Thank your teachers

Teen Pregnancy - (non-medical decisions)

2012-01-23T15:46:00.000-08:00

Teen Pregnancy - Part Two (non-medical decisions)

Jan 23, 2012

Part Two of a two-part Justice for Children and Youth blogpost on teen pregnancy looks at legal issues with adoption, legal issues with custody and access, and when Children's Aid might get involved when young parents are caring for a baby. There are resources listed for further information on these topics.

There are two parts to Kiran’s decision-making about the pregnancy: medical decisions, and non-medical decisions (like adoption, involving Rick in the pregnancy, and supporting a baby). Last week’s post covered Kiran’s medical rights and decisions – today’s post is about her non-medical decisions and providing care for a baby. This post does not include information about receiving financial support, such as government benefits or child support, for a baby.

Safe Snacks

2012-01-21T11:08:00.000-08:00

During my teaching career we faced a number of biopsychosocial issues. An educator with an holistic approach I taught the whole child. The most difficult issue to deal with seemed to be the increased number of students with allergies. Some principals came down hard and over protected students. They demanded that the entire school change its policy and, for parents, lunch time and 'nutritional breaks', became a hardship.

It is difficult to find safe snacks. This site offers more information: peanutallergy.com. Some schools have created peanut-free classrooms, others have gone to the extreme of keeping potentially dangerous snacks out of schools totally. In my experience, I think the latter is a dangerous way to go. In one gr. 6 homeroom class I had two children with anaphylactic allergies. The one mother, a nurse, taught us to use the epipens in a staff meeting. She was confident in the community to support and protect her child. She taught him to look out for himself and protect himself. While we looked out for one another, ultimately it is up t the young person to be ever vigilant. Society will not protect them - they must learn coping skills. It is a life lesson this mom taught her son. The other mom, not quite so confident in the infrastructure, overprotected her son. He was afraid to run around the school yard during gym class without his fanny pack with his epipens. It was difficult to watch him.

One mom helped me publish this list of safe snacks. I hope it helps.

This has been compiled by an OCDSB.ca employee and mother of a child with nut allergies. There are numerous sites related to this health issue. A Calgary teacher's site offers more information, too! Hoang added some .gifs for us!

BETTY CROCKER

Dunkeroo's /Fruit Roll Ups / Gushers
Fruit by the Foot
Lucky Charm Fruit Snacks
Scooby-Do Fruit Snacks
Sodalicious, Mickey Mouse Fruity Peel-Outs or Princess Rolls
Cake Mixes (check labels, if it does not say "May Contain" then it is safe.)
Icing ( check label if it does not say "May Contain" then it is safe)

KELLOGG'S

Nutri-Grain Bars (apple, cinnamon, cherry, mixed berry, raspberry
Strawberry, blueberry)
Nutri &endash;Grain Twists (plain raspberry, strawberry. Blueberry,
Blueberry cream cheese & raspberry cream cheese)
Pop Tarts
Rice Krispie Squares (plain & New! Chocolate caramel )
Milk Crunch bars (cocoa & milk)

MOTT'S FRUITSATIONS

Original, Apple Cinnamon, Pear Apple, Banana Apple, Strawberry
Apple, Raspberry Apple, Mango Peach

NO NAME (yellow and black )

Zoo Animal Fruit Snacks
NEW! Chocolate Snack cakes (1/2 rounds, whole rounds)
Club Pack Cheddar Cheese Snack Crackers
Club Pack Snack Crackers (plain)
Fruit Rolls
Sugar Wafers
Ginger Snaps
Rice Cakes
Puddings (vanilla, butterscotch, chocolate, lemon, banana)
Fruit Cups (peaches, pears, fruit salad)
Cookies (Fudge striped shortbread, Social tea biscuits, Honey grahams)

CHRISTIE'S CRACKERS:

Crispers (original, bbq, ranch, salt and vinegar, all dressed)
Cheese Bits
Sociables, Toppable, Swiss Cheese, vegetable Thins
Triscuit (original, 50% less fat)
Ritz (original, 50%less fat, real cheddar cheese, mini ritz
bites (NON OF THE RITZ SANDWICHES ARE SAFE!!!!!)
Premium Plus, Oat Thins, Wheat Thins
Stoned Wheat Thins (regular and Bell Pepper)

COOKIES:

(MINI PACK ARE NOT SAFE PLEASE READ LABELS!!!!!)

Chips Ahoy, Chunks Ahoy, Chewy Chips Ahoy
Teddy Grahams ( regular and chocolate chip)
New! Melting Moments (triple chocolate chunk, oatmeal-raisin)
Fudgee-O (regular and doublestuff)
Oreo (regular and double stuff) (mini oreos may contain peanuts)
Arrowroot, Coffee breaks, Fig Newtons, Chocolate Wafers

SNACKWELL'S

Potato Thins (cheddar and sour cream, original with sea salt, BBQ,
Sour cream and onion)
Sandwich Cookies (with fudge, with crème, with mint)
Cracked Pepper Crackers
Mint Cream Cookies

PC ( PRESIDENTS CHOICE)

Crisp and Thin Crackers (half the fat, regular, vegetable, butter,
Reduced fat , wheat)
Classic Crackers (cheese, regular)
Snax (vegetable, wheat )
Low fat Snack Crackers (wheat and sesame, wheat and onion, wheat)
Woven Wheats (regular, 50% less salt)
Apple Street ( just aples, sweet apples, apple cinnamon, apple strawberry, apple banana, apple cranberry/raspberry)
Rice Cakes
Peppercorn Ranch Chippers (original, salt and vinegar, BBQ)
Fruit Bars (apple, raspberry, peach apricot, fig, whole wheat figs

Bullying in schools by principals

2011-12-21T09:33:00.000-08:00

I would say that this is an issue that will never go away.
In Canada, we are hearing stories about bullying and harassment by male RCMP officers, towards females. Workplace bullying, especially after the stories of student bullying, are increasingly in the media. I do not believe that this is anything new. Always it was so, bullies found any chink in one's armor. You were too short, too young, too old, stupid, smart, skinny, fat. They beat you up to build themselves up. Homophobia seems to be a small part of this. The result, in young people in schools, is depression and suicide. The result in the workplace is unproductive workers, lost work time, overuse of the healthcare system, and it takes a toll on employee, colleagues, staff and the public. Stress, lack of confidence, mistrust, anger, and angst.

It happens in all workplaces, from nursing (Rowe, M & Sherlock, H 2005, ‘Stress and verbal abuse in nursing: Do burned out nurses eat their young?’, Journal of Nursing Management, vol. 13, pp. 242-248.) to the public law enforcement institutions we have grown to depend upon:

Female Mountie (RCMP) alleges she worked in 'fear'

I have had a comment or two on this blog about teachers facing bullying by school principals, those who act as bosses, rather than leaders. This many years later, I still have nightmares about one principal, whom we called 'The Princess'.

Content to bully anyone she felt in her way, or who threatened her, she would yell at the alleged offenders in the hallway, in the office, or in the very public staffroom, whether parents were near-by or not. The Princess yelled at me, other staff, the Family Council chair.

When upset with something I had done, I demanded union representation. She told me she would then discipline me in the hall. My peers witnessed this, and were shocked. There was no evidence of assisting me in improving my teaching practice, only to punish, coerce, and look good at the Board office.
She favoured the younger, more malleable teachers over the rest of us.
She allowed favoured staff to control budgets, text books, organise fun events, which led to issues that resulted in ramifications for the rest of us.

She favoured the male teachers who were aspiring to be principals. Punishing me by changing my classroom and/or assignments 4 years in a row, it came to a head one year. She lost her temper in public, walked out of the school during the awards assembly, in a tantrum, leaving the rest of us to cope.

The Princess undermined my authority as a teacher, as did several principals. The new notion, about how desperately children need more exercise, has resulted in principals sending kids out for recess who have been kept in for extra help. Am I old-fashioned? Should an education preclude exercise, since many of these kids were active after school, and in organised sport? I made a decision, and even the students felt she was wrong.

Principals who bully do not hesitate to emotionally push and shove their teachers, but also their support staff. For example, the school Meal Program workers, custodians or Family Council parent reps.

There are ways to protect yourself

I went through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), seeking counselling. My counsellor's comment? "Principal bullying seems to be on the rise. I have several clients complaining about this."
Keep an Aide Memoir. Write down each incident, with time, location, specific words said, and witnessed. Print it, keep it at home. Give it to your superintendent. I did. It then went to the Safe Schools department at the board office, where the case was said to fail to meet the requirements of harassment policy and procedures. There was no gender, race, or age bias. (We were both women, both white, and I was only older by about 10 years.)
Take time off. My adequate employee evaluation was not affected, but my students deserved having their teacher happy, supported, and healthy.
Get medical help.
Look after your physical well-being. My health suffered. Look out for signs of depression or PTSD. Exercise, get massage therapy, learn relaxation techniques, eat properly.
Transfer schools if you can – although that nearly backfired as The Princess was transferred to a school beside my new one!
Talk to your union. They were no help in my case. They did not know what to do about her, or with me. Transfer was their solution, yet The Princess affected school morale, the work climate, and student behaviour.
Fifteen Signs of Workplace Bullying

Resources
There are laws in the province of Ontario. It is a universal issue, and one which must be addressed. You can read a case study from South Africa here.

Bill 168 - Occupational Health and Safety Amendment Act (Violence and Harassment in the Workplace), 2009

Occupational Health and Safety Act

Health and Safety Associations and other health and safety organizations

Rowell, P 2005, ‘Being a target at work: Or William Tell and how the apple felt’, Journal of Nursing Administration, vol. 35, no. 9, pp. 377-379.
Salin, D 2003, ‘Ways of explaining workplace bullying: A review of enabling, motivating and precipitating structures and processes in the work environment’, Human Relations, vol. 56, no. 10, pp. 1213-1232.
Sweet, M 2005, ‘Beating Bullying’, Australian Nursing Journal, vol. 12 (1), pp. 16-19.
[PDF] Workplace Bullying [Excellent resource] Workplace bullying, a form of interpersonal aggression, is not a new phenomenon.

Dear Ann Landers – you were right. Life isn't fair!

2011-12-21T08:01:00.000-08:00

Another 'Dear Abby' gem!
I used these with my Creative Writing classes!

A teache roften acts a a wise and judicious parent. Also, pyschologist, social worker, and so on.
I put many posters up in my classrooms. Here are two.

10 Reasons for Swearing caused a lot of laughter.
I recall walking into the weight lifting section of the gym one year. Two young men were using the "F" word every other word, as adjective, verb and noun. I walked over and told them that I had heard that word all day in the playyard and was really sick of it. They stopped. (You have to teach people how to treat you!)
Two weeks later I walked in, same two men, and one said, "Shhh! It's the teacher!" and I had a peaceful half hour doing my workout!

The famous *Ann Landers column below...
she had wise words for all of us. This has been ripped off and attributed to various people, e.g., Bill Gates, but I saved the clipping from an ancient posting while I was teaching.

