The Right to Blog

“@joe_bower Is there a context where administrators, school board trustees & policy makers should ever NOT want teachers to blog about education? #abed”

 This is one of a series of related tweets by Joe Bower that got me thinking. Who should tweet/blog? Who has authority over if and what someone tweets/blogs? What should one tweet/blog about? Are there ethics, guideline &/or standards within your profession about tweets/blogs?

I am going to tackle this from my perspective as a school board trustee. I have been on twitter for just over a year and blogging for just over 6 months. I have been amazed at the information and knowledge I how obtain through being on twitter. This has come simply from the message of the tweet or from the accompanying link to an article, report or blog within the tweet. These posts are composed by parents, teachers, reporters, professor, principals, administrators, trustees, superintendents, ministries, boards, committees or organizations.

I began blogging, A Discovered Passion for Education, when I decided to run as a school board trustee in last year’s Ontario’s Municipal Elections. I thought what harm would there be in using the emerging social media as a campaign tool. My blog consisted of various post about issues in education and an occasional my view of things. Basically I was free to write/blog as I wished within standard/accepted practices. After being elected I questioned whether I would continue blogging or not. I decided to continue but thought (knew) my freedom was now maybe limited. You ask why, read (e) & (f). The Ministry of Education Education Act states the:

“Duties of board members

218.1  A member of a board shall; (a) carry out his or her responsibilities in a manner that assists the board in fulfilling its duties under this Act, the regulations and the guidelines issued under this Act, including but not limited to the board’s duties under section 169.1; (b) attend and participate in meetings of the board, including meetings of board committees of which he or she is a member; (c) consult with parents, students and supporters of the board on the board’s multi-year plan under clause 169.1 (1) (f); (d) bring concerns of parents, students and supporters of the board to the attention of the board; (e) uphold the implementation of any board resolution after it is passed by the board; (f) entrust the day to day management of the board to its staff through the board’s director of education; (g) maintain focus on student achievement and well-being; and (h) comply with the board’s code of conduct.”

Uphold & entrust. Can I blog against the Board’s decision? Can I blog questioning the procedures of the staff? Is this the correct forum for discontent and/or discussion? I don’t believe so. I may state the facts of all sides of the issue and let my readers decide.  One of my goals for blogging was to inform my readers, which I will continue to do.  As time goes on and the learning curve becomes the knowing and leadership curve, I may/will tackle those contentious issues and take that path less ventured.

I don’t feel someone has the right to tell me that I can or cannot blog and what I can blog about. I set my own standards.  What about teachers? Does the teacher have an innovative idea? A new philosophy? What about superintendents? Parents? Students? Trash talking is unacceptable.  Anything that commences, engages and advances discussion can be and should be  ‘put on the table’.  Creativity, an open mind, the ability to see all sides and the right to disagree are the cornerstone of advancement. 

People have so much to share don’t stifle it.

Parent Involvemnt IV

Whether I follow a certain person or do the articles just keep coming but to me Parent Involvement is trending.

This posts links some sites that show some differences between Parent Involvement and Parent Engagement. A simple explanation of the difference is that Involvement is involvement in the school environment and Engagement is the school/student learning environment. This Michigan Department of Education  article highlights some factors on parent involvement. Parents Need to be Participants not Spectators . No one will deny that Parent Involvement Aids in Student Achievement .

This article by Ourschool.ca is timely as Boards wrapped their heads around the role and function of PIC's. People for Education Online Community is always an interesting read.

As you can tell I seem to have an interest in Parent Involvement &/or engagement. 

Parent Involvement III

I seem to be returning to this topic often. Parent Involvement/Engagement.

How do you measure parent involvement? Where do you measure parent involvement?

The Ministry of Education has mandated that boards and schools must increase their parent involvement in the schooling environment. Where is this best placed and determined?

The first place to look would be in the home. Parents asking & reviewing their child’s learning for the day. The everyday challenge of getting their child to get their homework (homeschooling) done. How is this to be possible with the desire to reduce if not eliminating homework? Until we get an open learning environment established at school and at home students do not/will not have the self desire to learn at home what is being taught at school.  Maybe that is what parents can do at home is create an environment for self learning.

Next would be parents coming into the school to help/volunteer in the classroom. Many parents feel comfortable coming into primary & junior classrooms and teachers are enjoying these extra hands but can you see a parent coming into a Grade 11 Biology class? First, the parent may not feel knowledgeable enough to help, the teachers may not want help and the student certainly does not want mom or dad around. Also many parents do not have the freedom to come into the school due to work, family or other commitments. How does the teacher use the parent volunteer, do they feel valued?

