In the shelter of a minister

Photo Simon Clark

Sylvain Dancause

Saturday, 17 march 2018 08:00

UPDATE
Saturday, 17 march 2018 08:00

Look at this article

If my minister has found time to write his book during the Holiday season, I said to myself that I could devote a few hours of my spring break reading. Not without reason, the publication of mr. Proulx has triggered an avalanche of comments.

So you paint a picture fair enough, I would be remiss to pass over in silence the opinions interesting. As well, the links to five reviews relevant can be found at the end of my ticket.

Why write yet another review ? Simply because there are still things to say on the container, the content and the great forgotten of this book.

The container

The image. This is a word that represents a number of ideas proposed by the minister. Just think of the Order of excellence in education, the project Lab-school, to the creation of a professional order, to the Policy of educational success, etc

In a good politician, mr. Proulx dedicates a true worship of the beautiful (read here to renovate and build schools). Surprised ? Ah ! Infrastructure and job creation… An easy choice, and free votes. The beautiful, it remains visible for a long time. This is not like hiring remedial teachers in the primary schools.

Then, the minister offers us the most seriously of the world the creation of a professional order. A corporation of teachers. Paradoxically, he also states that he does not like corporatism.

Nevertheless, I believe that it is a good idea. Simple matter of public opinion. Most people do not understand why teachers refuse an order contrary to many other professionals.

I have a test for you. I offer the following two expressions in order to build your brand image : protector of the student or professional. What is your choice ? I’m not a marketing expert, but it seems to me that it makes a more positive perception according to the option chosen.

Finally, I’d like to invite kindly the minister to forget his petty Politics and to accept the proposal of Normand Baillargeon : “The need of the hour is a long and serious public consultation conducted by an independent person, informed by evidence. The need of the hour is what I call a Parent Commission 2.0… “

The content

From the outset, I emphasize the desire of Mr. Proulx to attend to the appearance of a genuine culture of professional development and to subject teachers to an evaluation.

According to the Policy of evaluation of learning (2003), the student does not learn in order to be evaluated : it is evaluated to learn better. I believe that a similar principle applies to teachers.

The teacher must be a learner standing. It should be evaluated. Not to be punished, but to support its progression. To optimize his or her professional development. To effectively regulate his approach throughout his career. What I would call formative evaluation. For those who are epidermis sensitive, I would use the word accompaniment.

In another order of ideas, mr. Proulx says : “It is necessary to cease to see changes as threats. You should see them as stepping stones. To do this, it takes courage. To deal with immobile in a first time and to explain a controversial decision or difficult in a second time. “

It is in good taste for a minister to attack the trade unions, there is something much more disturbing to the reading of his book : his disavowal of the higher Council of education (CSE).

In effect, when it imposes its course of financial education, he argues that questioning the existence of particular programs is a solution of the “race to the bottom” and it is said to be in disagreement with those who claim that the quebec school is unequal, it attacks the CSE (Notice the 2007, 2016 and 2017).

If this may comfort fans of the CHE, the minister also ignores many recommendations contained in the report of a committee of experts handed over to a certain Yves Bolduc in 2014.

So, who agrees with Mr. Proulx ?

The great forgotten

Act to say the least, strange, if the minister shares with us all his ideas and his actions, he never refers to the creation of a national institute of excellence in education (INEE).

A forgetfulness or a selective memory ?

For your information, the working group led by the professor of Malta has tabled its final report on 21 January.

Why this silence ?

However, Mr. Proulx is usually very talkative about his work unfinished. Is it that he has understood that this project could harm him ?

It is easy to provide his vision and to drive the trade unions to attract popular support, but it is much more difficult to confront his / her opinion of the research data the official.

“When I look at me, I am worried. When I compare myself, I reassured, ” we said to the minister, quoting Talleyrand.

I have the vague impression that mr. Proulx compares some of his ideas with those of the Montreal economic Institute or of the CAQ.

Nothing very reassuring in the countries of the legends of teaching and learning.

For my part, I prefer to have everything this beautiful world has to be examined by a future national institute for excellence in education.

Strongly INEE. And it’s release prior to the fall.

____________________________________________________

Reviews of the book of the minister by :

1. Jean Bernatchez, professor-researcher, université du québec à rimouski ;

2. Réjean Bergeron, professor at the cégep ;

3. Professor kamen, a teacher near you ;

4. Brian Myles, a columnist for the Duty ;

5. Union de Champlain.