A Mandate for Change: Four Actions to Strengthen B.C.’s Education System

 Charles Ungerleider, Professor Emeritus, The University of British Columbia

[permission to reproduce granted if authorship is acknowledged]  

As B.C. welcomes a new Minister of Education, a crucial opportunity lies ahead to address pressing issues in student outcomes and ensure that our education system meets the high standards B.C. families expect. The following actions could guide meaningful improvements, fostering a more effective and transparent system that better prepares students for the future.  

Address the Decline in Literacy and Numeracy

B.C.’s steady declines in reading and math scores on both PISA and provincial assessments reveal a significant gap in core skills needed for full participation in society. Literacy and numeracy are fundamental, underpinning students’ ability to learn, work, and thrive in the modern world. Reversing this trend requires a comprehensive review of current practices and resources to ensure these skills are emphasized and supported across all levels of education. By prioritizing these foundational competencies, we can help students achieve mastery and strengthen overall educational quality.  

Restore Examinations in Grades 11 and 12

The recent reduction in provincial exams means we have fewer tools to monitor students’ progress over time and assess educational equity. Examinations are vital benchmarks to evaluate individual achievement and identify disparities across demographic groups. Reinstating exams for Grades 11 and 12 would provide clearer insights into how students are adapting to curriculum changes and would support accountability for outcomes. With exams, we gain data crucial for understanding whether all students are being served effectively and fairly within the education system.  

Require Currency of Professional Knowledge for Teaching Licensure

Maintaining public confidence in education requires that teachers stay current with best practices in their fields. This means implementing requirements for ongoing professional development and specialized certifications, particularly in elementary literacy and numeracy, and subject-specific designations for secondary teachers. By aligning teaching with other regulated professions that require practitioners to remain up to date, we ensure that students benefit from specialized, informed instruction that reflects the latest educational research and techniques.  

Supplement Proficiency Scales with Letter Grades

While proficiency scales offer detailed feedback on specific learning areas, they may lack the universal clarity that letter grades provide. Parents and students often value letter grades for their simplicity and directness, recognizing them as clear indicators of performance. A balanced approach that incorporates both letter grades and proficiency scales would give a fuller picture of student achievement, helping all stakeholders understand where students excel and where they need more support. This hybrid system combines the strengths of traditional and modern assessment methods.

 A Vision for Educational Excellence

By prioritizing foundational skills, reintroducing exams, ensuring teachers’ professional knowledge remains current, and refining our assessment methods, we can build an educational environment that better equips students for the challenges of tomorrow. It is time for a new Minister of Education to set B.C. on a path toward meaningful, lasting improvement in education.

Effective Feedback and Artificial Intelligence

 Charles Ungerleider, Professor Emeritus, The University of British Columbia

[permission to reproduce granted if authorship is acknowledged]  

Effective feedback supports academic achievement and personal development by helping students to improve. When it is expressed clearly, feedback explains what students are doing well and where they need to focus their efforts. When expressed constructively, feedback encourages students to reflect on their work, understand their mistakes, and learn from them.  

Teachers face several obstacles in providing effective feedback. Time constraints are a major issue; providing detailed feedback for numerous students can be overwhelming. Providing feedback to large classes is daunting. It is challenging to provide nuanced feedback aligned with the strengths and weaknesses of each student. These obstacles often reduce the frequency and quality of feedback that teachers provide to students.  

A recent study suggests that generative-AI holds promise for providing formative feedback to students.[1] The study compared the quality of formative feedback provided by human evaluators and generative AI, in this case ChatGPT 3.5 (an earlier, public version of ChatGPT). ​ The human evaluators were provided with a 3-hour training session that addressed evaluation criteria, actionable areas for improvement, and effective feedback strategies. They were provided with rubrics and guidelines and had two weeks to provide feedback. On average, the human evaluators spent about 20 minutes per essay.  

There were differences in feedback quality between humans and AI. The well-trained human evaluators generally provided higher quality feedback in most categories, such as clarity of directions for improvement, accuracy, prioritization of essential features, and use of a supportive tone. ​ Although the differences between human and AI feedback were statistically significant, they were relatively small.  

One of the implications of the study was that generative AI can provide useful feedback to students, which can be especially beneficial in large classes where it may be challenging for teachers to provide individualized feedback to each student. Moreover, generative AI can provide feedback immediately and iteratively, allowing students to receive feedback in a timely manner. ​ This is important because timely feedback has been shown to be more effective in promoting learning and improvement.  

Generative AI is low-cost and accessible which makes it a more feasible option for providing formative feedback compared to traditional methods that require extensive training and calibration. ​ This accessibility can potentially increase the availability of feedback to students, especially in contexts where well-prepared educators may be unavailable.  

Generative AI can provide feedback that is aligned with the needs of individual students. ​ With proper preparation and analysis that includes examples of students’ writing and comparison to exemplars and performance standards, generative AI can provide specific steps for improvement that are tailored to the student's writing performance. ​ enerative AI can be particularly useful in providing formative feedback on early drafts of student writing. ​ This can help students identify areas for improvement and make revisions before submitting their final work. ​Generative AI can also provide consistent feedback across different students and essays, ensuring that all students receive the same level of feedback and guidance. ​ This can help maintain fairness and equity in the feedback process.  

The fact that this study used ChatGPT 3.5 suggests that the findings regarding AI feedback quality may not fully reflect the capabilities of the most recent versions of ChatGPT or other generative AI models. ​ Since the study, there have been significant improvements in AI technology, including advancements in the processing of everyday speech and model training. ​ These improvements may have resulted in even-better AI-generated feedback, potentially narrowing the gap between human and AI feedback quality. ​

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[1] Steiss, J., Tate, T., Graham, S., Cruz, J., Hebert, M., Wang, J., Moon, Y., Tseng, W., Warschauer, M., and C. B. Olson, (June 2024) Comparing the quality of human and ChatGPT feedback of students’ writing, Learning and Instruction, 91, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2024.101894 .

Government subsidies of private facilities save the public money . . . not!

