Michael Zwaagstra is a senior fellow at the Frontier Centre and public high school teacher. He received his Bachelor of Education and Master of Education from the University of Manitoba and Master of Arts in Theological Studies from Liberty University in Virginia. He is the author of A Sage on the Stage: Common Sense Reflections on Teaching and Learning, and co-author of What’s Wrong with Our Schools and How We Can Fix Them. He is a frequent author of education policy research and newspaper columns across Canada. His research mainly focuses on curricula, teaching instruction and public education. Michael’s research and commentary have been featured in radio, television and newspapers across the country. Michael lives with his wife and children in Steinbach, Manitoba.
Everyone likes positive affirmation. It’s nice knowing that while the rest of the world has gone crazy, your friends have your back. It feels even better when you have thousands of friends agreeing with everything you say. Frankly, that is the power of social media,...
“Amen and awoman.” This was how a U.S. congressman concluded a prayer recently in the House of Representatives. No doubt he meant to be inclusive of both men and women. However, he sounded ridiculous. That’s because the word “amen” comes from Hebrew and means “so...
Our society is under serious strain right now. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought out the worst in some people, particularly on social media. No longer do we give people the benefit of the doubt. Rather, we automatically assume the worst about those who disagree with...
Canadians were saddened when they learned that long-time “Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek passed away earlier this week from pancreatic cancer. For more than 35 years, Trebek was a familiar face in our homes. There was no better way of testing your general knowledge than...
Sitting on top of one of the world’s largest and richest natural resource warehouses is turning into quite a disconcerting distraction. While much of Canada’s population – the heavily urban part for whom “rural” means Whistler, Muskoka, or Mont Tremblant – likes to...
The economic upheaval now roiling over the world’s financial markets, rapidly lowering living standards, and even threatening to freeze Europeans this winter, is all directly related to the radical decision most western leaders took in March of 2020., when a new...
The one constant in the teaching profession is the regular introduction of new education fads. Whole language, open-area classrooms, and “new math” are a few examples from the past. Sadly, the lack of hard evidence for these and other fads did little to prevent them...
Today the Frontier Centre released In the Heart of Edu-Babble. Anyone who wants to become a teacher in Canada must earn a bachelor of education degree from an education faculty. Their guaranteed clientele gives education faculties an incredible amount of influence...
People say that “good things come to those who wait.” Maybe they do. But this saying is cold comfort to the families of more than 8000 children who are waiting to get into the most popular charter school in Calgary. Foundations for the Future Charter Academy...
The desire to tailor education to the specific learning styles of each student, known as differentiated instruction, is a fad that distracts from educational fundamentals. There is no evidence to suggest that it is a successful methodology. In fact, by diverting attention away from curriculum content, it can actually be counter-productive.
Common Sense Education gives parents, teachers and students a direct window into the foolish fads that afflict our public education system. This last of ten episodes concludes with a plea to schools to focus on the essentials to advance student achievement. The series...
Common Sense Education gives parents, teachers and students a direct window into the foolish fads that afflict our public education system. This ninth of ten episodes reveals the vast gulf between what teaching methods education faculties believe work, and what...
Common Sense Education gives parents, teachers and students a direct window into the foolish fads that afflict our public education system. This eighth of ten episodes exposes the real reasons behind much of the advocacy done by teachers' unions. The series is written...
Common Sense Education gives parents, teachers and students a direct window into the foolish fads that afflict our public education system. This seventh of ten episodes emphasizes the value of standardized testing as part of a balanced approach to measuring student...
Common Sense Education gives parents, teachers and students a direct window into the foolish fads that afflict our public education system. This sixth of ten episodes shows why direct instruction and subject matter knowledge is important for students. The series is...