Search

The author titled this article "No Child Left Thinking" because for the past 10 years he has been studying the effects of education initiatives such as the U.S. "No Child Left Behind Act" or the various provincial testing and accountability policies in Canada and their impact on teachers' ability to teach critical thinking and students' ability to think and act critically. His concern stems from what he and his colleagues have found. Almost every school mission statement these days boasts broad goals related to critical thinking, global citizenship, environmental stewardship, and moral character. Yet beneath the rhetoric, increasingly narrow curriculum goals, accountability measures, and standardized testing have reduced too many classroom lessons to the cold, stark pursuit of information and skills without context and without social meaning--what education philosopher Maxine Greene calls "mean and repellent facts". The author will explain in this article that it is not that facts are bad or that they should be ignored, but democratic societies require more than citizens who are fact-full. They require citizens who can think. There are many varied and powerful ways to teach children and young adults to engage critically--to think about social policy issues, participate in authentic debate over matters of importance, and understand that intelligent adults can have different opinions. Indeed democratic progress depends on these differences. If education policymakers, teachers, and administrators in Canada and elsewhere in the world hope to contribute to students' democratic potential, they must resist the narrowing of the curriculum. (Contains 9 notes.)

In September, 1958, The Canadian Education Association (CEA) hosted a panel discussion on the current status and emerging requirements of educational research in Canada. The panelists' comments are firmly rooted in the context of the 1950s. Half a century later, Penny Milton, CEO of CEA, takes a look at their comments and suggestions. This article presents summaries of the addresses presented by the individual members of the panel at this discussion, as well as Milton's responses to these addresses. (Contains 4 notes.)

In this column, the author presents an excerpt from the President's Address to the 35th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Education Association (CEA), September 1958, Victoria. In his address, the CEA president talks about how the world pressures are building up in the form of demands for more and better education; and these demands are rising from the people. He thinks that everyone should question democracy as they practice it, because it is their practice and not their theory that has reality to those peoples who are making a choice. Schools must always be, to some extent, the reflection of their day and age, and there are those who feel that, beginning with the Industrial Revolution, the society has become increasingly materialistic and security-seeking. He opines that schools and colleges must encourage humanitarian thinking. He asks teachers if its possible for them to teach children the true meaning of democracy as effectively as the Russians have taught communism to theirs.

The constitutionality of section 43 of the Canadian criminal code, which provides a defense to the use of reasonable and corrective force on children, has been challenged. The Canadian Teachers' Federation argues that the case is not about spanking, but about enabling teachers to maintain order and create a positive, effective learning environment. Gives examples of common physical interventions. (TD)

Historically, lifelong learning (under the name adult education) in Canada had a broad base and covered a wide variety of purposes and activities. Many programs included social, community and social justice visions and worked to strengthen local communities. However, with the advent of the so-called New Economy, this has changed. Canadian government lifelong learning policies have become increasingly tied to high skills development. Federal papers are filled with statements stressing the importance of addressing the "skills challenge." Words such as the "learning society" and the "knowledge society" are becoming commonplace. Lifelong learning is being promoted as the key to success in the high skills knowledge economy. Government policy papers argue that, by investing in themselves through education and training, Canadians can earn higher salaries throughout their lifetimes and this will enhance Canada's economic growth. However, high skills policies emphasize colleges, universities, and training organizations as the basis of their economic competitiveness. They ignore the jobs side of the equation. They believe that an unfettered market will magically lead to the creation of good high quality jobs. Instead, the author asserts, lifelong learning policies and job creation policies must benefit not only business but also--and more importantly--workers and the communities in which they live. Here, she discusses some current problems faced by workers: increased workload, job insecurity, loss of job satisfaction, and, in connection with the new skills agenda, the rise of credentialism. (Contains 18 notes.)

The growing dominance of the creative economy challenges cities and regions to move beyond the impulse toward "big ticket" economic development strategies like stadiums and convention centres and consider increased support for community-level strategies that encourage social and cultural diversity. Vibrant street scenes, eclectic restaurants and social venues, and acceptance of those who defy the cultural norms produce the places where creative, innovative, and talented people want to live and work. This creative class represents a critical component to economic success and prosperity. The research described in this paper underscores the economic importance of national and regional policy issues like the nurturing of arts and creativity in communities and educational systems, immigration and settlement policies, and support for marginalized populations like the gay and lesbian community. Recent American efforts to restrict marriage to heterosexual couples and curtail immigration could have unfortunate economic consequences by limiting the creative and innovative possibilities associated with a vibrant and diverse society. Conversely, Canada's recent movement toward legalization of civil marriage for same-sex couples bodes well as a demonstration of a willingness to embrace and support social and cultural diversity. (Contains 3 figures and 9 endnotes.)

