SOFA

SOFA has transcribed the ATA PC Leadership Candidates Forum in Banff. If you are unable to watch the two hour video of the proceedings or only wish to read the answers to certain questions, this should help to inform you about the issues that matter to you.

The forum was comprised of the following with the page numbers corresponding to our transcription:

Page 2: Opening Statements

Page 4: Alberta is world-renowned as a top-performing jurisdiction with regards to public education. What do you think of the system today, and what are your priorities for change that would help ensure continued excellence?

Page 7: This government promotes charter schools as a place where innovation and enhanced education take place. Alberta students are among the top-performing in the world – innovative and enhanced education is taking place on a daily basis in classrooms across Alberta. What is your view of the role of charter schools and to a further extent private schools in Alberta’s education system?

Page 9: A number of grants for school boards were reduced or eliminated in the 2011 budget. As a result, hundreds of teachers across the province were laid off in June. Will a government under your leadership reverse grant cuts to school boards and what principles will be used in the future to ensure stable, predictable and sustained funding for schools?

Page 12: What actions and policies do you believe are needed to help preserve the quality of rural education? What changes would be necessary to create a more equitable funding model for rural school divisions?

Page 14: The ATA has been the professional voice of teachers for over 94 years. The ATA is a unified organization with both union and professional functions representing all teachers in Alberta’s public, separate and francophone schools. Do you support the continuation of the association in its current form? And, what would your government do to further support the teaching profession in Alberta?

Page 17: The education environment, mounting student expectations, and shifts in provincial policy are increasing the demands made on our schools. One of the approaches explored in tripartite discussions this year was the restructuring of teacher time and workload to allow more professional development and collaboration. Would you support this direction?

Page 19: Teachers are often the first responders to mental health issues in children and youth. In what ways do you see the Ministries of Health and Education working together to address the mental health concerns of students?

Page 20: Sometimes it makes sense in a personal budget to run a deficit, in particular where the investment is worthwhile, like a post-secondary education or a house. What investments would you run a deficit budget to sustain, and which budget lines would you cut in order to sustain a balanced budget?

Page 21: What is your position on raising taxes and/or royalties to help address Alberta’s deficit or funding shortfalls?

Page 22: It seems as if the “progressive” part of the “Progressive Conservative” name has been lost since the days of Peter Loughheed built schools, roads and invested in the province’s long term future. In what ways does your platform define you as a progressive and as a conservative?

Page 23: Closing Statements

School boards are a democratically-elected form of government that is responsible for our K-12 public schools in Alberta. The provincial government should see the school boards as their partners, and should work together with boards on all issues that relate to K-12 education. The PC leadership candidates, however, seem to have little regard for school boards.

During the ATA forum held in Banff, the PC leadership candidates answered many questions about their various visions for the education system in our province. While they talked about the roles and needs of teachers, parents and students, they only mentioned school boards a handful of times. In only one case were school boards referred to as a stakeholder, and even then there was no mention of working with them. Stable and predictable funding was promised by more than one candidate. The role of funding within the education system is important, and the benefits of stable funding were given with reference to teachers, parents and students, but again school boards were neglected.

Simply neglecting to mention school boards does not indicate a lack of awareness or worse on the part of candidates. This was, after all, an ATA forum, put on by teachers for teachers. If there were a forum or even a questionnaire put forth by school boards, it would be more indicative of the candidates’ attitudes toward boards and their issues. In fact, the Alberta School Boards Association circulated a questionnaire to the leadership candidates of both the PC and Liberal parties. Only two candidates from each party, Gary Mar and Allison Redford of the PCs, even bothered to respond. The questions dwell on education system issues rather than the role of school boards, but the attitude of the candidates toward school boards can be glimpsed between the lines.

Perhaps more worrying is the fact that the leadership candidates talked about the education system as if all actions and outcomes were the responsibility of the provincial government. At no point did they discuss supporting or, better, strengthening school boards in their role of supporting local schools. This is reflected in their education policies, as posted on their websites. The candidates recommend engaging directly with parents and students, when it is usually the school boards that should provide that link. They talk about negotiating with unions, when that had been the role of school boards. They talk about improving communication and openness, and while the provincial ministry has room for improvement, this is where the school boards must also take action. If the leadership candidates see the role of the provincial government overlapping the role of elected school boards, that leaves little room for the school boards to take ownership of their responbilities.

Trustee elections are notoriously apathetic. In 2007, over 60% of trustee candidates were acclaimed and in 2010, 47% of candidate were acclaimed. Voter turnout is lower for trustee candidates than most others in the municipal elections. It is possible that the general electorate doesn’t see the importance of school boards any more than the PC leadership candidates do. But Gary Mar explains in his education policy why they’re important: “[L]ocally elected school boards … endeavour to find local solutions to local education issues.”

