I do some work with the Alberta Teachers Association and the Alberta School Trustees Association. I am considered a friendly critic by both institutions. Last year I was invited by four Calgary based ATA locals to provide input into some strategic planning they were doing about public education in the context of the changing community that is Calgary.
Here is a video on some of my thoughts last spring...I say they ring even truer today with the election of Mayor Nenshi as a positive sign of emergent possibilities for that great city.
There is a lot of work to do to rethink the role and relationship of public education to the larger social agenda in Alberta. Minister Dave Hancock's efforts in Inspiring Education and Inspiring Action on Education set a framework and present an invitation for that to happen. Lets make sure we re-imagine and rekindle the passion and purpose of our public education system to align with the emerging possibilities that is the Next Alberta. Lots of potential and possibilities lay before us. All we have to do is take up the challenges and get going on co-creating the future as progressive and forward thinking Albertans.
I will be posting extensively on this and other issues about the Changing Landscape in Alberta and the next iteration of the Learning Our Way project of Informed Transformation of our province.
Great post as we head into the New Year, Ken. I, as a school board trustee, certainly consider you a "friendly critic" - if one who nudges and prods us to get outside where we are, and have been, to where must go - no matter how uncomfortable it makes us!
ReplyDelete"Alberta: best place for the world." YES! That sums up the elusive citizenship goals we are striving for with our students. A whole new attitude and paradigm to balance the "Alberta Advantage". Brilliant.
2011 is going to be busy and full of opportunity. The framework for Public Education provided by Minister Hancock's Inspiring Action will now bear fruit. Albertans need to pay close attention. Will the province have the courage to travel where we need to go?
Can't say it any better than you did here, Ken. In fact, I never looked at it quite that way: how can we be the best FOR the world? I believe that this is exactly how we should frame our aspirations.
ReplyDeleteWhat? You mean you'd rather have an educated population rather than have kids quit school and go work on the rigs... earn big bucks... buy stuff and become indebted to the gunwales?
ReplyDeleteHigh treason!