More Students Share Reflections on What’s Standing in the Way of Change in Education
The following student reflections are based on their experiences as participants in CEA’s Calgary Conference, which was held in October 2013. Both students are part of Alberta’s Speak Out student engagement initiative and are current members of the Minister’s Student Advisory Council. The original blogs are posted on the Speak Out website.
The following student reflections are based on their experiences as participants in CEA’s Calgary Conference, which was held in October 2013. Both students are part of Alberta’s Speak Out student engagement initiative and are current members of the Minister’s Student Advisory Council. The original blogs are posted on the Speak Out website.
Ankita S.
On October 21st, 2013, I was very fortunate to attend the first half of the Canadian Education Association Conference in Calgary. The event was centered around one main question: “what’s standing in the way for change in education.” Headlined by some fantastic speakers, including a current Harvard scholar working on curriculum redesign, the event was extremely interesting.
As a member of the Minister’s Student Advisory Council (MSAC), I was part of the many ‘table discussions’ that were taking place. I found this to be an enjoyable experience as the others at my table had a diverse range of perspectives. The debate got quite heated at times, but everyone managed to remain respectful. I contributed my thoughts on the lack of flexibility with education: how there’s an emphasis on certain concepts and why project or problem based learning could be a better alternative.
The populations that perhaps need the most help: truly disengaged students who typically cut class or behave similarly were not represented. As such, I think it would be better to bring in many types of students (enough for 2 per table), provide them with volunteer hours or other incentives to show up and then have a discussion.
Some other students that were not part of MSAC were also included as part of an effort to increase student engagement. However, I found this method lacking: the students who will attend are inevitably going to be highly engaged and invested in school. The populations that perhaps need the most help: truly disengaged students who typically cut class or behave similarly were not represented. As such, I think it would be better to bring in many types of students (enough for 2 per table), provide them with volunteer hours or other incentives to show up and then have a discussion.
Ultimately, I think student voice is crucial to consider in this debate. Students themselves have better insight into what causes them to be disengaged than an adult possibly could. Yes, there are often direct structural issues with implementation of new curriculum, but in my view, students put more emphasis on interpersonal interactions and relationships than the hierarchical structure when considering education.
Andrew M.
As a member of Minister’s Student Advisory Council (MSAC) and part of Speak Out in Alberta, it was an absolute honour to attend a nationwide education conference that was held in Calgary. Key members in education from across different provinces and territories in Canada collaborated together to understand different perspectives on education across Canada. Members from this conference included superintendents, trustees, principals, teachers and key members of Alberta Education including our Education Minister, the Honourable Jeff Johnson.
At this conference, I had a chance to meet with many different people who contribute to education in Canada and I was glad that I was able to provide student input and a voice to others. Different members in my group/table were able to listen to my perspectives on education and how education can be improved for not only Alberta, but for the rest of Canada. One main theme that was discussed however was “What’s standing in the way of change in education?” As you may know, with different provinces including Alberta moving towards a new direction in education, key members in education are trying find out brilliant ways of overcoming barriers that might prevent the flow of change. This topic was mainly discussed throughout the whole conference.
While discussing this question with other members in this conference, I was able to collectively discover that all members in our education have a different perspective because of the different roles we play in the education system. Because of our diverse backgrounds and experiences within the education system, there were many answers to the question of “What’s standing in our way of change in education?” Factors such as teaching quality, structured teaching methods/classes and too much focus on academic success in students were discussed amongst everyone in my group.
At this conference, I had a chance to meet with many different people who contribute to education in Canada and I was glad that I was able to provide student input and a voice to others. Different members in my group/table were able to listen to my perspectives on education and how education can be improved for not only Alberta, but for the rest of Canada.
Attending the Canadian Education Association Conference was truly an honourable and privileged experience. To attend a conference on behalf of the Minister’s Student Advisory Council, Speak Out, and students in Alberta was truly a memorable experience. As many education members have made an impact on my perception, I hope that I did the same to others, emphasizing the importance of student voice across this vast country and Alberta.
I want to ask you guys now, what changes do you think we need in both our province and in Canada? What are the great aspects of Canadian Education, and what do you think we need to look for in the future to improve education for every Canadian student? Speak Out to get your voice heard!
Meet the Expert(s)
Speak Out
Speak Out – the Alberta Student Engagement Initiative was created in 2008 to support Alberta youth in sharing education ideas and experiences with each other and the Ministry. Alberta Education sees student engagement as a process of active collaboration with students in an effort to best support their needs, goals and learning preferences. Speak Out is dedicated to providing students with opportunities to be leaders of change in their schools and communities through several components including the Speak Out website; Forums; Annual Conference; Taking Action Projects; and the Minister’s Student Advisory Council.
The Minister’s Student Advisory Council consists of 24 youth, ages 14 to 19, with different backgrounds, opinions, experiences and perspectives from all regions of Alberta. The Council provides its perspectives to the Minister and Alberta Education on educational issues. Council member terms are for one year and members receive leadership, facilitation, media and public speaking training. They also meet with the Minister a few times per year (September, January and May). Each Council member also hosts their very own Speak Out forum using the DVD Tool Kit. Each year, the biographies and Terms of Reference for Council members are available online.
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