The ongoing restructuring of a mobile, global, digital, postindustrial economy and the consequent trend toward commodified information present challenges to teacher librarians: emphasizing education as engaged learning, recognizing overextension, emphasizing unmeasurable spiritual and cultural values, using ecological or social-bonding models of communication, helping students make informed choices within their own contexts, and encouraging cooperation and resource sharing. (SAS)

Carolyn Durley is a veteran Biology teacher who adopted the Flipped Classroom in the 2011-2012 school year, the same year as Graham Johnson adopted it for Math. They both teach in Okanagan Mission Secondary School in Kelowna , B.C. This paper offers Durley's observations regarding her adoption of Flipped Classroom. She narrates her teaching background and what caused her to change her style of teaching. She also explains how the Flipped Classroom has changed how she organized and conducted her class as well as the academic progress brought about by this new method.

In this article, the author discusses the educational and societal differences between Canada and the United States. He claims that an egocentric culture, committed to immediate gratification, stands in the way of a healthy response to change. People are always seeking accommodation to the changes around them. When people choose familiar behaviour patterns over creative responses to new challenges, they pander to their personal comfort at the expense of personal and societal growth. The author, emphasizing the social, political, and intellectual costs of egocentrism, claims that Canadian society has not fallen as far into that trap as their neighbours to the south. (Contains 11 notes.)

Every experienced teacher knows that, somewhere between the ages of 11 and 16, significant numbers of students pass from a state of enthusiasm and engagement with the study of science to a state of indifference or disdain for the subject. Today a flood of new research is revealing the sheer dimensions of the engagement problem. It shows that students' basic attitudes about science study are set very early, in most cases by age 14 or 15, and are very hard to change later. Interest and engagement are factors that strongly influence students' later decisions about pursuing elective science and going on to science-related careers. They also affect the quality of citizenship in the techno-scientific world. This article explores ways to improve student engagement in the study of science. The authors argue that the national debate over the strengths and weaknesses of school science is too obsessed with comparative rankings and economic competitiveness while ignoring the more pressing challenge of student engagement. Canadian educators and planners need to be aware of the international debates on the topic and learn from them; think more boldly about the purposes of school science and what science they want to teach; and beware of learning theories that do not adequately address the engagement problem. Science, technology, society, and environment (STSE)-oriented curricula like that of Twenty First Century Science may not be the best or the only solution for Canadian schools. But any solution to the present problems must be one that restores to school science the awe and grandeur of science's vision of the world and that can convince young people that science is central to their personal lives and to their future as citizens. (Contains 6 notes.)

Education provides the basic knowledge and skill sets that enable individuals to gain employment. In today's world of increasing globalization, there is a need for skilled workers who can move quickly and easily across national borders. Globalization is real and important. It drives economic change, but its influence goes far beyond economics. As a result of globalization, employers now require fewer--but more skilled--workers. Increasingly, employers suggest that the cognitive skills fostered by education should be problem solving skills that enable individuals to process information effectively and work within complex, ever-changing environments. Notwithstanding their obvious significance to the world economy, the authors argue that problem solving skills and the ability to think reflectively emphasize the effects of advanced mental capacity and have an impact on the quality of life in general. The educational system contributes the most to society when it prepares individuals for lives of significance and responsibility, as well as for work. This preparation can only be achieved when education contributes to the development of wisdom as students explore, challenge, and engage with significant issues that have an impact on their world. The development of wisdom is perhaps the greatest educational imperative, for it is only through wisdom that people will be able to confront and manage the dilemmas of the time. The authors believe this imperative calls for a re-visioning of education. Schools that encourage students to merely recount facts do not prepare them for a changing future; they prepare them for a society and a world that has long since passed. Schools that ignore the personal, social, and economic potential of large numbers of students do not contribute to a sustainable society. The educational agenda that the authors propose would re-create public education and facilitate authentic activities in which theoretical and practical knowledge are blended. It would foster the development of curious and open-minded adults who will, perhaps, work to repair a social fabric that rewards competition over cooperation and pits people and groups against each other. This type of education requires an inclusive social dialogue in which individuals come to respect and understand diverse experiences and points of view. This is not education for democracy but education as democracy, in which students participate in a pluralistic community, talk together, and make decisions together. These people will be knowledge-workers with the capacity to take initiative, organize work with others, solve novel problems, and use technology.

