Online Q&A: Holiday homework help

Do you look forward to the holiday season and a break from homework battles or do you anxiously look ahead fearing that the two-week holiday will cause your children to lose ground? Teachers and educators Lynn Morrison and Janice Harper were this week's experts for The Star's online education forum.

Morrison and Harper have more than 60 years of combined teaching experience, and are sought-after speakers at educational conferences. They recently co-authored a book, "Homework is for Kids, Not Parents: Practical Advice for Parents and Stimulating Activities for Kids."

Q: My son just turned 10 and is in Grade 5. He had a phonological and oral motor disorder. He spent seven years in speech therapy and has since been discharged. He has struggles with reading and writing since preschool. He is an intelligent boy who is very outgoing and excels at computers but can’t seem to get organized, has problems following instructions written or verbal, is VERY easily distracted, still has trouble tying his shoelaces, has a very unstable pencil grip, sloppy penmanship and difficulty with math. I requested an interview with his teacher and asked that he be assessed. He agreed and the more I pointed things out to him, the more he began to see a pattern.

My question is how do I push to have this done and not have him lost in paperwork? I know the waiting lists, seven years of speech taught me that, but I am so worried about his self-confidence. He feels “stupid” because he doesn’t get things and is always comparing himself to the other kids. I have another interview tonight to discuss his report card and I am hoping that there will have been some progress made with regards to getting him assessed. I just need to know how to stay on them (the school and board) and what the steps are. Thanks you for your time.

A: Your son is fortunate that you are his mother. You realize the importance of being your child’s advocate. I would suggest that you inform the teacher that you are also going to be speaking to the principal about your child. You can explain to the teacher that you are aware of the waiting-lists issue because you have been through it before, and you will be speaking to the principal to support the teacher with respect to services for your child, not to undermine him.

If you feel that you are not getting support from the principal, you may have to contact the superintendent in charge of your area of schools.

A few short term ideas, while you are waiting for an assessment are:

a) Having the school give your child a laptop computer for his classroom work. Since he excels at computers, this will give him confidence, and solve the poor pencil-grip issue and sloppy penmanship issue.

b) If a laptop is not in the cards, then try out various types of writing materials. Very often children with poor penmanship find success using felt-tipped markers because they don’t skitter across the page.

c) To help with the distractibility issue perhaps the teacher could move your child’s desk to an area of the classroom where he is unable to see anything but his desk and blank walls. He may want to put a cardboard enclosure around his desk to keep our external stimulae.

d) Ask the teacher to give your child one or two instructions at a time, and have your child repeat them back to be sure he understands what to do. When he has completed the two instructions, he can go back to the teacher for the next two. Alternatively, ask the teacher to write the instructions on the board.

We hope that these ideas help for the short term until you can get an assessment for your child.

Q: My daughter is 7, and an extremely bright, very talkative child. She has many ideas, and if her tall tales give a hint, she has quite an imagination. However, she does not do a good job of putting her thoughts down on paper. Her teacher constantly requests that she add more detail to her stories. Do you have a suggestion or a website that we could use to help her practice story telling (on paper) over Christmas? Thanks.

A: It sounds as if your daughter’s stories have lots of details when she is telling them. Here is a simple suggestion - have her “talk” her story into a tape recorder or voice activated computer. Then she can play back what she has said and write it down at her own pace. Her difficulty may lie in her fine muscle skills. Likely her brain works a lot faster that her fingers. She thinks up great ideas, but becomes fatigued in trying to keep up with her thoughts.

Also, a simple story plan may help. Before she writes, she could draw her story, or make jot notes about the setting, characters and plot. Then when she is writing, she has the plan in front of her to remind her if her ideas.

Another idea to try is retelling stories. Read a picture book to her and have her retell the story to you in her own words. If she skips details, point out to her how they make the story more interesting. She may need help at retelling at first, but with time will develop her skills. You should find that there is a transference from the retelling to her own story writing.

Q: My granddaughter (9) will be visiting me over the Christmas holidays for a week. I love to cook and I am also a quilter, but we cannot do that for the whole week. She does not like going out in the car. I plan on doing some of the above but what else should I do with her? Thank you.

A: How lucky for your granddaughter that you have such talents. I am sure that she loves to bake with you (what child doesn’t love the eating that follows?). The many benefits of cooking together are described in previous questions. Board and card games are always fun. See ideas in the questions about educational games. What wonderful memories you are creating with her. Here are a few ideas that she may enjoy doing:

* Origami Cards: Get an origami book out of the library and make cards for family and friends. Origami provides excellent practice in following directions and perseverance. After the cards are made, she could write notes to her friends at home and mail them off.

* Number Puzzles: The Toronto Star publishes a Sudoku puzzle every day. They are challenging and help to develop skills in logic, problem solving and strategizing. For an extra challenge, try out the Kakuro puzzle that is in the Sunday Star. Kakuro is Sudoku with a little bit of algebra added in. (It took me an hour to do the first one!!!) Enjoy this special time with your granddaughter.

* Logo Designs: A logo is a symbol that is designed so that it can be easily and definitely recognized. We can think of lots of logos representing hamburger restaurants! One example of a very popular logo is the intertwining symbols of the Olympic flag. The 5 circles represent the 5 continents. Create logos for yourself, friends, pets, family members or a famous celebrity. Be sure to make the logo represent an interest, hobby or something unique about the person or animal.

Follow these rules when you are making your logo: a) it should be symmetrical; b) no more than three colours should be used; c) it must be easily recognizable as having meaning for a certain person.

* Study French: Have your granddaughter phone Dial-a-Story at the Toronto Public Library every day (416-395-5400) and listen to a story in French. It is recommended that she choose the stories meant for younger children until she is sure that she can understand what is being read.

Q: My daughter is in Grade 3 and I would like to teach her after school. I would like some useful textbooks. Can you suggest some for me? Science books are very hard to find in the bookstore. Can you help please?

A: Most school boards recommend that children in Grade 3 spend 30 minutes on homework, five nights of the week. If your daughter does not have assigned homework from school, then you may want to talk to the teacher about what she could be doing at home. Reading is always our first choice because not only are children developing their reading skills, but they are also learning about the world.

Be careful about trying to teach your daughter. Sometimes we end up confusing our children when we try to take on the teacher role because we may be explaining concepts in a different way, or entering into concepts for which they are not yet ready.

Ask your child’s teacher for some science book recommendations. You will probably find them at the public library. Take your daughter with you to the library and encourage her to choose books that are of interest to her. We all learn best when we are involved in the decision-making process.

Q: I have three children, they are 6, 4 and 18 months. Is there an activity I could do with all three, that would engage all three of them? I have another question: During the school year, the eldest has a bit of homework but the 4-year-old none. What can I do with the other two while helping the oldest? Is there a way to make it a "family affair?"

A: Ideally, younger siblings can enjoy a craft or a video in another area of your home in order to avoid disturbing older brothers and sisters doing homework. However, we realize that this is not always possible due to the ages of the children. To make it a “ family affair,” the 4-year-old could look at a familiar picture book with the youngest child and retell the story, or the 2 younger children could be drawing at the other end of the table. Most board guidelines state that children should have homework in increments of 10 minutes per grade so your younger children should not have to be entertained in this manner for more than 20 minutes.

Our responses to previous questions have discussed the value of reading together. Here are a few other reading ideas.

* Have your children collect some favourite books and put them into a basket. Add a flashlight and a snack to the basket. Put some pillows under the kitchen table and drape a blanket over the top. Now the children have a fort. They can crawl into this fort and the older child can read to the younger, or they can all look at books together. The novelty of reading by flashlight is unparalleled. (We remember with fondness, reading by flashlight underneath the covers long after bedtime!)

* Make a magic wand by covering a ruler with sparkly paper. Glue a star on the top.  Your older children can make these themselves.  Now send them off on a word hunt around the house. They can point to words that they know and read them aloud to each other. The older child can be the note taker, and write down all of the words that they find. The kitchen and the laundry room are great places to find familiar words.

* The Toronto Public Library has a service called “ Dial-a-Story.” There is a new story every day and they are read in seven different languages. The stories are for children 7 and under, and for ages 8 to 12. Just dial 416-395-5400 and follow the instructions.

* Let the children decorate large pieces of paper that you can use at the table as placemats when you have guests. Perhaps the older children could incorporate holiday patterns into their decorations. They will be a big hit with your guests and a source of pride for your children.

Q: Is there any way to play "educational" games with kids, so that they don't know they are learning things? Do you have any to suggest?

A: Games teach children to reason, search for solutions, remember, order and classify information, make decisions and to plan ahead. They can also provide practice in specific areas such as vocabulary development, spelling skills and facility with numbers.

Playing games also helps to instill social skills such as sharing, taking turns and learning to lose. So the very fact that you are playing games with your children is educational, and they won’t realize that they are learning these skills.

However, most games have a specific underlying “educational” component. The old favourites such as Monopoly and Cribbage reinforce basic mathematical skills, and Scrabble and Boggle focus on spelling. Labyrinth is an excellent way to work on spatial skills while study after study has shown that playing chess helps to develop memory and problem-solving skills as well as reading and verbal aptitudes. There are many games for younger children to develop memory skills such as I Spy or simple concentration card games for any age. Don’t neglect co-operative games such as the mystery and logic game The Secret Door in which everyone works together for a common goal. Even simple card games such as Snap reinforce important skills such as matching and number recognition.

Pick up a book of card games from the children’s section of your public library. Encourage your child choose a game from the book, read the rules and teach it to the rest of the family. This is an especially good activity for a reluctant reader since these books are usually written in a simple, easy to understand fashion. When your child teaches the game, he or she will be practicing speaking with precision and clarity.

We cannot stress enough the value for children of all ages, of building with open-ended construction toys such as Lego. Constructing with this toy helps to develop spatial skills as children figure out which piece fits where. Girls sometimes need an extra incentive to engage in this activity and unfortunately, it is often girls who find the spatial aspect of math increasingly difficult because they have not developed their spatial sense.

Instead of purchasing a game, why not have your children make their own games? Using the inside of a file folder, the child can draw a path made up of squares with instructions in some such as “Go Back 2 Spaces,” “Pick up a Questions Card” or “Miss One Turn.” Then they can make cards with questions based on any subject that they are studying (the times tables, social studies or science facts etc.) On the back of the card, write the answer to the question. To play the game, the players take turns rolling the dice and moving through the squares. When a player reaches a square with a question, it must be answered correctly or a turn is missed. The game can become new again simply by making new question cards.

So, enjoy the holiday season playing games with your children confident in how much they are learning. Also, don’t underestimate the bonding that is occurring as you have fun together.

Q: I'm going to be home with my two children, in Grades 1 & 3, for three weeks. Most of my family does not live here. What can I do with them to keep them entertained?

A: Reading aloud to your children, especially youngsters in the primary grades, has a significant impact on their attitude and success in reading and helps to augment the bond between parent and child. The book, “Reading Magic: Why reading aloud to our children will change their lives forever” by Mem Fox clearly and simply explains ways for a parent to develop this skill. You have the opportunity to read one-on-one or two-on-one – unlike the teacher who must read aloud to large groups.

Take the children to the library and help them to discover the endless variety of picture book titles available to this age group. Ask your teacher-librarian or the public librarian for some great new titles. The older sibling can also share a book with the younger child, maybe one received at Christmastime. Books that contain a repetitive phrase or sentence can allow both children to take a turn to read. The youngest can read the language pattern and the oldest can read the rest of the print. If your children have grandparents out of town, they may enjoy phoning to read to them or recording a read aloud on tape or CD and sending it to them.

Children’s bookstores like Mable’s Fables and The Flying Dragon also carry terrific collections. We have some extraordinary Canadian children’s authors.

Take time out from the hustle and bustle to read as a family. While you read that book you just haven’t had time to open, the children can curl up with the pile of books they brought home from the library.

“Pretend reading” by your Grade 1 child is quite acceptable. During this time many reading strategies are being developed including how to gain information from a picture, the direction of print and sequential reasoning. Snuggling up with your children either to read to them or with them engages everyone in the family in a very rewarding experience.

Writing during the holidays can take different forms. If you take photographs during the holidays, the children can choose their favourite ones to create a small book. Your oldest child can write captions independently. The youngest one could dictate ideas, but better still, write ideas sounding out the words. Although words may be misspelled, drawing on current understanding and knowledge of phonics to write, will help improve their spelling and writing skills faster. If they become anxious about the spelling, tell them to underline three words. When they are finished, if they ask, you can tell them how to spell those three words. For there is no better way to teach writing than to write and no better way to teach reading than to read! As a further bonus, reading improves writing and writing improves reading. At school, students enthusiastically read stories written and published by classmates. Again, why not send a copy of the book that recounts the holidays to a friend or relative!

Sorting and classifying is an important mathematical concept. If they receive new toys during the holidays, they can estimate the amount of space that the new toys will require and decide which ones to donate to those less fortunate, or throw away.

Young children can also begin to learn about community service. Sorting cans at the Food Bank is a possibility. Mathematics is based on number patterns. Create geometric shapes out of cardboard, unused cushion soles or discarded mouse pads. Glue the shapes to old film canisters. Supply a limited number of paint colours in foil plates. The children can dip the shapes in the paint and create patterns on paper bags or shelf paper. These wonderful pieces of art can supplement your wrapping paper supply!

Cooking simple meals or desserts together teaches children about many things including measurement, sequencing, co-operation and patience. There are great new cookbooks for young children that use photographs and large print to instruct the children step by step. Take a trip to such places as the museum, the art gallery, the Science Centre, heritage homes decorated for the holiday season, live theatre, children’s bookstores or your local library. Many of these places have special programs for the children during the holidays.

Broadening your children’s experiences builds their knowledge base and helps them to make connections more easily to new things they are taught at school. Our book Homework Is For Kids, Not Parents: Practical Advice and Stimulating Activities For Kids has many, many more suitable ideas that are helpful to parents.

Q: Since the introduction of the Harris curriculum it appears that parents are required to teach their kids the balance of the subject matter that the teacher doesn't have time to teach. In every conversation with any parent they complain about the quantity of homework. The rule is 10 minutes per grade. Whose 10 minutes is this anyway? Is the 10 minutes based on the time it would take a child to perform the same task in the morning or 10 minutes after a full day of school? Dropout rates are now 30 per cent. Childhood obesity is a concern. I read that the schools should allow for 20 minutes of exercise per day. If there wasn't so much homework maybe kids could play!

A: We understand your concerns and have heard similar viewpoints from other parents. On the other hand, some parents believe their children do not receive enough homework. It is true that the existing Ontario curriculum does contain extensive content. Once the curriculum reassessment is complete, it is hoped that the expectations will become more manageable and the dropout rate in high school will once again continue to decrease. However, at no time should the parent be expected to take on the teacher’s role. Parents are not trained in the methodology or the terminology and may cause confusion for the child. Many of us have waged war with our children all in the name of helping. The impact of your words cannot be underestimated. They are extremely powerful. Instead, your role during homework time is to design an environment that is conducive to learning and to help with homework only occasionally. More importantly, your relationship with your child can be seriously damaged if you take on the teacher’s role.

Many boards in Ontario and across North America do recommend as you say, 10 minutes per grade. You also bring forth another important point. Establishing a daily fixed study time is a key factor in completing homework. It is essential that children not be over-programmed. Kids of all ages need time for unstructured play that includes physical activity. Like us, they need time to unwind. Play is also an essential part of every child’s social, emotional, physical and intellectual development. We must never underestimate its value!

Choose a homework time that takes into consideration other activities, a time for snack or dinner and that everyone’s energy level diminishes as evening advances. When the school’s homework policy states 10 minutes, that is exactly what it means. There may be many reasons why it takes longer to complete. Procrastination, unclear directions, undetected learning difficulties or inappropriate assignments are some of the causes. As you mentioned, speaking to parents of children in the same class to find out if time and volume are common problems can help a parent to know how to deal with this concern. If it is a shared complaint, then it is important for a very small delegation of parents to meet with the teacher. The teacher may be unaware of the problem or how widespread it is. It is important to work co-operatively and respectively. Everyone is on the same team and wants what is best for the students. However, if you are unable to come to a satisfactory resolution, invite the principal to the next meeting. Document the horror stories to help others understand the reason for the anxiety. If it is not a common complaint, contact the teacher. Share your comments and listen to the teacher’s observations. Together implement a plan to deal with the situation. If you believe your child is simply procrastinating, send your child back to school with the work unfinished.

Children learn best from natural consequences. You can also attach a note to the incomplete work or make an early morning phone call, if you think a good effort was made but the task needed more time. Forcing children to remain at their desk into the wee hours of the night till homework is done is beneficial to no one. Parents are their children’s advocate.

Q: My son is in high school and I don't ever recall him doing homework over the holidays. Is this right?

A: Relax, literally. Your son will be delighted to hear that a good night’s sleep is important. Studies indicate that the rapid eye movement (REM) stage of sleep has a direct effect on teen performance. REM occurs after 90 minutes of uninterrupted sleep. The teen who has the most REM sleep is more likely to remember what is taught. So if your son decides to catch up on sleep over the holidays, let him! 95 per cent of a person’s brain is developed by the age of 5. The last 5 per cent is not complete till teens are their 20s and is critical to their intelligence and reasoning skills. The workload in high school can be very intense. Time during the holidays to unwind and rejuvenate is essential to a person’s mental health. If your son is having difficulty at school, a meeting with the teachers to discuss why is in order. Is he attending class, does he have difficulty focusing or does he require some type of remediation, perhaps through extra help at school or working with a tutor. If your son is achieving satisfactory success at school, then the holiday is well deserved.

*Note from Morrison and Harper ... Soon the holidays, cheer and festivities will replace homework, class assignments, report cards and projects. Although many students look with excitement to the next two weeks without projects or deadlines, some parents may be concerned about the interruption in their children’s learning and its impact upon their return to the classroom.
As parents you can reinforce learning during the holidays without standard homework practices. You might seize this as an opportunity to demonstrate to your children that what they are learning in school has real value in their everyday lives. You do not have to take away from the holiday season. Instead you might use this experience to enhance their education!

Online Q&A: Special Education, Part 2

Special education was today's topic with experts Christopher Carew of the Learning Disabilities Association of Ontario (LDAO) and Margaret Spoelstra of Autism Society Ontario (ASO). We're no longer taking questions but will take your comments for the next 24 hours.

Please join us for the next forum on homework help for the holidays. We'll take your questions starting Friday.

