Saturday, 10 March 2012
Dear Parents, Guardians and Adult Friends of our Students,
The Caring Adult
The Caring Adult
When I started this blog, I conceived it as a potential listing of hundreds of different ideas to help students who move from school to school, often more than once a year, and often several times in their academic careers.
As I High School Principal I'm often disheartened to look at the cover of an Ontario Student Record and see that a student has changed schools 13, 14, 15 or more times before coming to my school. In once case a student had moved so many times that a second cover had to be stapled to the front of the O.S.R. - meaning the student had moved more than twenty times.
Sometimes, these students are incredibly resilient, and bright. For a time, they shine at my school, but invariably they move once again and have to start over. Probably, these students have caring and involved parents who feed their children's self-esteem, and help them with their school work, and help them create interests and activities that need no geographic centre, such as reading.
Often though, the students that move again and again, are not stellar students. They come to us with "chips on their shoulders," a reluctance to get involved, a history of poor academics, and an almost physical armor that keeps fellow peers and teachers at a distance.
It is these students that I worry about.
It is these students that need our help.
On my computer at work I've generated a list of things we can do for families and students who move into our school's area. Some of them are reasonably innovative, but they can almost all be categorized simply under the umbrella of - be a caring adult.
We may not have time to even dent the armor that the student has fastened on. We may never know that we have dented it, or given a student the idea to remove at least a piece of it.
But maybe we will. And really, it doesn't make a difference if we do find out.
What makes a difference is that we try to make a difference.
Dave
As I High School Principal I'm often disheartened to look at the cover of an Ontario Student Record and see that a student has changed schools 13, 14, 15 or more times before coming to my school. In once case a student had moved so many times that a second cover had to be stapled to the front of the O.S.R. - meaning the student had moved more than twenty times.
Sometimes, these students are incredibly resilient, and bright. For a time, they shine at my school, but invariably they move once again and have to start over. Probably, these students have caring and involved parents who feed their children's self-esteem, and help them with their school work, and help them create interests and activities that need no geographic centre, such as reading.
Often though, the students that move again and again, are not stellar students. They come to us with "chips on their shoulders," a reluctance to get involved, a history of poor academics, and an almost physical armor that keeps fellow peers and teachers at a distance.
It is these students that I worry about.
It is these students that need our help.
On my computer at work I've generated a list of things we can do for families and students who move into our school's area. Some of them are reasonably innovative, but they can almost all be categorized simply under the umbrella of - be a caring adult.
We may not have time to even dent the armor that the student has fastened on. We may never know that we have dented it, or given a student the idea to remove at least a piece of it.
But maybe we will. And really, it doesn't make a difference if we do find out.
What makes a difference is that we try to make a difference.
Dave
Sunday, 15 January 2012
Off Topic for Today
I recognize that writing a blog on only one topic will get boring for everybody but me, so.....
I think most of my staff understands that I can be an emotional guy. I appreciate things I see at school in ways that many of the students and staff may not. For example, I had to leave a soccer game a couple years ago because, as I was watching the students play, I understood that our team was made up of students from countries that were currently fighting each other, but it made absolutely no difference to them at that moment. Not only that, but the experience of playing together would almost certainly cement friendships that made those far away conflicts even more remote. The reality of those ideas struck me so hard that I choked up, my eyes filled with tears, and I actually found it difficult to breathe.
I don't think most people in my school board really appreciate what a miracle our school is, and what happens every single day at Forster. We have students from over sixty different countries in our building, and we have no problems of a diversity related nature.
Daily, I see this as a miracle.
It's not that we don't have the same problems as every other High School. We do.
It's just that I often read about issues related to racism, even in my own community, and sometimes at other schools in the city, but I can honestly say that those issues do not make themselves apparent at our school.
In fact, almost all our students and certainly all our staff understand that diversity is both our greatest strength and the true nature of our school.
Just this past week, one of my teachers, and I hope she won't mind me mentioning her name, Jan Nickleson, sent me an e-mail notifying me that a ceasefire was being negotiated in Myanmar (Burma). A little research enlightened me that fighting had been going on there for sixty-two years! The students we have from this area have lived in refugee camps their entire lives. They've never actually seen the country they call home.
Jan asked permission, and then contacted our local radio and TV station.