If students from a totalitarian nation were secretly transported to a Canadian classroom to continue their lessons with new teachers and a new curriculum, would they be able to tell the difference? Both classes might engage students in volunteer activities in the community--picking up litter from a nearby park, or helping out at a busy intersection near a school or an old-age center. These are desirable traits for people living in any community, but they are not about democratic citizenship. In fact some conceptions of personal responsibility--obedience and loyalty, for example--may work against the kind of independent thinking that effective democracy requires. Drawing from the results of a study the author conducted with a colleague, the author observes how much of the current education reform in Canada has limited the ways teachers develop the kinds of attitudes, skills, knowledge, and habits necessary for a democratic society to flourish. For democracy to remain vibrant, the author suggests that educators must convey to students that both critical thinking and action are important components of democratic civic life--and students must learn that they have important contributions to make. (Contains 1 table and 7 notes.)

According to the annual United Nations declarations based on the Human Development Index (HDI), Canada remains one of the best places in the world in which to live. Ironically, this declaration of socio-economic superiority does not extend to the young people in the society. Although post-industrial societies like Canada and the United States may be outstanding in terms of human development, they may also be violating the human rights of their children and youth by neglecting their basic needs. In this article, the author discusses how society and the government allow mass media to portray a dim political/cultural view of youth. These dim views of youth have multiple specific consequences. Instead of working to solve the sources of youth and child suffering, society and the government remain punishing and parochial in their objectives for and care of children. The authors suggest that a new paradigm shift of education that is committed to enfranchising children and youth is needed. This new policy should situate itself at the heart of all advocacy for children--one that teaches children the value of their voices. (Contains 15 notes.)

The long and short of school improvement is that today and tomorrow both matter. More and more rushed reforms--however well intentioned--that produce multitudes of initiatives cascading down from the Minister's office, to the district superintendent and then to principals and their schools, will never get beyond the classroom door, and--except in the most basic and easily tested skill areas--to the teachers who ultimately control the destiny of children and their learning for today and tomorrow. There have to be, and already are, better paths to follow. Starting with learning, then managing up to engage and involve teachers in improving their teaching, investing in the leadership that builds high performing learning communities and supporting school networks that maximize learning and improving together--these principles do not have the overconfident authority of politically driven, top-down reform. Educational reform in Canada should not just be about narrowing numerical gaps in easily measurable outcomes, but should be about striving to benefit and enrich the learning of all students and all aspects of every student in an inspired and inclusive social and educational vision of what the country still stands for today and must aspire to become tomorrow.

International law--specifically the United Nations "Convention on the Rights of the Child"--makes it clear that all children have a right to attend school. Ontario's "Education Act," like that of other provinces, requires children between age six and sixteen to be in school, with penalties for parents who don't play their part. And for the last decade, Ontario's education act has prohibited school boards from denying the right of access to children whose parents have no immigration status. However, despite this law, some school officials still take it on themselves to decide who gets in, and who does not. In this article, the author discusses the reasons why children whose parents have no lawful immigration status and are "temporary residents" are kept out of Canadian schools. The author also argues that these children should not kept out of school for the immigration faults of their parents.

In this article, the author discusses the real solutions to the problems of Aboriginal children in Canada that seem so numerous--impacts of residential school, poverty, poor housing, racism, and over-representation in child welfare care. These are complex issues, but the author has come to believe that the most promising responses, at least in child welfare, are the simple ones: (1) Redress the deficits in resource access for Aboriginal children and families; (2) Affirm Aboriginal people as the best decision makers for their own children; and (3) Organize national and provincial responses--not as programs but rather around a set of principles called "reconciliation touchstones", self-determination for Aboriginal people, respect for culture and language, structural interventions, holism and non-discrimination. These principles were developed by Indigenous and non Indigenous experts working together at a gathering in the territory of Six Nations of the Grand River in October of 2005 and entitled "Reconciliation in Child Welfare: Touchstones of Hope for Indigenous Children". Rather than presuming to be "the solution", these principles are intended to guide Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people alike in designing and implementing practical local solutions to ensure child safety. (Contains 5 notes.)

