Prospects for Education
Prospects for EducationFebruary 20, 2012Forces and pressures on
schools in CanadaForces and pressures on schools in Nova Scotia:
Levin Report (April 2011)Government Report: Kids & Learning
First (February 2012)Your place in understanding Kids &
Learning First
1) Forces and pressures on schoolsin CanadaDemographics: Fewer
families with school-age childrenMore and more dependence on public
child-careChanging structure of familiesIncreased diversity as
Aboriginal population grows and immigration shifts (2/3 of
immigrants from Asia, Africa, and South America)Greater religious
diversityMore than half of Canadas population now resides west of
Ontario
Canadian economic and labour-force changesPressure for schools
to solve the economic challenges in difficult timesYouth
unemployment and underemployment through McJobsReplacing labor with
technology egg. agriculturePressure on schools to teach job ready
dispositions such as dependability and cooperationUnpredictability
of labor market forecasted needsRegional variation in economies:
Alberta to NS
PovertyFamily income as a strong predictor of school successLack
of dominant culture capitalExpectations on schools to serve as
anti-poverty programs and achieve success for all
childrenTechnologyThe ascendency of videoThe expectations of
computers and instant communicationsUbiquity of hand held smart
devicesChallenges of teachers in keeping abreast of pedagogical
possibilities of technologyHow quickly technology investments
become obsolete Values and ideologyThe place of individual versus
collective rights in schools and the accommodation of group
rightsDeclining public faith in government, big business, churches,
(institutions) Less public confidence that major social problems
can be solved by governmentChallenges to big businesses and their
elite Eroded pubic trust in the quality of public schools
Reform agendas for Canadian schooling: Some trendsSchool
improvement at the school level (e.g. school
accreditation)Inclusive education movement (special needs and race
relations)Private sector emphasis upon schooling for work and
technological work readiness competencies21st century learning
skillsLiteracy and numeracy initiatives and testingReducing powers
of school boards
2) Levin Report: April 2011 Steps to Effective and Sustainable
Public Education in Nova ScotiaReducing Failure throughout the
systemImproving daily teaching, learning and assessment
practicesAllowing more things to count as learningBuilding pubic
support and engagementMaking better use of existing facilities and
resources
Levin Report: Priorities1.Reducing Failure Throughout the
System. A reasonable estimate would be that even excluding special
education, about 10 percent of total system spending is devoted to
remedying the effects of initial failure, when it would be cheaper
and better to prevent failure in the first place. The idea of
failure as necessary to maintain standards is deeply engrained in
our thinking about education. However, a large amount of research
shows clearly that failure tends to depress, not increase, future
effort, whether in education or in other areas of life.
2.Improving Daily Teaching, Learning and Assessment Practices.
Working to improve daily teaching practices in line with evidence
has great potential to yield better outcomes. There are more and
more areas where we have good reliable evidence on effective
practices. The task is to help people use those practices
consistently
3.Allowing More Things to Count as Learning for Purposes of
Earning School Credentials. Finding ways to encourage and recognize
more forms of learning is both efficient and effective, and can be
very motivating for students. Embracing some version of any time
learning has the potential to be efficient, effective, and highly
motivating
Levin Report: Priorities (continued)4.Building Public Support
and Engagement. One of the lessons of education reform in recent
years is that school improvement can only happen when all partners
in educationstudents, parents, staff, educators and governmentswork
together in a spirit of mutual respect and sincere effort. An
honest and open process of communication, grounded on good access
to information, will support improvement while it also creates more
public support for the system.
5.Making Better Use of Existing Facilities and Resources. All
organizations should be involved in continuing efforts to increase
productivity by replacing less effective practices with more
effective ones. The vast bulk of money for education is spent on
salaries so improvement depends on making better use of people or
in being able to generate the same or better results with fewer
people, or some combination thereof.
3) Kids & Learning First: February 2012 The plan is based on
recommendations from Ben Levin It also reflects the priorities of
parents, teachers, students, school boards, employers, and
community membersFour strategiesPut students firstSupport effective
teaching in every classroomPrepare young people for good jobs,
citizenshipStrengthen links between schools, parents, and the
community
Rationale for Change
Student test results declining below the national average in
math and reading and no significant improvementSpending more on
fewer students didnt work$320 million was added to school board
budgets between 2000 and 2010, yet enrolments dropped by almost
30,000 students Preparing to do things differentlyLevin Report
states that experiences in Manitoba and Ontario can serve as
examplesPut Students First: Objective 1
Help children before they begin schoolCo-ordinate all government
programs and services for pre-school children to improve support
for young children and their families Continue implementing the
provinces autism spectrum disorder action planSupport healthy
living for young children and their families. The province is now
developing a childhood obesity prevention strategyPut Students
First: Objective 2Monitor progress closely, help earlier and in
critical subjects and transition yearsExpand iNSchool, the
provinces student information system, to all schools.Assess
students in earlier grades, and remove duplication in school board
and provincial testing Expand Succeeding in Reading from grades
primary and 1, into grades 2 and 3 Review and improve grade 9, a
critical transition year, so students stay interested in school and
are better prepared for high school14Put Students First: Objective
3Help students with special needs succeedGather better information
on the progress of students with special needs to support greater
achievementDetermine why the number of students on individual
program plans (IPP) has doubled in the past 10 yearsDetermine why
the student-to-teacher-assistant ratio varies so widely among
regional school boardsPromote guidelines that help parents
understand the role teacher assistants play in the classroom
Implement Well-Beings: the Nova Scotia School Mental Health
FrameworkPut Students First: Objective 4Promote equity for students
from diverse backgrounds
Strengthen partnerships with the Council on African Canadian
Education, the Black Educators Association, Mikmaw Kinamatnewey
