The Plate of Time

Who is adding to your workload?  Was your plate predetermine/delivered? Self determined/self served? Thrust upon you/second or third helpings?

Time is important to everyone. How we use it and manage it can help in determining your success or the task’s success and the success of those around you.

It is said if you want something done give it to a busy person.

Students, parents, teachers, principals, administrators, superintendents, staff and trustees all only have 24 hours in the day.

Students have home time, school time, extracurricular activities and maybe self time. At anytime an imbalance may occur on how the student uses their time. Homework or a school project may be given.  Playoffs or a recital may be scheduled. A change in home life and/or responsibilities may happen. Or the child may just want some my time. Who decides how this time is managed? Who is their responsibility to and to what? The debate about homework continues. The over burden child continues. Ever changing home life continues.

Parents work (if they can find a job). They are the first teachers in a child’s life. They organize home life. They are the extracurricular manager. They may also have their own extracurricular life, plus a self life. They are split between their life and their child’s life. When changes occur how do they affect the parent’s and/or child’s life? Does time allow for involvement in school life?

You can say that teachers have a least three lives. The classroom/school’s, their students’, their own and their family’s. When more is added to the teacher’s plate, how does that affect the balance? Does school life drift into home life and vice versa due to time? The communication between school/teacher and parents to inform and increase involvement falls into whose timetable?

Principals’ lives are all those who are involved in the school; students, parents, staff, teachers and Board staff. Not to forget their home, family and self life. The implementation of policy, curriculum, staff management, teacher’s resource and guidance and school operations are time commitments. The time and effort needed to make a school ‘shine’ is not just that of the principal but also that of the student, teacher and parent. Is the principal there for the school or for the Board?

Trustees, administrators, superintendents & board staff must see everything as a whole yet as individuals.  What and how they work lies in the policies/strategies they have developed.  The oneness.  The time of students, teachers, principals and parents are all affected.

Who is filling the plate? How heaped can it become? They can all eat the rewards/success but make sure it is a balanced meal.

It is said a community is needed to raise a child. Are parents, students, teachers, principals, staff, administrators, board staff, Trustees; a part of the community or an individual household? Is there a community within the school or a household? How does a household become part of the community? How do you draw them into the community? What role does everyone play within the community?  Does time play a role?

How do your decisions affect the time of those around you? You value your time but do you value the time of others?

Teachers & Parents

Ron Clark's article 'What Teachers Want to Tell Parents' has gathered much Twitter time these past few days. Well I am about to add some more time on the subject directly and indirectly. I am going to give Mr. Clark the benefit of the doubt that he wrote the article to create discussion, not his belief.


The only aspect/side this blog will not have first hand experience will be that of a teacher, having been a student, now a parent, school volunteer, past school council chair and presently a school trustee. To be honest I don't know how or where this blog may go.

Although schools are attempting to be one to all you, can teachers & schools be one to all? Everyone, parents/students/teachers, is different: thinking, strengths & weaknesses, expectations, values, capabilities, resources, philosophy.

Parent Involvement/Engagement is all the buzz today in education. "Parent Involvement/Engagement Increases Student Success." So we are inviting parents into all aspects of education. Where though is the best placement of this involvement/engagement? What does it look like? I have question though, 'Where is the limit or boundary of this involvement?' Should there be one? Does this lead to certain expectations by/of the parents? 'Involvement or Engagement'

Is respectful, open, two-way communication the key ingredient? Don't Leave Out Parents , Questions That Create Engagement . Are teachers able to accommodate parents expectations? Do parents know how to assist the teacher. It is a learning experience for both and changes with each teacher and parent. Above all: Mutual Respect

I never hurts to 'Self Reflect' . The common ground between teachers & parents can get lost. Teachers determine what you want from parents and how you can assist them in their child's learning. Parents determine what you want from the teacher and how you will assist them in your child's learning. Mutual Goals

One can not over look 'The Relationship' between student and teacher and parent. A good relationship within the classroom extends throughout the school and into the community. This includes families (school & non school), businesses, services, organizations & governments. The saying:  'It takes a community to raise a child.'

'Help Parents Become Involved'

What come to mind is the AMDSB's  Character Attributes: Respect, Empathy, Courage, Compassion, Responsibility, Perseverance, Optimism, Honesty, Fairness and Integrity. We are all in it for the child.

Here are some responses to Ron Clark's article: 'What Caring Teachers Want to Tell Parents' , 'A Letter To Ron Clark' , Wars Between Parents & Teachers' . 'Response to Ron Clark'  I know @sheilaspeaking , @lornacost & @bachtrac and others would like to know your thoughts. Thanks for the support.

I previously touched on this issue in: 'Parent Involvement' , 'Parnet Involvement II' & 'Questions on Engaging/Involving' . I know I will be returning to this topic often.