Critical reflection is an essential element in teachers' efforts to address the social justice issues that are often part of their lived experiences and those of their students. When educators begin to examine how power, privilege, and widely accepted assumptions about their practice may be working against their goals, such as eliminating forms of oppression and working for equality, they are often involved in some form of critical reflection. A focus on teachers' reflecting on their practice is not new. Such an emphasis is evident in many pre-service teacher education programs in Canada and elsewhere. However, re-emphasizing and discussing the critical aspect of reflection can be beneficial to everyone working towards social justice and equity in schools. The ideas presented in this article are based on the author's experiences as a racialized, minority, female teacher working within the Ontario educational context. Several suggestions that may assist teachers with developing critical self-awareness and becoming familiar with the processes associated with critical pedagogy are presented. (Contains 14 notes.)

Democratic trends paint a seemingly bleak picture for small schools. Declining school enrollments and school closures have led to an unprecedented trend towards school closures and amalgamation of schools across Canada. Since student enrollment is the most common basis for funding formulas in Canada, small schools typically receive a smaller funding allocation than larger schools, thereby limiting budgets for staffing, curriculum development, programming, and resources. Economies of scale suggest that a logical financial solution is to close small schools when student population drops below a sustainable level. Such closures, however, may be short sighted. The authors' investigation of small schools suggests that Canada is beginning to lag behind in the educational debate over the long-term social impacts of small schools on student achievement, social cohesion, and civic engagement, and that small schools offer potential for longer-term benefits, which may offset short-term costs, if alternative policy decisions are enacted. In this article, the authors contend that small schools show demonstrable benefits in the form of educational success rates and community engagement, benefits that must be factored in to any proposed school closure decision, and discuss the social and educational benefits of small schools for students compared with large schools. (Contains 18 notes.)

The summer of 2006 saw the eyes of the world, including those of Canadians, transfixed on Germany as 32 teams from across the globe competed for the World Cup of football--but due to the lack of capacity to support the development of world class Canadian players and teams, Canada perennially cannot mount a team able to qualify for World Cup competition. The authors' work comparing policy and practice in citizenship education in Canada with that in several international jurisdictions (Australia, England, the European Community, and the U.S.) reveals an analogous situation. While Canada has joined the rest of the world in proclaiming the fostering of democratic citizenship as a key--in fact, "the" key--goal for education, it has failed to keep pace in terms of building the capacity to meet this objective. The authors see a clear connection between the World Cup and the findings outlined in this article. In the field of citizenship education Canadian teachers and schools operate under very similar mandates to their counterparts in other jurisdictions. Other nations that face similar challenges to those they find in Canada have moved forward to build capacity to support quality teaching and learning related to democratic citizenship; Canada has not. As with the World Cup, while the world plays on Canada dabbles on the sidelines. (Contains 6 notes.)

This article discusses the state of Canadian democracy. Although calling Canadian democracy as something to be in a crisis is still debatable, the author expresses worry over the declining turnout levels in recent elections. Canada--along with a number of other liberal democracies--has experienced a significant and consistent decline in election turnout since the 1980s. The author also points out that even when there are no simple answers to the question of what is causing this decline in election turnout, it is clear that the dropping turnout rate among young Canadians is an essential component of the explanation. (Contains 9 notes.)

The culture of science is more than science-as knowledge. It is even more than science-as-method. It includes public awareness of the impact of science-technology and mathematics on the economic and social well-being of citizens and their opportunity and readiness to enter into civic discussions of scientific issues. The culture of science in this larger sense is poorly represented in the experience of most people, partly because the formal school curriculum stresses science-as-knowledge and typically presents science-related issues as divorced from social, political, and ethical considerations and debate. Given the limitations of formal learning in schools and the lack of exposure to the culture of science, opportunities for "informal learning" about science, technology, mathematics, and their culture become particularly crucial. This article describes a program developed under the auspices of the CRYSTAL Atlantique (Centre for Research in Youth Science Teaching and Learning). The aim of this project was to: (1) discover what elementary, middle, and high school students can learn about science and what kinds of experiences influence their attitudes towards and interest in science; and (2) find out what adults understand about science-technology or mathematics and how their understandings contribute to their reluctance or willingness to interact with science-technological and mathematical issues and concerns in their communities. The primary focus of this paper is on the role of informal learning--learning that takes place outside the formal structure of the classroom or university. (Contains 7 notes.)

