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David Field
Web Page: http://www.ourkids.net |
| Profile: David is the editor of Our Kids Go To School, Our Kids Go To Camp, and Dialogue magazines. He has spent years creating puzzles and working with comic illustrators to make educationally minded children's books tested by kids in the classroom. | |
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Fraser Institute releases its 2010 Ontario School Rankings
This week the Fraser Institute released its 2010 school rankings of 2,742 Ontario elementary schools. The rankings are largely based on the results of Ontario’s Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) of Grade 3 and Grade 6 measurements of reading, writing and math. For many schools listed in the report five years worth of EQAO data is measured.
Ontario’s EQAO testing is mandatory for publicly funded schools including Catholic and French. Therefore the majority of the schools ranked are public. Private schools have the opportunity participate in the EQAO testing but it is not mandatory for them like the public schools. The Bishop Strachan School (a girls school in Toronto) did choose to participate for the first time in 2009 and received an overall rating of 9.9 out of 10 by the Fraser Institute. The other schools listed as private schools included Islamic and Hebrew religious schools and schools run by First Nations.
The accompanying Fraser Institute report indicates the purpose of such school rankings as a valuable tool for parents to make decisions about what schools to send their children to. In addition, the report states that the rankings are an opportunity for schools to improve aspects of their school’s performance. School rankings are often very controversial because they can present a very narrow analysis of all that a school is doing and what students are learning. The report acknowledges on page three that it should not be the only resource used in researching schools, “Of course, the choice of a school should not be made solely on the basis of a single source of information.”
Many parents like having access to school rankings as it can often reaffirm decisions about schooling for their children. If a school has a concerning rating in any report it should make parents ask questions of administrators and teachers. But no research or school rankings can inform parents better than visiting a school, meeting with teachers and speaking to parents at that school. If school rankings can assist parents in asking the questions that are necessary, then they definitely serve a purpose.
Tags: Choosing a School, Education, Fraser Institue, rankings, researching a school, school, school rankingSurviving the sinking of the S.V. Concordia
March 8th, 2010 | Comments | Posted in Blog, Boarding, Education, News, Private Schools by David Field
“It was fifteen minutes.”
For Grade 12 student Callagy Ross that was the time between her history class and setting off in life rafts with her 63 shipmates from S.V. Concordia as the ship began to sink off the coast of Brazil on February 17, 2010.
The students, teachers and crew of West Island College’s Class Afloat then spent close to 40 hours on the life rafts, not knowing when they might be rescued and having to constantly bail water out of the rafts. Shortly after the wreck three of the four life rafts connected and were able to share emergency supplies and support.
The rafts smelt badly and people had to be held onto if they needed to go to the bathroom. “We held their legs and they squatted overboard,” said Callagy.
As day turned into night few people were able to sleep. Suffering from bruises many passengers developed serious rashes from being wet in the raft for such an extended period.
Then after 34 hours, a plane was spotted.
“It was probably the happiest moment of my life,” explained student Camille Charbonneau who was in another raft. “When you see it, it confirms that you are going to be okay.”
A few hours after seeing the plane, two Filipino cargo ships came to their rescue.
“They really took care of us, gave us blankets and places to sleep,” said Camille. “They were the nicest people I ever met.”
Now almost three weeks after the sinking of the S.V. Concordia both Callagy and Camille say they are ready to head to Lunenburg, Nova Scotia to be with their friends and continue their studies on land. “I’m definitely going back to Lunenburg. I’m extremely excited to be back with the program, friends, teachers and crew,” said Camille who enjoyed riding camels into the Sahara dessert when the ship landed in Morocco.
Asked about if the opportunity rose again to attend school on the seas with West Island College Class Afloat both students had a similar response. “I would go back on in a heartbeat!” exclaimed Callagy. If she does go back, hopefully she can again absorb the sight of the colours and people in the markets of Turkey that was her most memorable experience with Class Afloat before the S.V. Concordia sank.
Arrival Photos
Our Kids’ owner and photographer Andrew Stawicki was on hand at Toronto’s Pearson Airport the morning that the students arrived from Brazil. Click through to see his photos.
