WHY DON'T OUR SCHOOLS ACCOMMODATE OUR CHILDREN WHO ARE STRUGGLING ACADEMICALLY ??

WHY DON'T OUR SCHOOLS ACCOMMODATE OUR CHILDREN WHO ARE STRUGGLING ACADEMICALLY?

In the past decade, us "boomers" have experienced a seismic transformation of technology, which our children embrace as the norm, as we revel in the magnificence of it all. Who would have thought, even 20 years ago, that one day people would be carrying around multi functional personal communication devices that double as telephones, cameras, video conference facilities, data centres, entertainment centres...and more.  

The optimists amongst us had  hoped that the education system would have joined in this fast track life transformation, so that "teaching" and "learning" would have reached a natural equilibrium, wherein  "struggling" students would become the "exception," as opposed to the all too common norm.

We ask, "Where did we go wrong?”  

"Why are we seeing epidemic levels of student suicides at University entry levels?”

“What is going on here?”

If truth be told, the academic innovators have NOT been asleep. For the past decade, they have been busy re-evaluating the education "process" and creating new and innovative educational policies and guidelines which holistically address "struggling"  students, and for that matter, all students. They have designed an arsenal of "accommodation" and "modification" techniques that address, both the root causes of students' academic struggles, and the teaching methodologies necessary to allow "across the board" success. They have also readdressed the political correctness of academic related descriptive terminology, such that we now reference "students with exceptionalities", at both ends of the academic achievement spectrum. Student "assessment" now flanks and co-mingles with mark oriented "valuation" as an acceptable, and appropriate co-barometer, of student success.

So, you say, "Sounds promising!" But, you then ask, "Where did we drop the ball on route to the anticipated home run?"  

Let's talk about Ontario.

In 2010, the Ontario Ministry of Education tabled a transformational policy document titled:

 GROWING SUCCESS

                                     (www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/policyfunding/growsuccess.pdf)

Assessment, Evaluation and Reporting in Ontario Schools.

Covering Grades 1 to 12

Most telling as to the intent and driving force behind this evolutionary educational policy document are the following three small words, which boldly appear centre stage at the bottom of the front page of the document:

reach every student

These three simple words encapsulate the theoretic and practical underpinning of this revolutionary and innovative academic reality, which recognizes the fact that all students learn differently, and teaching techniques must be individually customized so as to cater to each and every student's learning style.

EVERY STUDENT can and must be REACHED.  

This was to be the new reality.

The motivational backdrop of Growing Success is succinctly stated in the document's introductory statement, which reads as follows:

"The Ontario government is committed to enabling all students

          to reach their potential, and to succeed. Our challenge is that

          every student is unique and each must have opportunities to

 achieve success according to his or her own interests, abilities,

 and goals. We have defined high expectations and standards for

 graduation, while introducing a range of options that allow students

 to learn in ways that suit them best and enable them to earn their

 diplomas. We are proud that our students regularly place among

 the world’s best on international standardized tests."

This is the law. It is the law not just in the sense of being the governing education policy in Ontario.  It is law that is deeply entrenched in human rights legislation. Breach of some of these policy guidelines (case dependent and under certain prescribed circumstances) may be interpreted under our human rights legislation as human rights violations that are considered to be discrimination.  The simple explanation of this human rights "tie in" is as follows:

"Education" in its broadest sense is considered to be a “service” under the Ontario Human Rights Code. It does not matter if this educational service is being provided by a publicly funded school or by a private school or by a college or university. The bottom line is that the Code guarantees the right to equal treatment in services, without discrimination on the ground of disability.

"Disability" is also broadly interpreted such that it does not just include readily apparent (visible) physical disabilities.  It also includes learning disabilities. Once a learning disability (or a "learning disability-related need) is diagnosed or identified, educators at all levels, have an obligation to intercede.

Once a disability-related need has been identified, or where a prima facie case of discrimination has been established, education providers have a duty to do what has to be done in order to accommodate the needs of identified students "with disabilities" in order to allow him/her to have equal access to the provided educational services unless, to do so, would cause undue hardship. Demonstrating "undue hardship" is a tall order and must not be confused with straining a school's pre existing policy and ideological opinions. 

The duty to accommodate should not be taken lightly. The principles of accommodation are clearly set out in the following exert taken from the Ontario Human Rights Commission's Guidelines for Accessible Education:

"Accommodation is a means of preventing and removing barriers that impede students with disabilities from participating fully in the educational environment in a way that is responsive to their own unique circumstances. The principle of accommodation involves three factors: dignity, individualization and inclusion."

          ( Guidelines on accessible education | Ontario Human Rights…

www.ohrc.on.ca/en/guidelines-accessible-education

ISBN 0-7794-7191-1. Approved by the OHRC: September 29, 2004)

So, you ask, "Where did we go wrong?” "Talk the talk is one thing...but what about walk the walk? What can we, as parents, do about it? How do we advocate for our children?"

That, my friends, is a question that has a multi tiered answer. Let's start at the ground-floor by identifying the most apparent culprits in the palatable resistance to the identification and implementation of the necessary accommodations that will allow your children to be "reached" and will allow you, and your child, to feel that the educational services being provided are fully accessible to your child's specific (individual) needs:  

• Rigid school policies that are resistant to accommodation implementation
• Demonstrated lack of knowledge as to the duty to identify exceptional students and to  accommodate them accordingly.
• Old school educators who are simply out of touch with their obligations, and are drawing upon an outdated personal  "resource manual".
• Lack of sufficient practicum experience, in the case of candidate teachers.
• Misdirected concern that accommodations must be tempered in order to ensure fairness to the other students.
• A chronic misinterpretation of accommodations as being unfair advantages.
• A failure to understand the distinction between "essential" course requirements, and those non essential course requirements that can be easily satisfied by flexible and creative teaching strategies.

AND SPECIFICALLY IN REGARDS TO SOME PRIVATE SCHOOLS:

• Minimal Ministry oversights, as the schools are regarded as a "business".
• No requirements for principal or teacher qualifications.
• Lack of support resources (e.g.: guidance, special education services)

NEXT BLOG: Advocating for Your Child: Navigating the Waters.