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‘Obstacles’ Category

  1. 21st Century Learning — Dangers Ahead !

    October 1, 2014 by Tunya

     

    [I’m trying to use some “shock value” to alert people to the nice-sounding terms coming out of the mouths of change-agents who are trying to radically “reform” education.  Let me know if this is too far-fetched.]

    Here’s A Rip Van Winkle Story – An Epiphany Of Sorts

    Actually, this is about Rip van Dinkle. Here is the extract from Wikipedia — then I’ll come to my point.

    http://www.wikiwand.com/en/Rip_Van_Winkle

    *** A 1988 issue of “Boys’ Life”, with its “Dink & Duff” comic strip has the African-American cub scout Dink pondering the meaning of Americanism, only to lapse into a coma and awaken in 2068 . . . He is greeted by a boy who addresses him as “Rip van Dinkle”, who tells him that in the 80 years that have passed the United States of America has been defunct and is now the “Royal Dominion of America”, or R.D.A., a monarchy under a “King Kongoon”. Dink is appalled by the heavy regulations he is now subject to, such as only being allowed to wear the official R.D.A. uniform instead of his Cub Scout uniform or only being allowed to eat vegetables in order to contribute to a “healthy society”. Dink is shocked awake back to 1988 realizing it was only a nightmare, but with a better understanding of personal liberty. ***

    Now to come to my point: It is a useful exercise to project into the future , in a Rip Van Winkle way, what we might actually find 20 or so years hence. As we examine many FUTURISTIC education plans, some already in stages of implementation, questions arise. Are these evidence-based or wishful thinking? Are these plans generated from real need with real people on the ground or just dicey proposals from itinerant gurus?

    The conversations on this site (Invisible Serfs Collar) lay the groundwork for these questions, concerns and projections. I am so thankful we have a skilled researcher, Robin, leading the probe.

    I was led to some new research about Wales, which I will share. But before that I bring forward the news that the Michael Fullan we hear about — “the Lead Global Change Agent” — has a new assignment here in Ontario and will be joined by three others: Andrew Hargreaves from Boston, Dr Carol Campbell from OISE, and Dr Jean Clinton from the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences (child psychiatry) at McMaster University.http://news.ontario.ca/edu/en/2014/09/best-advice-for-best-results-in-education.html They are to help with that province’s 21st C plan called Achieving Excellence: A Renewed Vision for Education in Ontario.

    The Wales research was something Hargreaves was involved with, along with OECD Schleicher and others — the usual competencies, etc. What I bring forward from this 143 pg 2014 report http://www.oecd.org/edu/Improving-schools-in-Wales.pdf is the model (to emulate?) of the 21st C plan for Alberta, another province in Canada. There is a story here.

    The Alberta Plan is called “Inspiring Education” and was developed in the usual stealth manner — gurus, Ministry bureaucrats and Minister, and the teacher union. Then, there was a change of leadership in the governing party (due to resignation of the Premier). As new candidates campaigned and spoke with their constituencies they soon became aware of concerns by “customers” (mainly parents) of the new “competency-laden”, skill-short plan. The new Premier, sworn in on 8th Sept, had promised to “halt all major education curriculum overhauls under his premiership”.

    A new Minister of Education is now to steer recovery of Alberta’s famous glory as a high achieving province in Canadian and International Education Assessments. In the last 6 years there was a dismal slide in achievement.

    Here is the model that was boasted in the Wales report and still remains as a desirable model for OECD pursuits. From pg 118:

    *** “The Educated Albertan of 2030” – the education vision of Alberta, Canada

    Albertans have articulated their vision for education through specific outcomes which have been summarized as “the three E’s” of education for the 21st century.

    Engaged thinker – Alberta must cultivate students with an inquisitive, engaged mind. Students that are prepared to ask “why?” and think critically about the answers they receive.

    Ethical citizen – Knowing the answer is not enough. Our children and grandchildren must be ethical, compassionate and respectful to truly grow and thrive.

    Entrepreneurial spirit – To shape innovative ideas into real-world solutions, our education system should develop motivated, resourceful and resilient citizens. Alberta would do well to encourage our students to be bold, embrace leadership and actively seek new opportunities. ***

    MY CONCLUSION: Here is one jurisdiction, Alberta, having been caught up in the 21st C Learning Craze, now defying the Rip Van Dinkle epiphany of the loss of personal liberties so many other world jurisdictions are now blindly following and headed for !

