If you haven’t attended a Learning Forum hosted by School District 53, you should.
These forums offer parents a wealth of information on what’s happening in our schools. (See Keith Lacey’s article in this edition.)
Last week’s forum was a real eye opener because it gave people a glimpse at how students are learning today under a new educational model that some may find rather unconventional.
Remember the old days? How could we forget . . . chained to our desks; standing up in front of the class and reciting our times tables (we actually had to do that as a form of punishment in my class); and re-doing the whole grade if we failed. Oh, and being knuckled in the back of the head by a stern, no-nonsense teacher whose methods were never questioned by the principal.
Now we are being told by school districts that these methods no longer work. Times have changed and there is finally the realization that one size does not fit all.
While this new direction of offering students more flexibility to learn at their own pace is encouraging, we hope the fundamentals of education are not forgotten.
High school administrator Mike Safek is quoted as saying “Paper and pen don’t produce the best results.” He may be right, but the traditional paper and pen should not be ignored.
There are many students who cannot read or write at their grade level, and those who cannot do basic math. But these are the kids who need extra help, which is a good argument for additional funding that teachers are always pining for.
We agree that basing a large percentage of a student’s overall mark on final exams is probably not the best method. That’s because these tests are not a true assessment for all students.
Complicating the mix is the stress and anxiety that many students feel in school today. Trying to teach an anxious pupil fractions is like teaching a wild horse to wear a saddle.
While some people may not agree with the district’s new approach, it is a refreshing one that will hopefully prove successful.
What is rather “cool” is the E-Portfolio” program used at Tuc-el-Nuit school, where teachers and parents are connected through online updates. We encourage parents to use this program to track their child’s progress.
Technology is ubiquitous and is used to great advantage in our schools. But like drug addicts with their paraphernalia, many students cannot put down their iPods and iPads long enough to carry on a conversation with anyone.
Argh! I need the number of a technology rehab centre for my own kids.
