Corporate Influence On Alberta Education

[Michael Hardner]

Nobody on here does seem to see the point in having oil companies provide input into the education program.

But there does seem to be an appetite for a public forum to discuss what is being taught.

I for one disagree that graduates are worse than in the past. It seems to me to be another example of old men complaining about "kids today". The millenials I work with are able to think independently, and more importantly work productively in teams.

[socialist]

Nobody on here does seem to see the point in having oil companies provide input into the education program.

But there does seem to be an appetite for a public forum to discuss what is being taught.

I for one disagree that graduates are worse than in the past. It seems to me to be another example of old men complaining about "kids today". The millenials I work with are able to think independently, and more importantly work productively in teams.

Exactly. Your colleagues are 21st century educated students who have great collaboration skills, one of the four Cs of 21st Century Learning. Teachers are doing a great job preparing students for the work force. Yet there are those ignorant enough to constantly criticize teachers. Canadian public education is world class, and we have to stop the neo-liberals from destroying public education.

[Michael Hardner]

Canadian public education is world class, and we have to stop the neo-liberals from destroying public education.

Well... maybe. Just as there is no way to say the "kids today" are worse, there's no real way to say they are better. We can talk about literacy rates, graduation rates and so on but ultimately these questions sprout in the garden of human perception.

And as such, politics will be there - emotional, irrational and important. Teachers unions are built to be suspicious of change, and in many cases they fight it but some change can't be fought. I'm thinking of how public perceptions will now play themselves out in new media, facebook and so on. Teachers would do well to concede to change and jump into that by engaging with the "education" public and addressing the most valid criticisms of their critics.

Some of these may involve - banking sick days, salaries, and possibly some way to recognize poor performing teachers. The criticisms don't need to be entirely agreed with, but they resonate with the overall public and so they should be addressed. I believe it's in the teachers' long term interests to do so.

[socialist]

Well... maybe. Just as there is no way to say the "kids today" are worse, there's no real way to say they are better. We can talk about literacy rates, graduation rates and so on but ultimately these questions sprout in the garden of human perception.

And as such, politics will be there - emotional, irrational and important. Teachers unions are built to be suspicious of change, and in many cases they fight it but some change can't be fought. I'm thinking of how public perceptions will now play themselves out in new media, facebook and so on. Teachers would do well to concede to change and jump into that by engaging with the "education" public and addressing the most valid criticisms of their critics.

Some of these may involve - banking sick days, salaries, and possibly some way to recognize poor performing teachers. The criticisms don't need to be entirely agreed with, but they resonate with the overall public and so they should be addressed. I believe it's in the teachers' long term interests to do so.

How about teachers who have 6 different levels in one class without proper resources? That teacher should be punished for poor performance. We have kids addicted to drugs, Iphones etc. What do we do?

Grad rates continue to rise across Canada thanks to the hard work and dedication of teachers. Teachers are doing a great job yet continually get spit on by neo-leberals with corporate agendas. Pay close attention to what is REALLY going on out there, Mike. You owe it to yourself.

[overthere]

Instead of attacking the poster and what he does in his spare time, why not stick to the issue. First of all, fingerpainting is taught at the elementary school level. Why on earth do the oil companies feel they need to influence what children at these ages study as part of their curriculum. Typically film making is taught at the college level, not at the elementary level. Social engineering is taught at the college and university level, not at the elementary level. So why are the oil companies trying to influence the elementary school education?

That is either delibertaely insulting to the abilities of children, or illistrates a complete lack of knowledge about school curriculums.

I recently helped my spouse set up their last major science project. It was one she does every year, and involves building bridges out of popsicle sticks. The kids design and build them in groups of three students. The final test is one of them has to stand on it and it has to support their weight for 10 seconds. In preparation, they study different styles of bridges as part of their program. Applied math and priciples of structural engineering......

She teaches Grade 3.

In Alberta.

Fingerpainting? Maybe your kids were in 'special' class. Fingerpainting is playschool stuff.

I don't think you undertsand what social engineering means.

Public schools themselves are a major chunk of coial engineering in themselves.

eta: the bridge project is judged by a military engineer from the nearby base.

Edited April 11, 2014 by overthere

[Pct2017]

That is either delibertaely insulting to the abilities of children, or illistrates a complete lack of knowledge about school curriculums.

I recently helped my spouse set up their last major science project. It was one she does every year, and involves building bridges out of popsicle sticks. The kids design and build them in groups of three students. The final test is one of them has to stand on it and it has to support their weight for 10 seconds. In preparation, they study different styles of bridges as part of their program. Applied math and priciples of structural engineering......

She teaches Grade 3.

In Alberta.

Fingerpainting? Maybe your kids were in 'special' class. Fingerpainting is playschool stuff.

I don't think you undertsand what social engineering means.

Public schools themselves are a major chunk of coial engineering in themselves.

eta: the bridge project is judged by a military engineer from the nearby base.

OK,OK. The finger painting was sarcastic. Get over it.

My point about the curriculum as it currently sits is that it is getting diluted in quality twofold.

First, as young Socialist is gleeful to pronounce, cursive writing, grammar, basic math skills (ok - my words on that one, not his) etc etc are being eliminated. What has replaced these skills? They now sit in organic shaped groups and bond. There are four C's, but basic math and grammar had the misfortune of not starting with C, so they were sacrificed. I just do not think that kids leaving school without good writing skills and a basic grasp on math are going to be desirable employees.