    Category Obstacles, Parent Tribal Memory | Tags: | No Comments

  2. Fabian Advances Through Education Systems

    September 29, 2014 by Tunya

    [Jay P Greene blog had a guest post by Matthew Ladner — The Brown Shirt Left — http://jaypgreene.com/2014/09/29/the-brown-shirt-left/

    The accompanying visual. a poster of a brown shirted commando, has disappeared.  Below is my comment on this story.]

    Polarization Seems To Be The New Tactic

    There is something in the air, and I get it here in British Columbia, Canada, and from my readings about world events.

    We’ve just finished a bitter Teacher Strike — mid June to 22 Sept — and we thought that was the end of agitation. But no, soon the word was out that this was just the beginning. Beginning of what, you might ask? Well, a lot of unfinished business — class size, underfunding, etc. etc.

    Also, this year we are to hear an appeal from the government side about a court decision that found bargaining in bad faith and violation of the union’s constitutional rights. What is different about this latest court event (we have many in public education in BC) was that for the first time an intervener was given standing when the Appeal convenes next month. The Coalition of BC Businesses is expected to present regarding financial harms to the economy.

    What has happened is that the left in BC doesn’t want any tilting to happen in favor of the government. A strong organized campaign and petitions are underway — ONE: to discredit the small businesses in CBCB and TWO: to identify businesses in the province which can be seen to support public education. These are “polarized” for two treatments — ONE are “approached” to disassociate from CBCB upon pain of boycott, etc., and TWO are encouraged to post this sign in their window.

    http://www.bcbstopintervening.org/uploads/2/4/1/4/24146766/sept_27_2014_my_business_hearts_bc_public_education.pdf

    Not calling them “brown shirts” yet, but kind of intimidating!

    I found your event in Arizona on a video. Hecklers were shown. I could not find the Republic story and link didn’t workhttp://www.myfoxdc.com/clip/10634238/governer-hopefuls-ducey-and-duval-face-off-in-debate-over-how-to-fund-education

    I was surprised to see Security at this event. I saw them escort two hecklers but there must have been more, as I was sure I heard a female voice. I wonder when the time will come when disruptive hecklers will be IDed and referenced in the files. I’m fearful for future democracies and wonder what the young people at this event must have thought.

    Anyway, to sum up, I’m wondering if gradualism is being replaced with rapid polarization. This is the 130-year anniversary of the Fabian Society, devoted to bring about democratic socialism through gradualism and permeation — logo — Educate, Agitate, Organize. They’ve got outriders and camp-followers everywhere, it seems.

    Category Obstacles, Parent Tribal Memory, Uncategorized | Tags: | No Comments

  3. Will parents be allowed to Volunteer in schools?

    September 24, 2014 by Tunya

    [With the BC teacher strike finally over, 5 weeks of lost school, and 3 months of considerable debate — mid June to Sept 22, ’14, parents have become much more informed about the issues.  The feeling is that they will be more eager to be involved and become an actual “Third Force” along side the teacher union and government in decision-making, consultations, etc.  But, the question arises — will “the system” and the union allow this?  Below is a story from my days as a young parent.]

    Parent Volunteers Resent “SCAB” Label

    That was the front page headline that screamed across the page of our local newspaper, the North Shore News, Jan 5, 1983.

    I was a parent of a high school student.  Parents had been active volunteers in the school for years.

    However, since teacher aides were laid off, the volunteer services of parents were to cease as well.  The story by Bill Bell continues:

    *  “Union intimidation” is keeping parents from volunteering their services in West Vancouver’s schools, claim representatives of the Hillside Parents Group.  Co-chairpersons Tunya Audain and Suzanne Latta have told the school board that since the teaching aides were laid off last September, parents have not been allowed to volunteer in areas where they were normally welcomed . . .

    *  Audain later told the News that her group had been sent a letter from the West Vancouver Municipal Employees Association which she said gave her a very quick “political lesson” in how “rough” unions can be. Audain pointed out that the parents did not want to replace the teaching aides but only wanted to continue in the volunteer positions held before the aides were laid off. She told the News she resented the parents being labeled “scabs” for doing volunteer tasks.