If you have any ideas for future forum topics or experts, please contact education editor Kristin Rushowy at krushowy@thestar.ca.

Q: A few questions for you ... (1) For a student in Grade 7, do they get taught from a modified Grade 7 curriculum or do they get taught at a lower grade? (If yes to lower grade, what grade? If no, what percentage should the curruculum be modified?)

(2) Will they be able to attend high school or do they have to go to vocational school? (If yes to high school, is there a program in high school to help them and the name of the program?)

Thank you very much and I am looking forward to your answers.

The LDAO responds ... Modifications refer to the changes made to the grade level expectations for a subject or course in order to meet the needs of the student. For the core subjects, such as math and language, the expectations may be taken from a different grade level. For content subjects, such as social studies or history, the modifications may include significant changes to the number and/or complexity of learning expectations in the regular grade level curriculum. An individual student in Grade 7 may be working toward different grade level expectations for different subjects. The IEP will indicate which subjects are modified, and what the expectations are for each subject.

Most students with learning disabilities can work on grade level expectations, as long as they have appropriate accommodations (e.g. extra time or use of technology).

If a student in the intermediate grades is working at a modified curriculum level on most of their subject areas, their options for high school may be somewhat limited. There are “locally developed courses” that count as credits, and workplace preparation courses, in addition to applied and academic courses. Sometimes all types of courses are offered in one high school, or there may be schools with only applied and workplace preparation courses. It is often useful to have an updated assessment before high school to help decide what levels of courses are realistic for the student to take. Placement recommendations may be made by the school counsellor, principal or the Identification, Placement and Review Committee (IPRC) at the school board.

Specific to your questions: (1) Any modifications to a Grade 7 student’s program will depend on their special needs. These will be reflected in the student’s Individual Education Plan (IEP) which is created by the teacher and shared with any other teachers (i.e. resource) that are working with the student and the parent. Some IEPs outline how the child will be supported to achieve grade level expectations (i.e. through the use of assistive technology, additional time to complete work etc.) others may reflect different educational goals. This depends on the child’s identification.

(2) Determinations about the types of schools a child may attend will once again be based on their strengths and needs. For example, some students will attend high school and participate in regular classes with an IEP, others may attend vocational school. This depends on the student as well as the options available in their area. A transition plan should be created at the middle school level. You may wish to refer to a document on our website titled “Transition Planning Resource Guide for Students with Learning Disabilities.”

Q: My 8-year-old, in Grade 3, has difficulty learning simple math concepts and then retaining what she has learned. We've had her assessed by a learning program (Scholars) and over the course of five months being tutored twice a week in math, her mark actually went down. We also spend a significant amount of one-on-one time working with her and are at the point where we think there may be a slight developmental or learning disability issue here. How do I go about obtaining a psychological assessment for my child?

The LDAO responds ... There are two options for obtaining a psychological assessment. The first is to do this through your child’s school board. The school must obtain your written consent before doing a psychological assessment. This requires the local school team meeting and discussing your child’s case. They will then make a decision on whether to recommend the child for an assessment by a board psychologist. If they do recommend this, your child would then be placed on a waiting list for assessment. Waiting times vary throughout the province, sometimes up to two years.

The second option is to obtain an assessment yourself through a psychologist or psychological associate in a private practice. If you have a group medical plan through an employer, you can check to see if private assessment by a psychologist is covered and to what maximum fee. You would need a referral from a medical doctor to get coverage under the group plan, but you can call and make the appointment directly. You can then provide the assessment to the school board to inform decisions regarding identification and placement. One of the local chapters of the Learning Disabilities Association (www.ldao.ca, select Chapters) should be able to give you names of local psychologists or psychological associates, as well as providing information on how to access assessments through your school board.

Q: I would like to know what options my child has after high school. She had trouble dealing with money and can't get any employment in the small town that we live in. Are there post-secondary education opportunities that she could possibly pursue and where are they?

The LDAO responds ... Transition planning for after high school should begin before your child finishes her secondary education. You may wish to refer to a document on our LDAO website titled “Transition Planning Resource Guide for Students with Learning Disabilities” located under ‘About Learning Disabilities, Special Education/Information for Parents’. There are a number of other articles that may be of interest as well on our website.

After high school, you may wish to connect with a local social service agency in your community that focuses on job assessments and placements. If your son or daughter has a disability, you could consider Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) employment supports. If there is a community college in your area, it would have a range of programs that you could look in to.

Q: Dyslexia is a well-known and documented reading disablility. Research has supported neurological evidence that the condition exists. There are known teaching methods which substantially help and teach these children how to read, i.e. phonics taught in a systematic approach and multi-sensory learning. These approaches not only benefit dyslexics but other children struggling with literacy. Tests for assessing dyslexia exists, early indicators can catch children at risk even before being formatlly identified. Why do none of the school boards recognize dyslexia? Why is it blanketed as a "communication disability"? More important, why is there no proper, formal program in place that will actually teach these children how to read? The Early Recovery program sounds great in theory; in practice, it falls short because it is left too open to interpretation by individual school boards and school principals and teachers. A clear, guided, systematic approach would be more helpful. Why are teachers not better trained to recognize the early signs of reading disabilities? Thank you so much for listening. Our voices really need to be heard.

The LDAO responds ... There are a number of approaches and standards in school boards for meeting the needs of students with special needs. Time, money and resources often influence how support is provided. If you are concerned about the resources available, you may wish to speak with you school board directly.

Dyslexia is the most common of learning disabilities. Although school boards identify students under Communication – Learning Disability, and don’t usually use the term dyslexia, the most important issue is that the teaching approach is individualized to the student, based on the results of the psychoeducational assessment. There has been a great deal of research on reading disabilities in the last few years, and research-based methods are starting to infiltrate the school system. In terms of early signs of reading disabilities, the Learning Disabilities Association of Ontario is currently working on a 3-year project (to be completed in July 2007) that will assist all provincial school boards in early screening and intervention tool.

Q: My daughter has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder (by our psychiatrist) and with a learning disorder by the Peel Children's Centre. She is now part of the day treatment program at PCC where they are attempting to treat her for behaviour problems (with limited success based on an ADHD diagnosis by their psychiatrist). The learning disability has not been addressed in this program so as a result she is a non-reader at 10 years old. She is in the COVE reading program at school. My feeling is that she needs specialized help in academic work both at school and elsewhere. Can you help with the reading program given the bipolar disorder? For the next school year I would like her to be in a special ed class with a dedicated teaching aide. How do I go about this? Can Peel community living assist us at all, both in terms of resources and respite care?

The LDAO responds ... The staff at Peel Children’s Centre should be able to provide guidance on appropriate programs and services for your daughter. You may also wish to speak with someone at the special education department in your local school board or the special education resource teacher at your local community school. As you have indicated, it will be important to find a placement that is appropriate for her mental health and learning needs. It is usually possible to work on reading and other academic areas at the same time as other issues, as long as behavioural concerns do not interfere. What goals and strategies are listed in her Individual Education Plan? The approaches to remediation of her academic difficulties should be based on the psychoeducational assessment.

Q: I am wondering how adults who were missed as children can get LD/ADD testing in Ontario? I have heard that testing costs $1,200, and this is very prohibitive for most, if not all, adults affected by these learning problems. I am asked this all the time by adults who are underachievers in their lives and suspect an LD or ADD. My own LD/ADD testing was paid for by an Ontario government program for post-secondary students called the Bursary for Students With Disabilities (BSWD). I am also wondering where LD/ADD people can see medical specialists under OHIP -- no one in Toronto seems to be taking patients! Not everyone can afford $100/hr for a psychologist. Thank you.

The LDAO responds ... Unfortunately the opportunities for LD/ADHD assessment of adults are very limited. ADHD can be diagnosed by a medical professional, such as a psychiatrist, and this would be at least partially covered under OHIP, but there are relatively few who are familiar with ADHD in adults. Our local Learning Disabilities Association chapters should be aware of those services in their communities (www.ldao.ca, select Chapters). Learning disabilities and/or ADHD can be diagnosed by a qualified member of the College of Psychologists (a psychologist or psychological associate), and the fees may be partially covered under group medical plans. Assessments are also available through programs such as Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) Employment Supports, for those who qualify. A local Learning Disability Association chapter could discuss options for assessment and treatment.

Q: I have a 7-year-old daughter in Grade 2, she attends school in the Durham Catholic school system. She is struggling with her written vocabulary. She is an A student in all other areas, but has trouble with the written word. She started speaking later than average, at age 2 1/2-3. She was diagnosed with a dysfluency, but that is now gone. She has received help with her phonological awareness and reading. Although her reading is always improving, her teacher and I agree that she seems to still struggle. One observation made is that she will sound out the last letter of a word, not the first. She struggles with vowels and especially vowels in the middle of a word. Although she does well with her spelling tests, etc. when left to write in her journal, she has trouble. Some of the words make no phonological sense at all. She still frequently reverses her b's, d's and p's, her 3's, 9's and 7's. Sometimes she catches this error herself, but not always.

We have noticed at home that she will often use the opposite of a word. For example, when it is cold outside she likes to wear tights under her pants. She will ask me "Mommy, can I wear tights over my pants today?" When I ask her how she wants to wear her tights, she will correct herself. She does this with under/over, up/down, yesterday/today/tomorrow. Her teachers are very pleased with her progress and they have told us that she works very hard at school, but I am concerned that these issues are all related and she may need some type of specialized assistance with her written vocabulary. Thank you for your time.

The LDAO responds ... Thank you for sharing your story. You have demonstrated a keen awareness of your child’s strengths and needs. It is excellent that you have an open dialogue with such a committed teacher. Having this type of dialogue will help as your child gets older. It will help inform decisions about providing extra support or assessments if necessary. Children who have early difficulties in language development may continue to have subtle language processing deficits that can affect written language. It may be worthwhile to have a reassessment by a speech-language pathologist to look at her current functioning. This may be possible through the school, or you could consider a private assessment, especially if you have a group medical plan that would cover part of the cost. If you contact resource@ldao.ca we can send you a couple of articles on language processing.

Q: I read in the Star that you are taking questions about concerns in special education. I am not sure if this would include mine, however I am sending it just in case.

My daughter has a chromosome abnormality that has resulted in a Global Development Delay and Feeding Issues. She has a g-tube so the education system has deemed that her care be placed under the supervision of a nurse. My limited understanding of the political structure is that the education system sources the nursing care through community care access and a nurse employed by a healthcare agency performs the nursing functions in the school.

Over the last few years, I have repeatedly asked to be kept informed of my daughter's health at school. I believe I should be informed any time that her physical state is abnormal for her, if they are not following the doctors orders or have concerns with the order, if her food is not kept at the correct temperature, and if they are any other concerns about her health status. I have been told that they have no obligation to tell me anything and that the College of Nurses does not mandate this communication.

I have spoken to a few school principals and was told that the nurses are a separate group and I need to deal with them directly. I have also been told that though a call usually goes home when a typical child is sick at a regular school, the school is not required to communicate that either.

When I spoke to community care, they told me that I need to talk to the nurses directly. The nursing agency has not adequately addressed my requirement for communication. My daughter does not speak and cannot tell me what is, or has been wrong. The Ministry of Education has already recognized the requirement for my daughter to be cared for by someone trained to assess health status, however I think that communicating that health status is a critical component of her care. My daughter is negatively impacted by this lack of communication. In fact, I had to keep her out of school for the majority of the last year - not because her health prevented her from going, but because her health issues require communication.

I look forward for any guidance you could provide to resolve this issue. If my daughter is registered in public school, isn't the ministry ultimately responsible for her care? It is not important to me whether I get this communication from the school or the nurses.

The ASO responds ... Depending on where you live, you could make contact with Bloorview MacMillan Centre in Toronto or Surrey Place in Toronto, or the association for community living in your local community. You could also check with your local SEAC rep for advice and/or your school trustee if you're not getting satisfaction.

If you need legal advice, for free you can check out ARCH's website - Advocacy Resource Centre for the Handicapped - it is an excellent resource. I would also check with Dr. Norm Forman's group - he recently wrote a good book called "Exceptional Children, Ordinary Schools."

Q: My 5-year-old son is autistic and has been receiving Intensive Behaviour Intervention (IBI) through the Government of Ontario's Pre-school Early Intervention Program for Children with Autism. Clearly, he will need IBI to continue once he starts school. Why is the educational establishment in Ontario so vehemently opposed to IBI for autistic children in the school system? Surely, they should support a learning approach that will help kids with autism learn.

The ASO responds ... IBI (or IEIP – Intensive Early Intervention Program) is a specific program funded by the Ministry of Children and Youth Services that began by serving 3-6 year olds with autism. Not all children with ASD were eligible for the treatment program and many eligible children on waiting lists age out of that program before they even got started. One of the challenges currently faced by many families whose children did very well in the IBI program was the discovery that their child’s school program did not have education staff sufficiently trained to transfer successful teaching practices in the IBI program to a school setting. This has been a source of frustration for parents who are now awaiting the outcome of an appeal currently before the courts by the Government of Ontario to the Deskin/Wynberg case which supports the continuation of IBI for children over the age of 6. Details of that ruling can be found in a full document at http://www.essac.com/ Also see today's story in The Star.

Q: How can parents get ABA/IBI INSIDE the classrooms, so children with autism CAN learn according to THEIR needs? Thank you.

The ASO responds ... Every student with ASD needs an Individualized Education Plan which identifies learning outcomes and the educational strategies that are the best for achieving those goals within school settings. Many principles of applied behaviour analysis are already used generally and specifically as good teaching practices in Ontario schools. Additional training in evidence-based practices, such as ABA as applied in classroom settings, is necessary to provide those teaching students with ASD with many of skills necessary to achieve the goals identified in a student’s IEP.

Q: My older son (aged 11) is currently enrolled in a special education program in the Hastings & Prince Edward school board, and has been now for three years. He has been repeatedly "suspended" from school for inappropriate behaviour and/or language, but always (conveniently) for less than three full days--therefore not appealable. He is mentally disabled, and has been diagnosed with Autistic Spectrum Disorder. Many of his "behaviours" are due directly or indirectly to his disability. The Safe Schools Act, as I am sure you are familiar, seems to be targeting children like my son. If special needs students are "different" enough to be eligible for a special education (IEP), then why are they subject to the exact same rules as all the other children in the school system?

The ASO responds ... Right now in Ontario, the Safe Schools Act is being reviewed by a team led by MPP Liz Sandals. Public consultations are taking place in various locations across Ontario. The issue of suspension and expulsion of students with special needs is a significant concern. The Ministry of Education recently released alarming statistics about the high rates of suspension among this group of students; in addition, the application of the suspensions varies across the province. As well, many families tell us that their child’s informal suspension is likely not included in those formal statistics, suggesting even higher rates than the ministry’s report. Our view is that suspension of students with ASD for the purpose of changing the behaviour for which the student was suspended is not supported in the research literature. Instead, efforts should be focused on prevention of unfortunate situations, providing educators with better training about the nature of ASDs, keeping students and staff safe, while continuing to find better ways to achieve the educational goals identified in the student’s IEP.

Q: I have an autistic son and I have a question for you. Do the people working with special children have any kind of training to help them understand these special children better? From my experience over the last five years, I know the teaching assistants are great but often the teachers of special classes (ASD,DC and DD) lack the compassion they should have to help our children in a more appropriate and acceptable manner. Their attitude is appalling and disgusting.

The ASO responds ... Various professionals are responsible for the education of students with special needs in Ontario’s school system. Assistants in the classroom have different employment standards than teachers, and they may have very limited expertise or many years of experience in working with a range of students with exceptional learning needs. The pre-service curriculum for certified teachers will vary depending on their area of expertise.

In an education survey of approximately 400 parents of children with ASD in Ontario conducted by ASO a few years ago, the number one item parents identified as a need was further ASD training for education professionals. There is currently no mandatory ASD–related coursework for teachers working specifically with students with autism. Staff development opportunities are offered in most school boards, but there is a long way to go in equipping educators to work effectively with students with ASD. The capacity of schools to effectively teach students with ASD varies from board to board. The current School Support Program for ASD is an initial step to provide better training in evidence-based practices. A review of this program will be most welcome to determine its effectiveness.

Online Q&A: Special ed

Thanks for joining today's forum on special education with Christopher Carew of the Learning Disabilities Association of Ontario. Due to the high volume of questions, Carew and the learning disabilities association will be the experts for next Tuesday's forum and will respond then to any questions that went unanswered today.

At that time, we'll also post answers to the many autism-related questions we received, thanks to expert Marg Spoelstra, executive director of Autism Society Ontario.

If you have any ideas for future topics or experts, please contact education editor Kristin Rushowy at krushowy@thestar.ca. 

Q: My older son (age 11) is currently enrolled in a special education program in Hastings & Prince Edward District School Board, and has been now for three years. He has been repeatedly "suspended" from school for inappropriate behaviour and/or language, but always (conveniently) for less than three full days - therefore not appeal-able. He is mentally disabled, and has been diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorder. Many of his "behaviours" are due directly or indirectly to his disability. The Safe Schools Act, as I am sure you are familiar, seems to be targeting children like my son. If special needs students are "different" enough to be eligible for a special education (IEP), then why are they subject to the exact same rules as all the other children in the school system?

A: Your concerns regarding your son's unique needs and the suspensions he has received because of his behaviour are very valid. Similar objections about the use of the Safe Schools Act to respond to behavioural difficulties of exceptional students have been voiced by many individuals and groups, including LDAO and its members. The government has identified safety in Ontario schools and the implementation of the Safe Schools Act as a major priority. It has undertaken a review of the act and recently announced the release of a discussion paper. The paper is available on the Ministry of Education website.

In the launch of public consultations on Nov. 23 of this year, Education Minister Gerard Kennedy provided a summary of the statistics regarding suspensions for the school year 2003-4. He stated that a total of 152,626 students (or 7.2 per cent of the total student population) were suspended. Of those, 27,250, or 18 per cent, of suspended students were students with exceptionalities - accounting for 8.8 per cent of all exceptional students.

Liz Sandals, parliamentary assistant to Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services Monte Kwinter, is the leader of the action team of safety experts who are implementing the Safe Schools Action plan. She stated that "data shows that some groups, including boys and students with exceptionalities may be impacted by the act in greater numbers than the rest of the student population." Additionally, the executive director of LDA York Region, an expert on school safety, with particular knowledge of special education, has been added to the team and will most ably reflect the needs of exceptional students in this review.

