Waiting For Ombudsman

The Office of the Ombudsman of Ontario. Meet The Public Watchdog With Bite 
When or will the Ontario Ombudsman have oversight of Education? My present leaning may show here.
I follow the @Ont_Ombudsman on Twitter with interest and enjoy his #AskUROmbuds conversation. Here are some tweets of interest :


"When we make a recommendation, we usually require a periodic update by gov't on implementation"
" We have jurisdiction over Ont gov't line ministries, agencies, boards, commissions and Crown corporations." 
 "The whole MUSH sector is off limits. At least for now. See pages 13 et al. here "
"We oversee over 500 Ont gov't ABCs. Agencies, Boards, Commissions and Ministries."
"S. 17(2) of our Act allows 4 trivial matters, vexatious, frivolous or bad faith complaints to b rejected"
"Ombuds Act allows me to review laws. We did that in the #G20 investig. Lead the gov't to agree to repeal PWPA"
"The vast majority of the 18,000+ cases we process every year is dealt w/in a low-key, cooperative way thanks to #OPS"
"Even if we don't have jurisdiction over MUSH, we may still b able to help. Don't hesitate to ring us."
"The Ombuds must respect the legislative branch of gov't which is democratically elected and directly accountable to citizens."
"Last but not least, as my recommendations are not binding, gov't can, at all times, reject them."
"Courts can exercise judicial review to ensure that the Ombuds does not exceed his jurisdiction or fail to exercise it."
"If our decisions were binding, we'd b more like a court & treated much differently in law."
"Ombud's findings around the world are not binding. It's the nature of the beast. We rely on moral suasion."
" I've always said oversight of some/all MUSH is inevitable. Hopefully sooner than late"


For your reading the 2011/2012 Annual Report of the Ombudsman.
I wonder what the Ombudsman's oversight of Education would look like? Would it create a roadblock/impediment of decisions and implementation?  Could things come to a crawl or halt within a school or Board waiting for the Ombudsman's Report? Could there be hesitation to make decisions and changes? Would its mandate include everything from a parent not liking a child's teacher or classroom placement to Accommodation Reviews and School Closures?
How would Rulings be implemented? Where would the ruling's jurisdiction lie: the School, the Board or the Province?
Is it time to start serious discussion? Time to Give Ombudsman Authority for Schools Overdue 
Until we know what it would look like how can we say yes or no to oversight?


PS: I know some of my followers will jump on this post.

Direction Of PIC

I see 3 directions PICs may take: encourage/strengthen School Advisory Councils (SAC) at the grassroots; provide Board wide SAC/PIC events that parents can participate in; be a sounding platform to the board on how/when to engage parents and provide input (consultation).  I will concentrate on the first and explain ‘once those are in place the third becomes unnecessary’.

All schools are to have School/Parent Advisory Council to promote and provide parent involvement/engagement. 'Involvement Matters: What to Tell Parents' All boards are to have PIC to support & promote parent involvement/engagement throughout the board.

I see the main role of the PIC is to support and strengthen the local SAC. How will they do this? Well like everything else, each situation is different. Many parents and schools struggle with parent involvement, due to the fact that it can and does look different to so many people. Bloggucation's 'The Family Path'   Whether it is discussing school at home, helping with homework, volunteering at the school or in the classroom, organizing school activities/events, providing input on school & board policy & direction are all involvement. Some value one over the other but they are all vital to the child/student and the effective education system. Where parents feel comfortable and see the need is where they will participate, whenever, however. It is up to the School Advisory Council and school to promote and assist and welcome this participation. Some areas need to be worked on, to make parents feel their time and voices are important. The PIC can support the local SAC by providing information, resources, and workshops for members/parents to assist in their personal and group growth. The need for communication whether done by notes, newsletter, emails, phone, twitter, facebook, skype or website is first step and maybe the deciding step. Your School Doesn't Need A Webmaster' The need may be not to just to inform/educate parents and to encourage involvement/engagement but also those in the system on how to promote and accommodate it in their particular role or situation. Mechanisms need to be in place so that ALL parents can be involved. 'Understanding Parental Involvement' This can be a challenge for the SAC or school.  The stronger, the more knowledgeable the SAC (parents), the more entrenched parent involvement is at the school level and affects the role of the PIC.