    *  “Our first concern is the students, the union is way down the list,” Latta said.

    *  Newly elected school board chairman, Norm Alban, refused to comment on the situation, fearing that the confrontation could escalate.

    Furthermore, we as a parents group deplored that school hallways had litter on the floors.  We suggested that students should pick up after themselves, but again we were chastised that this would interfere with the work of janitors.

    The usual excuse by the principal was “My hands are tied.”  How many times have we heard that?

    Category Education Reform, Obstacles, Parent Tribal Memory | Tags: | No Comments

  4. Some polls can lead to totalitarianism

    September 22, 2014 by Tunya

    [During our recent teacher strike the newspaper, Victoria Times Colonist, staged a demonstration about the shaky credibility of online polling. Their “poll” even warned:”This is not a scientific poll.”  After the results were in the author of the joke concluded that “special-interest groups [can] hijack the poll and claim the results as valid." Please read the whole story and comments.  http://www.timescolonist.com/opinion/blogs/digital-access-1.327512/online-polls-about-teachers-how-to-be-taken-seriously-by-the-wrong-people-1.1349043 Below is my comment on another poll, this one "bought" by a special interest group which produced the desired results.]
     
    Polls Can Easily Become A Tool Of Totalitarianism
     
    (by Tunya Audain 100425, comment to blog, The Report Card, by Janet Steffenhagen, Vancouver Sun Education Reporter on story: “Most British Columbians want more public- school funding: poll” 100423 )
     
    BC is experiencing a deluge of organized attacks and destabilization maneuvers to force more funding for government schools.
    Even though throughout the rest of the world the same constraints on public spending are being felt, and school spending is seriously being cut back, BC seems to be experiencing more than its share of grief from the lobbies which benefit from the education tax dollar.
     
    Thus, we see the call for more funding for public service workers – teachers — in our schools, rather than more efficient spending of money. That independent schools do “more with less” is a thorn in the side of the public government schools.
     
    On another blog, one in Ontario (School for Thought), we were discussing tools of totalitarianism and how the media was used to ensnare citizens to totalitarian thinking. The article started out with Hitler having said “Your child belongs to us already”’ and then we discussed how a totalitarian state used propaganda techniques to brainwash.
     
    I contributed a classic case of how polls can be used to contribute to totalitarianism and I provided the link to the Vancouver Sun story about the Angus Reid poll: “Most British Columbians want more public-school funding: poll”.
     
    This poll was commissioned by a group whose aim is in the name: BC Society for Public Education. Therefore, you know that they lobby for more public education and, of course, for less competition from independent schools. And that is what the poll delivered.
     
    Briefly, there were three questions: 1) Should the government do more to support public education; 2) to increase funding for public education, and 3) to continue funding private schools? The scores were 81% YES 79% YES and 64% NO. What an outstanding result! It garnered considerable mileage in the press and meetings. The poll achieved what the client wanted.
     
    The newspaper, however, through its blogging ability, received over 100 comments and, unfortunately (for the lobby), some serious questions were raised:
    1. Were the questions loaded? Or leading?
    2. Isn’t Angus Reid polling rather questionable considering they are left-wing and support massive social spending? Don’t they use questionable polling techniques, that is, online polling?
    3. Who is behind this poll and who pays?
     
    The answers:

    1. See the pdf for the questions http://www.scribd.com/full/30311572?access_key=key-u1vfkvolw0eiygqp0qj
     
    Note how the preamble leads to a “correct” answer. How it “primes the pump”, so to speak, for the waterworks to follow. The questions were well “crafted”, manufactured.
    1. The online polling is questionable. The “random selection” was done from the Angus Reid Forum, a self-volunteered array of citizens who get points for surveys taken, and qualify for monthly awards of $1000, $100, or other perks. The left-wing swing of the principal of the company is well noted in his writings.
    2. The group commissioning the poll has been in place since 2005 and with Board members long associated with “progressive” activism, including Patti Bacchus, current chair of the VSB.
     
    (Wouldn’t they just love to deflect an accounting probe away from the VSB?) Two current BCSPE Board members, Helesia Luke and Catherine Evans, run a communications, public relations, guerilla marketing company. Their literature includes these statements: “How you ask questions is important – language matters”, and “Asking questions influences groups in some way.” Funding for BCSPE and expensive polls – who know?
     
