Michael Zwaagstra is an educator, an author and a regular contributor to the work of the Frontier Institute. He's coming to researchED Ontario to talk about his belief that the importance of content knowledge cannot be underestimated when it comes to learning at all...
Michael Zwaagstra
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.
Research by Michael Zwaagstra
Reading Comprehension Depends on Content Knowledge
Walk into an elementary school classroom and you will probably see a lot of books on the shelf. Take a closer look and you will often find a coloured dot, a number, or a letter on each book’s spine. Those dots, numbers, and letters show the reading level of each book....
With Michael Zwaagstra, Contributor to the Frontier Centre for Public Policy and a public high school teacher, education researcher, and author.
More Canadian History Needed In Schools
Last fall, the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario demanded that John A. Macdonald’s name be stricken from all public schools in the province. More recently, Halifax’s city council voted to remove the Edward Cornwallis statue that had stood downtown since 1931....
Featured News
Time to Stop Lockdowns, Vaccine Mandates and Crushing Our Charter of Rights
If one was to discuss the state of the world’s democracies in September of 2019, it would look entirely different than it does today in 2022. Three years ago, Canadians generally thought that: our democracy was relatively strong and citizens would defend their...
Propaganda Rules the World
One of the greatest books that explain how the world works is Propaganda by Edward Bernays. The man dubbed “the father of public relations” applied the psychological ideas of his uncle Sigmund Freud upon the masses, triggering their basic motivations to the benefit of...
Don’t Axe Provincial Achievement Tests: Eliminating Alberta’s achievement tests to save money is a big mistake
Using the provincial deficit as an excuse to eliminate provincial achievement tests in Alberta would do serious damage to educational accountability.
Governments to Students: Don’t Worry About the Real World: Deadlines should be enforced in school
A large number of school divisions prevent teachers from deducting marks from late assignments. But this policy stems from a misguided assessment philosophy that fails to take human nature into account.
The Province to Students: Don’t Worry About the Real World: Deadlines should be enforced in school
A large number of school divisions prevent teachers from deducting marks from late assignments. But this policy stems from a misguided assessment philosophy that fails to take human nature into account.
How Canada’s Schools Promote Failure in University – And Life
Recent studies showing that many high school students are unprepared for university make it clear that a stronger focus on academic content is needed in public schools.
Doing More of the Same Won’t Improve Test Results
Fundamental changes to Ontario’s education system, particularly improving the curriculum and enhancing parental choice, are needed to improve student test scores.
Advancement in School Results from Achievement, Not from a Right
There are many reasons to question the dominance of social promotion in Canadian public schools.
An ‘F’ for Social Promotion
The Frontier Centre recommends schools replace social promotion with promotion on the basis of academic achievement.
Don’t Eliminate Percentage Grades from Report Cards
Traditional percentage grades may soon be a thing of the past if provincial officials and school division administrators have their way.
If Alberta’s Education System Isn’t Broken, Don’t Fix It
During its planned overhaul of the School Act, the Alberta government needs to ensure that academic standards and standardized testing are preserved while resisting the temptation to look to technology as a learning panacea.