bcbusiness.ca
thought based on the idea that close,
trusting relationships bet ween
teacher and student are an essential
foundation of learning.
"When a student has the security
of an attachment, the mind is open
to absorb new information," explains
junior school principal Ciara Corco-
ran. "It also encourages students to
look to their teachers for direction
with regard to values, identity and
positive choices rather than looking
to peer attachments for all decision-
making." Repeated research has
shown that one of the strongest indi-
cators of later life success (on out-
comes from income to divorce rates)
in both the K-12 and in higher educa-
tion is whether a student reports they
had a teacher who cared about them.
At
WPGA's senior school, person-
alization applies to everything from
tailoring timetables to suit students'
needs to employing innovative assess-
ment tools to help students progress
at their own pace rather than at the
pace of their cohort. If a student falls
behind, teachers know them well
enough to identify the problem early.
Much of what distinguishes
WPGA
boils down to resources. Conversa-
tions among enlightened educators in
the public system, both at the school
and ministry level, revolve around
issues like personalization. Figur-
ing out how to teach not only basic
literacy and numeracy but also the
so-called 21st-century skills (things
like character, collaboration and com-
munication, which
WPGA delivers so
well) is at the heart of current curricu-
lum reforms.
But this is a heck of a lot easier to
achieve with the advantage of special-
ist teachers, ubiquitous technology
and teacher training. Public school
districts receive about $7,800 per
student for operations (not including
capital expenditures) from govern-
ment. Private schools receive up to
half of that amount in government
subsidies—in addition to the $10,000
to $20,000 parents pay annually.
In short, policymakers will need to
invest more in specialist teachers and
teacher training if they hope to make
personalization a reality in public
classrooms.
