Schooling for success
Education Minister Kelly Lamrock made good on a key promise Thursday: restoring the prominence of physical education and music in New Brunswick's schools.
Parents, doctors and health care advocates have long complained that the loss of physical education programs in the 1980s and '90s has led to a dangerous decrease in wellness among young adults.
Public schools are meant to give students the tools and experience to engage in life-long learning. Physical education is an essential part of the process, building physical fitness, strength and stamina and teaching the value of endurance, performance, ethics and teamwork.
Likewise, the role of music in public schooling has been underplayed to the detriment of students' overall development. Just as phys ed courses have introduced millions of youngsters to the joys of sport, music classes have given many students the opportunity to discover an unsuspected talent.
Students who do not excel will also benefit. Physical exercise builds musculature, strengths the heart and lungs and hones co-ordination. Music lessons introduce students to culture, refine timing and listening skills and teach the importance of co-ordination.
At their best, taught by enthusiastic and skilled instructors, both courses can help children understand how impressively the sum of many peoples' efforts can surpass their performance as individuals. This is the case whenever a school sports team wins a match; or whenever a school band joins in on the count of one-two-three and the music rises majestically above the bleachers.
Many governments have paid lip service to the goal of more comprehensive elementary school education; Mr. Lamrock is actually delivering it. For that, he has earned the thanks of countless parents and students.
Bolstering physical education and music programs will not be a simple matter; at least 111 teachers with a strong background in these subjects will be required, starting in September. The time devoted to phys ed in kindergarten through Grade 5 classes will be boosted immediately to 120 minutes a week, and then raised to 150 minutes within the next three years. A minimum of 60 minutes a week will be devoted to music and the visual arts.
These are not extraordinary time commitments, but they will make New Brunswick's physical education program the strongest in Canada and beef up offerings in art and music across the province. That's a respectable start.
Since the Minister is revising curriculum with an eye to redressing old imbalances, we hope he will also consider ways to get vocational training back in high schools and middle schools.
Not all students have the aptitude or the interest in an academic education, and as North America's labour shortage deepens, it is growing clear that the skilled trades will once again offer a lifetime of rewarding work to those who choose apprenticeship.
The school system should provide opportunities for all students to discover their talents.
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CBC reported that French core teachers would be reassigned to teach these classes. So are they "enthusiastic and skilled" or are they reassigned teachers? Once again, confusion over Lamrock's plans. Where does he dream this stuff up?
But even the Phys Ed experts have publically said that they were not consulted on this plan.v One can only imagine whether Art and Music experts were consulted - doubtful.
Lamrock is making stuff up as he goes - and the implementation will be scattered at best.
And none of this has any bearing on the terrible decision to kill French Second Language traning for our kids.
This is all just window dressing to make the system look better.
Shame on you Lamrock.
Ok, now I get it. The new plan will prepare our English children so the province has someone to perform the menial labour. No need to make them bi-lingual if all you expect from their future is an ability to fix toilets or build roads.
I'm not suggesting that there is anything wrong with those professions but I do think there is something wrong with grooming students in such a way as to limit their career choices.
Phys-ed and music really don't help much on your resume (especially in NB).
More gym time is actually a good idea but how will we implement it so quickly? Is a weekend course going to qualify a math teacher in how to safely and properly exercise children?
It's going to take our school system years to adjust the placement of students, teachers and resources. God I wish Lamrock would think these things through before throwing our kids into chaos.
A Bachelor of Recreation and Sports Studies Degree
The Bachelor of Recreation and Sports Studies (BRSS) features an open curriculum in recreation and sport, as well as optional minors in Sport Recreation and Management, Outdoor Recreation, Tourism and Recreation and Aging. This degree program prepares the student for a variety of careers in the areas of recreation and sport management, outdoor recreation, tourism, teaching and coaching.
The concurrent degree programs, Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology - Bachelor of Education and the Bachelor of Recreation and Sports Studies – Bachelor of Education are designed for those who wish to teach Physical Education or coach in the school system. The BSCKin/BEd program is intended for students what are interested in having their teachable minor in Sciences, while the BRSS/BEd is intended for those interested in teachable minors in Arts, Humanities or Social Sciences.