Past Present Future

Doing some filing and came across these 2 speeches/presentations I did during an Accommodation Review (ARC) that involved my children's school in 2008/2009. Reading these over made me reflect on what I knew or thought I knew then, the Past. The Present, is what I know now and how my views or opinions have changed or not and the knowledge I now have. How I will use my knowledge will be put to the test as a new Accommodation Review within my Board begins in the fall, is the Future.

I presented 40 Years Ago at the first ARC meeting (Oct) involving my children's school and 4 other schools. I sat as a parent on the Committee. ARCs were new to me and much research was done in preparation. Perception has a large influence on how people see & interpret things. Would I change much if I was to rewrite this speech, No. I will stand by my last statement: 'All I ask is my fellow committee members and the public are open-minded and receptive to ideas and suggestions to make the best recommendation or recommendations to the board, and that the board seriously wrestles with their ultimate decision concerning the future of these schools.'

Process, Policy & Procedure was presented to the Board & Trustees after the Administration presented the final Accommodation Review Committee Report to the Trustees (May/June). Much occurred during the ARC and at times it seemed to have a life of its own. Again, would I change much if I was to rewrite this speech, No. Perception means everything, Even when all information is presented it is hard to change what one may perceive. I am guilty of that.

Now I sit on the other side of the table, a Trustee. Will I eat the words I have spoken? No. These words and the knowledge acquired will aid me in making sure the ARC process is as transparent as it can be and all information is presented. The passion one has for their child's school and education will result in many questions being asked and many answers being giving. Putting all the answers and information together will result in the decision.

Will the process be easy? Will the process appear flawed? Will the decision be easy? Will people understand the rationale behind any decision?  Will the decision please all? We will wait and see. 

I will wait and see if I can live up to my expectation and yours. Words &/or actions? I am sure that I will be returning to this issue.

These are my words and thoughts and may or may not Represent those of the AMDSB.

A Note: I did not go into details of the actual ARC and its decision as it would go for ever. If you are interested go to 2008/2009 ARC  .After this ARC's decision the Ministry revised its Accommodation Review guidelines as thus the AMDSB's,  now Policy # 15. 

What I Have Learned & Forgotten

I know I have probably forgotten much of what I have learned but does that stop me from wanting to learn more. No. As I thought about writing this post I came across 2 posts by @reeducate  'What Does It Mean to Love A Child' & 'Not Learning' that seemed appropriate to my writing.
What drives me to want to learn more? Is it intrinsic or extrinsic motivation? It is my desire to be as knowledgeable as a can at what I am currently doing. Can I know everything? No, but I can continuously learn more. Is this self motivation and/or motivation due to expectations?
Currently in education there is much discussion about schooling: teaching methods, curriculum, testing, learning and expectations.
A starting point, school structure & function. Stuck In The Groove. A Critique of Compulsory Schooling
Lets start with 'Are Your Local Schoolchildren Students or Learners' .
I cannot remember when I was attending school what drove me to learn. Was it a natural instinct, was it a competition to learn more (be smarter) than the kid beside me or was it because I was being taught?
A question arises these days "What is more important having the knowledge or knowing what to do with the knowledge?" Where & how does testing & its form play in the answer to that question? I guess that depends on your answer. Is what we need is thinking? '10 Ways to Create a Culture of Thinking'
If a person has an interest in something they are more apt to be willing to learn. The connection to relevance between the subject and the student is important. 'Seven Sins of Our System of Forced Education' What subjects need to be part of the curriculum? Many types of jobs in the future don't currently exist so how can we teach/learn for them? Does the old cliche 'Well Rounded Education" apply? Is that STEM or includes arts, history etc? How personalize should schooling be?
'The Object of Education is Learning Not Teaching' What is your perspective?
Once again I maybe ask more questions then give answers. Is learning giving the answers or asking the questions? 'Great Questions Have Legs'

Trustee Trusteeship

AMDSB's Character Attribute for June was Integrity. When I was writing the following presentation I began to question myself and my performance as a Trustee.

Integrity ‘doing what is right and honourable.’

When you look up integrity in Wikipedia you will find ‘Integrity is a concept of consistency of actions, values, methods, measures, principles, expectations, and outcomes. In ethics, integrity is regarded as the honesty and truthfulness or accuracy of one's actions. Integrity can be regarded as the opposite of hypocrisy,^[1] in that it regards internal consistency as a virtue, and suggests that parties holding apparently conflicting values should account for the discrepancy or alter their beliefs.

The word "integrity" stems from the Latin adjective integer (whole, complete).^[2] In this context, integrity is the inner sense of "wholeness" deriving from qualities such as honesty and consistency of character. As such, one may judge that others "have integrity" to the extent that they act according to the values, beliefs and principles they claim to hold.’

What do you stand for?  What do you say? How do you act? What is your rationale?

‘Wisdom is knowing the right path to take, Integrity is taking it’. Can you have integrity without wisdom? Is wisdom knowledge?

