Photos
Conference Podcasts
Events
Jacqui's Conference Highlights
Take One Parent, One Student, and One Teacher, and what do you get?
A trio of awesome volunteers! Anahit Harutyunyan (parent), Shamair Garib (student) and Jonathan Lau (teacher) worked tirelessly from the crack of dawn through to the very end of the conference, and met every challenge we gave them. Jonathan became the true hero of the day when he managed to hunt down someone to re-stock the toilet paper.
Knit One, Purl Two, Register a Participant.
I loved watching our conference registrar, Jan Sugerman, and Kathy Bradden, the Chair of People for Education’s board, madly knitting at the registration table while listening to speeches and answering questions. It was a perfect P4E moment. I better get a really nice pair of wool socks, though.
More Incredible Volunteers
Cathy Boote, Arlene Morell and Verna Ferencik, registration queens. Your warm welcome and jolly spirit made the registration process fun and easy.
Monique St. Aude, our student from last year, who came back again to help this year. It paid off big-time – her conversation with Dennis Shirley led him to encourage her to apply to do her Ph.D. with him. Go for it, Monique!
Greg Laws, who tirelessly moved tables and chairs, alphabetized name tags, then moved some more furniture.
Garret Titus, our student this year, who also happens to be a musician – he was our go-to guy for help with recording the speeches, and bravely took on moderating a workshop too.
All of our amazing speakers and moderators, who volunteered their time, expertise, and talent to make the day a huge success!
More Student Stories
At the end of a long day, after the dinner was over, there was still some food left. It made my day to be able to offer it up to the incredibly grateful ‘starving students’ who were hanging out in Stong College. They were utterly charming, and thrilled with all the food, especially the cookies. They even backed me up and vouched for my lack of craziness when some more students wandered in and I made them the same offer. There are seven very well-fed students wandering campus now!
It was a great day all round, and there are probably a million more stories to be told. Thanks to everyone who came, and I hope to see all of you out again next year.
Here you are in our online community... now what?
Watch this interview with Minister of Education at our conference!
Listen to Dennis Shirley speak about "The Fourth Way"
Watch and listen to it now! (His slide presentation synced to the audio!)
Consider showing this presentation at your next school council meeting!
Discussions
Online Discussion Netiquette 5 Replies
Once you've read these guidelines, you'll feel confident to begin sharing your ideas, views and information with others in our online community. Lurk for a While Hanging out and just reading the m...
Started by People for Education in Netiquette. Last reply by Sheila Stewart Sep 26.
Other than EQAO testing, what measures could we use to know if children and schools are succesful? 2 Replies
EQAO testing is just one method of measurement. Some worry that this method is having the effect of narrowing the focus of what children learn in school to reading, writing and math. We're looking...
Tagged: success, students, new measures, testing, education
Started by Gay Stephenson in Bank of ideas. Last reply by Mike Hunt 1 day ago.
Let's talk more about what we think education is about 6 Replies
This morning I was working on a blog entry for the Toronto Development Community Institute. I got on Youtube to search for a piece on Paolo Freire on literacy and oppression. I ended up watching th...
Started by Deborah Konecny in Post your questions about school or education here.. Last reply by Sheila Stewart 16 hours ago.
Parent Councils- are they different between Elementary and Secondary School? 8 Replies
As PIC chair for our Board and Chair of our High School Parent council we have always had a lively discussion on the differences between Parent Council at the elementary level vs the High School le...
Started by Gord Wyse in General. Last reply by Cathy Nov 16.
Cost Effective Communication with Parents...What's Your Style?? 23 Replies
Hello everyone, This is my first post, so I hope I am doing it right. I have been mulling over ideas about how our school could create a more cost effective and environmentally friendly communicat...
Started by Lisa Bradt in Post your questions about school or education here.. Last reply by Gay Stephenson Nov 4.
Draft "Parent Engagement Policy" not going out to PIC's? 61 Replies
Thanks People for Education for posting the ministries request for responce on draft Parent Engagement Policy. What I am upset over is why the PIC chairs weren't sent this info and invited to respo...
Started by Gord Wyse in General. Last reply by Sheila Stewart 16 hours ago.
Getting rid of EQAO 160 Replies
Any feelings about doing away with EQAO? This has become a monster tail wagging the dog of education. If the Ministry is looking to save money (given these lean days) then eliminating EQAO would be...
Started by Frank Loreto in General. Last reply by Cathy Nov 12.
Full day kindergarten in Ontario 16 Replies
Hello people. I'm hoping it's possible to have a discussion about the full day kindergarten program, as proposed by Charles Pascal. See the Ministry of Children and Youth Services website to read ...
Started by ZS Worotynec in Post your questions about school or education here.. Last reply by ZS Worotynec Nov 2.
Where do kids have lunch? 5 Replies
It is the first year my son goes to school. It is a little upsetting learning that there is no cafeteria inside the school. The students have their lunch on the floor in the hallway. Is it the same...
Started by Fay in General. Last reply by Cathy Oct 9.
Blog Posts
Purpose of education: Revised
I believe we are grossly mistaken if we believe that "[s]chools were created to be places of true learning, places where the true natures of… Continue
Posted by Sam on November 17, 2009 at 9:30pm — 2 Comments
Transforming Schools for the 21st Century
Is it possible to collectively build a new vision for public education?
Schools haven't really changed since the industrial revolution. Public education has the potential to transform lives - but is it living up to that potential? Schools at the Centre is an innovative strategy to develop new education policy ideas from the ground up, and build public excitement about a forward-thinking vision for our schools.
We'd like to spark some new conversations!
Find out more.
Find out what people are telling us!
About us: What we do, why we do it!
Sometimes people wonder who and what People for Education is. They wonder if we have a hidden agenda, or if we are secretly in league with other organizations. Sometimes the questions about the organization just come up as a matter of course, other times they come up because people don’t agree with either our actions or our positions on issues.
It’s the beginning of a new school year, so it’s probably a good time for a quick update on what we do, why we do it, how we’re funded, and what our overall goal is.
Click here to read more.
Please give us feedback on this community space!
Do you have ideas, suggestions, questions or some constructive criticism to offer?
Please tell us what you think!
Just send Gay an email! gay@peopleforeducation.com
Every year we release an annual report on schools.
About
Video Interviews!
Watch them now, or share them at your next school council meeting!!!!
Presentations and notes from all sessions are being posted to our main website, as we receive them.
Interviews with:
Minister of Education
Annie Kidder
Charles Pascal (Early Learning)
Testing the Pros and the Cons (Panel Discussion)
Groups
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Ontario Needs a Coalit...
2 members
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Tech communication hel...
8 members
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21st Century Schools @...
74 members
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Less Testing: Educati...
17 members
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Special Education
14 members
Book Chat
jan@peopleforeducation.com
October 4, 2009
Not so long ago I chanced upon a tv interview with Sarah Vowell. She was talking about her new book The Wordy Shipmates and she was funny and intriguing enough that I picked up the book. Not only has she written a number of books, she is also the voice of Violet in the animated film The Incredibles and contributes regularly to the This American Life on Chicago Public Radio
Although I was reading for amusement, information and stories, once again I bumped into education!
The Wordy Shipmates is about the Puritans in the 17 century and Sarah Vowell's childhood in the 20th century and life now in the 21st. The book is a delightful flow of ideas and customs that weave through the narrative of American life. Education was there at the beginning
...Continue....
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