Facilitator+-+Brian+Maclsaac

Brian MacIsaac, SWMSS Vice Principal, YRDSB (Facilitator) Julia Armstrong, SWMSS History Teacher, YRDSB (Scribe) Norma Stannard, Markham Gateway PS Teacher, YRDSB Eileen Landa, Centre for Leadership and Learning Computer Resource Teacher, YRDSB Helene Fournier, Director, Curriculum Services Canada – Professional Learning Services Denise Jordan, TLDSB Jean Hargreaves, Principal of Curriculum, SCDSB Steve King, Head of Special Education, Sutton, YRDSB

We are convinced that change is needed…. What barriers or constraints are keeping this vision from happening? · Socioeconomic levels… blended learning is slower to transition due to resources… face challenges with downturn economy (Magna was a big employer) · Age of structures… older buildings are harder to implement from a structural position… ie mounting LCDs and rewiring… asbestos · Parent and student disengagement… many are not interested in the program… why? Parents are commuting fair distance to work… many low paying jobs… no industry locally… energy to partake in children’s education · Some areas, teachers are being asked to get engaged in web 2.0 but they do not have the resources themselves to be able to access… not all teachers have laptops… teachers need access to the tools… teachers need the time to be able to embrace it… embedded in their job?... teachers need to feel comfortable before they use something in their lessons / classes · Not all schools are wireless · Computer labs… not always fully utilized · Transition from teacher centred to student centred… a difficult transition… we all have a vested interest in the children, but control? We need to be learners … have to be able to identify what a 21st century learner is to be able to enhance their learning opportunities · HOW DO WE BECOME THOSE LEARNERS? · Teaching for 40 years and hasn’t seen that change of control… teacher to student centered… who is actually talking, to whom, how many kids engaged · Marzano… if you give a tool, you won’t see increase in achievement… how the tool is used makes a difference · Small steps first? Would that increase success? · In session with Markville… students demonstrating their learning… students teaching the teacher · Unitl we provide the access we can’t move forward… conflicting because the access doesn’t make teachers better… if teachers have laptops, their learning curves would go through the roof… allowing students to bring their own devices will improve · Teachers and students want the access… motivating for many people · Biggest barrier is access · 2 schools in Simcoe Cty… every teacher has been given a laptop… interesting to track · How many teachers have their own equipment now? Would that increase capacity? Many schools allow teachers to bringin · Funding of what we do in school… why should teachers spend money on their classrooms / technology… is it fair that teachers spend money to do their job… if it is necessary to our job we should be provided · Assessment… the end goals and outcomes haven’t changed and we are liable to meet those goals · Teachers going into faculties… there are being tauht the “old fashioned way” we need to change our practice at all levels · Money… budgets are more and more limited · Space… 2 smartboards in the school… mobile, have to move around, wires to trip over… equipment is not easy to access · Teacher ease… only a few teachers use the technology (SmartBoard) because they feel intimidated by it · Whole system needs to be restructured… top down… our system is very structured… system need not student need · At the elementary level, do the students know more about technology than teachers? · Yes… younger students know more and more… able to access short cuts and recognize how the technology is changing · Elaborate on how school has to change? Such as? Doesn’t need to be a place… could students expand their learning at different places at different times? All societies do not bring in children to school aka to their age… a very arbitrary decision… this model of school is based on industrial system · Focus is supposed to be on Learners… but then the structure is very regimented… can students move at their own pace? Why not? Credit salvaging and recovery is moving towards that direction… but at the end of the semester you still “fail” and have to be “taught” some more… not seen as learning… large cohort of grade 12s… how do you structure school when large groups of students leave in January · Structure of the building… future building in YRDSSB… using the same cookie cutter model, but still perpetuating the model of 1970s school · We need to start fresh instead of tweaking what can’t be fixed · No walls? We built them back up! Maybe we weren’t ready · What about students doing a combination of e-learning and regular school? E seen as an alternative program and not as valued… some students are taking advantage of that, e-learning co-op, increase in home schooling · Any time, any place, any pace (other provinces) e-learning seen as second rate and no access to “better” face to face… technology now allows us a variety of learning methods and styles… school is a community or place to learn… there needs to be lots of infrastructure to be able to meet all these needs · Full day, every day kindergarten… gives children no option… either they start school or they don’t … half day allowed a more gradual transition… is it a good thing that all children start school at 4 for full day all day? · Are we going too far with technology where we are losing traditional 19th classroom? · System based on starting at 4… have no legal standing to make decisions until 7… must be in supervised environment… the learn anywhere anytime model isn’t going to work for the younger children… more suitable for older students · One model will not cover k to 12… need differentiation for that · Some students will still learn best pen and paper, and some will learn better in other ways · Schools should be seen as a resource for the entire community · Students get a lot out of being in the school… community, friends, sports, · 150 years ago, you could predict where technology is going… you can’t predict what it will look like 10 years from now… hard to prepare for an unforeseeable future · Hyper connected children… CBC documentary… too much parenting… even continuing on into post secondary and workplace!!! · Sometimes natural consequences are a good thing for children · Discussion surrounding hyper connected… parents defending their kids
 * __Round Robin Session__**