Charles Ungerleider, Professor Emeritus, The University of British Columbia

[permission to reproduce granted if authorship is acknowledged]  

According to a new study by the Leisure Institute, a non-partisan Canadian think-tank, government subsidies for private golf club memberships would save the province millions,

"Subsidizing private golf clubs would reduce the strain on government finances and save taxpayers money," said Chip Greenway, associate director of leisure policy at the Leisure Institute. "Public courses aren't the right fit for every golfer. But, making private courses affordable for middle-income families would reduce the competition for tee-times at public courses and the cost of public course maintenance because fewer golfers would be using public facilities," Greenway said.

Specious, yes?

Well, the Fraser Institute makes a similar argument about government funding for private schools in a May 2024 news release. “Some people claim that BC’s funding for independent schools take resources away from government public schools, but in fact, funding independent schools actually reduces the strain on government finances, saving taxpayers money,” said Paige MacPherson, associate director of education policy at the Fraser Institute.  

I am guessing that, in the run-up to the provincial election, the Fraser Institute was worried that the B.C. government might stop subsidizing private schools to the tune of more than $360 million per year. “Government public school isn’t the right fit for every child, and BC’s school choice policies make independent schools affordable for many middle-income families,” MacPherson said. “If funding for independent schools was taken away, many families would have no choice but to migrate to the government school system, limiting school choice for parents and increasing costs for taxpayers.”  

There are variations on the Fraser Institute’s theme. Subsidies for professional sports stadiums are a prime example. Subsidies by government are often justified by promising economic growth and job creation. Studies have shown, however, that these benefits rarely materialize as promised. Instead, the costs often outweigh the benefits. For example, the Citizens Against Government Waste report explains how the use of public funds for stadiums often leads to increased local taxes without corresponding economic gains. The Brookings Institution found that US government subsidies through tax-exempt bonds for stadium construction have cost taxpayers billions without delivering substantial public benefits​.  

Corporate subsidies are another area where the supposed benefits are not realized. According to the Hoover Institution, US federal subsidies to businesses cost taxpayers nearly $100 billion annually. These subsidies are often justified on the grounds of job creation and economic competitiveness. The benefits, however, largely accrue to large corporations disproportionately while failing to deliver the promised economic growth.  

If you buy the Fraser Institute’s argument about the BC government’s funding of private schools, please send me $800 to subsidize my membership at a private golf course of my choice. Or, better yet, join my investment club where I guarantee unconditionally to return half of your initial investment in less than a year. 

“The last thing a parent wants is to feel . . . .”

 Charles Ungerleider, Professor Emeritus, The University of British Columbia

[permission to reproduce granted if authorship is acknowledged]  

In a response to a question from a journalist about a controversial issue in education, a candidate for provincial office said, “the last thing a parent wants is to feel their child is being taught to be a certain way or taught something against their family’s values." However, that sentiment is antithetical to the purpose of education in a democratic society.  

A key purpose of education in a democratic society is to expose students to a diversity of perspectives, values, and ideas, not just those that align with their family's views. This exposure encourages critical thinking, empathy, and a greater understanding of the world. If education were limited to teaching only what aligns with each family’s values, students would not be exposed to values different from those of their parents, leaving them less well-prepared to function in a democracy.  

Democratic education aims to prepare students to be active and informed citizens, capable of participating in public debates, making reasoned arguments, and understanding different viewpoints. If schools restricted what they taught to the values of individual families, students would be isolated from the social and political conversations that are vital to the functioning of democracy. Such restriction would limit their ability to engage with others who hold different perspectives and would weaken the fabric of civic discourse.  

Education in a democracy seeks to develop individuals who can think independently and make informed choices. This sometimes means challenging pre-existing beliefs, including those learned at home. If students are only taught what aligns with their family's values, it limits their capacity for intellectual growth and personal autonomy, both of which are necessary for participating fully in democratic society.  

A democratic society relies on a sense of shared values and common understanding. While families may hold diverse views, education plays a key role in promoting civic values such as equality, justice, and mutual respect. If schools avoid teaching concepts that challenge family values, they would fail to instill these democratic principles which in turn would undermine social cohesion. 

In a democratic society, all children are entitled to access a broad and balanced curriculum, regardless of their family's beliefs. This includes knowledge about history, science, ethics, and human rights, which may at times conflict with certain familial or cultural values. Shielding students from this information would result in unequal educational outcomes by limiting some students' ability to fully participate in society.  

I am not saying that parents' values are not important. But education in a democratic society must balance this with the need to promote critical thinking, expose students to diverse perspectives, and prepare them to participate in the civic life of a pluralistic society. To do otherwise would compromise the foundational democratic ideals of freedom, equality, and shared responsibility.

Addressing the Teacher Shortage

 Charles Ungerleider, Professor Emeritus, The University of British Columbia

[permission to reproduce granted if authorship is acknowledged]

 

B.C. NDP Leader David Eby has made a $75 million election promise of loan forgiveness to attract doctors, nurses, and other health professionals to rural communities in British Columbia. The initiative is designed to address staffing shortages that have caused emergency room closures in rural hospitals. Health-care professionals who commit to working in a rural area for at least five years would be eligible for student loan forgiveness ranging from $10,000 to $20,000. Eby emphasized that this program is designed to make rural B.C. a more attractive option for both national and international health workers.  

If elected, the NDP might use the $75 million to conduct a public policy experiment. Instead of dedicating all the funds to loan forgiveness, the government might offer health professionals a choice between loan forgiveness and a mortgage forgiveness system.  

There is some evidence that homeownership tends to reduce the probability of homeowners leaving an area compared to renters. This is often referred to as the "lock-in effect," where homeownership creates financial and psychological incentives for individuals to stay in place. One key factor is the significant financial commitment involved in owning a home.  

I am writing about this in a blog about education because, like health services, education suffers shortages of teachers in rural and remote areas, and in specialized instructional subjects. Given the costs associated with teacher turnover, mortgage forgiveness may be an approach that school districts might employ to attract and retain teachers.  

A variation on mortgage forgiveness is employed by an Ontario engineering firm. The firm has fostered employee loyalty by offering up to $20,000 in down payment assistance for staff who are first-time homebuyers, a benefit that has helped 36 employees since 2021. The program, created in response to housing challenges, has improved employees’ housing security and built long-term retention, as employees must stay with the firm for three years after receiving the assistance.