Life is Not Fair
Rule 1: Life is not fair – get used to it.
Rule 2: The real world won’t care as much about your self-esteem as your school does.
Rule 3: Sorry, you will NOT make $40,000 a year right out of high school.
Rule 4: If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.
Rule 5: Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. It's called opportunity.

And so on...

Ann Landers was a pen name created by Chicago Sun-Times advice columnist Ruth Crowley in 1943 and taken over by Eppie Lederer in 1955.

Behaviour charts

2011-12-21T04:05:00.000-08:00

I read an interesting comment the other day about a negative teacher attitude towards behaviour charts.
I am all for them. With all the kids with whom I have dealt over the years, a chart takes some teacher time, but it really works well to allow the child to realize that they have had some success.

lessons for educators

The negative behaviours are ignored, and the positive ones are encouraged.
Despite the laissez-faire attitudes on the part of some adults towards children, when they know better they do better.

With all the focus on bullying in schools, this type of behaviour chart will encourage kids to understand the impact on those around them, it will improve the way others treat them, and school climate will therefore improve.

I have had a lot of success with students using such charts. Behaviour modification is an easy way to encourage and reward expected behaviours. It improves the classroom climate, as well, as the other students notice when a child gets attention for negative behaviour.

Behaviour ManagementTeacher Guide (a 5-page handout from my two-semester teaching student teachers at uOttawa).

Behaviour Chart for Primary Students (Gr. 1-4)

Behaviour Management Plan for Junior Students (Gr. 3-6)

Behaviour Chart forMiddle School (Gr. 6-8) - this chart I have adapted from one the school coach created. She demanded that kids earn the right to play on teams. No matter how gifted the athlete, she showed them that she expected them to do their school work, cooperate with staff, get along well with others, and earn the right to represent the school in the community.

This is how I managed the interjections of a students who ended up learning self-control. He felt good about himself when he did so. He told me his dad taught him to put an elastic band on his wrist when disciplining himself to refrain from speaking out.

We were planning to make a board game. In the meantime, one student needed to use the 5 paperclip method of self-control. He was allowed 5 interjections (one per paperclip) during the class. We had much fun, and he did very well. Originally filmed in 2004, this is the way to handle the class clown.

Bullying programs

2011-12-17T10:59:00.000-08:00

There is much to learn about bullying. It begins with the office, includes principal, other staff, teachers, bullies, and ends with the bystanders.
It especially includes principals who bully.

Bully for you

As Ontario ponders legislation to get tough on bullies in schools, researchers know more than ever about why kids behave like mini Machiavellis - and what can be done about it, writes Joanne Laucius

If the secretary is rude to visitors within the principal's hearing, it's usually a sign that the climate in the school allows the staff to be disrespectful to each other and the students, she says. And that gives the students permission to undermine each other.

One of the programs that has proven effective is WITS, which encourages students who are bullied to Walk Away, Ignore, Talk It Out and Seek Help. Developed by University of Victoria psychologist Dr. Bonnie Leadbeater, WITS is being used in a pilot program in partnership with the RCMP to prevent bullying in elementary schools.

Healthcare in Toronto Schools

2011-12-11T06:25:00.000-08:00

An excellent article, with good news.

A bold inner-city project brings medical care to kids at school

From the Toronto Star

One half day each week during the school year, physicians, pediatric specialists, a multilingual clinic coordinator and teachers work as a team to help families navigate language, financial, cultural and work barriers between them and the provincial health system.

The two-year project, a first in Ontario, came about in part as a result of disturbing numbers that emerged during hearing and vision screenings across Toronto public schools: 26 per cent of inner-city students either did not have valid OHIP cards (often they had expired) or had no health insurance at all.

Another finding, one year into the project: acute infections are common but learning disabilities and increasingly, a range of mental health issues, are also being detected. Early detection is a critical first step in obtaining specialized diagnosis and treatment for conditions like ADHD or autism.

Dress codes for students

2011-12-01T06:56:00.000-08:00

Many, many schools are responsible for developing, creating and maintaining a dress code for young people who are unable to make wise decisions about what to wear! This is appropriate. Many school councils help establish a dress code. Lakehead District, TorontoDSB, PDF files: OCDSB, Simcoe Catholic schools.

In some cases, parents leave the house before their children, in others the children undress, or peel off layers to reveal unseen fashion statements. The recent trials involving cultural clashes, and a family (father, mother, son) who allegedly murdered their daughters whom they felt went beyond traditional values in terms of dress, demonstrate how strongly we must protect our children. Unfortunately, the media attention for this trial puts the wrong perspective on freedom to wear anything we want.

In my teaching career I have taken our dress codes seriously, and find that many students do not understand it. As pop stars began to wear midriff-baring tops, and low cut pants, it revealed a whole new look with the young people. I was in high school in the mini-skirt era and it wasn't pretty!
There are several issues that concern me:

Do you want your child's male teacher ogling her as she languorously stretches, in the full knowledge of what she is doing?
Do you want your sons watching the same move?
Does your child understand that the way s/he presents his/herself in public tells a lot about them.

Dress codes are not limited to students. You cannot enter a place of work, attend a business or casual function without being aware that there are (or should be) dress codes. The sleazy, flesh-revealing, haute couture styles seen on anorexic models simply do not work for the majority of women in the majority of public places. Age-appropriate dress codes apply, as well. With body piercings, that truly gross me out when faced with this in servers or wait staff, I think we must reflect. I have found that staff members with body piercings influence the students to try this out for themselves, too!

Out of respect, staff members need some internal monitoring system. In the new casual dress policies of the workplace, young educators need some guidance. I often ask students if they want me coming to school inappropriately dressed? How gross would that be?

I had to counsel one of my student teachers, who wore low-cut pants that revealed plumber's crack. It was simply gross.

I watched a young gr. 6 student who would roll down her yoga pants, while wearing a shortly cropped shirt, and stretch her arms ups, while the boys ogled her. Not only did she violate the dress code, but she engaged in behaviour that took away from classroom curriculum, abusing an occasional teacher, and convincing another student to steal. She was a pistol!

To be in school, as in the workplace, there is a purpose that is hijacked if one is busy working on a persona, not on who they really are. We had punks in middle school who insisted on wearing their gang colours, and that issue had to be dealt with. Some young men like to wear outfits with slang, sexual innuendo, inappropriate language, and off-colour jokes. The young people are told to turn their t-shirts inside out, or they are sent home.

No student was hurt by hearing the word no. It is a good lesson to learn!

Countdown ideas for teachers during this holiday season

2011-12-01T06:41:00.000-08:00

I follow a couple of Ottawa bloggers. I read and write about politics, local education news, healthcare issues, as well as having fun sharing photos of cottage country in south east Ontario.
Many cultures have count down celebrations in December, like the lighting of the Menorah in Judaism. I have spent many a wonderful December having students share their traditions, culture and values around this time of year. From pagan festivals, to Eid-ul-fitr.

Many kindergarten and grade 1 classes count up to the 100th day of school. When I taught a split-grade class we were Reading Buddies with a French kindergarten. It was one of the best projects I have ever undertaken. My gr. 4/5s created skits, songs, and poems about the 100th day. We performed them for our buddies.

I found a great idea by an Ottawa news blogger:

@glengower Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Director of Game Entertainment for the @nhl_sens. I own and edit @ottawastart. I play the piano.This is a largely fictional account of my life.

He is a parent of young children and decided, rather that the $0.99 advent calendar with the Cheapmart chocolate inside, he was going to make a fun countdown project for his kids. Older siblings, as well as partnered classes, can help out.

This works for Chinese New Year, Hannukah, and any other celebrations we talk about in our classrooms.

Don't you love it?

Many thanks to Glen Gower for permission to share his photo!

Writing in the Information Age

2011-11-25T05:18:00.000-08:00

How many short stories have you written in the past six months? As adults 80% of writing consists of expository writing. We write most often for a purpose: to communicate information, to ask questions, to make reports and to interact with colleagues. In the Information Age, for business and pleasure, we more often communicate electronically with colleagues, friends and family.

It is in the reading and responding to text that we create writing opportunities for students who may be reluctant to put pen to paper. The role of the teacher in the Information Age is to guide students in communication skills, which will help them fully function in a language and communication-based economy. Young people are more than facile with electronic communication and they are not afraid to try any new technological development. In fact, educators, such as Burke (2003), believe that using digital technology can help us communicate in layers of understanding that carries a far more creative opportunity.

We know from brain research (Jensen, Caine, Greenwood, Nunley) that when we integrate brain functions we create dendritic connections that reinforce learning and make learning easier. Expository writing incorporates data, information, knowledge and leads to a deeper understanding by linking linguistic meanings to graphic representations. This holistic integration transforms the learner from a passive writer to a creator. Anchored in specific, authentic writing tasks, students can be encouraged to refine writing skills by incorporating digital technology into permanent records of their work.

Writing in the Information Age

With the advent of the Information Age, educators have realized whole new worlds that are open to them. Digital communication links learners to other learners. It provides an avenue for linking us globally on the Information Highway, creating multicultural respect, and understanding of diversity and opportunities for educators to facilitate tolerance. While much has been written in the inequities of the current economic climate, there are many opportunities for technosavy educators to take advantage of technological advances and create opportunities for growth. We are increasingly limited by cutbacks to human and financial resources. Initiatives paid for by the PT3 grants have diminished as this program winds down. Universities are exploring new opportunities such as laptops, which sit on moveable carts, moving around schools on a rotational basis. Other faculties have created mentoring programs with the intent of increasing the integration of technology.

Technology Integration

At the 2003 SITE Conference, keynote speaker Dr. MD Roblyer asked, “If technology is the answer, what is the question?” The integration of technology into our writing is multisensory, inclusive, symbolic, interactive and universal in its design. It establishes a student’s work as a meaningful representation of their knowledge and understandings. Using technology enables students to work at their own pace as they undertake projects which integrate subjects, create relationships amongst concepts, participate in flexible groupings, and collaborate and communicate with one another.

semantic organisers

For or these reasons I have chosen to use technology with my elementary students as a major focus of our regular work. The bulk of the work students have created is an e-portfolio of their creative and expository writings, their major project presentations, derived from Social Studies, Science, Arts and Language Arts work. They create graphic representations of their knowledge and connect left and right brain work in meaningful ways.

Authentic Writing Opportunities

Will multimedia, technology-based opportunities create authentic writing opportunities for our students? I believe it will. As we begin to collect more data on the use of computer technology and come to a greater understanding of and further interpretations of pedagogy, we are realizing that we are not making students smarter by giving them more time on a computer. In the Postmodernist Era this is simply not enough. Our notion of education and learning and curriculum design must and will change if we want to move into the Information Age. We must critically reflect on where we are heading in using technology in our schools.

The manner in which we will implement computers and create programs for our elementary students has a profound impact on both the student and the teacher. Our students have access to drag and drop applications and voice-activated computers are just down the road. We must prepare students for the learning process, not just to fill them like vessels with facts. We must challenge our students in new ways by encouraging them to use digital technology to help them construct meaning.

