SIMsimarchive.thelearningexchange.ca/wp-content/...Wellington CDSB. 14 Strategic Priorities 1....

1

September 24th, 2014

SIMLondon West Region

1

2

Leadership

The research is clear – Leadership is

second only to classroom instruction

among all school-related factors that

contribute to what students learn at

school.

The question here is: Do you as

“system” leaders believe this?

How would I know?

3

Leadership

Trying to get everyone to like you is a

sign of mediocrity.

Colin Powell

4

Achieving Excellence: A renewed vision for education in

Ontario

“We want schools … where students will feel free to

dream about their futures, where they are able to

connect their passions with possible career options,

and where the opportunities and resources needed to

support these decisions are provided. ”

– Minister’s Student Advisory Council

Representatives

5

The Planning Process

Ministry Goals

Multi-Year Strategic Plans

BIPSA

SIPSA

What is missing?

6

Strategic Priorities

Let’s look at the strategic priorities of the

Boards in this region.

See if you can identify yours

7


1. Student Achievement

2. A Culture of Learning

3. A Culture of Caring

4. Collaborative Partnerships

5. Good Stewardship

Greater Essex County

DSB

8


1. Growth of the Whole Person

2. Service Excellence

Huron Perth CDSB

9


1. Promoting Educational Achievement and

Innovation

2. Fostering Stewardship, Leadership and

Social Justice

St. Clair CDSB

10


1. putting the needs of the students first

2. recognizing and encouraging leadership in all its forms

3. ensuring safe, positive learning and working environments

4. inspiring new ideas and promoting innovation

5. taking responsibility for the students and resources

entrusted to our care

6. actively engaging our students, staff, families and

communities

7. being inclusive, fair and equitable

Thames Valley DSB

11


1. Engage

2. Inspire

3. Innovate

Avon Maitland DSB

12


Student Achievement

1. We challenge all our students to become critical thinkers,

effective communicators and problem-solvers through the

development of literacy and numeracy skills.

2. We nurture well-rounded, faith-filled and contributing citizens by

developing knowledge, understanding and skills in sciences,

arts, humanities, languages and technologies.

3. We enrich intellectual, physical, emotional and spiritual well-

being through "Healthy Active Living Education".*

4. We encourage effective communication among all partners in

Catholic education to enhance students' achievement and

spiritual growth.

5. We support the professional development of all employees

through training, mentoring and sharing best practices, enabling

them to enrich the educational experiences of our students.

Windsor Essex CDSB

13


1. We will increase student engagement, achievement and physical

activity by meeting the needs of the 21st century learner.

2. We will assertively share all elements – spiritual, social,

educational and physiological – of our distinctive vision, culture

and identity with all our immediate stakeholders and with the

wider community.

3. We will achieve a strategic allocation of resources within a

balanced budget.

Wellington CDSB

14


1. Public education is an investment in the future of all

peoples and all communities.

2. All students can learn and are entitled to quality

instruction.

3. A safe and caring learning environment is strengthened by

embracing diversity, and respecting self, others and the

world around us.

4. Student success is achieved through shared responsibility

of students, staff, families, community and First Nation

partners.

5. Accountability is attained through open dialogue,

transparency and fiscal responsibility.

6. We are committed to innovation and continuous

improvement.

Lambton Kent DSB

15


1. Fostering Student Achievement and

Well-Being

2. Provide Effective Stewardship of Board

Resources

3. Develop Organizational Capacity

London District CSB

16

Achieving Excellence: A renewed vision for education in

Ontario

Renewed goals for education are:

Achieving Excellence

Ensuring Equity

Promoting Well-Being

Enhancing Public Confidence

17

Map of CanadaPopulation 34 million

Highlighting Ontario

Population 13.51 million

18

Boards within the London East

Region

Student Population

Avon Maitland DSB 0.8%

Greater Essex County DSB 1.7%

Huron Perth Catholic DSB 0.2%

Lambton Kent DSB 1.1%

London District CSB 0.9%

St. Clair CDSB 0.4%

Thames Valley DSB 3.7%

Wellington CDSB * 0.4%

Windsor Essex CDSB 1.0%

Total: 9.8%

* Not included in total count.