As trustees we have and will make decisions that are controversy. At times we may struggle with making a decision and question our decision but we take the knowledge we have and the information given us and we make the best decision we can. Is that all that is asked of us? If we are consistent and confident in the decision making, yes. We may be questioned and even attacked over the decision. We are responsible to the whole board not just to the constituents and communities that elected us. Do we see the whole picture? Yes, but what affects all affects one.

A building’s integrity is its structural strength. If this structure is weakened it could collapse. Is a person’s integrity their inner strength and wholeness of character? What happens when a person’s integrity is weakened?

Tanveer Naseer ‘If we expect to be a strong leaders and confident team players, we need the rare ability to listen to things that are tough to hear, and say things we don’t think will be popular.’ This could also be as simple as knowing what to say and when to say it or what not to say.

"Blessed is the servant who loves his brother as much when he is sick and useless as when he is well and be of service to him. And blessed is he who loves his brother as well when he is afar off as when he is by his side, and who would say nothing behind his back he might not, in love, say before his face." - St. Francis of Assisi 

I am not going to say where I think I failed or give reasons why. Improvement is all I can ask of myself. Here are my first steps:

Do I need more focus & direction? Determining Leadership Focus & Direction 

Where should advocacy lay? Trustee Advocacy 

Asking questions benefits all.  Question Everything
Learn from all. Lessons in Principalship 
Who do you please? How To Overcome People Pleasing

What is needed to be a leader? 10 Things I Learned About Leading


I hope I did not turn you off with all these links to wonderful & informative sites. My Path of Learning continues as does it for all. School Trustees Don't Know Who Does What.

Finance & Budget

If you haven't noticed by articles in the news, it is budget time for School Boards in Ontario. June 30th is the deadline for Boards to pass and submit balanced budgets to the Ministry of Education (GEDU).

As a new Trustee I was somewhat afraid of what the budget process would be like and rightfully so. School Boards in Ontario receive all their financing from the Ministry of Education since local taxation was removed. This move was made to equalize the playing field between Boards, no more have & have not Boards. Education Funding 2011/2012 GEDU outlines this complicated funding system. There is base funding, enrollment based funding, special funding, program funding, etc. etc. The application and reporting  for and of the funds can be followed through the Financial Analysis & Accountability Branch of the Ministry. Throughout the year new funding maybe made or program changes or new programs introduce. These are made through Ministry Memos: B & SB Memoranda . All this creates a reporting overload. At times the Finance department could be working on 3 different budgets: the previous year's, the current year's and next year's with different numbers: final figures, initial estimates, revised estimates and projected estimates. Trying to follow things at times makes one's head spin.

School Board's budgets are huge, creating the need (and appropriately) for accountability. Approximately 80% of a Board's budget is for salaries: whether it be teachers, EAs, principals, administration staff or custodians. This leaves 20% for transportation, capital, utilities, supplies, technology, programming, etc. How & where this money is spent is a challenge, there never seems to be enough. When money is short programs, services, repairs may need to be cut or reduced. Boards and staff do this to the best of their ability to minimize cuts. These days improved standards/achievement are the push with the public wanting (appropriately again) the best for the buck.

One thing that I was not prepared for in our local budget process was the fact that the Administrative staff presented the Finance Committee with a balanced budget. Maybe because this process does not make the headlines. Is this the right process, for us I would say yes. Who better than the staff to make priorities and know the consequences of cuts. Yes, we still see the figures and have our say and question the short term and long term financial and programming ramifications of the budget. Does this minimize accountability?

Can I say where and how every dollar is spent, NO. Do I trust the people with the knowledge who provide me with the information and numbers, YES. Do I want to know more, YES. Will we (Trustees & Staff) always be questioned on the budget, YES.

The Question of FDK/ELP

Has our society/culture abandoned our young? What does family life look like? What is the interaction/social time within the family composed of?  How, when, why, where and who does early learning? In a previous Blog Questions On Engaging/Involving shows what could be considered the extreme in what is expected of Early Learning. When are children to be children?

This Vancouver Sun article 'Study Raises Questions About Full Day Kindergarten" adds to the debate over Early Learning Programs and Full Day Kindergarten. Another article in the Telegraph claims ''Thousands of Children "Not Ready For School" at Five' . 'Too Young for Kindergarten? Tide Turning Against 4 Year Olds' in the New York Times poses the questions how young is too young. 'Why Preschool Shouldn't Be Like School' what school/teaching should look like. From Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children comes 'shows a connection between full-day kindergarten enrollment and later success in elementary school on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA)'. Assessment - Standardized Testing is that all learning is? Parental Choice has some thoughts.

One system does not fit all. All children are not at the same level. All children do not learn the same. All children are at different maturity/social skills. Remember ALL children are CHILDREN.

PS: Be sure I will  be returning to this topic again.