_
|
 |
Friday, 26 June 2009Summer is here and the excitement in our classrooms has been rising with the temperatures outside. Now exams are finished, textbooks shelved and students have counted down the last hours of the school year. During just these few days at the end of June, time seems to stand still. For children, the weeks of summer stretch into an endless hazy distance. For educators, it’s time for a well-earned rest before the cycle begins again. But for those who are saying goodbye to their school for the last time – moving on to the next level in their education or perhaps moving on to a whole new phase of life – these few days are bitter-sweet. I’m one of them. At the end of the month, I will be retiring as Director of Education of the Toronto District School Board. I can’t help thinking about the words of Tennyson, who wrote, “I am a part of all that I have met.” I believe that each one of us leaves a piece of ourselves at every intersection of our lives. That’s especially true for those of us lucky enough to have made our career journey along the path called “education.” Next to parenting, we have society’s most profoundly important responsibility: the care and nurture of the next generation. I would like to extend a warm welcome to your next Director of Education, Chris Spence. His commitment to improving student success is well known and widely respected. I know that Chris will find working with the staff, students and communities of the TDSB as rewarding and enriching as I have. As I embark on new endeavors, I wish you all the best in all of yours. Look after yourselves and look after each other. With fond regards, Gerry |
Tuesday, 23 June 2009In yesterday’s Toronto Star, reporter Joanna Smith writes that disenchantment with politics is growing among Canadian youth. The statistics seem to bear this out: according to Elections Canada, voter turnout by young people is at an all-time low. Only one quarter of Canadians between the ages of 18 and 24 voted in the last federal election. These numbers have led political scientists like University of Calgary professor Brenda O’Neil to make some pretty sweeping statements: "They [youth] are less likely to vote, are less likely to be members of political parties and interest groups, are less interested in politics and know less about politics than other Canadians." While numbers may not lie with respect to Canada as a whole, I can say unequivocally that this has not been my experience here in the TDSB. During my time as Director of Education, I’ve had many, many opportunities to speak with students across this city, in groups large and small, on a whole range of topics, from equity to the environment, from the arts to the sciences, from global development to local neighbourhood outreach. Our schools have never been so active and committed to promoting civic engagement and making a difference. In many ways, our students today are far more “plugged in” to the real issues facing our world than many in the generations that precede them. Another fascinating research report published by the Canadian Policy Research Networks in 2007 notes that, far from being politically indifferent, most young people today, “care very deeply about issues that affect broader society – from the local to the global level – and many of them are engaged in various ways.” I see that engagement being acted out in our schools every day. When I spoke recently at the annual TDSB Student SuperCouncil Conference, the audience was anything BUT apathetic. Still—and it’s an important still—the report also goes on to say that young people ARE increasingly disenchanted with formal political institutions and practices: “How young people think and talk about their civic and political engagement is different from previous generations…. Today’s youth are turned off by the game of partisan politics and increasingly refuse to learn or apply the rules. In large measure, they are reinventing civic and political engagement.” Perhaps, then, the question we should really be asking is not, “How do we engage young people in our existing political system?” but, “How can our 19th century political system adapt to the needs of today’s 21st century voters?” That conversation should happen at many levels, among educators and policy-makers, and also among students, parents and communities. It’s a conversation in which we must do as much listening as speaking. And it’s a conversation our political parties and elected leaders need to hear.
|
Monday, 22 June 2009Earlier this week, the Ministry of Education announced six new TDSB Schools on the Move as part of the Schools on the Move: Lighthouse Program. For the schools named, this is an important recognition in several ways, both celebrating their exceptional progress so far and promoting even greater success in the future. Over the past month, I’ve had the opportunity to visit each one of the selected schools, and it’s clear to my why they have been so successful. From using high-yield, research-based strategies in the classroom to dedicating large blocks of uninterrupted learning time for literacy and mathematics instruction, they are making effective teaching and learning a priority. Another important factor that all six schools have in common is their emphasis on using data to track and analyse the progress of individual students. This makes it easy to identify students who are struggling and make sure every child gets the support needed to reach their potential. (I will talk more in coming days about how this data-informed approach is being used in schools across the TDSB as an important component of our Urban Diversity Strategy.) But each of the Schools on the Move also boasts unique home-grown initiatives, and it is these that really stand out. For example, at Wilkinson PS, teacher/librarian Julie Found is responsible for establishing a Telling Bee that is truly one of the most wonderful ideas I’ve come across in a long time. Since introducing it this past fall (with generous support from the Wilkinson School Council), Julie has been chronicling the Telling Bee’s progress on the school’s library blog, The Wilky Way. For anyone who thinks reading books and telling stories is quaintly old-fashioned in our wired modern world, I urge you to immerse yourself in this wonderful blog. Many months in the making, the initiative culminated last month with 1st Annual Wilkinson Telling Bee, a school-wide celebration of culture, family heritage and traditions, with students of all ages sharing their own treasured family stories. (Check out the celebration in the Beaches/Danforth Snap.) Julie says, “This is what our Bee is all about - sharing a little bit of who we are and where we come from in order to further enrich our school community. Every time a story is shared, our Bee is a success.” She adds that that one of the Bee’s best side-benefits has been the amount of parent involvement and support it has generated. More than 20 parent volunteer have done everything from typing and proofreading to scribing for students with higher support needs. The school is currently in the process of publishing a Telling Bee collection of stories from every member of the Wilkinson staff and student body. One parent has even typeset the entire book and arranged for the printing. It’s the combination of support like this from the community, creative teachers, and great leadership from principals like Wilkinson’s Tanya Sterioff, that’s putting TDSB students in schools all over the city “on the move” to success. Incidentally, for another fantastic school library story, read this article by Kristin Rushowy in today’s Toronto Star: Library's secret: Volume! Volume! Volume!. Seems that students at Scarborough’s Sir Robert L. Borden Business and Technical Institute are stocking up in record numbers for their summer reading, with some borrowing as many as 100 books. As the article points out, “For a high school with just 550 students, the number of books borrowed from the library at is the highest in the Toronto board, higher than secondary schools four times its size.”
