Reboot-ing Alberta: an exercise in hope

I last blogged on why I was going to Reboot Alberta.
I returned from Reboot Alberta with many images and thoughts in my mind, but all focused around one idea: “the politics of hope”. When over 85 people come together, diverse in age, interest and political stripes for a common conversation, hope is both a motivator and greater reason to hope a product. Many people know Alex Steffen’s 2008 article, The Politics of Optimism, but for those who don’t, here is a key extract:

“Optimism is a political act.
Entrenched interests use despair, confusion and apathy to prevent change. They encourage modes of thinking which lead us to believe that problems are insolvable, that nothing we do can matter, that the issue is too complex to present even the opportunity for change.

Optimism, by contrast, especially optimism which is neither foolish nor silent, can be revolutionary. Where no one believes in a better future, despair is a logical choice, and people in despair almost never change anything. Where no one believes a better solution is possible, those benefiting from the continuation of a problem are safe. Where no one believes in the possibility of action, apathy becomes an insurmountable obstacle to reform. “

To me, Reboot Alberta was about discussing the possible, affirming that there are better solutions and a brighter future and that we are prepared to pursue both. Much has been written already about the tenor and content of discussions, some of the possible paths for action. So I want to leave the one image that this event summoned for me – a demonstration of and the perpetuation of hope – a political act. To join us in that act, join in at RebootAlberta.org

Turning the ship around…

I spent 2 days at the Learning Disabilities Association of Alberta’s annual conference last weekend. It was a fascinating learning experience and I left with two words dominating my thinking. Opportunity. Dignity.

Every child enters this world under very different circumstances, with distinct heritage, parentage, genetic makeup and areas of potential. But with a common yearning – to find their role within society. Through the processes of nurturing, socialization and education every child ought to be able to reach their potential and find their place in the world. Yet on any measure, Albertan children are not all getting to where they could go – doors are shut through poverty, dysfunctional parenting, developmental challenges or physical or mental illness, failure to learn or have access to an environment in which they can.

None of the answers to changing their story are easy, or solely the responsibility of government. But they are largely understood, much studied and possible to address. The research base is there. The returns on investment in our most valuable resource are clear to any economist or humanist. That is, if we value the concepts of collective and individual opportunity and dignity for our citizens.

I have advocated for and been involved with the fields of education and social services for the past 9 years. Many positive policy initiatives have been proposed, debated, and some championed, funded and implemented with limited success. But many others have been cast aside as too costly, not politically important or have been ideologically hijacked during the process of implementation. And that is why I am going to Reboot Alberta. Our political system is failing a fair number of our children, not to mention other marginalized populations.

I wish I knew what the solution is. I don’t. I have read many other blogs suggesting possible solutions. The one I tend towards is the need to engage the silent majority of Albertans in a discussion about our political system – it is overwhelming to me that the majority of Albertans simply don’t vote, nonsensical that political parties expend so much energy and dollars on getting out their apparently committed voters, the opposition once elected is constantly marginalized, the roles of local politicians (councillors and trustees) are not recognized, respected or valued, and finally, having a political discussion at the dinner table is simply not the norm here.

Coming from a country where voting is compulsory, has a preferential voting system, where governments change on a regular if not frequent basis, and political happenings are grist for the mill at many social occasions, Alberta is a democratic dinosaur. Yet it has all the elements required to be something so very different and better– an underlying commitment to public education and healthcare, a potential revenue base that many small nations would envy, and a rich and diverse physical and intellectual landscape.

Its time to turn the ship around – the icebergs are now within view. The concept of, and enthusiasm surrounding Reboot Alberta from players across the ideological spectrum has already sounded the alarm in political circles – our current course is leading us into dangerous waters. Hopefully Reboot Alberta will play a part in plotting a new course.

Techno-teaching - how far should we go?

A question raised by Inspiring Education is how can we appropriately use technology in engaging students in learning?

I have to say that like most parents I am a little fearful of an onslaught of technology in the classroom. I still value cursive writing and good grammar, although struggle with both myself. (Its got to the point that I can’t actually think about writing without a keyboard in front of me.) I limit my teenager’s computer game time, have given him an email address but not allowed him to start with Facebook yet. He is one of a small percentage of his peers that doesn’t pack a cellphone to school. The logic is, he goes to a school in the neighbourhood, needs to be able to problem-solve his own issues since my work does not always allow me to take phone calls at random times of the day and finally, in a real emergency, he can use the phone in the school office where there are also adults who can help him if required.

But my thinking around technology in the classroom is thawing. The first nail in the coffin was a compelling presentation by a professor in Library and Information Studies at U of A at Literacy & Learning Day last year. She described her research of interviewing young adults about their experiences when gaming, reading and watching a movie. They were gamers, but as it turns out, also avid readers. They described how they got very different things out of each experience, but most identified reading as the richest experience. She also analyzed “strategy-based” computer games in terms of the information inputs and the complex, strategic thinking and problem-solving involved. Finally, she pointed to indications that many gamers are also avid readers and when gaming is in the mix, TV viewing, not reading, is the victim. Almost sold.