This acknowledgement of the needs of special education students with regard to the Safe Schools Act is a positive development.

Q: My daughter will be starting high school next year. My question is should she get an IEP? She has been at a private school for her elementary years and has needed extra help with certain subjects (math, language) but has never had an IEP. Some have told me not to as it will prevent her from going into the academic strain and not allow her to be in the computer laptop program which I think would help her to stay organized. We had her assessed in Grade 3 and in Grade 6. She has been identified as having a visual perceptual nonverbal LD. Thank you.

A: If your daughter is going back into the public school system, an IEP could provide information on the accommodations she needs in order for her to be successful at the academic level. Many students with learning disabilities take academic level courses and go on to postsecondary studies, but they require accommodations such as the use of assistive technologies throughout their high school, college and/or university careers. There should be no reason why she would be excluded from a computer laptop program. You may wish to refer to a document on LDAO's website entitled "Transition Planning Resource Guide for Students with Learning Disabilities".

Q: My son has been in spec ed since public school. He finished the Grade 10 applied program with a 46 per cent average and was recommended for the 'target program' in Grade 11 in high school in Aurora. His final average in Grade 11 was 75 per cent. His first semester marks this year (Grade 12) are 73 in small business mgmt., 87 per cent in hospitality, 56 per cent in English and 47 per cent in math. He would like to transfer out of the target program and go back into the applied program and is willing to return next year to bring up his marks and obtain Grade 12 credits in applied, but has been told that he can not transfer to applied out of target program. He's been advised that the only way he can transfer into applied program is to leave that school and go to another school?! Is this true? This does not make any sense to me. Why 'punish' a child and make it difficult for them when they've had a change in attitude and have decided to go 'further' in their education?

A: If the applied program is available in your son’s school, I know of no reason, other than possible school administrative reasons, for him to have to change schools. I would suggest contacting our Learning Disabilities Association chapter located in York Region to find out what they understand about the local situation or environment: (905) 884-7933 or by e-mail at info@ldayr.org.

Q: My son is eight years old and in Grade 3. Up until now he has had good marks - B's and A's. This year his teacher said he will be getting C's in reading and writing. He has ADD and takes Concerta. He reverses letters and numbers. His work is messy and spelling terrible. I am in the process of setting up testing for dyslexia. But I am told he is not "bad enough" to get extra help other than extra time and charts to copy. Some resource teacher time may be available for him if he does have dyslexia or another LD, but I am told she doesn't have much room left, and I am in a scramble to have testing done asap to get him on the list.

This doesn't make sense to me. Why wouldn't they put in the effort and training for him now and not have him fall behind later? I am considering private tutoring. Have you got any websites/books I should be reading? We are in the Upper Grand District School Board.

A: LDAO strongly believes in early intervention for kids with learning difficulties. A psychoeducational assessment should determine your son’s learning strengths and weaknesses, and the best ways for him to be taught. In the meantime though, there are now specialist teachers for literacy and numeracy instruction in all school boards. You could ask for information on what programs funded by the Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat are available in your school. These programs are not restricted to students identified with special learning needs. LDAO’s Access website is an excellent resource for parents.  Although password protected, the parents and professionals can access information for free.

Q: I would like Mr. Carew to discuss ADHD fraud. There appears to be an "epidemic" of ADHD diagnosis in Ontario. Some psychometrists are conducting psychological testing in the guise of aptitude testing without the oversight of a psychiatrist or psychologist.

A: Communicating a diagnosis is a controlled act under provincial legislation, and in the case of learning disabilities or ADHD must be done by a qualified member of the College of Physicians and Surgeons or the College of Psychologists.

The college(s) provide a systematic process for ensuring all complaints and challenges are handled through their reporting system and reviewed by the discipline committee, however, the actual number of complaints relating to the nature of your question is not known by LDAO. I would suggest a multi-disciplinary team-based approach to ensure completeness and appropriateness when considering issues related to diagnosis.

Q: I have two sons who are diagnosed with dual exceptionalities (gifted/learning disabled). My oldest received absolutely fantastic programming through elementary, middle school, and so far in his first year of high school. There were some teachers who tended to shame him, but most were compassionate and creative in their dealing with him. My youngest son has a team of professionals who will not accept his disability. Any difficulties that he encounters (reading, writing, attention, organization, impulsivity, etc.) is continually attributed to character deficits and behaviour and manipulation. If I try to intervene, I am treated like an overprotective, unrealistic mom.

We have been referred to various professionals over the years for assessment of his anxiety and all came back confirming that it is school-related. Yet, staff tries to make him look pathological. These teachers are very reluctant to implement rountine strategies to help him cope. He receives all kinds of negative feedback in verbal and written format and getting more stressed as the curriculum advances. He is extremely successful outside of school and very popular with peers. He has had a few suspensions over the years, usually a result of accumulating anxiety that he can no longer handle. Once, two weeks prior to an episode, I phoned the school psychologist to inform her that he was "ready to explode" and never received a return call! He suffers from headaches, stomach aches, sleep deprivation, and cries easily. So, my questions are:

1)Can you recommend a reference that would help teachers understand the gifted/LD profile? How about one for the emotional ramifications of LD?

2) Why are teachers so uninformed? Is graduate coursework required in this area within Ontario?

3)What can I do to help my son cope? We are spending hours on homework and end up yelling or crying because he cannot meet the time criteria for completion. If he does not, he receives more negative feedback. HELP!!!

A: It is good to hear about the compassionate, caring teachers, as we so often hear about situations like that of your younger son. Kids who are gifted and have LD can become very frustrated, especially if they have problems with written output, and thus can be challenging for teachers. Teachers may only see the behaviours and not the underlying reasons for the behaviours. The school should be listening to you as the parent, but I wonder if they would listen better to a professional who knows your son. Have you tried calling a case conference (problem-solving) meeting and inviting an outside professional to attend?

1) LDAO does have articles on gifted LD and on emotional ramifications of LDs which you could obtain by contacting resource@ldao.ca and requesting this information. You may also wish look for articles and resources on the following American websites:
http://www.schwablearning.org/ 
http://www.allkindsofminds.org/   
http://www.ricklavoie.com/
LDAO’s Access website is also available.

2) There is relatively little taught about special education in many pre-service teacher education programs. There are no required courses on special education. Teachers may take additional qualification courses on special education through Faculties of Education throughout the province. These courses are usually required for special education positions but not for teachers in other classes or programs.

3) It sounds as if your son needs to have appropriate accommodations in his IEP, such as use of a word processor to do all his written work or other assistive technologies, and perhaps fewer questions to complete in assignments if he can demonstrate that he understands the concepts. You could discuss these issues at a case conference as suggested above. 

Q: My daughter has low muscle tone, which has delayed her speech, and is developmentally delayed. She is currently in a regular Grade 2 class with .5 educational assistant support. She is a wonderful girl with many friends, she is very caring and gentle and loves to help. She receives no speech therapy through the school system and I feel that she would benefit so much if she did receive therapy through the school along with what we do at home.

Are there any quicker routes that I could take to get what she needs to make schooling easier for her? She works with a voice communicator at school but it is very slow and she is beyond it. Please help me understand what it takes to get full EA support, I work so hard to give her every opportunity to achieve her goals and need every input that I can get.

A: I’m afraid that we do not have expertise on appropriate supports for students with developmental disabilities. You would probably be best to contact your local Association for Community Living.

Q: My daughter is three years old and she was not a full-term baby (born at only seven months). She is doing perfectly okay other than having difficulty to speak like a normal three-year-old baby. She is speaking very few words when it is necessary for her to speak - like when she is mad and angry or happy. I am very worried about her being in school next year because it is very difficult for her to accomplish her education or to communicate with others. As I am a mother, I understand what she is trying to say and I have the patience to wait for her to respond and I do understand that in school they won't be waiting for her to answer questions. I fear for her future and I need your advice and help to guide my daughter in an appropriate ways. Can you please kindly suggest me any alternative path to get me to help her in school? Thank you for your time.

A: There are preschool speech and language services which provide assessment and treatment for preschoolers who need help with language development. Children may receive services through this program from birth until October of the year they reach the age at which children start senior kindergarten. You can find your local contact online or call the INFOline at 1-800-268-1154. LDAO’s Access website is also an excellent resource for parents.

Q: As a retired special education resource teacher (15 years), my question is when is the government going to realize that the EQAO, etc. scores will NOT improve until we allocate extra assistance to the needy children in the regular classrooms? These children have potential, but because of class sizes they are the lowest on the totem pole. A few years ago we had to do reams of paperwork for ISA funding, that was to provide funding for LD, etc. I believe that the government has never paid all that out to the boards, even after our board for example, was audited 100 per cent. If it has been paid out it is not getting to the children who need it most. Unfortunately, powers that be, whether in administration, in government, do not realize the immensity of the needs in the classroom - and I'm sorry differentiated instruction does not cut it when you have children operating at 5 different grade levels in a classroom. How can we turn this around?

A: This is a complex question with no simple answer. The Ministry of Education has laid out a strategy for supporting students and improving EQAO scores. The formation of the Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat and the hiring of literacy and numeracy teachers in each school is an example of this. The Ministry of Education is also reviewing the ISA funding procedures to find ways to better allocate and use monies provided to support students with special needs.

As a non-governmental agency, LDAO can only make recommendations to the government about proposed changes. You may wish to contact your local Member of Provincial Parliament or the Ministry of Education directly to voice your concerns.

Q: Why does the Ministry of Education not appear to have any standards or curriculum requirements for developmentally disabled students at the secondary school level? This has resulted in students in York Region being fed a mind-numbing schedule of "community field trips" to McDonalds restaurants, shopping malls, grocery stores and other restaurants, with no teaching at their level about history, science or social studies. The York Region board also requires 14-year-old developmentally disabled students to be sent out on work placements, which is not something that most parents would approve of for their non-disabled children.

A: For any child identified with an exceptionality, the goal is to create a personalized approach to their learning through the development and maintenance of an Individual Education Plan (IEP).  Instead of creating another, “one-size-fits-all” curriculum, the goal is to customize a plan that reflects the child’s strengths, needs and goals.

In regards to your particular situation, I’m afraid that we do not have expertise on appropriate supports for students with developmental disabilities. You would probably be best to contact your local Association for Community Living in York Region.

Q: My son, almost five years old, presently in SK ... missed out on JK last year ... has "behavioural issues" ... He has not been formally diagnosed with anything as of yet, the school board is pressing to have a diagnosis ... I believe he will have an actual diagnosis in the coming months ... Is it not enough for the school board's behaviour team to note the problematic behaviours for the board to receive funding? For example, a child exhibiting certain traits/mannerisms/behaviours may be diagnosed as either autistic, ADHD, pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified, Aspergers., etc ...

If there are several people that agree on basic observations of the child (ie the parents, the teacher/E.A., Resource Teacher, the daycare staff, pediatrician), why is that not enough for the school board? I do not want a premature diagnosis, I want one that most suits my son's situation ... I am not in denial that he has "issues" ... Any information on this matter would be greatly appreciated.

A: I can understand your concern about a premature diagnosis, and four years of age is early to make long-term predictions. The Minister of Education has indicated that the upcoming changes in the funding model for special education will not rely on diagnosis in the same way as the previous Intensive Support Amount (ISA) process did. In the meantime, your son can be identified for special education services without a diagnosis, and an Individual Education Plan set up to meet his special education needs. The school board is required to meet those special education needs with the funding that it receives for special education purposes. You can speak with the special education staff at your child’s school/school board to make this request.

Q: My daughter, now in Grade 6 and 11 years old, was identified in Grade 1 as having a learning disability that affects her memory. I have had no complaints about the special ed services available through the public school system - that is until this year. She, while learning disabled, has no behavioral problems and I am very frustrated that this year it seems that in her special ed class - which she spends half the day at - that the teacher spends all their time dealing with the problem children and my daughter seems to not be getting much from it. I have been told that this is my only resource available at the school, however I wonder what the logic is in lumping all children with learning difficulties together as I cannot see how this method of teaching does anything other than keep the problem children segregated from the regular class?

A: All school boards should have a range of placements available to students identified as needing special education. Many students with learning disabilities are placed in a regular class but go out for part of the day for specific remedial instruction with a special education teacher, usually in a small group. This placement is called regular class with withdrawal assistance. If more than 50 per cent of the day is spent in a special education class, the placement is called special education class with partial integration.

If the placement decision is for a self-contained special education class, it is important to find out what kind of class it is. Classes for students with severe learning disabilities are only supposed to have eight students, and they should all be students whose primary identification is learning disabilities. Unfortunately, some school boards only offer mixed exceptionality classes that can contain up to 16 students. Such classes are seldom appropriate placements for students with learning disabilities.

Whatever your daughter’s placement, the most important consideration is the way she is being taught, i.e. an individualized approach based on her assessed strengths and weaknesses. LDAO’s Access website is also an excellent resource for parents. Although password protected, parents and professionals can access information for free.The categories for resources are: resources, community, learning and youth.

Q: My son is very close to being considered gifted. I truly feel that if there was more than a 1 1/2 hour test to see if a child was gifted that the result would be different as it takes much longer to know someone. Anyways, my son needs a higher level of learning and is not having a good relationship with the children in his grade level. He either cannot speak to them because they do not understand what he is speaking about or he gets frustrated with their behaviour.

He has been tested for ADHD and does not have that condition yet he does seem to get frustrated a lot lately. I have considered home schooling him since I cannot afford private education ... Any advice would be appreciated.

A: No one understands a child like a parent, and it is painful to see talents or gifts that are evident at home go unseen or unrecognized at school. Students of all types can have trouble relating to their age-peers – gifted students, students with LDs, and especially students who fit the “gifted LD” profile.

Did your son have a full psychoeducational assessment, or just a screening test for the gifted program? A psychoeducational assessment would give information on his pattern of strengths and weaknesses, and could also look at social/emotional issues such as self-esteem.

Do you find that your son relates better to older kids? You might try to find an activity program in his area of interest where he could have a chance to communicate with other kids with similar interests. If he is an independent learner, you could check to see if there are any alternative programs in your board. If you do choose to home school, it would be good to belong to a network of home-schooling parents, and ideally have opportunities for social interaction among the kids.

Q: My youngest son has learning disabilities ranging from reading at lower than grade level (in Grade 9, reads about Grade 5-6) and long- and short-term memory problems as well. In elementary school the kids are offered modified classes - significantly so - in many cases - yet when they go to high school they are expected to manage with virtually no modifications at all. It is a nightmare with the kids left unable to cope.

My son's problems are not severe enough to warrant classes such as multiple exceptionalities, yet really he cannot handle the workload in classes such as geography and science that are not offered at essential levels. These kids are not eligible for programs such as OYAP either as their courses are not all at academic or general levels. It just seems they are basically abandoned by the system once they start high school and shut out of the types of programs that could benefit them.

Any advice would be very much appreciated. Are there better programs, services out there for these higher functioning, yet still learning disabled, kids once they hit high school and beyond? High schools will modify courses to a point but the kids can be left with half credits and shut out of opinions to an even greater extent long after high school if that approach is taken. As bad as elementary school can be for the learning disabled, high school is far worse.

A: High school can be a difficult time for students with learning disabilities (LDs) unless they get the appropriate training in strategies and the accommodations they need to access the curriculum. Starting in intermediate grades, students with LDs can be using assistive technologies such as word processors and books in alternative formats, so that they can work on grade level curriculum (as long as they can understand the concepts).

If you are feeling like your son has been abandoned by the school system, something is not right, perhaps a miscommunication. Students identified as LD are entitled to appropriate accommodations throughout their high school career.

If your son has had a recent psychoeducational assessment it would be good to check with the psychologist or psychological associate who did the assessment to see what level of courses he could be expected to handle, and what accommodations would be most beneficial. If, even with accommodations, he is not able to cope with applied level courses, you could talk to the teacher in your son’s school who works with the Student Success program, to find out about options for workplace preparation.

Online Q&A: Bullying in schools

Thanks for joining us for today's online Q & A on bullying in schools, featuring Wendy Craig of the Canadian Initiative for the Prevention of Bullying. Next Tuesday's topic is special education with experts from the Learning Disabilities Association of Ontario.

Q: My son has learned how to deal with bullying at school with students, but not with teachers or parents of other kids. Any advice on how to "respect your elders," but not cowtail to adults doing the bullying? It is shameful in my opinion, but strategies are still needed.

A: When adults bully children it is a serious problem. This is definitely a case where your child needs you to intervene and stand up for them. There is a power imbalance in this relationship, an adult and a child, and you need to come in and right the power imbalance.

Parents are the best advocates for their children. If this is happening at school, you need to work with the school principal and inform him/her of the situation. Togther you need to make a plan to address the problem - i.e., the principal should speak to the adult involved, the principal should monitor the situation every day until it has fully stopped and then keep monitoring it to ensure that it does not start again.

If the problem is with another parent, I would also involve the principal. S/he can act as a mediator. The principal likely has a vast amount of experience in working with parents. In this case, the principal should ensure that this parent does not interact with your child on school property. It is your job to make sure they do not interact at home or in the neighbourhood. If they do, you need to identify for this parent when their behaviour is inappropriate and that you expect them to stop talking or interacting with your child in this way. If that does not work, unfortunately it is time to call in the police. They typically have community police officers who deal with this type of issue.

Q: What kind of support groups are there within the schools today for children who are bullies? How can a child living in fear of bullies be encouraged to speak up?

A: The type of support for children who bully varies by school and the programming that has been prioritized within a school. Typically, each board has special services and in some boards there are dedicated individuals within these services who specifically work with children involved in bullying - that is something you could check with your school about. We do need a more systematic approach to the problem and Ontario is starting to move in that direction. Let's hope that this progress continues so that these children can get the support they so deserve.

Q: What kind of behaviour should parents look for in a child, if the child is a bully or a victim of bully?

A: Children and youth who bully may show behaviours or emotional signs that they are using power aggressively. They show little concern for others’ feelings and do not recognize the impact of their behaviour on others. They are often aggressive with siblings, parents and others, and are bossy and manipulative in order to get their own way. Parent should be on the lookout - they often possess unexplained things and/or have extra money and are secretive about possessions, activities and whereabouts.