19

Overview of EQAO

• Independent, arms-length agency, established in 1996

• Mandate: provide educators and public with accurate, objective and

reliable information about the quality of the publicly funded education

system

• Assessments: Primary and Junior (reading, writing and mathematics

administered in Grades 3 and 6), Grade 9 (mathematics), OSSLT

(literacy: Grade 10)

• Student, Teacher and Principal Questionnaires

• All assessments are based on expectations in The Ontario Curriculum(See Framework Documents at http://www.eqao.com/pdf_e/08/6e_Framework_07_web.pdf )

• Large number of educators involved in item development and scoring

• National and International Assessments

• Reporting data to be integrated into the school improvement planning

process

• Research

http://www.eqao.com/pdf_e/08/6e_Framework_07_web.pdf

20

Some assumptions

EQAO assessment is but one measure of student achievement.

The classroom teacher’s professional judgement of assessment as, of and for learning relative to a student’s achievement over time can be one of the strongest measures of student performance.

For the most part the format of the tests have remained consistent for the past 10 years.

21

Some understanding

It takes approximately three years before an item ends up in front of a student on a test.

We have an extremely high level of confidence in the validity and reliability of the tests year to year.

Much time is spent to ensure sensitivity and eliminate bias within questions.

We are a world leader in large scale assessment.

22

Monitoring through Implementation

What gets monitored gets done Are we monitoring what really matters?

Albert Einstein reportedly had a sign on

his office wall that stated: “Not

everything that counts can be counted,

and not everything that can be counted

counts.”

Monitoring is not a foreign concept to us

– District Support visits (gathering,

reviewing and assessing)

23

What some have chosen to focus on

Proportional Reasoning

Process of Representation

Teacher Fluency

24


Early on we recognized that we needed to be paying

Attention to Proportional Reasoning K-12

25

What is proportional reasoning?

Proportional reasoning involves thinking

about relationships and making comparisons

of quantities or values.

In the words of John Van de Walle,

“Proportional reasoning is difficult to define.

It is not something that you either can or

cannot do but is developed over time through

reasoning…

It is the ability to think about and compare

multiplicative relationships between

quantities” (2006, p. 154).

26

Why is it important?

Beyond the mathematics classroom,

proportional reasoning is evident in other

subject areas like science, music and

geography, as well as in everyday activities.

People use proportional reasoning to

calculate best buys, taxes and investments,

to work with drawings and maps, to perform

measurement or monetary currency

conversions, to adjust recipes or to create

various concentrations of mixtures and

solutions.

27

Proportional Reasoning Concepts

Key Concepts from the Ministry Document

28


EQAO Question Types

Legend

• Precursor

• Partial (could be)

• Fully

• Other

29

Fully (Uses Proportional Reasoning)

Grade 3 Released 2013

30

Fully (Uses Proportional Reasoning)


31

Precursor (to Proportional Reasoning)



32

Grade 3 2013 – Precursor

Grade 6 2011 - Partial

Precursor to Fully

Grade 9 Applied 2013 - Fully

33

Grade 3 2011 Grade 6 2011 Grade 9 AP 2012

Precursor to Fully

34

What we have done as a support

One example for Grade 3

..\Documents\Proportional Reasoning

examples from 2013

tests\3e_Math_0813.pdf

../Documents/Proportional Reasoning examples from 2013 tests/3e_Math_0813.pdf

35

Mathematical Processes

Connecting

Reason and Proving

Reflecting

Representing

Tools and Computational Strategies

36

Representing

37

Process of Representing

Information from the Curriculum

Documents Representing involves:

Representing mathematical ideas and relationships using

concrete materials, pictures, diagrams, graphs, tables, numbers,

words and symbols

e.g. representing multiplication using arrays

This will help students to:

Understand mathematical concepts and relationships;

Communicate their thinking, arguments, and understandings;

Recognize connections among related mathematical concepts;

And use mathematics to model and interpret realistic problem

situations.

38


Representing mathematical ideas and relationships using

concrete materials, pictures, diagrams, graphs, tables, numbers,

words and symbols


39


Communicate their thinking, arguments, and understandings


40

Process of RepresentingRecognize connections among related mathematical concepts

Grade 9 Academic Released 2013

41

Procedural Fluency

Procedural fluency involves thinking

and knowing when, not just how, to use

a procedure and to use it flexibly and

efficiently.

42

Teacher Fluency

Framework Document

43

Teacher Fluency

Rubrics and Scoring Guides

44

Table Talk

At your tables have a brief conversation

about what areas and Math processes

you have identified for your Boards and

how you intend to focus in on it.

