the middle of a crisis to hold you strong.

We never see ourselves seeing ourselves as victims.

Three choices for dealing with stressful events

· Change the event
· Change your thoughts about the event
· Change both

Five key rules of life:

· There are no mistakes in life, only lessons
· Life will send you many lessons.
· A lesson will be repeated until learned.
· Once learned, life will send you more lessons
· What are the lessons in this for me?

– teach this to senior high school students.

Key aspects of bullying programs

· Recognize a problem and take a stand.
· Schools are acting on their mandate to create a safe environment for students
· Challenge students to support others and report problems.
· Reassure parents that everything is being done to safeguard the learning environment of their children.

Concerns with Bullying Programs:

External focus – the reason why my life is terrible is you.

The biggest bullies are in the workplace, and there are no Principals or Vice Principals or guidance counselors to help anymore.

They enhance the victim mentality.

Will not always be available

Tend to reinforce overprotective parents.

Can inappropriately label another student.

May eventually be a short-term solution to a life long problem

Tell your kids:

We are all going to have bad days.
There are more bad days ahead of you.
The key issue is not whether or not we are going to have a bad day, it is how much power and authority you give those bad days over your life.

Children the most precious aspect of our lives as we head into the 21^st century

How do we prepare our children for the INEVITABLE struggles of life?

Separate:

· Crisis from challenge
· Trauma from trials
· Tragedy from life

There is not a lot we can do about the kind of world our children will face but we can do a lot about how they face it.

Some links...

noreply@blogger.com (Donna Fry) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 22:52:00 +0000

Getting the school into the home matters ( @teachandlearn ) The parent factor in student performance

TLDSB Installing Sound Amplifier Systems in All Classrooms: No student will be left out of the conversation

Using social media produces solid double digit increases in oxytocin. TED video: The chemistry of morality

We Must Share

noreply@blogger.com (Donna Fry) — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 17:25:00 +0000

Robert Fulghum’s work “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten” is a favourite of many. When you look at the “list”, sharing is at the very top*.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mythoto/1401387896/sizes/m/in/photostream/

We know in Ontario that collaboration and small group instructional practices are high yield strategies for learning, and our students benefit from that approach.

Yet society is structured so that the solutions to our biggest problems - things that can change life on earth -are most often worked on in isolation.

It’s time to change this. We need to “expand our ability to solve the world’s most challenging intellectual problems”. In his TEDX Talk, Michael Nielsen tells us that if we can just open up science, if we can share and work together, we can expand the number of scientific problems we can tackle and see an acceleration in the rate of scientific discovery.

Similarly, Jay Bradner makes a plea for open sourcing cancer research in his recent TED Talk.

Michael Nielsen asks us to reject the conservative scientific values that look down on the sharing of data and engage in promoting the value of collaboration. He states his belief that "any publicly funded science must be open science".

Even if you are not a scientist, now is the time to create an awareness among the population of the critical importance of sharing as the way we do business in science.

*All I really need to know about how to live and what to do and how to be I learned in kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate school mountain, but there in the sand pile at school.

These are the things I learned:

Share everything.

[Source: "ALL I REALLY NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED IN KINDERGARTEN" by Robert Fulghum. See his web site at http://www.robertfulghum.com/ ]

Missing the Boat (On Collaboration)

noreply@blogger.com (Donna Fry) — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 13:17:00 +0000

I get very excited about the word collaboration. I have been so fortunate to build a strong online PLN. No matter where my career has taken me, my PLN is there every day with advice, resources, conversation and learning.

But I have failed at spreading the word. While my online PLN grows every day, it never includes the people I see f2f.

I have tried PD sessions - demonstrating all the great tools to connect online. Teachers would log in, play, then fizzle.

I have tried building wikis with teacher collaborators, but the same thing happens. One or two teachers contribute, then leave, and I am left building a wiki by myself.

I was under the impression that if I could just get online collaboration as part of a teacher's daily practice - if teachers used the tools themselves daily, that collaboration and building an online PLN would follow - but I have absolutely no proof or data to back up that idea.

I have tried getting administrators and aspiring leaders on board, presenting tools at conferences, demonstrating the power of a PLN at meetings, but the idea is not taking hold.

