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The Need for Change
Over 40 billion dollars a year is spent in Canada getting our children from Kindergarten to Grade 12,[i], yet over 40% of our youth fail to meet expected performance levels for basic subjects[ii] and almost one quarter of our children fail to graduate with their peers.[iii]. Students are disengaging grade by grade[iv], a trend illustrated by their increasing dislike for school[v], declining academic achievement[vi] and rising rates of teenage depression[vii] and suicide[viii]. Contrary to Canada’s most fundamental democratic tenets, minority and low-income children are the hardest hit[ix].
signs of trouble
Something is clearly wrong when we see growing youth disengagement, increasing dislike for school with each passing grade and rising rates of teenage depression and suicide. Expansion of both home schooling and private school enrollment also indicate dropping confidence in public education and recent studies show that our students are getting through the system without the basic skills or problem-solving abilities needed to function in today’s economy. Minority and low income students are the hardest hit.
The Freedom Writers Diary: How a Teacher and 150 Teens Used Writing to Change Themselves and the World
Although these powerful entries from high school students’ own diaries paint a brutal picture of prejudice and violence in urban American, The Freedom Writers Diary is an ultimately uplifting and unforgettable example of how hard work, courage, and the spirit of determination changed the lives of a teacher and her students.
Stay in School: Program Hugely Successful In Reducing High School Drop-Outs
Posted January 23rd, 2008 by carrieannThe six year old Pathways to Education program has had a dramatic result in reducing the high school drop-out rate in Regent Park (Toronto) from 56% to 10% and increasing the proportion of young people attending post-secondary education from 20% to 80%.
Tell Them From Me: Canadian Students Speak About Their Schools
Posted January 23rd, 2008 by carrieannTell Them From Me is an assessment system that measures a wide variety of indicators of student engagement and wellness, and classroom and school climate that are known to affect learning outcomes. The anonymous survey covers areas including: perceptions of testing, sports-team involvement, attendance, post-graduation goals, bullying, self esteem, student anxiety and depression.
Student achievement report: What do standardized tests tell us about Canadian students today?
Posted January 14th, 2008 by carrieannHow much and how well are our children learning in school? Do they have the skills to succeed in tomorrow’s world? Parents, students, employers, and the general public all want the answer to these questions, and governments and educators have designed a range of tools for monitoring and reporting learning outcomes and performance to measure the success of our learning systems.
(Source: Canadian Council on Learning)