Homeownership entails mortgage payments, maintenance costs, and property taxes, all of which create a higher barrier to moving compared to renting. Homeowners also face transaction costs when selling a property (realtor fees, moving expenses, and sometimes capital gains taxes). These costs can act as a deterrent to relocation. Renters, on the other hand, typically have fewer financial constraints and transaction costs, allowing them to move more easily in response to changes in employment or life circumstances.  

Beyond financial factors, homeownership is also linked to stronger social and psychological ties to a community. Homeowners are more likely to invest in local social networks, participate in civic activities, and develop a sense of emotional attachment to their homes and neighborhoods. This sense of belonging can make it harder for homeowners to consider leaving the area compared to renters who may have less attachment due to the temporary nature of rental agreements.  

Homeownership provides stability in housing costs for the owner, especially for those with fixed-rate mortgages. Unlike renters who are subject to potential rent increases or market fluctuations, homeowners with fixed mortgages have predictable housing expenses, which can encourage them to stay in the same place.  

In sum, homeowners are less likely to move compared to renters. Financial commitments, social investments, employment-related factors, and stable housing costs all contribute to this dynamic. This suggests that policies encouraging homeownership, such as a mortgage forgiveness program, could help retain professionals in rural and remote areas by increasing their investment in staying for the long term.  

To entice professionals to move to rural and remote communities in British Columbia, a mortgage forgiveness system could be implemented, structured over five years with graduated benefits. The program would be directed to essential professionals such as medical personnel, teachers, and other critical roles, offering increasing interest forgiveness for those committing to stay in these areas long-term.  

My back of envelope financial model assumes a house costing $500,000, with a 90% mortgage ($450,000) amortized over 25 years at an interest rate of 5%. This results in a monthly mortgage payment of approximately $2,617. Over the 25-year amortization period, the total interest paid amounts to $338,950.  

Over the first five years, the total interest paid is $109,200. The mortgage forgiveness schedule would begin modestly in Year 1 and increase each year, incentivizing long-term retention. In Year 1, the system would forgive 10% of the interest paid, or $2,276. This provides a modest relief to help professionals settle into their new community. In Year 2, the forgiveness rate would increase to 15%, covering $3,349 of the $22,324 in interest paid. As the program progresses, the rate increases to 25% in Year 3, forgiving $5,466 of the $21,863 in interest paid. By Year 4, forgiveness would cover 30% of the interest, which amounts to $6,414 on $21,379 of interest paid. Finally, in Year 5, the program would forgive 50% of the interest paid, providing $10,435 in relief on $20,870 in interest.  

Over five years, professionals would receive about $27,940 in interest forgiveness, making the program more financially rewarding as they continue to stay in rural or remote communities. The increasing forgiveness rates each year make staying for the full five years attractive, helping to ensure retention of essential professionals in these underserved areas. This graduated model would provide immediate and long-term benefits, balancing modest early support with more significant rewards for continued commitment. Professionals who remain in place receive the full financial advantage, which may help to address the staffing shortages in rural and remote communities.  

Without special legislative provisions, the forgiveness program, whether mortgage or student loan, would likely be considered a taxable benefit under CRA guidelines.  However, if the forgiveness is structured as part of a government program aimed specifically at economic or workforce development in underserved regions, it is possible that special tax treatments or exemptions could be developed.  

If the government pursues my suggestion that health professionals be given a choice between loan forgiveness and a mortgage forgiveness system, my prediction is that those who choose the mortgage forgiveness option will likely remain in the community longer than those who select loan forgiveness. 

Hard Truths

Charles Ungerleider, Professor Emeritus, The University of British Columbia

[permission to reproduce granted if authorship is acknowledged]  

Scarcity drives the need for policy, and policy requires careful thought and evaluation. Like everything that people value, public schools and the school boards responsible for them do not have enough resources. Leaving aside what 'enough' might mean, school districts do not have evidence that they are using their limited resources advantageously. And, for the most part, they are resistant to gathering the information that would provide that evidence.  

Even though it would be beneficial to systematically assess instructional programs and practices, school districts are unwilling to confront the obstacles to evaluation. Evaluations require time, collection of information, money, and expertise—resources that are scarce. Districts are often reluctant to allocate resources to evaluation from other areas even when doing so might enable them to operate more effectively, efficiently, and economically in the long run.  

Designing and conducting proper evaluations that produce evidence upon which school districts can act requires specialized knowledge of research design, data analysis, and statistical methods. Many – I am tempted to say most – school districts do not employ personnel with the necessary background.  

It is inevitable that evaluations will expose program weaknesses or failures that will attract attention. School boards and senior officials are reluctant to evaluate because of the potential for criticism and negative publicity.  

Evaluation means looking at and comparing the value of all uses of resources. Many school boards assume a “fixed cost” state of mind that we are offering this program already, we should keep it and not evaluate it against other possible uses of resources.  

School districts face pressure from multiple stakeholders (parents, teachers, unions, government bodies) whose priorities often conflict. Pressure from these disparate groups prompts school boards to focus on short-term goals rather than long-term evaluation. The desire to implement programs that are politically favorable, regardless of their effectiveness, typically outweighs the need for evaluation.  

Teachers and the organizations that represent them resist systematic evaluation because they fear evaluations will be used punitively, are disinclined to employ practices that are not aligned with their personal beliefs, are resistant to practices that they believe are being imposed because of district or provincial mandates, and place greater priority on personal experience than they do on empirical evidence.  

Educational outcomes can take a long time to mature or be manifest and it is difficult to isolate the effects of a single program or practice from broader social, economic, or demographic factors. But these challenges, common to most complex public endeavors, are not adequate reasons to avoid evaluations that may allow resources to be used more effectively, efficiently, and economically to the betterment of students.  

There will always be shortages of things that people value and surpluses of things people do not want. Arguments for additional resources are more likely to be persuasive if there is evidence that the resources at hand are being employed effectively, efficiently, and economically. 

