- Introduce your conversation partners (or the podcast participant) to your colleagues
- I decided to listen to a podcast from TJ Skalski on the World Forum Foundation. I actually listened to a few different ones, but TJ was had one of the most interesting stories. TJ is a principal at Mother Earth's Charter school in Canada. Her school is only one of 13 charter schools in Alberta, Canada, so generally she encounters a unique population of parents and students. TJ herself grew up in Canada but struggled in life with growing up. Her mother actually lost citizenship and had to regain it, which was a process for her mom and the children. However, TJ's grandmother was a large influence in her life. Her grandmother continuously reminded her that she was a teacher first and foremost, even when TJ was working for the government as an educational professional. Professionally TJ is only in her second year of leadership (as of the podcast from 2010) and is the first principal to stay for two consecutive years. The school had only been open for five years and she was the fifth principal. The school had also been through two superintendents in that year alone. The year of this podcast is she was on her sixth superintendent and new governing board. Her school takes in children from all levels of income. TJ stated that when kids come to her they are damaged, wounded, scarred, hungry, depressed and had a strong feeling of worthlessness. Therefore the vision of the school and the leadership is to reinvest in the children and foster a community where culture and language are a priority. TJ is working desperately to turn this school around, and as of the date of the podcast, she was on the right track.
- Share what you have learned so far from these exchanges (or from the podcast and website)
- The first fact alone from the website startled me; that over 600 million children world wide live in poverty. I had never thought of how great of a number it could be, but this is heartbreaking. Over 10 million children die under the age of five from easily preventable diseases. The international community has set the goal to meet the Millenium Development Goals by 2015. These goals include cutting poverty by half, cutting deaths by 2/3rds and ensuring that all children have at least primary education. Save the Children, the Chronic Poverty Research Centre and partners in China, India, Kyrgyzstan and Mongolia have worked together to help achieve the goals set.
- Describe your new insights and information about issues of poverty
- Poverty is a larger issue than I anticipated. I am eager to find out what ways I can help as a professional to ease the pain of poverty in families I am working with. Are there not enough systems in place to help? Do families not take advantage of the programs that are available? I want to look more into my area and see what programs are available and ways in which the programs can be promoted to help more families and children.
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Hi Natasha, great post. The information being gathered is really startling. I do not think it is a matter of the families not taking advantage of the resources in some areas I think it's a matter of too many policies and propositions and not enough ground work.
ReplyDeleteWow! It's bad enough that these children already had so much to deal with before they'd enter the school's building. Then, they had to deal with a lack of stability and consistency from the building and board's administration. I'm glad TJ is there now. The fact that this is second, consecutive year, at least gives the students and staff the hope that she cares enough to stay and change for the better will come.
ReplyDeleteHi Natasha,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your post. I was shocked to read that the school had five principals in five years. TJ may be the change that the school needed. I was glad to hear that she is on the right track to turn the school around. I agree with you that it is heartbreaking to see that the number of children who live in poverty. I appreciate you for wanting to help those in need in your community. I am also looking forward to helping others. I am going to donate, volunteer at shelters, and advocate for the less fortunate in my community.