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.
Saskatchewan students are not having a good school year. Teachers in that province are currently engaged in rotating strikes and there is a real possibility of a full teachers’ strike in the near future. The Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation wants class size and...
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s parental rights announcement has surely generated a lot of debate. Not only will Alberta require schools to obtain parental consent before changing the names or pronouns of students under the age of 16, but teachers will also have to...
It was just a few short years ago that the Pallister government introduced Bill 64. Among other things, Bill 64 would have abolished school boards and replaced elected trustees with provincial appointees. The reaction was fast and furious. The Manitoba School Board...
Student academic achievement is heading downhill in every single province in Canada. That’s what the latest Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) report shows. Over the last twenty years, there has been a steady decline in the math, reading, and...
For the past 14 years, Vancouver surgeon Dr. Brian Day has led the charge for health-care reform, pushing for the right of patients to pay for private care if their health and well-being are threatened as a result of waiting in a stagnant and overburdened public...
The path to net zero, based on the much disputed belief that carbon dioxide is a pollution, is more steep and impractical than most people realize. Replacing fossil fuels with clean electricity will require much more power generation and a greatly upgraded grid to...
Judging by the recent flurry of spending announcements, provincial politicians are eager to spend more money on public education. For example, the Ontario government recently announced that it will invest an additional $180 million to improve the academic skills of...
It’s not often that New Brunswick makes the national news. It’s rarer still for a New Brunswick premier to become a Canadian household name. But that’s exactly what’s happened to Premier Blaine Higgs. Last month, New Brunswick’s education minister announced changes...
There is a significant push by some educators to abolish traditional percentage grades. This “ungrading” movement wants teachers to eliminate, or at least minimize, the status of formal grades. A Winnipeg Free Press story recently described how one Winnipeg high...
The provincial government recently announced that it is partnering with a B.C.-based company to deliver virtual financial literacy programming in Manitoba classrooms. Starting next school year, Enriched Academy will provide lessons to about 1,500 Manitoba...
This election will have a big impact on the type of learning that happens in schools.
Keeping students safe must always be a top priority.
Artificial intelligence has come a long way. Unlike the rudimentary software of the past, modern-day programs such as ChatGPT are truly impressive. Whether you need a 1,000-word essay summarizing the history of Manitoba, a 500-word article extolling the virtues of...
The Grade 12 provincial math and English exams are coming back to Manitoba. While they were suspended for several years during the COVID-19 pandemic, the province recently announced plans to reinstate them next year. Not everyone is happy to see these exams returning....
The good news is that inflation appears to be slowing down. The bad news is that no one seems to have told the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT) since they plan to impose a 17.64 percent fee hike on all Ontario teachers this year. Unsurprisingly, teachers are not...