A reporter arrived, and interviewed our newcomer students, many only in Canada for the last five months - not as refugees, or newcomers, or people having difficulty fitting in to a new country, or people learning a new and difficult language - but as experts, who were personally impacted by the news of the day.
I hope you can appreciate how huge this was for those students, and why Jan Nickleson, though wonderfully eloquent on camera, got choked up as she was interviewed.
....And why I have tears in my eyes as I write this.
Dave
I think most of my staff understands that I can be an emotional guy. I appreciate things I see at school in ways that many of the students and staff may not. For example, I had to leave a soccer game a couple years ago because, as I was watching the students play, I understood that our team was made up of students from countries that were currently fighting each other, but it made absolutely no difference to them at that moment. Not only that, but the experience of playing together would almost certainly cement friendships that made those far away conflicts even more remote. The reality of those ideas struck me so hard that I choked up, my eyes filled with tears, and I actually found it difficult to breathe.
I don't think most people in my school board really appreciate what a miracle our school is, and what happens every single day at Forster. We have students from over sixty different countries in our building, and we have no problems of a diversity related nature.
Daily, I see this as a miracle.
It's not that we don't have the same problems as every other High School. We do.
It's just that I often read about issues related to racism, even in my own community, and sometimes at other schools in the city, but I can honestly say that those issues do not make themselves apparent at our school.
In fact, almost all our students and certainly all our staff understand that diversity is both our greatest strength and the true nature of our school.
Just this past week, one of my teachers, and I hope she won't mind me mentioning her name, Jan Nickleson, sent me an e-mail notifying me that a ceasefire was being negotiated in Myanmar (Burma). A little research enlightened me that fighting had been going on there for sixty-two years! The students we have from this area have lived in refugee camps their entire lives. They've never actually seen the country they call home.
Jan asked permission, and then contacted our local radio and TV station.
A reporter arrived, and interviewed our newcomer students, many only in Canada for the last five months - not as refugees, or newcomers, or people having difficulty fitting in to a new country, or people learning a new and difficult language - but as experts, who were personally impacted by the news of the day.
I hope you can appreciate how huge this was for those students, and why Jan Nickleson, though wonderfully eloquent on camera, got choked up as she was interviewed.
....And why I have tears in my eyes as I write this.
Dave
Sunday, 1 January 2012
Happy New Year!
I took a week off from writing this because of Christmas and New Year's, but I'm back now. I hope everyone's had a wonderful holiday thus far.
In the week leading up to the holidays, Forster was visited by both the Board's Director, and our school's Superintendent. I spoke to both of them about this blog and they each offered me their support along with ideas for future posts.
In the case of the Director, he told me that he'd been a transient student when he was a child, and it was always sports and extra-curricular activities that allowed him to fit in at new schools.
Our Superintendent pointed out that, at elementary school, at least in Ontario, students moving from school to school would not suffer too much as long as teachers concentrated on teaching "the big ideas," or the overall expectations.
He also told me, and I didn't know this, that sometimes parents moved their children from school to school to school simply because they get angry at a school's administration and think that things will be better at the school "down the road." If they rent their accomodations, picking up and moving is not seen as the issue - the issue is that the Principal or the teacher has said or done something to annoy the parent. Sometimes, it's a simple statement such as the child might benefit from some extra support.
While it's emotionally satisfying for the parent to pull their child from a given school, they don't realize that they're really disrupting their child's life - and usually because of issues that have nothing to do with the child or his/her education.
Sadly, the reasons behind the move of schools are repeated within a few weeks or months, and the child suffers again.
After this pattern has been repeated for a few years, the parent finally turns to the school for help because the child is now more than a full year behind their peers or is acting out at home.
In the week leading up to the holidays, Forster was visited by both the Board's Director, and our school's Superintendent. I spoke to both of them about this blog and they each offered me their support along with ideas for future posts.
In the case of the Director, he told me that he'd been a transient student when he was a child, and it was always sports and extra-curricular activities that allowed him to fit in at new schools.
Our Superintendent pointed out that, at elementary school, at least in Ontario, students moving from school to school would not suffer too much as long as teachers concentrated on teaching "the big ideas," or the overall expectations.
He also told me, and I didn't know this, that sometimes parents moved their children from school to school to school simply because they get angry at a school's administration and think that things will be better at the school "down the road." If they rent their accomodations, picking up and moving is not seen as the issue - the issue is that the Principal or the teacher has said or done something to annoy the parent. Sometimes, it's a simple statement such as the child might benefit from some extra support.