World Teachers’ Day: An occasion for celebration and appraisal

Charles Ungerleider, Professor Emeritus, The University of British Columbia

[permission to reproduce granted if authorship is acknowledged]  

October 5^th is World Teachers' Day commemorating the signing of the 1966 UNESCO/International Labour Organization (ILO) Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers. I’ve long argued that teaching is among the most socially useful professions because teachers help to recreate society by preparing the next generation of citizens. October 5^th acknowledges the contribution that teachers make: shaping the future of those whom they teach and, through them, society.  

The 1966 UNESCO/ILO Recommendation outlines the rights and responsibilities of teachers and sets international standards for their employment conditions and professional preparation. The Recommendation addresses various dimensions of the profession. It emphasizes professional standards and responsibilities: Teachers should aim to foster the physical, mental, and moral development of students, preparing them for active participation in society. Teachers should be able to exercise their judgment while they adhere to high ethical and professional standards and demonstrate integrity, fairness, and dedication.  

Teacher preparation and continuous professional education are key components in the Recommendation. Teachers must receive thorough and effective initial training that includes both theoretical and practical knowledge. To ensure teachers stay current with educational advancements and methodologies the Recommendation regards currency of professional knowledge through ongoing professional development as essential.  

Employment and working conditions are also addressed in the Recommendation. Merit-based recruitment, job security, fair remuneration, and the benefits of social insurance benefits are key considerations. Schools must provide safe and healthy working conditions, with adequate resources and facilities to support effective teaching and learning.  

The Recommendation also draws attention to the importance of teachers' participation in educational decision-making and their right to hold membership in professional organizations that represent their interests. Teachers should be involved in the development and implementation of educational policies that affect their work and the quality of education.  

The 1966 Recommendation is intended to be a global framework for ensuring that teachers are respected, well-prepared, and supported throughout their careers. The standards it articulates are intended to improve the quality of education, promote the well-being of teachers, and benefit students and society.  

Almost sixty years have passed since the Recommendation was advanced. It would be interesting to see whether and how well the aspirations expressed by the standards have been realized. October 5^th should be both a celebration of the profession and appraisal of its progress toward the standards recommended.

Evaluation of School Superintendents

 

Charles Ungerleider, Professor Emeritus, The university of British Columbia

[permission to reproduce granted if authorship is acknowledged]  

School superintendents in British Columbia (directors of education or chief superintendents in other jurisdictions) are the chief executive officers employed by boards of education to ensure smooth, efficient, and effective operation of school districts. Evaluating their performance is a challenging task for many school boards. They often lack the basic information needed for such evaluations: data about student performance and the superintendent’s compliance with board policies.  

In jurisdictions like British Columbia, where mandated data collection and reporting exist, the task is somewhat easier. BC’s Framework for Enhancing Student Learning (FESL) requires school boards to report on the intellectual, social, and career development of students. While improvements in data sources are necessary, the framework provides essential data for evaluating superintendent performance. The central evaluative question is whether the school district is making reasonable progress toward the goals established in the FESL framework.  

Superintendents are responsible for both student performance improvement and compliance with board policies. However, the multiplicity of policies many school boards have complicates this task. Effective monitoring of policy compliance requires established evaluation and feedback mechanisms, robust data systems, and clear communication strategies.  

School boards operate with limited resources, making it challenging to track and manage compliance metrics for numerous policies. Miscommunication can lead to discrepancies in policy implementation and monitoring. The principal reason for the numerous policies is often the board’s desire to constrain the superintendent’s actions, which at times can lead to an unmanageable policy framework.  

It is likely obvious that I favor a lean policy framework. Having one is advantageous because it enhances compliance and reduces employee confusion. A lean policy framework makes for a more agile and resilient organization, one that is focused on performance and its priorities.  

Boards should focus on setting clear objectives and performance metrics, involving stakeholders in the evaluation process, and providing professional development based on evaluation outcomes. Regular review and adaptation of policies, leveraging technology and data analytics, and maintaining effective communication can enhance the evaluation process.  

Boards that take their responsibility to evaluate the superintendent seriously should operate with a lean policy framework. Without it, evaluating the superintendent is challenging, leading some boards to either avoid evaluation altogether or use irrelevant and indefensible standards.

Are schools or programs of choice contrary to the spirit of equity and inclusion?

 Charles Ungerleider, Professor Emeritus, The University of British Columbia

[permission to reproduce granted if authorship is acknowledged]  

Over the course of the last 50 years, Canadian public school boards have increasingly offered schools or programs of choice. Yet, over the same period – and especially in the last decade or so - Canadian schools boards have pursued policies of equity and inclusion. The prominence of the two ideas prompts me to wonder, Are schools or programs of choice contrary to the spirit of equity and inclusion?  

The first question that comes to mind is: Do schools or programs of choice cost more than non-selective programs or public schools? If they do, what is the magnitude of the difference between the resources they enjoy and the resources that non-selective programs or schools enjoy? Schools and programs of choice can lead to resource disparities, where the children in these schools or programs have more resources (lower pupil teacher ratios, more field trips, better supplies, etc.) than their counterparts in nonselective programs or schools.  

A second question comes to mind: Is there a risk that some programs or schools of choice are predominantly attended by students from specific racial, socioeconomic, or academic backgrounds? Though it may be unintentional, socioeconomic, academic, or racial segregation seems antithetical to equity and inclusion.  

A related question is: Have programs or schools of choice implemented selective admission processes that in effect exclude students with lower academic performance, disabilities, or behavioral issues? If they have, does this not undermine the principle of inclusive education?  

To ensure that programs and schools of choice align with the spirit of equity and inclusion, policymakers and educators should develop admission policies that prioritize inclusivity, ensuring that students with diverse backgrounds and needs are represented. It takes no small effort to change course when such schools or programs have persisted without regard to inclusivity for a long period of time. Nonetheless, policy makers and educators should regularly assess and address any disparities in enrollment, resources, and outcomes between different student groups.  

The impact of schools of choice on equity and inclusion depends significantly on the specifics of their implementation. With thoughtful design and proactive measures, it may be possible to create a system that enhances educational opportunities for all students while maintaining the principles of equity and inclusion. But doing so requires intentionality and vigilance. 