Children and youth who are being victimized often show a change in behaviour and/or emotions. They don't want to go to school, and are anxious, fearful and overreactive. They'll often suffer from headaches and stomach aches. They'll also have a lower interest in performance at school. They may lose things, need money or be hungry after school. Parents should be on the lookout for any injuries - bruising, damaged clothing, broken things. Emotionally, bullying victims are often unhappy, irritable, and show little interest in activities. They may have trouble sleeping, suffer from nightmares or wet the bed. Some even express threats to hurt themselves or others.

Q: Why do kids become bullies?

A: This is a challenging question and there is no one factor that leads children to bully others. There are a mix of family, peer, school, and individual factors that could be involved. Children who bully others are not all the same - some come from families where there is significant stress (financial, single parenting, low income, family criminality) and difficulties within these family relationships (lack of trust, lack of communication, modelling of aggression). Others do not come from these types of families, but rather are rewarded within their peer group for being aggressive.

Some children have difficulty interacting with other children maybe because they are hyperactive or lack social skills; sometimes they bully for the attention it brings them and as a way of getting in with peers. Some children who bully have well-developed social skills and use their social skills to manipulate others. Sometimes, children who would not normally bully are at a school where the rules are not consistently reinforced and so sometimes when they bully others there are no consequences so they come to believe it is okay to engage in these very negative behaviours.

As you can tell, bullying is a very complicated issue. It is a relationship problem that requires relationship solutions. We need to provide students with a strong foundation of skills, capabilities and competencies to engage in healthy relationships. They need support at home, at school, and in the community and they need the support and guidance from adults who can promote and models these skills for them.

Q: How can bullying go on for so long (as the recent case at the Toronto high school)? Don't they know what is going on?

A: It is tragic that the bullying went on for so long without detection from adults or without other students reporting what was happening. Sadly, this is not uncommon. Students tend to have a code of secrecy around bullying - they are reluctant to tell adults - for fear of reprisal, for fear of the reputation of being called a rat, for fear that they will be the next victim. We as adults need to create a climate where students feel comfortable talking about these horrific acts and we as adults need to respond to students when they do tell - it is not helpful to say that is "students just being students."

The adults need to support and ensure the child who is being victimized is safe and ensure it does not happen again by regularly monitoring and checking in with the student. In addition, we need to empower the students who know but do not tell by changing the peer culture to a culture that values protecting each other’s rights. We know that when peers intervene in bullying, it stops the bullying within 10 seconds every second time - so they are effective when they intervene. We also know from the research that telling adults reduces children’s experiences of being victimized in the future: Telling works. Adults need to be educated on what signs to observe for bullying, they need to learn effective assessment and intervention strategies, and we need to empower the other students to get help for children who are victimized.

Q: Many of the initiatives of the "Canadian Initiative for the Prevention of Bullying" are union-sponsored. How can you justify the action of unions (particularly when on picket lines) with any initiative to prevent bullying? Union bullying of both members and non-members approaches extortion. The one thing children do not miss is adults saying one thing and doing another.

A: I agree that adults are extremely important role models for children and children learn how to address conflict and deal with anger from adults. The CIPB believes that children’s positive peer relationships depend on positive relationships with adults. Teachers, parents, and other adults involved in children’s lives not only model relationship skills and attitudes, but they are also active in creating contexts in which children and youth interact. Children will only learn positive relationship skills and attitudes if they observe and interact with adults who exemplify these elements of positive relationships in their interactions with children and with other adults.

The CIPB is creating partnerships to link researchers together with organizations and governments to disseminate understanding, assessment tools and effective practices related to bullying to every community in Canada. The CIPB involves the collaboration of two groups with research and applied expertise related to bullying. The first group comprises Canadian researchers committed to studying the nature, causes, and consequences of bullying and victimization, along with the most effective measures and interventions to effect positive change. The second group comprises stakeholders in promoting the healthy development of Canadian children and youth: national non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and government ministries. The partnerships are essential because they will ensure that the child playing in the park in Victoria and the child in the park in Goose Bay will be given the same information about bullying and the interventions to address bullying problems will be similar and based on what we know from the research. It is our hope that the organizations that we have partnered with will also on an organization level implement and think about the information we provide in guiding their own day-to-day interactions.

Q: My stepson was bullied his entire time in grade school by one small group of kids. It was pointed out on a monthly basis, but the school system seemed to be apathetic to his plight. He is now 23 and still shows signs of how this most likely has scarred him for good. Can he be helped at this point?

A: He likely needs some professional support to work through the trauma that he experienced at the hands of children who bullied him. Unfortunately, there are serious long-term effects of being victimized and we need to support those individuals early to prevent these long-term problems. It is not uncommon for children who experience regular and frequent bullying to have anxiety, depression, and social withdrawal when they get older. The important thing is to get your son the help that will allow him to overcome these terrifying childhood experiences. With ongoing support from a professional, and you his family, he will be able to do that.

Q: I am wondering if it is the "norm" for me to take a principal's word for it that a disruptive child is "being dealt with"? My daughter has been harassed on a number of occasions this school year by a classmate, the last two times the physical aggression has gotten worse. I was told by the principal that they are in the process of finding out how to handle this girl.

I have gotten to the point, and am standing firm, that my daughter will not return unless she can be transferred to another class. The whole thing is getting out of hand, I believe it is not being taken too seriously because of their ages. They are only in Grade 2. There is a history of some problems going on in the girl's family; I can fully understand why she would be acting out. My priority is my daughter who is fearful and feels unsafe now at school. When I push to see if there really is anything being done I am left with the "confidentiality of the student" card being played by the principal. Is it true that all means of discipline are left in the principal's hands?

A: The principal is ultimately responsible at the school to ensure that every child is safe. If you are not satisfied with the way the principal is handling the problem at your school, I would recommend to meet with them. While acknowledging that they may be delaing with the who child is being aggressive, I would clearly state that your child does not feel safe and ask what are they going to do to address that problem - changing classes is one solution. In addition, I would suggest having an adult that your child feels comfortable with checking in with your child every day.

Furthermore, it may be important to identify what are the times that are particularly scary or stressful for your child. Is it at recess? Is it in the classroom? If it is while they are outside and where there is less supervision, work with the school to make a plan to ensure your child is safe - have them assign a recess buddy, or maybe she would feel more comfortable being inside (have them arrange for her to go to the library or go to the office to help out). Work with them creatively to ensure your child feels safe. It is not enough for schools to ONLY work with the aggressors - they need to work actively to support the child is is being victimized and that requires checking in with them, monitoring the situation, and constantly accessing whether they are okay. If you find the school is not co-operative and you are unable to work withthem, then work your way up the channels of the board - call the board, your trustee, your school superintendent. It is your child’s right to feel safe and protected at school. As a parent, advocating for your child is one of the many roles that you take on.

Q: I don't think bullying will ever stop to exist or become less of a problem in a free and morally slacking society such as ours. The survival guide in high school is the same today as 20 years ago - choose your friends wisely, stay with the good crowd, and keep the group as big as you can.

A: You are right it is difficult to end the problems of bullying completely, BUT we can decrease the prevalence of the problem and reduce the stress and anxiety and the problems for a significant number of children. Other countries with a national compaign, such as Norway, have been successful at reducing the prevalence of bullying.

Interestingly, the prevalence of bullying has not changed over the last 10 years, but Canada’s relative ranking has. In other words, other countries have been more successful at reducing the problem then Canada. These data indicate that it is possible to reduce the prevlance, but right now Canada needs to do more and do a better job.

Q: At what age does bullying begin? At my daughter's nursery school there are a couple of boys I would say act like bullies sometimes; we've even seen one in the local park and his behaviour towards my daughter has been "aggressive" in nature (trying to scare her, push her off things). Can a child that young (3,4,5) be a bully or be bullied? What to do?

A: Yes, bullying starts early. In fact, children are most aggressive when they are two years of age - they learn not to be aggressive with age and as adults set boundaries with their behaviours. When children are young they are just learning how to interact socially in a positive manner; they are learning to regulate their emotions, and they are learning how to be prosocial. So at a young age, it is particularly important to intervene in the behaviour. It is through that feedback that children will learn what behaviours are acceptable and what are not. They need support in behaving differently; in other words, it is not enough to say "stop doing that." We need to tell children what to do or give them the words they need to say - "I am angry, I want you to stop." You can work with your child in scripting the language and the behaviour to help them when it happens. They also need you to step in and let the other child know that this behaviour is not okay. Similiarly, you can script the language for them to help them behave differently in the situation.

Q: Studies indicate that bullying and sexual harassment happen most frequently where levels of adult supervision are lowest (school buses, locker rooms, hallways, playgrounds).

An Ontario Association of Children's Aid Societies reference document states: "Any person having charge of a child, less than 16 years of age, must make reasonable provision for the child's supervision and care, ensuring thec hild is free from physical or sexual harm."

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, Article 3.3, reads: "States Parties shall ensure that the institutions, services and facilities responsible for the care or protection of children shall conform with the standards established by competent authorities, particularly in the areas of safety, health, in the number and suitability of their staff, as well as competent supervision."

Are Ontario schools meeting their obligation to adequately protect our children from physical and sexual harm? What can schools do better?

A: These are references that I frequently quote and are very important principles to uphold and aim for. I think we all, as adults, need to do better to keep our children safe and ensure that their human rights are protected. Ontario is beginning to address bullying problems in a much more systemic manner that is based on what we know from the science about bullying; that is a good first step. It is a long road.

We need to ensure that all educators understand what bullying is and recognize that it has harmful effects. All educators need to assess the extent of bullying problems systematically, as well as by checking in with children who might be at risk for involvment in bullying. In addition, they need to be trained on what works when intervening in bullying problems- again both through programs and in moment-to-moment interactions with children. So what we need to do is push the policies within the ministry to more adequately address bullying problems and then evaluate the extent to which our schools are taking up the policies.

Further, adults are role models and leaders in addressing bullying. Students learn from their educators and educators need to ensure they behave appropriately. They also need to listen to students who report being victimized, and support and validate that student's feelings and experiences. Bullying is a serious problem that needs to be taken serious by all adults. Finally, adults are required to right the power imbalance in bullying and therefore must respond. Our data indicate that children who tell adults are much less likely to reduce their victimization experiences. So despite students' perspectives that we cannot help (which our data also say), we can if we respond.

Q: There was/is bullying going on at my son's school. His Grade 3 peers kept at him, calling him a thief and taking his things, until it escalated to "playful threats" to cut him and dismember him. The principal says there's no bullying going on at his school. Is this average?

A: Sadly, some adults do not recognize and identify behaviours as bullying - they see it as kids just being kids. What you have described is definitely bullying: it happened on many occasions, it was with an intent to harm, and the child who bullied your son had more power over him. Adult support and involvement is critical to helping prevent bullying problems. We need to recognize bullying problems, respond to them, and address them, and ensure they stop in the future. Students depend on adults for this type of leadership. In addition, if we do not act as adults, we are saying the behaviour is okay, which it is definitely not. I would work the principal and ask him what he/she is going to do to ensure that the behaviour stops and how he will ensure that it will not start up again.

Q: I thought you might like this website ... you probably already know of it: the Bullying Awareness Network. Also, will you be commmenting on the fact that bullies often continue their behaviour as adults and there is the whole topic of bullying in the workplace. How do you teach compassion and empathy? Do bullies see these traits at home? My son does. Thanks.

A: Bullying is a relationship problem that starts early and for some children continues throughout life. Children who bully regularly and frequently in elementary school are at risk for engaging in sexual harassment, date violence, and criminal activity and arrest.  There are a group of children who do bully but do not experience these negative outcomes - it is likely they are the ones bullying in the workplace. There is limited research on bullying in the workplace, mostly because individuals for years considered it to be a childhood issue.

Empathy and compassion are important skills for developing relationships - so, yes, they are important in building and teaching to children who bully. But it is not enough, we need to teach these children and youth many things about healthy relationships - those are two important aspects. For some children who bully regularly and frequently, they come from homes that experience high levels of stress whether it be unemployment, an aggressive parent, single-parent family, a parent with a psychiatric problem or financial concerns.

Online Q&A: Post-secondary advice

Thanks for joining us for today's online Q&A on college and university decisions with guest expert Diane Gooch, who's in student recruitment at Centennial College and has an extensive background in career counselling and preparing high school students for post-secondary education.

Join us for our next forum on bullying in schools. We'll take your questions starting Friday.

If you have any ideas for future topics or experts for our weekly forums, please contact education editor Kristin Rushowy at krushowy@thestar.ca.

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Q: Hi, I'm a Grade 12 student, I have an image of what I want to do in the future, but I am unclear about how to put it together within a "higher education" setting. I want to make sure that the decision I make by January/06 is one that I can, a) live with, and b) be flexible with. I want to combine a few things that I am REALLY good in and that I love: exercise science, acting, and sailing. I want to study exercise science and acting so that I can combine both of these areas and work in a television environment. Another alternative is to combine excercise science and my passion for sailing (plus a bit of business administration)and possibly work for a yacht club (?). I can visualize myself clearly doing all the things I am passionate about but don't know which universities will allow me to combine them and offer me a proper degree (maybe even a dual degree) that will be acceptable in the real world out there. Please help me give my self a realistic direction which will reduce my feelings of anxiety. My decision will affect the rest of my life and I want it to do so in a positive way.

A: The best way to make sure that you make a decision that you live with, is to make sure that you make an informed decision. That is to say you need to carry out your research, and have one or more back-up plans. It is great that you know what you are good at and what you love to do, so many people are not at that stage. What you need to do now is consider why you are good at those things and what it is about them that you 'love.' We often make decisions based on our own exposure to something and for some, that may be a limited area. Once you see what it is you like about something; maybe it is the way it makes you feel, either physically or emotionally, the challenge or dealing with the 'unknown,' you can start to relate and research how these can be linked to jobs and careers. Seldom are individuals lucky enough to combine all their passions into one occupation, but may have a career that will allow them to continue with other interest, say as a hobby or through volunteer work.

Q: What type of high school courses do you need to become a child and youth worker?

A: For entry into a Child and Youth Worker program, applicants are required to have their OSSD including the minimum of 12C English. There may also be non-academic requirements (depending on the college) such as experience of working with children between the ages of 5-18 years, this could be through high-school co-op, community service, volunteer or paid employment. Letters of reference may be asked for, completion of a questionnaire (why are you interested in this career?) or the applicant invited to the college to attend a mandatory information session at the college. Check with the colleges you are interested in to see what their specific requirements are.

Q: What is the usual average a student needs to receive an academic scholarship in college/university?

A: Scholarships can be administered in one of three ways:

* To the student who has the highest grade

* To all the students who have a certain grade or above

* There is a fixed number of scholarships and they start with the student at the top of the list and work down the list until the all the scholarships have been awarded. In this situation the minimum grade can vary from year to year.

Usually you are looking at 80's and above; in some cases the higher the grade the higher the amount is. You should check with the institution as to what the policy and criteria are and whether it is looking for an overall average, top six subjects or a specific subject. It does vary.

Q: I am interested in becoming a RCMP officer. What college provides the best program for my career choice?

A: Regardless of whether a college or university program is studied, there are other non-academic requirements specified by the different forces, but will include things such as no criminal record, a valid driver's licence, first aid and/or CPR certification and physical requirements (vision, hearing and physical fitness). Those wishing to become a police officer are advised to check with individual agencies for the specific requirements.

A number of colleges offer Police Foundation programs which prepare students physically, academically and emotionally/mentally for Police College. A Police Foundations program is not normally a mandatory requirement but does give a valuable foundation and skills which will later be utilized in the field. Probably the most popular degree students study prior to training as a police officer would be criminology (and associated subjects). A newer program that could be considered is the degree offered by Georgian College, Bachelor of Applied Human Services - Police Studies. This combines the practical and technical strengths that you get from a college with the theoretical background of a bachelor degree.

Q: What is the most difficult thing when entering college?

A: This varies from student to student. For some, it is the financial side of things, for others it is the learning style. There is certainly more freedom than high school (e.g. for most programs, attendance is not taken every class). Or it may be something such as not being with the same friends you had in high school.

Q: Hi, my name is Raashida and I was just wondering if I need Grade 12 calculus for the nursing program at Centennial HP?

A: The minimum admission requirements to be considered for the Nursing (BScN) program at Centennial College in collaboration with Ryerson University and George Brown College are: Six Grade 12U or M credits including; English 12U, biology 12U, chemistry 12 U, math 11U or M (overall average in the range of 70% required with a minimum of 60% in each required subject). Having the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission into the program.

Q: What type of high school courses do you need to be an interior designer and what college would you recommend?

A: The minimum requirement for a high school student to attend college direct from high school is their Ontario Secondary School Diploma. You are also usually required to have a minimum of 12C English. The specific requirements will vary from college to college, but in addition to the academic requirements you are mostly like to be required to submit a portfolio and each college will have their own criteria for assessment. Usually an art program at high school would set the foundations needed to start building a portfolio.

You can go to OCAS (Ontario College Application Service) to search which colleges in Ontario offer interior design programs.

Q: What would you recommend to someone who has no idea what they want to do for the rest of their life?

A: If you have no idea what your future career goals will be then there is help out there! If you are a high school student, then your guidance office will take you through the process, many community agencies offer career services (which may have an associated charge if you do not meet the criteria for their service delivery) and colleges often run workshops through their continuing education (or part-time studies) where your can explore your interests, beliefs, values etc and link these with your research for future career goals.

It is also important that you do your research - carry out informational interviews with people in jobs and careers you are interested in. Be sure to ask them about the negative or downside to their jobs as well as the good side so that you can make your own informed decision.

Q: How do I find out which college would be better for me?

A: This is a decision you have to make for yourself based on your individual needs. Some questions to ask yourself and/or the college would include:

*Does the college have the program I am looking for? Do I have the admission requirements?

* Do I have to move away from home? How long will it take to get there?

* What are the graduate employment statistics? (i.e. how many students from the program found employment? How much are they earning?)

* What supports are available to students? Including financial assistance, assistance for students with disabilities? What is the exact cost? What are the additional expenses?

* How do I get the practical experience? Workshops/labs, placements or paid co-op?

* How long is the program?

* What are the college's KPI (Key Performance Indicators) results? (These indicate how happy current students are with services and how satisfied employers are with the graduates from the colleges.)

* What are the facilities like?

College websites often answer many of these questions, but the best way to see if a college is right for you is to go and visit it. Most college have open houses and March Break activities for potential students and you can also participate in campus tours.

Q: I am planning to go into theatre arts and I am aware there is an audition process. I would like to know some facts about the audition process.

