Welcome to all of the new teachers, students and administrators who
have joined our school district for the first time. I'm sure some parents
are breathing a sigh of relief that their bored kids will have something
to do, while others are working out the balancing act of getting their
kids to and fro, as school and fall activities start up again.
We just got back from a vacation in the eastern part of the United
States and Canada. Our first stop was Dartmouth, the Ivy League school in
Vermont. They have the most uncomfortable chairs in the college library.
Maybe we should try that technique in our school libraries.
Although we visited the province of Quebec, we met Canadians from most
of the provinces. They assured us that their school system was far
superior to our own. After spending a week in a place where the primary
language spoken was not my own, it was an eye-opener as to how our
non-English speaking students must feel. However, almost everyone there
also spoke some English, and would switch once they realized what dunces
we were. In fact, in Canada, students in high school and college can
apply to go to language schools for six weeks during the summer. Because
Canada has two recognized languages, students learn the one they are not
familiar with over the summer.
These courses are held at the nation's universities. Applicants that
are accepted receive a full scholarship, which includes transportation,
tuition, and room and board.
Wouldn't that be a great idea to adopt in California? Immersing a
student in a second language would help in the fields of teaching,
medicine, international business, tourism, and manufacturing. It would
give students the opportunity to experience life at college during their
high school years.
It would bring students from urban and rural communities together, as
well as students from different ethnic and economic backgrounds. If
college units were given for the intensive coursework, it would ensure
more students graduated from college within a four-year time frame.
Newport-Mesa has been scrambling to hire enough teachers. We have been
missing a great spot to recruit teachers. We need to send a videotape of
our balmy weather and sun-kissed beaches to teachers in Canada when the
temperature hits 40 degrees below freezing. Teachers in Canada work more
days per year for much lower pay after twice as much teacher training.
Many of the school facilities looked as old and decrepit as those in our
district.