(MK), and the Council on Mikmaq EducationContinue implementing the
provinces response to Reality Check, a review of programs and
supports for students of African ancestryNegotiate a new education
agreement between the province and MK and provide better
information through provincial assessments to help MK improve
support for their students as they move between band and provincial
schoolsIncrease awareness among entitled families of their
childrens right to French first-language education
Put Students First: Objective 5Protect the quality of education
in rural communitiesTriple the number of students (from 500 to
1500) who can take on-line courses through Nova Scotias virtual
schoolProtect isolated schools, while ensuring that school space is
being used to provide the greatest educational benefits for
students
Put Students First: Objective 6Ensure resources are directed at
students first
Develop a schedule for performance reviews of school boards to
identify ways to improve efficiencies and ensure effective
governanceSupport Effective Teaching in Every Classroom:
RationaleTeachers are working without the benefit of provincial
standards to guide their teaching, leaving them unclear about
expectations and leading to inconsistencies from school to
schoolTeachers are sometimes expected to teach courses without
having as much training, background, or experience in the subject
as they would likeTeachers struggle to find time: time to teach
everything that is required in the curriculum and to plan with
other teachers on ways to improve student learningTeachers want
practical, accessible resourcesand reasonable class sizesso they
can bring curriculum alive and make it meaningful to every
studentSupport Effective Teaching in Every Classroom: Objective
1Develop provincial standards for quality teachingDevelop
provincial teaching standards to define expectations for
instructional quality in every classroomSupport Effective Teaching
in Every Classroom: Objective 2Ensure teachers have relevant
background and experienceImprove the match between what teachers
are asked to teach and their training, background, or
experienceEnsure that training leading to teacher certification
upgrades is based on the needs of the classroomand that it is
relevant, comprehensive, and high qualityHelp create professional
learning communities in every school, where teachers work together
focused on student successContinue the instructional leadership
program for principals and vice-principals
Support Effective Teaching in Every Classroom: Objective 3Enable
teachers to spend more time teachingStreamline administrative
tasks, reduce paperwork, and allow teachers to spend the maximum
amount of their work-day focused on studentsKeep class sizes
lowExamine the time students have for learning, particularly for
math, literacy, and physical activitySupport Effective Teaching in
Every Classroom: Objective 4Provide the information and resources
teachers needMake iNSchool available to every teacher, along with
support to learn to use itProvide mobile technology centres to
every elementary school to help students use technology to develop
their literacy skills Make more teacher resources available
onlineProvide more books, resources, and activities for students
and curriculum guides that help teachers with what experts call
differentiated instruction or responsive teachingPrepare Young
People for Good Jobs, Citizenship: RationaleOver the past 20 years,
Nova Scotias economic growth has been lower than in any other
province in Canada jobsHere is an aggressive plan to turn this
around, so young people can stay and build a future for their
families in our great communitiesThe work starts in our
schoolspreparing young people not just to work in those jobs but,
with imagination and drive, to create themPrepare Young People for
Good Jobs, Citizenship: Objective 1Keep every student interested,
motivatedReview high school courses, based on student interest and
enrolment, and how the courses contribute to the essential skills
and knowledge todays graduates needIntroduce a new personal
development credit, enabling students to pursue individual passions
and demonstrate skill development, leadership, and personal
growth
Prepare Young People for Good Jobs, Citizenship: Objective 2Link
learning to the workplaceIntroduce a new skilled trades course,
Manufacturing Trades, linked to shipbuildingDouble the number of
high schools offering skilled tradesExpand Options and
Opportunities O2 and establish a Discovering Opportunities program
in junior highMarket co-operative education to employers in
communities where co-op opportunities are now more limitedExpand
career development efforts in high schools and the Parents as
Career Coaches programExpand partnerships that help students with
special needs transition out of high school into the work world and
life in the community
Prepare Young People for Good Jobs, Citizenship: Objective
3Strengthen skills that help studentsHelp more students communicate
fluently in French to enhance their employability and contribute to
the cultural diversity of the provinceStrengthen students skills in
information and communications technologyContinue to provide
resources and support for teachers delivering arts education in
classroomsStrengthen Links between Schools, Parents, and the
Community: Objective 1Increase services for kids and families in
schoolsBring more services for kids and families into schools by
expanding SchoolsPlus Act on the issue of cyberbullying in
partnership with families, community partners, and students
themselves.Support and build on programs that help at-risk youth
and promote respectful behavior in schools. e.g. restorative
approach to managing conflicts, Lighthouses Program gives students
after-school activities that support their social, physical, and
educational development and Actions from the Ministers response to
Promoting Student Engagement
Strengthen Links between Schools, Parents, and the Community:
Objective 2Welcome parents and community members into our schools;
give them meaningful rolesEstablish a community-use-of-schools
grants program that will strengthen schools as centres in their
communities Give parents and caregivers easier and immediate access
to information about what and how their children are doing in
schoolExpand workshops that give parents the information they need,
or a role they are seeking. For instance, Positive Parenting
WorkshopsDiscussionWhat are the dominant messages of the government
response to the Levin Report?What political and policy ideologies
seem to be driving them? Which objectives seem most controversial
to you? Why?Which are you most in favor of and why?Which do you
most oppose and why?What are the implications of this policy
document for your future as an educator in Nova
Scotia?ActivityExplore one of the ideas raised in Kids &
Learning First in more depth.Identify the implications, positive
and negative, for your professional place in schools.Identify the
implications, positive and negative, for Nova Scotia society.Why is
the government proceeding with this recommendation? What
professional-lay support or opposition might there be for it?
Why?