|
Wednesday, 17 June 2009On Monday, Dr. Charles Pascal released his long-awaited recommendations for the future of early learning in Ontario. I, for one, couldn’t be happier. Parents and educators have long understood what research confirms: that early learning plays a critical role in subsequent student success. But few people are aware how far Canada lags behind the world leaders when it comes to establishing a comprehensive, integrated early years approach. Dr. Pascal’s excellent report, With Our Best Future in Mind, makes a compelling case for why we need to act now to build a strong foundation for the social, emotional, cognitive and physical development of all children, both in school and beyond it. Here are just a few links to the avalanche of data that backs it up:
Most of us would agree that a society’s children are its greatest asset. Our future is, quite literally, in their hands. Yet despite this broad consensus, Canada has been reluctant to invest in early learning, and early childhood educators remain among the most undervalued sector in our society. Not so in the TDSB. We recognize the need for an integrated approach to early learning, such as that recommended by Dr. Pascal. Our Early Years Policy, adopted in 2004, begins with these foundational statements:
In fact, the TDSB’s strategy of integrated Early Years teams has served as a model for the City and other school boards. We currently house more than 300 child care centres as well as 69 Parenting and Family Literacy Centres. An integrated child care and kindergarten program is currently delivered in 11 schools where we are already implementing a combined curriculum. Our seamless child care at Parkdale P.S. is the first of what we hope will be many such early learning programs across the TDSB. It is just a start – we understand that. Substantial additional funding will be required to implement the comprehensive full-day early learning program Dr. Pascal recommends. But we believe that if the cost is great, the benefit to all of us will be many times greater still. We hope the provincial government finds the necessary resources to realize this vision. The Toronto District School Board is more than ready to implement the recommendations.
|
Wednesday, 10 June 2009There was wonderful article in the Toronto Star this past weekend, profiling Nelson Mandela Park PS student and urban poet Mustafa Ahmed. The video clip posted along with the story on the Star website, of Mustafa performing A Single Rose, is remarkable. Mustafa is one of the many unique young voices featured in the pages of this year’s Urban Voices / L'echo de la ville. Every year I look forward to TDSB’s annual anthology of student poetry. Among all our students’ work and accomplishments, Urban Voices provides such profound insight into their hearts and minds. Last week, I attended the 10th anniversary launch of this publication. As I listened to some of the young artists recite from their work, I was astonished by the depth of experience and feeling they conveyed. It happens every year, this sudden sense of wonder and recognition that pricks me. Through their poems and drawings, our students reveal themselves – their delight, their pain, their yearning. They tell us who they are, where they come from and where they want to go. They also reflect back at us our work, mirrored in their words and illustrations. Speaking at the Urban Voices celebration, I held up a placemat printed with poems taken from each of the previous editions. I explained that earlier this year, the Associate Director and I had met with some 50 new teachers, giving each a copy of this placemat. We asked them to consider the question, “Who are our students?” Like those students themselves, the resulting observations were always perceptive, often moving, sometimes humorous, and occasionally even profound! I could see that these novice teachers were experiencing the same prickle of recognition as I do every time I read these poems: “Yes—this is why we do what we do!” So, thank you to the hundreds of teachers from all over TDSB who submit poems and illustrations every year (more than 2000 this year) because their students amaze and inspire them. Thank you also to program coordinators Dianne Fenner, Alison Pearce and instructional leader Carol Ricker-Wilson, who do the hard work of winnowing, editing and publishing the best. Most of all, thank you to the students who invite us in to hear their stories. Here are two examples from this year’s Urban Voices: Mustapha Ahmed’s A Single Rose
|
Monday, 8 June 2009“Without books, children cannot truly become literate. Without books, they cannot dream great dreams, learn about the world outside their own small community, or imagine their place in that world.” With those words, the Honourable David C. Onley announced the 2009 Lieutenant Governor's Aboriginal "Summer Reading" Book Drive. As educators, we know how important regular reading is for improving literacy. But it’s much more than that! For many of us, children and adults alike, reading is an integral part of summer. Getting lost in the pages of a great book on a lazy summer afternoon is an experience no young person should have to miss because no books are available. The Lieutenant Governor agrees. That’s why, along with his commitment to promoting accessibility, Mr. Onley has remained an energetic supporter of the Aboriginal Literacy initiatives started by his predecessor, the Hon. James K. Bartleman. He points out that the Aboriginal Youth Literacy Program IS at heart about accessibility – about enabling people to fulfill their potential. The book drive is collecting brand new books for children up to age 14, to refresh the selection of library books in northern Ontario's most remote and isolated First Nation communities. Every year, TDSB students and staff organize local fundraising drives and get involved in many different initiatives that help others all over the world. The Lieutenant Governor's Aboriginal Summer Reading Book Drive is a great opportunity to once again do that. The drive ends on June 21 to coincide with the first day of summer and National Aboriginal Day. New books can be dropped off at any police division in the city, at any Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) detachment in the province, or at the TDSB's Aboriginal Education Centre, Brockton Equity Centre, 90 Croatia St. A number of TDSB schools are also setting up collection bins, so check with your school office. Last year, more than 40,000 new books were collected across the province. Let’s spread the joy of summer reading and help make the 2009 drive even more successful! For more information or for suggested titles, please contact the TDSB's Aboriginal Education Centre at 416-393-9600. Find out more about Aboriginal Education in TDSB.