    What if, what if the poll did have more credibility? That is, what if a disinterested group (one without an agenda or self-interest) commissioned a poll on these issues? Suppose someone, just for an academic exercise, repeated such a survey, but with a different slant to the questions and preamble, could they have achieved a result of 81% NO, 79 % NO to more support or funding for public education, and 64% YES for continued funding for private schools?
     
    The headlines would scream: “8 out of 10 British Columbians want government to stop supporting and funding public education: poll”. “2 out of 3 want more funding for private schools: poll”.
    Wishful thinking? SURPRISE. The Angus Reid Chief Research Officer, Andrew Grenville, shows how you can get an exact opposite result just by the way the question is framed.  
    Enjoy this lovely story. Why The Way You Ask a Question Can Determine The Answer.
     
    So, is this education underfunding crisis in BC a magnificent example of engineering disinformation and propaganda by ideological stakeholders? Isn't that how agent provocateurs work?
     
    [Remember:  This comment was made 4 1/2 years ago.]

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Category Education Reform, Obstacles, Parent Tribal Memory | Tags: | No Comments

  5. 21 st Century Parents – Education Enigmas

    September 12, 2014 by Tunya

    Education Experiments Should Have Strict Protocols

     

    One of the self-identified “challenges” noted by this program — UDL, Universal Design for Learning — “concerns about parents not understanding” — says loads about the proper, or should it be said, improper preparation of this program.

    Is it already in place, rolled out, with adequately prepared teachers, with students assigned to the program, with evaluation checklists for all involved (including parents), with the parents involved in planning, and the principal equally prepared and accountable? Just some questions.

    Are there opt-out provisions? Can parents be satisfied that the academic part of the school’s mandate is not displaced or limited by the “social-emotional learning” mission of UDL? How much parent involvement is expected and in what spheres — fund-raising or actual advisory capacity to the school and regarding their own individual child?

    Is it time for the parents to promote a Parents’ Charter in this school?

    This 1977 codified Parent Rights document might help in shaping a more instrumental role for parents in this school, and particularly note these parts:

    Parent Rights and Their Children’s Education

    http://www.parentsteachingparents.net/2014/07/parent-rights-their-childrens-education/

    5 The right to involvement . . .
    c) to consultation before fundamental changes are made which affect the parents, the child, or the total school climate

    6 The right to safeguards

    d) to expect strict supervision over new programs, innovations and experiments, and that parents have special rights in these instances:

    i) to receive a written description of the program, rationale, goals and supporting references;
    ii) to grant or refuse permission for their child’s attendance
    iii) to receive satisfaction that the program is run by qualified, well-prepared personnel
    iv) to be involved in the ongoing evaluation.

    Remember: The parent signs the child into the school — anew — each year. There is an understood, unwritten, CONTRACT here. Usually, as with most parents, there is an expectation that the basics, the fundamental tools and skills of learning will be acquired and that knowledge of one’s world will also be transmitted. Parents are wise to also check the school-issued “Student Code of Conduct” which the parent is also required to sign-off on. However, does this, in effect, give to the school the parents’ “negative permission” or “negative consent”, or consent by default — meaning that unless a parent “signs OFF” in the case of new programming, that their consent is assumed? Check the possible tricky wording here.

    Remember: Parents on the whole still want the “traditional” elements of education to be assured. New approaches and programs should be justified by evidence, and supported by all parties affected. Parents should be intimately informed and involved in new ventures in a public school.

    Also remember: It is the parent who is ultimately responsible for the child’s education. How openly (OR stealthily) a new program is brought in and embraces parents as the primary managers (or not) is a measure of how credible and well-intentioned a new program proves to be.

    This fast-paced 21st Century is throwing a lot of hurdles — never before confronted — our way. Parents, as regarding how they have the primary oversight over tender, immature beings in their care, have a daunting challenge. It’s imperative that educators and parents be obliged to work together for shared goals vis-à-vis the versatile citizens the future expects.

    Footnote: It is these kinds of issues as noted above that motivate more parents to undertake home education — where they are the educator and parent — so as to avoid the conflicts of conscience that arise when there is discord between these two critical roles during a child’s development.

     

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