But what if I change PLN to PLC? What if we use an existing model of inquiry, and bring in outside experts to inform our practice? If our purpose together moves from simply "collaboration" to "collective inquiry" - if we are working together to find the answer to a question - will we be more likely to engage in conversations with online partners and share?

This idea struck me after reading this posting: The Blended PLC, and the comments that followed - this one in particular:

I've argued for a long while that PLCs and PLNs shouldn't exist independently of one another and that if PLCs could be systematic about the work that they are doing in social spaces, their work would be simultaneously easier and more efficient.

That's a tough sell in some schools simply because many teachers (and school leaders) are intimidated by BOTH collaborative learning AND social media spaces.

It's an essential sell, though, isn't it?

If we can polish our own learning practices---if we can embrace new tools and spaces for learning----we are far more likely to introduce our students to those exact same practices.

We talk a lot about the importance of transforming learning spaces for students, but we do very little to systematically transform learning spaces for adults.

Maybe THAT'S the reason our world is changing while our schools remain the same.

We just might be onto something here!

Image shared under a creative commons attribution license byralphbijker
http://www.flickr.com/photos/17258892@N05/2588347668/

So You Want to Teach in an Ontario Secondary School: The Interview

noreply@blogger.com (Donna Fry) — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 16:34:00 +0000

I have had many requests from new teachers for help to prepare for an interview. Here is some of the advice I offer here in Ontario. Can you suggest more ideas?

1. Know your stuff! What are the current documents schools are working under? Know the curriculum for the courses you are interviewing to teach. If you don't have experience with the K-12 School Effectiveness Framework, download it and read it. Know Growing Success inside and out, especially Chapter 4. If you don't have experience with backward design, read Damian Cooper (chapter 3 in particular - most principals will be able to lend you a copy) or start here. Know the Standards of Practice of the Teaching Profession and the Ethical Standards.

2. Have examples of reflection ready. Think about your learning so far as a teacher. When did something go wrong, and how would you deal with it differently now? What examples do you have of problem solving with students?

3. We are a learning community! If you graduated in 2004, and you have nothing added to to your OTC Certificate of Qualification and Registration since then, you are not demonstrating that you are a lifelong learner! Professional Knowledge, and Ongoing Professional Learning are Standards of Practice for the Teaching Profession in Ontario, so be prepared to demonstrate these.

4. Care! In every way, demonstrate this ethical standard. Care for students, care about your work and your learning.

5. Know your philosophy of education. Live your philosophy of education! Don't trivialize this. After everything else has been taken into consideration, all that is left is what you believe about public education when you make classroom decisions. Your beliefs should be evident in all you do.

After the interview, go home, write down all the questions and your answers. How would you answer differently next time? What evidence of learning will you now work to gather? Keeping a learning journal helps.

When offered a debrief, take it! Listen carefully and ask questions. Most Principals are eager to offer mentorship, resources and assistance. Take them up on it!

And I will add this post by Seth Godin:

What good interview questions are actually trying to discover

How long are you willing to keep pushing on a good project until you give up?

How hard is it to get you to change your mind when you're wrong?

How much do you learn from failing?

How long does it take you to learn something new?

How hard is it for you to let someone else take the lead?

How much do you care?

The rest is merely commentary, either that or they're interviewing you for a job that's not as good as you deserve. For those jobs, the only question they're really focusing on is, "will she fit in around here?"

Take my Hand: First Week of Learning in a MOOC #Change11

noreply@blogger.com (Donna Fry) — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 13:16:00 +0000

I was really looking forward to this past week - our first week of #Change11 MOOC with "course content". What I found was that instead of content, most conversations were around the challenges of just setting up a personal learning environment to take part in the MOOC.

For those still struggling, here is a good overview of a starting place - a strategy for getting into a routine for course participation.

I only just found this last night (http://blip.tv/gsiemens/change11-week2-intro-5583743), so hopefully my colleagues who are struggling with structure have stumbled on to this as well.

After watching the video, what I realized is that my life is already organized like a big MOOC! My PLE and daily practice are all about finding the connections, conversations and meaningful content.

In fact, this week when I quickly discovered that the "course content" was not for me, I went back to my daily practice and found more meaningful content to engage in.

As the week progressed, more and more of the discussions in #CHANGE11 focussed on best practices, how to find content, how to engage with others, and just how to make the most of your precious time online.