|
Tuesday, 2 June 2009A few weeks ago, it was my privilege to open the North West One First Annual Public Speaking Competition. This competition is a wonderful example of the power of partnerships when it comes to offering our students unique learning opportunities. I certainly hope the annual event grows and spreads. Read about it and watch a wonderful video clip of the day’s highlights here. For me, the invitation was a perfect occasion to talk about a connection that may be overlooked when we think about what education means. This is that some of the best learning opportunities are those which go beyond the acquisition of a specific skill or set of facts, and allow students to apply their knowledge in a broader context. Public speaking is an excellent example of a life skill that can support success on virtually any career path a young person might choose. And contrary to popular opinion, it is a skill that can be mastered by anyone. In my role as Director of Education, I am required to speak publicly to a wide range of educational issues and audiences. It’s a skill, I told my young listeners, that like them I’ve had to learn. I told them I’ve learned it starts with thinking deeply about your topic and preparing well. It means getting your facts straight and doing research, so you speak with credibility. It means keeping your audience in mind, so you speak with clarity. It means making connections, so you speak with relevance. It means conveying your passion, so you speak with confidence. And most of all, it means speaking from your heart, so you speak with integrity. Literacy, creative thinking, organization, task-focus – each of these skills is harnessed in public speaking. But there’s one more valuable thing that public speaking teaches. It is what Harvard researcher and author William Blocker calls the capacity to seek and accept constructive criticism, and he believes it is the most important characteristic for 21st century students to develop in school. In making a speech, we put our ideas in the public domain. We invite others to respond and comment. Much of what we receive in response can be quite critical. But being challenged is how we learn and how we improve. Learning to explain, defend and sometimes re-consider our points of view makes us better public speakers. Frankly, I believe it makes us better thinkers. That’s what I told the students at the NW1 Public Speaking Competition. But I’m pretty sure they already knew. |
Thursday, 21 May 2009As TDSB Director of Education, I have focused on three priorities: The first of these, student success, is in many ways the most challenging, but it is clearly also the fundamental goal of all our efforts as educators. Improving student success means both raising overall achievement and closing the achievement gap vulnerable students. Every student can learn and be successful. Our job as educators is to help students reach their potential while mitigating against their challenges. That’s what equity of opportunity means, and for our schools, commitment to that principle is just a given. How best to do that is a more complex question, but two things are clear. We must use data to measure and understand what strategies are working. And then we must replicate that success with all our students. Sounds simple, but in fact educators everywhere are pushing the limits of creative thinking to come up with such strategies. That’s why articles like this one on InsideToronto.com are so welcome. In Math initiative recognized for increasing student achievement, reporter Moya Dillon highlights the SparkPlug! math technology initiative underway in 14 north-west TDSB schools. The program has just earned Grade 5 teacher Andrew Schmitt and his team at Joyce PS a 2009 National Technology Innovation Award. Presented by The Learning Partnership, the NTI award honours educators who make creative use of technology to enhance student learning. Focused on increasing levels of math achievement in grades 3 and 6 students, Sparkplug! certainly fills the bill. “Over Sparkplug's two years, participating schools saw an 11 per cent increase in the number of Grade 3 students performing above the provincial average on Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) standardized math tests." writes Dillon. "There was also a 44 per cent increase in the number of students performing at the highest level of achievement. At the Grade 6 level, where the program ran from 2007 to 2008, there was a 22 per cent increase in students performing at or above the provincial EQAO average and six of the nine participating schools saw improvements.” SparkPlug! is just one of the many excellent learning initiatives springing up all over the TDSB, focused on closing the achievement gap. And they’re making a difference. "These are all schools where poverty is an issue," says Joyce PS principal Cheryl Paige. "This project was a collective effort and we believe the vast majority of children, even in at-risk areas, can do a lot better when we all work together."
