When teachers look at the students in their classrooms can they assume that they all come from similar backgrounds and all had the same opportunities while growing up? Anyone who has ever been in a public school classroom knows that …
Making School Better Series: We need more Canadian History in Schools
According to a survey conducted for Historica Canada only one-in-four Canadians was familiar with the historical achievements of Lucy Maude Montgomery, author of the acclaimed “Anne of Green Gables” series, even worst few than one-in-five Canadians are familiar with … …
Making School Better Series: Teachers Should Educate Not Indoctrinate
Back in 2017 CBC ran a story about a teacher who was so passionate about climate change that he attended an intensive training session lead by former US vice president Al Gore, after being designated a climate reality leader at …
Making Schools Better Series: Memorization is Still Important
How good is your memory? Let’s test it out. Memorize these seven letters H, K, C, T, N, I, E, was that hard? Try these seven letters instead K, I, T, C, H, E, N which series of letters were …
Making Schools Better Series: There Is Nothing New about 21st-Century Learning
Things are changing so fast that two-thirds of the jobs that will exist in 15 years haven’t been invented yet. Perhaps you have heard this claim before or something similar to it, if so, then you have also heard that …
Brainwashed Students Aren’t Critical Thinkers
There is a fine line between teaching and brainwashing. Teaching informs students about the world around them and helps them become critical thinkers. In contrast, brainwashing provides students with heavily skewed information that leads to one predetermined conclusion. It’s easy …
Content Knowledge Is The Key
“The older teacher thought first of his subject matter, that it get learned… The good teacher of the newer view well understands how it is the process itself, especially as socially conditioned that educates; and he makes every effort to …
The Class Size Debate (770 CHQR, Calgary)
A recent study claims that 90 per cent of classes in Alberta are way over the provincial standard of 17 students per class. But how much do class sizes affect a child’s learning process? Michael Zwaagstra, a senior fellow with …
Giving Canadian Teachers a Voice
Teaching is a challenging job. Anyone who has spent a few days in a school knows that teachers have a lot of demands placed upon them. Their responsibilities often go far beyond basic classroom instruction. From dealing with disruptive student …