Many parents I speak to insist that we develop their child's computer skills, often at the expense of other skills. They feel that the computer skills they require in the workplace must be taught at an earlier age. I believe we need to teach our students how to learn, as much as how to use our minds. Costa's Developing Minds, as quoted in Senge (1991), supported by work in chapter 13, The Good Thinker, identifies Intellectual Behaviours which demand that we develop in our student's minds these skills:

persistence, self-control, listening skills, flexibility in thinking, metacognition, a quest for accuracy and precision, the ability to question, assimilating past knowledge and experiences, ingenuity, originality, insightfulness: creativity, precision of language and thought, multisensory data-gathering, humour, wonderment, inquisitiveness and curiosity, co-operative thinking and social intelligence.

Senge (1991)

Technology-based writing opportunities create problem solvers and thinkers as they rise to the challenge of communication literacy.

E-Portfolios

To require students to record their activities on an e-portfolio ensures that they are motivated to do work at home, to do reading and writing in order to be prepared for the activities of the next day. Research abounds on the benefits of Multimedia, web-based projects that require students to provide evidence of their learning. These activities, if properly scaffolded, provide for authentic writing opportunities for learners. Students are carefully guided in word processing their expository and creative writing. They learn to edit for meaning, using that wonderful little spell check tool, creating graphics, spreadsheets, graphing data, writing scripts, connecting the visual to text and learning to use encoding tools which make their web page work much easier.

Discovering American Memory

The case for e-portfolios is a strong one. More and more pre-service teachers are required to prepare portfolios. The collection of various artifacts, the overviews and the reflection on learning, provides a summative assessment of progress for both student and teacher. (See Ice Storm '98 examples!)

Web Page Content

Student e-portfolios can be any combination of activities. Clagget, for example, encourages students to draw their vocabulary words, creating visual representations of their understanding of the written word. I have found that students are eager to digitally record events, report on its success, review the event for its meaning and purpose, and create scripts and voiceovers for iMovies and photogalleries.

Students can create visual essays, develop literacy narratives, create digital storytelling, use the web to reflect in literature circles, perform graphic note-taking, document science experiments, After students participate in a workshop, review a movie or view an Arts performance, they have an opportunity to write a commentary. There are several ways to do this. I tend to use a number of templates which enable even the weakest writer to create a critical reflection of an event. More able writers need not depend upon this.

This is one way to archive student work
and create e-portfolios!

Norton-Meier, in “To Efoliate or Not To Efoliate? The Rise of the Electronic Portfolio in Teacher Education”, says that we must be vigilant and ensure that content is pruned and weeded. Incorporating digital images into their work provides logographic cues to the reader and the writer, for a good part of writing is writing for a purpose; to communicate information, to connect meaning and to reflect on their thoughts and their work.

Planning

Preparing student to write is an important aspect of their projects. Pre-writing strategies vary with projects but require the use of thinking skills to critically reflect upon their work and to choose their communication strategies, whether it be text or graphically-based. This motivates students to go to the word processor and plan, write, collaborate and rewrite. Sometimes it is a simple mind map of connecting thoughts and ideas, which they coordinate at the keyboard.

Reluctant writers know that their ticket into the computer lab is a plan, either a webbing of ideas, an outline, a prepared first or final draft which they can edit to present to the world. This is a strong motivator for students who are anxious to put fingers to keyboards. Students have often e- mailed first drafts to me in order to spend more time fine tuning details in our precious computer lab periods.

Assessment

Assessment consists of prepared rubrics designed to give student the opportunity to self and peer-assess. Students create a writing plan, web, outline, draft or good copy of their work wither on paper or on the computer. Their work is created in our word processing program (Appleworks) and then it is handed in to the “hand-in” folder on the schools LAN server. The teacher can request hard copy print-outs, as well, while not saving paper, saving time in front of the computer screen and allowing the teacher to revise and edit at their leisure.

After word processing a project or piece of writing, students convert files to HTML and this can be placed on their web pages. The teacher, as web weaver, is responsible for ensuring that work meets the standards of school board policy. Students may not provide identifying information; nor can they put individual photos on their web pages, which may lead to identification by strangers. It is best to be very aware of school board policy in this regard. Internet safety is a new worry in this era. It is up to teachers to educate students on safe internet practices, rather than relying on artificial net minder devices.

Peer assessment is in ongoing process. Students are eager to share new ideas and peer tutor others as they master new skills. Parents can review progress at any time. We regularly provide feedback as we reflect on our work. Their work is public and this allows for easy peer tutoring, as students refine and revise work. Students to do student-led conferencing at home and e-mail work to friends and families. I would suggest that you explore the possibilities of e-portfolios for all of your students. It is a thoughtful, transformative method of engaging even the most reluctant learners. While the computer and technology are only tools, they are a means by which teachers can provide rich opportunities for growth.

There are many on-line rubric makers that enable the teacher to assess and evaluate student progress. Contact your Board’s IT personnel to get help. A quick on-line Google search will give you formatting help. Assessment should be on-going, developmental and should lead the learner towards improving the mechanics and the content of their work.

The 'S' words add depth to writing

Marking Work

When preparing the students for assessment, the actual marking can be time consuming. My practice was to have students mark each other's work. The purpose in this is three-fold. Firstly, I ensure that a strong student marks the work of a weaker student, and vice versa. The stronger students get a better understanding of their peers, and builds their self-esteem. The less able writers can see what quality work looks like. 'When we know better we do better!'

Secondly, this saves much time for the teacher and gives me more time to assist those who need my help.

Thirdly, peer tutoring usually ensues, as a student can give gentle reminders of ways to improve writing skills, without the teacher (with her proverbial red pen) having to render judgement on the student. It appears to relive much pressure in the classroom. It must be said, however, that some students may have to be taught how to respectfully give suggestions for improvement. Also, I ask them to choose to mention only three ways to improve the writing, while outlining three things the writer did well. This gives a balance, and encouragement to the struggling writer.

References

1. Burke, J. (2003). English Teachers Companion. Second Edition. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

2. Clagget, F. (1992). Drawing Your Own Conclusions. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

3. Kajder, S. The Tech Savvy English Classroom.

http://www.people.virginia.edu/~sbk8q/techsavvyenglish/

4. Norton-Meier, L.A. (2003) “To Efoliate or Not To Efoliate? The Rise of the Electronic Portfolio in Teacher Education”. Found at: www.readingonline.org/newliteracies/jaal/3- 03_column/ , March 18th, 2004.

5. Nunley, K. www.brains.org and www.help4teachers.com

6. Senge, P., et al (2000) Schools That Learn, Doubleday, Inc., NY

7. Jilks, J.A. (2003) Our class web site: www.ocdsb.edu.on.ca/mandweb/jilks

8. www.jilks.com

9. Digital Resources http://www.teacherlink.org/content/social/

10. WebQuest: Who Wants to Be a Pioneer?

http://www.teacherlink.org/content/social/instructional/pioneer/home.html

11. Rubric-builder: http://landmark-project.com/rubric_builder/index.php

e-Portolios for student work

2011-11-25T05:17:00.000-08:00

This is one way to publicly celebrate student work. For student-led conferences I have assigned students the task of reviewing their e-portfolio with their parents.

This is one way to archive student work
and create e-portfolios!

In this way parents can compare their student's work with others and have a better understanding of what quality work truly looks like.

My class web page was organised this way:
The hotlinks are easy to navigate.

Assignment directions are archived here

On another file, I created a list of assignments, and allowed families to access the projects and the rubrics themselves.

rubric of expectations provides goals

Drama, role play, emotions with preschoolers

2011-11-24T04:32:00.000-08:00

We are having much fun with our granddaughters. Ages 4 and 1, it is a great time to have simple play.
Josephine (4) has been taught not to grab a toy from her little sister, Isabelle (1), but to find another toy and exchange. The beauty of this is that young Isabelle has been doing the same with her big sister.

While we are a high-tech family, we find much fun in drama.

We made a fun cat mask last week. Simple, with a few materials.
Drama and role play can be fun, too.

We were sitting on the front deck, talking about emotions. Young kids must be able to identify their feelings, especially with a sibling around.
I asked Josephine to show me: how you feel when...

you meet someone new

you feel sad

you get a birthday present

Mommy says NO!

Isabelle steals your toy

You have a bad dream

you're making a plan

you see a scary movie

We do a lot of dress-up, too. Used clothing stores have been so fun!
I videotaped the Royal Wedding, and we wore hats, gloves, and watched in fun!

Home Day Care Crafts

2011-11-21T02:25:00.001-08:00

Isabelle having lunch

I drove the car the hour and a half into the Otto Subaru dealership for a major tune-up. Winter approacheth and rural driving requires a vehicle be kept in shape.

Subaru told me it would be 5 hours for this big tune-up.
They were having fun doing an art project. I was inspired.

I phoned my son-in-law, and asked if he would take in an orphan for the duration. Ma Mére, his mom, was babysitting. I phoned in desperation, hoping someone would babysit *me*!

Like this, Gramma!

With my daughter off on a trip to Washington, studying 'Construction Dewatering' (I kid you not–she's a hydrogeologist!), my son-in-law ('Papa') is working from home as an encryption engineer consultant.

Ma Mére was busy making grilled cheese for them all. (I was still full from my breakfast!) Papa was on a conference call.

We raided Mummy's make-up drawer!

Josephine wanted to make a cat mask. That was right up my alley! I have three degrees in people, B.A. (ECE), B.Ed., and M.Ed.! I can use my skills and training! I so prefer Home Day Care, non-profit day care, nursery schools for preschoolers. In the safety and intimacy of home day care, with caring, licenced professionals, kids thrive. I am against putting kids in school institutional settings in full-day kindergarten. With pupil/teacher ratios that border on criminal, the Home Day Care ratios of 1:5, or public Day Care's 1:8, preschoolers have the opportunity to thrive in an atmosphere love and family. Education is such a political thing.

It's a cute little project, from a 'workbook' one of the grammas gave her. Me, Ma Mére, who knows! We love spotting good buys at craft stores, the second hand stores, used book sales, garage sales!

Jofee wanted green whiskers,
she cut them herself.
Motivated, she will be 4 on December 9th!

The sheet has a list at the bottom of materials we needed. This is far more organised than I was doing art with my students. I used to find some interesting materials, pine cones, bits of material from crafty parents, felt, and cheap materials. Then present them to my class. Some bright light would create a brilliant model, others would create an individual art project that didn't look like any one else's project.

I loved having open-ended art like this. Kindergarten teachers spend much time pre-cutting materials, ensuring that each craft looks the same. That isn't art. That is structured activity.

We discussed the lesson plan.
I suggested that while the cat in the sample was black,
our cat mask could be any colours we wished it to be!

Kids need opportunities to choose from a variety of materials, come up with a plan, invent a new idea.

Projects need not look like they are fine art, and it is the process, not the product.

Papa found some string -for those ties that bind!

Isabelle laughs at her gramma from the other end of the table!

She loves acting the part of a cat.
Jofee adores our cats, too.
The little bit of red on her cheek was a dab of ketchup! Oops.

Final project done.

