Features

One cold winter morning I was teaching my grade 8 class when halfway through the first period Joe came in, late as usual.

When Locke’s PS was selected to take part in ETFO’s poverty and education project we were excited by the prospect of having a theatre group come to perform at our school. We hoped to improve our understanding of issues related to poverty.

Temagami Public School is nestled at the base of a steep embankment along Highway 11 and is sheltered between the Ontario Northland railway line, pine forests, and the village of Temagami. Summer visitors and residents alike are captivated by this beautiful place.

There is a great deal of research that shows that live theatre touches the children’s imagination with an immediacy that is real and emotional and that its complexities engage students’ critical thinking.¹

Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.” That saying captures my story. Many teachers took the time to nurture my development. The schools I attended provided resources that supported them in that work.

A snapshot of a dynamic, but imaginary, school of 515 students from diverse backgrounds, including Sabir, Aazim, and Hakimah, and their mother, Raidah. It illustrates a day in the life of a model inner city school.

The provincial government’s commitment to introduce a poverty reduction plan by the end of 2008 could mean that hope is finally on the way for those who have been excluded from opportunity.

For Aboriginal students, equity in education starts with recognizing the unique histories and traditions that characterize Canada’s First Nations peoples.

During the 2007 provincial election, the Ontario  government  promised  to  significantly reduce poverty and its effects. To deliver on this commitment, the government will have to adopt a multi-pronged approach in which education plays an important role.