While it's emotionally satisfying for the parent to pull their child from a given school, they don't realize that they're really disrupting their child's life - and usually because of issues that have nothing to do with the child or his/her education.
Sadly, the reasons behind the move of schools are repeated within a few weeks or months, and the child suffers again.
After this pattern has been repeated for a few years, the parent finally turns to the school for help because the child is now more than a full year behind their peers or is acting out at home.
Saturday, 17 December 2011
O-Kay People, We Need Your Help here!
Dear All,
This will be a short post. Our students face many issues in their lives, there is no argument about that. Whether they have it harder or easier than we did growing up is not the point and not really worth arguing about.
I do know that we should all want to make some of what they face easier. I'm not talking about lowering standards, or spoon-feeding our adloescents. I'm talking about some of our kids facing difficulties that have had nothing to do with any decisions they have ever made.
Our kids do not choose to leave a school in October to move to another school. Our kids do not choose to have 17 different elementary school experiences. And our students do not choose to miss whole topics of discussion or learning because of that.
We can help.
Ideas cost nothing.
One of my teachers came up to me at the end of a staff meeting and said, "If a student returns to Forster after only a few months, wouldn't it be nice for them if they could have their old locker back?"
When students "up and move" at the end of a month, sometimes very hurriedly, leaving behind (sometimes) possessions that adults see as unimportant, but the child sees entirely differently, how important would it be for a student to be greeted by a friendly face and be told, "Here's your locker. We left it here just for you."?
That simple idea took seconds to relate to me. In future, it might entirely change a child's life. (Thanks Karen)
I know there are more ideas out there.
Please share them.
(Thanks to LC for the comments she's posted. Her ideas will shape the discussion my staff and the staffs of five other schools has around this issue. Yours can too.)
Dave
This will be a short post. Our students face many issues in their lives, there is no argument about that. Whether they have it harder or easier than we did growing up is not the point and not really worth arguing about.
I do know that we should all want to make some of what they face easier. I'm not talking about lowering standards, or spoon-feeding our adloescents. I'm talking about some of our kids facing difficulties that have had nothing to do with any decisions they have ever made.
Our kids do not choose to leave a school in October to move to another school. Our kids do not choose to have 17 different elementary school experiences. And our students do not choose to miss whole topics of discussion or learning because of that.
We can help.
Ideas cost nothing.
One of my teachers came up to me at the end of a staff meeting and said, "If a student returns to Forster after only a few months, wouldn't it be nice for them if they could have their old locker back?"
When students "up and move" at the end of a month, sometimes very hurriedly, leaving behind (sometimes) possessions that adults see as unimportant, but the child sees entirely differently, how important would it be for a student to be greeted by a friendly face and be told, "Here's your locker. We left it here just for you."?
That simple idea took seconds to relate to me. In future, it might entirely change a child's life. (Thanks Karen)
I know there are more ideas out there.
Please share them.
(Thanks to LC for the comments she's posted. Her ideas will shape the discussion my staff and the staffs of five other schools has around this issue. Yours can too.)
Dave
Tuesday, 13 December 2011
What I want for this blog
Dear Everybody,
I spent a few hours in the last few months gathering data about my students with respect to transience or mobility. What I found was not exactly "heartening." A quarter of my students had moved five or more times from kindergarten to high school.
Less than ten per cent of my students had shared my experience of having one elementary school and one high school. One student had changed schools 17 times! I did not want to use this information as an excuse. I want to use it to point out to my staff and the staffs of our "feeder" elementary schools that this is an issue that needs to be addressed.
What I want this blog to "do" is establish a forum of ideas to help the students that move several times throughout their educational careers. Although I have ideas of my own, I know that the more people who put their minds to this issue, the better the chance that we'll find solutions that will work, not only for "my" students, but for students around the country.
As I see it, there are at least three ways that transience can affect students: academically, socially, and emotionally. It is important to deal with all three to improve the situation for a transient student.
