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www.oakvillebeaver.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Thursday, March 4, 2010 · 4 Students give Education Minister civics lesson By Dominik Kurek OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF When asked for their opinion on the high schools civics course by Ontario Minister of Education, a local student committee gave the course a failing grade. However, members of the Oakville Provincial Youth Advisory Committee told Education Minister Leona Dombrowsky this could be improved by simply getting more enthusiastic teachers to instruct the course. This exchange occurred Tuesday at T. A. Blakelock High School during a visit by Dombrowsky arranged by Oakville MPP Kevin Flynn. Drombowsky toured the school and had a round-table discussion with the student committee. The committee consists of student representatives from several Oakville high schools and was formed by Flynn. "From what we hear from students in other schools, we believe teachers don't teach with their heart and they are not enthusiastic," said Jamie Feldman, a Blakelock committee member. The committee's recommendations included using civics course skills in the community through volunteering programs, learning more about how government works and having more debates, finding teachers who are trained or specialized in civics, adding a global perspective to NIKKI WESLEY / OAKVILLE BEAVER SPEAKING WITH THE EXPERTS: Laura McVey, student trustee, Halton District School Board, speaks to Ontario Minister of Education Leona Dombrowsky and MPP Kevin Flynn on behalf of Oakville Provincial Youth Advisory Committee at T.A. Blakelock on Tuesday morning. Sitting next to her is Abbey Park High School student Erin Nieweglowski). the program and others. Laura McVey, student trustee for the Halton District School Board, was also present to give recommendations. She said a recent survey indicated the course was too easy for students. "If you came to class and could spell and turned in your assignments, it could be possible to get 100 per cent in the course," she said. "It should be more difficult than that." She said students don't believe the course is important because it is currently run as a twosemester class with half a credit for each term. To remedy that, she suggested the course become a one-semester, one-credit class. She added the Grade 10 course should be a prerequisite for students entering politics and law in higher grades. Another problem McVey noted with the program was that it focused too much on career matchmaking for students, rather than helping them find pathways to those careers. However, the one thing that was raised by all the students on the committee was the lack of teacher enthusiasm. McVey said teachers who are educated in a related field should be teaching the course. "It is important for us politicians to listen to you people when we set policies," Dombrowsky said to the students. "I'm delighted to hear from you all about the points you have raised about the civics course." Dombrowsky stressed the importance of a program like civics because Canada is fortunate to have freedoms such as electing its political officials. She told the committee that one of the things she tells students in elementary schools is the importance of an elected government. "It makes me sad when I knock on someone's door and ask people to vote for me and they say, `I'm not going to vote', because men and women left their homes and gave up their lives for our freedom." After meeting with the students, Dombrowsky told the Beaver, "This program is important because it pulls young people together so it's a forum where we can hear from students first hand where they are happy with the way things are going, where the see an opportunity to make some improvements. 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