|
Wednesday, 22 April 2009As Earth Day 2009 is marked around the globe with the launch of the world-wide Green Generation Campaign, I’d like to make the case that what children learn in classrooms today may well be what saves the planet tomorrow. That may sound like hyperbole, but it isn't really a big stretch. Over the last decade, and particularly this past year, we have become increasingly aware that our Western way of life is precarious, that resources are limited, and that our material wealth has been based on a global ponzi scheme. We have realized that, in order to survive and thrive into the next century, humans must become wiser, not just more clever. Our job as educators is to prepare our students for the future – to make sure they have the tools to be successful, not just individually but collectively and globally. This is why education today must be about fostering creative, learned, informed, scientifically literate and ethically responsible minds that will be able to find real, sustainable solutions for humanity’s challenges. Sustainability is not just about caring for the environment (which TDSB schools both practice and preach through our EcoSchools). It is also about economics and entrepreneurship, social justice and global citizenship. Our schools must build a critical mass of intellectual and creative power to tackle the problem of sustainability from all these perspectives. That kind of integrated thinking is happening across TDSB classrooms every day, unleashing the incredible power of the human mind and spirit. Here’s a wonderful example of that. Tomorrow, students at McMurrich JPS will host Business Day. They’ve developed strong, eco-friendly business plans, and now they'll be pitching healthy, green products and services to raise money for the Adopt a Village Water Sanitization Well project in Sri Lanka. (Find out what other schools are doing to celebrate Earth Day in the TDSB.) Our students are learning that people are interdependent and our success is tied to the success of humanity. They're learning that each one of us has a role and a responsibility to contribute. That’s sustainability in action. |
Thursday, 9 April 2009For youth who face the challenges of poverty and marginalization beyond the classroom every day, the result can be alienation from learning. Yet these same young people also face a future where so much depends education, not just for their own success but for the whole community of which they are a part. That is why it is critical that schools do everything possible to help our students stay connected with learning. Many supports, from nutrition programs that feed students’ bodies to extracurricular activities that feed their minds, can help keep students engaged with school. But for me, the most powerful impact comes from feeling membership in a community where challenge and encouragement are equally shared and every individual feels valued. Last month, I had a chance to see such a learning community in action, as Winston Churchill Collegiate hosted a day of networking and engagement for University of Toronto teacher candidates from the OISE Centre for Urban Schooling. Through a partnership with OISE, the aspiring teachers spend 2 days a week at the school as part of their practicum, and in fact, many also choose to return to Churchill for their internships. When I last visited Churchill, this bustling, diverse community had been touched by tragedy. At that time, I was truly moved by the courage, sense of solidarity, caring and pride I saw all around me. The event was a part of a collaborative inquiry activity between Ruhee’s students with those from OISE professor Lance McCready’s School & Society class. Sheryl and her staff joined in too, as everyone shared dreams and aspirations, reflection and support. They spoke of caring for each other in desperate times, of taking risks and letting their walls down, of what the school experience can and should be. The opportunity to exchange insights in a relaxed, non-judgemental setting was a rare learning experience for both sides. In what was clearly an “aha” moment, one Churchill student remarked, “Wow, I didn't know teachers actually had lives!” The sense of community was palpable as we walked around the school. Students were polite and cheerful, and so were the staff. Clearly, everyone felt connected. More than anything, I left Churchill feeling that here was a community of people who take responsibility for each other and for learning. With hard work and enthusiasm, supportive staff, principal and administration, the strong spirit of students and families, they’ve managed to weather tough times together and create an incredibly vibrant, positive place to learn and belong. But this event at Winston Churchill is just one example of the many ways our schools are engaging students in relevant, inclusive learning every day. I hear it from staff and students wherever I go, and the continuous improvement in our student success data reflects it.
|
Tuesday, 7 April 2009The best kind of learning is the kind that engages the whole child – body, mind and spirit. In fact, it can open doors for children through which they might never have imagined stepping. Or – as is the case with one unique program in 19 TDSB elementary schools – waltzing, tangoing or foxtrotting. The program is Join the Dance (JTD), established in 2006 by social worker Ilsa Abraham and retired vice-principal Bob Rutherford, and it’s a big hit with our students, including many from our Model Schools for Inner Cities. Popular TV programs like So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing with the Stars have given ballroom dancing a whole new “cool” factor. But that’s just the beginning. It’s really about the discipline and teamwork, says school board Arts Program Coordinator Christine Jackson, who finds the level of focus and concentration students develop impressive. Modeled on the American program Dancing Classrooms, JTD uses the transformative power of ballroom dancing to promote lifelong physical, mental and emotional well-being. And it’s a great fit in TDSB diverse school communities, as the children learn about the culture, history and geography of the land where each dance originates. This past Sunday, grade 4, 5 and 6 students from six TDSB schools were among eight ballroom dance teams that qualified for the Colours of the Rainbow semifinals at the Palais Royale. The young ladies and gentleman showcased their ballroom dance steps in front of judges and an enthusiastic crowd of supporters. Here’s a wonderful clip of the event from CTV News: Public school kids dance like the stars. Market Lane PS took gold on Sunday to win a place in the June finals. The winners graciously accepted congratulations from Andy Barrie on Metro Morning today, and I’ll post the link to that interview as soon as it’s available. Congratulations to the Market Lane dancers, and to all the other participants. You’re all winners! |
Wednesday, 1 April 2009
That process was a great example of co-operation, which just happens to be TDSB’s character development theme for April. Paul McCartney once said, “I love to hear a choir. I love the humanity, to see the faces of real people devoting themselves to a piece of music. I like the teamwork. It makes me feel optimistic about the human race when I see them co-operating like that.” Those words describe perfectly the joy I feel when I visit a Grade 4 classroom, busily at work together solving a complicated arithmetic problem, or when I watch an intramural basketball game, or – like McCartney – enjoy the blended voices of as several student choirs perform in harmony together. It’s what I felt last week as I attended the TDSB Music Department’s Annual Showcase Concert Series at the Toronto Centre for the Arts. And research has shown that students who engage in the Arts are often more successful in all aspects of school, as well as later life. This is not because they know how to read music, or learn lines, or do graphic design, but because they are learning how to focus their attention, how to cooperate with others to achieve a mutual goal, and communicate thoughts and emotions in constructive ways. The fact is that of all the important character traits we as a society value and work to instil in our children, the ability to co-operate with others is the foundation on which the others rest. Humans are social creatures and our very survival depends on this most critical character trait. In TDSB we understand that our job is to make sure that when our students leave us they have the tools they will need to solve the problems of the future - to be successful, not just individually, but collectively. That’s why learning to work, live and play co-operatively with people around them is one of the most fundamental lessons every TDSB educator emphasizes. You might say co-operation is the key to social literacy. In the classroom and on the playground, children learn the attitudes and behaviours that will to a great extent determine their future success, whatever career path they choose. Throughout their schooling, the value of co-operation is reinforced across the curriculum. "The only thing that will redeem mankind is co-operation," said Bertrand Russell. That’s a thought worth bearing in mind, not just this month, but every day of the year.