Thankfully they took me in. Jofee and I had fun, while Ma Mére had fun with Isabelle.

Below is a video I made of our last forest walk.
The kids visited us and they had a sleepover!

Nothing like the shush of leaves during a forest walk.
It is so much fun being a gramma!

Teasing, Bullying and Harassment

2011-11-15T07:05:00.000-08:00

"If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem."

Questions for Student and Teacher Reflection

1. a) What is bullying? b) What is harassment? c) What is teasing?
2. a) What kind of people bully? Why? b) What kind of people harass? Why? c) What kind of people tease? Why?
3. a) I have been a victim of bullying when....
b) I have been a victim of harassment when...

c) I have been a victim of teasing when....
4. I have bullied, harasses, teased somebody when....
5. What are the consequences of a) bullying, b) harassment and c) teasing?
6. What should you do if you are a victim of bullying, harassment and teasing?
7. Where could you go for help?
8. Draw a picture of bullying, harassment and/or teasing.

9. What language can you use when faced with bullying?

Bystanders MUST speak truth to power. Those in power must respond swiftly.

When bullying becomes a mental health issues, and suicidal ideations occur, the response must be strong and sure. Those who are bullied and depressed will sink so low that they may not be able to be reached with normal interventions. One cannot control depression. I've been there in that place. You feel helpless.

When my principal bullied me in my workplace, I took leave, spoke truth to power (my superintendent) and to the safety management team. The school board first offered supports and interventions, then denied the issues. This must stop. They lost a good teacher, had to hire a supply teacher to replace me, and the workplace suffere and learning conditions were diminished.

Integrative Activities: Suggestions for Teachers

Awareness raising activities
Bullying assignment (above)
Data collection (anonymous surveys)
Sociograms of behaviour
No-blame interventions
Role play and empowerment for victims

AntiBullying Video on YouTube.

Identify the Problem and create workable solutions
The research says it must be talked about and it must be dealt with. I deal with it using cross-curricular strategies (Music/Art/Dance/Drama- M.A.D.D.)since it is such an emotional issue. Asking students to identify their perceptions of teasing, bullying, and harassment, i.e. a KWL chart, allows them to frame the problem. Students can reflect on the questions above, through oral discussions, writing activities, or by drawing their feelings, depending upon grade level.
Older students can work together to come up with definitions that mean something to them. They can fine tune their definitions on their own or do research to better understand the differences between a friend teasing and illegal activities, such as luring and harassment. Intermediate students can do research to find resources and create PowerPoint presentations suitable for younger peers. Students who are being harassed or bullied on the internet can get help in identifying the problem.
What I have found, however, is by opening the discussion with a picture book (i.e. Mean Jean the Recess Queen!), no matter the age group, discussion ensues and dialogue is generated. During drama activities by placing bullied students into the role of the bully, the bullies have a better understanding of how it feels. It has been a most successful strategy for me and mine! We take photographs to demonstrate what these three different ideas truly mean. Asking students to create a tableaux or a skit, with resolution of the dilemma, allows for student reflection on an individual basis, followed by group discussions. This will accommodate ESL, Special Needs and all learning styles, as best fits your learners. Students can develop the confidence to use language they have practiced in a safe environment.
Having bullies play the role of victim, and victims play the role of bullies helps generate opportunities for discussion.
They can show what bullying and harassment feels like and looks like. This is an opportunity for student disclose to the teacher and seek help where needed. It opens dialogue. You might find that bullies are victims, too. Many are bullied by older siblings or older students. They learn what they live. They need to unlearn these behaviours and they can.
All of us need to be given the language to deal with those who choose to be a bully. They need role plays, opportunities to practice these skills and ensure that the language is there at their disposal at the right time. The key, of course, are teachers who support them and give them these tools. Stress in the teaching profession is increasing exponentially.
Another strategy some educators use is to have the older bullies visit the primary classes to talk about and listen to the younger students concerns. They can then understand the true consequences of their actions. They discuss being safe on the school yard. What it feels like to be afraid of the big kids all the time. Within a safe environment, the victims can learn to speak up for themselves. They need to understand that physical and emotional abuse will not be tolerated.
There are gender differences in bullying. Girls tend to bully and harass indirectly, boy's bullying is more physical and direct.

Teachers
Teachers must be vigilant. They must be aware of the issues in the classroom, and on the school yard.
They must talk about this, all the time. Discuss harassment, discuss what bullying looks like, feels like, sounds like, and refuse to allow students to participate in activities that give them opportunities to harass peers. Interventions, role play, discussions about the language students use to bully one another.

They must facilitate mentoring programs, invite students to disclose safely.
They must respond swiftly to student concerns.

Principals
Principals must be swift to respond. Suspensions do not solve the problem. Interventions do. Principals must be on the schoolyard, and in the hallways. In-school sanctions can be swift and sure: denying bullies field trips, access to the play yard until they can manage to treat others with respect.

Parents
Must be involved with any technology that their child uses. They must have a Facebook account and insist that their child friends them. Go on as the family pet, and you child's friends will keep you informed, even if they block you!
They must begin to understand the applications their child uses. I learned Facebook to understand what my students were doing.
You must understand that many parents are afraid of being involved and do not want to appear ignorant. In this case encouraging a young person to tell the other child's parents can save a life. Encouraging a child to tell a teacher, or someone in authority. It is crucial.

Tips for Parents with Children on the Internet

1. Place the computer in the family room or other visible area, not in child’s bedroom.
2. Use gender-neutral screen names.
3. Talk to children about Internet safety and participate with them online. If they know more than you, let them teach you.Start when they are young.
4. Children shouldn’t believe anything said to them over the Net from an unknown source.
5. Tell children they do not have to respond to messages sent to them, whether by e-mail or instant message.
6. Children should never give out personal information, screen names, passwords or credit card information online.
7. Use a good virus detection program.
8. Supervise children’s computer usage. Don’t rely on filtering software to do the work.
9. Check the history function of your browser to see which websites your children have visited.
10. Know who your children are communicating with online. Get to know their online friends just as you would their other friends.
11. Promote an environment where your children can talk openly with you.

They must first listen, and parent their child. Then get onto the ISP sites, all have abuse intolerance policies. They must be reported.

Direct Bullying	Indirect Bullying
shoving and poking throwing things taking things slapping and hitting choking punching and kicking beatings stabbings	name-calling taunting rumour gossiping arguing others into submission threats of withdrawing friendship the silent treatment exclusion from the group

Craig and Peplar at York University (1995) employed naturalistic observation rather than self-reports to study bullying. They taped (video and audio) children in two Toronto schools, and analyzed the results. These included:

404 bullying episodes occurred during 52 hours of taping;
one incident occurred every 7 minutes on average;
a typical incident lasted 37 seconds, a remarkably short time;
79% of the episodes were direct bullying, 18 indirect, and 3 both;
90% of the incidents involved one bully and 92% one victim;
72% of the attacks were by boys and 28% by girls;
in 4% of the episodes a weapon was visible;
between 26% and 33% of the children in a school bullied between 18% and 22% of the other children;
school staff were visible in 17% of the incidents; yet they intervened in 4% only;
peers intervened in 11% of the episodes; and 2% of the incidents appeared to be motivated by race.

Harassment

The Criminal Code as amended in 1993 to specifically include the offense of criminal harassment. Before this time people who harassed others were charged under various offenses :

trespass
uttering threats
making indecent or harassing phone calls
intimidation or assault by threats.

Unfortunately there had to be physical harm or a threat of physical harm before the authorities could charge offenders with any of the above offenses. Also, these offenses did not cover harassing behaviour that was not violent, such as constantly following someone. The Criminal Code section on criminal harassment now makes it easier for the authorities to deal with conduct commonly referred to as stalking. (03.23.98) See Canada's SchoolNet for more information.
Harassing behaviour can include:

repeatedly following you
repeatedly visiting, calling, or writing to you, either directly or through someone else.
watching you, your home or your workplace
doing something that threatens you or someone in your family.

Behaviour which involves following you or communicating with you must happen more than once for it to be considered an offense, hence "repeatedly".
However, behaviour that involves watching you or behaving in a threatening way only once can be criminal harassment. The behaviour must be serious enough to give rise to a reasonable fear on the part of the victim.

Child Porn Spam
Child-porn spam is becoming more aggressive. Many children have e-mail addresses unknown to their parents. Their first exposure to sexuality often happens when they stumble on something in email or on the Web.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU RECEIVE CHILD ABUSE SPAM
If you get child porn spam:

Don't click on links or images in the body of a spammed e-mail.
Don't forward it to others.
Make note of the e-mail, including its date, time, sender and subject head. If you have the technical know-how, copy down any "expanded header" information (refers to extra data attached to the e-mail that's usually hidden).
Delete the e-mail.
Send a report to Cybertip.ca, Canada's national tipline for reporting the online sexual exploitation of children. The non-profit agency runs a web portal for public reports on child pornography, luring, child sex tourism and children who are exploited through prostitution.

To report:

Visit cybertip.ca and fill out an online reporting form.
Call toll free 1-866-658-9022, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Fax report to 1-204-948-2177.

Adults and Bullying

Most teacher resources, as well as student picture books, deal with the who, the how, the what and the why of bullying. Students must be taught to stand up for themselves, as well as others. If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem. Parents have taken to bullying teachers, too. This is an article published on Feb. 2, 2005. In the Toronto Star. Raging parents: The new school yard bullies .
Principals turn around in Ontario has been 60 % in the most recent wave of retirements. New principals may only have the required five years teaching experience. This means they have not had the opportunity to work with a number of diverse principal leaders who can model strength and leadership. Patterson (1993) noticed a pattern in what he calls the "shifting definitions of leadership", and sees some leaders who embody the values of power and control, as they attempt to exercise authority and keep power. Patterson has a vision of the schools of tomorrow. He ideally defines the leadership role: "the process of influencing others to achieve mutually agreed upon purposes for the organization" (1993, p.3). The dynamic organization that is a school is best led by those who do not micromanage, but rather share the power with staff, influence others to find a common vision, determine common goals and help staff make it so. Some leaders will not risk cultivating such a vision. They are more concerned with keeping power, rather than sharing it and risking collaboration.
Principals can share their power and still be in control. Enlightened leaders, before they can institute real change, must find some measure of the organizations strengths and weaknesses. They must have some confidence that their staffs will not over run them if they share the decision making power. Weak organizations, as Patterson (1993) says, are characterized by a top-down approach that requires employees to follow orders and forbids, if not discourages, employee participation. Enlightened leaders can risk dissension when they have the confidence to gather information, values, opinions and ideas from their staffs and, as the final decision is ultimately theirs, exert authority when they have all of the information they need to make a quality decision.

Resources

Cyberbullying:

Canada's award-winning Bullying.org one of the world's first Web sites on bullying, now with sister site www.cyberbullying.ca Cyberbullying.ca, both created by educator Bill Belsey. Cyberbully.org from the Eugene, Ore.-based Center for Safe & Responsible Internet Use.