School SAC’s are another avenue. Whether it is giving input/developing school and board policy, organizing an event or fundraising, parents can lend a voice or hand. SAC’s and individual parents need to find their niche within the school and determine what works best. We will have to wait and see as PIC’s evolve how SAC’s evolve.

Does parent involvement need to be legislated/mandated? Probably not, but it does need to be supported at whatever area and level one wishes to become involved at. A 'one system for all' does not work for parent involvement. Parent involvement most remain voluntary.

Classroom Technology

I am the first one to admit that I am not up on all the technology that is available these days to use in the education of students. Whether it be the Ipad, Iphone, Skype, Livescribe, IWB, the list is endless. There are a few quotes that come to mind about the use of technology in the classroom: "The medium is the Message.", "Are the tools enhancing the learning process or just fluff?", "Don't use technology for the sack of technology." ,  "Technology Enhances but Never Substitutes" No, I am not against using technology in the classroom. I am just concerned that it is being used effectively. I am not in the classroom, I have used (at times even understand) very little of the technology. Someday maybe I will visit @hdurnin while she Skypes in her classroom or read & comment to one of @Grade1 's classroom blogs, watch a @Nunavut_Teacher 's Prezi, read @dougpete 's 'The Best of Ontario's Educators', be provoked by a @courosa or @gcouros or @joe_bower blog article, the examples can go on. As you can see education is not just for those in the classroom.

To Tweet or Not to Tweet

I have become quite the Tweep. I do compose my own tweets, retweet those of others, follow people and am followed. However, it is the unlimited amount of information that goes by in a day that has got me hooked on Twitter. Daily you will read tweets and blogs advocating the use of twitter. To each their own. @kevcreutz says it nicely. I do admit that I do not tweet much and I retweet frequently. I am still developing and gaining confidence in my views to post them. In the mean time I follow people that I can gain knowledge and confidence from by reading their tweets and posts. I am privileged to have followers and appreciate their encouragement and support. We all started at zero tweets, followers and following. Some of us just take longer to catch on and get going. The same can be said for blogging. @NMHS_Principal & @dougpete have some great thoughts  about blogging. People will convert and connect in time. The Personal Learning Network and the resources that I am developing from belonging to Twitter have and will take me a long way. Thanks to all the Tweeps out there.

The Whole Child

The Ministry of Education is seeking consultation on its next step of the 'Whole Child Initiative'. In Helping Kids Get A Stronger Start , the Ministry is consulting on its Early Childhood/Best Start Child and Family Centres. This is the beginning of the moving/merging different parts or Ministries into the Ministry of Education. I am waiting to see how all this plays out. Yes, the Government has increased Education funding but is it an increase or just a transfer of money along with other responsibilities. Streamlining within  and amongst Ministries is good. Read Dr. Pascal's Report Our Best Future: Early Learning in Ontario to see where things are heading. As Parents and as Educators we have the right to participate.

The Role

Attending the Ontario Public School Board Association's (OPSBA) Public Education Symposium answered many questions, muddied others and poised new ones. Everyone seems to have different takes on the roles of Trustees.

Bill 177 the 'Education Act' and the Student Achievement and School Board Governance Act' may have tidied up the Education Act but with clarity also comes interpretation.  If may take awhile for a person to interpret, learn, understand, function and accustom oneself to the role of Trustee. Should one be continually questioning the Trustee's role and thus their own role? Sometimes the public's view of a Trustee can make things interesting. What do you actually do?  Are Trustees managers or leaders? Do we have all the responsibilities but no powers. Some people refer to Trustees as 'rubber stampers'. Are we the Spokesperson for the Board or the Public Relations Officer? You are 'My' Trustee.

Trustees set the Policy and the Staff produces and implements the Procedures. The dynamics, the interaction and  the relationship between Trustees and Staff to accomplish the Board's Policy can vary between Boards. If it works, it works. To each their own. I admit it may take a little while for me to come to terms with my role as Trustee however my learning is also those of the other Trustees. A new Trustee, a new Board, a new Perspective.

Although this article by Chris Kennedy is written from the viewpoint of a Superintendent most also applies to performing as a Trustee. 'Coaching In & Out of the Classroom' The Opportunity of a Lifetime and 'Thinking About Leadership' Personalized Learning as a Change Initiative, are again from a Superintendent's point of view but nevertheless are quite informative. I hope to be able to adopt and carry some of these traits with me as a Trustee. I am sure there will be a The Role Part II and even Part III & IV.