45

Primary and Junior Division Assessments

MINDS ON

56

Observations

Students performed best on the

cognitive skill of Knowledge and

Understanding

Students performed least well on the

cognitive skill of Thinking

Students performed best on questions

from the Number Sense and

Numeration strand

Grade 3 Students

57

Observations

Grade 3 Students

58

Primary Division Assessment

Number Sense and Numeration

59


Measurement

60


Geometry and Spatial Sense

61


Patterning and Algebra

62


Data Management and

Probability

63

Observations

Grade 3 Students

64


Knowledge and Understanding

65


Application

66


Thinking

67

Observations

Students performed best on the

cognitive skill of Knowledge and

Understanding

Students performed about the same on

the cognitive skills of Thinking and

Application

Students performed least well on

questions from the Number Sense and

Numeration strand

Grade 6 Students

68

Observations

Grade 6 Students

69

Junior Division Assessment

Number Sense and Numeration

70


Measurement

71


Geometry and Spatial Sense

72


Patterning and Algebra

73


Data Management and

Probability

74

Observations

Grade 6 Students

75



76


Application

77


Thinking

78

Grade 9 Assessment of Mathematics

82

Table Talk

Let’s pause and engage in a table

conversation about this cohort

information.

83

Observations

Students who meet the provincial

standard early in their schooling are

more likely to maintain their high

achievement in secondary school

Students who do not meet the standard

early are more likely to continue not

meeting it in later grades

Pinpointing the needs of students early

and providing support makes a

difference

84

Observations

Students in the Academic course

performed least well on questions on

the cognitive skill of Thinking

Students in the Applied course

performed least well on questions on

the cognitive skill of Application

Grade 9 Students

85

Observations

Grade 9 Students - Academic

86

Grade 9 Assessment - Academic

Number Sense and Algebra

87


Linear Relations

88


Analytic Geometry

89


Measurement and Geometry

90

Observations

Grade 9 Students - Academic

91



92


Application

93


Thinking

94

Observations

Grade 9 Students - Applied

95

Grade 9 Assessment - Applied

Number Sense and Algebra

96


Linear Relations

97


Measurement and Geometry

98

Observations

Grade 9 Students - Applied

99



100


Application

101


Thinking

102

Break

Let’s return in 20 minutes

103

ACTION

For me there is a continuum of response

Evidence

Process of inquiry

Identify a problem of practice

Look for alignment within constraints

Set a plan of action

Mobilize knowledge

Move to knowledge integration

How does one go about making sense of the data?

104

Table Talk

Such a continuum is not new to you nor

unique in your experience.

Each of your Boards has a continuum of

response.

Take a moment and identify within your

Board what your continuum of response

is

105

Regional Action

Profile School 1 (mixed performance) lower percentages of ELL students, however,

higher proportions of students whose first

language learned was other than English;

higher special education needs (SEN) in Grade

3 than provincially

Higher Grade 3 Writing results; lower Math

Similar achievement to the province in Grade 6

Writing and Math; lower Reading

106

Regional Action

Profile School 2 (high math

performance example 1) Lower SEN, ELL

Both Grade 3 and Grade 6, lower proportion of

students whose first language learned at home

was other than English

Highly stable population (students in the board

for 3+ years or more)

Exceeds provincial results in all subject areas

107

Regional Action

Profile School 3 (high math

performance example 2) Lower SEN, ELL

Both Grade 3 and Grade 6, higher proportion of

students whose first language learned at home

was other than English

Less stable population (fewer students in the

board for 3+ years or more)

Exceeds provincial results in all subject areas

108

Regional Action ProfilesProvince Profile School 1 Profile School 2 Profile School 3 Region: London West

Grade 3 Number of students 127 505 55 66 50 13 307

English language learners 13% 4% 2% 0% 5%

Special education needs 17% 24% 9% 4% 15%

Born outside Canada 10% 11% 9% 4% 6%

First language learned other than English 22% 62% 6% 42% 9%

Entered board 3 or more years ago 78% 78% 74% 52% 84%

Reading: At/above provincial standard 70% (+8) 69% (+23) 94% (+12) 94% (13) 64%

Writing: At/above provincial standard 78% (+8) 87% (+25) 100% (-) 94% (+7) 71%

Math: At/above provincial standard 67% (-4) 56% (-8) 95% (-) 96% (+6) 61%

Grade 6 Number of students 127 286 64 48 95 13 617

English language learners 10% 3% 0% 0% 4%

Special education needs 21% 23% 12% 3% 19%

Born outside Canada 12% 28% 17% 6% 8%

First language learned other than English 23% 69% 4% 57% 11%

Entered board 3 or more years ago 82% 81% 90% 58% 69%

Reading: At/above provincial standard 79% (+7) 62% (+15%) 100% (+13) 99% (+9) 76%

