Some co-operation, please, teachers

There's an interesting piece on the site today about whether all-day schooling will be available in Ontario schools for 2010. This became a possibility in June when a long-awaited report by Charles Pascal and others was released.

It called on the province not just to provide all-day kindergarten, but to make schools into hubs for childcare, marrying curriculum and daycare under a single roof. For kids up to age 12, there would be a reliable mix of childcare and studies from 7:30 a.m. until 6 p.m. (the typical hours of a daycare). No more mid-day busing or walking kindergartners to or from daycare. No more four-year wait-lists for coveted after-school programs. No more slack-jawed kids softening in front of the TV in somebody's basement because its the only place that had a spot.

Premier Dalton McGuinty said he'd take the summer to think about it. Not so much the all-day learning part, but the hours outside of school.

Complicating matters, teachers said this summer they won't play nice with early childhood educators (ECEs). No, the people we are counting on -- at least in part -- to shape our children's minds and characters, just don't want to share their classrooms. Or at least the unions representing them say they won't.

Like petulant older siblings who don't want to bunk in with brother or sister, apparently teachers are so concerned with "protecting the integrity of the teaching profession" that they don't even want to high-five an early childhood educator on their way out the door once class is over.

What's boggling about this is that no one wants to take any teaching away from teachers and give it to ECEs. What Pascal, Fraser Mustard and other advocates want is for reliable, enriching, safe childcare to be available in one-stop shops that level the playing field between kids from rich and poor homes, and make life a little easier and more affordable for families.

I find this opposition galling because teachers are the ones who see first-hand the discrepancy in literacy, numeracy and behaviour of kids who spend their preschool years and after-school hours in stimulating environments, compared to those who don't. Kids whose off-school hours are filled making crafts, working on homework and getting exercise under the care of qualified ECEs, are at a huge advantage over those who languish in unstimulating, unlicensed care with a high ratio of kids to caregivers. Or over children who are half-watched at home by a older siblings who may be busy uploading photos to Facebook, while MSN planning their next trips to the mall.

So what do you do if you want the province to implement the recommendations of the Pascal report? You join forces with other parents and start a list of families who want all-day childcare based in your school. You email your MPP. And you tell your child's teacher -- and maybe the shop steward -- that you hope he or she will speak up in favour doing what's best for families.

Make it known that your school community won't stand for teachers who stand in the way of better childcare.

We've got a whole page devoted to the Pascal report. Read more.

Comments

[Not amused]

Let's call it what it is: daycare, not education. It's an extra half day of play time so mom and dad don't have to spend a couple of years paying for daycare or spending time with preschoolers. But its also $500 million out of the pockets of the taxpayers, so there are other reasons to consider this kind of thing very carefully.

[S. Morgan]

Please be sure that you are representing the thoughts of actual individual teachers, not the unions that represent them. The opinions of individuals are not necessarily the same as the party line. The one huge concern over full day kindergarten, and the creation of education hubs is the space! Where will we put the children? In a school with 6 classes of half day kindergarten children, you currently need 3 rooms. If they stay all day, you need 6! The government would have to invest millions to enlarge existing school buildings and the current daycare centres would be boarded up.

[mary lukic]

What a great idea. Not only do the kids get early stimulus and education but the parents would get piece of mind knowing that thier child is in a safe learning invironment, and you dont have to worry about mid day transportation to and from school and daycare. If this had been available when my kids were young I would have gladly paid a fee for such a program. Government will always find reasons to tax us at least this one would be worth the expense.

[Secondina]

I am a Canadian expat living abroad for over 14 years now. I live in Italy. I have two small children and no family living close by. We have a school system identical to the one proposed and I must say that it is by far the best situation one could hope for in my situation. My children are in Kindergarten (my 3 yr old) and in 1st grade. We take them to school in the morning at 8-8.15 and pick them up between 5-5.30. We pay a minimal cost of approx 400 Euros each per year for pre and post school programmes and would be lost and financially inhibited without them. My children get hot lunches served from a school catering service and are cared for throughout the day which allows me to work serenely and not worry about them being picked up by a baby sitter or neighbour and taken to daycare or sitting infront of someone's tv for hours!

[m.alton]

Note to "Not amused" I am on the board of a not-for-profit daycare which is exceptional in its delivery of not only good safe care, with playtime but also education. Housed in a public school almost all of the children graduate to grade 1 - knowing addition, subtraction, if not reading then the alphabet and how words fit together. I am always surprised at not only the under-estimation of children's abilities but the disdain that the public school teachers in our school give our ECE educated staff.
By properly instituting early education in caring environments we could give all kids a better start, we could relieve the most incredible stress on parents - knowing that our children are safe - while we work, which please, most of us need to do. The 500 million out of the pockets of taxpayers is much better spent educating our children than the billions spent bailing out auto manufacturers.

[Brandie Weikle]

Thank you, everyone who commented on this piece. I wrote a follow up today sharing your comments with the readers. Please check it out here: http://thestar.blogs.com/parentcentral/2009/09/some-comments-on-all-day-learning.html

Thanks again for the feedback. Keep it coming, positive or negative. I mean that.

