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Youth Development

Humble and Kind

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BY KATHY MCDONALD 

In my humble opinion, pun intended, these two character traits (humility and kindness) are the most important coupling of traits. I say this as I believe that they should be the foundation of a well-balanced, educated and successful human being. When administrator, teachers and students adopt these traits we will undoubtedly have a situation where our learning institutions function effectively and optimally. A humble and kind administrator will be a co-learner with their staff and students. A humble and kind teacher will never propose that they have all the answers but will impart their knowledge with the ultimate goal of bringing out the best in each student. Such teachers will value the uniqueness of each student and work to inspire success, hope and confidence in all. A humble and kind student will be courteous and respectful to all. They will strive towards academic excellence with integrity and diligence. At the beginning of the school year these traits are essential for parents as they deal with massive bus delays, reorganizations of the school’s timetable and classes as well as disappointing news about the EQAO math results. A humble and kind parent will be just that; while requesting answers and solutions to any problems encountered during the school year.

As a Trustee, I heard from my constituents as they were totally frustrated with the significant bus delays they experienced when dropping off or picking up their children to and from school. The cause of these delays is still being debated but they do not diminish the fact that parents were terribly inconvenienced and often late for work or were genuinely worried about the whereabouts and the location of their child or children. Yes, bus drivers are complaining about the fact that they make less than some employees working in the fast food industry and they complain about the lack of discipline and respect the students have when riding the bus. However, this does not justify any forms of abuse that is meted out to them when they arrive late. Invariably it is an innocent bus driver that is covering a run and trying to be part of the solution that ends up on the receiving end of an angry rant. We should always remember that even in times of frustration and anger to be humble and kind. At the PDSB due to last minute changes made by students and parents we had over 10,000 changes to the system within the first weeks in September. That’s a whole lot of reshuffling, last minute route changes as well as changes in bus sizes and numbers.

Reorganization day has happened by now for just about all students in Ontario. Invariably parents get extremely upset when their child is placed in a split class. The split class gets stamped with an undeserved negative connotation. My mother is an educator that has served in several capacities from being a high school science teacher, an elementary and secondary school principal and a professor of teaching.  She has explained to me that all classes are technically split classes. In any given classroom we have a myriad of abilities and competencies in any given subject area. A well trained teacher will have the capacity to manage her classroom in a way that she will successfully meet the needs of all his or her students.

A man on a galloping horse would clearly see all the headlines about the sad state of affairs of Math in Ontario. Niagara This Week declares “Ontario Student math skills continue to decline”. “EQAO results are not pretty for Grade 6 students in Peel” says Jason Spencer of the Mississauga News. In fact, the results are not pretty for all Ontario students. All stakeholders (The Ministry of Education, School Boards, Teachers Colleges, administration, teachers, parents and students) need to work together to tackle this mammoth problem. Whether you believe that we have thrown out the baby with the bath water or you are still a proponent for the “New Math”, social justice math or collaborative inquiry  or a blend of some or all; whether you believe in a semester or all year long math instruction timetable. There is work to be done. At the PDSB we have developed a comprehensive three-year strategy called Engaged Math. The PDSB staff have also developed a series of resources that are available to parents to assist them in supporting their children excel in math. The strategy is “built on three foundational drivers: instructional focus, instructional strategies and assessment practices. While the strategy plans out certain actions, it is by no means a magic bullet to answering the questions and challenges surrounding numeracy and student achievement. Mathematics success for all our students will require a strong partnership between home and school. That’s why we’re committed to providing you with the parent resources you need to help us boost math achievement in Peel. In addition to board-provided resources, you can always speak with your child’s teacher(s) about ways you can help at home.”

2016 began with the usual bumps and bruises and a few “big cocoas”. However when all stakeholders work together with a vision of letting all students be the best that they can be; the future for Ontario students looks great. I would encourage parents to have conversations with their child’s/children’s teachers around numeracy and chart out a path that will help your child master mathematical concepts. My math teacher Miss Harris at Immaculate Conception High School always told us “Ten problems a day keeps failure away”. I encourage all my readers and their children to adopt this adage as we journey towards improved numeracy. So remember as we work diligently to resolve any of the challenges we face this academic year above all remember to be humble and kind. After reading this column please listen to Tim McGraw’s version of Lori McKenna’s beautiful lyrics that she wrote for her children. I hope this song becomes part of your listening pleasure. So Walk Good, Belle Marché.

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Youth Development

Understanding the multiple layers involved in navigating education spaces Parents of Black Children launch Navigating the Education System

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BY PAUL JUNOR

The work of the advocacy group Parents of Black Children (PoBC) has made a significant and revolutionary difference by bringing issues to the forefront that help Black families at all levels.

For over two years now, it has organized events, workshops and initiatives that have provided important information to the Black community to bring empowerment, knowledge and deep understanding of the multiple layers of the complex dynamics involved in navigating education spaces.

There are five core principles that underlie PoBC understanding of racism:

  1. Racialization
  2. Racism is about power
  3. Critical racial theory
  4. Our stories matter
  5. Racism is founded on White supremacy

On Tuesday, November 23rd, 2021, they launched the document Navigating the Education System,” which was a very empowering, enriching and inspiring tool for diverse Black families. Kearie Daniels, one of the cofounders of PoBC and author of the document, moderated the launch. Furthermore, Claudette Rutherford, one of the cofounders of PoBC and author gave an extensive presentation of the details of the document, sharing useful insights, practical knowledge and interesting information.