Writing: At/above provincial standard 78% (+8) 75% (+15%) 100% (+20) 98% (+7) 73%

Math: At/above provincial standard 54% (-7) 50% (+8%) 98% (+18) 99% (+6) 51%

Lower than the province

Higher than the province

+/- indicates change in results from 5 years ago

a dash (-) indicates no change

109

Regional Action SQ G6Profile School 1 Profile School 2 Profile School 3

Al Students Level 3+ Below Level 3

127 505 54% 46% 64 48 95

I like mathematics. 48% 62% 31% 50% 73% 58%

I am good at mathematics. 52% 71% 29% 44% 90% 72%

I am able to answer difficult mathematics questions.

38% 54% 18% 33% 67% 53%

I do my best when I do mathematics activities in

class. 75% 84% 64% 64% 85% 83%

I read over the mathematics problem first to make

sure I know what I am supposed to do. 80% 88% 71% 78% 88% 84%

I think about the steps I will use to solve the

problem. 49% 57% 39% 53% 58% 63%

I ask for help if I don’t understand the problem. 60% 61% 59% 73% 62% 60%

I check my work for mistakes. 47% 55% 38% 41% 62% 51%

I check my answer to see if it makes sense. 65% 72% 56% 53% 81% 75%

We talk about the mathematics work I do in school. 31% 33% 30% 28% 19% 21%

We look at my school agenda. 32% 32% 32% 17% 12% 38%

We use a computer together. 9% 7% 11% 16% 2% 2%

* Most of the time

** Every day or almost every day

Lower than the province 3+

Higher than the province 3+

Province

Student Engagement. About math:*

Cognitive Strategies Used in Math. When I am working on a

math problem,*

Parental Engagement. How often do you and a parent, a

guardian or another adult who lives with you do the

following?**

110

Regional Action TQ K-8Province Profile School 1 Profile School 2 Profile School 3 Region

Number of Respondents 14008 6 6 33 1532

To reflect on school-level data (e.g., EQAO,

dioagnotstic tests) for planning purposes 80% 83% 67% 82% 82%

To track student progress 66% 83% 50% 82% 70%


To reflect on delivery of the mathematics currciulum

(e.g., to plan lessons, discuss instructional stratgies

and materials) 55% 67% 33% 86% 57%

To coordinate mathematics instruction among

teachers 52% 83% 50% 69% 53%


The school's improvement goals for student

achievement have been communicated to me 83% 100% 83% 88% 83%

The school's improvement goals were clear to me 80% 100% 83% 84% 80%

I had the support of other staff members in the

school to help me work toward the improvement

goals 74% 100% 67% 69% 74%

The school provided me with materials to help me

work toward the improvement goals 69% 67% 67% 62% 65%

The school has taken steps to meet its improvement

goals 77% 100% 83% 91% 75%

I had the opportunity to particpate in decisions about

the school's improvement goals 68% 100% 83% 66% 69%

* At least once a month

** Agree or strongly agree

Lower than the province

Higher than the province

Meetings with other staff*

School improvement goals in mathematics**

111

Regional Action Report

RegionReport_LondonWest.pdf

RegionReport_LondonWest.pdf

112

Regional Action BIPSA Math

Goals

Examine the Math goals within each of the

BIPSA’s

These goals belong to the Boards and not

intended to be evaluated by anyone.

The following exercise is to help you get a feel

for where Boards within the region are relative to

their BIPSA Math goals and encourage you to

ask the rhetorical question – Now What?

113


Goal

Avon Maitland

If we help our students gain competency in the following areas:

collaboration, communication, critical thinking and problem solving,

then our students will develop and value the required skills to

participate in a global economy.

114


Goal

Greater Essex

Grade 9 Mathematics – increase the percentage of

students enrolled in Grade 9 applied level math courses

who achieve level 3 or 4 on the EQAO Grade 9 Assessment

from 54% to 57% during the 2013-14 school year.

Primary Mathematics – increase the percentage of students

who achieve level 3 or 4 on the EQAO Assessment from

65% to 68% during the 2013-14 school year.

Junior Mathematics – increase the percentage of students

who achieve level 3 or 4 on the EQAO Assessment from

56% to 59% during the 2013-14 school year.

115


GoalHuron-Perth Catholic

If we support junior teachers’ professional learning to develop their knowledge

and understanding about Thinking in Mathematics and unpack with them a

variety of instructional strategies such as the Consolidation stage of the 3-part

lesson and/or guided math, then students will begin to demonstrate critical

thinking through problem solving.

