BCTF School Staff Alert: 2008 October 14
The British Columbia Teacher-Librarians’ Association is marking National School Library Day by urging everyone to participate in the Drop Everything and Read! challenge.
On Monday, October 27, between 11:00 a.m. and 11:20 a.m., people young and old across BC will stop to read for 20 minutes in celebration of the joy reading can bring.
Studies show that daily silent reading is a very effective way of improving reading comprehension, increasing vocabulary, improving spelling, and broadening understanding of others. “Let students choose what they want to read from a well-stocked school library or from home, and then give them the time and space in which to read—away from the threat of tests and questions,” says Karen Lindsay, vice-president of the BCTLA, who would like to see the DEAR challenge grow to include other provinces.
Groups and schools who decide to participate should contact their local media and highlight the importance of libraries, books, and adults as role models in encouraging children to read.
The BCTLA has created a Facebook page to allow people to make their reading count. Point your browser to http://www.new.facebook.com/event.php?eid=38741982688 or search for “Drop Everything and Read!” at www.facebook.com.
Join with children, parents, trustees, administrators, and politicians in highlighting the need to maintain and reinstate library services in schools.
The Canadian Coalition for School Libraries is unequivocal, “School library programs are being drastically reduced across the country as school boards confront funding shortfalls. But cuts are occurring when researchers abroad have determined that well-stocked, professionally staffed school libraries which remain open during the day are linked to student achievement, reading, information literacy skills, and success at the post-secondary level.”
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
BCTF Education Funding brief
BCTF: 2008 September 30
BCTF Education Funding brief is presented to the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services
BCTF President Irene Lanzinger, in her presentation to the BC Selecting Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services, urged the provincial government to focus on overcoming poverty, and improving services to children.
Five key priorities are addressed in the Education Funding brief:
- Eliminate child poverty: set a target, create a plan, and take action.
- Provide a universal childcare program and fully fund the early literacy programs initiated by government.
- Restore the level of service to students with special needs.
- Reduce class sizes so that all children get adequate attention to their learning.
- Fully fund costs for services that the province has downloaded onto boards of education.
Members can access the complete submission by going to bctf.ca.
http://www.bctf.ca/uploadedFiles/Publications/Briefs_Position_papers/EducationFunding2008.pdf
The Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services is a legislative committee that is touring the province to gather input before the next provincial budget. Members can also have their own individual say on budget priorities by going to www.leg.bc.ca/budgetconsultations. The deadline for submissions has been extended to Friday, October 24.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Learning Roundtable, June 11, 2008
BCTF Report on the meeting of the Learning Roundtable, June 11, 2008
BCTF: 2008 June 25
http://www.bctf.ca/IssuesInEducation.aspx?id=16102
2. Decline in specialist positions
The statistics provided by the ministry showed that the number of non-enrolling teachers had stayed about the same over the past four years. The BCTF handed out statistics that show dramatic declines in numbers of teacher-librarians, counselors, and special education and ESL teachers—going back to 2001–02 when formulas for these positions were in the collective agreement.
The Minister said that was not a useful comparison. Those were collective agreement provisions that the government had eliminated in order to give flexibility to school districts. She ignored the fact that it was budget cuts that made it impossible for districts to maintain the non-enrolling positions and the service they provide.
BCTF: 2008 June 25
http://www.bctf.ca/IssuesInEducation.aspx?id=16102
2. Decline in specialist positions
The statistics provided by the ministry showed that the number of non-enrolling teachers had stayed about the same over the past four years. The BCTF handed out statistics that show dramatic declines in numbers of teacher-librarians, counselors, and special education and ESL teachers—going back to 2001–02 when formulas for these positions were in the collective agreement.
The Minister said that was not a useful comparison. Those were collective agreement provisions that the government had eliminated in order to give flexibility to school districts. She ignored the fact that it was budget cuts that made it impossible for districts to maintain the non-enrolling positions and the service they provide.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Specialist teachers: Who are we and what do we have to offer?