Despite its notable successes, the public education system fails many students, as evidenced by the disengagement, failure and high dropout rates for Black, Aboriginal, and other minority youths. African-Canadian parents and communities are continually being asked to take responsibility for solving the many problems affecting them; however, the blame does not rest entirely with these so-called "problem students" or their families. Both individual and collective responsibility must be addressed by asking: What are our responsibilities to each other? What are the responsibilities of the state to its citizens? How are we to explain the fact that in the last few years, provincial governments have repeatedly shirked their responsibilities? What about the complicities of our institutions in creating the street culture of youth violence today? What have been the effects of a zero tolerance policy and the associated acts of social exclusion, rising racialized and gendered poverty, and the everydayness of racisms that undergird our communities? Asking these questions does not mean searching for excuses. This article describes a "revisioned schooling" model in the form of African-centred/Black-focused schools that, according to supporters, affirm learners in all of their identifies and myriad experiences by providing a more holistic education; schools in which both the curriculum and classroom teaching emphasize, value, and nurture the contributions of every member of society. The author of this article contends that success for Black/African-Canadian students and the ability to root out all forms of violence will flow from this vision of education. (Contains 1 note.)

With the dramatic growth of the Internet in the 1990s, the Canadian government developed a well-regarded strategy for addressing the emerging issues posed by the "information highway." The strategy featured legal reforms to address privacy and e-commerce, administrative reforms for the government online initiative, and connectivity programs such as SchoolNet, designed to provide ubiquitous Internet connectivity in Canadian schools. SchoolNet was perhaps the biggest success as Canada became the first country in the world to connect every school to the Internet. Today the federal government is again faced with the need to develop a strategy with respect to the Internet and education, in this case, copyright reform. The author argues that Canadian copyright law must adopt a balanced approach in which the interests of creators are addressed in parallel with the needs of the users and larger public interest. He further suggests that a full "fair use" provision--one that would amend the current copyright act so that the list of fair dealing rights would be illustrative rather than exhaustive--would help solve many difficult copyright issues.

The article focuses on Fraser Institute's (Vancouver, British Columbia) "Report Card on Elementary Schools in British Columbia." The rating of a school is based on reading, writing, and numeracy levels for both Grade 4 and Grade 7 students, gender differences in reading and numeracy in Grade 7, and the percentage of students not meeting expectations. The author details what he considers the shortcomings of the "Report Card" and concludes that the public is not being well served by the "Report Card," as it presents an incomplete, superficial, and misleading picture of the state of schools in Canada. (Contains 21 notes.)

To what extent have Canadian schools incorporated notions of multiliteracies into their curricula and instruction? What pedagogical options are implied by a multiliteracies perspective? How might consideration of multiliteracies affect policies and practices at various levels of the educational system--ministries of education, faculties of education, school boards, schools, preschools? How does consideration of multiliteracies intersect with equity issues? The author's intent in this article is to raise these questions, point to gaps in the way everyone is thinking about literacy in Canadian education today, and sketch some potentially fruitful directions for addressing these gaps. The absence of serious policy consideration to address linguistic diversity at all levels of the educational system has resulted in the "normalization" of some highly problematic assumptions and practices that risk compromising Canadian schools' commitment to equity. Here, he presents these problematic assumptions which include: (1) Provision of instructional support for English language learners (ELL) is the job of the ESL teacher; (2) "Literacy" refers only to English literacy; and (3) The cultural knowledge and home language proficiency that ELL students bring to school have little instructional relevance. Among other things, he presents a set of questions that might stimulate discussion of language policies and belief systems at multiple levels of the educational system. (Contains 11 notes.)