Here are some suggestions if you are still struggling:

Most importantly, read your daily newsletter (in your email). Click on some of the links that look interesting, comment on a blog posting or two, engage in the conversations. Jump in and get started!

Twitter: Get on Twitter and follow the #Change11 hashtag. How? If you are new to Twitter here is a good starting point: http://www.simplek12.com/7-step-quick-start-guide-new-tweeters

Facebook: Lots of great conversations happening here for #Change11: http://www.facebook.com/groups/234584909925454/?notif_t=group_activity

Google+: Here is where my learning curve is. I am just getting into Google+ myself but I am already seeing #Change11 activity migrating there. Here is a random guide to Google+ that I found on Twitter: http://www.socialmoms.com/tech/social-media/guide-google/ Please share if you have a better option.

Aggregations: Several #Change11 MOOC participants are posting aggregations of the best content from the course. Here is one example:
http://www.scoop.it/t/change11/p/476743724/change11-pedagogy-mobile-learning-and-assessment-in-mooc

...and another: http://paper.li/RobeleU/1316178342

Looking for other ways to share with educators? Here is a starting place if you are just feeling overwhelmed with technology in general: http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2011/09/three-good-sites-where-teachers-can.html

Go back to the MOOC home page here.
Follow the MOOC schedule here.

Most importantly, if this is all overwhelming, take a breath and ask for help. Don't quit! We are all in different places in our learning, and there are many people out there ready to help you along the way.

Photo shared under a Creative Commons License from Mich&Pics.

Uncomfortable Setting Learning Goals #Change11

noreply@blogger.com (Donna Fry) — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 02:10:00 +0000

This is my third shot at a MOOC, and it's time to set some learning goals.

Course learning for me has always been very old-fashioned. The teacher sets the objectives and puts them on the blackboard, and then follows through with the teaching in a logical order. It's what I knew from kindergarten through University. It's what I used in interviews when describing my own practice.

But now the learning goals are up to me.

As the SEF - School Effectiveness Framework (Ontario) - moves into the secondary realm, we are asking our teachers and students to co-construct learning goals. How does this feel to them?

To really understand this, I need to try it myself. So that's what this MOOC experience is all about for me this time.

Since it has taken four days to figure out this goal for myself, I am already getting some insight into how uncomfortable it can be to start this process. There is so much out there to learn and I want to learn it all.

It's hard to be able to say no to everything else while you focus on learning something valuable. Figuring out what is valuable is very hard, and I don't trust myself to do it right.

I am very good at learning what others tell me to learn, but I have no experience in setting my own learning goals, and I already feel like I don't do that well.

Students and teachers may also be experiencing this when we give them "the freedom" to set learning goals for themselves.

Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ladydragonflyherworld/4541652683/in/photostream/

Another Shot at a MOOC

noreply@blogger.com (Donna Fry) — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 08:49:00 +0000

I've been here before, twice before in fact.

Twice before I have had great intentions to participate in a MOOC - a Massive Open Online Course. Both times I hung on for a few days, maybe a week, then gave it up. I didn't have the time or I felt overwhelmed by the content.

This MOOC will be different, because now I understand that the problem was not with the MOOC but with me. I had been relying on my old way of learning, my old ways of thinking about what learning is and what a course should be.

This post by George Siemens changed my thinking.

The first few weeks of an open online course are the most disorienting. As a learner, you approach the course with expectations that have been defined by previous learning experiences. You look for readings, you look for the discussion space, and you look to the instructor to detail the content that you need to learn and how you will be evaluated.

Let go of those expectations. An open online course is quite different. You create your own spaces of interaction - whether on a blog, or in a google group, or in some other place. You contribute to shaping and defining the course. Yes, the weekly facilitators will provide some readings and resources, but you’ll shape and redirect those as you interact with them.

The introduction and orientation week has shown me that this is about getting what I need out of all the information and communication coming my way. It's about being curious when I have time and learning about what is meaningful to me.

I still have preconceived notions to get rid of as I move forward with this learning, but for the first time I feel like I am better prepared for success - as I define it.