Target: By June 2014 we will see an increase of 5% of students at level 3 or 4 in

the Junior Division EQAO Mathematics assessment. By June 2015 we will see

an increase of a further 5% for a total of 10% students at level 3 or 4 in the

Junior Division EQAO Mathematics assessment. Currently our EQAO results for

the Junior Division Mathematics assessment is 56%.

If we support intermediate teachers’ professional learning in various

mathematical instructional strategies, then by June 2014, we will see an

increase of the communication, knowledge and understanding of concepts,

skills and strategies to demonstrate critical thinking processes in math.

Target: Currently the overall board performance rate for students taking Gr. 9

applied EQAO mathematics assessment (achieving level 3 or 4) is 51%. By

June 2014 this will increase by 5% to 56% and by June 2015 this will increase a

further 5% to 61%.

116


Goal

London Catholic

Educators integrate literacy and numeracy

skills and strategies to enhance cross-curricular

connections.

117


Goal

Lambton-Kent

Capacity needs to be built in: Mathematical content knowledge

Enhance staff’s knowledge of and understanding of

Comprehensive Literacy and Numeracy programs

118


GoalWellington Catholic DSB K-6

72% of all students in Grades 3-6 will demonstrate level 3 or 4 in all math strands

by Term 2 report

cards (June 2014).

35% of all Grade 3 students with special needs will score at Level 3 and Level 4

on EQAO in 2014.

32% of all Grade 6 students with special needs will score at Level 3 and Level 4

on EQAO in 2014.

7-12

46% of students in the Grade 9 Applied level math course will achieve Level 3 or 4

on the 2013 EQAO assessment.

86% of students in the Grade 9 Academic level math course will achieve Level 3

or 4 on the 2013 EQAO assessment.

There will be an increase of 4% in the number of grade 7-12 students achieving

level 3 or 4 on the term 2/semester 2 final report card from term1/semester final

report card, through the use of open questions, parallel tasks, and focused

questioning within the consistent application of the three part lesson design.

119


Goal

St. Clair Catholic

IF we provide ongoing support for teacher capacity

building in pedagogical and content knowledge in all

subject areas, teachers will more effectively provide

focused instruction based on the student learning

need and THEN student achievement in literacy and

numeracy as demonstrated in student work, EQAO

and report card results will improve.

120


Goal

Thames Valley DSB

Students will use problem solving strategies to solve

diverse problems across all subject areas and in their

everyday lives.

Engage students in relevant, challenging, and

differentiated authentic problems and tasks;

Teach through and about problem solving to enable

students to understand, analyze and deconstruct

problems;

Model problem solving approaches and have students

demonstrate and communicate their thinking and

understanding of concepts, procedures, and strategies

121


Goal

Windsor-Essex Catholic

If Numeracy is a core focus in every classroom, then all

learners will be able to demonstrate fundamental

numeracy skills and processes, measurement and

geometric calculations, data management, algebraic

and proportional reasoning to apply problem solving

strategies in a variety of mathematical contexts.

122

Table Talk

Given what you have seen with the

BIPSA Math goals of Boards in the

Region and the overall Regional

evidence – What do you need from the

Regional team to support your action?

123

Action

One possible articulation:

All children can learn (do math)

Teachers control the conditions for

success

Time is the variable

Teaching is not complete until learning

has taken place

Articulate with clarity your strongest beliefs about teaching and learning

124

Action

Refine questioning techniques to glean

valid and valuable information that attends

to learning.

What do we believe about the content of

the academic and applied level courses

and about students who study at these

levels?

Encourage an “I don’t get it” culture.

Growth Mindset

Practice (96% to 41%) versus Think/invent

(<1% to 50%)

Let’s move away from a Math by democracy approach

125

Action

There are many ways to solve a problem

Dan Meyer speaks to this

Recent study in Brazil showed the

unschooled able to solve problems

readily until they were required to do so

by a particular method.

Tap into the student’s narrative.

126

Action

Don’t be fooled by a change in

classroom environment

Instructional practice needs to change

Develop a culture where teachers

exchange ideas informally.

127

Action – You know this!

Ensure students are all engaged (less talking

at the board, and more involvement of

students throughout the lesson to ensure

understanding).

Various group and pair work incorporated in

the lesson to ensure all students understand

the learning. Increases communication by

students and increases practicing justifying

answers.

Ask students what they need to show in their

work (what is the minimum needed to support

their answer).