Teacher Magazine: 2008 March
By Paul Boscariol and Janice Neden
The term specialist teacher is often heard and used, but do we really know what it refers to? A specialist teacher can be defined as one who has training in a specific discipline taken as a major in undergrad studies or taken throughout the university education program. This training has prepared the teacher with the knowledge and skills necessary to most effectively teach that area.
What is the importance of a specialist teacher? The specialist teacher is extremely important to ensure that our students are receiving the best level of education in that particular discipline. In the case of technology education, a person trained in that discipline knows far more than what the tools and equipment are and how to use them. The training includes how to safely manage a class of students who are in constant motion, using the tools and equipment, performing tasks and operations that have inherent safety risks. This is achieved through both the course of study and supervised practicum in a shop. Another example is that of learning assistance and special education, where teachers have specific training that gives them the tools and skills necessary to identify learning challenges that students may have. The second part of this process is to develop and implement appropriate programs to assist the students to be successful. These are but two examples of many areas where a specialist teacher is required to ensure that grade and age level, subject area, safety, identification of special needs, and learning support of students are effectively met.
The BCTF Provincial Specialist Association Council (PSAC) has identified and supported the need to recognize the importance of specialist teachers in our schools. To that end, PSAC put forward the following recommendation to the Executive Committee in November 2007. This was developed from an ad hoc committee consisting of: Irene Lanzinger, BCTF president; Fran Robinson, past EC member; Pat Clarke, BCTF staff; Janice Neden, Learning Assistance Teachers’ Association president; and Paul Boscariol, BC Technology Education Association president.
PSAC Recommendation—Specialist teachers
That the AGM amend BCTF policy 47.D. 01 to read:
1. That all assignments to teaching positions should be appropriate in terms of the member’s specific qualifications and teaching experience, and appointments should be made in consideration of relevant qualification and experience factors pertaining to grade and age level, subject area, special needs, learning support, and student safety in any proposed teaching assignment.
2. That where teachers are assigned or choose to teach in areas where they may lack specific qualifications and/or relevant experience, a plan of professional support and development be provided through such programs or activities as district/local joint mentoring programs, post-certification training opportunities, and local union, PSA or LSA organized professional development.
While it is the hope of PSAC that specialist teachers be employed in these positions, it is also understood that this cannot always be achieved for a number of reasons. To accommodate this situation, the ad hoc committee developed a second part to the proposed amendment that would provide proper training opportunities for non-specialist teachers who find themselves in such a position.
The Executive Committee, after much debate, deleted part 1 of this recommendation. Part 2 was amended to read:
That professional support such as district and/or local mentoring programs post-certificate training opportunities and local union, PSA, LSA organized professional development be made available when teachers are assigned or choose to teach in areas outside of their relevant experience and the teacher requests such assistance.
It is difficult to understand how, on one hand the BCTF recognizes specialist teachers through the individual Provincial Specialist Associations and through our collective PSA Council, yet they do not want to recognize the same in policy. A precedent has been set with the recognition, in policy, of counsellors as specialists, yet there is a resistance to recognize the rest of the specialists. The intent here is to give due recognition to all, and not to have the counsellors’ recognition removed.
The focus should not be on preventing recognition of specialist teachers, but rather on recognizing specialists in policy and improving the training opportunities and support for those who, for whatever reason, have found themselves teaching in an area they have not been trained in. Within our membership, we have a wealth of expertise and experience that can be utilized to assist with post-certification training opportunities and mentoring programs. Let us not lose this opportunity to recognize specialist teachers.
Paul Boscariol teaches at LV Rogers Secondary School, Nelson and Janice Neden teaches at McGowan Park Elementary School, Kamloops.
Agree? Disagree? More to add? Send us your views (newsmag@bctf.ca) and we may print them in the next issue.
By Paul Boscariol and Janice Neden
The term specialist teacher is often heard and used, but do we really know what it refers to? A specialist teacher can be defined as one who has training in a specific discipline taken as a major in undergrad studies or taken throughout the university education program. This training has prepared the teacher with the knowledge and skills necessary to most effectively teach that area.
