Below was originally bound with https://jemsmind.com/unjust/ A decision to honor that Every Child Matters, I have split these into two. May we honor, learn and grow from the energy of the lost.
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A hot topic that’s been buzzing in our house for some time now, is what September will look like for our children. A month or so back this article came across my path. The article that got this article’s ball rolling.
It’s an Interesting little read. One thing I know from our experiences, is that online solely is
Not Enough.
With that, our household is seeking alternatives. Alternatives that are not accessible to everyone. An alternative that will stretch our household financially. Alternatives that should be more accessible. Alternatives that are held more accountable.
Why is my privately spent dollar more deserving of accountability than my publicly contributed dollar????
As we know that any change that might be implemented publicly won’t occur fast enough to help recover our school age child’s transitioning years. But the groundwork has to start, so we can adapt for a better future. It sounds so lovely, but from my introduction I’m sure the drift of mistrust will persist. Until accountability exists.
I’m a mother with children who have participated strictly in online learning since the beginning of the pandemic. At both secondary and primary public school levels, in Ontario, Canada.
Our house has experienced pros and cons with remote learning. Similarly to the pros and cons of in school learning.
From the time we were asked to choose between in school or remote learning August 2020 the pressure was on.
Make a decision…
A decision that can’t be changed instantly…
A decision that could be changed by the government for us at any time…
Read up on the policies and procedures that have been drawn out on paper…
Only students and facilitators are allowed in the building…
Class sizes won’t change…
Mandatory masks…
Social distancing…
So many changes all at once, Yes forced changes due to the situation but nonetheless many possibilities of uncertainty. Not to mention not having huge faith in the public school system before the pandemic.
I struggled myself through the system as a child and hated the authoritarian and ancient procedures.
Fast forward 20 years and not much has changed. Not having a huge respect for the system, because of this. I guess somebody thinks it’s not broken? Or possibly the endeavour is a huge undertaking and nobody’s willing to step up and take the responsibility.
The thing that makes me laugh or cry is that every time the government points to the school board it’s like they forget they’re the ones who outlined the curriculum. Also, in this case they have all the power through the emergency act. This is all a part of the problem. I know the curriculum that I have utilized for the post secondary education level was written by a non-expert. I can tell purely because of the improper use of acronyms and processes. In some cases I’ve seen, scanned typewritten documents from who knows when, as the standard. Now it might have changed since the last time I looked, it was a few years back. But honestly in this day and age, come on, we can do better, we could at least transfer the document into a newer format. But let’s keep on topic, elementary and public high schools.
Now, saying I don’t have faith in the system doesn’t mean I don’t respect the educators that are doing their best to provide awesome programming for our children. But the educator’s hands are tied too.
A system that has been failing the students for a long time or at least the ones that don’t conform to these traditional styles. Some which can be relatable to topics discussed in my article https://jemsmind.com/misconstrued-trades/ .
A system that is failing the educators now too. Often I hear through the grapevine of friends and friends of friends requiring a leave of absence due to stress. All teachers, great teachers at that. Teachers and support staff who have been stretched mentally, physically and emotionally. Many great teachers walk away from their career because they couldn’t wait any longer to get in full time. Or the bureaucracy burnt them out. This is an attribute from before COVID, and is even more prevalent today.
A few weeks back I was discussing the youth self-harm pandemics that were occurring before COVID also. How our educators, coaches and youth programming facilitators are pinnacles for providing support for our youth. Where these additional stressors that youth are facing affect their support networks too.
Have a read of https://jemsmind.com/teen-parent-to-parent-of-a-teen/ for some more perspective on that….
All of the heightened so-called inclusiveness that has tried to be implemented through this pandemic looks to me, like an overwhelming divide. The instability and fluctuation through lockdowns is leaving many vulnerable.
Something I have learned dealing with youth stress, depression, anxiety, self harm, ADHD and more is that there is a switch. A switch that is initiated at different times for different people. This switch restricts in some cases rational thought, and others’ ability to perform. For some it’s a choice of walking away, as the struggle is not worth the reward. This essentially petrifies a person temporarily, in a way.
With so much stress that is forming between mental, physical and emotional, that all combine to cripple our future and our nurturing educators. I know some will say our situation is only temporary. In my eyes, that doesn’t matter because the system was already failing. Which hopefully is the induction of change for the better. Restructuring the way we look at things with all of the individuality that comes from each and every person. Promoting everyone to thrive on their interests and skills.
Ideally in our situation hybrid programs between online, in class and forest school would be amazing. Science, gym, art, social studies, english, math and more can all be learned while interacting in nature and other surroundings. Only requiring a formal classroom setting to potentially edit work that’s done in the field. Imagine, a small group of children and facilitator coming together for some neighbourhood exploration and discussion. Essentially pod learning.