The second point comes out of PIC as a ‘Let’s do something different’. Whereas SACs are at the school level PICs operate at the Board level.  As stated they are to support local councils. Doing a Board wide event, whether a workshop, discussion meeting or hosting a guest speaker, can bring parents across the board together.  We all know the benefits of networking to learn. Connect people. 'IgniteParents'

I said that the third point would ‘become unnecessary’ with strong SACs. If parents are informed & active (involved and engaged) SACs become a place of collaboration between parents and school for effective education. The mutual acceptance of everyone’s role can do so much. When parents are knowledgeable and their voices welcome the need to request input will not be needed as it will be happily given. The consultation and input will start from step one, the where, when & how becomes automatic. Grassroots participation at work. 'Parent Involvement Is Smart'

I have stated many times ‘knowledgeable, educated or informed parent’. This is a two way street. The needed/wanted information needs to be readily available to and understandable for parents. Whether this is a Ministry directive, board policy or curriculum question, with today’s technology, information and resources   are at click of a button. Parents need to take the step to obtain this information (or better still offered to them to start with) to become informed. Why is this being taught? Why is it being taught this way? How can I help? What programs are in place for assistance? What are the bases for this policy? The education system does not need to be confrontational but can it be better? Yes.  Does it start with a small step by parents or a small step by educators? How about taking the steps together. 'Study Group - Parental Engagement'

There are still areas that are appear off limits but many issues arise due to not knowing how to or how able to accommodate parent involvement.  Is it still the student’s work, the teacher’s classroom, the principal’s school, the board’s direction, the Ministry’s policy? Parent Involvement Coordinators' Some parents think the meaningful inclusion of their voice is taking too long. Could it be that parents and the system wanted this but both were unprepared how to incorporate it? Your thoughts - 'Lifting Bans on Parents in Classroom'

Parents: Their Future Role?

'Hold On To Your Kids: Why Parents Matter" by Gordon Neufeld versus "Early Years Study 3" by Fraser Mustard and throw in "With Our Best Future in Mind" by Charles Pascal. I am a parent, I don't have a Masters degree or mounds of research before me but I know what I think and believe.

I couldn't believe it when I read "Early Year Study 3" and it was suggesting children begin School (pre-school) at 2 years of age.  Some people thought "With Our Best Future in Mind" was foreshadowing this when it came out. Now with childcare falling under The Ministry of Education in Ontario, are all things in place for this to happen? Here are two newspaper articles: "Underminding Parents" and "Early Childhood Education for All" discussing the Study and giving a little insight.

What Mustard and Pascal's Reports have in common is the implementation of school based early learning. There are two streams of thought here for the rationale and need for this: the need for childcare and the rationale that children learn better and quicker at an early age. Which one is the truth or both?

If it was for childcare, how does Full Day Kindergarten ( & extended day programs) compare to provincial funded universal child? Working families still need pre K & holiday childcare. Childcare Centres are struggling with loss of clients due to FDK and extended day programs. "Plan Could Force Daycares to Close" Extended day programs are not viable in all areas, therefore childcare service must be viable. What is the staff/child ratio between childcare and extended day programs?  You would be surprised the number of times the government has referred to the money families have saved because of FDK. Was that the purpose or was it to streamline childcare and school?

If it is learning, why then is kindergarten optional? A child's learning mind is a sponge of absorption. The how, when, what and where of this learning is the question. "Building a Foundation" For those who choose not to participate in JK or even SK are sometimes accused of putting their children at a learning disadvantage. Will this same occur if the Study is implemented? Although things are optional, due to their nature, are viewed as mandatory. Whereas childcare, daycares, nursery schools and preschool are also optional, the stigma here does exist for none attendance.

This brings me to "Hold On To Your Kids" and the connection between children and parents and children and peers. What is the role of parents in childraising? Reading the reports it almost seems that parents are not necessary. When child and parent are separated the child becomes dependent on those around them, teachers and peers.  We read a lot how there is a need of connection between teacher and child/student for successful learning in school. I don't disbrute that. We all realize the need of socializing between children, however at times the child/peer relationship maybe stronger than the child/parent relationship. Who do we want as the child's support system, mentor and primary teacher? If a child starts school (in what ever form or name you call it) early what role does the parent play in raising that child? We question now and also know that some children are not ready for JK at age  3 1/2 years for various reasons. "Too Young for Kindergarten" All children develop differently. I realize society has changed and families have change and cultures have changed. I believe we maybe placing schools as the child raiser as well as the place of learning. The cultural and system structures of schools must change to accomplish this.

If and when this Study is played out and how remains to be seen. I believe the Ministry's thinking & planning is at times two steps ahead of what school boards can do and at the same time two steps behind what school boards are doing and will be able to do. Accommodation reviews and school closures are happening all across the province. When Pascal's Report came out schools were being closed and out came FKD and the idea of schools becoming Community Hubs. This is still playing out as implementation still is occurring. Now with Mustard's Study are school boards able to meet these potential changes. With school consolidations does this mean a wave of additions to accommodate the changes? Should school boards anticipate future changes? At what costs short and long term?

"We Want and Need Parents at the Table" the role of the Players.

I am maybe off base here and creating a conversation where one is not needed. Thanks for listening anyway to my ranting and raving.


NOTE: These are my views and opinions and do not reflect those of my associates.

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'