A: The audition is there to see that you 'have potential' for the program to build on. You are usually given a short piece to prepare for and a piece to read which is 'new' to you on the day of the audition. You should check with the institutions you are considering to see what their audition process consists of and how long the auditions run, whether it is a group or individual audition and how many people will you be auditioning in front of.

Q: How do you choose the right college courses for your future career?

A: Most college programs are directly related to working in a specific job or occupational area, so choosing the right program can be done by looking at the program name or the types of positions graduates are working in (found in college calendars and on college websites). For example, if you wanted to work as a chef you would be looking a culinary programs, for working in a day-care centre you would look at Early Childhood Education or Early Childhood Assistant.

If you have no idea what your future career goals will be then there is help out there! If you are a high school student, then your guidance office will take you through the process, many community agencies offer career services (which may have an associated charge if you do not meet the criteria for their service delivery) and colleges often run workshops through their continuing education (or part-time studies) where you can explore your interests, beliefs, values and link these with your research for future career goals.

Q: How much does college cost?

A: The cost will vary slightly by program and college but as a guide for 2 semesters (1 year) based on 2005-6 for a post-secondary program:

Tuition and mandatory fees $2,000-$3,000

Books and equipment $300-$900+

Residence/Accommodation $4,000-$5,500

Don't forget to budget for fun, food and transportation!

Q: I am interested in being a social worker or child and youth worker. What programs do you suggest I enroll in that relate to this field? How long is the program? Do colleges have any partnerships with universities so I could carry over my years in college to university to get a Masters?

A: If you want to be a social worker you are looking at a university education. Colleges offer programs in Social Service Worker and Child and Youth Worker. The Ontario College Application Service (OCAS) has a website, www.ontariocolleges.ca where you can search and find which colleges in Ontario offer these programs. The Social Service Worker program is 2 years and the Child and Youth Worker program is 3 years.

Many colleges have agreements with universities to allow their graduates to go on and study at university, the grade averages required and the amount of advanced standing given varies from program to program and from institution to institution. You would need to complete your university degree, following you college diploma prior to going onto graduate studies.

Q: Our son is in Grade 11. In two years, he wants to buy a beat up VW van, throw his electric guitar in the back and drive to L.A. to make music. (Don't worry, son #2 in Grade 9 has already picked out his university of choice.) He is a capable young man who is social, humourous and artistic. We would like him to explore his options at the college/university level (ex. Ryerson). What to do, what to do, what to do ... so we don't drive him away from post-secondary education which we value dearly. (From Wondering in Whitby).

A: As a high school graduation present buy him CAA membership! I have known many students 'pressurized' into higher education and they tend to be the ones which end up contributing to the 'drop-out' statistics. Many students graduating high school are not ready or prepared for the transition to higher education whether it be college or university and taking a 'year-off' allows the individual to grow-up, explore what they want to do or even get something out of their system! Then, they are often much more focused and dedicated students.

If you are willing (and able) to support your son on his pilgrimage to L.A., you should probably have some discussions and come to some mutually agreed upon outcomes to his adventure, also you should be aware that application to higher education happens in the year prior to programs starting. Many universities will allow a student to defer their start date for a year, whereas colleges currently don't. Here are some questions that need to be address and answered:

* Why does he want to do this? Is it to move away from home? Is he trying to get an emotional response from you?

* How does he plan to pay for his trip? To support himself during this time?

* Is it relevant to his career goals/future plans?

* What does he plan to do on his return?

* Has he explored the options available to him through college and university here in Canada?  There are a number of programs relating to contemporary music in the GTA which he may wish to consider.

At the end of the day, it has to be his decision and he has to live with the consequences. It does have to be an informed decision, his guidance office in high school will help him investigate the types of programs that are available through colleges and universities in Canada and can advise him on the implications of applying to high education, when you are not around to respond to requests to attend auditions, submit additional information, etc.

Q: What's recommended for the high school student whose Gr.12 marks are not up to university-of-choice standards? Would working for a year help in applying the next year? Would going to college for a year help? If this is a viable solution, would it also help for engineering admission?

A: Most universities publish the grade at which students were admitted in to programs of study the previous year, students often refer to them as 'cut-off' grades. Most universities consider all of the application received be for the application deadline (usually in January) and then make offer to students starting with those with the highest grades (some programs will also require supplemental application forms to be completed or submission of a portfolio or an audition) and work down the list until the program is full. The grade average published is the lowest that an individual had the previous application cycle and still got into the program. It is unlikely that grade average varies greatly from year to year, so it is a good tool for students to use when they are doing their research in to which institution to apply to. If a student did not get into the university of choice and applies the following year without any academic up-grading, it is going to be unlikely that they will get offer at the second attempt. Here are some suggestions:

*If the lack of offer was due to the supplemental application rather than academic ability, then working a year (relevant to the program) may give the applicant what is needed to get into the program the student could return to high school, night school or summer school to do some up-grading in subjects that are required for their degree choice. However please check with the institution beforehand.

* Most colleges offer General Arts and Science (GAS) programs which prepare students for further study at college or university. The length of the program can depend on the intended destination, however usually the university GAS program is two years at college. Depending on the college it can prepare a student for application to a BSc or BA. Again, check with the institution.

* Most colleges have articulation or transfer agreements for the 3-year diploma programs (and in some cases the 2 year diplomas). This is where the university will recognize what has been studied at college and put it towards a degree. The grade point average required and level of advanced standing does vary by university and program. It is the university that determines the criteria - not he college. Details can be found on college and university websites.

Q: I keep reading all these things about how expensive university is. My parents do not have any money saved for my post-secondary education. How much is it going to cost? Will I have time to work part-time if I go to university?

A: The cost of university is dependent on many things: program choice, location of university - whether you are going to live in residence, travel costs etc. Mandatory fees (tuition and other fees you have to pay e.g. technology, copyright fees, student service fees etc) for first year university is likely to be in the range of $5,000 - $6,500 depending on the program and university. If the program is a deregulated program i.e. the government has not put a cap on the tuition, than it can be more. In the second, third and fourth years the mandatory fees are likely to increase. Then you have other items to budget for; books, field trips, travel, accommodation, food, clothing etc - and don't forget the fun side!

Many students work part-time, however there needs to be a balance - if you work too many hours it will cut into the time you should be spending studying. Most students can manage a maximum of 20 hours a week working without having a significant affect on the grades. Universities and colleges operate a work study program, where students can work on campus, between classes/lectures (earning $8-$15 per hour depending on the job) details can be found at the institution's financial aid office. Universities have extensive scholarship programs - you should check with institutions you are planning to apply to, to find out what they have to offer.

Every year there are millions of dollars left unclaimed because students don't apply for the money that is available. Bursaries are based on financial need and scholarships on academic ability and awards are based on other criteria such as high school attended, religious organization, community service/volunteer work etc. Two excellent websites to source these awards are www.studentawards.com and www.scholarshipscanada.com. Many students also take out student loans through OSAP - Ontario Student Assistance Program, remember though this is a loan which has to be paid back, with interest, details can be found at http://osap.gov.on.ca

Q: I think it is great that the pressure of the double cohort is now subsiding for students about to start university and college - you no longer have double the applicants to compete against. What about those of us in the system graduating in 2006 or 2007? Is there going to be space for us to get into graduate school, law school or medical school? Are they going to briefly double the number of openings here or are we facing ridiculous odds once again?

A: There was never double the number of applicants to college and universities during the 'double cohort'. There were certainly more applications, especially to universities, that is one applicant may have made more than the usual number of applications to universities.

In September 2002, the Ministry of Education did state that "plans are in place for expansion of programs in a number of schools and faculties, including Nursing, Pharmacy, Occupational Therapy, Education, Management, and graduate studies." However, having spoken with a couple of colleagues in the university sector and the general consensus is that, for a number of reasons, they don't foresee a large surge in application for graduate studies. Compared to the majority of university-bound students who graduated high school and went directly to university, undergraduate students interested in grad school are more likely to stagger their applications over the next few years.

Many colleges have increase their offering for post-diploma certificate programs and 'fast-track' programs (where graduates form a university program can complete a diploma in a shorter period of time, through credit for what they have already achieved for their academic studies).

Q: Why don't college apprenticeship programs (e.g. carpentry) have a better partnerships with business to help in the actual working part of the apprenticeship? I feel government should tie funding to that partnership. I know several graduates of college apprenticeship programs struggled on their own to find apprenticeships afterwards, had to travel across Canada to find one, Others were laid off part way through their apprenticeship and didn't acquire enough hours to write their exams.

A: Traditional apprenticeship training is overseen by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, and recently there have been a number of initiatives to help more young people succeed in the work force including investing $6 million (in 2004-5) to create new Co-op Diploma Apprenticeship Programs which will enable individuals to train through the apprentice route, in specific occupational areas, while obtaining an associated college diploma. In these programs students spend time in the classroom gaining skill prior to going out on a paid co-op opportunity and then returning to the classroom to complete their academic qualification. With this particular program the college is responsible for finding the co-op opportunities and in many situations it is hope that as the employer has already invested time (and money) with the student, that they will be willing to hire the individual after graduation to complete the apprenticeship requirements. The Co-op opportunity, if you like can be seen as an extended job interview!

In order for a individual to study as an apprentice at a college (which could be day release, block of 8 weeks etc) they have to have an apprenticeship agreement; a legal document between themselves and the employer, it is all overseen by the MTCU, Apprenticeships and Adjustment Branch, without one of these a student would not be studying under the apprenticeship route at college without an employer (with the exception of the Co-op Diploma Apprenticeship program). Apprenticeship agreements can be transferred between employer, so in the unfortunate situation an individual is laid off they do not have to start from scratch. More information about apprenticeships can be obtained from: Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities Apprenticeships and Adjustments Branch, tel: 416-326-5800.

Online Q&A: Exam stress

Do you get test-stressed? Do you freeze up when taking an exam? Does your teen need help preparing for tests or big assignments?

Dawn Lovas of Ryerson University -- who teaches learning strategies to students -- was this week's expert in our online education forum. If you have any ideas for future forums, please e-mail education editor Kristin Rushowy at krushowy@thestar.ca.

Q: I have alot of questions that I need a professional to answer:

What time of day is best for homework?

A: The time of day that is best for homework varies among individuals: some people are more effective in the morning, while others find they can concentrate better in the afternoon or evening. If you are a full-time student, treat school as a full-time job. This means that your daylight hours should be used productively. Depending on your workload, you may have to do a number of "overtime hours".

How long should working periods be?

A: A general rule is to study for 50 minutes and take a 10 minute break, however you may shorten your study sessions for more difficult material. It's recommended that you don't spend more than 3 hours on one subject at a time. If you have a large amount of work to complete, you may try alternating subjects every couple of hours.

Are breaks a distraction, or a good thing?

Breaks are a necessary part of effective study sessions, but you'll want to avoid activities that you are easily absorbed by (e.g. going on the Internet). Instead, take break with activities that have a definite end (e.g. eating dinner, watching your favourite tv show).

What if it's hard to concentrate, and you can't sit down for more than 15 mins without getting distracted?

To improve your concentration, consider what is distracting you and take steps to eliminate those distractions. For example, if you are being distracted by phone calls, family/roommates, or the TV you may choose to change your studying location to a quieter place in your home or to the library. You may also need to gradually extend your study sessions and set rewards for yourself for completing your work. When you sit down to study, set a specific goal for the task(s) you want to accomplish rather than a goal for how long you're going to study. Use methods for engaging yourself in the material such as writing notes or creating questions.

When is the best time for information to sink in?

The best time for information to 'sink in' is when you're most alert. If you tend to feel most energic in the morning, plan to study your most difficult subjects then.

What's better -- late nights or early mornings?

Again, the time of day that is better for studying is dependent on when you feel most alert. Many people find that if they start off their day with schoolwork, it helps them to gain momentum for greater productivity during the day. Others find that they are able to concentrate best late at night when there are fewer distractions. The key is to determine when YOU study best.

How do you fit in a social life?

With numerous school-related priorities, it may seem difficult to fit in a social life; however, your connections with others are important for managing the stress of being a student. Good planning and boundaries can help you to balance your studies with your social life. There may be particularly busy times during the semester (e.g. mid-terms) that you're not able to socialize much, but you can plan social activities as rewards for completing certain tasks.

What if you don't like schedules?

While scheduling can be an effective time management strategy, it's not something that everyone feels comfortable with. The large number of priorities that you have as a student makes it necessary to enlist some type of system for organizing your time. You may prefer to make weekly or daily checklists and rate each item on your list "A," "B," or "C" according to its priority. Another option is to buy a four-month calendar and write all your test/exam dates and due dates on it. The four-month calendar is best used in combination with an agenda book so that you can set task goals for each week to help you meet those deadlines. Ultimately, you may need to experiment with different methods for managing your time to find one that works for you.

Q: My son is in second-year university. He studies and knows the information, but gets test stressed and freezes up during exams. Also, he has great difficulty doing multiple choice questions. Any suggestions??

A: While some stress or anxiety can motivate us and help us to perform in a testing situation, too much can hinder our ability to access information from our memory. The "freezing up" that you referred to is something that many students experience when writing tests or exams.

For some, it is caused by insufficient preparation and/or studying in a way that doesn't effectively prepare them for the exam. Others may have developed an anxiety response to tests or exams as a result of disappointing or stressful testing experiences in the past. Your son may study for hours and know the information without actually preparing himself to write a test. It is important that his study methods include creating and answering questions about the course material. You didn't mention the program he's taking, but if it's one that involves quantitative courses then it would also be important that he devote a large percentage of his study time to doing practice questions.

Some students find it useful to simulate the conditions of an exam by selecting different types of questions from their textbook, study guide, and homework; and setting a time limit for answering them. Test anxiety can also be managed by focusing one's attention on the present moment rather than what has happened in the past or what might happen; putting the situation into perspective; using deep breathing and muscle relaxation exercises; answering easier questions first; brainstorming on more difficult questions; and using positive self-talk. If test anxiety continues to interfere with your son's performance, you may encourage him to meet with a counsellor at his university. Your son's ability to write multiple-choice tests can be enhanced by learning specific preparation and exam-writing techniques. Most universities offer study skills workshops that include writing multiple-choice tests. There is also a tip sheet available at ryerson.ca/learningsuccess/resources.html#test.

Q: What kind of test is better for testing knowlege -- multiple choice or what? Multiple choice seems too easy sometimes. Also, my son sometimes has "open book" exams at university. I don't see the point of those. He doesn't even bother to study for those.

A: All test formats assess students' knowledge, but some experts argue that certain formats do not adequately access higher order thinking skills such as analysis, synthesis, and evaluation (see www.esf.edu/erfeg/endreny/courses/LevelsofKnowledge.htm for more information on levels of knowledge). Multiple-choice tests are an efficient way to check factual knowledge, and well-written questions can assess more complex levels of knowledge.

While it is possible to answer some questions correctly by guessing, well-developed multiple-choice test skills cannot substitute for knowing the information. Many students actually find multiple-choice tests to be more difficult because they require them to differentiate between similar answers and there is no opportunity for partial marks. Open-book exams tend to move beyond simply requiring students to recall information that could be easily accessed in their books. In most cases, if they do not understand the information they will not have enough time during the exam to learn the material well enough to apply it to the questions, or to determine which concepts to apply. As a result, the open book format can be quite effective at testing students' higher order thinking skills.

Q: I don't have any children in university or even high school, but they will be writing the province's standardized tests next year. How do I prepare them? Isn't it more stressful for younger children to write tests?

A: Tests can be stressful for children, as they are for students of all ages. Your interest in helping your children to prepare is one step toward reducing the stress that they may feel. There are a number of things that you can do to help your children prepare for the tests, and consequently create a foundation for good study skills. First, I recommend speaking with your children's teachers about what activities you can do at home to help them prepare for the specific tests that they'll be writing. Second, continue to show interest and involvement in their schoolwork. Discuss their homework with them, ask them questions, and model a curiosity for learning. Third, help them to establish a regular routine for completing homework and managing their time well. Finally, encourage your children to take the tests seriously, but avoid showing anxiety about their test scores. Instead, accentuate their effort, hard work, and progress.

Q: Why do people get worried about exams? Isn't it because they aren't prepared?

A: As I mentioned in an earlier response, stress can be a signal that more preparation is required for the exam; however, it is not the only reason that students feel stressed about exams. Some people experience exam stress because they have extremely high performance expectations that may be unrealistic in a situation where they have to juggle a number of priorities. Others become paralyzed by stress because they are focused on how their own abilities compare to those of their classmates.

The pressure to perform well on exams may be significant for students who need to make up for lower results during the semester. In reality, it would actually be a mistake to eliminate all stress during exam time, because it is useful and necessary for you to perform at your optimum level. Stress can be a motivator, but using it to your advantage requires that you be able to keep it at manageable levels.

Q: I'm in first-year university and I love it so far. I'm doing okay on my weekly assignments, getting Cs and Bs, but now I'm sure I bombed my midterms. There's so much to read for each class and my mind can't focus on it. I try to read the textbook but I go blank. The next day I can't remember what I read. I like classes but it's all the reading I find really hard. I'm not sure what to do now because I have exams again in December.

A: One of the greatest transitional challenges for first-year university students is learning a large amount of information in a relatively short period of time. Your enjoyment of your program puts you in a good position, as it will make the hours of reading easier to endure.

Struggling to remember what you've read may be the result of reading passively. Depending on your learning style, you may benefit from writing study notes, discussing the information in a study group, drawing diagrams or flow charts of key concepts, highlighting major points, and/or creating questions in margins. The SQ3R method, which stands for Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Review, engages you in the material and is useful for improving your reading comprehension. You can read about this method at http://www.ryerson.ca/learningsuccess/resources/TS4.htm. You'll also want to focus your energy on 'understanding' key concepts, particularly those that your professors emphasize in class, rather than attempting to memorize all the information in your readings. In addition, break up your readings into logical sections and ensure that understand each section before moving on. Take a short break after every hour of studying and try to do your more difficult readings when you are most alert. Most importantly, add time for review into your daily schedule and be sure to review your lecture notes or readings within 24 hours for optimal long-term retention.

When you get your midterms back, take some time to analyze the types of questions that were asked to determine if you concentrated your studying on the appropriate information. Consider why you answered some questions incorrectly and how you studied for questions that you answered correctly. You can improve your exam-writing skills by learning from each test that you write. It's not too late to make a difference in this semester, but with exams quickly approaching you'll need to act now. Speak to your professors or T.A.'s about strategies to help you succeed in your courses and create a study plan for final exams. Find out what kind of academic resources are available at your university and take advantage of those supports right away.