Yes, there is higher level math to be found in high school, but it is optional. Pretty much only kids who are destined to go onto post-secondary take these types of courses. The rest leave high school with very poor math skills.

The second area of concern about the quality of education our kids are getting is the amount of time that is spent doing nothing in class. Video and movies are prolific (WCR asked me about statistics to back this one up. Well, I have two. They sit at the same dinner table as us every evening and we discuss their lives. Weird huh. And they make open jokes about which movies they watched in class today or which all important Olympic hockey games were shown.) I appreciate that teachers have to teach to the level of the dumbest kid in the class, but time spent doing anything else other than teaching is time simply wasted.

This thread is about whether any corporation should have a say in the curriculum in the public school system. Until it was posted here, I really had no idea that it was even a possibility. And it probably is a really bad idea, but I get where industry is coming from. If the product that is available to hire is not being educated to a high enough standard (I will be the first to admit that I am assuming that this is the driving force behind the idea), then maybe they should have a say in the expectations for high school grads.

[Michael Hardner]

How about teachers who have 6 different levels in one class without proper resources? That teacher should be punished for poor performance. We have kids addicted to drugs, Iphones etc. What do we do?

I don't know - what do you recommend ?

Grad rates continue to rise across Canada thanks to the hard work and dedication of teachers. Teachers are doing a great job yet continually get spit on by neo-leberals with corporate agendas. Pay close attention to what is REALLY going on out there, Mike. You owe it to yourself.

Your response here completely sidesteps my point. Of course these things are happening - are you going to have a public fight with these forces or go directly to the parents and address their concerns ?

[socialist]

Here is an excellent blog talking about the corporation influence in public education. This explains it nicely and we should all protest this intrusion by corporations.

http://danscratch.blogspot.ca/2014/04/lets-talk-about-alberta-education-and.html

[socialist]

OK,OK. The finger painting was sarcastic. Get over it.

My point about the curriculum as it currently sits is that it is getting diluted in quality twofold.

First, as young Socialist is gleeful to pronounce, cursive writing, grammar, basic math skills (ok - my words on that one, not his) etc etc are being eliminated. What has replaced these skills? They now sit in organic shaped groups and bond. There are four C's, but basic math and grammar had the misfortune of not starting with C, so they were sacrificed. I just do not think that kids leaving school without good writing skills and a basic grasp on math are going to be desirable employees.

Yes, there is higher level math to be found in high school, but it is optional. Pretty much only kids who are destined to go onto post-secondary take these types of courses. The rest leave high school with very poor math skills.

The second area of concern about the quality of education our kids are getting is the amount of time that is spent doing nothing in class. Video and movies are prolific (WCR asked me about statistics to back this one up. Well, I have two. They sit at the same dinner table as us every evening and we discuss their lives. Weird huh. And they make open jokes about which movies they watched in class today or which all important Olympic hockey games were shown.) I appreciate that teachers have to teach to the level of the dumbest kid in the class, but time spent doing anything else other than teaching is time simply wasted.

This thread is about whether any corporation should have a say in the curriculum in the public school system. Until it was posted here, I really had no idea that it was even a possibility. And it probably is a really bad idea, but I get where industry is coming from. If the product that is available to hire is not being educated to a high enough standard (I will be the first to admit that I am assuming that this is the driving force behind the idea), then maybe they should have a say in the expectations for high school grads.

Why do you exaggerate so much? How many movies do your kids watch in school. If that was happening why aren't you discussing it with the principal or superintendent?

[Michael Hardner]

I echo WCR's concerns here. I think that whomever has input into the education system - the purpose should be clear, and their involvement open, and the process understood.

[socialist]

OK,OK. The finger painting was sarcastic. Get over it.

My point about the curriculum as it currently sits is that it is getting diluted in quality twofold.

First, as young Socialist is gleeful to pronounce, cursive writing, grammar, basic math skills (ok - my words on that one, not his) etc etc are being eliminated. What has replaced these skills? They now sit in organic shaped groups and bond. There are four C's, but basic math and grammar had the misfortune of not starting with C, so they were sacrificed. I just do not think that kids leaving school without good writing skills and a basic grasp on math are going to be desirable employees.

Yes, there is higher level math to be found in high school, but it is optional. Pretty much only kids who are destined to go onto post-secondary take these types of courses. The rest leave high school with very poor math skills.

The second area of concern about the quality of education our kids are getting is the amount of time that is spent doing nothing in class. Video and movies are prolific (WCR asked me about statistics to back this one up. Well, I have two. They sit at the same dinner table as us every evening and we discuss their lives. Weird huh. And they make open jokes about which movies they watched in class today or which all important Olympic hockey games were shown.) I appreciate that teachers have to teach to the level of the dumbest kid in the class, but time spent doing anything else other than teaching is time simply wasted.

This thread is about whether any corporation should have a say in the curriculum in the public school system. Until it was posted here, I really had no idea that it was even a possibility. And it probably is a really bad idea, but I get where industry is coming from. If the product that is available to hire is not being educated to a high enough standard (I will be the first to admit that I am assuming that this is the driving force behind the idea), then maybe they should have a say in the expectations for high school grads.

[socialist]

The Alberta government is actively pushing for corporate involvement with curriculum. We need to stand up to this threat against democracy.

http://www.vice.com/en_ca/read/albertas-corporate-curriculum-reading-writing-and-bitumen