JUSTCAWS

Well look at that, another protest in Ottawa. Is anyone else concerned with the growing discontent among the working class in this country?  It is one thing to have economic gripes when unemployment is high - but there are jobs a plenty out there. The problem is they don't pay enough to keep up with raging inflation. Couple that with an indifferent federal government that is exacerbating the problem and you have a storm brewing.      No it's not "let them eat cake" - it's "let them get a Tesla".  Supply of oil is being squeezed by a deliberate effort to curtail investment in infrastructure of oil and gas. Make fuel prices shoot up so people will look to be more energy efficient. Switch to a Tesla  and save the planet.  Well if you are fortunate enough to afford one - good luck getting one anytime soon. If you can't well - suck it up worker bee.  The cost of fuel is driving up the price of everything.  Yes inflation is a global problem that se...

Florida Parents Bill of Rights Law - aka Don't Say Gay Law has stirred up quite a bit of controversy. One would hope there would be some professional discretion allowed on behalf of educators to follow age appropriate curriculum in discussing  matters with students. Unfortunately, too many parents have lost faith in educators south of the border to be professional and impartial.  Heavy union involvement has politicized the profession and moved teachers beyond educational awareness to blatant indoctrination of social causes. Just read the political posturing of teachers on social media for examples of bias and professional misconduct. Whether that bias leaks into the classroom or not (I know my parental experience and comments from others  it sadly does) the perception of impartiality is lost. Why any teacher union promotes, let alone allows teachers to take grievances to social media is beyond me.  The poor conduct of members in the public square is terrible public r...

Been tapping my thumbs quite a bit on twitter lately, as it seems many educators have expressing their concerns of various school re-opening plans. While many of my colleagues have been critical of various governments, my ire has been directed at the teacher unions and their fervent followers. Obviously, my comments have been questioned by teacher union supporters, What they fail to grasp is how a teacher and passionate public education supporter would take issue with their own unions. Perhaps a little background is in order for how my view has developed during my 20 + year career.  Being politically minded, I was very interested in the teachers union and its role in public education. Early on I was voted by peers to be my schools collective bargaining rep and later a district federation VP. Here, I received further negotiation training and sat on multiple rounds of negotiations with my corresponding school board. My rose coloured, idealistic glasses were soon broke...

CFL BULBS - AS THE BULB BREAKS THE FABLE WILL FALL Originally Published in the Guelph Mercury - January 2009 This winter, I realized I had a received one big snow job. However, this time it was not at the hands of my older brother but from all those "do-gooder" environmentalists. See, I bought into the whole compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL) sell job. Our new house had a bunch of these energy efficient bulbs when we moved in and I naively went out and bought some more. I had felt good about putting these new CFL bulbs up around the house and replacing the old, inefficient incandescent light bulbs. Annoyances like the fact that the light wasn't as bright as the old ones or that they take a half second longer to turn on were sacrifices I was willing to make for the environment. Doing so gave me that enviro-conscious, self-righteous swagger you get when you feel you are ahead of the unenlightened masses. You know, those non-believers, who have yet to fully appreciate how ...

Had a speed brainstorm session with my Grade 12 Sports Marketing  class on ways to increase Grey Cup ratings and buzz. I thought many of the ideas were practical and worth consideration. Here’s a summary:          Bring celebrities into the broadcast booth to call parts of the game – suggestions were Dwayne Johnston aka “The Rock” due to his notoriety and past connection as a former CFL player.   Idea is to follow what the Brier did a few years back having Will Ferrell's Anchor Man character call some of the curling action to gain cross media attention.      Have Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky do a via satellite coin flip and offer his thanks and plea for continued support.  Connection also to the large Ukraine populations in the Canadian Prairies.  Bring in a top talent, i.e.. Shawn Mendes, that skew toward a younger demo for the half – time show, but go outside the traditional timelines. Use some commercial time for spo...

Complained last night on twitter about the length of the world series game. So during the endless dead time came up with the following suggestions. I'm not sure I am a purist, but I have played, coached, managed and umpired this game we love, so not offering anything incredibly radical. All seem doable to me, but welcome your tweaks and ideas too. If chess can add a clock, so can baseball. Some players will feel rushed, but that's the whole idea.  I know some may want to leave the game as is, but professional sports are in the entertainment business. Leagues have to adapt to stay relevant and ensure top talent plays under their banner. Its balancing act to maintain integrity while chasing viewers and advertising dollars. Tried to keep that in mind with the following 9 suggestions for keeping it a 9 inning game. Here goes... 1. Batters cannot step out of the box unless they swing at a pitch or leave the box to avoid being hit by a pitch. If they do step out, a strike is called a...