|
I’ve written a number of times about TDSB’s Friday, 27 March 2009Tomorrow at 8:30 pm, 2,848 cities, towns and municipalities in 84 countries around the world will be celebrating Earth Hour. This global challenge invites all of us to turn out the lights as a symbol of our commitment to conserving energy and slowing climate change. Today, TDSB is getting a head start with our own Earth Hour between 2 and 3 pm. Everyone in our schools and offices will have an opportunity to demonstrate that small changes in routine can make a big difference when we all play our part. They’ll be demonstrating something they already know very well. According to Richard Christie, coordinator of TDSB’s Eco Schools Program, the Earth Hour buzz is more subdued this year than last year. I expressed disappointment when I heard that, but he quickly set me straight. It’s not that our students and staff are less enthusiastic about being green. Far from it! “In fact,” says Richard, “energy conservation is now becoming an everyday practice in many TDSB schools.” That means that this year, Earth Hour is less about cutting down electricity use for 60 minutes, and much more about raising awareness of long-term conservation measures. Many students around the city are walking to school all week, bringing waste-free lunches, and monitoring classrooms for lights-off whenever possible. Others have been holding “practice” Earth Hours for weeks, scrutinizing every last bit of electricity use. In many schools, whether it means holding an assembly by hand-cranked flashlight, telling ghost-stories in darkened classrooms, or offering prizes for the teacher who gives the most original lesson, students are coming up with unique ways to celebrate being green. For more than five years, our innovative, award-winning Eco Schools Program has been a green leader in our schools, in the city, and across the province. The program encourages our schools and offices to lessen their energy impact by taking advantage of natural light, replacing incandescent bulbs with energy efficient CFLs and LED bulbs, logging off computers when not in use, planting trees and much more. I am very proud of the leadership role so many of our schools have taken in demonstrating what it means to live more lightly on the Earth. But while schools may lead, our administrative offices aren't far behind. Supported by staff from many departments, EcoSchools has helped to create a culture of conservation throughout TDSB. Earth Hour gives all of us, from the classroom to the boardroom, a chance to pause and reflect on how we can make energy conservation “second nature,” not only in TDSB but everywhere we live, work, and play, every hour, every day. |
Friday, 13 March 2009Public education was born out of the conviction that a healthy democracy depends on a literate, informed populace; a belief that education benefits not just individuals but whole communities. Last year, TDSB celebrated the 200th birthday of Toronto’s first public school, Jarvis Collegiate Institute. Since then, public education has evolved tremendously, yet that underlying conviction remains true. In my view, one of the most important changes has been the growing recognition that a “one size fits all” model of education really doesn’t fit anyone well. But we also understand that a democratic society must be based on shared fundamental values. The challenge for public education in the 21st century is to develop a model that allows each individual student to make the most of their unique talents to reach their full potential, while at the same time building that shared sense of cohesive civic identity that binds healthy societies together. TDSB has embraced this challenge, and the result is a school board of both choice and equity, where every student can find a pathway to success. Louise Brown’s article Education Shift, Affluent Parents go Public in last week’s Star revealed that growing numbers of Toronto parents, feeling the economic pinch, are reconsidering the merits of public school. What they’re discovering is surprising many. For example, Oriole Park principal Paula Dodick told Brown that calls and visits to her school from interested parents are increasing. “They were totally shopping around and some had notebooks with 20 questions and stayed for more than an hour. Some were products of the private system who had this idea of what public schools are like, and they ended up saying `Wow!'" The fact is that TDSB schools offer parents and students a consistently excellent education and the range of choices they seek. A growing number of alternative schools, schools offering specialized programming, flexible schedules or unique classroom settings, co-op programs, learning partnerships with colleges, universities and businesses, an emphasis on social engagement and global citizenship – all these illustrate the innovative face of a school board committed to making public education the best option for every Toronto student. |
Friday, 6 March 2009The other day, I had an opportunity to speak before 200 Grade 8 girls from the Regent Park neighbourhood. Sister 2 Sister: Young Womyn Raising Their Voices, was a day of workshops and activities all geared to inspiring them to be leaders in their lives and their communities. What a mix of emotions I felt looking at their young faces shining with hope and possibility! Sunday, March 8th, is International Women’s Day, and it’s a day of special meaning for me. Over the course of my career, I have seen such tremendous progress in the opportunities available for girls and young women. Even more, I’ve seen change in the way girls see themselves and their place in the world. I told my audience that, although they might not yet realize it, the path they choose today and over the next couple of years would set the course for the rest of their lives. It was clear that many of them were wondering, “How do I find the right path for me?” The answer, I told them, is that you are on that path right now. It’s the path that brought you here today to talk about your hopes, and goals and plans. It’s the path that you will take as you leave and head into the future. Barack Obama has said, “The best judge of whether or not a country is going to develop is how it treats its women. If it’s educating its girls, if women have equal rights, that country is going to move forward. But if women are oppressed and abused and illiterate, then they’re going to fall behind.” In spite of the many challenges my young listeners face individually and collectively, as young women in Canada they share a great gift. While around the world, females comprise 52% of the population, 70% of the world’s poor are women. So are 66% of those who are not taught to read and write. In Canada, I told the girls, we women have equal protection under the law, equal access to education, the right to be heard and the freedom to act. But with rights and freedoms, I reminded my listeners, also come responsibilities. It would be up to them, I said, to speak out and work on behalf of those who cannot do so for themselves. What I hoped the girls would take from the day’s activities was the realization that each one of them could make a real difference. If they are confident about the future, they will create that future. I told them to believe in themselves, because we certainly believe in them. I told them to learn everything they can. Demand much from their education, from themselves, and from each other. Don’t accept anything but their very best from your friends and classmates, and all the people around you, I said. I told the girls to trust in their own abilities and in the world’s capacity to change for the better. If they choose the right path and do anything they can to make a positive difference for others, they will make a positive difference for themselves. I can’t wait to see the outstanding future that lies down the path for these wonderful young women!
