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Gay Stephenson
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Gay Stephenson's Groups
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Tech communication hel...
3 members
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SEAC Members Meetup at...
2 members
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online meet-up at conf...
13 members
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Special Education
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Gay Stephenson's Discussions
Gay Stephenson's Events
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Roundtable Breakfast Meeting: Education
November 12, 2009 from 7:45am to 8:45am – Toronto, City Hall
Welcome to Gay's page!
Latest Activity
A bunch of us from the online community are planning to "meet-up" at the conference at York University on Saturday Nov. 7th.
We can chat at lunch!
So let us know if you are coming... we'd like to meet you!
Hello everyone,
It's Sunday morning after the conference. I had a great sleep last night and woke up so excited about our group. I loved meeting you all, and I look forward to staying in touch as you explore some of these communication tools! And ...
Everyone is welcome: this group begins at our conference on Saturday. It's a support group for people who want to learn more about using technology to communicate. How to do stuff here, or to start an e-news listserv, or group & more!
Everyone is welcome: this group begins at our conference on Saturday. It's a support group for people (especially parents) who want to learn more about using technology to communicate. How to do simple things in online communities like this and more!
Just adding my voice here to let you know that I will be at the conference. Hope to see you there.
Cathy, thanks for chiming in! I agree with you. There is nothing like a face to face conversation, or a phone call. Technology is simply a communication aid and not meant to replace real contact. And I think it's important for school council folk ...
Roundtable Breakfast Meeting: Education at Toronto, City Hall
November 12, 2009 from 7:45am to 8:45am
Maintaining Quality in Education: Can it be Measured?
The Canadian Urban Institute is hosting a breakfast meeting featuring Annie Kidder, Executive Director of People for Education.
A rich legacy of the Metro Toronto government is the principle ...
Profile Information
- City
- Toronto
- Province
- Ontario
- Is there anything else you'd like to tell us about yourself?
- I'm the mother of two children. My son Dale is studying Heritage Carpentry at Algonquin College in Perth, ON. My daughter, who was in kindergarten when I started volunteering with P4E, is finished her first year at U of T and is now working full-time exploring her passions in retail/clothing design/management. They are both graduates of the Toronto DSB.
My job is now managing the P4E websites and research.
In June, I went to the most amazing conference I have ever attended. It was part of Net Change Week. Post a comment on my wall if you'd like to know more about it! We learned so much about navigating this new world of online communication - it was truly inspiring. I hope that working with all of you, we can find ways to have meaningful conversations, get to know one another and support each other's work, and "live" a little together online.
I love the outdoors. I walk everywhere and snowboard when I can in the winter (I even became an instructor a few years back) and this past summer I bought a second hand windsurfer and taught myself how to windsurf. Just like learning to snowboard - there was a lot of falling! But I just get back up and try again... it's so much fun when you're gliding.
Gay Stephenson's Photos
Gay Stephenson's Videos
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Belonging: Annie Kidder
Added by Gay Stephenson
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Shopping for Schools
Added by Gay Stephenson
Comment Wall (46 comments)
- At 4:17pm on October 28, 2009,
Susan O'Neil said…
- Oops links didn't work, here is the text version:
http://www.inspiringeducation.alberta.ca/
Blog
http://ed-vocate.blogspot.com/
- At 4:16pm on October 28, 2009,
Susan O'Neil said…
- Here are the links to Inspiring Education:
Twitter stream #inspiringed and #ieforum
Held out in terms of participating until the final forum - skeptical due to former experience advocating for proper funding, but this could be a turning point.
See my blog also - have several comments re the whole thing.
- At 3:51pm on October 28, 2009,
Susan O'Neil said…
- Thanks for the welcome, Gay. Well, there's lots of things going on. The Minister of Ed has just concluded a Dialogue with Albertans on schools for the 21st century "Inspiring Education". However, they are governing and funding as if in the dark ages. Sigh. There is alot of despair mixed with a smidgeon of hope that they will see the error of their ways.
Unfortunately we do not have a coordinated parent voice like you do..
- At 3:11pm on October 16, 2009,
Tony Maxwell said… - Gay, thanks for the editorial assistance; it's most welcome I assure you! T
- At 5:54pm on October 7, 2009,
Marco said… - Hi Gay,
Thanks for you extremely kind words, I'm glad you enjoyed the webinar. And, you certainly deserve a pat on the back for this online community, it's one of the few active/thriving community sites I see out there. Well done, happy to give it some profile!
- At 9:23am on October 2, 2009,
Len Rosen said… - In you discussion with Courtney did he mention our work with schools in Canada, the US and South Africa in implementing private social networks with an academic focus? This is my bailiwick and I am sure that members of this social network who are educators may find this type of tool very attractive for use in classroom settings. The cost of setting up a room in Recess for a school is $49 a year. What would you like to know?
- At 5:49pm on September 9, 2009,
Charlene Lindsay said…
- Please do, I only speak the truth!
- At 5:35pm on September 9, 2009,
Charlene Lindsay said…
- Hi Gay,
Thank you for the welcome to this site, it's a nice touch! In response to how I found this site, I receive the online People for Education newsletter and it included a link. I was very curious and have to say, this site is impressive.
I have corresponded many times with People for Education over the years, believing if I need information you are the people to contact. You have never let me down.
The staff with People for Education should be commended for how wonderfully they protect our childrens education with their interest and continued investigating!
I look forward to perusing more topics and giving input.