There is no one-size-fits-all education system that will work equally well in Calgary, Brooks, Hinton and Athabasca. That’s why locally-elected school boards must be given the space and support to adapt to the needs of the teachers, parents and students who function within the local system. The government could improve “outcomes” by strengthening local democracy, then engaging boards to provide the support that is required locally. Instead, it looks like the provincial government is destined to continue encroaching on the responsibilities of school boards until they become irrelevant.

Once upon a time, political candidates didn’t need websites in order to run a successful campaign. Those days have passed, and we now expect each leadership candidate to have a website for those engaged citizens who want more than the newspaper soundbites. So, let’s quickly glance at how much each of the candidates have on their websites with regards to K-12 education.

Alison Redford has the most detailed website policy statement at 1326 words divided into seven different educational issues. These include: Putting students first, core strengths, no on no-fail, open doors always, special-needs students, schools and the community, and funding for schools.

Doug Griffiths, an award winning teacher, also has a detailed policy backgrounder of 778 words (after taking out the third section on post-secondary education). This includes ten specific ideas and examples of things he would change or improve. He also has a two and a half minute video summarizing his policy.

Gary Mar has a fairly detailed K-12 education policy with a press release of 466 words and a policy backgrounder of 612 words. The policy is composed of three parts: Ensuring students are prepared to compete, enhancing student success, and stable funding for a stronger classroom.

Doug Horner has a nine-point platform for his enhanced education policy of 565 words. Horner also has his platform open to questions and comments on the actual policy page to further the discussion.

Rick Orman has four commitments in his 183 word vision for K-12 education.

Ted Morton does not currently have K-12 education as part of “Ted’s Plan”, but his website states that he will be continually releasing his platform over the course of the campaign. Perhaps we may see it in the future.

Quantity by no means implies quality, but a quick glance at how much effort the candidates have put into creating a K-12 education policy does give an indication as to how much importance they attach to K-12 education.

How long does it take you to read 3,464 words? The future of our students may depend on it. Please inform yourselves and vote for our next premier on September 17, 2011. You can find more information about how to vote on the PC website.

If anyone is willing to do a similar series of posts for the Alberta Liberal leadership race, please contact SOFA. Unfortunately, we do not have the time to cover both races, although we encourage Albertans to inform themselves and vote for the new Alberta Liberal leader as well. (Yes, you can join as many political parties as you like.) You can find more information about the Liberal leadership contest on their website.

The Alberta Teacher’s Association recently held a Leadership Forum in Banff to discuss education in the province. 

Check out the Banff Craig & Canyon newspaper article on the forum and what was said.   You can read it by CLICKING HERE

The latest news in the PC leadership race has been regarding privately funded, privately delivered health care services. This seems to be a very polarizing issue for most people, and yet the issue of private education in Alberta barely registers on the radar. In Alberta, we have accredited private schools which are provided with 70% of the per student funding as public schools. They are then able to charge tuition on top of that. So, do we have a two tier education system? Does it really matter?

Schools are not only about acquiring academic skills. The values and characteristics of society, observed and studied within schools, form the social fabric in which we all live. These will influence our lives after most of the school lessons have been forgotten. Do we have a school system that reflects what we want our future society to be? Or are we acknowledging that some will always be more privileged than others, and that they should be able to pay for all the extras within their schools that they get outside of school. Or perhaps that the system is failing some of our students and that the only way that their needs can be met is through the private system? Education is supposed to be the great equalizer, but do we really believe that?

Let’s look at what the PC leadership candidates recently said about the issue of private school funding at a forum devoted to education recently held in Banff (in speaking order).

“ALL EDUCATIONAL DECISIONS ARE BASED IN A VIEW OF HUMANKIND.”
Paulo Freire,  Pedagogy of the Oppressed

The Four Pillars of Life

There are four basic universal components from which every human being operates at all stages of life.  They are Music,  Art,  Drama and Storytelling.  In my view, these should be the foundation on which schooling is constructed.

MUSIC

Music, the universal language, the ever-present background to our lives and entertainment, the basis of creation.  I believe everything that vibrates, down to the lowliest cell, produces music even though we can’t hear it.  Even the moon produces its own music!

ART

Everything that exists in nature, and that is created by man, involves form, color and design.  The way we dress ourselves and our homes; the products and labels we produce; the gardens and artefacts we construct; our buildings, cars, airplanes, furniture, and so on, are all art forms.

DRAMA

We are born as actors on the stage of life.  We must interact from moment to moment in an improvisational drama with whatever circumstances surround us.  Our conversations aren’t scripted and are usually not controlled or predictable.  Our lines can’t be retracted once delivered.  Life is lived without an eraser.  The best performers usually win.

STORYTELLING 

We are all storytellers, telling our stories all day long.  That’s how we communicate.  The brain stores information best in story form.  Memory workshops tell us to make a story around lists and facts if we want to remember them.  In everything from job interviews to relationships, the most convincing storyteller is usually the most successful.  When story is delivered through art, music or drama, the brain thrives and recall is greatly enhanced.