Learn more about how the world is celebrating and supporting women. Listen to podcasts of inspirational Canadian women speaking to students about career choices at WOW (Words on Work), presented by The Learning Partnership. |
Friday, 20 February 2009Communities across our diverse, multicultural city mark many special rites of passage in the lives of their members. Some are unique. Others, like the birth of a child, marriage or death of a loved one, are common to all of us but often celebrated in distinct ways. One noteworthy life experience that all Toronto children and parents share is the first day of school. February is Kindergarten Registration month, and elementary schools across the city have opened their doors to welcome our newest, youngest members to the TDSB community. Whether they have spent their first years at home with family or in childcare among many playfellows, the transition to kindergarten is a big step for all children, and for parents too. As educators, we understand that. Though eager youngsters will have to wait until next September for the first day of Kindergarten, now is not too soon for parents and families to talk together about that important day. On our Kindergarten website, they’ll find lots of helpful information on what to expect and how to prepare, as well as details about TDSB’s Parenting and Family Literacy Centres and child care programs. Superintendent Jill Worthy, who has the TDSB Early Years portfolio, is justifiably proud of the work her team does to make that big step just the first of many successful learning experiences students will have in school. “When you watch a Kindergarten class in action, it may look like they’re playing,” says Jill, “But in fact, you will be watching carefully planned activities that have been designed to help each child strengthen their skills and knowledge in a variety of areas.” Research confirms what parents know instinctively: young children learn important skills through play. In Kindergarten, caring teachers plan play-based activities that encourage children to create, explore and investigate the world around them in a safe, supportive environment. They learn to solve problems, ask questions, share ideas and feelings, and work together. Those are skills everyone needs, no matter where life takes them.
|
Thursday, 12 February 2009Of all the many things that contribute to nurturing, inspiring learning environments, one of the most powerful is a great principal. TDSB is lucky to have many, many such leaders across our system, and their commitment is certainly recognized by their colleagues and school communities. Still, it’s tremendously rewarding when that excellence is also noticed beyond TDSB.
You can read about Susan and Bala CS here and also in recent Inside Toronto and Toronto Star articles. The stories reveal an individual whose impact goes well beyond the walls of her school. They speak to the symbiotic relationship between school and community, and the critical impact a special principal can make on both. Bala Community School is one of TDSB’s Model Schools for Inner Cities. Today it is the bustling heart of its very diverse, challenged community, and that’s due in very large part to the efforts of this exceptional educator. Susan’s vision is simple and straightforward: “We must all believe that all children can learn and that it is our responsibility to ensure that all our children grow up with choices regardless of their background, socioeconomic status, neighbourhood, or family makeup …We must give our families a “voice” so that they have the skills to advocate for themselves.” It was those same families who nominated Susan without her knowledge - she didn't find out until well into the selection process. The list of the many things that have made Susan Yun an Outstanding Principal is a long one. One look at the Learning Partnership's award criteria But, for me, Susan's impact on her community is best summed up in a nomination letter submitted by one new Canadian parent. I hope that Susan will not mind if I share some of that letter here:
Congratulations, Susan!
|
That’s happened with Bala Community School principal Susan Yun, who was recently named one of Thursday, 29 January 2009Last Tuesday, I wrote about the launch of TDSB’s new Africentric inclusive curriculum, and how it will help create the learning environments where all students feel engaged and equally valued. Since then, I’ve heard from a number of people who think it’s a great idea, but wonder what Africentric curriculum really looks like. This week, as teachers across the city begin introducing the units in their classrooms, the Toronto Star is profiling examples ranging from kindergarten to grade 7/8. A different lesson plan is highlighted each day: Monday: "Story weavers: the importance of oral storytelling" The goal of inclusive curriculum is to introduce and legitimize diverse cultural world views for students of all cultures. So, while for some students it supports their identities and reflects their own cultural heritage, for others inclusive curriculum can be a startling revelation that breaks down prejudices and expands their horizons. Introducing the Star’s profile series in “Bridging a Cultural Divide,” writer Louise Brown concludes with this: ‘As someone who is white, board superintendent Verna Lister said learning Africentric lessons has helped her spot gaps in her own schooling. "When we talk about Eurocentric education, it's not what it taught me that's the issue, but what I didn't learn – all the voices that were left out," said Lister.’ Inclusive curriculum writes all our many voices into the symphony of collective human experience. Every missing voice diminishes the beauty of that music for all of us.
|
Tuesday, 27 January 2009"Music can inspire children to learn in so many different ways.” So says North West One Family of Schools Superintendent Annie Appleby. And that inspiration was certainly on display in the faces of 300 students from six of her schools at the We Are One jazz concert last Thursday. Under the musical direction of celebrated jazz master Barry Harris, and accompanied by the Earl Haig SS orchestra, their massed voices jazzed up the cold winter evening with a hot performance. Here is a brief sample from the concert. Both The Toronto Star and Town Crier have written excellent profiles of the We Are One project, a unique collaboration with the DAREarts Foundation that offers students an opportunity to experience professional jazz training in a way they might never otherwise do. With the encouragement of Trustee John Hastings, whose community in north Etobicoke is home to the participating schools, DAREarts founder and former TDSB teacher Marilyn Field recruited the talents of Dr. Harris and Howard Rees, founder of Canada’s oldest jazz school. Listen to a Metro Morning interview with Barry Harris talking about the We Are One project and the joy he finds in teaching. As for the the impact of program on our students, here's what one nine-year-old participant said. This tells you all you need to know: “That Dr. Barry Harris’ music! It just goes right into your heart and it makes you SO happy!” My thanks to all the participating students for a magical evening. And thank you also to the dedicated teachers and school staff who worked to bring Mr. Harris’ musical vision to life, as well as Family of Schools Superintendent Annie Appleby and Trustee Hastings for their support. And of course, most of all, a big thank you to Marilyn Field, Howard Rees, Dr. Barry Harris and the fabulous DAREarts team for helping enrich through music the lives and learning experiences of our students.
