Miss Vicky's Offhand Remarks

Alternative Schools in Jeopardy

Readers may recall the the callout to support Ottawa's Alternative Schools. Well, the review is out and the recommendations are not favourable. Miss Vicky received the following open letter to Trustees from reader Sara this week. Thanks for sending this along, Sara! I hope others are writing as well.

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I spent a couple of hours in my sons class today at Churchill Alternative. Do you want to know what we were doing? Woodworking! All the students had planned out a woodworking project and were busy on their lunch hour hammering and sawing in a classroom bubbling with excitement and activity. Angles were being measured, math equations figured out and the laws of physics put into question as they built their artistic creations. You might think that this was a special day but I assure you that it was not, this was just another day in my son's 3-4 class at Churchill Alternative.

We specifically chose the Alternative Stream after starting our son's education at Elmdale where he was floundering in a classroom that had no room for children that did not fit the standard mold. "Non-compliant" is how the principal at the time described him - this was junior kindergarten. We knew that we wanted to find a place where T. could learn on his terms in a supported environment where we were able to be a part of his educational path. I can assure you of one thing, the standard stream and the alternative stream ARE NOT THE SAME. At Elmdale, I am sorry to say, there are no best practices, only a school struggling to stick within the norm and foster children that do not rock the boat.

I know that the recommendations that have been put forth by the school board indicate a need to "increase the focus of parental involvement" in the standard stream and that this is all that is needed to bring the standard stream up to the level of the Alternative Program. I assure you that this is just the tip of the iceberg and that these people could never have set foot in my son's school if they think that this is the difference. How is the Alternative Program different? Here are some things that stand out in my mind....

Poetry Pancake Breakfast - the past two years my son's teacher has organized a poetry showcase where the children read poems that they had created during the term. The teacher and parents brought in tasty pancakes for the kids to share with their friends, smaller siblings mingled with the kids reading their poems. The kids were responsible for cleaning up after the event.

Community Classrooms - this year my son's teacher has a central chore chart where all kids in the class are assigned a weekly chore: sweeping, taking out the compost, sharpening pencils, etc. This makes the kids feel like they are a part of the class and instills in them a deep sense of responsibility at a very early age. When matters of contention come up the students discuss and then vote on how they think the matter should be dealt with. They are responsible for publishing a monthly newsletter that is written by all the kids.

Reading Mornings - last year between 8:00 and 8:20 my son's class would have reading time in the classroom to allow the kids time to settle in, ANY and ALL parents were invited to come up to the class during this time to read with the kids. I often found myself reading with other kids in the class while other parents would buddy up with my son. Such a casual and intimate way to share a book with an emerging reader.

Free Flowing Learning Styles - my son writes best on the floor, sounds crazy but that is how he thinks best. In the classes at Churchill there are many options for how the kids would like to work, on the carpet, kneeling at a lower desk or even standing at taller desks in the older grades.

Student Led Conferences - Every term we get to spend a couple of hours in my son's class with him showing us all the the work that he as accomplished that term. Featuring what items he is proud of, and which he needs to work better on. Objectively, not because of a GRADE that he has received but because he is being critical of his own work and wants to show it off.

Stone Soup with Reading Buddies - in Kindergarten my son got to take part in a Stone Soup (I am sure that you know the book!) sharing with their Reading Buddies in grade 6. Each child got to bring in a vegetable from home, parent volunteers were tasked with chopping up the veggies and then cooking the soup for the Kindergartners to share with their buddies.

These are just a few small, extraordinary occurrences that happen EVERY DAY at Churchill. Of course there is the obvious that has been brought to your attention a hundred times over - the multi-age groupings, cooperative and non competitive learning, anecdotal reporting, student-centered and child-directed learning, family-centered school environment and the shared teaching responsibility - but I though that you might like to know some of the best practices BEHIND the marketing speak that is so easy to gloss over.

As of today, I will be honest and say that I feel very discouraged, this review has been conducted in a matter of fact, mind already made up kind of way that really never had any intention of getting to the nuts and bolts of the Alternative Program. I am not a militant granola cruncher but just a stay at home mum who has found a school where her child is thriving. I am asking you to be PROGRESSIVE and take a chance, the Alternative Schools are FANTASTIC laboratories that are expanding the minds of tomorrow in ways that the standard stream can only dream of. I am hoping that you will have the courage to take the risk, you won't regret it.

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