Things may be worse than we thought

Charles Ungerleider, Professor Emeritus, The University of British Columbia

[permission to reproduce granted if authorship is acknowledged]  

In our August 28 commentary in the Times Colonist (“Balancing graduation rates and educational quality”) Jerry Mussio and I observed a paradox in British Columbia about student learning outcomes. We said that rising graduation rates are accompanied by declining performance in key areas like reading and mathematics, prompting our concern about the effectiveness of the education system. While Canadian 15-year-olds, including students in British Columbia, generally perform above the PISA average, a closer examination reveals that these averages might obscure more troubling trends. We pointed to the decline in PISA scores in British Columbia before and during the pandemic.  

A colleague who read our article suggested that we read the appendix in Measuring Up: Canadian Results of the OECD PISA 2022 Study. Following our colleague’s advice, we discovered that exclusion rates and potential non-response bias suggest that the overall performance of Canadian students may be worse than we thought.  

Just as British Columbia’s increasing graduation rates are overshadowed by a growing number of students failing to meet international and provincial standards, the PISA data may be presenting an overly optimistic view of student achievement across Canada. The underrepresentation of students with disabilities or limited language proficiency in the PISA assessments could mean that the national averages are artificially inflated, much like how British Columbia’s graduation rates may be masking deeper issues in educational quality.  

If lower-performing students are underrepresented, as appears to be the case, the data might falsely suggest that Canadian students, including those in British Columbia, are performing better than they are. This disconnect between reported outcomes and the underlying realities is evident in British Columbia’s declining PISA scores and the increasing number of students struggling to meet basic literacy and numeracy standards.  

The increasing graduation rates in British Columbia, like the seemingly positive PISA scores for Canada, may be misleading indicators of educational success. The true test of an education system’s effectiveness lies not in its ability to graduate students, but in its capacity to ensure that all students, regardless of background, achieve mastery of essential knowledge and skills. The disconnect between graduation rates and educational quality in British Columbia, and the potential biases in the PISA data, both point to the need for a more nuanced and critical analysis of educational performance and outcomes. Policymakers and educators in British Columbia and across Canada must take these warning signs seriously and take steps to address them. 

Classroom Management: It doesn’t attract much attention until things get out of hand

Charles Ungerleider, Professor Emeritus, The University of British Columbia

[permission to reproduce granted if authorship is acknowledged]  

Section 43 of the Canadian Criminal Code is often referred to as the "corporal punishment" law. It states that schoolteachers, parents, and persons standing in the place of a parent are justified in using force by way of correction toward a pupil or child, if the force does not exceed what is reasonable under the circumstances. This section has been the subject of considerable debate and legal interpretation, particularly regarding what constitutes "reasonable" force in disciplining children.  

The Canadian Teachers’ Federation is concerned that, if Section 43 of the Canadian Criminal Code is removed without adding new rules to protect teachers, teachers may struggle to maintain safety in schools. CTF argues that teachers sometimes need to physically intervene, such as when breaking up fights or preventing students from harming themselves or others. CTF’s concern is that, without specific protections in the law, these actions might be seen as assault.  

I do not doubt that teachers are struggling with managing the behaviour of students. I cannot find reliable data about changes in student behaviour over time to determine whether managing student behaviour is more challenging today than in the past. What I do know is that the amount of time and attention devoted to classroom management in teacher education programs has diminished over time. This makes me wonder if student behaviour is the source of the problem or whether inadequate preparation makes it difficult for teachers to prevent misbehavior and respond to it.  

Effective classroom management is crucial for teachers because it creates an environment in which they can teach and students can learn. There are many things that teachers must know how to do to create and maintain such an environment.  

Establishing a welcoming and supportive classroom atmosphere is essential for making students feel valued and reducing stress-related misbehavior. This can be achieved by arranging the classroom to promote collaboration, using positive language, and celebrating student achievements. A well-organized and inviting classroom fosters a sense of belonging and encourages students to engage more fully in their learning, thereby minimizing disruptive behaviors.  

Teachers must know how to develop strong, positive relationships with students because trust and respect deters misbehavior. Teachers can accomplish this by showing genuine interest in students' lives, using positive reinforcement, and establishing a rapport through regular, positive interactions. Care and respect help to build connections that encourage students to follow classroom rules and participate actively in their education.  

Teachers must be able to effectively communicate their expectations and provide feedback. Being able to do so is necessary for ensuring clarity about what is expected and maintaining open communication with students and parents. This involves using clear and concise language, providing regular feedback about behavior, and involving parents in behavior management plans when such plans are necessary. Clear communication helps prevent misunderstandings and fosters a collaborative approach to managing student behavior. It also helps to build parental confidence in the teacher.  

Students should have a voice in classroom management. Having a voice increases their acceptance of and reduces resistance to the rules they help to establish. This can be done by involving students in setting class norms, allowing them to suggest improvements to classroom procedures, and listening to their feedback on what works best for them. Students involved in decision-making are more likely to adhere to established guidelines and contribute positively to the classroom environment.  

Classroom rules and expectations must be clear and clearly communicated. This is fundamental to preventing misunderstandings and promoting a respectful learning environment. Rules should be posted visibly in the classroom and reviewed regularly.  

Teachers must also monitor student behaviour proactively. Observing student behavior and intervening early is essential for addressing potential issues before they arise and have a chance to escalate. Teachers should circulate in the classroom, use non-verbal cues, and provide gentle reminders or redirections when the need for them is evident. Proactive monitoring helps maintain a positive classroom environment and prevents minor issues from becoming major disruptions.  

Sanctions must be administered consistently and fairly. Students must understand in advance the consequences for misbehavior and the consequences must be administered fairly. Teachers should follow through with predetermined consequences for rule violations, communicate these consequences clearly, and apply them uniformly. Consistent enforcement of rules helps students understand that expectations are serious and that there are predictable outcomes for their behavior. Teacher unpredictability is unfair, leads to fearfulness on the part of students, rarely engenders compliance, and lowers respect for the teacher.  