|
Tuesday, 20 January 2008Today is a transformational day. Along with the whole world, our students are watching as the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is realized in the historic inauguration of an African-American President of the United States. For our students, today gives proof that real, achievable success is not limited by race or birth or early poverty. A wise person once said that the goal of education should be to create citizens who are “publicly useful and privately happy.” Our responsibility is to provide opportunity and hope: the positive choices and relevant learning experiences that make this possible for every student. To paraphrase President Obama, that is the fierce urgency of now. Despite the social progress that has paved his road to the White House, one of the biggest barriers for youth on both sides of the border remains racial and cultural marginalization. TDSB is committed to removing those barriers and our efforts were validated this past fall with the Bertelsmann Prize for Excellence in Equity and Inclusion. But the fact remains that many African-Canadian students, here and across the country, continue to feel alienated and disconnected from learning. They do not see their own experience reflected in traditional Eurocentric curriculum. It does not speak to the reality of their current lives nor to their dreams. When schools are disconnected from their lives and their dreams, students become disengaged from learning. Inclusive curriculum moves those students toward the centre of the school experience. Incorporating the perspectives, histories, values and contributions of African peoples into all aspects of learning, inclusive curriculum centres African-Canadian students in their own social and cultural frame of reference. By creating relevance for them, it motivates them to learn. TDSB has come a long way since inclusive curriculum was a dream born in academic dissertations and basement conversations during the 1980s. Now that dream is a reality! Last week, TDSB launched a new Africentric inclusive curriculum, a package of learning materials that all teachers can use today, and that will serve as a model for developing a range of multi-perspective curriculum resources. Africentric inclusive curriculum is a powerful tool for teaching and learning. It is part of a broader inclusive approach to education that invites all of us, students and teachers too, to think critically about cultural values and what it means to be Canadian. It has, as panelist and political scientist Dr. Grace-Edward Galabuzi pointed out at the launch, the potential to transform the culture of our schools. Given the rich urban diversity of TDSB's school communities, this approach is a critical imperative to fulfill our commitment to equity. Congratulations to the team who developed the materials, the teachers who are using the resources and the principals and senior staff who have supported the project. You are our champions for an inclusive curriculum and inclusive schools. Learn more about the Africentric inclusive curriculum and our commitment to inclusive schools.
|
Friday, 9 January 2009In today’s Toronto Star, reporter Laurie Monsebraaten writes that more than 45,000 Toronto children and youth are at risk of losing a critical support to learning if the City doesn’t find more room in its budget for student nutrition programs. The TDSB is committed to closing the achievement gap so that all students, including those who face extra challenges, can be successful in school. That is the focus of our the Urban Diversity Strategy It may be hard to believe that in our affluent society a growing number of children and youth are coming to school hungry. But they are, and hungry children cannot learn. That's why the value of nutrition programs to our most vulnerable school communities cannot be overstated. Last December, GTA Children’s Aid Societies and the Social Planning Network released a report on child poverty that shows a startling increase in the number of children living in poverty. Among their findings:
Many students depend on nutrition programs like those described in the Star today and in a similar article by reporter Louise Brown. Support for them from the Province, the City, the Toronto Foundation for Student Success and a number of other generous partners makes a real, tangible difference in children’s ability to succeed in school. But it does more than that. It removes a great barrier and unlocks their potential to succeed in life.
|
Monday, 5 January 2009By all accounts, this new year will bring economic challenges possibly greater than any we’ve faced in decades. We know that poverty is a serious issue in this city, and as recession hits Toronto, those who are already vulnerable are likely to be hardest hit. The pain will be felt in our schools. For many of our students, school is much more than just a place to learn, and caring school staff provide much more than lessons. For many students, school offers a fixed centre in an unsettled world: a place of security, stability, order and belonging. I believe a school’s role as a place where students feel valued, where their dreams matter and their potential is nurtured, is as critical as any other it may play in their lives. Schools, with help from partners like the Toronto Foundation for Student Success, nourish students physically, emotionally and intellectually. This year, whatever challenges we face, TDSB schools must remain such places. As a society, we cannot expect to achieve great things tomorrow if we do not invest in today. The most important investment we can make is in our children. Individually and collectively, this year more than ever, I believe we must make it our central purpose to ensure that every child learns and succeeds. This city’s challenges are great, but our potential is greater. Every young mind bright with dreams and every pair of eager young hands can and should have a part to play in realizing that potential. We cannot afford to let even one child slip through our fingers. Who knows what great things that one child might accomplish? Our job as educators is to give our students the tools they need to succeed, and one of the most important tools is hope. TDSB schools can and do provide the means for our students to transcend the poverty cycle and to open a world of choices for them. Perhaps we cannot eradicate poverty, but working together, we in the TDSB can help to insulate our students from some of its worst effects and ensure that 2009 will be a happy, healthy, productive year for everyone!
