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The Canadian Statesman, Bowmanville, Wednesday, April 13,1994 11 Parent Group Seeks Improvements to Educational System Testing, phonics and getting back to educational basics arc among the things some parent groups are advocating advocating for today's elementary schools. "We're not calling for a return to the good old days," began Maureen Sorncrs-Becbe, a Board Member of the Organization for Quality Education Education and a Board member on the Coalition Coalition for Education Reform. She spoke at a meeting of local parents held on Wednesday night in Bowmanville at Court Room One. What the proponents of Quality Education are asking for is a return to a system where children who are not ready to pass to the next grade are held back for another year. They would like to see "clear, consistent standards" for all children to meet and reports to parents from the education system, explained Somers-Beebe. Movement away from a "whole language" approach is recommended recommended by Professor Barry Kavanaugh, of Seneca College. This would mean that students would be taught to read and write the way in which many parents would find more acceptable -- through phonetics. A system used to teach students at the present time is called "whole language" It is a process where children children learn at their own speed, said Bowmanville resident Josie Cunningham. Cunningham. She and her husband, Brian, want to find ways to help students who fall between the cracks in the education education system. Cunningham would like to see a balance created, whereby the teaching teaching of phonetics is incorporated into helping students learn how to read and spell. She said although students are taught some phonetic rules, this is done without any textbooks on the subject. The current system has allowed for 50 per cent of the students enrolled enrolled in their first semester of university university to fail, said Prof. Kavanaugh. Kavanaugh. The system, as it stands, is giv ing children all the freedom they want. It leads to "self-centered children," children," he warned. Somers-Beebe said she wants to see "ineffective teaching" tossed out the window because those students who are faced with such teaching will pay later for knowledge they do not pick up now. Currently, teachers are feeling defensive, Somers-Beebe claimed. "If something goes wrong, the teachers, students and parents (in that order) are blamed," she explained. explained. While the education system promotes promotes building self-esteem, she calls this a "going nowhere at one's own pace" curriculum. As she sees it, "it doesn't take children seven years to learn how to read." When this new concept was brought into the education system, the old system was deemed outdated and "damaging to have children brought up to one level," Somers- Beebe explained. However, the new system has lowered the expectations students have for themselves. "According to the theory, children children will learn when they want to learn," Somers-Beebe said. This systems allows for the perpetuation perpetuation of low achievement, she said. "The Common Curriculum is a license not to teach children basic skills and knowledge," she added. "Phonetics has proven itself," Somers-Beebe said. The idea of self-concept should be linked to the achievement of learning to read and meeting new challenges, she explained. "The concept concept of child-centered learning should be blamed for the failure of students." While many people still trust their school board trustees to take care of their children, many trustees are "using the position as a springboard springboard to other politics," said Somers-Beebe, Somers-Beebe, who pointed to former school board trustees such as Provincial Provincial Liberal Leader Lyn McLeod and former federal PC Leader, Kim Campbell. Somers-Beebe says, "the public has forgotten why schools were built" in the first place. She said reformation reformation within the school system will not occur until people start talking talking and organizing. Josie Cunningham is looking for more like-minded parents to contact her. She is hoping there will be enough interested people in Claring- ton who want a systematic approach to education and are willing to work for a balance. She told The Statesman on Monday, Monday, April 11, it is hoped with the six people who approached her after the meeting last week that some action action will come. One proposal is to have a booth at the local mall to get signatures and talk with parents about how they feel about the school system. For more information, contact Cunningham at 697-2234. Durability Is Standard Equipent Students Participate in Think Bowl Competition Tackling the idea of entering another ice-age were Newcastle Public School students Michelle Noble, Casin Barrett, Michelle Schyff and Roasanna Yankanah at the Northumberland-Clarington Think Bowl held last week at the Bowmanville Lions Centre. These students were, to discuss the issues and problems . às well as solutions and action plans related to the idea of constant winter. ' ' by Laura J. Richards Identifying problems, identifying solutions and looking at possible plans of action. That's what the Northumberland-Clarington Think Bowl is all about. Thirty-five teams of students from the western portion of the public public school board were together on Wednesday morning, April 6 to do just that. The finalists from the Junior, Intermediate Intermediate and Secondary School levels will then be off to the board- wide Think-Bowl on Tuesday, May 3, in Baltimore, Ont., Special Education Education Resource Programmer Elizabeth Elizabeth MacLeod told The Statesman. In Baltimore, a drama component will be added to the Think Bowl to allow for "left and right brain thinking," thinking," MacLeod noted. The winners from the Think Bowl in May will then move to the Ontario competition. competition. The preparations for last week's Think Bowl began weeks in advance, advance, said Orono Public School teacher Linda Tabemcr. That also holds Une for the selection process. "Different schools chose their student team differently," Tabemcr said. Some schools prefer to have a large pool of students to choose from, while other schools like to whittle down to a select few who will make the team. Some teachers try to ensure that there are two girls and two boys on the team, while others just go for the most creative thinkers, Tabemcr noted. The students must be prepared to spend two hours (less a 10-minute break), thinking, collaborating their ideas and writing them down. On Wednesday, the students were given one of four concepts to examine. They were The Genetic Revolution, Virtual-Reality, Internet and Ice-Age. A workbook given to the students students at the beginning of the exercise exercise helps them delve into the issue as best as they can. Along- with the explicit questions is a suggested time frame. For example, under the heading Identifying Sub Problems (10 minutes), minutes), the following suggestion was given: "What arc some of the sub- problems that your group might deal with? Number and list them below. Use brainstorming and aim for fluency, flexibility and originality." Students were asked to present 20 or more ideas. MacLeod said the students would get extra points if they came up with more ideas than 20. Following their workbook, the students would then define the core problem, look at alternative solutions, solutions, seek criteria for evaluating alternative alternative solutions, and rank the alternatives. alternatives. Then they would need to examine plans to carry out the best solution, and provide an action plan. While one would think that when stepping into the Think Bowl on Wednesday morning, the room would be buzzing with loud talking. However, that was not the case. Students were, for the most part, whispering among themselves to ensure ensure their ideas would not be overheard. overheard. Tear into your biggest lawn and garden chores with the John Deere GT262. It features a gutsy 6-speed heavy-duty transaxle, 48-inch mowing deck and dependable internal wet-disk brakes for increased reliability. And the John Deere's Quik-Tatch " system for fast implement changes. 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