"Cybersocializing, cyberbullying," at NetFamilyNews, based on an interview with Nancy Willard of the Center for Safe & Responsible Internet Use.

On-line Resources

Beyond Borders (2003) All About the Kids, Toronto Police International Conference on Child Exploitation, As accessed, http://www.beyondborders.org/ Feb., 2005. A web site devoted to the end of child prostitution and child pornography.

Bullying Awareness Network (Canadian)

Bullying website. http://www.bullying.org (Canadian) Offers products and an on-line, printable bullying survey.

"Bullying Intervention Strategies that Work" at Education-World.com -based on the pioneering work of Norwegian psychologist Dan Olweus.

Canada Safety Council, School Bullies. On-line resources.

Craig, W. (1999). Making a difference in bullying. (Research study in a pdf file). As accessed Feb. 27, 2005.

Green Theatre Productions. The Shape of a Girl A Play by Green Theatre Productions. Web-based Study Guide. It has some good ideas!

Langevin, M. et al. (undated) Teasing and Bullying. Teasing and Bullying: Helping children deal with teasing and bullying: for parents, teachers and other adult University of Alberta. (Some cited on-line resources are expired.) As accessed Feb. 27th, 2005. Excellent resource for student research.

Leblanc, J. C. (2001). Bullying st School. Department of Pediatrics, Psychiatry, Community Health and Epidemiology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia. 2000 Pulsus Group Inc. As accessed Feb. 27, 2005.

Media Awareness Network, (2001).Young Canadians In A Wired World, Environics Research Group. www.media-awareness.ca A accessed Feb., 2005.

National Film Board's Bullying Website.

The New Jersey Coalition for Bullying Awareness and Prevention.

Net Family News and The Online Safety Project

Suderman, et al. (1996) Bullying: Information for Parents and Teachers. Centre for Children and Families in the Justice System: Canada. As accessed Feb. 27, 2005. They also offer ASAP: A School-based Anti-Violence Prevention Program Kit .
Thames Valley D.S.B. Information on Bullying. As accessed Feb. 27, 2005.

WebWise Kids An interactive, Internet Safety Game.

New York Times article on anti-bullying.

For anti-bullying work in Virginia, see SafeKids 9/23 issue.

Books and Print Resources

Bredeson, P.V., Blase, J. & Blase, J. (2002). Breaking the Silence: Overcoming the Problem of Principal Mistreatment of Teachers. USA: Sage Publications, Inc. --Bullying is not limited to children. I have colleagues at the university who are experiencing it from their grad students.

Coloroso, B. (2002 ) The Bully, The Bullied and the Bystander ISBN: 0-00-200648-0.

Craig, W. M. & Peplar, D.J. (1995). Naturalistic observations of bullying and victimization in the school yard.

Craig, W. M. & Peplar, D.J. (1999). Children who bully - Will they just grow out of it? Orbit, 29(4), 16-19.

Middelton-Moz (2004) Bullies: From the Playground to the Boardroom. ISBN: 1558749861. Bullying is becoming prevalent in the workplace, too.

