Christy Clark and the FSA: No propaganda mule

Report Card: 2009 December 1

Christy Clark is a lively talk-show host, no doubt about it . . . especially when she turns her attention to education, a subject she knows well given her experience as education minister.

I missed her Friday show on CKNW when she interviewed Susan Lambert, vice-president of the B.C. Teachers' Federation (BCTF), about the Foundation Skills Assessment (FSA). She challenged Lambert to produce evidence to back the union's claim that standardized tests have damaged the B.C. education system. The tests have been around for 10 years, but B.C. students continue to perform well in national and international tests, Clark noted.

Lambert wasn't able to point to results showing diminished performance but said science teachers and teacher-librarians have produced evidence that standardized tests are" wreaking havoc" on schools. Furthermore, she said students might be doing even better on international tests, if not for those FSAs...

Vavenby school to stay open

Clearwater Times: 2009 November 30

Vavenby Elementary School will not close.

Trustees of School District 73 (Kamloops-Thompson) made the decision last Monday evening during a school board meeting in Kamloops.

“It’s great,” said Carol Schaffer, a Vavenby resident who spearheaded a petition to keep the school open. “At least it’s open. When the economy turns around and people start moving in, we can get it back to Kindergarten to Grade 7. If it had closed, it likely would have closed for good.”

The trustees decided to limit Vavenby to just Kindergarten to Grade 3. There will be only one teacher and secretarial hours will be cut.

Of the other rural schools that were on the chopping block, Westwold will go to just Kindergarten to Grade 5.

Savona and Pinantan will have Kindergarten to Grade 7 but will do without a principal and a teacher-librarian, and will have reduced secretarial support.

BC First Graders Get Book Rejected as 'Racist' Elsewhere

The Tyee: 2009 November 27

Two maritime provinces declined to distribute a book to students saying it was racist and promotes stereotypes of First Nations people. British Columbia schools are giving the same book for free to students in Grade One.

Keep an eye on WatchKnow (YouTube meets Wikipedia?)

NeverEndingSearch: 2009 November 25

Launched in October after a year-long development period, WatchKnow is a wiki-style portal that gathers and organizes educational videos for students ages 3 to 18.  An age filter slider allows you to easily focus your search.

Annabel Lyon captures Writers' Trust fiction prize

National Post: 2009 November 25

The Vicky Metcalf Award for Children's Literature Marthe Jocelyn (Stratford, Ont.)

   

Author reading

Surrey Leader: 2009 November 23

Local author Tessa McGuiness, former Surrey School District teacher-librarian, will read from her first novel, Never See A Poor Day, on Nov. 23 at 7 p.m. at the White Rock Library, 15342 Buena Vista Ave.

An expatriate from Liverpool, England, McGuiness – who emigrated to Canada in 1957 – has drawn on her own wartime experiences to create the world of nine year-old Katie Byrne, forced to flee Liverpool with her family and take up residence in a gypsy caravan.

Registration is required. For information, call 604-541-2201.

Children's literature can and should go beyond feel-good fantasy

Vancouver Sun: 2009 November 21

At this time of year, holiday celebrations and some quiet time for reflection beckon. Some long for the picture-book perfect holiday. Some look for the perfect picture book for a child's holiday reading.

For many years, before I taught at the University of B.C., I worked as a bookseller. Buyers hunting for "the perfect book for a bright child" wanted books solely for delight. They shied away from "serious reads."

Booksellers today see this, too. Books with a happy ending and popular series books such as J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter or C.S. Lewis's Narnia Chronicles or Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series are much in demand.

Yes, kids need these books, but for balance they also benefit from and can enjoy reading tough books that challenge and expand their view of the world, particularly the world of children less fortunate than themselves.