This article argues that excellent schools emerge from the extensive, ongoing, and inclusive conversations among those who participate in the everyday life and work of the school. These conversations focus on the construction of complementary teaching and learning practices. As they persist and mature, they pattern the life and work of a school in ways that have the potential to transform it into an excellent school. Schools that have such conversational patterns already established are very likely to be perceived as excellent by their stakeholders. This approach is very different from the prevailing view, in which the key factors associated with excellence are identified, specified, initiated externally and managed internally, as if a school were a device rather than an emergent phenomenon. The approach suggested in this article is grounded in the everyday experience of those associated with the school. Properly led and managed, it enables stakeholders to participate in the transformation of a school into a place of excellence.

The concept of inclusive education is common to the Canadian educational system and involves service to the students. According to Young and Levin, "The provision of appropriate education to meet the needs of each student is increasingly accepted as a right in Canadian education." Bloom, Perlmutter and Burnell define inclusion as "a philosophy that brings diverse students, families, educators, and community members together to create schools and other social institutions based on acceptance, belonging, and community." This suggests that all children, regardless of their ability level or special needs, could be included and accommodated in the regular school classroom. Teacher training and an understanding of exceptional learners are critical. Strategies for differentiation are also necessary to meet the needs of individual learners. The concept of servant-leadership, as introduced by Robert Greenleaf, may provide the seeds for developing effective, supportive, learning environments for all learners. This particular modus operandi is first introduced to special education resource teachers, classroom teachers, teacher assistants, and school administrators in Manitoba as part of a university course in education called "Strategies for Organizing Inclusive Classrooms and Schools." The course examined the organization and implementation of school-wide support for access, learning, socialization, behavior, family liaison, clinical engagement, and community services. These learning objectives, along with the definition of inclusion and the description of a servant-leader, forms the basis of the author's argument that the servant leadership philosophy provides a solid basis for inclusive education. (Contains 19 endnotes.)

Zero tolerance policies stem from the culture of fear that pervades many schools today--fear of violence, bullying, and unruly behaviour. The code of conduct is clearly spelled out and if students disobey, the retribution is swift--usually suspension or expulsion. The rules are designed to apply equally to everyone, irrespective of age, gender, cultural background, personal characteristics, parental influence, or school experiences. Under the guise of "equity," zero tolerance policies are, in fact, inequitable, inhospitable and discriminatory. They contravene what they hold dear as educators and as a society. Further, they are ineffective on a number of fronts. The author of this article finds the concept of zero tolerance oddly out of place in a public school system and jarring to her sensibilities as an educator. She stresses that it is much more suited to the culture from which it came--the U.S. military, where conformity and control are paramount. Teachers recognize that children come from various cultures and backgrounds, with different parental and community influences, that each classroom of students has its own unique characteristics, and that these are to be appreciated, not squeezed into a common mould. Zero tolerance policies do the opposite; they fail to recognize individual differences and the context in which behaviour occurs. (Contains 5 notes.)

In the increasingly complex world of the future, citizens with the capacity for innovation and a commitment to life-long learning will be those best able to navigate the new world and contribute to the prosperity of nations. Educated citizens of the next century will be those who demonstrate the ability to combine functional with creative and integrative skills; show a high tolerance for ambiguity; are able to consider many variables and adapt quickly to new information and--perhaps most importantly--demonstrate compassion in the face of difference. The arts, when infused into the whole life of the child, provide functional learning with a multi-layered dimension: context, applicability, and meaning-making. This article discusses the new and expanding arts-focused approach to the teaching of "basic" skills--the Learning Through the Arts[TM] (LTTA) program, which began in 1994 as a partnership between Canada's Royal Conservatory of Music and the Toronto District School Board. LTTA has received international acclaim and has become the most extensive arts-based public school education initiative globally. The initiative gathers actors, musicians, painters, dancers, and writers--having been formed in order to contribute to the teaching of the program of basic studies. According to results of research, the pupils who follow the program obtain not only better results, but their teachers are energized and engaged. (Contains 8 endnotes.)

"Public education," according to the author, means "public schooling," ie, schooling (K-12) funded and controlled by government, universally accessible, formally concerned with learning and bringing it about in others. In broaching this topic, the author examines how various ministries of education in Canada regard the contemporary purposes of public schooling to be. He presents the findings of his informal survey and provides a short critical commentary and concludes with his analysis of how purposes or goals of schooling could be characterized. (Contains 6 notes.)