O'Neill, A. (2002) Mean Jean The Recess Queen. Scholastic Press. Pre-K to 3. I have used this picutre book with kids up to gr. 8.
Ross, P.N. (1998) Arresting Violence. A Resource Guide for Schools and Their Communities, Available through ETFO. CD Rom, text and overheads.
Sanders, P.(2004) What Do You Know About Bullying?, with illustrated story/concept formation. Fitzhenry & Whiteside: Canada.
Audio-Visual Resources
CBC Newsworld. Bullying Into Sexy. (2004). An excellent show about sexism and the media. CBC Newsworld broadcast it several times over the past few months. It speaks of female body image, male perceptions of teen-aged girls. It demonstrates how parents need to learn to day no to girls dressing up for "sexy".
It's a Girl's World: How Girls Use their Power to Hurt Each Other - 3 CDs. Host: Paul Kennedy, Producer: Lynn Glazier. Price: $29.99. Product ID: ERDOC00053. This is a phenomenal overview of how girls use social/emotional strategies to bully and to gain power. The 3rd CD examines the issue from the point of view of the work place. I have recommended it to a colleague who is facing this within her work place and has found no solution from the powers-that-be.
~~~~~~~~
Callaway, C. (no ref). Peer Networking to Build Resiliency Among High School Youth: A violence prevention group. In K. Davis, C. K. Tawney (Eds.), Approaches to Group Work (pp. 64 – 73). Columbus, Oh: Merrill Prentice Hall.
Le, T. N., & Stockdale, G. (2008). Acculturative Dissonance, Ethnic Identity, and Youth Violence. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 14, 001 – 009. Retrieved March 18, 2008, from the PsycARTICLES database.
Youth Crime Fact Sheet Canada. (2007). Retrieved March 18, 2008, from http://www.preventingcrime.net/library/2007-cspc%20youth%20fact%20sheet.pdf
Youth and Violence. Retrieved March 18, 2008, from http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/ncfv-cnivf/familyviolence/html/nfntsyjviolence.ehtml
Whitted, K. S., & Dupper, D. R. (2005). Best Practices for Preventing or Reducing Bullying in Schools. Children & Schools. 27, 167 – 175.

High dropout rates in the USA

2011-10-31T11:24:00.000-07:00

Press release from icouldbe.org, an online mentoring program that pairs at-risk high school students with adult mentors from all over the country, assembled a number of startling facts and statistics on the dropout crisis.

Illustrating the impact of our country's dropout crisis. What is the effect of these dangerously high dropout rates on US students? The USA? Even the economy?

icouldbe.org is a 501(c)3 certified nonprofit. You can verify it at the website icouldbe.org.

Teaching is like...

2011-10-19T07:56:00.000-07:00

product of our reading buddy program,
gr.4/5 & SK classes

Why I write? Because it is healthy.
Why I Write: Celebrate the National Day on Writing http://ow.ly/728po #nwp #whyiwrite”

This is something I had participants finish, a simple writing prompt, at a workshop I gave back in the day when I was employed!

Teaching is like...

..... always driving your car with the accelerator pushed right to the firewall.
..... a wonderful adventure never knowing what each new day will bring.

yard duty!

Teaching is 3/4 inspiration and 1/4 preparation.
..... juggling jello! Just when you think you have things in control, everything changes!
..... starting afresh everyday. No 2 days are ever the same!!
..... a box of chocolates. Some pieces you really savor and enjoy.........and others you feel like spitting out.
..... an opportunity for a better tomorrow.
..... life: the more you give, the more you receive.
..... a unique job because it is never, ever boring. Difficult, frustrating, challenging, but never boring.
..... being the custodian of many keys.
..... being told to dig the panama canal and all they give you to do the job is a plastic kiddie shovel!
..... canoeing through continuous white water.

music workshops.
we wrote a song

.....nothing else on earth
.....floundering around in a dense fog with a lot of much younger people with the occasional glimpse of sunshine to make it all worthwhile

Teaching is

.....like- ly to dominate one's life
.....like- ly to make one cynical, proud, frustrated, angry, happy, sad, etc.

Full-day classes for kindergarten are a nightmare

2011-10-01T07:38:00.000-07:00

Full-day classes for kindergarten are a nightmare

childcarecanada.org

Ontario schools are crowded.

In day care the maximum is 8 kids per teacher.

In Ontario schools there can be more than 20 kids, with one teacher and an aide.

Crowded classroom, kids not yet 5 years old, and peers with severe learning disabilities, behavioural issues, as well as ECE grads (2-yr. certificate, min.), trying to manage in the institutional school system.

It is shameful.

Web sites for kids

2011-09-27T05:49:00.000-07:00

Here is a fine one!

Draw a Stickman

www.drawastickman.com

Draw a stickman and watch him come to life!

Bullying victims are taking schools to court

2011-09-17T06:56:00.000-07:00

The only way to stop bullying is to stamp it out.
Many programs are available, but something needs to be done. Teachers, administrators must step up.

Lately, in the Ottawa area, hazing has gotten out of control. Hazing used to be limited to friendly fun in Universities, it has now been introduced into high schools. Much discussion has ensued. Yet, the bottom line is that those picked on in elementary school, are easy targets during this hazing.

Silence is not golden on school hazing

September 16, 2011.

When I worked with students, it was my goal to convince the bystander not to participate and to speak truth to power. Victims must be taught not to remain so, but it is a difficult issue. I did much role play, improv activities, with victims and bullies acting out the opposite role.

In Ontario’s initial anti-bullying legislation, the Safe Schools Act, vice-principals and principals were required to conduct formal investigations of bullying complaints and penalize offenders according to a gradated system. It’s also known as the “zero tolerance” act.

But suspensions do not solve the problem. And principals did not want suspensions to go on their school's records. It doesn't reflect well on their school performance scale.

THis is a problem old as dirt. It does not build character, and school bullies become workplace bullies. I have written about it.
Teasing, Bullying and Harassment
Bullying in the workplace
Bullying - something has to be done

Bullying victims are taking schools to court

Fed up with ineffective policies, parents are suing for millions

by Stephanie Findlay on Wednesday, September 14, 2011 11:00am - 9 Comments

From Macleans.ca

In 2009, Daniela Cervini, a Toronto-based lawyer, was approached by a group of parents whose children were bullied at an elementary school in Owen Sound, Ont. For years, the parents claim they had been trying the prescribed channels -- meetings with vice-principals, principals, police, board superintendents -- with what they perceived as no results. They turned to litigation.

This year, four claims were ﬁled in Ontario Superior Court against the Bluewater District School Board involving three schools, five teachers, three principals and one vice-principal. All are for gross negligence -- the failure to protect students from bullies. Each lawsuit is for $8.5 million, well above the $1-million standard in personal injury claims. Together, at $34 million, the Bluewater suits are the biggest of their kind in Canada.

There are solutions, such as Norway's Olweus Bullying Prevention Program. In the past 30 years, Norway has reduced bullying in its primary, elementary and secondary schools by 40 per cent.
Spurred by teen suicides in 1983, after bullying incidents, the Norwegian government commissioned Dan Olweus, a psychology professor at the University of Bergen, to develop a prevention program. Instituted nationwide in 2001, his program is preventative rather than punitive.

In Canada, Dawn-Marie Wesley, 14, from Mission, B.C., who in November 2000 left a suicide note after being bullied by three girls at school that read, “If I ratted they would get suspended and there would be no stopping them.” There have been other court cases, North Vancouver vs. Jubran (2005), where the B.C. Court of Appeal and Supreme Court of Canada ruled the school board was liable because it had not done enough to stop the harassment of a student, Azmi Jubran.

No mother should have to face this: walking in to find their child dead by their own hand.

The stories are endless

To Hell With the Bell!

2011-09-06T09:49:00.000-07:00

This is how it is done in RTO District 29. Retired Teachers of Ontario, in Lanark County.
This is a tradition for many RTO groups. We met at Timber Run Golf Course.

Newly retired teachers

How do teachers get the attention of other teachers? Fun, fellowship, food, free prizes, frivolity. CoFFee!

Brunch is wonderful!

Photos

Singing the blues

2011-08-09T14:54:00.000-07:00

Integrated arts, this is the key to a well-rounded education.
I worked with many musicians during Blues in the Schools in 2000, at Blossom Park school. We had such fun watching these great intermediate students having an education in the Roots of Blues music. Suzie and Rick, and the other folks who worked with Bluesfest's BITS, did a great job introducing my kids to music and rhythm.

Some of these kids had never ever attended a musical performance.

Me and TJ Wheeler! Photo by a student.

Maria Hawkins

Derek Debeer

Beautiful mural!

World Views of High Ability Curriculum Theorists

2011-08-05T06:02:00.000-07:00

World View
Key Descriptors
Assessment
School of Thought
Theorists
Contextualist social interaction Portfolio Constructivist
Transformation Peter McLaren
Giroux
Apple
Organicist growing organism Interprevist
Transaction Kohlberg
Formist similarity/
scientific Portfolio Positivist
Transmission
Mechanistic machine Positivist
Transmission Tyler
Fullan

Critical Thinking Theory

2011-08-03T05:59:00.000-07:00

Critical Thinking Theory
data + theory + structure	= information
information + praxis	= knowledge
knowledge + experience	= wisdom
wisdom + discourse	= truth & enlightenment

We cannot simply accept what we read on the WWW, or in other media, as truth.

Incorporating new data into practice requires filtering, development, adoption and the goodwill of all stakeholders. To simply accept data as knowledge is wrong. We must critically reflect on this information, and, with experience, wisdom, discourse we can move closer to truth and enlightenment.

Bloggers, I follow several folks: writers, journalists, and those who look at life around them. It open up my eyes to other person's experiences. It important to reflect on what we read here.

We must explore truth as we understand it, to come to a better understanding of ourselves and our world. We must question what we perceive as truth, take it out and hold it up to the light in the presence of others to approach enlightenment.

There are many stakeholders in the world. Incorporating new data into practices requires filtering, development, adoption and the goodwill of all stakeholders in education,stakeholders in Long-Term Care, or any other of the helping professions.

Teaching is like...

2011-08-02T06:01:00.000-07:00

..... always driving your car with the accelerator pushed right to the firewall.

..... a wonderful adventure never knowing what each new day will bring.
Teaching is 3/4 inspiration and 1/4 preparation.
..... juggling jello! Just when you think you have things in control, everything changes!
..... starting afresh everyday. No 2 days are ever the same!!
..... a box of chocolates. Some pieces you really savor and enjoy.........and others you feel like spitting out.
..... an opportunity for a better tomorrow.
..... life: the more you give, the more you receive.
..... a unique job because it is never, ever boring. Difficult, frustrating, challenging, but never boring.
..... being the custodian of many keys.
..... being told to dig the panama canal and all they give you to do the job is a plastic kiddie shovel!
..... canoeing through continuous white water.
.....nothing else on earth
.....floundering around in a dense fog with a lot of much younger people with the occasional glimpse of sunshine to make it all worthwhile

Teaching is

.....like- ly to dominate one's life
.....like- ly to make one cynical, proud, frustrated, angry, happy, sad, etc.

Summary Chart of Curriculum Approaches

2011-08-01T05:57:00.000-07:00


Orientation	Transmission atomistic	Transaction scientific method	Transformation interdependent
Aims & Objectives	~Behavioural ~Content Oriented ~ Competency is outcome-based ~Cultural transmission from teacher to student	~ Complex Intellectual Skills ~ Developmental ~Thinking skills ~Democratic Citizenship ~Dialogue between student & teacher	~ Integrated Objectives ~Connections ~Interactive flow of information and ideas between student and facilitator
Content	~Knowledge viewed atomistically as "objective" ~Content should reinforce traditional values ~Cultural Transmission	~Knowledge is related to mental processes and cognitive frameworks ~Social content focuses on public policy questions ~Thinking skills	~Personal knowledge is as important as public knowledge ~Social content stresses identification and resolution of pressing social concerns. ~Project-oriented, purposeful
Teaching Strategies	~Structured teaching approaches ~Transmission of facts & values	~Focus on problem solving and analysis ~Teaching strategies are matched to student developmental frameworks	~Focus on connecting inner life of student to outer worlds ~Divergent thinking is encouraged
Organisation	~Subject-centered ~Hierarchical	~Problem-centered ~Developmental	~Learner-centred ~Project-centered ~Integrative ~Constructivist ~ Holistic
Philosophical: Psychological: Economical orientation:	Analytic Behavioural laissez-faire	Pragmatism Cognitive Liberalism	Personal Humanistic/Transpersonal Small is Beautiful
Resources	Textbooks	Variety of Resources	Human Resources Emphasised
Evaluation Strategies	Accountability through tests	Focus on how teaching methodologies affect cognitive processes	Focus on how the program affects theWhole Child

School leadership

2011-07-31T06:06:00.000-07:00

Teachers are classroom leaders. Typically, they respond to situations and context, and manage their classrooms with integrity. They have internalized knowledge of human behaviour, pedagogical practices and group dynamics. They marry curriculum expectations with skills, knowledge and experience. Once teachers move into leadership roles their perspective changes.
Principal leaders must take a synergistic, dynamic creature; a school's culture, and control diverse aspects of its functioning. They must manage all of the demands of administration to ensure that the school runs smoothly. They attend and chair meetings, hire high-quality teaching and non-teaching staff, become staff and system managers, and budget specialists. Perhaps the most important aspect of their jobs is as mediators: between students, staff, parents and community members. They must please a number of their own bosses, all those with a stake in education. Stakeholders demand a great deal of their time and pass on new top-down initiatives, rules, regulations and, in the new millennium: policy changes, budget cuts and bad news. They are pressed between demands above and below. Some days are met simply managing crises which range from upset parents, to crying students or teachers looking for direction and policy decisions.
One of the most time consuming demands in an administrator's time, aside from the paperwork, is supporting staff members. Those who work in education are facing an increased change in the nature and complexity of their teaching assignments, in severity of learning needs, budget cuts and in top down reforms. Teacher morale, defined (Mendel, 1987) as "a feeling, a state of mind, a mental attitude", is of major concern to a number of educators. (Lemon 2000). These stresses can be perceived as a demoralizing or an empowering trauma, which can have a positive or a negative effect. Many teachers have taken the opportunity to refresh and refocus themselves. Teachers are striving to work smarter, not harder. New teachers, however, unsupported by new administrators with not much more experience leading a school than their subordinates, are desperate for unconditional support.

Morale

Educator morale has been classified in three categories: environmental, interpersonal and intrapersonal stress (Swick, 1980). This morale problem hits all panels: from elementary to secondary to the universities. Environmental stress includes outside factors such as budget cuts, increased class sizes and new technological advances and it affects teachers, principals, senior staff and students. Interpersonal stress encompasses the personal relationships we experience at home and at work, and low morale leads those in education to leap to hypercritical conclusions about themselves. Educators facing this kind of stress believe they are inadequate as contributing members of society (Cole & Walker, 1989) and become tired, stressed and ill.