I am an unapologetic American, for now. When my country of birth voted for Trump in 2016, I will admit surprise, but not shock. Democracies don't always get it right, but to fall for the same con twice -the Canadian side of my citizenship would make me apologize for that.  Back in 2016,  the media made it seem that only ignorant, white men would vote Trump. With that level of shame and condescension aimed at disgruntled voters, the results should not be shocking to anyone who claims to understand people.  No one would admit voting for Trump, so the accuracy of any polling was off.  As any teenage parent or high school teacher can attest, shame is an effective motivator, if you want the opposite reaction of what's intended.  Keep telling Americans not to do something with derision and just ask the British how that will go. Still, I am hopeful after now seeing Trump for what he is, Americans  will correct course. Even with a media establishment bias that seem...

Why Everyone Wants to Work In Your Department Administration/Front Office: The office does control the world. Our world at least. We have democratic processes and committees, but honestly, if anyone in the office wants to make an announcement, call a meeting, cancel a meeting, ring a bell to end class 5 minutes early or whatever, they could just do it and we would follow along (grumbling, but obedient nonetheless). That is power. You are all better people than I am for handling it with such aplomb. I would be a corrupt monster, ringing bells and calling meetings haphazardly. And yes, this is an email where I am going to use dorky words like 'aplomb' -buckle up! Arts : This is the only subject students actually try to do in the rest of their classes. Seriously - kid not paying attention in class? They’re either doodling images, listening to music or acting out. But what about kids just looking at their phone, you say? Memes? Spotify? Youtube? TikTok? Insta...

Been so much discussion about the merits of various reopening plans that I thought a change of topic was in order. I want to go back to March when everyone put politics aside and dug in to support one another. With that spirit in mind, I wanted to share my back to school tips for in class teachers.   I talked with a number of colleagues this summer and did some summer internet surfing for ideas. This list is by no means exhaustive so please send me any of your tips for this fall and I will add them.   1. Get Your Sleep  This year it is more important than ever that we get enough sleep and have a good diet to make sure we don't get run down and make ourselves more susceptible to any type of illness. I have had this discussion with my own kids and plan to do the same with my students on the first day.  2. Be A Rock  Try to diffuse anxiety - don't add to it. Be a rock for the students. If you have been a neurotic wreck to anyone who would listen this summ...

Like many people not shy to share their opinions I have been on social media  specifically twitter a lot more during this pandemic.  While it can be enlightening to gain perspective from different points of view, it is not without peril.  Social media like many indulgences is fine in moderation and self regulated use, but it can turn quickly agsinst you if abused. Witnessed that personally with friends and family. To avoid its trappings, I have my own set of guidelines.  When Facebook got started it was to connect socially with friends and families. Now it has become an immersive platform that many connect with first when they go on-line. People have their own rules, on who they "friend". I was pretty restictive with it to start as being a friend means a lot more than an aquaintance. But I moved on that, still keeping in mind I was sharing persoanl family pictures, stories and moments on the platform.  When I start writing for a brief time I would po...

Been certainly enough speculation from concerned parties about what is going to happen in Ontario Schools this fall. Since I have more than a little skin in the game, I wanted to share my thoughts on the matter.  Knowing first hand as an educator and parent the vital role teachers play in the development of young minds I was very satisfied to hear that Sick Kids recommended that school return back to the classroom (with enhanced cleaning and safety measures of course) this fall.  I thought this would be met with relief, and it was for some. But for many it seemed to only bring anxiety. I can understand this feeling of unease coming from some parents, but I thought educators would embrace being relevant and essential again. Teachers know the dark side of abuse and neglect that occurs in homes of the vulnerable. For these students, school is their safe space. We also know that e-learning does not work for many students with special needs and those facing tech inequity. So barrin...

  The plight of Guelph's lack of news coverage was a  focus last week when local police did not publicize liberal MP's arrest.  Globe columnist @JohnIbbitson  even took to twitter to sound off on the dangers of disappearing local news.  Said much of the same and more when the axe fell on our local paper a few years back ...   I can’t sleep tonight. The demise of my local paper, the Guelph Mercury, has struck a nerve. I believe I am like many citizens progressing through the stages of loss. My shock and sadness are giving way to anger, but my greatest fear is that we will move to acceptance. Like most of Guelph, I was not a current subscriber to the print edition. Even though I had contributed to the paper in the past, I cancelled my subscription to the Mercury because printed copies were available at my work. I enjoy the convenience of reading the news on-line and since it is the greener thing to do, I consume most of my news that way. I don’t have an ...