|
Friday, 19 December 2008As an educator, I've always felt extremely fortunate. Seeing the smile of a young child first experiencing the magic of reading, the pride of parents in their youngster's success, or the assurance of a youth on the brink of manhood -- and knowing that you have contributed to making it possible -- that is what makes this work more that a job. That makes it a mission. At this time of year, I want to express my gratitude to all the dedicated people across the TDSB who share in the mission. Every one of them touches the lives of our students, either directly or indirectly, every day. How and what we teach in our schools determines the quality of our relationships with each other, within families and ultimately the future of society. This year I've had the opportunity visit and speak with staff in many of our schools and work sites across the city. I know first hand the excellence of their endeavours. I've seen for myself the impact they have on the daily lives of the students, both young and adult, who count on us to help them achieve their goals. This time of year also allows time to consider our blessings and support those who are less fortunate. Leading our students, TDSB staff have contributed in numerous ways to helping those in need, not only in our communities but across the world. As the year draws to a close, I want to leave you with a poem written by R.H King Academy student Emily Zheng, that brings to mind all the diversity, empathy and generosity of spirit and hope that infuses TDSB culture.
|
Friday, 5 December 2008Tomorrow is National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women in Canada. Nineteen years ago, 14 young women were murdered and another 14 injured at Montreal’s École Polytechnique, in a horrific act of violence aimed directly at women. I wish we could say that the Montreal Massacre was an isolated incident, or that our society has eradicated such violence since then. Unfortunately, violence against women continues to exist in Canada, despite the best efforts of legislators and educators. Even worse, in conflict zones around the world, violence specifically targeting females has actually been weaponized as an instrument of wholescale terror. As the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa, Stephen Lewis was recognized one of Canada’s most respected diplomats. Since 2003, the Stephen Lewis Foundation has supported grass-roots projects in SubSaharan Africa, including support for victims of sexual violence. He continues to be a powerful and compelling advocate for women’s health as central to peace and development on that continent. As part of that effort, Lewis has teamed up with playwright Eve Ensler, founder of V-Day, a global movement to end violence against women. For an overview of their efforts, listen to these excellent recent interviews with Lewis and Ensler on Voice of America, speaking out against the ghastly sexual violence against women, girls and even babies, that has become almost the status quo in the Congo. In this week’s National Post, journalist Peter Godspeed writes that rape and sexual mutilation are now a “war strategy” in the Democratic Republic of Congo. A doctor working to help the survivors of such attacks tells Godspeed that, "The traditional battlefield has changed … It is no longer war on the ground, but it is war on women's bodies. It is a war that destroys women as human beings." Speaking last week at a Toronto fundraiser organized by Canadian NGO SAFER (Social Aid for the Elimination of Rape), Lewis called on the Canadian government to take a strong position against these atrocities. (See A Battle Cry for Rape Victims in the Toronto Star.) While these atrocities are extreme examples, targeted violence against women is by no means limited to the world’s conflict zones. As the Montreal Massacre proved, it is a festering evil that can erupt anywhere, even in a city like ours. Our first instinct may be to shield our young women from this painful reality. But as educators and as parents, by providing safe environments to learn, grow and achieve, we must instead arm them with knowledge and self-assurance, and we must repudiate violence against women in the strongest possible terms. In the TDSB, we are focussing on curriculum and practical supports to address the issue of violence against women. The experiences, perceptions and perspectives of girls and women are infused into all aspects of the curriculum. Schools work to ensure learning environments that are safe, supportive and free of sexual harassment. And inclusive teaching strategies encourage all students, boys and girls, to explore all opportunities with confidence. Tomorrow is a day of remembrance and action. By empowering girls, encouraging boys to value the contributions of women, and working with our communities to change attitudes and behaviours that can lead to gender-based violence, we can do both.
|
Wednesday, 3 December 2008December 3rd is International Day for Persons with Disabilities. Among its reasons for setting aside this day, the United Nations includes building awareness, “of gains to be derived from the integration of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life.” This is an extremely important insight. It is easy to fall into the trap of thinking about equity strictly in terms of human rights and improving the lives of those who, for a variety of reasons, are experiencing discrimination and exclusion in society. Clearly those are compelling reasons for ensuring that people with disabilities have equitable access to all opportunities society has to offer. But the fact is that, if all that human potential is unleashed, the greatest beneficiary will be society itself. TDSB’s Equity Foundation Statement – in many ways the guiding principle for everything we do – expresses our commitment to ensuring that, “All our students are provided with equitable opportunities to be successful in our system; that institutional barriers to such success are identified and removed; and that all learners are provided with supports and rewards to develop their abilities and achieve their aspirations.” But our commitment to equity and inclusion for students with disabilities is also a recognition of how very, very important this is for society as a whole. Ontario’s Lieutenant Governor David Onley, himself a polio survivor from age 3, has defined accessibility as simply, “that which enables people to fulfill their potential.” He knows, and I agree, that every child has the potential to contribute meaning, strength and beauty to our social fabric. As educators, we must be enablers. According to UNESCO, some 650 million people around the world live with disabilities – 80 percent of them in developing countries. As many as 90 percent of children with disabilities in those countries do not attend school. What a terrible waste of human potential. What a sad loss for those nations and for all of humanity. TDSB is enriched every day by the work and contributions of persons with disabilities, in all our schools and workplaces. We know how much everyone gains when all are included. Learn more about TDSB’s commitment to equity and inclusion for persons with disabilities and for all our students and staff: Equity Foundation Statement: Section 5: Equity for Persons with Disabilities Equity in Education: International Day of Persons with Disabilities Inclusive Curriculum: Equity for Persons with Disabilities |