Concerns about the "Americanization" of Canadian schools have been raised frequently throughout the history of Canadian education. Fear of American influence was behind the requirement in the 1816 Common School Act in Upper Canada that all teachers take an oath of allegiance to the Crown. It was the reason for the strong promotion of the colonies' British identity during the era of the establishment of compulsory elementary schooling. But whether close ties between Canadian and American educators were viewed in positive or negative terms, it has never exactly been clear what is "American" about American education. Scholars have yet to write a coherent account of the extent to which Canadian education has been shaped by American values or the American educational experience. This article suggests that Canadian schools have been influenced by many of the same issues that faced American schools. (Contains 16 notes.)

In this article, the author, an Aboriginal individual, describes how she had been honored for her academic accomplishment. She also reflects on the history of the Aboriginal education in Canada. She relates that prior to the arrival of the Europeans, teaching and learning were aimed at sustaining the community, clan, or family, always with an eye to ensuring that they thrived, physically, and culturally, through the seasons. Later and as the government's colonial agenda dominated the land and resources of Canada, policy directed towards Aboriginal people determined their educational goals.

When Canadian educational institutions and policies are considered in historical perspective, at least five distinct periods of development can be identified. At each historical stage, public schools were being shaped by distinctive ideas of community, equality, and liberty that not only expressed, but also contributed to changing the political tradition of Canadian democracy. In this article, the author traces the evolution of Canadian public education and its role to the advancement of democracy.

What Canadians want from their public schools has changed dramatically over the course of Canadian history. The changing expectations reflect corresponding social, political, and economic changes as well as the influence of technology and ideas about schooling itself. Canada's public schools are remarkable among institutions for their success. They communicate the history, symbols, and values that distinguish Canada from other nations, inspire in the next generation a sense of belonging to Canada, and develop the knowledge base that Canada needs to survive and thrive. Canadian public schools have shown themselves to be resilient and elastic, adapting well to the changing desires of Canadians. Their continued success will depend upon a number of factors: a reasonable balance between education for personal and social development; resources equal to expectations; and public confidence. (Contains 6 notes and 5 photographs.)

Canadians in urban centers cannot help but notice an ever-increasing ethnic and cultural diversity. The country's national goal of annually landing approximately one percent of the population as newcomers from around the world ensures that this trend will continue. However, while the country has no difficulty attracting immigrants and refugees and has welcomed more than 200,000 newcomers each year for over a decade, it is far from obvious that Canada is succeeding in its stated policy of multiculturalism, not the least because that policy is neither well understood nor consistently supported. Schools, in this regard, have a critical role to play in the implementation and ongoing definition of multiculturalism so that Canada's rich national diversity can be a source of social dynamism and competitive economic advantage in the global economy. To understand the educational challenges of multiculturalism, this article provide a brief review of the origins and complexities of multiculturalism in Canada and then examine the issues and possibilities for schools.

Many of the cultural items that are associated with globalization started out as American cultural products, for example, McDonalds hamburgers, Jeans, Coca-Cola, and Rock-and-Roll. Canada, next-door neighbour to the United States, was the first country to be subjected to this onslaught early in the 20th century, as American cultural and economic influence grew. As a result, Canadians of all ages have grown up taking America's dominance for granted, and this dominance is one of the reasons for the confused and weak sense of identity that Canadians have often felt. This Americanization is now spreading throughout the globe as a driving force of globalization, but in Canada this trend is no longer perceived as negatively--or even as consciously--as in other countries. This author contends that, if globalization is characterized by large-scale population movements, cultural diversity, the Americanization of culture, increasing economic integration, and homogeneity, then Canada is one of the world's most successful integrators. (Contains 1 note.)

Knowledgeable persons within the field frequently criticize definitions of "learning disabilities" for the choice of vocabulary, phrasing and implied ideas. Although there may never be a universally accepted definition, a definition that reflects current research is used in this article to make evident some of the cognitive and behavioral manifestations of learning disabilities. It is hoped that a better understanding of LD will lead to more cohesion in educational approaches to these students. Canadian educational systems must begin to deal with issues of inadequate elementary and secondary programs for students with learning disabilities. The need for appropriate and timely assessment, remediation, education and accommodations is critical if these individuals are to participate fully in Canadian society. (Contains 3 tables and 11 end notes.)