Next, the propositions put by various speakers during Inspiring Education about what sort of thinkers our children will need to be to be successful in the future is aligned with what I have experienced. That is, people who can take in a lot of disparate information and make sense of it all will be sought out, highly valued and lead a fulfilled, productive life. And the role that technology plays in that? The internet is the gateway is a vast amorphous sea of information and opinion. What we know or think we know is not containable in textbooks any more. Those that can find a sustainable path of action in the morass of fact and fiction will lead the rest. Sort of like a strategy-based computer game – lots of inputs, its all about what you do with it. We can’t therefore exclude it from the classroom – it’s the world they are entering into.

But the caution is, they need to be avid readers and scribes first – they need to experience the richness of imagination that books and the well-constructed written word allows. They need to understand the human condition, the social tapestry. They need to understand that often answers are not instant - even if information delivery might be. That solutions are not constant- they need to evolve. Their success will lie in taking time, contemplating and coming up with a measured response – using both logic and intuition – with technology as the slave, not the master.

Inspiring Education: some postscripts….

Some things are still nagging me after Inspiring Education. So here is my final blog related to the 2.5 days we spent on that journey (maybe!).

Change itself is neither a good thing or a bad thing – it is neutral until the content of change is defined. That’s why the direction and content matters so much. While technology and global citizenship might be the imperative for change, the changes to be implemented that are identified are more important than the mere fact that change needs to occur. During our discussions at various tables, I heard a number of assumptions on what needed to change, untested against reality or research. Here are some of them:

Assumption 1: In order to change the role of teachers (which was generally thought to be a required element of change), we had to remove tenure.

I think this is a dangerous direction without much careful thought. A workforce (unionized or not) will move along with a change that is necessary when they buy-in and have the right kind of leadership and support. And if individuals decide they don’t like the destination they will almost always self-select out of the frontline provided there are some clear exit options (and circumstances) or alternative career paths. Its just that it’s hard work and requires leadership and collaboration at many levels, including the ATA. There may be another path other than the most radical one.

Assumption 2: Teaching going on at schools currently is bad or deficient or backward.

Some learning environments and many teachers are in fact already leading us into the future right now. I have seen some stellar examples of incredible teaching and learning going on – that often go unnoticed by formal programs such as Excellence in Teaching Awards etc. or by Administration (too focused on test scores thanks to the government’s emphasis on this) and parents alike. But its happening and the students know it.

Assumption 3: Without great diversity in programming and “choice”(code for private and charter schools) , things will go awry in the public (and I use the word to include separate) system.

This is largely, for want of a better word, “piffle”. The Alberta public school system has embraced many different ways to deliver education. Much creativity and experimentation has occurred over the past 20 years. It is time to consolidate what has been learnt and drive it through a common, equitable public system so all Albertan children have similar opportunities regardless of where they live, and regardless of the unique strengths and challenges they face. Dividing resources according to a “market” mentality rarely brings equitable results in any public good and subsidizing alternatives to public delivery is not an efficient use of taxpayers’ money.

AISI was seen as a way to encourage experimentation and research-based practices. Why has it largely failed? In my opinion, the largest barriers to the ability to capitalize on initiatives like AISI have been:
- the ‘boom and bust’ and compartmentalized approach to funding by the provincial government (not allowing the system to develop resources to be used across all classrooms when a promising practice is identified, failing to fund technology infrastructure across all classrooms etc);
- the inability of the government to allow autonomy of schools boards who authentically engage their community and embrace research-based practices and in turn encourage communities of learners in a wholistic way. (Note: this might exclude some school boards!)
- stereotyping of people who are or should be attracted to teaching, ‘70’s style teacher training and belief that a singular pedagogy is king.

So, in order to fix things we need to decide what is truly broken. That’s a tricky but important task.

Inspiring Education, Day 2: The Balloon is Down

Took me awhile to work out what to say about Day 2 of Inspiring Education. Day 1 was very heartening; open discussions and incredible insights from guest speakers. Day 2 felt like the balloon came down but no boy found inside – which way will the story turn now?

The topic for discussion - How do we change policy and governance? (See Sue Huff’s blog for more info on this portion of the discussion). Not a simple question when so much is not working. A great speech by Indira Samarasekera – presenting a daunting reality of the population powerhouses of the world (India, China, Korea etc) focusing on education as their engine of growth with the numbers of students graduating that are mind-boggling.