Care to join me in this learning? Sign up here: http://change.mooc.ca/

What is a Student At Risk?

noreply@blogger.com (Donna Fry) — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 12:13:00 +0000

What is your definition of a student at risk?

photo © 2011 molly smith | more info (via: Wylio)

Right now, I am working at the secondary level, and my working definition encompasses the following components:

a) low levels of academic achievement, at or below level 1
b) disengagement with school
c) pattern of poor attendance
d) poor learning skills
e) low level of participation in school activities
f) ongoing or temporary family, personal or social issues or concerns
g) low credit accumulation (in jeopardy of not graduating)

Here are some of the resources I am using to address the needs of at-risk students in the schools where I work:

Ontario Ministry of Education Publications on At-Risk Students:

Research in Brief: Evaluation of the Ontario Ministry of Education's Student Success/Learning to 18 Strategy (May 2011)

Fresh Starts and False Starts (2010)

Me Read? And How! Improving Boys' Literacy Skills

Leading Math Success (2004)

Building Pathways to Success (2003)

A Successful Pathway for All Students (2003)

What strategies have worked for you for at-risk students? What are your success stories? What resources can you share?

Watch a PLN Go to Work!

noreply@blogger.com (Donna Fry) — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 23:59:00 +0000

I can write about the power of a PLN until I am blue in the face (whew, that's an old saying...) but telling a story of a PLN working as it should is much more powerful.

At this moment I am joining into another person's PLN at work. Follow me as we see how this plays out.

It all begins with a Direct Message from @pmcash, a teacher in my PLN who I often share ideas with.

Here is the link to his Surprise blog post, explaining how in his last year of teaching he suddenly has a new course to teach - Grade 9 Geography of Canada.

http://dcvi.typepad.com/mcash/

My first response was to spread the word through my professional Facebook page:

Then, I responded with a DM in return:

Now I am going to pass on this information to the Geography of Canada teacher in my school, all the schools in my board, and all the geography teachers I have met over my 25 years of teaching this course in Ontario.

Stay tuned to see how we all connect and learn about Canada together.

Personal Learning Environment

noreply@blogger.com (Donna Fry) — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 06:17:00 +0000

Some links for administrators:

The Ontario Leadership Framework for Principals and Vice-Principals

Five Core Capacities of Effective Leaders

Engaging in Courageous Conversations

Evolving Perspectives: Leaders and Leadership

Ontario - The Institute for Education Leadership

TECHNOLOGY LINKS:

Digital Tools

SGDSB Connects

Connected Principals

More on Underfunding of First Nations Schools

noreply@blogger.com (Donna Fry) — Sun, 22 May 2011 03:09:00 +0000

Driving home from Terrace Bay last evening I was listening to CBC Radio. The Current Review was on, and the topic was the underfunding of First Nations Schools. Being interviewed was Andrew Koostachin, father of Shannen Koostechin, the little 13-year-old activist for Attawapiskat First Nation in the video below. I was shocked to hear that on May 31, 2010, Shannen (at age 15) was killed in a car accident. He spoke about Shannen's Dream Campaign, to ensure a school is built for the children of Attawapiskat.

Next was an interview with a very well-spoken Cindy Blackstock.

"Cindy Blackstock is the Executive Director of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada. And she is submitting a report to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child asking for an external review of children's rights in Canada. She's also an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Extension at the University of Alberta. Cindy Blackstock was in Ottawa." CBC Radio One, The Current

The underfunding of the education of First Nations children is a national disgrace. It must end. During this episode of The Current, letters are read from First Nations children questioning how they can have such atrocious learning conditions. This would NEVER be permitted anywhere else in Canada.

Underfunding of First Nations Schools

noreply@blogger.com (Donna Fry) — Sun, 15 May 2011 18:25:00 +0000

photo © 2009 David Griebeling | more info (via: Wylio)
I can't believe that the underfunding of First Nations schools did not become a federal election issue last month.

In 2010, the Canadian premiers made this announcement in Churchill, Manitoba, where they were meeting:

Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger, who spoke on behalf of all the premiers, said he'll send Prime Minister Stephen Harper a letter asking Harper to convene a first meeting.

"We think this would be a significant way for us to discuss how we can move forward together on ensuring that the young demographic in the First Nations, Metis and Inuit community has all the opportunities they need to get a first quality education," he said.

Any partnership on aboriginal education must include the federal government, Atleo emphasized.