Q: My daughter attends Ryerson University and always does poorly on tests/exams, despite studying. I think she doesn't study effectively. Can you help? -A concerned mother.

A: As you've noted, studying doesn't necessarily lead to a strong results on tests or exams. Your daughter's methods for studying may not be conducive to her particular learning style, the types of courses she is taking, or the format of her tests/exams. Fortunately, there are a number of academic support resources available for your daughter at Ryerson, including free study skills workshops and individual learning strategy consultations. For her more difficult courses, she may consider getting a tutor through the Tutor Registry or using one of the free tutoring drop-in centres that are available in some faculties. For more information, go to www.ryerson.ca/learningsuccess.

Difficulty with tests can also result from a learning disability, but this is the case for a very small percentage of students. If you or your daughter suspect that she might have a learning disability, you may encourage her to connect with the Access Centre. If her struggles result from test anxiety, she could benefit from meeting with a counsellor in the Centre for Student Development and Counselling. These supports are offered through Student Services at Ryerson (www.ryerson.ca/studentservices), and other universities have similar services.

Q: I do very poorly on tests although I study and understand, but I just panic when the test day arrives ... How can I relax and be successful?

A: If you are in university or college you may benefit from meeting with a counsellor in your student services area. A counsellor can help you to determine the root of your panic and develop specific coping mechanisms and prevention strategies. In high school, the guidance department provides a similar service.

Consider whether your studying methods are preparing you to write the test. Knowing and understanding the material is a great start, but testing yourself with different types of questions in different orders can help you to develop your exam-writing skills. If you feel that you are studying well, try to identify the reasons for your panic and consider whether they are realistic. You can help yourself to relax by getting organized the night before the exam and 'reviewing' your notes. Avoid trying to learn new material within 24 hours of your test/exam. Get a full night of sleep because sleep deprivation will interfere with your memory, concentration, and problem-solving abilities. Try to get some exercise before your exam, even if it's a 15-minute walk. Get to your exam early, but avoid talking to other anxious classmates because their anxiety can be contagious. When you go into the exam room, find a seat where you feel comfortable away from distractions (e.g. the door).

Before beginning your test, take a moment to focus on your breathing, thoughts, and feelings. Check with your counselling department for workshops or resources on muscle relaxation, meditation, and breathing exercises that can help you to prevent and reduce panic. Focus your attention on one question at a time, and move to easier questions if you get stuck. When you've completed the questions that you're more confident about, return to the difficult questions and brainstorm what you know about the topic on scrap paper. Most information gets stored in your memory in connection with other information, so brainstorming can trigger some memory cues that will help you to access the information. Keep your attention on your work and try not to be concerned with the pace that others around you are moving at. If you find yourself starting to panic, take your attention off of the test for a moment and take ten deep breaths. Some anxiety during a test can benefit your performance by helping you to focus and stay motivated, but too much anxiety needs to be managed.

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Q: How come some university classes have assignments through the semester and just one final exam? Some programs have exams all the time.

A: University classes are structured differently according to the purpose of the course and the concepts that need to be learned. While some engineering courses may have more tests, courses in the arts or social sciences usually require a significant amount of writing. In a program like engineering that is more focused on quantitative work, testing is one efficient way to assess whether you've acquired the knowledge and skills outlined in the courses' learning objectives. Some people might argue that certain programs are more difficult than others, but each program comes with its own set of challenges. The key to being successful in university is to identify the skills that you need to get through your program and try to develop those skills in each course.

Exam time can be stressful when you have several courses to study for in a short period of time, but with good planning and an effective study schedule it is possible to study effectively and achieve strong results.

Q: This happens to me a lot: my mind goes blank during a test. Why does it happen and is there something I could do?

A: Going 'blank' on a test can be caused by lack of preparation or ineffective preparation. Performing well on tests requires long-term preparation that includes attending class, keeping up with readings and homework, and creating study notes; and short-term preparation that includes review and self-testing. Consider whether your current study methods are preparing you well enough for your tests. Determine the types of questions that you tend to blank out on (e.g. problem-solving, multi-part, application) and be sure that your studying addresses those areas. Be sure that your review involves doing a variety of practice questions so that you can become comfortable producing answers in different ways and in different orders.

If you find that you can answer questions well before the test, but then are unable to answer similar questions on the test you may be experiencing test anxiety. In this case, you will need to adopt some strategies for bringing your anxiety down to manageable levels. Check out my other responses for some tips for managing anxiety. If test anxiety continues to be a problem for you, I would recommend that you make an appointment with a counsellor at your university/college/high school.

Online Q&A: Preschool/daycare

Thanks for joining today's online education forum on preschool and day care with Professor Theresa Steger.

Do exams stress you out? Please join us for our next forum with testing expert Dawn Lovas of Ryerson University. If you have any ideas for future forums, please contact education editor Kristin Rushowy at krushowy@thestar.ca.

Q: I had a great primary education experience while living in the Jane-Finch area and later North York. I remember tutoring private school students in university. Is there truly much difference between private and public education up to Grade 3 or so? My son is almost 4 and will be going to school in September. Day care and private schools are very expensive, but I have yet to truly understand what benefits are to be gained by a private school?

A: The differences between public and private education comes down to the specifics. For example, private schools may offer lower teacher-student ratios, may be open to one gender only, may have a particular curriculum focus, such as the arts, or science, may offer specific programming unavailable in public schools, etc. It is these particulars that often influence a family's decision to attend private school. They may also have a history or family tradition of children attending the school (sometimes for generations) and so have a degree of comfort with having their own child attend a school where they themselves were students.

Private schools, by their very nature, are selective. Families who put their children in a particular school often share similar values and, to a certain degree, the financial means to pay for a space, because, as you said, these spaces can be expensive. This is not to say families do not make sacrifices to have their child attend a private school. The point is that these families are similar to some degree in that they are willing to make the necessary sacrifices because they are committed to the type of private education they expect to receive. In some schools this may be reflected in the curriculum and in the overall school-community life and this is something families need to keep in mind when deciding about an individual school. The same is true for public schools. Some families attend public school because they feel they have no other option (often due to finances), but this is not the only factor. Others believe public school is effective, at least to a certain degree. There are some families who believe strongly in the idea that all children deserve quality schooling, regardless of financial means, and that children must learn to work together with the range of diverse learners that they believe are more represented in a public setting. These families may choose to send their child to public school because they think it is more inclusive.

As a whole, children from both public and private schools go on to do a range of things after graduation, including acquiring successful jobs, attending university, raising families, attaining a certain level of personal satisfaction, etc. There is no evidence that either group is limited. However, these are group statistics. For an individual child, the child and family may come to the decision that either public or private school is the best option for them.

Q: How do I find out the safety record of the school and if there are any complaints against the school?

and ...

Q: Maybe you can tell me where I go to get information on the various day-cares in York Region - I don't mean hours of operation or vacancies, but statistics on accidents reported, or the number of licensing infractions (such as breaking fire codes, teacher ratios, etc.) I have contacted the ministry responsible for day-care licensing in York Region and they have pretty much put up a brick wall with regards to providing me the information that they gather when their inspectors go out and visit these licensed day-care centres. First I was told they do not provide that information to the public, then, I quoted the "Freedom of Information Act," and they changed their tune, telling me they WOULD have to provide the information but I would have to request it in writing. When I did so, I received a call from their office telling me I would have to pay for the "man-hours" for one of their employees to compile this information for me and it would cost me several hundred dollars to do so. I can't believe I am the only mother to ever try and figure out a "good" day-care from a "poor" one. All of my friends have chosen to put their children in private day-care so I don't have a reference point to find out which ones are better than others. People will spend hours researching hotels on the internet before they go on vacation - why isn't anyone researching these day-cares? I have just contacted my local MPP regarding this matter and I am about to write a letter to my local paper, hoping to find 200 parents each willing to spend a loonie so that I can get this information and distribute it to the other paying parents. Why won't the gov't agency release this information? What are they afraid of?

A: I expect you are not the only parent attempting to get this information and you are correct in that it should not be this difficult. Asking a centre directly for the site visit report may be useful. Centres may be willing to share these reports with you, at least if you agree to read the report on-site at the centre. For centres who are not willing, it sounds as though you are exploring many possibilties. Contacting the licensing office again, and asking them to put their telephone response to you in writing is important. You might wish to mention to them your intention to go to the media. In addition to your plans to work through your MPP, you may be able to connect with other families through programs in the community. York Region has some wonderful programs offered through the public libraries. Pediatricians and elementary school teachers may also be able to provide information on particular centres or ways to connect with other parents who are looking into programs. Perhaps together you are more likely to get the information you are looking for. In addition to the statistics, personal experience with the centre and consideration of your own standards are important for decision-making.

Q: My daughter is two years old. I am looking into putting her in a preschool. Here are some of my questions: What should I be assessing when choosing a school for her? Are preschool/daycare rated some way by someone or some organization? How are these school regulated? Where can I find information about it?

A: I have addressed some of these points in other responses but a summary would include such factors as: - Is the centre licensed? - Teacher qualifications - Teacher and family turnover rates - Quality of interactions between staff and children - Materials which are open-ended and can serve a variety of purposes, accessible to children, and safe - Extended periods of time for play - chosen by the child - Opportunities for indooor and outdoor physical play - Safety, feeding, toileting (including toilet training), and sleeping routines -Undesirable/unacceptable behaviours and strategies used to respond to these.

Licensed centres do meet minimum requirements, based on site visits. Perhaps the most effective and time-efficient means to access this information is to ask the childcare centre director/administrator. If a centre is unwilling to provide this information, you may need to take further steps. The Ontario Ministry of Children and Youth Services may be useful in your efforts to learn more about this.

Q: We are looking into a preschool for our daughter who is almost 3 years old. Is there any big advantage to Montessori schools? Are there any statistics to show how former Montessori preschoolers perform versus those who took regular preschool?

A: I am not aware of a Ontario-based study looking at long-term effects of Montessori education compared to other early education experiences. When such studies do exist, they are often commisioned by the program which they are intended to evaluate and, as a result, what becomes public information may be censored in some way. As I mention in some of my responses to other questions, there is great variation among programs, even programs which profess to be based on a particular philosophy. To be certain a program suits your daughter and your family, you are best to visit the program and spend some time there.

Q: My daughter recently started Montessori and while I've heard it's great, I don't quite understand all the rules. For example, she gets in trouble when she steps on a certain "mat" or is in between activities. Is it supposed to be this strict?

A: First, Montessori programs, like all programs that say they follow a particular philosophy, tend to vary greatly. It is important to see what actually happens in each site and to ask questions about why things happen the way they do. It may be hard to know in advance what to ask, because it is often after your child has spent some time in the program that the questions begin to surface. Keep asking the educators for the rationale behind their practices. In your case, don’t hesitate to ask both for the reason behind any concerns when your daughter is “between activities” and the specific strategies that the teachers use when this happens. If you believe your daughter is taking some time to observe others or wander around looking at things, in order to make a decision about what to do next, then find out from the teachers what their response is to this time. Again, individual children and families want and need different things from the care and education programs available.

Children need time for choice and decision-making everyday and programs for young children should be based on learning through play. Where programs are controlled primarily by teacher decisions, there is little room for children to learn how to make choices, manage their own time, and learn to self-regulate their own behaviour – critical skills for continued learning. Some programs value independence more than others, with some placing an emphasis on social skills. Be certain to ask program administrators for philosophy statements and examples of how this philosophy is put into practice. Check out the typical schedules for each day, a week, and a month and be certain to spend as much time as you can within a program, with your child, before coming to a decision. There is nothing wrong with making the decision that a program that is “great” for others is not a match for you and your child.

Q: What are the reasons for a "Day Nursery" pre-school program in Ontario requiring such a high adult/child ratio as compared to an elementary school's junior kindergarten program? My understanding is that currently 3- and 4-year-olds in a day nursery require a ratio of 1 employee to 8 children, whereas primary school classrooms, (ie: JK-Grade 3) can have an overall average of 20 students per teacher. Developmentally, which is the better option?

A: There is no question that, if all other factors were equal, an 8:1 ratio is preferable to a 20:1 ratio. However, it is difficult to compare programs in child-care centres with those in elementary schools, as the teacher qualifications, programs, and other services provided tend to vary greatly. The ratios are influenced primarily by cost and, but when combined with the other factors, the issue becomes more complicated. Ratios can be lower in child-care, partly as a result of the low pay that many ECE professionals receive.
Generally, people are beginning to recognize the specialized education and resulting skills and abilities that it takes to work effectively with young children. There are few, if any, elementary teacher preparation programs responding to this distinction and providing education focused on children in JK-3.  Due to the current legislation, most teacher certification programs range over JK-Grade 6. Elementary teachers are required to have university degrees, in addition to their certification program, and they are expected to learn strategies for teaching in the context of a larger class and teaching many subject areas effectively. It would be wonderful if programs that combined the specialized focus on young children (currently part of ECE education), with the skills, strategies, and advanced education, which is part of Bachelor of Education programs, became the norm for all JK- Grade 3 teachers.
Another key point that comes from your question is the statement that 8:1 ratios are required in each ad every preschool childcare classroom. The idea of maximum class sizes is still not mandated by the Ministry of Education. To their credit, the government has moved towards restrictions on average class sizes in the primary years.

Q: A boy at my daughter's day care has now bitten her three times, always on the forearm. They're not fighting or anything, but for some reason he does it only to her. There's no bleeding, although marks on her skin, but I still think it's a serious situation that the teachers aren't addressing properly because it keeps happening. I want to ask that he be moved to another class or what should I do?

A:  Biting is common in older infants and toddlers. For this age group, biting is typically used as a form of communication. Some children who bite do so in response to frustration. They may not have the language that they need in order to express themselves, and turn to biting as an alternative. Biting can also be simply an effort to be noticed.

Knowing this, however, does little to deal with the concern a parent faces when their child has been bitten, particularly when it is repetitive. You mention your concern that the teachers are not addressing the issue properly. Have you asked them about specific strategies they use in response to biting?

While this may seem highly unlikely, the family of the child who has bitten another child is typically equally as concerned about the incident(s). While on the surface some may appear to downplay the incident, typically no adults want their child to hurt another child and are very anxious when this happens. They may be more comfortable discussing solutions with the childcare staff than with you, as this can be a very embarrassing situation for the family. I have seen some families remove their child from group care as a result of this situation and I am concerned about the sense of isolation that can go along with this. I support the idea of working together towards a solution. While this might mean patience on your part, you should be able to get some answers related to your concerns about specific strategies that staff are using to respond to biting.

Q: I am thrilled that the government has approved money for more child-care spaces ... for school-age kids. When will they be doing something about providing quality infant spaces??? I go back to work soon, and I don’t want to have to "settle" for something. I want the best for my daughter!

A: You are absolutely correct about the need to look for the “best” care you can find for your daughter. Infant spaces, particularly in high quality centres, often have very long waiting lists, so beginning to look early is important. Be certain to check out the qualifications of the childcare professionals to see if they have ECE degrees or diplomas. Qualifications and low staff turnover have been shown to relate directly to the quality of care. As a result of the “Best Start” initiative, there is a movement to create a College of Early Childhood Educators. One of the outcomes of the creation of such a governing body is likely to be a requirement for all childcare teachers to have ECE qualifications.

In your search process, be sure to spend as much time as you can in the child-care centres you are considering. Ask about their routines for sleeping and feeding, as infant care should be responsive to the individual routines of the baby. The centre should have a “transition” time, where you will bring your daughter and stay with her, gradually increasing the time she spends at the center and in the care of the childcare staff. A particular challenge for families who have an infant in childcare is that the infant is not yet able to communicate in words and tell you about what happened during the day. As a result, you will need to be aware of non-verbal signs that suggest your daughter is adjusting well. Is she sleeping, eating, and generally content? I always encourage families, regardless whether they choose center-based or home-based childcare, to arrive unexpectedly, at various times during the day.

Q: Hi there. Regarding daycare/preschool, what should a parent do when a 2-year-old comes home having learned a very bad swear word at school? Thank you.

A: There are a number of possible choices for ways to respond. First, you may find that ignoring the word works best. Drawing unnecessary attention to it may only serve to encourage the child to repeat it again – typically to gain attention. Ignoring a swear word that the child is not regularly exposed to may result in the child quickly forgetting about it and not using it again. However, if this does not work, or you are uncomfortable with the suggestion, you could choose to explain to the child that you find that word rude and ask (or require) that it not be used in your home. In the case where the swear word is used as a synonym for some other word that you prefer, you can directly tell your child, “In our house, we say xxx.” This is particularly useful for slang words related to body parts, bodily functions, and those that are derogatory to individuals or groups of people.

Repeating swear words is a common behaviour for children of all ages and you will continue to have to find effective ways to respond to it for many years to come. As the child gets older, they may actually find the shocked response of an adult to be humourous and, therefore, it is important that you have some idea, in advance, of how you would prefer to respond. One further note … given that you believe your child first heard this word at the childcare, you may wish to inform the staff that this language was used (and may still be being used).

Q: I have two children, 2 and 3 years old, and work full-time as does my partner. We just hired a nanny, and I'd like to give her some ideas for activities to do with them. Do you have any suggestions?

A: First, and foremost, it is important for any caregiver to take cues from the children. You, your partner, and your nanny should ask, “What are the children interested in?”  For young children, activities which are open-ended –- allowing the child choice and a chance to make decisions about what to do and how to do it –- are most appropriate. For example, rather than your nanny setting up a traditional “craft” activity, where the final product is predetermined, allow the children to freely experiment with a variety of materials (paint, playdough, sand, water, goop). It is important to remember that it is not the product of children’s play that make it a learning experience, but rather the process of experimentation and engaging in play. Let the children be the judges of what is to be done at an activity and how long they want to spend there. There should be regular time for reading books, listening to music, singing, and experimenting with various writing/drawing materials, like crayons and markers. Block building and sand and water play have been shown to support children’s mathematical understandings. Building can occur with “found” materials at home, like washed yogurt containers, empty film canisters, egg cartons, and cardboard boxes. Having a dress-up bin with discarded shirts, pants, dresses, shoes, purses, hats, etc. can lead to hours of pretend play. This drama allows children to learn about various roles, try out new skills, and is proven to support language and social skills.

