FALLING MATH GRADES AND NEWER TEACHING METHODS

Last Saturday's Waterloo Region Record carrys this story "Current teaching methods may be behind falling math grades". When I first read the story I too was shocked by the example at the end of the story as to how two children calculated two different ways to get the same, correct answer. The principle of Stewart Avenue Public School stated "When I think back to how I was taught math, there's just no comparison". I'm in the same position as the Principal. In fact I set the numbers down on paper and did it the same way I've always done addition as I was taught in public school. Then I reread the example and the thinking process both children used. Holy Cow but if that isn't also the way I do math in my head. I can add it up properly on paper as taught but I can also use the little tricks these two children did in order to add numbers without pen and paper. Hmm! Is one method absolutely superior to the other or does the problem with math scores originate elsewhere? Could one go so far as to suggest that teaching methods are merely a red herring?

I downloaded an on-line story last week titled "Teacher pay should be tied to performance, ability: study". The report was written by Sachin Maharaj, a high school teacher in Toronto. It was published on the Canadian Council of Chief Executives website. It has some astoundingly blunt assessments of the current system such as " (teacher) excellence goes unrewarded, mediocrity goes unaddressed.". Further "The challenge for education policy is that the quality of teaching in our schools varies considerably". The Fraser Institute also weighed in with "The best performing 15 to 25 per cent of teachers are able to impart a year and a half's worth of material to students in one academic year, while the bottom 15 to 25 per cent are only able to impart half a year of material to similar students". Comment is also made that the teachers' unions have an unflinching affinity for the status quo which among other things rewards teachers by seniority and credentials. Last but not least is my own personal experience. I have seen with my own eyes absolutely top notch teachers being used to pick up the slack from weaker brothers or sisters who taught (poorly) the same kids from the year before. In this case the excellent teachers are being used to impart half of the previous year's curriculum via catchup as well as the whole current year's curriculum. Principals, teachers, school boards, unions and governments all know this. Most shrug their shoulders and look the other way. School Boards and Teachers' Unions especially are happy with the status quo.

THREE MORE POLICE OFFICERS JOBS ON THE LINE

Their behaviour was atrocious as far as being police officers. Atrocious as far as insensitive, judgemental and breeching the public's trust. It certainly wasn't criminal behaviour in the normal sense. They didn't assault citizens, abuse their authority or take bribes. All that being said their victims need to know that their superiors in the police force will not tolerate humiliating vulnerable people when they most need help from the police. The psychiatrist makes a compelling argument in today's Waterloo Region Record that they are basically good people who screwed up big time. Do they deserve discipline of some sort? Absolutely yes. Is it in anybody's best interests that the three officers be dismissed? My only comment is this. If they are given a second chance and disciplined presumably through demotions or salary reductions then their behaviour needs to be carefully supervised at least for a little while. They have apologized and if they are sincere then their future behaviour will reflect that. If they aren't sincere then they will get caught again and that will be that. Besides their personal apologies I think the individual citizen victims should also get formal apologies from the Waterloo Regional Police Service. The good news is that this behaviour has been stopped. Today's Record article is titled "Officers gave in to group think: expert".

WILL LRT BITE OUR REGIONAL POLITICIANS IN THE BACKSIDE?

Today's Waterloo Region Record carrys this story: "Transit becoming election issue". Contrary to what most of our regional politicians are saying, the Light Rapid/Rail Transit can still be cancelled, albeit for a price. Councillor Jim Wideman is particularily obnoxious with his comment that by the time that a new council would have the opportunity to cancel the project, the costs would be close to what the region has budgeted to build the system. This is no more than an attempt to muddle the public's thinking. As bad as the allegedly already committed sum of $191 million is, it still pales in comparison to the total $818 million price tag being paid by three levels of government. Regional Chair Ken Seiling also is playing the wasted taxpayers money card. It almost gives you the feeling that these councillors feel entitled to spending/wasting our money as they see fit. This LRT might be a bargain at half the price. Or maybe not even then. The City of Waterloo had their financial scandal and swindle over a decade ago. This time instead of an outside financing company hoodwinking councillors perhaps it's our own councillors hoodwinking us. Most have jumped on the environmental, urban intensification bandwagon. Many would like a legacy project to attach their names to. I guess deep down most politicians know that they truly don't respect citizens and certainly not our messy system of government called democracy. I think these same politicians also clearly understand that very few politicians go to their graves being respected by even the people who voted for them, much less all the rest.

