News for Week of June 27, 1999
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The Angus Reid Group asked 1515 Canadians last month whether they think students today receive an education that is better, worse or about the same as the one stuents were given 25 years ago. 35% believed schooling is better, 37% said worse, and the result think it is about the same. Respondents in the 35 to 54 age group felt the strongest that education was worse. Respondents in Atlantic provinces appear most satisfied with 56% believing their education was better where British Columbia and Ontario were the least satisfied with over 40% believing it was worse.
This special report released June 22 examines Canadians' current perspectives on their educational system, both at the public school and post-secondary levels, and compares them to surveys taken earlier this decade. The survey also sought views on government funding, private schools, computers, donations and advertising in schools, potential reforms to post-secondary education and trade skills vs general university education. The full report and tables are available from Angus Reid Group at www.angusreid.com/pressrel/pr990621_1.html.
Queen Elizabeth Elementary School in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan has developed a research project entitled Creating a Safe Place: One School's Experience funded by the Dr. Stirling McDowell Foundation for Research into Teaching. The project is to include all students at the school from kindergarten to Grade 8, teachers and parents. Principal Jackie Semchuk said that teachers are equally keen to teach those who are guilty of the bullying to be more respectful, while at the same time teaching the victims to become more assertive, albeit in a positive and assertive manner.
Related Topics: Conference - Preventing Violence in Schools, Violence in Schools,
The Education Debates - an IDEAS series on CBC Radio One.
This major IDEAS series by producer David Cayley explores the controversies over the conduct of education. The programs run Monday through Friday for three weeks from June 14 through July 2, 1999. Titles: The Demand for Reform, A New Curriculum, Don't Shoot the Teacher, School Reform in the US, Reading in an Electronic Age, Return to Cargilfield, Schooling and Technology, Deschooling Society, Deschooling Today, Dumbing Us Down, Virtues or Values, Common Culture / Multi-Culture, The Case for School Choice, Trials of the University, On Liberal Studies, and Teaching the Conflicts.
A brief synopsis for each program is provided at the CBC website. Transcripts and tapes are also available. radio.cbc.ca/programs/ideas/calendar/1999/99jun.html
School Voucher Plan for Florida
A school voucher bill was signed into law by Governor Jeb Bush last week. Both of the teacher unions and over a dozen other groups have subsequently filed suit challenging that the vouchers are unconstitutional.
1999 Special Olympics World Summer Games
Athletes from nearly 150 countries are competing at the Special Olympics World Summer Games which are being held June 26 - July 4, 1999 in North Carolina's Triangle region of Raleigh, Durham, Cary and Chapel Hill. These games are an opportunity for celebration of achievement and learning.
Updated June 29, 1999