In a study by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, ""Good bosses promote employee health" " researchers examined the positive health benefits of fair and just treatment by bosses. Fairness in decision making appears to decrease psychological stress even more that fair treatment by bosses. More than 4,000 employees in seven Finnish hospitals found that the risk of psychological stress was 50 -70 % lower at work places managed in a just manner. Psychological stress was 30 - 40% lower in municipal employees over the workplaces in which employees had less healthy, more just management practices. They studied 18,000 people representing all groups of municipal employees.

Stress

Chronic job stress leads to job burnout. (Ray, et al, 1985) Some principals, as much as teachers, have succumbed to burnout and the physiological manifestations of their stress levels. They are becoming increasingly ill and retire early, much before a staff can benefit from their strength, intrapersonal skills, experience and expertise in educational matters. In schools with less than supportive styles of leadership staff feel unsupported and disempowered and they experience health, social, emotional and morale problems. Leaving these problems unresolved results in tension, stress and more serious health issues. Federation representatives estimate that two thirds of LTD claims are stress-related (Falls, 2001), and Federation officers (Lemon, 2000) have been seeing more severe counseling cases each week.
Principals are encouraged to harass sick teachers at home, to save on occasional teacher budgets as school board funding diminishes and cut backs have to be made. Absenteeism strategies result in increased stress, rather than concern for the individual and a management program to change the stressors and help the teacher. This worsens the stress and increases the patterns of illness.
Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) have had an influx of teacher-clients who complain of stress caused by their work. Distressful working conditions and the characteristics of coping behaviours in teachers have been studied for a long time. It results in an increased inability to take one's job seriously. It is the fight or flight response. These feelings are exacerbated by principal leaders who must juggle numerous demands on their time. Some new principals are more concerned with following the "To Do" lists superintendents have sent out, rather than creating a collaborative, collegial learning community that Fullan (1993, 1999) envisions. It results in teachers giving up the fight, limiting their school involvement and removing the cause of their stress: their jobs. In a report to their executive, OCETF staff report elevated stress levels

Contributing Factors

Funding cutbacks are an international problem. Those who demand better schools also advocate for school change with little or no money to back up these reforms. Massive changes to school systems and infrastructure (Bascia, 2000) worldwide (Australian Senate, 1999) have resulted in many teachers jumping off of the sidewalk, either temporarily or permanently. In Ontario, with a turnover rate of 50% in administration (Funston, 2000) and a shortage of new teachers (Toronto Star, 2000), we are facing a crisis with a double-edged sword. Currently, in Ottawa Carleton 25% of teachers are new grads (OCETF, 2000) with little experience and expertise in the profession, managing and maintaining a classroom.
Those who remain in the profession find few rewards to keep them in the system. Teacher retention is an international problem, as well. One new teacher in Ottawa estimates that 30 of her cohort of 100 have quit the profession, choosing alternative careers. Research articles are looking for cures (Lumsden, 1998) but simple solutions are not forthcoming.

Principal Teacher Relationships

Leithwood & Jantzi (1999) explored the relationship between principal and teachers. Much is unknown about the manner in which principal and teacher interrelationships affect schools and students. Their studies found that student performance is mediated by school conditions: purposes and goals, culture, planning, structure and organization, information collection. Their study found little effect on student engagement by principal leadership factors. Evidence is also limited on the effects teacher leaders have on schools. Teacher leaders can include team leaders, master teachers, mentors for new teachers and volunteers for new initiatives. However, in schools in which there is increased participation in school decisions, it results in a more democratic school, which increased empowerment. There is little quantitative evidence of teacher leadership and its effects on students.

Principal Turnaround

Principals turn around in Ontario has been 60 % in the most recent wave of retirements. New principals may only have the required five years teaching experience. This means they have not had the opportunity to work with a number of diverse principal leaders who can model strength and leadership. Patterson (1993) noticed a pattern in what he calls the "shifting definitions of leadership", and sees some leaders who embody the values of power and control, as they attempt to exercise authority and keep power. Patterson has a vision of the schools of tomorrow. He ideally defines the leadership role: "the process of influencing others to achieve mutually agreed upon purposes for the organization" (1993, p.3). The dynamic organization that is a school is best led by those who do not micromanage, but rather share the power with staff, influence others to find a common vision, determine common goals and help staff make it so. Some leaders will not risk cultivating such a vision. They are more concerned with keeping power, rather than sharing it and risking collaboration.
Principals can share their power and still be in control. Enlightened leaders, before they can institute real change, must find some measure of the organizations strengths and weaknesses. They must have some confidence that their staffs will not over run them if they share the decision making power. Weak organizations, as Patterson (1993) says, are characterized by a top-down approach that requires employees to follow orders and forbids, if not discourages, employee participation. Enlightened leaders can risk dissension when they have the confidence to gather information, values, opinions and ideas from their staffs and, as the final decision is ultimately theirs, exert authority when they have all of the information they need to make a quality decision.
Leithwood and Duke (1999) call for school reform which must occur at the level of leadership, as much as at the school level. Roberts (2001) likens the leadership process to the round ring in which horses are taught to take a saddle. Many understand that their boss is there to issue orders, create rules and rigid requirements, rather than facilitating opportunities for discourse. When teachers break these rules, knowing or unknowingly, they feel victimized by threats of retribution. In a round table discussion, similar to Robert's round pen training rings, there are moments of discourse, which leads to harmony and sychronized visions for the future. When horses are given the choice of following, when teachers are given opportunities to buy into the change process, they are more likely to tackle the future and take risks. If the trust factor is not present and employees fear a boss, they poison the atmosphere. Roberts says (2001, p. 86) "It is critical in every organization to establish an environment whereby each employee is utterly confident that he or she will be treated in a fair and honest way shen she or she achieves positive results. Hargreaves & Fullan (1992 )believe that it is too much to expect that Principals and Vice Principals by themselves can transform the culture of a school. Their vision is to see every teacher as leader.

Management Styles

Leadership theories outline the following management styles; (Leithwood and Duke, 1999)

Managerial leadership
Transformational leadership
Participative leadership
Moral leadership
Instructional leadership
Contingent leadership

Managerial leadership

Leadership style depends upon the situation, the personality of the leaders and the current school climate, as much as a principal's experience. Principals-bosses must have a sense of having everything under control and some operate from a position of fear. Belittling and destructive statements are not uncommon in an atmosphere if mistrust and inexperience. Managers, are bosses and never a leader. It takes time for a new administrator to understand the culture of a school. Some administrators are facing self-doubt and lack of control and fear allowing their school staff to help make decisions. In the past, a principal's vision, and the purpose of the organization was thoughtfully examined and understood, but we do not have that luxury any more. This value of personal responsibility, keeping the locus of power and control, over rides the collaborative, collegial decision-making process.
These administrators do not allow staff to have a voice in most matters. They feel they must keep, rather than share, organizational power and control to not risk losing it. They must spend time getting to know the staff, the school culture, the students and the parents, but in this day and age time is something that is in short supply. Some new principal-leaders fear managing staff conflict and are hard-pressed to mediate decisions on behaviours, behaviour management and discipline strategies. Principals must deal with a host of new issues ranging form irate parents (who know how teachers should do their jobs), to socially, emotionally and physically stressed students, computer-generated report cards, anaphylactic allergies and extreme student behaviours, including physical and emotional violence.
Quick decisions are being made as principals attempt to respond to immediate demands for reports, decisions, statistics and results. Confident leaders allow participation in the decision-making process. Some principals are locked in their offices dealing with the mounds of paper work, or innumerable on-line surveys and reports that must be filed, rather than cruising halls preventing inappropriate behaviour and sharing a nod or a smile with their students and staff. Experienced principals are out of school attending innumerable meetings, selecting new principals candidates, new student teachers, leading workshops and training new leaders. They are not in the schools modeling their exemplary behaviour for aspiring leaders.

Transformational Leaders

Transformational Leaders (Liontos, 1992) inspire higher levels of commitment and capacity amongst staff. They generate greater effort and productivity to develop a more skilled practice. It increases the capacity of the organization to continuously improve. These leaders have:

* idealized vision*a shared perspective and vision making him/her likeable and honourable and worthy of imitation = mentorship.
*strong articulation of future vision and motivation to lead.
*Personal power - based on expertise, respect and admiration of a unique hero
*transforms people to share the radical changes advocated.

This is what a transformational leader looks like (Liontos, 1992) :

* Visit each classroom every day; assist in classrooms; encourage teachers to visit one another's classes.* Involve the whole staff in deliberating on school goals, beliefs, and visions at the beginning of the year.
* Help teachers work smarter by actively seeking different interpretations and checking out assumptions; place individual problems in the larger perspective of the whole school; avoid commitment to preconceived solutions; clarify and summarize at key points during meetings; and keep the group on task but do not impose your own perspective.
* Use action research teams or school improvement teams as a way of sharing power. Give everyone responsibilities and involve staff in governance functions. For those not participating, ask them to be in charge of a committee.
* Find the good things that are happening and publicly recognize the work of staff and students who have contributed to school improvement. Write private notes to teachers expressing appreciation for special efforts.
* Survey the staff often about their wants and needs. Be receptive to teachers' attitudes and philosophies. Use active listening and show people you truly care about them.
* Let teachers experiment with new ideas. Share and discuss research with them. Propose questions for people to think about.
* Bring workshops to your school where it's comfortable for staff to participate. Get teachers to share their talents with one another. Give a workshop yourself and share information with staff on conferences that you attend.
* When hiring new staff, let them know you want them actively involved in school decision-making; hire teachers with a commitment to collaboration. Give teachers the option to transfer if they can't wholly commit themselves to the school's purposes.
* Have high expectations for teachers and students, but don't expect 100 percent if you aren't also willing to give the same. Tell teachers you want them to be the best teachers they possibly can be.
* Use bureaucratic mechanisms to support teachers, such as finding money for a project or providing time for collaborative planning during the workday. Protect teachers from the problems of limited time, excessive paperwork, and demands from other agencies.
* Let teachers know they are responsible for all students, not just their own classes.

The nine dimensions of Transformational leadership: charisma, goal consensus, high performance expectations, individual consideration, intellectual stimulation, modeling, contingent reward, structuring, culture building create a school culture in which excellence is rewarded, new ideas are embraced and a discourse is open to all who could seek school change.
Monty Roberts' horse training philosophy has been applied to human relations; he and his wife have been foster parents to 47 children. He also lectures to executives and corporations and gives demonstrations of his philosophy, which many have applied to education and business. He believes that you must convince animals, children, and employees to "Join Up". He believes that with trust you build a cooperative human spirit in which you do not need to threaten, force or intimidate. He believes that "trust, respect and communication-not coercion-are the key to fruitful relationships". Rather than whispering, he listens. If a leader must use threats and wield their power, then the employee is not truly following. Leaders need to learn to listen.

Participative Leadership

In a collaborative environment in which the leader does not employ positional power, the employee is free to follow and give their very best. Teachers take risks and learn from them. In such an environment change is not only possible but it is lauded.
Decision making, with contributions from all staff members, takes time. It does strengthen the organization. It creates a strong cohesive group and the "two heads are better than one" is a core truth crucial to this style of leadership. It promotes the we, rather than the me. It empowers all staff members to participate fully and it harvests the very best from all their staff members. Many principals, heading for a senior staff position want high performances, good PR and to be able to highlight their school as an example of what their strong leadership style can do. They see those senior positions in the distance and, as with horses with blinders, do not have their school's long-term goals at heart. They lose sight of the importance of walking the halls, rather than smugly crossing items off of their To Do Lists and to submit reports to staff.
Educators, teachers, and other stakeholders work harder to create a vision in which they have input and, therefore, some commitment. It transforms the organization as much as the participants. All stakeholders walk arm-in-arm towards this vision and attempt to make this dream come true. Roberts (2001) calls this the Follow-up process. Instead of domination by a leader it creates a position of partnership and an investment in the outcome.

Sharing Power