So I’ll focus on two things I heard, one from Keray Henke, Deputy Minister who talked about the importance of a policy framework, legislation and regulations that are supportive and aligned with the new future of education. And Dave Hancock who repeated what he had recently heard in a school during Read-In Week “Every Child. Every Day. No Exceptions.” Heady stuff- and we really want to believe them. We ARE together in this. We do want to champion the vision.

But reality is around us. New P3 schools about to open, imposed from above, where community groups and other service providers will not be welcome. Stripping diploma exams of written portions leaving only multiple choice. Making a long term contract with teachers, and when the definition of CPI becomes problematic, the government washes its hands of the issue by telling boards they will have to foot the bill if the arbitration goes against the government. Rumours of significant budget cuts to education next year. It doesn’t take much to find more than one needle in the haystack of education to burst the balloon.

Much of yesterday was around the challenge of change. Well, I can tell you almost all people in the room passionately want change – but are scared it will be in the wrong direction – based on rational evaluation of the past track record of this government in the area of reforms to public education.

So Dave and Keray – we need some signs that the Alberta government means it – some “quick wins” as they call them in the change management world. Something to keep the fire of hope alive and well in the coming years. Then we WILL be the leaders of this change as Dave so passionately asked us to be. The headline needs to be “Boy found safe and well” but not because it was all a hoax.

Day 1 of Inspiring Education.. you've got my interest, Dave

The final provincial dialogue for Inspiring Education has started.(hashtag #ieforum or #inspiringEd on Twitter)

Day 1 of Inspiring Education left me highly interested though yet to be inspired. The summary of the community conversations, the speakers and the dialogue at the tables were truly thrilling. Albertans, international speakers (for an awesome summary of what they said see Sue Huff’s blog) and the almost 1,000 people at this event converge around one idea – we need to re-invent education to respond to the shift that technology has delivered to us all. Our children are ready- but are we?

So why not yet inspired? If genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration as Thomas Edison said, then invention (or re- invention) is 1% inspiration and 99% implementation. The quality, scope, and vision of the thousands of Albertans that have contributed to this incredibly important conversation is truly remarkable – quite simply, a mandate has been delivered to the Alberta government to remake education for the future of this province.

Dave’s team have delivered 100% on that 1% inspiration. The question amongst us hopeful skeptics in the room, is can the Alberta cabinet and government deliver on the vision - the 99% left - in collaboration with citizens, students, communities,trustees and teachers?We certainly hope so. THAT would be truly inspiring.

Advocacy 101 - The Appetizer

I said this blog was about encouraging advocacy- but haven’t written about it yet. Advocacy is easy. All it is is turning thoughts, knowledge or beliefs into action.
No magic, no special skill set required. It’s like cooking – with a recipe book in hand, and more or less the right ingredients, anyone can do it. Some of course reach the cordon bleu echelon, others hover at the Kraft dinner level. But in the end, it all works.

A word about motivation. Why advocate? Well, motivations will differ but mine was clarified by an article I read yesterday while sitting in the dentist’s chair (my least favorite place in the whole world). Frustration. Anger.Wanting things to be different. The article described how anger is viewed as a negative emotion – particularly for women to admit to. But it described the upside of anger and frustration– we all want the feeling to go away. This means we strategize how to not feel angry or frustrated and then act. And that’s better than feeling fear, because we are disempowered by fear. We avoid confrontation when we are fearful.

When angry or frustrated, we usually act - to either accept the situation or to influence the situation. We may act to voice our concerns, and that we would like things to change. We might even go so far as to be part of the solution to the issue.

The common theme is that by ACTING, we feel better. We feel we have done something to alter the situation, or how we view it. We might have made a difference. And that is a great feeling. Not as good as eating chocolate, but certainly up there.
And given the simplicity of acting – advocacy is not rocket science – it’s a great way to relieve frustration and anger at what we see, what we or our family members experience or go through that we feel was wrong, traumatic, counterproductive or avoidable.Tomorrow I will blog on the Kraft Dinner, Meat with 2 veg and 2 course meal levels of advocacy, provide some recipes and a few ingredients I like to use.

Keep it Real, Ed Part 2: Vulnerable kids can expect a Double possibly Triple Whammy

Yesterday I blogged on the predicted overall cuts to education. Today I wanted to highlight the Double Whammy effect for our most vulnerable kids. But first, back to Ed. Ed said during his televised address on Wednesday night:

"And we’ll focus on helping the vulnerable... supporting the programs and services Albertans need most, like health care, education and support for seniors."

Nobody would disagree with that statement in Alberta- nobody that I know or have ever talked to, that is. But in fact, vulnerable kids in Alberta will be served a double whammy by the planned budget cuts. One through the cuts to education, and the other through cuts to Children and Youth Services. (Now, we haven't actually heard yet if and how much ACYS will be hit, but they are already pulling back spending at a noticeable rate.) Some may even get the trifecta, through cuts to healthcare.