MEDICAL MARIJUANA RULES BEING RELAXED?

Today's Waterloo Region Record actually has two articles dealing with medical marijuana. The one is titled "NFL looks at medical marijuana to treat concussions, head injuries" and the other written by a recently retired police officer is titled "Do we really know if medical marijuana is safe?". The former police officer, Gary Askin advises us that the new rules can be found on the Health Canada website under marijuana for medical purposes regulations. While his article certainly isn't an example of the decades old "Reefer Madness" style of public information; it is however a little bit alarmist. Mr. Askin asks whether or not medical marijuana is safe and he eventually answers his own question by stating that Health Canada does not know that answer.

The article referring to the National Football League's search for help for players sufferring head injuries informs us that many NFL players are already using it for pain managaement. Also studies are underway as to whether marijuana can actually help heal head trauma. These articles have a personal interest for me as a close relative is still sufferring the effects of a stroke many years ago. If medical marijuana can help him then I believe his family and doctors have a responsibility to pursue this.

ALBERTA FOSTER CARE SYSTEM QUESTIONED

As per yesterday's posting, it really seems as if the most vulnerable in our society are not even given the respect they deserve from our various governments. Could it be that children, mentally and or physically handicapped individuals are mostly unable to vent their anger at the ballot box and thus governments ignore them?

I am posting today from an on-line news item that I printed off late last fall. The title is "Questioning foster care "should not be allowed" says association head". The foster care in question is that in the province of Alberta and the questioning that should not be allowed follows an expose by the Edmonton Journal and the Calgary Herald regarding the number of deaths in foster care in Alberta in 1999. The quote was from the head of the Alberta Foster Parent Association and was aimed directly at the media's "damning" investigation.

The investigation showed 145 children died in foster care in 1999 but the province only reported that 56 children had died. Both the head of the foster parent association and Alberta's Human Services Minister feel that the public do not have the right to know the facts. In a perfect society with equally perfect government supervision and oversight the publics' knowledge of the facts might be less necessary. However in our imperfect world and with numerous Childrens' Aid Societys across Canada coming under scrutiny for overzealous behaviour and or incompetence; such public knowledge and scrutiny are long overdue.

WHAT GIVES WITH PROVINCIAL INSTITUTIONS UNDER THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNITY & SOCIAL SERVICES?

Is it government neglect of their supervisory role? Is it incompetence or downright corruption? Was the hiring of senior staff for these institutions done on the buddy basis versus merit ? How do so many of our government institutions for those most in need of society's help fail so often? Is it a perfect storm of all the above?

The Waterloo Region Record on December 27/13 carried this story "Rideau apology will be welcomed". Premier Kathleen Wynne apologized to the former residents of Huronia Regional centre on the floor of the legislature on December 9, 2013 after a landmark legal settlement was approved by the courts. This article deals with similar circumstances of abuse of the vulnerable residents that occurred at both Rideau Centre in Smiths Falls and the Southwestern Regional Centre in Chatham-Kent. A settlement has just been reached and again the family of former residents would like to receive an apology from the province for their part in the abuse of family members.

WATERLOO REGION POLITICIANS CONTINUE TO MISINFORM THE PUBLIC

Last Saturday's Waterloo Region Record carrys this story "Another head-spinning turn on light rail transit". Jeff Outhit is informing his readers as to the extreme "flexibility" that regional politicians are capable of in advising the voters/citizens in regards to Light Rail Transit. Issues such as costs, tax increases, on time construction and the alleged superiority of trains over buses are all subject to the conditions of the day and the mood of the politicians when passing on information to the unwashed masses. During the last election it was quite amazing to see the number of regional councillors having second thoughts until they were safely past the election. Likely we will see more of the same cowardice this time out as well.