Tags: boarding school, boat, Class Afloat, Classroom, Education, learning, S.V. Concordia, sailing, ship, teaching, travelThe life of a student aboard Class Afloat
March 3rd, 2010 | Comments | Posted in Blog, Boarding, Classroom, Education, Private Schools by David Field
Turn around. No matter what direction you face all you see is flat blue water. As you walk about, you constantly maintain three points of contact to maintain your balance. As you sit on the side of the ship and work on your homework, a single albatross flies overhead. As nighttime falls and the horizon disappears, it is your turn to handle a two-hour night watch. In the extreme darkness of night the sea is ink black. Overhead there is nothing but piercingly bright stars. These are the memories of the alumni who sailed the seas on the S.V. Concordia.
“It is like nothing else you can compare it to,” said Robert Crooks, who boarded the ship in 1999 for his Grade 11 year. “On a regular basis you are saving each others lives and seeing things that are mindblowingly different.”
Tags: boarding school, Class Afloat, Education, private school, sailing, ship, student, teacher, teachingThe Apple iPad tablet for students and education
January 27th, 2010 | Comments | Posted in Classroom, Private Schools, Students, Teachers, Technology by David Field
Today’s reveal of the iPad by Apple has many interesting features that will not only change learning in the classroom but bring the same learning home. iBooks and iWork are two features that quickly stand out for education on the new 24 cm high device. Right now iBooks might help children and teenagers become interested in reading; allowing them to read an entire library of books at any moment, anywhere they are. But given a bit of time, students will have all their textbooks available too. Educators will not have to worry whether students have brought their books to class, instead it will all be in the iPad.
Apple's iPad tablet: Will it revolutionize education?
Secondly, iWork designed especially for the iPad will allow students to collaborate, take detailed notes and work on assignments at all points during the day. In a world where children are busy and stressed, this helps them maximize their learning during class hours.
The iPad, costing over half ($499 US) of the cost of a comparable Apple laptop, offers students a chance to browse the web, research, be in contact with other students around the world, read newspapers and plan their schedules. Although it won’t do everything a laptop might, it does handle most classroom and education needs. There are applications already that provide extensive calculators and graphic editing tools. If the software isn’t available as an app yet, then it likely will be.
The iPad will not radically change education in the short term, but it will make the technology more mobile, accessible and functional. And hopefully, it will get students and teachers excited about learning and reading. If it can do that, it is worth any price and all the hype.
How do you think the iPad will change learning and education for our children?
The Girl Guides of Canada celebrate 100 years
January 21st, 2010 | Comments | Posted in Camp, Camp Photos, Events, News, Private Schools by David Field
When a well-known organization celebrates 100 years, changing with the times is not the first thought that comes to mind. But over 4,000 people attended the anniversary celebrations for the Girl Guides of Canada on January 16, 2010 at Casa Loma in Toronto, Ontario. We have put together a gallery of photos of the event.
Girls Guides of Canada celebrate their centennial at Casa Loma
“The Girl Guides of Canada looks at the needs of the girls within the generation they are living,” explains Linda Crawford, the director of operations of Girl Guides of Canada. “We go out and ask girls what they like to do and what they would like to have the opportunity to try.”
The Girl Guides of Canada began in 1910 in St. Catharines, Ontario. The first chief commissioner of the Girl Guides of Canada was Lady Mary Pellatt, who resided in Toronto’s Casa Loma at the time.
The Girl Guides provides an opportunity for young women to learn through experience. Camping, one of the Girl Guide activities, teaches girls about nature and how to survive in new circumstances. “Girl Guides gives them exposure to new things that help them grow,” says Crawford.
Looking forward to the next 100 years, girls and parents can expect the Girl Guides of Canada to continue to adapt to the changing needs of girls and remain true to their mission, vision, promise and law that they have had for a century. But as science and technology change so will the Girl Guides of Canada. “We will be adapting to use the methods of communication that girls are adapting to,” says Crawford. “The Girl Guides of Canada will help girls adapt to that fast paced change.”