Encouraging students to take responsibility for their behavior fosters a sense of ownership and self-discipline. This can be done using strategies like class meetings, self-assessment checklists, and opportunities for students to reflect on their behavior and make amends. Teachers who promote self-management help students develop the skills needed to regulate their own behavior.  

Using restorative practices to address misbehavior helps resolve conflicts and restore positive relationships. Teachers can use restorative circles or conversations where students express their feelings, discuss the impact of their behavior, and agree on steps to repair the harm they have caused. Restorative practices encourage empathy and accountability. They help students learn from their mistakes and rebuild trust within the classroom community.  

It is easy to say that teachers should do all these things. But in the absence of adequate preparation, it is unlikely that teachers will be able to do them. In that case, managing student behaviour, a responsibility that all teachers have, will be difficult, unpredictable, and likely to lead to the kind of misbehavior that will require the kinds of interventions the CTF seeks to address in its advocacy for the retention of Section 43 of the Criminal Code. 

Strong Starts

 Charles Ungerleider, Professor Emeritus, The University of British Columbia

[permission to reproduce granted if authorship is acknowledged]  

There are many things to which a strong start is essential.  Personal relationships, conferences, sporting events, and the first day of the school year. It is at the start that a positive tone and momentum are established that provides the foundation for what follows.  

At the beginning of the school year, students need to reset their focus and apply their energy in ways that differ from the way they applied them during the summer. Establishing an environment in which students can learn and the teacher can teach is essential for a strong start to the school year. Involving students in the creation of the rules of decorum and behaviour helps students to establish a respectful, cooperative and productive classroom environment. Students who have agency are more likely to abide by the rules and behave in ways that help reestablish order when the rules are violated.  

Students benefit from knowing what to expect. At the beginning of the school year, teachers spend significant effort to make clear what is expected regarding classroom decorum, what students will learn, and how student performance will be evaluated. An important part of a teacher’s instructional program is communicating these same expectations to parents so that they, too, know what to expect. Building parental confidence in, and support for, the teacher often makes the difference when teachers need to communicate with parents to enlist their help.  

I know many astute principals who dedicate much of their time at the beginning of the school year  actively seeking evidence of these key practices in classrooms. I describe them as astute because they understand that when teachers implement these practices early on, it sets a positive tone in their classrooms and throughout the entire school. They recognize that teachers who adopt these strategies will face fewer challenges compared to those who do not. By ensuring that these practices are in place, principals help both students and teachers start the year with strong, positive momentum, laying a solid foundation for ongoing academic achievement. This proactive approach also makes the principal's own jobs more manageable.  

Most experienced teachers know that a strong start to the school year is critical. Resetting students’ focus and establishing clear expectations help create a respectful and productive classroom environment from the outset. Principals who support teachers in prioritizing these practices and actively ensuring their implementation contribute significantly to a positive and more enjoyable school culture and greater teacher well-being. This foundation facilitates smoother classroom management and enhances academic achievement.

Overcoming resistance to change

 Charles Ungerleider, Professor Emeritus, The University of British Columbia

[permission to reproduce granted if authorship is acknowledged]  

Regular readers of my blog know that I lament the stagnation of assessment results in literacy and numeracy and the lack of improvement in achievement among Indigenous students and students with special needs designations. For the several months I have been reading the strategic plans developed by school boards in British Columbia that are designed to align with the goals of intellectual, social, and career development as expressed in the Statement of Education Policy Order. I am wondering how school districts are going to produce the changes that are required to fulfill the goals in their plans.  

Teachers are, of course, the key agents of change. Without their support, change cannot occur. There are other factors at play, but it is essential that teachers be willing to change their practice to improve student performance and outcomes.  

In my quest to understand change, I recently read an article that so resonated with my experience that it has me thinking along new lines. That the article resonates with my experience doesn’t prove anything, but it is worth considering the implications of what the scholar-practitioners—the authors of the article--learned from their experience.  

Two university researchers, McKenzie and Scheurich, both with teaching and research experience in urban educational settings, conducted a collaborative action research project at a diverse urban elementary school. Their objective was to work alongside the school's administration and staff to boost the academic success of all students across various racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds. While the school's accountability data showed some progress, particularly for the lowest-performing students, the project revealed four main obstacles to change: the tendency to blame external factors for low achievement, the perception that accountability systems undermine teaching, the belief that proposing change implies criticism, and a general reluctance to embrace leadership roles.[1]  

McKenzie and Scheurich found that the teachers with whom they worked and with whom they had positive relationships frequently blamed factors outside the school, such as parenting, student behavior, and poverty for students' academic struggles. They inferred that pointing to external reasons suggested that the teachers were hesitant to consider how their own methods might contribute to student performance. They also found that biases against students' diverse backgrounds also played a part, leading teachers to view some background differences negatively.  

The authors also found that, across various educational settings, teachers voiced concerns that accountability measures, such as standardized testing, hindered their teaching. The teachers argued that these systems limit their creativity, fail to address the needs of all students, and create a stressful environment. McKenzie and Scheurich found that the resistance went beyond pedagogical objections to the teachers' sense of autonomy within their classrooms. Accountability was often viewed as an intrusion, challenging the traditional power teachers hold in the classrooms and leading to a defensive stance against perceived external scrutiny.  

Teachers with whom the authors worked frequently viewed suggestions for improvement as personal criticism, regardless of how they were presented. McKenzie and Scheurich believe that this issue was linked to the power dynamic between school administrators and teachers. Despite efforts to work together on changes, teachers often felt that improvement suggestions were a critique of their work. That situation made it hard to change teaching methods and revealed the challenging tension between leadership and teacher resistance to change.  

McKenzie and Scheurich wrote that, although the idea of shared leadership assumes that teachers will welcome the chance to take on leadership roles, the reality was that teachers were hesitant to accept these roles. They tended to avoid actions that might set them apart from colleagues or disrupt established norms. Even teachers who were formally acknowledged as leaders frequently resisted using their authority to guide teaching practices. The authors opined that such behavior indicates a widespread reluctance within the teaching profession to embrace leadership responsibilities.  