Keep in mind that “over-programming” is not the answer. It is important to remember that the pots and pans in your own cupboard and the plastic cooking utensils may be more interesting to the children and provide invaluable learning experiences

Q: Is it better for a child to be in day care or stay at home with mom? I have this debate with my friend all the time; she thinks that no matter what, it's best for mom to stay at home. I'm not so sure.

A: This is one of those questions to which there is not a single answer. Each family has different circumstances that will impact the decision to have their children attend a daycare. The factors relate both to the adults and the children. Some women (and men) are very committed to being at home with their children. Others find a balance between work and family more suited towards their personal goals. Not everyone has the choice to stay home or go to work. If you are a family where this is a viable option, you will need to consider your circumstances. It is not simply a matter of finances, as both staying home and going to work impact family life with children. Some women (and men), who choose to stay home, believe they are better able to respond to the stresses related to primarily caring for a child all day, every day, often on their own, than they would be trying to focus at work, knowing someone else was looking after their child. Other parents feel that they interact more effectively with their children when they have spent time engaged in work, interacting with other adults, or simply having had some time to themselves. Parent satisfaction, and the resulting quality of care, is the key issue here. 

The unique characteristics of each child also should inform this decision. Some children adapt well to childcare and education settings. This may make it easier for a parent to go to work, knowing that the child is happy. In cases where the child finds the separation difficult, even after an initial adjustment period, a parent may find him/herself so preoccupied with wondering about the child’s emotional state that s/he is not experiencing the rewards s/he expected from going to work. With this in mind, if a family makes the decision to place a child in care, finding the right environment will be critical to the well-being of both the parent and children.

Online Q&A: EQAO tests

Thanks for joining today's education forum on standardized testing with Charles Pascal, the new chair of the EQAO and a former deputy minister of education.

Our next topic is preschool education. Does your preschooler need to go to preschool? Is Montessori the best way to go? What other options are out there? Questions about day care? Professor Theresa Steger of Ryerson University's Early Childhood Education program will answer your questions.

If you have any ideas for future forums or possible experts, please e-mail education editor Kristin Rushowy at krushowy@thestar.ca.

Standardized testing Q&A

Q: My son completed the EQAO test and I paid $50 for it, but unfortunately his school closed down, and I never got his exam results. Can you help me, in getting his test results? Please and thank you.

A: The mention of a fee suggests this is a private school situation. In a cases where a school is closed, and records are unavailable, the parent can contact EQAO at 416-314-0146 or 1-888-327-7377 for information about how assessment results can be accessed.

Q: Scores went up this year, but isn't that because the Liberals made the tests shorter and easier?

A: EQAO is an independent agency and is in no way influenced by the agenda of the government of the day. Recently, EQAO initiated a comprehensive review of its assessment programs to ensure that current international standards of large-scale assessment are being met. The review included input from stakeholders, a jurisdictional review of best practices in large-scale assessment and a major review of EQAO assessment practices by the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto who worked with a team of internationally recognized large-scale assessment experts.

The review indicated that to report overall scores for reading, writing and mathematics, the test could be shorter and remain comparable to previous years. The assessments continue to measure the same knowledge and skills as they did previously.

Q: I have reviewed the recent results for my son's school. They appear to be better than previous years and better than the board and province. How can I tell if the results are due to the teachers teaching the test or if the teachers are using techniques that improve the students' critical thinking skills? Thank you.

A: It is difficult for teachers to teach to the test because the questions are developed to cover the full range of expectations from the Ontario curriculum, and the actual content changes from one year to the next. If teachers teach according to the curriculum expectations, this is a good thing.

Q: What measures are there to prevent school principals and teachers from tampering with the test results? How can some schools have almost everyone getting near perfect scores? If results can be raked easily, then the test is not a reliable measurement of performance of schools.

A: Several measures are in place to ensure that the assessments are administered in the same way across the province. For example, administration guides are provided that teachers are to follow, and quality control monitors visit a sample of schools to observe and report on administration procedures. Our monitors report to us that the assessments are administered in a consistent way across the province. Once scoring of student responses has been completed and the data analyzed, EQAO develops student, school, school board and provincial reports.

Q: Why do children only write the tests in Grade 3 and 6? Why those grades?

A: The assessments are positioned at the end of Grade 3 and Grade 6 because these are key stages in child’s journey through school and are significant developmental transitions points in elementary education. The completion of the primary grades (1, 2 and 3) and the completion of the junior grade division (4, 5 and 6).

Q: Should all children write the EQAO? My oldest son wrote the test two years ago. He was so nervous before it started, even though he does very well at school. My concern is for my younger son. I know how nervous his brother was. I am afraid that the test will be very hard, and discouraging for my son. He is doing very poorly in Grade 3, and is already getting discouraged at school. I am afraid the test will put too much pressure on a child that is already struggling.

A: It is very important for all children to participate in the provincial assessment as it is a very natural component of school and life. The assessment design is tailored to the developmental needs of children in Grades 3 and 6. In order to assist teachers and parents prepare children for the spring assessment, please refer to the EQAO website for resource materials. Most importantly, parents and school staff can prepare children by discussing the assessment as simply one more part of school life, just like the Friday afternoon spelling test.

Q: I don't get the levels. Why can't students be given normal marks, like a letter grade or percent?

A: Teachers across the province of Ontario use the achievement levels from the provincial curriculum in order to assess student work. The levels provide a description of achievement on a developmental continuum from 1 to 4. Level 3 describes the characteristics of student achievement that represent the expected level of achievement or the provincial standard.

The four levels of achievement are defined in the Ontario Curriculum as follows:

Level 4: The student has demonstrated the required knowledge and skills. Achievement surpasses the provincial standard.

Level 3: The student has demonstrated most of the required knowledge and skills. Achievement is at the provincial standard.

Level 2: The student has demonstrated some of the required knowledge and skills. Achievement approaches the provincial standard.

Level 1: The student has demonstrated some of the required knowledge and skills in limited ways. Achievement falls much below the provincial standard.

Q: I would like to know if there is a plan in place to expand the standardized tests to cover core subjects at the Grade 12 level, similiar to that of SAT I and SAT II in the USA? I always doubt that high schools in Ontario are able to give same marks to same academic performance of different students across Ontario. Tests conducted by your office confirmed that not all schools have students' performance at the same level academically.

I would suggest that the Grade 12 students marks provided by individual high school are, in cases, misleading on students' actual performance compared with other students in other schools. This situation poses an unfavourable impact on potential employers and post-secondary educational institutes as they try to find the person with the appropriate academic achievement.

A: Although you raise some interesting points, there is currently no plan to expand the provincial assessment program to include Grade 12 exit exams.

Q: I have three children in elementary school in the Niagara Region, the eldest was in Grade 3 last year. I can tell you from experience that the teaching requirements and the EQAO test, in my opinion, are far beyond what should be expected from 8- and 9-year-old children. In fact, I wasn't taught some of the math topics covered by those Grade 3 students until high school, and really didn't grasp the underlying concepts until second year of university! Not to mention that some of the topics were covered in a very, very short period of time.

A: It’s important to understand that EQAO’s role is to measure student achievement against the Ontario curriculum expectations. EQAO does not define the curriculum, nor set the provincial standard. EQAO tests are constructed with questions that relate directly to the expectations of the Ontario curriculum. T

The results released last week measured student achievement of the mathematics curriculum that was in place in 2004-2005. The curriculum has been revised for the 2005-2006 school year. EQAO will be developing this year’s assessment against this new curriculum.

Q: We are told not to compare our neighbourhood school's ranking to that of other schools but, I'm sorry, it's impossible not to. Both of my sons attended our neighbourhood school, Oakwood Collegiate, for all or part of their high school education. I was a teacher, and I paid attention to their education. I felt that both were held to high standards in most subjects and were well-prepared for post-secondary studies. (One successfully graduated from university; the other is in 2nd year.) I was therefore shocked when I saw that Oakwood's ranking in Grade 9 math was among the lowest in the city. So what is going on there? Is Oakwood changing? If so, why? Or has it always been a school with diverse abilities?

As one looks at other schools with low rankings, it does appear to me that socio-economic level and cultural diversity are factors. Oakwood is located in an area of diverse economic levels, and it is culturally diverse. Does this test have any meaning? If it does, it seems to me that the board should be directing more resources to schools where a significant number of students seem to be having more difficulty.

A: You’ve touched upon the very reasons it’s impossible to compare one school’s results against another’s. The factors you mention certainly influence a school’s overall results, at every level. Each school operates in its own context and has its own particular set of challenges. School comparisons are not what EQAO results are about, which is why we strongly discourage any kind of ranking based on EQAO results.

The purpose of EQAO results is to provide a snapshot of student learning against expectations in the Ontario Curriculum. Although EQAO results provide important and timely information on student learning, it should be remembered that they are only one piece of data within the entire portfolio of information a school and boards collect on their students. When used effectively, these data help educators target areas for improvement and help define teaching strategies and learning objectives to enhance student achievement. As you stated at the end of your comment, using all of these rich sources of data helps schools, boards and the province target initiatives in elementary and secondary schools.

Q: If a child receives a certain mark on the test, does that put them in a level or are the marks put on a bell curve, e.g. the bottom ?% have not met the standard?

A: There is no bell curve system used in EQAO provincial tests. The overall level earned by each child is based directly on his or her own achievement on the test. To be specific, each child receives an individual score on each question answered. These scores are then combined to produce a score in each of reading, writing and mathematics. These resulting scores are aligned to the four "levels of achievement" as outlined in the Ontario curriculum.

Q: I was wondering how these tests are marked?

A: Ontario teachers score the Grade 3, 6 and 9 assessments over a two-week period in July. Teachers are trained using scoring guides and samples of students’ work for each question that they will be responsible to score. Following training, teachers must pass a qualifying test. Groups of teachers are then assigned a specific set of questions that they will score for every student. This ensures consistency in scoring and the reliability and validity of the results.

Online Q&A: Help with Homework

Today's forum on homework is now over, featuring expert Linda Cameron, a professor at the University of Toronto's Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, and an expert in homework and schooling issues.

The top 10 homework tips from longtime teachers Janice Harper and Lynn Morrison, authors of Homework is for Kids, not Parents:

1. Create a positive work environment. Together choose a quiet place that is well lit and free from distractions. A desk or table also helps concentration.

2. Keep all supplies nearby. Arrange tools in a caddy, basket or drawer. After each interruption to search for supplies, it takes a child 2 to 3 minutes to regain focus.

3. Arrange a fixed, nightly homework time. Treat it as you would an appointment. Most school boards recommend increments of 10 minutes per grade. Ensure that your child uses all of the scheduled time for homework or other academic pursuits; consequently, there is no advantage to rushing through work or forgetting it at school.

4. Encourage your child to work independently. Completing assignments by themselves helps children to become confident, responsible and independent adults key factors in their success inside and outside of school.

5. Teach by example. Turning off the TV and reading a book, balancing your chequebook or writing a shopping list, all demonstrate to your child that what they are practicing today are related to skills that they will need as adults tomorrow.

6. Be available. Sometimes an encouraging word is all that is needed. Other times, when frustration creeps in, ask your child to explain what the question asks. Listening to the details can help determine the point of confusion. Asking questions like “How do you know…?” or “What have you tried so far?” encourage children to participate in the problem solving.

7. Praise your child. Positive comments motivate. Don’t wait for the day when everything runs smoothly and test scores are high. Praise works best when given daily and immediately.

8. Use a homework planner. Children more easily complete and return homework with this aid. If your child consistently forgets homework at school, arrange for the teacher to initial the planner to confirm that all assignments are recorded.

9. Be patient. If your meet with resistance from your child, do not argue back. Soon the focus shifts to something completely unrelated. Instead maintain a consistent homework routine. When conflict occurs, listen to your child’s feelings and concerns. Express how you feel and together list possible solutions. Agree on one of the solutions. When children feel that their opinion matters and are invited to help find solutions to these problems, they are more likely to make these solutions work.

10. Contact the teacher if homework problems persist. A good teacher wants to know when there is a problem. Both teachers and parents share a desire for the children to learn and feel successful.

Q: My 10-year-old is spending more time on homework than my 14-year-old. She has three assignments due this week. Both of my children are very involved in sports and it's stressful (for the kids) trying to fit everything in. With the alarming rates of childhood obesity this nation is facing, I wonder about the time children spend on homework. There is a lot of finger-pointing at televisions and computers, but in our house the television is rarely on; there's too much homework to be done.

A: Comments about the stress of homework are far too common. Research has demonstrated clearly that it is one of the most stressful aspect of kid's lives. We do need to be vigilant about keeping the time per day spent on homework to a limit ... check the guidelines below.

One problem often is that kids do not plan ahead for assignments so they get backed up and all of sudden become overextended. Keep a family calendar with all the important activities for everyone on the family included: birthdays, parent meetings, sports activities, professional development days and also include when assignments are due. That way, steps can be taken to make plans for the assignment, parents can plan to be available to facilitate and kids learn how to be organized. Time to develop the whole child is critical. They need time for exercise for sure.

Q: My children have finished grade school, thank God. Homework is no longer the major stress in our lives. I do not bring work home from the office, so why are children expected to spend their evenings pouring over school work? Home time should be family time. Everyone I know with children says that the biggest stress in their family life is homework. I understand that the school day is mostly wasted with managing unruly children, but surely some time could be found in the day for students to practice what they have learned and not have to bring it home to do. I don't ever remember doing homework in elementary school and when I spoke to my mother about this she said: School time is for school work and when you were at home, it was my time. She never had us do homework. We all managed to get through school. My sons spent at least 2 hours each night doing work that was sent home and many nights it was closer to 4 hours. Too much, too young, let them be chi ldren.

and ...

Q: Could you give me an idea of how much homework children should have per night by age or grade? I think that would be helpful for parents to know.

A: Check the websites of your board of education, where you should find charts and homework policies. In general:

JK-Grade 3: 10-30 minutes per night

Grades 4-6: 30-60 minutes per night

Grades 7-9: 45-90 minutes per night

Grades 10-12: 60-120 minutes per night

Q: Why is the homework issue such a big deal?

A: Doctors and child therapists say that homework issues are the biggest school related cause of stress-connected illness for children. No wonder so many parents are worried. Homework is respected and done when teachers give feedback on it. If it is not looked at and evaluated, kids see little reason in doing it for the sake of doing it. There is little researched correlation between homework and learning for young children and the positive effects on learning increase as kids get older. So the benefits exist only in later grades. That does not mean that young children should not be reading and writing and visiting museums and checking out websites and practicing their times tables at home. Playing school was a great learning experience for my kids ... they thought they were playing but had the tools for learning at elbow to teach what they were learning to their dolls and stuffed toys or any live people they could capture to sit still and listen!

Q: Why do kids get so much homework these days? It doesn't really seem fair, especially when the reality is that many in high school also have to hold down part-time jobs, do community service and they have little time for themselves just to have fun. Is the curriculum in high school too much now so teachers have to force students to do so much outside of class? Or has it always been this way?

A: Kids often get too much homework these days because of the pressures of the curriculum and accountability. They have to "cover" so much so that their test results will be adequate. Things have been offloaded to independent work that used to fit into the day. It is a very, very full curriculum indeed and more is being added constantly. Classroom management is tough as well and sometimes too much time is taken up in class handling the disruptions. There are lots of reasons … not all good I am afraid. Most teachers are doing their best but alas …

Your question is the essence of my heart-felt concern. In some cases, there is too much homework that is not real, meaningful and relevant. Too much is left up to the kids to manage on their own and oftentimes is not given feedback and is not really connected to reality.

Homework should extend and elaborate on what is being learned in school … sometimes reinforcing new learning, sometimes practicing a new skill, sometimes and hopefully often taking them to new questions and ideas and inquiry … sometimes reviewing material that needs reinforcing. But it should never be busy work ... useless and boring. Kids need to understand why they are doing what they are doing.

Yes, the worlds of many teenagers is very complex and too full … but sometimes not always with productive and healthy things. The instance you give is a positive one. The world is very different now with technology grabbing the attention and time too often to excess, the community not as safe to "play" in, and kids preoccupied with too grown up interests ... alas, there are no answers.

Q: What websites are available for homework help?

A: I use Ask Jeeves as one resource; Google is another. Your local public library probably has some online homework help as well, such as the Toronto Public Library or the Burlington Public Library. Also, TVO has a great website where teachers will review your essays and answer your specific homework questions.

Q: My 11-year-old son does not focus on his homework assignments. It is a constant battle to get him to complete an exercise. Work is usually messy and incomplete. What can I do?

A: Sounds like he is an 11-year-old boy … I am wondering how much he thinks that the homework is meaningful and relevant. I am wondering why he is not engaged in it. It might be the dance and not the dancer! Have you met with the teacher? This is beginning to sound like a broken record, but communication is critical. What are his work habits like at school? What strategies might the teacher recommend? Can he do the assignments on a computer? Might there be another reason for the messiness … are his eyes healthy?

Set a time limit for the amount of time he should have to do homework taking into account time to relax, play, hang out with friends, do nothing, play his sports, etc. Check the board of education policy on homework and use it as a guideline. Boys need lots of time to be physically active. Discuss a good time of day to block off for homework, choose the best place for him to do it and provide quality tools for him to use: good pencils, markers, paper, books, resources. Good luck … I am afraid that the problem partially comes with the gender and age.

Q: I recently posted a question regarding reading pressure in Grade 1. My son is, in fact, being pressured to do reading homework ... including such things as learning to spell the words one through ten. He is then being assessed on this skill. My concern is that this is very stressful given that we are only one month into the new school year. My understanding is that this is a Grade 1 expectation but that this expectation needs to be fulfilled by the end of Grade 1. How do I approach the teacher to discuss my concerns? Do you feel I will be making things harder for my child by being a squeaky wheel?

A: Oh I understand the fear of the fallout from confrontation but communication is the best answer here. You are right to feel concern about this for your little guy. These early years of literacy development are fragile but ever so important. Everyone is feeling pressure in this one-size-fits-all world that is dominated by testing and accountability and trying to fit so much into so little time. It’s like we have to teach so much in so little time and then unreasonable expectations are arrived at. I recommend that you set up an appointment to talk with the teacher about your concerns and tell her about the stress your son is feeling. Get to know the teacher so that you feel relaxed communicating with her on an ongoing basis. If you can volunteer, that is often a good strategy for seeing what is going on and learning strategies to help your son in his literacy development.