What is the importance of a specialist teacher? The specialist teacher is extremely important to ensure that our students are receiving the best level of education in that particular discipline. In the case of technology education, a person trained in that discipline knows far more than what the tools and equipment are and how to use them. The training includes how to safely manage a class of students who are in constant motion, using the tools and equipment, performing tasks and operations that have inherent safety risks. This is achieved through both the course of study and supervised practicum in a shop. Another example is that of learning assistance and special education, where teachers have specific training that gives them the tools and skills necessary to identify learning challenges that students may have. The second part of this process is to develop and implement appropriate programs to assist the students to be successful. These are but two examples of many areas where a specialist teacher is required to ensure that grade and age level, subject area, safety, identification of special needs, and learning support of students are effectively met.
The BCTF Provincial Specialist Association Council (PSAC) has identified and supported the need to recognize the importance of specialist teachers in our schools. To that end, PSAC put forward the following recommendation to the Executive Committee in November 2007. This was developed from an ad hoc committee consisting of: Irene Lanzinger, BCTF president; Fran Robinson, past EC member; Pat Clarke, BCTF staff; Janice Neden, Learning Assistance Teachers’ Association president; and Paul Boscariol, BC Technology Education Association president.
PSAC Recommendation—Specialist teachers
That the AGM amend BCTF policy 47.D. 01 to read:
1. That all assignments to teaching positions should be appropriate in terms of the member’s specific qualifications and teaching experience, and appointments should be made in consideration of relevant qualification and experience factors pertaining to grade and age level, subject area, special needs, learning support, and student safety in any proposed teaching assignment.
2. That where teachers are assigned or choose to teach in areas where they may lack specific qualifications and/or relevant experience, a plan of professional support and development be provided through such programs or activities as district/local joint mentoring programs, post-certification training opportunities, and local union, PSA or LSA organized professional development.
While it is the hope of PSAC that specialist teachers be employed in these positions, it is also understood that this cannot always be achieved for a number of reasons. To accommodate this situation, the ad hoc committee developed a second part to the proposed amendment that would provide proper training opportunities for non-specialist teachers who find themselves in such a position.
The Executive Committee, after much debate, deleted part 1 of this recommendation. Part 2 was amended to read:
That professional support such as district and/or local mentoring programs post-certificate training opportunities and local union, PSA, LSA organized professional development be made available when teachers are assigned or choose to teach in areas outside of their relevant experience and the teacher requests such assistance.
It is difficult to understand how, on one hand the BCTF recognizes specialist teachers through the individual Provincial Specialist Associations and through our collective PSA Council, yet they do not want to recognize the same in policy. A precedent has been set with the recognition, in policy, of counsellors as specialists, yet there is a resistance to recognize the rest of the specialists. The intent here is to give due recognition to all, and not to have the counsellors’ recognition removed.
The focus should not be on preventing recognition of specialist teachers, but rather on recognizing specialists in policy and improving the training opportunities and support for those who, for whatever reason, have found themselves teaching in an area they have not been trained in. Within our membership, we have a wealth of expertise and experience that can be utilized to assist with post-certification training opportunities and mentoring programs. Let us not lose this opportunity to recognize specialist teachers.
Paul Boscariol teaches at LV Rogers Secondary School, Nelson and Janice Neden teaches at McGowan Park Elementary School, Kamloops.
Agree? Disagree? More to add? Send us your views (newsmag@bctf.ca) and we may print them in the next issue.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Foundation Skills Assessment—no end of problems
BCTF: 2008 February 6
http://www.bctf.ca/
As Grades 4 and 7 students began writing FSA tests on Monday, the problems came pouring in by phone and e-mail: computer crashes in all parts of the province; administrators denying parents the right to exempt their child from the tests; children walking to neighbouring schools to take the online portion of the test; libraries and computer labs off limits to the rest of the school for up to two weeks while the tests are being written. At a news conference held at the BCTF on Monday, February 4, teachers, a local president, and a retired superintendent raised similar concerns about the Foundation Skills Assessment.
