Month: May 2015

Poll of parents: 72% favor education as an essential service

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With high schools on strike in Peel Region, an online poll in the Mississauga News indicates that 72% of parents there believe that teaching in the public school system should be an essential service. It is a question often asked when employees in the public sector (that includes teachers) go on strike. Teachers were given the right to strike about 50 years ago along with other pubic services. Since then the right to strike has been withdrawn, most recently from transit workers. The Mississauga News polls shows 72 percent in favour of teaching being an essential service, 26 percent opposed and 3 percent didn’t know. Meantime, no details are being offered by the Elementary School Teachers on just where and what they will do next week in Ontario. This is their “Special Strike Action”. It seems like a pretense to let them catch schools and parents by surprise  Globe and Mail

 

Meeting said to favour removal of Gardiner east of DVP

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gardiner eastA public meeting tonight at St. Lawrence Hall on the future of the Gardiner Expressway has heard considerable opinion that the expressway should be saved, but that the portion east of the Don Valley should be torn down. There is nothing definitive to be decided tonight. The expensive task of fixing the Gardiner would be lessened by removing the eastern part. It would apparently permit desirable development. This option would also maintain the rather busy link not just from downtown but distant points to the west with South Bayview and other parts of the City.

National Post writes editorial searing the OSSTF

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The National Post has published an editorial searing the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation The newspaper seizes on a common complaint among parents — that  they have no idea what the union is on strike about. The Post also makes it clear that  the negotiations  and the so called strategic strikes called so far are absolutely about money despite claims to the contrary. It recounts the sad recent history of Dalton McGuinty’s effort to regain control of education in the province and the current Liberal government’s sell-out to the OSSTF before the election last year. Like all huge unions the OSSTF is interested in the size of its membership. With members comes power. The Post writes:”Is there a single parent or student in all of Ontario who would value seniority over quality in a teacher? What sort of professional would even want to be judged on that basis? Schools are not assembly lines, churning out widgets; they are educating children. It’s hard work. Passion, ingenuity and creativity are key.”  Problems of nepotism and unfair hiring is no reason to choose teachers in such a foolishly simplistic way.

 

CGS public speaking puts children on road to leadership

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cgs-inset 2

This is the fourth in a series of stories about Leaside’s Children’s Garden School published by The South Bayview Bulldog  All stories

Public Speaking is an integral part of the curriculum at Children’s Garden School. From morning announcements and monthly assemblies to the Public Speaking Contest in the Spring, students are given many opportunities to develop their public speaking skills throughout the school year. Public speaking can be a challenging and frightening experience at any age and CGS staff is there to guide, support and challenge children as their skills grow. Over time, students gain the confidence needed to become relaxed speakers, able to communicate with humour and feeling.

The Public Speaking Contest for the Grade 2s and 3s at the end of April is a chance for CGS students to truly consolidate their public speaking skills. Children craft their own speeches and then present them to their classmates, classroom teacher and Principal. Finalists are then chosen to present their speeches to a panel of four judges. The judges come from a variety of professional backgrounds that rely heavily on public speaking skills (i.e. lawyers, actors, musical directors and educators).
Speakers are evaluated (out of five) on the criteria below:
 
Content (research,understanding of topic, familiarity with material)

Voice (intonation, expression, projection, speed, fluency)

Captivation of Audience (attention-getting, interesting)

Eye Contact (looking up at audience)

Posture (standing tall, standing still)

Memory (how much of the speech is presented from memory?)

Once the tallies are taken into account and the winners have been chosen (one per grade), the judges have an opportunity to share their feedback with each contestant. Comments are always positive, with a few suggestions for improvement. Common comments include slowing down and using a louder voice. Contestants are reminded that it is ok to share their passion and humour, and to remember that the most compelling speeches include a balance of facts and personal feeling. Congratulations to this year’s winners, Peter in Grade 2 and Carmen in Grade 3. (Pictured below with the Principal.) We see contestants Isabella and Charlotte speaking (inset) and the judge listening carefully. All are well on their way to a life time of successful public speaking.

One parent said the CGS public speaking program had provided his son, at a very young age, with ample opportunity to get up on stage in front of others and speak at monthly assemblies.  “What has been great is that the program does it in a way where he feels very proud of this responsibility and prepared for the task at hand.  This has made it a very rewarding and confidence boosting experience for him to build from – he has asked when he can speak in assembly next”‘

The Director of Admission is Kelly Scott who may be contacted at kscott@cgsschool.com and (416) 423-5017 x 43.  The CGS website is here.

William and Kate’s princess is Charlotte Elizabeth Diana

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charlotte

She is officially Her Royal Highness Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana of Cambridge but you can call her Charlotte. The names cover a few bases by acknowledging Her Majesty and her grandmother, Diana. But the name of honour, the one to be used in conversational reference, is Charlotte. Charlotte is the middle name of Aunt Pippa, Kate’s sister. BBC

OSSTF strikes: Cabinet tells teachers there is just no money

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Peel Region high schools are closed Monday morning in the face-off over money between the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation (OSSTF) and the Ontario government. It’s money the province does not have. As the Globe and Mail says this morning: “Premier Kathleen Wynne and Education Minister Liz Sandals have both acknowledged that this will be a difficult round of bargaining, with the Liberal government having told all public-sector workers that wage increases will only be possible if they and their employers manage to find the money within their existing budgets.” Globe and Mail