Pod learning with two pathway options.
Higher private, opt out of the public school system, inducing tax reduction or rebate so the family can allocate funds into the education stream that is best fit for their family.
Or
The public school system, adapting to using the resources they already have to pod learn.
Totally restructuring what going to school looks like.
Use the brick and mortar school locations as hubs. A place for a washroom, rotation from out in weather (short stay, field hospital, edit field note journal), storage of materials.
One facilitator to let’s say five kids. Where the kids and the facilitator move through multiple grades together creating trust and understanding of what’s expected. Providing the opportunity for closer friendships and a safe place to confide in a trusted adult. This provides more time to grow. Then the latter to constantly be starting over with a new group.
That the old system, starting over every year with a new teacher and class, puts the kids behind. Also, the schedule doesn’t stop when July comes. This is a blanket statement but I feel like everybody can agree that their kids are just better all around little people when they’re doing some sort of extracurricular team or connective kinetic thing.
The most recommended mental health improver after seeing multiple professionals, was mental health and physical exercise go hand in hand.
Encourage, action, movement, learning, growth, activity, community.
Where I’m getting to, is that there’s no reason why there aren’t enough people to facilitate pods. There are so many educated people that are on layoff right now that I’m sure would gladly get paid to hang out with a pod of kids and help them learn.
Better yet have the pods have availability to run two 6-hour back-to-back shifts. You could have facilitators tap out every 6 hours where the kids are then covered for 12. Which is definitely ideal for people that shift work. Or commute long distances and so many other positions. A little more perspective is the facilitator running each pod would program some activities running off curriculum. This is where our teachers fit. But, also have chaperone workshops to engage the children’s abilities. Swimming, sports, instruments, drama, speaking, building, maintaining, creating and more. That area is where other programme facilitators come in.
So many children are unable to participate in extracurriculars for whatever reason, perhaps time or money, transportation. There’s also a percentage of people that go to school without meals.
Did you know 👇
Many struggle with food insecurity.
“In 2017/2018, 8.8% of Canadian households – approximately 1.2 million – experienced some moderate or severe food insecurity due to financial constraints.” [3]
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/82-625-x/2020001/article/00001-eng.htm
“Almost one in seven Canadians report food insecurity” May 2020. With this, lets highlight the much larger numbers in Nunavut and the Northwest territories.[6] We could compile this with the lack of clean drinking water in some communities that I mentioned in my article Lake Horizon sky. https://jemsmind.com/lake-horizon-sky-clarity/
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/45-28-0001/2020001/article/00039-eng.htm
All the more reason to provide programming with meal supplements. Which is something that the old system does have. At least in the schools that we’ve been a part of. We should also start retiring all the massive school buses. Short buses or vans all the way.
Providing programming that can cover a standard shift. That includes some food and transportation to support well-rounded programming options, would go miles. For families, for educators, for our future. This would support our blue collar sectors and more.
Providing an overall experience designed for everyone to thrive.
The added stress that parents are placed under to provide before and after school care can be trying at times. In some situations leaving children under the legal age unsupervised for a duration of time.
The thing I don’t understand is how supply and demand don’t line up. The amount of time children are provided care for through the public system and how an employee working under ministry labour laws timelines don’t coincide. Anyway, that topic can expand. It is a big scope we’re talking about, with so much to consider..
So bringing it back, these small groups or pods could have educators and children out learning about their surroundings. They could be spending time picking up waste in neighborhoods, learning how unsustainable our lifestyles are right now. Exploring plants and animals to research. Connect how destructive our ways are to the planet. How about, working on a community garden that each pod has scheduled time in. Adding language and math by having the children document the experiences. Log books to sketch, keep notes. The teacher can have tech to take photos and quick notes to use in online classwork later. Heck we’re heading down the Tech road to one day transitioning the students to handheld computers to document their school adventures. They can track their steps, their location, map out where they’ve been and so much more. The possibilities are endless. We could talk about this for hours.
Thinking of a small pod teacher student ratio would extend opportunities for teachers, ECEs, degree holders, tradespeople, camp counsellors, community program facilitators, lifeguards and so many more. People that are within our communities already providing community run programming could be the facilitators for such an endeavour.
Finding a way to make small pods through creating connections with people already in our neighborhoods or school district. This programming would look different from one location to the next. But the foundation can be the same. We could take it further by connecting virtually with other locations, rural, to suburban, to city dwelling pods. Virtually sharing each other’s experiences on how one might make a garden in a rural area and one might make a garden in a city landscape.
YES, I understand there’s more details and liabilities (don’t get me started on the liabilities) than just saying, I wish it was like this. Facilitating the endeavour that’s in my mind would be huge. But don’t we owe it to ourselves to actually make change. Starting with our children, we should be promoting growth for everyone. Not just the academically inclined.