News Conference on FSA
http://www.bctf.ca/
As Grades 4 and 7 students began writing FSA tests on Monday, the problems came pouring in by phone and e-mail: computer crashes in all parts of the province; administrators denying parents the right to exempt their child from the tests; children walking to neighbouring schools to take the online portion of the test; libraries and computer labs off limits to the rest of the school for up to two weeks while the tests are being written. At a news conference held at the BCTF on Monday, February 4, teachers, a local president, and a retired superintendent raised similar concerns about the Foundation Skills Assessment.
News Conference on FSA
Monday, February 4, 2008
Students begin writing FSAs--Ministry out of touch with reality
BCTF: 2008 February 4
http://www.bctf.ca/NewsReleases.aspx
Video: Teachers concerned about FSA
http://www.bctf.ca/multimedia/mediaframe.cfm?asset=167
Today thousands of Grades 4 and 7 students in British Columbia will begin writing Foundation Skills Assessment tests. Teachers know these tests are not useful and they take valuable time away from teaching and learning.
This year for the first time, all students will be required to complete the multiple-choice portion of the test online. Some school libraries and computer labs will be closed to students for up to two weeks during the writing of these tests.
“The Ministry of Education is completely out of touch with the realities in our schools,” says Irene Lanzinger, president of the British Columbia Teachers’ Federation. “Many elementary schools, particularly those in poorer economic regions of the province, will be scrambling to find enough computers for all students. Some students will have to walk or take a bus to a neighbouring school to complete the online portion of the test.”
Parents have been calling the BCTF to ask how they can have their child exempted from the tests. Many report being bullied by the principal or superintendent who are insisting that their child write the test. In some instances, parents are resorting to keeping their children at home for the duration of the tests then find that the administrator has administered the test once the child returns to school.
“Parental requests have been completely ignored,” says Lanzinger. “If parents really want this test as the ministry keeps insisting, why are they forcing students to write?”
The Federation is advising parents whose rights have been denied to exercise their right under Section 11 of the School Act to appeal to their school board.
For a detailed backgrounder on the issues involved with FSA tests, please see: http://www.bctf.ca/fsa.aspx
For more information, contact Kathleen MacKinnon, BCTF media relations officer, at 604-871-1881 (office) or 604-340-1959 (cell).
http://www.bctf.ca/NewsReleases.aspx
Video: Teachers concerned about FSA
http://www.bctf.ca/multimedia/mediaframe.cfm?asset=167
Today thousands of Grades 4 and 7 students in British Columbia will begin writing Foundation Skills Assessment tests. Teachers know these tests are not useful and they take valuable time away from teaching and learning.
This year for the first time, all students will be required to complete the multiple-choice portion of the test online. Some school libraries and computer labs will be closed to students for up to two weeks during the writing of these tests.
“The Ministry of Education is completely out of touch with the realities in our schools,” says Irene Lanzinger, president of the British Columbia Teachers’ Federation. “Many elementary schools, particularly those in poorer economic regions of the province, will be scrambling to find enough computers for all students. Some students will have to walk or take a bus to a neighbouring school to complete the online portion of the test.”
Parents have been calling the BCTF to ask how they can have their child exempted from the tests. Many report being bullied by the principal or superintendent who are insisting that their child write the test. In some instances, parents are resorting to keeping their children at home for the duration of the tests then find that the administrator has administered the test once the child returns to school.
“Parental requests have been completely ignored,” says Lanzinger. “If parents really want this test as the ministry keeps insisting, why are they forcing students to write?”
The Federation is advising parents whose rights have been denied to exercise their right under Section 11 of the School Act to appeal to their school board.
For a detailed backgrounder on the issues involved with FSA tests, please see: http://www.bctf.ca/fsa.aspx
For more information, contact Kathleen MacKinnon, BCTF media relations officer, at 604-871-1881 (office) or 604-340-1959 (cell).