"Having said that, what I heard from the premiers is that there's no reason why we can't get on with this work right now, and we're prepared to do that."

http://www.570news.com/news/national/article/85268--looking-to-raise-the-grade-premiers-native-leaders-talk-education

I have yet to see any change. My key issues are these:

1) First Nations schools are underfunded in comparison with Provincially funded public schools. They can't keep teachers because they can't pay teachers what the provincial schools pay them. They have no access to provincial programs like School Effectiveness Framework, Healthy Schools, etc. How can we possibly expect these kids to succeed when they arrive in provincially funded schools in grade 9?

2) First Nations schools don't have access to provincial resources, like eLearning Ontario. Imagine what access to eLO could do to help prevent tragedies like the recent death of 15-year-old student Jordan Wabasse, so far from home in Thunder Bay, Ontario.

But even more urgent is the need for schools simply to be built! If you are new to this issue, check out some of the work being done to try to get a school in Attawapiskat, Ontario.

Guidance and Student Success - What Are Your School's Priorities for Transitions?

noreply@blogger.com (Donna Fry) — Sun, 01 May 2011 19:42:00 +0000

As mentioned in my last post, I spent part of this past week participating in the Guidance and Student Success Regional Symposium. I'll share and exercise we did to consolidate our priorities for transitions to secondary school from elementary school.

Which of these would be your school's priorities? If you had to pick 3, which 3 would they be?

1. Transitions programs that address similarities and differences in assessment, pedagogy and curriculum as the transition unfolds.

2. Transition plans, specifically tracking, monitoring and supporting students, that recognize the transient nature of risk and that any student may, at some time, be in a 'risk situation".

photo © 2008 Demi-Brooke | more info (via: Wylio)

3. Strategies that support the importance of friends for young people as they transition from elementary to secondary school.

4. Structures to facilitate communication between all stakeholders so that educators can detect what is not working for students during transition.

5. Addressing the needs of students, in particular what is now working during transition, with the help of an engaged community of helpers, (e.g., families, friends, community agencies).

6. Programs and structures that support fresh starts from Grade 8 to Grade 9 and beyond.

7. Transition teams consisting of parents, students, community agencies and educators across panels.

photo © 2008 Christine K | more info (via: Wylio)

8. A broad range of school social activities (extracurricular) for students as they move into and through high school with strctures to facilitate student participation in these activites.

9. A variety of community agencies that support students in their complex modern lives and are active in our school community in monitoring and supporting students "in risk situations".

10. A variety of academic programming to address the needs and interests of all students equitably.

photo © 2010 NASA Goddard Space Flight Center | more info (via: Wylio)

11. Support and professional development for educators to facilitate integrating friends into class work; making learning fun; demonstrating care to students in transition; supporting students’ different learning needs; providing further education and career planning opportunities; and, supporting and understanding the emotional paradoxes of transition.

12. Strategies to support students and their friends in juggling school/work/life complexities.

13. Strategies that support the importance of friends for young people as they transition from elementary to secondary school.

(Taken from Tilleczek, K., Ferguson, B., and Laflamme, S. (2010). Fresh Starts and False Starts: Young People in Transition from Elementary to Secondary School. Executive Synopsis for Educational Policy and Practice.)

Changing Social Institutions to Reflect Post-Retirement?

noreply@blogger.com (Donna Fry) — Sun, 01 May 2011 03:07:00 +0000

While out on my run today, I listened the the Harvard Business Review Podcast "Planning Your Post-Retirement Career" Featured Guest: Marc Freedman, founder and CEO of Civic Ventures and author of The Big Shift: Navigating the New Stage Beyond Midlife.

Marc Freedman talks about the "oxymoronic years" - where the boomers are now - the "young-old", the "working retired". Modern medicine means people live longer, and 30-year retirements are not unrealistic. Do we really want to play golf every day for that long?

People are looking to get more out of life after work, like second careers. Many go back to school, often at great personal expense. Our society is just not set up to accommodate the reality of an aging population that does not want to just sit back and relax.

photo © 2009 Steve Jurvetson | more info (via: Wylio)

The message is, that we need to put better structures in place for current post-retirement realities.

He wants young people to know that perhaps they are headed for the wrong model. If they recognize now that their career could be until age 80, instead of age 55, maybe investing everything in schooling at a young age is not the best plan.

Perhaps they should go to school a bit, then work and try new things, then perhaps more school, then some work. They should know they don't need to rush - that they will have long careers that they can tweek as they go.