The McKenzie and Scheurich article has me thinking about four related questions:  

• How can we design professional development programs that encourage teachers to reflect on their teaching methods and view challenges as opportunities for increasing their effectiveness?
• How can we involve teachers in creating assessment systems that recognize their creativity and the diverse needs of students so that teachers see accountability as a professional responsibility and opportunity rather than a punitive measure?
• How can we redefine educational leadership to emphasize collaboration?
• What mentorship programs can we establish to support teachers transitioning into leadership roles?  

These are difficult questions to which I do not have ready answers, but I believe that it is crucial to involve teachers in answering them. Without their participation it will be difficult, if not impossible, to shift the perception of change from something that is done to teachers to something that is done by them.

I am going to think about these four questions between now and the Fall when my blog will resume. 

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[1] McKenzie, K.B.  & J.J.  Scheurich (2008) Teacher resistance to improvement of schools with diverse students, International Journal of Leadership in Education, 11:2, 117-133, DOI: 10.1080/13603120801950122  

Teaching: Making A Future

 Charles Ungerleider, Professor Emeritus, The University of British Columbia

[permission to reproduce granted if authorship is acknowledged]  

The central job board for teacher recruitment in British Columbia is a website called Make a Future. Although the catch phrase is close to becoming a cliché, there is much truth in the claim that teachers can make the future.  

Teaching is one of the most influential professions. It shapes the future of the students taught and in doing so helps shape the future of society. Research, coupled with real-world economic considerations, makes the case that competent, effective teachers help promote student success and social improvement.  

John Hattie's Visible Learning summarizes much of the research about the immense impact teachers that have on student learning. That research summary and subsequent research shows that teachers exert a greater influence on student learning outcomes than any other single factor. The pedagogical strategies, content knowledge, and rapport-building skills that teachers possess are pivotal to student achievement.  

Teacher influence extends well beyond the boundaries of the classroom and academic achievement. Economists have found that teachers also contribute substantially to students' long-term life outcomes. Studies show that the quality of the teaching students receive can significantly affect their future employment opportunities and health outcomes. These findings confirm the value to society of effective teachers.  

Well-prepared teachers represent a significant investment. Considering salary, benefits, including pension costs, the amount exceeds $3 million per person over a thirty-year career without factoring in the costs of recruitment, professional development, and the cost of supply or substitute teachers during periods of absence. This is a substantial financial investment for any educational organization. Given the educational benefits that skilled, effective teachers bring, the expense is necessary and justifiable.  

The hiring of teachers extends beyond simple economic calculations. The educational and economic repercussions of employing ineffective teachers or those who leave the profession prior to retirement are considerable. Effective pre-employment assessment strategies are pivotal to hiring competent teachers.  

Although they are too infrequently used, teaching demonstrations provide real-time insights into an applicant’s teaching. Applicants may be asked to teach a lesson to a class while evaluators observe. This allows schools to directly assess an applicant's teaching skills, classroom management strategies, and ability to engage students.  

If the situation is like the one for which the applicant has applied, the students and curricula should be familiar. If the situation is too disparate with the position, the curriculum and students may be unfamiliar to the applicant and may violate the expectations of the observers.  

While it is inadvisable to make a strong judgment based on a single observation, even a single observation is preferable to no observations at all.  

Applicants may be asked to submit sample lesson plans. Reviewing these can provide insight into a teacher's planning skills, their understanding of curriculum standards, and their ability to structure lessons effectively. Like demonstration lessons, this method requires expert evaluators who can recognize effective lesson planning.  

Interviewing applicants for teaching positions is a near universal practice. During interviews, applicants may be asked to describe how they have handled (or would handle) specific situations in the classroom (often called behavioural or situational interviewing). Their responses can provide insight into their problem-solving skills, understanding of student development, and classroom management strategies. The quality of these interviews largely depends on the questions asked and the interviewer's skills. The validity of interviews depends upon using a robust question set and skilled interviewers.  

It is fashionable among some recruiters to ask applicants to submit a professional portfolio. The portfolio may include prior lesson plans, samples of student work, teaching philosophy statement, and performance evaluations from previous positions. Portfolios are intended to provide a holistic view of a teacher's abilities and achievements through representative objects and documents. The effectiveness of portfolios relies heavily on their design and the evaluators' ability to interpret them accurately.  

Reference checks, like interviews, are nearly universal. They are intended to provide additional insights about a candidate. Their value is limited by the referees' willingness to provide candid and unbiased feedback. This is difficult to achieve because applicants understandably select referees who will provide positive appraisals.  

I do not think it is an overstatement to say that teachers make a future for students and the wider society. They drive student achievement, influence long-term life outcomes, and create social value. For those reasons I also think it is of great importance that the education sector prioritizes the hiring of highly competent teachers. Each pre-employment assessment method I have enumerated adds information about as applicant’s potential, but each has its own strengths and weaknesses. Given the magnitude of a school district’s investment in teachers, an approach that combines these methods is likely to yield a more comprehensive understanding of an applicant’s suitability for a teaching position than one that is more limited in scope. 

Fostering Evidence-informed Teaching Practice

 Charles Ungerleider, Professor Emeritus, The University of British Columbia 

[permission to reproduce granted if authorship is acknowledged]  

I have long been an advocate for the application of research evidence in teaching practices. Over the past century, an abundance of education research has been accumulated, much of it with practical implications for the classroom. Teachers are not as receptive to integrating this research into their daily practice as I hope they would be. From time to time, I have suggested that teachers should follow the example of their counterparts in the field of medicine, who seem to more readily apply research findings to guide their practices. There are some intriguing differences in the part that research plays in each field and in the dispositions practitioners in both fields have toward such research.  

Medicine and education are multifaceted disciplines with a shared objective—to improve human well-being. For medicine it is physical health and for education it is intellectual growth.  

The role of research in these two fields has notable differences. Medical research often delivers results in the form of tangible treatments or protocols, such as a new medication or surgical procedure. The benefits of these treatments can be directly observed, and their use is often mandated by regulatory bodies. A clear example is the widespread application of cholesterol-lowering drugs (statins) that were quickly adopted after research demonstrated their effectiveness in reducing the risk of heart disease.  