Examples of solutions are: 1) academically - a family of schools can arrange courses so that topics are taught in the same order. When a student moves, for whatever reason, from one school to another school in the same family, they will not be missing much in the way of material being covered at school; 2) socially - the receiving school can act in the same manner as "Welcome Wagon," providing families with information about the neighbourhood they've moved in to, such as who their Member of Parliament is, who their councillor is, who their trustee is, etc. It could also provide information about local restaurants and grocery stores, along with coupons for these institutions. It could also provide an application for library cards; and 3) the receiving school could provide a mentor or "buddy" for the student to help them adjust to the new building.
I have many more ideas, but I'd like to hear from you.
I spent a few hours in the last few months gathering data about my students with respect to transience or mobility. What I found was not exactly "heartening." A quarter of my students had moved five or more times from kindergarten to high school.
Less than ten per cent of my students had shared my experience of having one elementary school and one high school. One student had changed schools 17 times! I did not want to use this information as an excuse. I want to use it to point out to my staff and the staffs of our "feeder" elementary schools that this is an issue that needs to be addressed.
What I want this blog to "do" is establish a forum of ideas to help the students that move several times throughout their educational careers. Although I have ideas of my own, I know that the more people who put their minds to this issue, the better the chance that we'll find solutions that will work, not only for "my" students, but for students around the country.
As I see it, there are at least three ways that transience can affect students: academically, socially, and emotionally. It is important to deal with all three to improve the situation for a transient student.
Examples of solutions are: 1) academically - a family of schools can arrange courses so that topics are taught in the same order. When a student moves, for whatever reason, from one school to another school in the same family, they will not be missing much in the way of material being covered at school; 2) socially - the receiving school can act in the same manner as "Welcome Wagon," providing families with information about the neighbourhood they've moved in to, such as who their Member of Parliament is, who their councillor is, who their trustee is, etc. It could also provide information about local restaurants and grocery stores, along with coupons for these institutions. It could also provide an application for library cards; and 3) the receiving school could provide a mentor or "buddy" for the student to help them adjust to the new building.
I have many more ideas, but I'd like to hear from you.
Sunday, 11 December 2011
My research project
Dear All,
This year, I'm investigating the issue of "transience" or "mobility" with regard to students. Simply put, the issue of students moving from school to school, both during the school year and throughout their educational career.
I was fortunate growing up, in that I had a very stable upbringing. I spent my entire elementary career at one school, from kindergarten to Grade 8, and then I spent my entire secondary career at one High School.
The vast majority of students at my school right now do not share this experience. In fact, less than 8% of our students have this history.
For those that don't know, my High School is our school board's main English as a Second Language School. Students come from all over the world. For most of these students, Forster Secondary School is their first Canadian High School. For many, Forster is their very first school - period!
For the rest, the ones from Canada or the United States, their number of school moves ranges from two (one grade school and one high school) to seventeen (17!)
To this point in my research I've found several papers on the effects this might have on students, and the issues it can present to schools. I've yet to find any research on what schools can do to work with these students to help them.
As my work in this area continues, I'll keep you posted. I've come up with several ideas on my own, but if you've got comments or suggestions, I'm happy to read them.
They may become part of my work! (and I'd be happy to give you credit for any ideas generated.)
Those ideas (both mine and hopefully yours) will be the subject of future posts.
That's it for now,
Dave
This year, I'm investigating the issue of "transience" or "mobility" with regard to students. Simply put, the issue of students moving from school to school, both during the school year and throughout their educational career.
I was fortunate growing up, in that I had a very stable upbringing. I spent my entire elementary career at one school, from kindergarten to Grade 8, and then I spent my entire secondary career at one High School.
The vast majority of students at my school right now do not share this experience. In fact, less than 8% of our students have this history.
For those that don't know, my High School is our school board's main English as a Second Language School. Students come from all over the world. For most of these students, Forster Secondary School is their first Canadian High School. For many, Forster is their very first school - period!
For the rest, the ones from Canada or the United States, their number of school moves ranges from two (one grade school and one high school) to seventeen (17!)
To this point in my research I've found several papers on the effects this might have on students, and the issues it can present to schools. I've yet to find any research on what schools can do to work with these students to help them.
As my work in this area continues, I'll keep you posted. I've come up with several ideas on my own, but if you've got comments or suggestions, I'm happy to read them.
They may become part of my work! (and I'd be happy to give you credit for any ideas generated.)
Those ideas (both mine and hopefully yours) will be the subject of future posts.
That's it for now,
Dave
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)