This resonates for me in the work I did at the regional guidance and student success meetings this week. We talked a lot about transitions, and the information given to students in grade 8. We, as teachers and administrators, lament a great deal about the choosing of the right 'level' of study for grade 9. We talked about how important it is for parents and students to understand that levels are not dead ends. Even if you start out in applied level, you have not ruled out university for the rest of your life. The important part is that they stay in school. In the knowledge economy, school is the key. Choosing the level that allows success, encourages excellence, but does not cause discouragement is important regardless of the "path" it is currently leading.

photo © 2007 Ambra Galassi | more info (via: Wylio)

Freedman also talks about the need for gap years - taking a break from working really hard so that you have time for life planning and creativity.

I like this idea. Not everyone is ready to rush off right from high school into training for the right career. He suggests playing around with some passions or exploring options to try to be really sure about where you want to go before making the big investment.

This does bring me to wonder though, about what right the boomer generation has to be assuming the young people of today should be preparing for their current reality?

The teenagers of today won't be retiring until about 2050, and we have no idea what the world will look like then! The students currently in grade 9 will have careers that don't even exist yet! It's dangerous to make any assumptions about what teenagers should be doing now to prepare for their future.

Taking your time, taking a gap year, considering a long working life - this is not the advice the baby boomers got when they were in high school. That just didn't make sense back then when the advice was to get a secure job with a company or government where you would stay for 30 years and then retire.

Do we really think that today's retirees have better advice for people currently in high school?

photo © 1975 The U.S. National Archives | more info (via: Wylio)

We do know, however, that change is constant, that to be resilient is important, that we have to look at the world and to align passions with the ability to make a living. It's the Hedgehog concept - doing what you are passionate about, that you can be best at, that can drive your economic engine - and always working within those three realms to navigate change.

photo © 2008 bobrpics | more info (via: Wylio)

Learning By Doing

noreply@blogger.com (Donna Fry) — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 13:12:00 +0000

"We learn to do the work by doing the work."

photo © 2009 woodleywonderworks | more info (via: Wylio)

I am certain that Nicki, the SEF (School Effectiveness Framework) Lead for our board, must be the most patient person on the north shore of Superior. I know this because she has had to coach me through the ins and outs of the SEF as it moves into secondary schools.

Over and over again she has said to me, "Remember, we learn to do the work by doing the work".

Hearing something over and over doesn't always make it "stick" better and I have to admit to paying lip service to this one more than once. It's time to dig deeper into what it means.

photo © 2011 Idaho National Laboratory | more info (via: Wylio)

If you think back to teacher's college, and all the university courses that led up to it, and then to your first year of teaching, I think that most teachers would say they learned far more in their first year of teaching than in all the courses that led up to that point. There is a big difference between learning about teaching and teaching.

We need to take this observation right into the classroom with us. As much as possible, we want students to be engaged in "hands-on authentic exercises that promote experiential learning" (DuFour, DuFour, Eaker, and Many 9).

This is not a new idea. It is not unusual for teachers to work toward planning rich tasks that are hands-on and experiential. But if we are to learn the work by doing the work, professional development for teachers must be experienced in the same way. A commitment to on-going, job-embedded, hands-on professional development opportunities that are part of the regular work experience for teachers is essential to the achievement of high levels of learning for all students.

References:

DuFour, Richard, Rebecca DuFour, Robert Eaker, and Thomas Many. Learning by Doing: A Handbook for Professional Learning Communities at Work. Solution Tree, 2010. 9. Print.

With help from the Son of Citation Machine found here .

Success Criteria and Learning Goals

noreply@blogger.com (Donna Fry) — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 02:40:00 +0000

I just really liked seeing this tonight. Learning Goals and Success Criteria in a poster-like reusable template.

I thought it was worth sharing...

http://elleast.wordpress.com/2011/03/04/learning-goals-and-success-criteria-for-math-2/img-04301/

Embedding a Screencast in D2L

noreply@blogger.com (Donna Fry) — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 02:27:00 +0000

Are you looking for a quick way to embed a screencast into your course in D2L? Screenr is a free application to help you do this. Saving time for teachers is a priority for online instruction and this tool makes the process very simple.

Embedding Vocaroo in D2L

noreply@blogger.com (Donna Fry) — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 02:15:00 +0000

Do you want to embed a quick voice message into your online course? Sometimes we just want to make a quick point of clarification for students. Here is a simple, time-saving way to do it.