Recently, a survey was done to find out what highschool students think is important.
The survey was done by the Ontario Student Trustees’ Association. More than 2,600 students, mostly in Grade 12, were asked their opinions on many issues. The survey was done through Facebook and e-mail.
Here is what students said:
* Cellphones should not be allowed in the classroom. Less than one-third of all of the students surveyed said cellphones should be used in class as an educational tool.
* A bit more than half the students said physical education (gym) should not be mandatory (meaning you must take it) all through high school. Gym should be optional. In one area, near London, Ont., only about one third of students said gym should be mandatory.
* About half the students said they had been bullied in school.
* About half the students said they want school to begin later than 9 a.m.
* Most students said every high school and middle school should have a “student council,” which is a group of students who are elected by the other students, to run some things at the school.
* Most students said they would like to know what score they got on their standardized tests (for instance, the EQAO test).
The Ontario provincial government, lead by Dalton McGuinty, will be looking at this information. He wants to know what students think, and what they want, so he can make school better for kids.
Currently, many of the things the Ontario government does are different from what the students want. For instance, McGuinty thinks that cellphones should be used in classes, and that 20 minutes a day of physical education should be mandatory. Perhaps after seeing these results, he will change his policies.
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS
Writing/Discussion Prompt
What suggestions would you make to the Premier about improving school? Why do you think your suggestions would improve student learning and success?
Reading Prompt
The body of today’s article is in bullet point format. How do the bullet points help readers make sense of texts?
Primary
Identify specific elements of texts and explain how they contribute to the meaning of the texts (OME, Reading: 1.7).
Junior
Analyse texts and explain how various elements in them contribute to meaning (OME, Reading: 1.7).
Grammar Feature: Appositives
An appositive is a noun or a pronoun that explains the noun or pronoun it follows. For example,
“More than 2,600 students, mostly in Grade 12, were asked their opinions on many issues.”
In the sentence above, the statement “mostly in Grade 12” is an appositive because it explains who the 2,600 students were.
Write appositives in the blanks below:
January, _____________________________ , is my least favourite month.
My favourite baseball team, ___________________________ , is awesome.
My dinner last night, ________________________________ , was so good!
Martha plays with her brother, _________________________ , all the time.
