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‘Obstacles’ Category

  1. fight or flight – parents & education

    February 22, 2014 by Tunya

    Monty Roberts, horse whisperer, in his book says living beings have two responses to a challenge — fight or flight.

    Parents, on the whole, I find would rather flee than be involved in confrontation.  Sure, they want to advocate for their child, but if they have a choice, they will leave.

    Far too often advocating or just asking simple questions the parents is made to feel inadequate or simple-minded.

    On the other hand, I think teachers and the bureaucracy are "fight" minded.  They defen or rather seem "defensive"/

    Public education is really a scarce resource, and any extra but needed services are rationed out.  They usually go to the insiders first.  

    These are some of the reasons we need a lot more choices in public education.

     

     

     

     

     

     

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

  2. “Duty” Trumps “rights”

    February 21, 2014 by Tunya

    Erosion, usurpation, of parent rights has been going on a long time.  From public school sytems, from government agencies, from voluntary organizations, and especially from increasing literature challenging parental primacy in education.  And to be especially noted, from universities and faculties of education, sociology, anthropoilogy, ethnography, eco-psychology, political science, etc.

     

    Biologically, practicaly every creature on this EARTH has been endowed with an instinctual sense to bring their YOUNG to a state of SELF-SUFFICIENCY. 

    This is why the matter of DUTY trumping RIGHTS is important to uinderstand.

     

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

  3. Maybe Going To Court Is The Only Way

    February 19, 2014 by Tunya

    [This is the comment I made, as referred to in the previous post]

    Maybe Going To Court Is The Only Way

    Parents have no clout when it comes to public education decisions. The Common Core standards and 21st Century Learning (Canada) initiatives are being rammed down our throats. There are similar initiatives in other parts of the globe.

    What is astonishing is the unusual agreement between traditional enemies in the system — the ed establishment and the teacher unions. What is evident is that the unions are getting on board because while centralized “standards” may prevail, the choice of materials is being left to the “autonomy” of local teachers or individual schools.

    Thus, the embedding of social justice, critical thinking and emancipatory lessons by teachers in their classrooms will proceed, maybe slowly, but progressive teachers will be emboldened as they go along. And, let’s not forget, critical thinking is no longer the logical, commonsense stuff we might expect. No, it is critical pedagogy, critical Marxist theory, and you’re right, unprepared teachers will be “grabbing” at what’s nearest and handiest. Left-leaning materials will be readily available.

    If we seriously believe that our children and grandchildren deserve both sides presented in controversial content we might need to go to court.

    In England when Gore’s movie, An Inconvenient Truth, was challenged by some parents no-one listened until a court case ruled otherwise. There is a UK law, Sec 406 of the School Act, which forbids the promotion of partisan political views in teaching.

    The Judge (2007) did not forbid the showing of the film, but being cognizant of students as a captive audience under the auspices of the School Act his legal guidelines include:
    – It is understood the film is a political work and promotes only one side of the argument
    – If teachers do not make this clear they are in breach of the Section and guilty of political indoctrination
    – Nine inaccuracies have to be specifically drawn to the attention of students when the film is shown.

    I have read blog comments from British students visiting America saying how shocked they are when this film was shown to US students without these guidelines.

    Hopefully, this story might encourage helpless parents to mount legal challenges to indoctrination in public schools.

    Category Obstacles, Parent Tribal Memory | Tags: | 1 Comment

  4. Open Letter to Minister of Education

    February 19, 2014 by Tunya

    Open Letter To Peter Fassbender, Minister of Education, BC — November 08, 2013


    Apparently there is consultation going on concerning some “new” curriculum in our public schools in BC. I saw an item about this in the Vancouver Sun, but the story ended: “The Ministry of Education was not available for comment by press time.” (Oct 23)

    Then an opinion piece by an educator/author (Zwaagstra) from Manitoba complained about the “edu-babble” in these consultation papers, Sun Nov 05. BTW, this story went international so I was able to read it twice. But I, as a member of the public and as a grandparent with grandkids in the education stream in BC, still am not being consulted or invited to do so. An educator from Manitoba is involved, however.

    In contrast, regarding Finance and Government Services, the BC government did buy advertising to invite input — to which I did respond.

    Today (Nov 08) a letter to the editor (Sun) from a BC teacher (Moser) was published that defends the new curriculum. 

    From what I am gleaning, there is to be a full 180-degree reversal of what we “old-timers” were used to. From an even earlier story decrying “edu-babble” in teacher training (Sun, Oct 12) we learn that a teacher is to become a “facilitator” of learning and will be “a guide on the side rather than a sage on the stage.”

    All this worries me very much. Looks like we are going into uncharted waters into something experimental, confusing, and maybe even dangerous.

    I am very, very worried because I have been following the common core discussions in the US. It seems the education systems there are also to have this shift, without the consent of large populations of people who are seriously questioning two things — the rather coercive processes and the intended outcomes. Concerns range from teachers being unprepared to indoctrination of students.

    Since I closely follow issues about school indoctrination I recently wrote a comment to an American blog:

    http://www.educationviews.org/public-school-teacher-why-is-my-daughters-fourth-grade-class-studying-pro-union-common-core-material/comment-page-1/#comment-159245

    In the “olden days” parents used to complain about “mystification” and jargon in education and that they felt left out of discussions because they were made to feel foolish and inadequate. I think that the “edu-babble” concerns that have been emerging lately are testimony to the same, probably intended (?), result. Gagging people to refrain from participating in important societal discussions is similar to voter suppression in democratic elections. 

    There was but one comment to the Zwaagstra online story so far, asking the simple question: “Why is the ministry watering down the curriculum? Is it the result of the lobbying of a vocal minority?”

    Suspicions are indeed aroused when there is so little transparency in this matter. Is it really some plan for constructing one international worldview as voiced by some American critics? And, why is it such an either/or issue? What if teachers and parents and public want more choices than a 100% Zwaagstra or 100% Moser philosophy imposed on them? And why the stealthy imposition anyway? What is there to hide? When and how can we get involved?

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

  5. Fascism — Takes One To Know One

    February 17, 2014 by Tunya

    Takes One To Know One

    While New Age education (Common Core, Personalized Learning, 21st Century Skills, etc) is plainly being forced into place — in many places internationally and in tandem — it may not actually become embedded and irreversible as intended. 

    Way too many people are starting to wake up and challenge not only the premeditated results of this project, but also the means.  Just looking at the methods tells you something questionable is being sneaked in.  When Sandra Stotsky, an original member of CC Validation Committee, calls the process “Rather Shady”— that says a lot.  http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2014/01/14/Expert-Dr-Sandra-Stotsky-On-Common-Core-We-Are-A-Very-Naive-People    70+ comments

    A professor at Hillsdale College, Terrance Moore, says that teachers presenting common core scripts are “‘instructed’ to teach that “all right wing extremist groups are fascist”.  Here is a video of Prof Moore http://dailycaller.com/2014/01/18/teachers-instructed-to-teach-all-right-wing-extremist-groups-are-fascist-video/      660+ comments

    And note that he explains three different kinds of “progressives” in education.  His recent book, The Story-Killers: A Common-Sense Case Against the Common Core, I’m glad to note, is recorded by Amazon.com as being purchased alongside “Credentialed to Destroy”. 

    So, if “Fascism” is not to be taught as part of history, it will still be part of the vocabulary if CC pushers are calling their opponents “fascist”.  Won’t curious students still want to look up commonly used words?  And won't young people want to check, at least with their parents and grandparents, if name-calling is not part of these "old-fashioned" sayings:  "The pot calling the kettle black", or "It takes one to know one" ?

     

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

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