PoBC shared a pdf document subsequent to the launch, which provided additional details in a fifty-three-page package. It contained relevant, contextual and vital resources. PoBC’s Advocacy Team supported the document, which includes Charline Grant and Xavier McLaughin.

In the introduction to the document the mission of PoBC is to “Provide support to parents of Black children across Canada and the United States. We advocate and work towards change and concrete action in our education system and adjacent systems such child welfare and the justice system.”

The launch of this vital document is a culmination of all the advocacy and activist work that PoBC has been extensively involved in. It serves to remind members of the Black community that there are resources, tools and supports available to ensure that Black children are able to thrive academically, excel mentally and flourish intellectually in spaces that may not be welcoming to their presence.

The document states that the navigate guide is “Geared towards families in Ontario, but the information can be applied to any jurisdiction where there are Black children and families.”

The document “Table of Contents” is useful and helpful. There is vital information on:

  • School board terms you need to know
  • Education organization you need to know in Ontario
  • Black families and the Child Welfare System
  • Black families and the education system
  • Black students and Individual Education Plans (IEPs)
  • Black students in High School.
  • Developmental delays in learning exceptionalities
  • Supporting students with learning exceptionalities
  • Selecting a school system
  • System abuse

PoBC presented a webinar on “System Abuse”. The document states,

“The system is not neutral. These systems were designed as part of a colonial framework that must be dismantled.” Furthermore, the document “Serves as a means to demystify the pitfalls within the education system and light a path towards a decolonized education system.”

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Youth Development

Toronto prepares families for COVID-19 vaccination of children

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Photo by Charles Deluvio Library on Unsplash

BY PAUL JUNOR

There have been concerns, fears and anxieties as parents, caregivers and guardians anticipate the possibility of having their children under twelve vaccinated.

The Boston Globe reported on Friday, October 29th, 2021, that the FDA approved the administration of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to children between the ages of five to eleven. These children will receive one-third of the dose administered to teens and adults.

The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention met on Tuesday, November 2nd, 2021, in order to finalize details with respect to which children should be vaccinated first. In anticipation of these developments, Team Toronto has initiated a series of outreach and education sessions, as well as town halls in order to inform the Toronto community.

Parents of children between the ages of five to eleven who attend public schools will be receiving an email and an invitation to respond to a survey to “Support vaccine planning.”  This invitation will also be extended to parents whose children attend private independent schools as well. The survey will be administered by Toronto Public Health (TPH) and the City of Toronto VaxTO in order to “Better understand parents’ intent to vaccinate their children, how they would prefer to have their children receive their COVID-19 vaccine, and to obtain critical information on socio-demographic factors such as race and income.”

John Tory, Mayor of Toronto, is optimistic and positive about this development. He states in the press release, “While our work to get 90% of eligible residents vaccinated is continuing, we are also readying for when the vaccine will be available to protect kids five to eleven. We want to hear from parents, so we made sure we designed a vaccination program that works for kids and their families. This is just one more example of the outreach we are doing to prepare for this effort. This work is so important and will help us get kids vaccinated so they have the best protection against COVID-19 and so our schools can be as safe and as open as possible.”

Councillor Joe Cressy, Chair of Toronto’s Board of Health who has been at the forefront of advocating for the vaccination of margnizalied and at-risk communities is supportive of this campaign. He states, “At every stage of our immunization campaign, connecting with people on the ground has been critical to our success. Now, as we prepare for the rollout of vaccines to children aged five to eleven, we’re committed to engaging directly with parents, families, and community leaders to have active conversations about vaccinations for kids.”

In addition, Dr Eileen De Villa, Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health is a strong proponent of this campaign. She states,” When vaccines are approved for use and when we have supply we will ensure that we bring every resource to bear on this critical component of the vaccination campaign.”

The survey will be available as of Sunday, November 7th, 2021. It consists of fifteen questions that will be available online at s.tphsurvey.chkmkt.com in multiple languages. Parents and guardians will receive them from their children’s public school boards. In addition, there will be town halls for specified multilingual communities as well as neighbourhood-based telephone halls to ensure that the public has access to timely, necessary and relevant information for informed decision-making.

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Youth Development

Act as if what you do makes a difference. IT DOES

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BY SABRINA S. – 12 YEARS OLD

The school year is coming to an end, I’m sure that this year was hectic for everyone. Last year, we had a pandemic strike in the middle of the year and the world was sent into lockdown.

We didn’t get to go to school for the rest of the year.

Many students got to choose if they wanted to do school in-person or online, I chose online since I didn’t feel safe.

First day of school was very weird, most people don’t turn their cameras on, don’t even get me started on the wifi issues. I would lag out of the google meet many times and miss most of the instructions on the assignment. That is when friends come in handy, though I don’t get to see my friends that often, we still connect with some online games and phone calls through snap chat.

I don’t know where the time went, it just flew by. Last month was September and suddenly, I feel like we skipped eight months. I only have a week of school left! Because it is the last week of school, I have a lot of homework and final assignments to do but I know I’ll get through them and finish the school year.

I haven’t had time to go outside as well, I’ve been too busy with my assignments.

If my school year was this hectic, imagine the teacher’s year. I’m very grateful for everything my teachers have done for me and my classmates this year, they definitely deserve the three-month summer break. I’m sure my teachers doubted teaching online, but everything went okay and I learned lots.

“No matter how hard it is, or how hard it gets. I’m going to make it!”

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