Achieving competency in each of these pillars builds the flexibility that enables each individual’s differences and strengths to flourish and to be used to master academic knowledge.

The Pillars of our Current Model

The view of human kind that our educational system espouses is directly opposite to that of the four pillars of life.  These pillars are the least valued and first to be abandoned in a financial crisis.  Rather, students are viewed as vessels to be filled so they can spew back enough information to pass tests and make their way through the maze.  The pillars are Math, Science, Social Studies and English.  These are important fields of study and are excellent ways to arrange subject matter.  Considering the Pillars of Life in delivering this subject matter would make it much easier for students to succeed.

In their Inspiring Action on Education (2011) discussion paper, Alberta Education has identified Seven Competencies that they believe, “transcend subject areas”.  These are “the foundational skills employers depend on to make our workforce innovative and productive.”  They are also linked to student “disengagement, dissatisfaction with their school experience and dropping out.”   The Competencies are:

• Critical thinking and problem solving
• Creativity and Innovation
• Social Responsibility and Cultural, Global and Environmental Awareness
• Communication
• Digital Literacy
• Lifelong Learning, Self-Direction and Personal Management
• Collaboration and Leadership

In my view, these can only be achieved using the Four Pillars of Life as the method of delivering academic learning.

Time is the Coin we have to Spend

How many people have wasted many of the best hours of the day, during the formative years of their lives, being forced to sit in classrooms that are not meeting their needs but that may, in fact, be destroying the strengths and talents that would enable them to lead successful lives?  The only thing that counts in our current out-dated model of education is to avoid failure by getting good grades.  So everyone must be fed the same diet so they can pass the same tests. 

Let’s resolve to make the moments of our students lives interesting, challenging and filled with wonder at the great world we inhabit in an incredibly complex universe.

Respectfully submitted by   
Vera Goodman,  B.Ed, M.A.     

Vera is a Calgary based educator and best selling author.  She is also a SOFA executive member.  If you would like to connect with her, please do so via email at  vera@readingwings.com or website at www.readingwings.com

Sam Gregory was one of the original founders of Save Our Fine Arts in October of 2009.  He is also an honors with distinction grade 12 high school student here in Calgary. 

The Calgary Herald recently recognized Sam for being a ‘Class Act’.  To read the full article, please CLICK HERE.

Congratulations Sam, and all the best in your final exams over the next few weeks!

The United States President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities released a report today called, “Re-investing in Arts Education.”   It credits fine arts education with better attendance, fewer discipline problems, increased graduation rates, higher academic achievement and significant impact on brain development to name a few positives.

In the Executive Summary of the above report, it lists 5 actions that need to be taken to ensure a comprehensive, well rounded education.  They are as follows:

1. Build collaborations among different approaches
2. Develop the field of arts integration.
3. Expand in-school opportunities for teaching artists.
4. Utilize federal and state policies to reinforce the place of arts in K-12 education.
5. Widen the focus of evidence gathering about arts education.

If you are interested in reading the full report, please CLICK HERE.  To learn more about the U.S. President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities, please click on the following link:  http://www.pcah.gov/

We can only hope that our Alberta Government officials, including the next Premier and MLA’s read the full report and take decisive action to provide further support to fine arts education in Alberta.

SOFA is pleased to advise that a number of key recommendations from the Calgary Board of Education (CBE) Fine Arts Task Force have been approved by all the Superintendents.

As you may recall from an earlier posting, Cathy Faber (Superintendent of Learning Innovation) formed a Fine Arts Task Force within the Board late last year to review, “… the philosophy and direction of Fine Arts Education in Alberta with specific focus on the implications and management of the Instrumental Music Program from Kindergarten to Grade 12 within the Calgary Board of Education (CBE).”

With input from a number of key stakeholders including two SOFA executive committee members  (Lyle Bennett, and Sam Gregory), the task force came up with four recommendations for CBE Superintendents to consider:

• Develop a Standard of Music Instrumentation
• Establishment of an Education Standing Offer (ESO) Process for the Purchasing, Renting, Maintaining and Repairing Instruments
• Implement a Centrally Managed Musical Instrument Inventory System
• Create a full-time Centralized Technical Support Position to help manage the above

On May 16th, 2011, Cathy Faber and members of the task force presented a report outlining the above recommendations to Superintendents at the CBE.  Following a discussion, the report was fully endorsed.

If you are interested in reading an Executive Summary of the above report, please CLICK HERE.  To learn more about the CBE’s Fine Arts Task Force, please visit their website at www.cbefinearts.org.

 We are thrilled with the progress made by the task force and by the acceptance of the above report by the Superintendents.  Further, we look forward to continued dialogue with the CBE on other fine arts education initiatives.

On Saturday, May 28th, the Alberta Party held their first leadership convention in Edmonton at the Shaw Conference Center.    For more information on the convention, CLICK HERE.

Congratulations to Glenn Taylor for winning the leadership race!  SOFA looks forward to discussing education with you in the near future.