The majority of our most vulnerable children are in classrooms around the province. Many, but not all, in metro areas. They face multiple barriers to learning, being healthy and becoming well-adjusted adults who will contribute to society. They (and sometimes their family members) are currently being supported by a myriad of services, in the classroom, at home or in foster care, and through the health system. There are a multitude of imperfections in how those services are delivered and how many resources are available. But on the whole they do help to support children with learning differences, mental health issues, chaotic home situations, and physical challenges. It is a fragile, fragmented but fundamentally positive safety net. We already know kids in care are having a hard time reaching their potential - high school completion rates for these students is sitting at 28.9% vs a provincial rate of 78.6 % for 5 year completion according to the Child & Youth Advocate's report.

With cuts simultaneously to education (meaning larger class sizes), supportive community-based services funded through ACYS and health care, that safety net looks like it might have meteor-sized holes in it over the coming years.

So Ed, get real. Decide that you're not going to deliver a double, possibly triple whammy to vulnerable kids. Besides looking pretty bad on the resume at election time, it will also really hurt down the track when you have to add prisons, acute care beds and services for the homeless to your list of needs in about 10 years. Looks like a bad financial move to me, Ed.

Keep it Real, Ed

For my first blog post, I listened carefully to Ed's address last night, to hear what he would say about public education.
Here's what I heard:

"These are challenging times for our province, and I want to share what your government is doing to address those challenges...
...and to achieve the goals we share as Albertans: A world-class quality of life, opportunities for the future, and core public services — like education, health and seniors’ benefits — things that we can all be proud of.".....
"That's why in the Budget earlier this year, we launched a solid plan to return our province to sustained growth and balanced budgets. It's a practical response to the recession that tightens spending while at the same time continues to build for the future. We will meet the commitments we've made—when we're able to afford it. In the meantime, we'll balance the province's operating budget—the dollars we spend on public services. And we'll focus on helping the vulnerable … supporting the programs and services Albertans need most, like health care, education and support for seniors. Albertans are optimistic about the province's future - and with good reason."....
" Education and science will lie at the heart of our future prosperity."

So you would think us public education advocates would be celebrating, right? Education is a core public service, but we need to balance our budget. And education will lie at the heart of our future prosperity. All encouraging stuff. However, how do you reconcile this with the fact that the government is planning to cut out $340 million of the education budget?
If it is a core public service, and it is the heart of our future prosperity, why would you make a cut in the short term of that magnitude?
As the president of the ASBA said, a cut of that size means less teachers and less aides. There is no other way to cut that much out of school board budgets without affecting the level of support kids receive in classrooms. Yet teaching (and learning) is a very human process. It is a complex process in our classrooms currently with a widely diverse set of student needs, individual learning styles and challenges. That's why Albertans value small class sizes - because it increases the chances of every child successfully acquiring the basic skills and knowledge that will see them through to a productive future in the workplace and be able to participate in the global economy.
So that's why the "Stop the Cuts" campaign was started. But according to the Education Minister, the campaign is negative and suggests it is "creating undue concern and conflict."
Actually, what really causes REAL concern and conflict is what Ed said and what he is actually doing. If you want to preserve core public services that lead to future prosperity, continuity in funding levels is a heck of a way to achieve that. 
Perhaps the Education Minister thought there should be dialogue. For example, the dialogue forming part of "Inspiring Education". Sure, let's look at some of the things that Albertans said, according to the Community Forum theme report I received by email yesterday.

-"Create smaller class sizes". 
-"Don't teach to the test".
-"Multiple skill sets will be required by students in order to become global citizens."

Nowhere did people say "Increase class sizes". "Get rid of some teachers and teacher aides". In fact, most people thought education needed to meet greater challenges and achieve more than in the past.
So balancing the provincial budget by cutting the education budget doesn't look like a winning or popular plan. And while there are probably some changes that could be made to make the system more efficient, these are long term and will require some careful thought and planning, not a "slash and burn" approach.


So Ed and Dave, keep it real. Cuts to education are not the answer. Look again at the government budget and make some hard decisions on where you can nip and tuck and avoid the easy answers of big cuts to core public services. Why? Because it ain't going to get us where we need to go.

 

Why blog?

Why start a blog? Because I have something to say. Because it might make a difference - to someone who cares about public education, makes decisions that affect public education or doesn't understand why public education matters.
I care deeply about public education - in this city, in this province and in this country. Why? Because it is one of the best investments you can make in a child's future - apart from being a caring parent, that is. And it matters not just to parents, but communities and all citizens. Because it's about opportunities and personal growth. It is the foundation of economic growth. "Education is simply the soul of a society as it passes from one generation to another." according to G.K. Chesterson. This makes it both a complex and important process, and one that needs to be debated, valued and supported.