Q: My daughter is in Grade 1 and comes home with at least 90 minutes of homework every night. I usually cap her off at 60 minutes and I think even this is excessive. I have commented in her daily journal to her teacher about the excessive homework, however she has chosen to not reply. In speaking with other parents of children in her class and parents from previous years, they feel the same way I do but are reluctant to say anything because this teacher has a good reputation and is well-liked by the students. My other daughter is in Grade 2 and does about 15 minutes of homework in the evening, which is reasonable. I know I'm not sending my daughter the right message when I tell her it's okay if we don't finish her homework, but where do I draw the line? What happened to teaching kids at school? Teachers are extremely well paid and frankly I resent having to do a large part of their job after I have just finished a 12 hour shift myself at work.

A: Whoa … your question just sent my blood pressure through the roof!!!! Your concern is really valid and your response to communicate your concern to the teacher is what I would recommend. Try to work this out without being confrontational but rather take the tack of concern for your child and wanting to enrich his or her life with other things like time for play, for dancing or music, for climbing trees (safely of course) or for whatever she fancies. Maybe the teacher does not know that amount of time it takes to complete the work … track that for her. Let the teacher know that you will monitor the time for her and that you will see that your daughter completes at most 20 minutes of homework a day. Check out the guidelines on the board of education’s website and you will find that the recommended homework for this age group is from 10–30 minutes per night. I advocate the lower limit.

You are right, kids need to do school at school and then have time to do the other things at home that interest them. If it is to work on a story that they have started at school that they are just dying to write more on or to read a few more chapters of a book that their nose just can’t keep out of … that is different than assigned obligatory school work. Keep advocating and communicating.

Watch the anger statements. Teachers do work hard and are not overpaid. It sounds like the teacher your daughter has cares about kids … I wonder why she has not responded. Maybe a meeting would work better or an email.

Q: How much "parental assistance" is enough, when your child just does not know what exactly to do (and hopefully the parents do!)?

A: This is a tough question that I have wrestled with as a parent. You can get "sucked in" to the projects and with enthusiasm you find out that you have done much more than support and challenge your young student and probably deserve the grade. It hurts when the grade you get is not as good as you think it should have been!

Seriously however, there is more than one question here. If your child does not understand the homework and it is not clear to you either then send a note or an email to the teacher asking for clarification before second guessing and doing something that makes no sense. (That is assuming that this is a young child who needs an advocate and needs someone to explain to the teacher why the homework was not completed.) Sometimes a quick phone call to another student might help your child figure things out … two heads are often better than one. A guide for how much assistance is enough does not exist. You need to inspire, encourage, help your child find resources, provide honest and constructive feedback, maybe an idea or two…a place to work that is not too distracting….and a time limit. Kids do need to have some sense of how long they need to work on school work and really need free time. Homework should make sense in every way! (Good luck on the next science fair project!)

Q: What do you do if your child doesn't have much homework? Should I make him go over schoolwork at night or let him enjoy the free time?

A: What a wonderful problem to have … no homework! Don’t you savour free time? You might check to see if he indeed does not have homework, sometimes kids deliberately forget homework and spend more intellectual time thinking up excuses about who ate it or what horrific thing happened that prohibited completion. However, free time to explore interesting things, to play, to visit with friends, to read a good book, to play a game, to get some exercise out of doors … to learn is far better for growth and development that completing another math sheet or some other trite busy work. What matters most is that your child is doing something that matters to him, that intrigues him and raises questions and wonderful ideas that will inspire further learning. Take the time to find out what interests him and invest in finding resources that will help him develop knowledge, skills, and abilities that will serve him well through life.

Online Q&A: Gerard Kennedy

Today's online forum featured Ontario Education Minister Gerard Kennedy, who answered your questions on everything from funding for religious schools to mandatory phys ed for elementary students. Thanks for joining us.

Q: Learning about gender/women's issues is an important part of our everyday lives, affecting how we think and act. It is so important to have children understand gender and its implications in our society as it gives us an alternative viewpoint to analyze issues such as development, violence against women, eating disorders, homophobia ... The list is endless ... So why is it that something so fundamental to each individual's development and the development of our society is not taught in our school curriculums?

A: All new curriculum policy documents released as part of the current curriculum review process now contain a section on Antidiscrimination Education. Gender issues may also be highlighted here. For example, the just-revised Grades 9 and 10 mathematics document refers to the fact that some girls may need extra encouragement to see themselves in careers involving mathematics. Gender issues have also been integrated into the curriculum in various areas. For example, the Charter of Rights, as well as the impact of the women's movement in Canada are discussed in the Canadian and World Studies curriculum. Eating disorders are a topic covered in the Health and Physical Education program. In addition, we are working with the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration on a plan to educate and motivate children, aged eight to 14, to put an end to gender stereotyping and perceived inequality between women and men, girls and boys and help them learn social skills for healthy relationships that are free from all forms of violence.

Q: Why are high school students allowed to "earn" so many credits at independent credit mills where the credits and the marks are demonstrably related to the fees paid? These students then go on to occupy spaces in universities and colleges that they are unqualified for, squeeze out other students and create a greater demand than necessary for remediation in these higher institutions where there is greater than necessary cost to taxpayers. Students should be learning to learn and gaining literacy and numeracy skills before they go on to college or university.

A:The ministry is currently investigating the allegations concerning credit mills and will ensure that OSSD credits can only be earned by the same standard across the province.

Q: When is the government going to take the big leap and make physical education compulsory for Grades 9-12? I am amazed at the stats that indicate low levels of activity in kids of this age group. Your government seems to be treating the problem only on the surface. Think of the money spent in the health care system because of poor habits learned early in life.

and ...

Q: Your government has banned junk food in elementary schools which is a great idea. When (if ever) do you plan to do the same for high school students? Almost every high school caf sells fries, and that is what most high school students eat (along with a nice rush of sugar pop). I personally would like to see a ban at the high school level on junk food too.

A: The Daily Physical Activity announcement and the junk food announcement for elementary students are two components of an overall Healthy Schools Initiative that will soon be launched in the secondary panel. We will have more information about that shortly. We are formalizing this initiative and will have opportunities in the near future for parents, educators and students to fully participate in the development of the high school program.

Q: The Rozanski report had a number of recommendations, but all hinged on updating the base funding for teacher salaries. Unless the government does that, all funding for ESL, inner city kids, caretaking, etc. is wasted because it goes to prop up the government's failure to pay the full cost of teacher's salaries. When will you update the board's funding for teacher's salaries?

A: The premise of this question is incorrect because we already pay the full cost of teacher salaries. What we've done, in addition, is put extra funding in the ESL grant, Learning Opportunities Grant, Rural School Grant etc. because we knew those were the areas that boards were borrowing from.

We make the argument that, effectively, the amount of investment recommended by Rozanski has been met and, in some areas, delivered in a different fashion. There is still more work to be done. But the substantial component of the recommendations has been accomplished. We are now going to work with boards to make the work transparent and obvious to all communities across the province. We will publicly disclose what the province funds, how the funding formula has changed and what work is still required.

Q: We have various concerns about split grade classes. Our daughter is in Grade 3 and started the year in a single class of 17 students. On September 30, due to less than anticipated enrollment, my daughter's class became a split Grade 3/4 class of 28 students. My wife and I are not happy about this as there are now 11 grade 4 students in the class ... Also, the concept of split grades is very problematic for us. With all the time constraints put on teachers with our new curriculum, and the addition of new physical activity guidelines, teaching time is already at a premium, yet you are asking a teacher to teach two full grade curriculums in one class. A split grade, in our opinion, means split teacher attention and split time to work effectively on each part of the years curriculum. This is ludicrous. A teacher cannot teach two full grades in one year without sacrificing other valuable teaching resources, such as reading time and art. Many of the teachers in this situation have told us that they would prefer to teach large single grade classes instead of smaller split classes.

Our question to you is this: While you have committed to limiting class size to ensure that each child has more access to the teacher, why have you not committed to eliminating split classes, a process which, once again limits teaching time and teaching effectiveness?

A: What matters most is class size and the composition of classes and we would hope that schools would make some allowance for that. Our goal from JK to Grade 3 is 20 students or less. We believe that reduced class sizes, coupled with giving teachers flexibility in the curriculum, should make it possible to be successful in teaching students at their individual level. The class that is referenced above has two challenges: it is large and it is a split grade class. Smaller class sizes of split grades do not present the same challenges. We are looking at ways that we can support split grades if they become necessary in upper grades. The extra time that teachers have in smaller classes should be sufficient to make successes out of most class-size combinations at the lower level.

Q: I am a secondary school music teacher in York Region, and over the life of the new curriculum, I have seen the level of involvement in the arts diminish significantly.
Students, parents, and even our school's administration, feel it is important for students to complete their high school career in four years. However, this does not provide enough time for highly intelligent and talented students to explore their full abilities. We try to accommodate students, but by grade 10 or 11, students are opting out of the arts in order to take as many math and science courses as possible, even though this closes more doors than it opens.

I want to be able to encourage my students to take an additional year and explore the great opportunities that high school offers: arts, sciences, humanities, co-operative education. My administration tells me they are not permitted to advise students on taking extra time because of funding restrictions. At our school of 1,600 students, we are barely able to run senior-level music and drama classes because of this. What kind of future do the arts courses have in Ontario? What kind of solutions can we start working on now so that our students can succeed in all areas of their interest?

A: Since our first year, the government has encouraged schools and school boards to put increased emphasis on the arts in education. We have permitted boards to plan for 2,000 new specialist teachers - which alongside of physed will account for more music, drama and art teachers. We will be launching our arts education initiative in the next few months. It will allow for the broader arts education community to advise on how to best deliver arts education in school.

Q: This government is again making the school system responsible for failed parenting by adding this EXTRA 20 minutes of structured physical activity every day on top of the students' regular physical education period. How can we add this with all the other recommendations handed down for other curriculum-related subjects?

With my Grade 4 class, I have 300 minutes to instruct a day which would include a reading/writing block, science, math, French and then squeeze in this extra 20 minutes of exercise each day. Oh, and yes I do cross-curricular activities where possible.

A: We see the role of schools as supporting parents' intentions and efforts to activate their kids and help them be involved in physical activities. Our daily 20 of physical activity is appropriate. Parents, in their busy lives, will appreciate that the functions they expect to support their children are happening in schools. Daily physical activity will be incorporated with the regular curriculum and we will be providing teachers and schools with options for timetabling and scheduling.

Q: Will the 20 minutes of daily fitness apply to Grade 7/8 schools? Many schools do not have recess time and the timetable is full. Will there be flexibility or will programs have to be cut to implement this program? I see such schools being closer to a high school setting than elementary.

A: Yes. The requirement for 20 minutes of daily physical activity applies to all elementary school grades, including 7 and 8. For older students, we see 20 minutes as the minimum of physical activity and we believe it will contribute to their overall academic success. While it will take some time administratively to work into schedules, this is a requirement that we expect all schools to be successful at. We are also providing funding to hire 2,000 new specialist teachers - some of which will teach phys ed for 40-60 minute classes and will offset the time requirement of classroom teachers. We realize that it will take some time to implement, so it is being phased-in over the course of the school year. We are providing resources to train teachers and help them make physical activity a part of any class, from math to English to social studies. In addition, the province, with the help of experienced educators, is providing teachers and schools with options for scheduling the physical activity requirement.

Q: I have a child in Grade 6 who has been waiting for pyscho-educational testing for several years. She has consistently tested below average by 1-2 grades. She is receiving assistance with an IEP. This year we had supportive documentation recommending testing by two physicians one being a psychologist. We were told that there would be no guarantee that she would be tested even with the documentation. My question is this: Why does there not seem to be enough resources to test children to see if there is an underlying learning disability? I have been told that there are not enough resources to test everyone that needs it but yet who needs it more than a child that is testing 1-2 grades behind. I have subsequently found testing through a local hospital and am awaiting results.

And why is it that we have fewer educational assistants now than we did before we were told that Special Education was receiving more funding? If you are serious about helping the needy students then increasing the one-on-one interaction is required.

A: If a student is receiving an IEP - that's good news. Students should be getting assistance first without waiting or depending on an assessment. Further, the only assessments they should receive are the ones that tell us how to educate the child. Previously, many tests were conducted unnecessarily in order to become eligible for funding. We are working with boards now on an overall reform of special education that will require boards to do assessments at as early an age as possible. There are over 4,000 more education assistants than there were in 2002-03. As a result,  there has been a large increase in individual student assistance. We are now ensuring that there are strategies are in place to produce results for those students as a result in the 65 per cent funding increase for high needs special education students over the last two years.

Q: I want to know what are the minister's thoughts on the Safe Schools Act? Given that the Ontario Human Rights Commission is looking into the matter because of its effect on minority students, is this something that is a priority for the minister?

A: The Safe Schools Act is a broad issue. We are looking at it in a couple of ways:
1. Are we doing enough to keep students safe in school?
2. Are the measures that are currently in place fair to all students?
Both of those questions are being subject to a complete review of the Safe Schools Act.  The review will include public consultations and is underway this fall. We are committing ourselves in advance to taking action to what is found as a result of the review.

Q: Although the Education Act specifically states that no extra charges should be billed to parents for regular classes, parents are routinely asked to hand over money for everything from school trips to graph paper. In the Avon Maitland school district, schools tell parents it's not an option to refuse to pay, even you point out that this is against their own school board policy. As well, they break the law (Consumer's Act I believe) by forcing parents to purchase a "package deal" of student ID card, planner and yearbook, even if you only want the ID card.

The Avon Maitland school board meets on a regular basis to review and set policy on fees but what's the point? The policies are not enforced, there is no accountability, no policy of enforcing their own policies and there is apparently no mechanism in place for appeals, just a refusal from all parties to not pass the buck.

and ...

Q: My son's school is having a fall fair fundraising event. The letter sent home said this event is to raise money for things like "doors for the classrooms." I don't mind helping to raise money for extra-curricular and special projects, but certainly classroom doors are a necessity for safety. I support you as my MPP and applaud your recent education announcements, but I think this Board should have the funds to put doors on the classrooms. I'd appreciate your thoughts. Thank you.

A: We believe that the fundamentals for an excellent education should be paid for by the government. We are giving school boards some time to adjust to the new higher levels of financing that we are providing and our instruction has been to ensure that those dollars flow to the schools.
We are also considering provincial rules around fundraising and school fees but are first giving the boards an opportunity to correct this problem by making sure that no student is being excluded and that no untoward use of fundraising is taking place.
Fundraising should be done for the 'extras' - things that are not essential to acquiring an excellent education in publicly funded schools.

Q: I was under the impression that class size for elementary schools was to be capped at approximately 25. Why then, are there 33 students in my son's grade 6 class?

A: Capping class size is a significant priority for this government. We are capping class sizes at 20 students from JK to Grade 3 by 2007-08. At the same time, the government will ensure smaller class sizes in the early grades do not come at the expense of larger classes in Grades 4 to 8. In fact, there will be an eventual decrease in class sizes in those grades as a by-product of this policy.

Q: While I agree that smaller class sizes certainly cannot hurt, would someone please explain to me when 30 students became such a problem? I went to elementary and high school in the 70s and 80s and 30 students was about the average class size then.

A: We know more now about the benefit of early intervention than we did in the 70s, which is why we are targeting those formative early years. Diversity in the classroom also means that teachers need time to deal with special challenges and give every student the individual attention they need to acquire the essential reading, writing and math skills for future success.

Q: Minister, the top salary for teachers in most jurisdictions is now over $80,000 per year. When generous benefit and pension plans are included, the total salary is likely over $100,000. What is the government doing to control salary levels so that more resources could be diverted to improving the educational system through reduced class sizes, better investment in our crumbling schools, and greater investment in school textbooks?

A: Two out of three dollars invested by the McGuinty government are going to improving education. One-third is being allocated to help give fair increases, in line with inflation, to teacher and education worker compensations. The top salary for a teacher is approx. $78,000. The starting salary is approx. $36,000 and the average salary is approx. $62,000.

Teachers work hard and are fairly compensated for that work. Because teachers have agreed to four-year contracts, we are able to put most of the education investment where it needs to be - new textbooks, $2.8 billion to turn crumbling schools into good places to learn and capping class sizes in the early grades where it really matters.

Q: Can you tell me how the government allows or requires school boards to operate in a consistent or uniform manner? At our daughter's Grade 1 class in Ajax, one of her classmates transferred from the York Region board. The parent of this child was very disheartened to learn that the Durham board does not provide teachers assistants like the York board. This means that one teacher alone must meet the needs of over 25 children. This makes it very difficult to implement programs in literacy where one-to-one interaction is required.

A: We require boards to have similar outcomes. Boards can have different approaches to being successful, so long as they are successful. We have changed the funding formula so that it is tailored to meet the needs of individual students. Boards with the same composition of students (low income, ESL etc) will get the same additional funding to meet those needs. Boards still have the flexibility and the choice on how to deliver good results for students. One board may choose to use educational assistants, another may choose a different technique to get the same result. That is the guarantee we give to parents - no matter what school they send their child to in publicly funded education - they will get a good outcome.

Q: It seems that many retired teachers are taking an early pension and returning to teach again. Is anything being done about encouraging the hire of new graduates?

A: New graduates have been enhanced in their future by the hiring of some 4,000 new teaching positions on the part of the province. As well, I believe boards should be giving opportunities to new teachers if they have short-term positions - which are the only positions that retired teachers are eligible for. Retired teachers are not eligible for full-time permanent teaching positions and they have limited eligibility for substitute teaching. We hope that boards are giving preference to new teachers for those positions to help bring them along to become good full-time teachers.
We have recently launched a new program to retain and help develop new teachers in their first years of teaching. You can learn more about the New Teacher Induction Program by visiting our website.

Q: Why does the province fund the religious education of one group only, Roman Catholics, to the exclusion of all other religious groups?

A: The province does not fund religious education. The province funds publicly funded education of schools that are required to meet high standards. Publicly funded schools must follow the Ministry of Education curriculum, all teachers are certified by the Ontario College of Teachers, and schools accept students, particularly at the high school level, from any faith. This is the type of publicly funded education that has evolved in this province and we have received no other proposal to make it more encompassing.
The private school tax credit was cancelled fairly as a result of the last election. That is the only proposal that has been brought to debate. Our priority remains making publicly funded education, the best education.