[Gayle Smithers]

Is this really about education, or parental convenience and parental money-saving? Yes, parents can drop off their little ones at 7am and not have to be responsible for them again until 6pm....but what really is the cost?? I am a Kindergarten teacher, and have been in the position of sharing a classroom with an after-school classroomin more than one setting. I can tell you that it was absolute chaos. If the parents had any idea what really went on while they were happily at work, they would have been horrified. Children from 4 to 10 years of age tearing around, screaming and destroying things that I needed in place for the next days' lessons, while the "supervisors" sat at their desks, probably uploading photos to Facebook or MSN planning their trips to the mall. I often came upon children wandering about the school building unsupervised, and walked them back to the room, myself. They had been allowed to go into the school to use the washroom or get a drink, during outdoor play time.....or had just left the room, for whatever reason, and had not been missed. Yes, when parents arrived, it usually looked like everything was wonderful, but what I witnessed convinced me that no child of mine would ever be sent to such a farce for care. Little ones who attend such care become hardened and act much older than their age (talking about boyfriends, make-up, etc), and parents who really are in touch remove their little ones before long. S. Morgan is right in her comment about the cost to taxpayers, not only for the physical space, but for staffing. If you want children to get the best possible start in school, you have to have the best possible teachers. Yes, ECE staff is a wonderful support in the classroom - but cannot be expected to have the same background, resources or knowledge as one who has devoted at least 4 years in university plus countless in-service workshops and courses to their preparation for this profession. This is a ploy by the government to save money on teaching staff. They are going after Kindergarten because it is a non-mandated part of the schooling of our children, and therefore the most vulnerable.

[LHamilton]

With all the discussion about ECE vs Teachers, the real issue is lost: Is it best for young children to spend 9 or 10 (or more) hours per day in state-run institutional care? The answer is glaringly obivous: the best choice for preschoolers is to stay at home with a loving parent.

Why are we spending a billion dollars (at least) to have the government raise our children? Are material objects--a big home, annual vacation, new car--really worth losing that brief yet precious time with your kids?

That the ex-pat states she can "serenely" work while her children spend the majority of their waking hours being "raised" by strangers is astonishing to me.

I once heard that someone talking on the issue of daycare asked an audience to imagine themselves transformed into their childhood selves, and then asked them to answer one question: How many of you would choose daycare for yourself instead of staying at home and being raised by your mother? Not surprisingly, there were no takers.

[AKillins]

As a society, we are so maternal centric that it is sickening. Right now, with this economy, my husband is at home taking care of the kids because he cannot find a job that would offset the cost of daycare. He is doing the best that he can but I know that he would like to be out working.

Being a SAHM is the hardest, most isolating thing and not always suitable for every family (contrary to what LHamilton says). It is hard finding stimulating activities that keep kids occupied. Also, they don't get the social interaction that helps them develop. My husband attend a mom and baby group? Sing mother goose songs? Forget about it.

We are hopeful that the full day program is incorporated next year. My daughter has started JK for the first time and she is thrilled. She would like to go all day, every day, so before us adults argue and fight on behalf of the kids, maybe we should look at the kids themselves. I personally would rather my daughter be in school than anywhere. I know my husband is doing the best he can, but aren't child educators trained to do this more effectively?

Money aside (although it is a big factor), its time the children are put first in this collosal argument between Stay at home parents and working parents. Maybe it is better to have young minds stimulated more and earlier. Aren't we getting smarter as a society?

[Karen Pierce]

I think the kids best interests need to be taken into account. When my DD starts kindergarten (at just under 4) she will have 3 different caregivers in a given week. I would LOVE to have her in one place with one 'core' set of caregivers and teachers. No worrying about how she is getting from one location to another or what day she goes where. If we could afford we would keep her in a private center until she is old enough to go to full day, every day school.

[Ann Duncan]

yes teachers spend 4 years learning, ECE teachers spend 2 years with the understanding of child development,that provide a early learning that enable children to be smart thinkers. teacher need to grow up and come together for the interest of the children.

[Shellie Bird]

Children and families have much to benefit from the recommendations set out in Dr. Pascal's report on full day learnng and care. Our education system will be strengthened and transformed to better meet the care and educational needs of young children and families. Bringing certified teachers and early childhood educators together in the classroom has the potential to transform how we support young children to grow and learn. Let's hope for the children's sakethat McGuinty stands firm and supports the findings of his Early Learning Advisor.

[John L]

An interesting issue...

Teachers spend 4 or 5 years getting an undergrad degree, which may or may not a include significant amount of courses related to children, then 1 year getting their professional training in teaching. ECE grads spend 2 years at college studying issues almost entirely focussed on educating kids.

I wonder how one determines who is most qualified to do various of the jobs Pascal is proposing?

To simply say that ECE grads aren't "qualified" or "certified" as educators of young kids is pretty questionable, IMO.