Educational research often yields findings that are more interpretive and less prescriptive. Research findings in education provide insights into teaching strategies or learning theories but are challenging to apply. For instance, research highlighting the benefits of formative assessment might not specify the best ways to administer or use formative assessment to inform decisions about instruction in classrooms with varied student populations.  

Physicians and teachers have different dispositions toward research. Physicians, by nature of their profession and continuous learning requirements, tend to be more accepting of research findings. They often work in an environment that supports and encourages the integration of the latest research into practice. A stark example can be found in the rapid implementation of COVID-19 treatments and protocols based on emergent research.  

Teachers often enjoy more flexibility and autonomy in their methods. They may adopt evidence-based practices, but the implementation is frequently dependent on individual judgement, administrative support, and available resources. For example, a teacher might choose a project-based learning approach over a more traditional teaching method, despite the lack of consensus in research on its superiority, because they believe it suits their specific classroom context.  

The differences in the uptake of research between medicine and education are not intended to disparage the teaching profession. Calling attention to them points to the need to understand the factors affecting the decisions that teachers make and their use of evidence in arriving at those decisions.  

It is essential to increase the accessibility of research for teachers, communicate findings in a practical, applicable manner, and foster a system that supports and encourages the application of research in the classroom. These changes could propel education towards a more evidence-informed future, much like what we observe in the field of medicine today.  

Ministries of education are in a uniquely powerful position to influence educational practices on a large scale. They can set priorities, shape policies, and allocate resources in ways that can significantly impact the application of research in schools and classrooms. It is imperative that ministries take an active role in enhancing the utilization of educational research by teachers.  

Ministries can increase the accessibility of research for teachers by investing in platforms that collate and distribute educational research. These platforms should be user-friendly and easily searchable, catering to the busy schedules of teachers, and provide a range of research from promising studies to multiple studies conducted over time. By making research readily available, teachers can stay informed about the latest findings and best practices.  

Ministries can facilitate the translation of research into practical, actionable strategies for teachers. Educational research can often be opaque in its presentation. By developing resources that present research findings in a clear and digestible manner, ministries can help teachers apply research to their teaching methods. This could be in the form of summarized research briefs, practical guides, or webinars that discuss research implications for classroom practices.  

Ministries can foster a system that supports and encourages the application of research in the classroom by implementing policies that value and incentivize evidence-based teaching practices. This could include providing professional development programs that focus on the practical application of research, creating opportunities for teacher collaboration and discussion of research findings, and incorporating the demonstrable use of evidence-based strategies into teacher evaluations.  

Ministries can work with universities and teacher preparation programs to ensure that pre-service teachers are equipped with the skills to understand and apply educational research. This can foster a culture of evidence-informed teaching from the beginning of a teacher's career.  

Ministries can fund further research into educational practices, particularly those that explore the implementation of research in diverse classroom contexts. This supports the generation of more relevant and applicable research and demonstrates a commitment to the continual improvement of teaching practices based on evidence.  

By leveraging their resources, influence, and strategic capabilities, ministries of education can promote the use of research in education, leading to improved teaching practices and better educational outcomes. The ripple effect of this could extend far beyond the individual classroom, influencing the entire educational system.

Parental Rights and Education

 Charles Ungerleider, Professor Emeritus, The University of British Columbia

[permission to reproduce granted if authorship is acknowledged]  

Public school is where we sent our children to overcome the limitations of their parents. My wife and I are well-educated, but there are limits to what we know and the values we hold. We wanted our daughters to be exposed to ideas and values different from our own so that they could make their way in the world unencumbered by our limitations.  

We believed that it was our responsibility to ensure our children were led out from the confines of the knowledge we could impart or the experiences we could provide. When I stop to consider it, I think things worked out. They are intellectually independent and, although we share many, if not most values, they came to their value positions on their own. We recognize that the family context and the friendship network in which they were raised were no doubt influential in shaping their values and beliefs, but the beliefs and values they hold were not imposed upon them.  

It is this disposition on my part that makes it disquieting to read about the attempts of school trustees to restrict access to books and ideas in the name of parental rights. A school trustee in British Columbia introduced a motion that “consideration be given to the creation of a policy statement that sets parameters around communications with parents about events scheduled in schools.” The trustee’s rationale was:  

The creation of a new policy statement will ensure that parents are adequately informed about upcoming presentations to be held at District schools. The key components of this consideration should include providing parents with sufficient notice for all school presentations to allow families time to determine whether attending the presentation is in the best interest of their child’s education. This will promote transparency, parental involvement, and a more collaborative educational environment.

 Notwithstanding the ambiguity of the rationale, the motion seems to imply that parents should be able to limit the school presentations to which their children might be exposed.  

Parents are not without certain rights. The Ontario Court of Appeal ruled that mandatory religious practices in public schools violate Charter rights to freedom of religion (Zylberberg v. Sudbury Board of Education, 1988). However, when parents in Quebec objected to a mandatory Ethics and Religious Culture course, the Supreme Court of Canada held that merely exposing a child to different religious facts in a public school did not interfere with the parents' ability to transmit their faith (S.L. v. Commission scolaire des Chênes, 2012).  

The parents alleged that the Ethics and Religious Culture course was liable to cause harm in several ways. Among them:            

·     Losing the right to choose an education consistent with one’s own moral and religious principles; interfering with the fundamental freedom of religion, conscience, opinion and expression of children and their parents by forcing children to take a course that does not reflect the religious and philosophical beliefs with which their parents have the right and duty to bring them up.

·     Upsetting children by exposing them at too young an age to convictions and beliefs that differ from the ones favoured by their parents.

In seeking a favorable ruling from the Court, the parents appeared to want to shield their children from ideas that were dissonant or inharmonious with their own. In its decision, the Court observed:

Parents are free to pass their personal beliefs on to their children if they so wish.  However, the early exposure of children to realities that differ from those in their immediate family environment is a fact of life in society.  

I would go further. I would argue that it is incumbent upon parents to ensure that their children are exposed to realities, ideas, values, and beliefs that differ from those of their families. They should count on schools to assist in this. It is in such exposure that children develop the intellectual and moral capacities that adulthood requires.