- At 11:34am on July 2, 2009,
Susanne T. Eden said…
- Hi Gay,
Sorry to take so long to respond to your welcome. I have been away and will be off and on over the summer. I am pleased that the government once again has focused on the needs of young children and their families, but I have serious reservations regarding the implementation of the plan. Without addressing the need for adequate training of elementary teachers to teach three to five year olds, and without changes to the culture of schools and education in general with respect to early education, children may be at risk of losing out on valuable learning through play. I look forward to exploring this topic further.
- At 12:53am on June 30, 2009,
Gail Copeland said…
- You were wondering how I found your website? I was familiar with the name of the organization from various newspaper articles. I sought out the website specifically to see what P4E was up to. Several parents at my local elementary school in York Region were up in arms when they found out that all but two classes were going to be splits next year. These parents have kids who were in splits this past year and they weren't happy with the results. They're trying to get an answer from the area superintendent as to why the classes have been set up with so many splits. They're trying to impress upon the superintendent that splits don't work for everyone, no matter how much training the teachers may have had (for most of the teachers with splits this year, this was their first time teaching like that and it was often evident that they weren't having an easy time of it). So I thought I'd check out this website to see if the issue has come up here and how the discussion might have gone. I also forwarded the web address to the parents involved so that they know they aren't alone in dealing with school issues, that there are others who have been there, done that who might be able to offer words of wisdom from the trenches.
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SEAC Members Meetup at...
2 members
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online meet-up at conf...
13 members
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21st Century Schools @...
71 members
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Less Testing: Educati...
13 members
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Special Education
13 members
Consultations, curriculum, confusion and conferences
There are many things happening on the education front - some better publicized than others.
The province wants to hear from parents and community members about the elementary curriculum (they just forgot to publicize the consultation); Bill 177 is going to undergo two days of public hearings in Toronto; and the Ministry hired a market research company to survey parents about the School Information Finder on the Ministry of Education website.
There have also been some fairly cranky meetings with the Provincial Education Partnership Table about the Information Finder, and all four provincial parent groups wrote a letter to the Minister of Education clarifying their concern about the Finder being described as a tool for "parent engagement."
Next week - more consultations on the Information Finder, maybe there will be news about the province's plans for all day early learning and child care and we'll be putting the finishing touches on the agenda for our November 7th provincial conference.
The province wants to hear from parents and community members about the elementary curriculum (they just forgot to publicize the consultation); Bill 177 is going to undergo two days of public hearings in Toronto; and the Ministry hired a market research company to survey parents about the School Information Finder on the Ministry of Education website.
There have also been some fairly cranky meetings with the Provincial Education Partnership Table about the Information Finder, and all four provincial parent groups wrote a letter to the Minister of Education clarifying their concern about the Finder being described as a tool for "parent engagement."
Next week - more consultations on the Information Finder, maybe there will be news about the province's plans for all day early learning and child care and we'll be putting the finishing touches on the agenda for our November 7th provincial conference.
THINGS WE LEARNED
By reading the news. Send Gay news from your part of the world to post here too!
Hugh Mackenzie, economist and People for Education board member, has written a wonderful column: Can we have an adult conversation about taxes.
Debate flourishes in Toronto over idea of new all boys school. Read the news:
Research shows single-sex schools are not the answer.
Single-sex classes score big, Toronto Star.
All-boys schools foster ‘achievement culture' , Globe and Mail.
School plan calls for boys-only classes, Toronto Star.
Oct 1st:
Happy World Teachers' Day!
To read about some wonderful teachers, click here.
Hugh Mackenzie, economist and People for Education board member, has written a wonderful column: Can we have an adult conversation about taxes.
Debate flourishes in Toronto over idea of new all boys school. Read the news:
Research shows single-sex schools are not the answer.
Single-sex classes score big, Toronto Star.
All-boys schools foster ‘achievement culture' , Globe and Mail.
School plan calls for boys-only classes, Toronto Star.
New research shows the value of work-experience programs in Canadian high schools.
Oct 1st:
Happy World Teachers' Day!
To read about some wonderful teachers, click here.
Latest Activity
Thanks for posting, Deborah! Yes, it relates well to some of the topics/questions we heard at the conference!
I think it is critical to frame discussions of success around some of the themes that Annie suggested in an earlier post - students, parents, teachers, etc. I also think that it is important to find places where this can be wedded to existing oppo...
A bunch of us from the online community are planning to "meet-up" at the conference at York University on Saturday Nov. 7th.
We can chat at lunch!
So let us know if you are coming... we'd like to meet you!
Help us to design a broader vision for education in the 21st century!
Hello everyone,
It's Sunday morning after the conference. I had a great sleep last night and woke up so excited about our group. I loved meeting you all, and I look forward to staying in touch as you explore some of these communication tools! And ...
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 this piece. I think it continues on beautifully with...
Good points Mike. I have also noticed that many of the parent groups and organizations around the province are made of of mostly parents who are over 40 years old.
Where are the younger parents who will take over for the more "seasoned" parents(n...
Everyone is welcome: this group begins at our conference on Saturday. It's a support group for people who want to learn more about using technology to communicate. How to do stuff here, or to start an e-news listserv, or group & more!
I concur.
What a good idea to engage the media.
In our area, Special Education planning committees (SEAC) are supposed to "engage" and consult via "invitation to respond" to "all parents receiving special ed services" but none of the special ed pa...
After living over 11 years in this province with school councils and governments of all stripes propping up their speeches with the usual parent platitudes, it's a real shame that parents need to chase down and impress upon a minister the importan...
Call me cynical, but is it possible that the email coming out from the Ministry and the extension of the deadline could have something to do with the opinions expressed in this discussion?
Thanks to People for Education for supporting this dialogue.
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