We should be nurturing multiple aspects in a safe way. Since COVID has brought us to this standstill quite often we need to rethink cohorting down to very small and long-term pods. This way we can always have these pods connecting so that nobody is left alone. So that we can always feel a part of a community or team to communicate with. There would be no need for lockdowns on the school level because we’d be at the five max gathering.
Doing something like this and then having the students communicate and connect with the cities. Where then the cities can help provide these groups with things like litter picking up kits. The city I live in offers a kit for anyone in the community who wants to help lend a hand. It’s a perfect way to get the city and the schools working together. Get these pods to do scouting where good community gardens could be put into place. If we are in the citys, is it on the roof of a government building? Or is it in the egress ways for all the drainage from different suburbs? Or in a donated section of someone’s farm field? Give a charitable donation receipt or write offs for this kind of contribution. Have the pods fill out all of the documentation to request the use of the land from the city or have it zoned for the proposed use. You’re getting the idea. Opportunity is endless, here in our privilege.
Nurturing all aspects of life through expression of whatever calls you. More emphasis on creating and building with your hands on trades on music on mind and body. All working together for overall health. Allowing our individuality to be celebrated, allowing everyone to reach their full potential.
With that everything starts with an idea. Regardless of the size, say it out loud, write it down, share it.
“In My Mind” putting community back into our lives is what will provide us the opportunity to thrive.
P.S.
Have you seen that the green party is looking for your input on schools and more…
👇👇👇
https://gpo.ca/reimagining-ontario/
Ask ☝️☝️☝️Ask 🙏🙏🙏
Tell them what you want…
Also have a read below, some articles discussing why things need to change all around…
The article that specifies that everyone
needs to be immunized, was Good except for that part.
This is a personal choice and some shouldn’t take it, we just don’t know who yet. This is a discussion for the patient and their doctor or medical team.
I’m not anti Vax but we don’t know in some cases, so blanket statements such as that sometimes cuts deep. Think of a person who wants to get the vaccine but their health condition at this time it’s not safe for them to. But let’s not get too deep into the vaccine. There’s all kinds of rabbit holes that you can walk down. But I stand, that it’s a personal choice and collaboration for all individuals and their medical support.
SO PLEASE NO HATE. It’s all about situation and choice.
Not one person’s reasoning is less valuable than another.
RESPECT each other.
It is okay to agree to disagree.
NOT everything has a defined finish line.
Source
[1] C. Alphonso, “Ontario considers move to make remote learning permanent for all boards going forward,” The Globe and Mail, 25-Mar-2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-ontario-considers-move-to-make-remote-learning-permanent-for-all/. [Accessed: 31-May-2021].
[2] “Doctors say Ontario children suffering from ‘social malnutrition’ during COVID-19 pandemic | CBC News,” CBCnews, 15-Apr-2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/social-malnutrition-ontario-medical-association-doctors-children-teens-1.5988076?fbclid=IwAR0KPh5deIw8RdNYYLQ-a6YVU0ok_Q5G9V9rplD6kCnyFs1keH9zHig6H2A. [Accessed: 31-May-2021].
[3] Government of Canada, Statistics Canada, “This is a health fact sheet about household food insecurity among Canadians in 2017 and 2018. The results shown are based on household level data and weights from the Canadian Community Health Survey.,” Household food insecurity, 2017/2018, 24-Jun-2020. [Online]. Available: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/82-625-x/2020001/article/00001-eng.htm. [Accessed: 31-May-2021].
[4] K. DeClerq and C. D’Mello, “Ontario will continue to offer option for virtual learning next year,” Toronto, 05-May-2021. [Online]. Available: https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/ontario-students-to-receive-year-round-mental-health-support-during-pandemic-1.5413126. [Accessed: 31-May-2021].
[5] “Reimagining Ontario. Your voice. Your vision.,” Green Party of Ontario. [Online]. Available: https://gpo.ca/reimagining-ontario/. [Accessed: 31-May-2021].
[6] S. Brule, “The COVID-19 pandemic has caused unprecedented job losses in Canada, impacts that can increase the number of Canadians who are susceptible to income-related food insecurity. This article is based on data collected during the week of May 4 to 10, 2020, and looks at the populations who reported experiencing food insecurity due to financial difficulties.,” Food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic, May 2020, 24-Jun-2020. [Online]. Available: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/45-28-0001/2020001/article/00039-eng.htm. [Accessed: 31-May-2021].
Very good read. Would love to discuss some of this with you as I have been discussing school/learning pods with friends.
Thank you.
I would love to chat about it. DO you have IG we could use that platform? @jemsbiz