Education and Schooling

 At your table, each person is to make up two possible questions that could be used as a review for the topic of Law in Education (use two small sheets of paper provided)  Try to avoid duplication in the i.e. one does duties of a teacher, Child Family Services Act, etc  Make sure you know the answer to your question

 You will need to go out in the hall and form two big groups (2 halves of the class)  Each big group forms 2 circles; one inside and one outside (see diagram)  Person inside faces person on the outside  The person inside the group starts with his or her questions and asks the person directly in front of him or her  The circle on the outside moves to the left  The person on the outside of the circle now asks the question  Rotate again to the left  Repeat cycle till each person has asked their 2 questions

Inside Outside Inside / Outside Circle

In Canada, people agree that the purpose of schools is to “educate”. However, there has been long debates and disagreement on what does it mean to be educated? On what principle should we proceed?  useful in life?  virtuous?  highest knowledge ?

 Education for Prosocial Values  Education for Socialization  Education for Personal Growth and Societal Improvement

 should teach values such as honesty, fairness, civility, and respect for the law, respect for others, industry or hard work, persistence or the ability to follow through, fairness in dealing with others, compassion for others, politeness  to enable people of diverse backgrounds to live together peacefully  promoting the democratic ideal of equality for all What is an example of this?

 schools as a place where the young become socialized  an institution where young people from various ethnic, racial, religious and cultural backgrounds learn about Canadian values and customs  achievement is the focus; schools are to impart academic knowledge and skills to prepare students for additional schooling or for the world of work  teach academic content What is an example of this?

 teach to enable the young to become all they are capable of becoming  emphasis is on the individual first and society second  goals go beyond academic achievement to include the development of positive self-concept and interpersonal skills or emotional intelligence  school skills enable the individual to achieve personal growth and self-actualization  skills needed to participate in civil action to make society more equitable and just What is an example of this?

 the philosophy of the current political party  the economic cycle of the province, country and world  social pressures stemming from crime statistics, dropout rates, poverty issues, etc,

Think /Pair /Share With a partner think of the current Ministry initiatives and how they are linked to social issues

Current Ontario guidelines make statements such as the following about the aims of education for the province: “Students graduating from Ontario schools require the knowledge and skills gained from Social Studies and the study of History and Geography in order to function as informed citizens in a culturally diverse and interdependent world and to participate and compete in a global economy. They also need to develop attitudes that will motivate them to use their knowledge and skills in a responsible manner.”

“…they must also develop the broad based skills that are vital to success in the world of work: they must learn to evaluate different points of view and examine information critically to solve problems and make decisions on a variety of issues.” “An information and technology based society requires individuals who are able to think critically about complex issues, analyze and adapt to new situations, solve problems of various kinds, and communicate their thinking effectively.”

An example see poster from Near North District School Board “On Common Ground” See the website for more information on “Common Ground”

KnowWant to knowLearned K W L on Character Education

Every school has a distinct and unique culture, or collective way of life. It consists of the values, attitudes and beliefs that influence the traditions and behaviour of people who share the space. It defines people’s way of interacting. Four elements of culture can be used to describe and explain the culture of schools. These include:  The climate  The ethos (philosophy)  The atmosphere  The character Experienced educators and supervisors will tell you that they can get a feeling for the culture of a school within minutes of coming into the building. What the school values and pursues is evident in what it displays, how people treat and speak to each other, and the overall tone and sense of purpose in the building.

At your tables discuss what you thought was the culture of the school at your placement or a school that you would like to emulate. Discuss in terms of the following components:

In determining a school culture, educators should also consider:  The physical environment- Is the building clean and tidy? Displays of student art, trophies, bulletin boards with student of the week, etc. Is it inviting?  The formal practices – Are classes purposefully structured to provide students with the best learning opportunities? Is the school overly departmentalized or does staff work cooperatively to support student success?  The school’s traditions – What elements of the school culture are handed down from year to year? What has the school community come to expect of the school?  The Culture of the classroom…The teacher-student interactions- What is the accepted manner in which teachers and students interact? How does the classroom teacher address disruptive influences/ students? How is a satisfying and growth promoting environment created? To what extent are guidance and control balanced to manage each classroom?

Using the sticky notes, please write which social issues schools and teachers are faced with today Write them on individual sticky notes by yourself Compare and sort with the rest of the members of the group at your table

Multiculturalism Diversity Gender issues Students at Risk/Drop outs Violence and Bullying Family stressesChild Abuse Substance Abuse Teen PregnancySuicide Sexual Orientation Poverty

Here are a few of the many issues affecting schools………………  teen pregnancies  at-risk students ( and Ontario’s Student Success Initiatives)  gender equity  cultural diversity  substance abuse  crime and violence in schools  school improvement  children in poverty  effective schools  family stress  multicultural education  latchkey children  youth suicide  Alternative education

INTERVENTION PROGRAMS  Guidance counsellors (Student Services)  Guidance Program plan  Student Success teams  Student Success initiatives such as Credit Recovery, Credit Rescue,  Character Education SCHOOL BASED INTERPROFESSIONAL CASE MANAGEMENT  partnerships of services from the home, school, and community, coordinated through the school to serve the student  a case management approach where the team meets to offer connected services to support the student and the family PEER COUNSELLING  supervised by a trained adult  can address a wide range of problems ( e.g., low achievement, interpersonal problems, home problems, substance abuse, career planning)  benefits both counselors and students ( i.e., increased self esteem and greater ability to deal with problems) ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLS AND CURRICULA  usually provide some remediation, counseling, and vocational training  can run as a school-within-school and can offer individualized instruction on flexible timetables