These leaders create more power by sharing it. They develop a loyalty in their staff. The leader can inspire, model and create more power by allowing a staff to choose to wear the saddle. They can create that synergy that results from a strong, dynamic school culture. They ask their staff members what they want or need and try to make it so. They expect input, they desire it. They want a shared vision. Participative leaders are influenced by interpersonal communications in order to have increased participation in decisions. They have increased capacity of responses, which respond productively to internal and external demands for change. It is a democratic organization.

Moral Leaders

Moral Leaders use a system of moral values to guide organization decision making. They increase the sensitivity to the rightness of decisions and facilitate increased participation in decisions. Their decisions are morally justified in democratic schools. Active participation inspires all staff members, strengthens and creates diversity. Moral leaders are hard pressed to make quick , cost-effective decision, but they are patient with dissenters and give them a chance to voice concerns, which they can deal with from a position of strength and confidence. They value diversity and they do not require conformity or that staffs bow low to their every decision.

Instructional leadership

Instructional leaders see the focus of school improvlemtns as being curricuolum-based. Heck (1990) reports that principal time and attention as they are clarifying, coordinating and communicating a school vision, leads to school achievement, not the traditional clinical supervision of teachers. Principals can influence by expecting a vision and particular attitudes and behaviours.

Contingent leaders

Contingent leaders are situational in that they respond to context. Their leader behaviours match the goals and result in an increased capacity of he organization to respond to internal and external demands for change. Leaders can change their leadership styles with different employees and in different situations. Principals must manage both teaching and non-teaching employees. In Ontario, experienced, suitable employees are in short supply.
This research paper, Analyzing the Leadership Behaviour of School Principals, , was presented at the Association for the Advancement of Educational Research conference at Pointe Vedra, Florida on December 1,1999. The authors compare the leadership behaviours that negatively or positively affect teacher morale and performance. They compared using these classifications: Human Relations, Trust & Decisions, Instructional Leadership, Control and Conflict in order to focus on what a good principal does.
Where would your school score on their the the AAER checklists?
This table is adapted from: Analyzing the Leadership Behaviour of School Principals

		Human Relations
		My principal uses eye contact.
		My principal demonstrates a caring attitude.
		My principal involves me in decisions.
		My principal interacts with all staff in a positive, respectful manner.
		My principal listens to me, thoughtfully and non-judgementally.
		My principal models good communications skills.
		My principal helps teachers to find resources, rather than to make do with what they have.
		My principal provides positive reinforcement.
		My principal remains a collaborative member of the staff.
		My principal compliments me.
		My principal remembers what it is like to be a teacher.
		My principal has supported me when parents were involved, whether I was right or wrong, and helped shape my teaching practice for the better.

		Trust & Decisions
		My principal corrects me privately, with dignity and respect.
		My principal never "nit picks" on evaluations.
		My principal avoids gossip aboutstakeholders in education.
		My principal uses cooperation and empowerment, not coercion, to motivate me.
		My principal implements new initiatives based thorough knowledge and research of new fads.
		My principal never makes decisions as a reaction to an incident.
		My principal values trust and confidence.
		My principal listens to both sides of the story before making a decision.
		My principal evaluates situations carefully before taking action.
		My principal makes judgments based on gathered information and data.
		My principal bases evaluations and opinions about me based on many observations.

		Instructional Leadership
		My principal seldom interrupts my teaching, and only when necessary, with dignity and respect.
		My principal demonstrates a vision that includes me.
		My principal is knowledgeable about the curriculum.
		My principal is knowledgeable about instructional strategies.
		My principal applies procedures consistently.
		My principal deals will my problems and concerns and values my well-being.
		My principal follow up on all initiatives: behaviour, safety, personnel.
		My principal has rules that are fairly applied to all and enforces them.
		My principal holds people accountable.
		My principal provides reflective feedback regarding my teaching.

		Control
		My principal expects work with reasonable timelines, not to be done "yesterday" with no notice.
		My principal accepts and delegates responsibility at the right time.
		My principal assigns no duty during planning periods.
		My principal is flexible and creative, not rigid and inflexible.
		My principal assigns only necessary paperwork.
		My principal shares decision-making and power.
		My principal seldom uses the words "I" and "my", but usually uses "we".

		Conflict
		My principal is able to keep a confidence.
		My principal is unafraid to question his/her superiors for the good of staff and students.
		My principal seldom "passes the buck", rather than dealing with a situation.
		My principal does not have double standards for him/herself or various staff members.
		My principal is impartial when dealing with influential parents.
		My principal never shows favouritism to some teachers or staff.
		My principal supports me even if I am wrong and helps me improve as a professional.

Based on: http://www.westga.edu/~sclimate/lsp.htm - as accessed Oct. 2002.

Educational Leadership: Web-based Bibliography

Barrett, H.C. Electronic Portfolios. Video Clip, Found March 18, 2004.
British ColumbiaTeacher's Federation, (2002). Retrieved Oct. 2002: www.bctf.bc.ca/education/worklife/
Bulach, C.R., et al, (1999) Analyzing the Leadership Behaviour of School Principals, Paper presented at the Association for the Advancement of Educational Research conference at Pointe Vedra, Florida on December 1, 1999.
Chisholm, F. R., (2000) Work-Related Stress: Getting the Help You Need, After the Chalk Dust Settles, Toronto, ON: ETFO, p. 38 - 41.
Cole, M. & Walker, S. (Eds.) (1989) Teaching and Stress, Philadelphia, Open University Press
Cuban, L, ( 2002). Committed Educators Make Good Schools, Retrieved July 15, 2002. www.ascd.org/trainingopportunities/conferences/2002ac/mon/pagetwo.html
Falls, L. (2001) OCETF PD Report to Trustees, OCETF: Ottawa.
Fullan, M. (1993). Change Forces: Probing the Depths of Educational Reform. London: Palmer Press.
Funston, M., (2000). Vice-Principals Are Stressed! Toronto: The Toronto Star, Mon., Dec. 18, 2000.
Gallagher, K. (2000). Teacher Bashing, To Sir, with cynicism, Toronto: The Globe and Mail, Mon., Sept. 2, 2000, p. A14
Garner, R., (2002). Education targets must be scrapped, say bosses, The Independent On-Line, Retrieved July 22, 2002. http://education.independent.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=317196.
Heck, et al (1990) Instructional Leadership and School Achievement, Educational Administration Quarterly, 26(2), 94-125
Helsinnki Sanomat, Good bosses promote employee health 2.1.2002.
Ireland, Dr. D. (1995).The International Status of Canadian Education. Ottawa, Canada: Program Evaluation by the Carleton Board of Education.
Jilks, J. (2002a). Teacher Morale, Stress and Leadership: From whence Cometh My Help?, Retrieved Aug 2002, from www.jilks.com/articles/stress.html
Martin-Kniep, G.O. (2000). "Becoming a Better TEACHER: 8 Innovations That Work". VA: ASCD
McLaren, P. (1999). Life in School: Critical Pedagogy, Retrieved 11/26/99. www.perfectfit.org/CT/mclaren3.html
Mendel, P. C. (1987). An Investigation of Factors That Influence Teacher Morale and Satisfaction with Work Conditions. Doctoral dissertation. Eugene, Oregon: Division of Educational Policy and Management, University of Oregon.
Lashway, L. (2002) Rethinking the Principalship, Research Roundup 18, 3 (Spring 2002)
Leithwood, K. & Doris Jantzi (1999) The Relative Effects of Principal and Teacher Sources of Leadership on Student Engagement With School, Educational Administration Quarterly, Vol. 35, Supplemental (December 1999) 679-706.
Leithwood, Kenneth, and Duke, Daniel. "A Century's Quest to Understand School Leadership." In Handbook of Research on Educational Administration. Second Edition. Edited by Joseph Murphy and Karen Seashore Louis: 45-72. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1999.
Lemon, C. (2000). An Issue of Wellness and Morale, Focus Group Report, ETFO Bluewater Local.
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Patterson, J.L. (1993), Leadership for Tomorrow's Schools, Alexandria, VA: ASCD
Poley, Dr. J.K., (1999) Renaissance Reflections, Workshop Presentation on Leadership, ADEC Distance Education Consortium, July 27, 1999
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Robertson, H., (1998). No More Teachers, No More Books: The Commercialisation of Canada's School, McClelland & Stewart: Canada.
Roberts, M. (2001). Horse Sense for People, Viking Press, USA.
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Wald, P. & Castleberry, M.S. (2000). Educators as Learners, ASCD: USA.

Spelling in The New Millennium

2011-07-30T05:54:00.000-07:00

The teaching of spelling has changed over the past few years. I believe for the best. Many student who are afraid of writing down a word, can now feel free to get their thoughts on paper using “Wild Mind”, as Natalie Goldberg call it, to access their ideas. They need not be hampered by “Monkey Mind”, which slows them down, tells them they cannot spell and should not write. It is the teacher or parent hanging over their shoulder who criticizes every word. The student then begins to write less and to be safer when they are putting together their ideas. I tell students to entitle their work “First draft”, which gives them permission to work over their writing and to play with the words until it says just what they need it to say. We workshop their ideas and then, after we are sure the content is meaningful, we will spend time peer-editing or using a word processor to improve their spelling.

I like to have students work on various pieces of writing at any one time. This is what good writers do. There should be many works in progress, until they feel they have a final draft. Work should be read several times before it is truly ready to be considered ‘finished’. I know, as a published writer, that it takes many editors, much work and time to bring a work up to standards. Gone are the days when we belabour the process by painstakingly writing work out many times until we are satisfied with it. Now text can be shifted, lifted, checked and rechecked at the same time that we check for spelling and grammar.

I start every day be listing the work I want the students to accomplish. I go over the “To Do” list, outlining some details that require explanation, and all begin their tasks. The students wander in, read the list and take their places at various points in the room. John, for example, has a story he has pre-written; he jotted down details, previously having gotten a mental start on it, he will go to the computer and put on the headphones. He is using Co-Writer to type. It reads the word he has typed, once he hits the space bar. If it finds a matching word it will show him several choices. This works fairly well, but works best with a computer that is peculiar to the child and for which students have their own personal dictionaries. It is far easier for them to match to a word bank of words than the thousands of words available in a dictionary. Tomorrow, we will be getting some IT help in working with Dragon Naturally Speaking (DNS), which converts his speech to text.

Research shows that it is far less effective for students to attempt matching words in such a way than to guess at what it is they want to say and then have it edited by someone else later. Peer tutoring (Burks, 2004) is far more effective, as it is far lees time consuming. I can sit with a student, after they have the gist of their work typed electronically, then spend 3 minutes checking out the homonyms, which is what most dictionaries find. In fact, formal spelling lessons seem to have little impact on spelling. My husband is a perfect example of this. He has had a 30% hearing loss all of his life. He is, likely, the worst speller and the best-read person I know. Devouring 3 or 4 historical books a week, he cannot hear the difference between “pin” and “pen”. Imagine this disability compounding over his lifetime? Spell check does not work for him any better than it does for many of my students. With an inability to get close to an approximation of the word, he has often been unable to approach the correct spelling. I can understand this problem in my students. The English language is a difficult one, in which many words are derived from many different languages. The have evolved and been assimilated into every day use. Words such as rhythm and might are terribly difficult to find if the student is missing the “H”, for example.

Interactive writing and mini-lessons on words student need to know, as well as a word wall, are of far more benefit to the learner. I keep a word wall, which is based on current themes. The students refer to them as they begin the writing process, no matter what the topic. To encourage the stream of consciousness flowing I refuse to help a student correct spelling during prewriting or first draft writing lessons. I give them the out, “Spelling doesn’t count!” at this time. They understand that good writers reflect, edit and revise in a series of steps. We worry over traditional spelling later. The result is an effective use of teacher time and student learning.

Entering the writing process prepared to write, with a plan, with training and instruction, with or without a keyboard, seems to add to the quality of writing. Computer assisted instruction can demonstrate a higher engagement rate, if the teacher has training and uses a process method of teaching. But in terms of spelling results, it is in the writing or typing in the creation of a word that students learn how to spell a word. Students need to learn those sound and symbol connections and develop an understanding of patterns, more than they need to be able to spell check a piece of writing. Good readers, of course, become good spellers. Good writers become better writers through practice and a mastery of a huge personal list of words that mean the most to them.

References
Burks, M. (2004) Effects of Classwide Peer Tutoring on the Number of Words Spelled Correctly by students with LD. Intervention in School & Clinic, 2004, VOL 39; PART 5, pages 301-304.
Goldberg. N. (1990). Wild Mind, Living the Writer’s Life. Bantam Books.
Rymer , R. & Williams, C. (2000). "Wasn't That a Spelling Word?": Spelling Instruction and Young Children's Writing. Language Arts, Vol. 77 No. 3, January 2000.

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Habitat for Humanity and Teachers

2011-07-12T05:00:00.000-07:00

Delta Muskoka Resorts Build - 2011

DAILY LOG JULY 6, 2011
Mike O'Grady reporting

Today we got the forms for the footings placed and levelled. (Photo from Bala build! /JJ)

From 2010 - Habitat for Humanity Muskoka

If ever your faith in humanity is flagging, just come out to a Habitat Build and have it restored.

Habitat for Humanity Canada
CALLING ALL TEACHERS: Want an activity to engage your grades 4–6 students while benefiting HFHC?

Then check out the Meaning of Home contest, being held for its 5th year from Oct 3 to Nov 11 by Genworth Financial Canada! This year, each and every submission will result in $5 being donated to HFHC!

Genworth Meaning of Home Contest 2011

Integrative Activities: Suggestions for Teachers
Awareness raising activities Bullying assignment (above) Data collection (anonymous surveys) Sociograms of behaviour No-blame interventions Role play and empowerment for victims	AntiBullying Video on YouTube.

World View	Key Descriptors	Assessment	School of Thought	Theorists
Contextualist	social interaction	Portfolio	Constructivist Transformation	Peter McLaren Giroux Apple
Organicist	growing organism		Interprevist Transaction	Kohlberg
Formist	similarity/ scientific	Portfolio	Positivist Transmission
Mechanistic	machine		Positivist Transmission	Tyler Fullan