128

Action – Pedagogy transfer

Good teachers transfer good pedagogy

Current debate is around content

versus pedagogy

129

Consolidation

When students see themselves as readers

they enjoy reading and become more

proficient at it. This is also true of students

who see themselves as mathematicians.

Our French language students outperform

our English language students.

Can we move away from text books in

Math? How do we tap into the student

narrative?

Some next steps

130

Consolidation

From our understanding of Heifetz’s

work – are we attempting to use a

technical solution to solve an adaptive

problem?

Should the issue of Math education be

owned more broadly than just by

teachers? (we speak about a societal

construct)

In the end for me hope abounds!

Next steps

131

Where are we going?

What do you believe are the pressure points

in education for the next few years?

132

Some thoughts

Let’s leave the political climate out for

now!

Computer based assessments

Enlightened teaching strategies designed

to enhance learning

AI

Crowd Sourcing

Crowd funding

3-D printing

133

Crowd Sourcing

The practice of obtaining needed services,

ideas, or content by soliciting contributions

from a large group of people and

especially from the online community

rather than from traditional employees or

suppliers.

133

134

Crowd Funding

Financial contributions from online investors,

sponsors or donors to fund for-profit or non-profit

initiatives or enterprises.

Three types of crowdfunding models: (1)

Donations, Philanthropy and Sponsorship where

there is no expected financial return, (2) Lending

and (3) Investment in exchange for equity, profit

or revenue sharing.

134

135

3-D Printing

A machine reminiscent of the Star Trek

Replicator, something magical that can create

objects out of thin air. It can “print” in plastic,

metal, nylon, and over a hundred other

materials. It can be used for making nonsensical

little models like the over-printed Yoda, yet it can

also print manufacturing prototypes, end user

products, quasi-legal guns, aircraft engine

parts and even human organs using a person’s

own cells.

135

http://www.3dprinter.net/tag/metal

http://www.3dprinter.net/canada-gets-its-first-3d-printed-handgun

http://www.3dprinter.net/vulture-2-worlds-first-printed-spaceplane

136

Artificial Intelligence

The theory and development of computer

systems able to perform tasks that

normally require human intelligence, such

as visual perception, speech recognition,

decision-making, and translation between

languages.

Google car

136

137

So what is happening in our classrooms?

Are we still preparing students for

university?

Degrees are no longer needed

Are we asking questions where the

answers can easily be found on Google?

Do we believe that collaboration is

cheating? (I, We, You) to (You, Y’all, We)

Do we even plan for “just in time”

learning?

What is a PLC anyway? 137

138

We are speaking 21st Century Skills

The train has left the station...

We need to move on and understand

global competencies and innovation.

Change your definitions.

139

There are leaders and then there are

those who lead.

Leaders have power and authority; those

who lead inspire through what they believe

Data and evidence are the prerequisites

for establishing why you believe what you

believe.

Knowledge is needed but most of all in

leadership we require wisdom.

140

It is extremely complex

I understand we don’t do this in a vacuum.

We work with and within a fragile and frail

human eco system.

We are responsible for educating young

minds but more importantly young hearts.

140

141

Schools need to be at the heart of the

community... They don’t belong to the

Staff, Principal, Superintendent or Board.

Our role is to facilitate the success of

every student and uphold the human

dignity of each.

142

And so they come to us –The speeding summer gone –

With faces mirroring their past.Some show remembrance of last June,

And some of yesterday, or of this morning –For no child comes to school alone.

They come with hopes, and fears, and dreams.They come with memory of home –

The mother’s kiss and father’s fond embrace,Or grim reality of emptiness.

Some mothers have no time to wave goodbye;A father has no face who is not known,Who never was, or who will never be.

And so they come to us –With laughter and with tears,

The sturdy strong and woeful weak,The members of the throng

Who look and act alike –Their dress and manners of a kind –Yet each a separate mind and soul,

Unlike what ever was before in all of time.They come to greet the world,

To seek life out,To find their own identity in space.

And so they come to us –And we reach out to them

With understanding and with love.We share the sacred trust we hold,

Yet know that each of usMust somehow stand alone

With every child in turnTo help them see, and hear, and feel.

Our children come to learnThe way to truth –

and so they come to us Joseph Manch

SIMsimarchive.thelearningexchange.ca/wp-content/...Wellington CDSB. 14 Strategic Priorities 1....

Documents

Transcript of SIMsimarchive.thelearningexchange.ca/wp-content/...Wellington CDSB. 14 Strategic Priorities 1....