Friendships will continue to be the rewards of involvement with the Girl Guides of Canada. There is great mentorship that lasts a lifetime between women and girls.
“There is a great sisterhood,” concludes Crawford. “As adults we all have a desire to see youth become successful and to pass along important core values to the generations of youth that follow.”
Tags: anniversary, Casa Loma, Girl Guides, photo galleryCamp prepared The Midway State for their music tour
Going on a tour for Nathan Ferraro, the lead singer of the band The Midway State, is like camp on wheels. “Packing a suitcase for a month at a time, leaving your home, friends and family, camp is a great adventure,” says Ferraro.
The Midway State—best known for the song “Never Again”—is a Toronto-based rock band whose use of vocals and the piano create a unique sound. Songwriters, they have been nominated for two Juno awards and completed a Canada-wide tour just before the new year.
When attending Camp Olympia at age fifteen Nathan Ferraro brought his guitar along and was strongly encouraged by the camp’s director—Greg Rogers—to pursue this talent. On the final days of camp Ferraro played in front of everyone at the camp a song he had written. “It was an exciting opportunity to play in front of a bunch of people. Camp is not like real life, it is an escape.”
Fellow band members Mike Wise and Mike Kirsh also attended camp as youth but also became camp counsellors when they were older, working together at Camp Walden. For Kirsh, the stresses of school were removed and there was a lot of music at camp, “There were guys better than me, guys worse than me. I would play with everybody for hours and learned tons from Wise.” Camp is also where Wise learned his guitar skills, looking up to the older better guitar players during his many years at Camp Walden. Wise explains, “My camp was very musically inclined and I gained all kinds of great playing experience with other aspiring musicians.”
Enjoying different people and seeing the value in each person was how Wise learned how to get along with others. “A big part of being a professional musician is knowing how to be effective in a group.”
For each of the band members, the relationships formed at camp have endured. “A few of my best friends are from Camp Walden,” says Kirsh. “We see each other every week and our shared experiences and relationships are still there. Pretty cool.”
Finding the self-confidence needed to go on tour and play music in front of thousands is easily learned at camp. “You learn to do things on your own,” says Ferraro. “You can stand up on your own. You can survive on your own. Sometimes [as a teenager] you forget you are your own person.” For Ferraro, camp every summer was something to look forward to; a clean slate every year and a chance to meet great people.
Tags: Camp, confidence, friends, fun, mentors, Music, summer campRecord Attendance at the Toronto and Oakville Private School Expos
Both days were sunny and slightly cool. And both venues were packed full of families. To be exact, there was a 30 per cent increase in families attending the Toronto Private School Expo at Roy Thomson Hall and Oakville Convention Centre for the Oakville Private School Expo.
At both expos I had the opportunity to speak with parents who had lots of questions about where to begin and what they need to look out for in schools. We discussed the differences between coed schools and all-boys’ schools. We also talked about how to keep one child challenged academically while a second child needs a school environment that motivates and excites them.
Parents have their questions answered at the Toronto Private School Expo
As the editor of Our Kids Go To School, it was great being able to talk to parents and be able to refer them to the 68 school booths in Toronto and 30 in Oakville. Once parents decided the questions they needed to ask schools, they could quickly get them answered. More »
Tags: Parents, private schoolSupreme Court of Canada overturns Quebec law regarding English language schools
The Supreme Court of Canada ruled this morning that certain sections of Quebec’s Bill 104 are not valid. The law intended to prevent parents and students who were circumventing the law to meet the requirements for attending subsidized English language schools in Quebec. The court decided unanimously that although this circumvention is a concern, this law is an “excessive” solution that violates the rights of Canadians under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
“The legislature could have adopted different solutions that would involve a more limited impairment of the guaranteed rights…” (Paragraph 43)
The Supreme Court has given the Quebec legislature one year to amend the legislation and devise alternative solutions to close this loop hole that do not limit the freedoms of some citizens. Bill 104 was introduced into law in 2002. The Quebec Court of Appeal ruled on August 22, 2007 and referred the matter to the Supreme Court of Canada. More »
Tags: écoles passerelles, Private Schools