Monday, December 31, 2007
Songs of peace
Making the world a better place
Simon Fraser Elementary School Peace Choir
By Murray Dobbin
Marisa Orth-Pallavicini has been the teacher-librarian at Simon Fraser Elementary School in Vancouver for six years, and today she is also the choir master of the school’s Peace Choir. Both themes—peace and music—come naturally to Orth-Pallavicini. The politics of social justice permeate her life and that of her husband, Vancouver City Councillor David Cadman. And music is key to her life as well, she has been co-writing the music for the Euphonious Feminist Non-Performing Quintet for 12 years. She believes music is a powerful force for good in the world and that belief was at the root of her decision to form and lead the choir.
"The Simon Fraser Peace Choir began in April of 2006 when I had an invitation to bring together a choir to perform at the Opening of the Mayors for Peace and the International Peace Messenger Cities’ conference, which was part of the World Peace Forum in Vancouver in June of 2006. As teacher-librarian at Simon Fraser who had led student choirs in the past, I decided that this was a wonderful opportunity to start a choir with a purpose: to sing for peace, and to try to do what we could to make the world a better place."
Membership in the choir was voluntary and was open to all grades except half-day Kindergarten because of rehearsal scheduling. The Peace Choir’s first concert was performed at the Orpheum Theatre on a Saturday morning in June. "It was a very exciting start for our choir. One of the people who heard us that day was Reiko Ono, a survivor of the atomic bomb dropped on the city of Nagasaki during World War II. She was so impressed with the choir that she asked to come and visit our school."
In September 2006, the Peace Choir members met again and decided to sing for the school’s Remembrance Day assembly. After each concert, membership in the choir is again open to all students, so that students can join after having seen a choir performance. "The Peace Choir meets when we have a concert to practise for or when they need to learn a new song. The repertoire of the choir is now up to 12 songs." They meet at lunchtime once a week and on Wednesday afternoons during the last period of the day. The choir has grown from its original 40 members to 71 and they need to hold separate rehearsals for primary and intermediate students until the last week of rehearsals before a performance because the space is limited in the library.
Word of the choir gets around. Last December, they received an invitation from the teacher-librarian at Emily Carr Elementary School to do a concert. That led to an interest in Simon Fraser’s Student Council (Orth-Pallavicini is their teacher/ advisor) project to raise funds for children in Malawi who had been orphaned or seriously affected by HIV/AIDS. The council was raising money by selling beaded AIDS ribbons made by the children in Malawi and their caregivers. "The students and staff at Emily Carr decided to have a penny drive and sell some of the pins to support our efforts," says Orth-Pallavicini, "The Peace Choir worked on a song, For Nkosi, sung in English and Zulu, and a script explaining the issue of HIV/ AIDS. This was a real challenge for them but it turned out wonderfully."
Teacher newsmag spoke to five of the young students in the choir: James Cuevas, Anika Hundal, Amber Looi, Misa Lucyshyn, and Kieryn Silver. All were enthusiastic about the singing—James revealed, "I used to just sing in the bath tub and in the shower but in the Peace Choir I could really sing." But they were just as excited by the theme of the choir and its overseas project. Misa Lucyshyn said, "What’s important about peace?
The world is not all peaceful. If children see violence every day they will grow up to be violent and afraid. If children grow up in peace they will grow up to be peaceful people that will make the world better and safe."
All five were especially proud that they were helping people in Africa who were suffering from AIDS or who were orphaned by the disease. The impact of the lives of orphans on the lives of Canadian children was obvious. "The children in Africa have just been forgotten," said Amber. "Their parents have died of AIDS and now they just have to find a way to fend for themselves. It’s very sad."
All the choir members have their favourite song, it seems, but one was top of the list for several. That was For Nkosi. The song, written by Orth-Pallavicini and her fellow songwriter, Pat Davit, is a dedication to Nkosi Johnson. This slight 11-year-old South African captured the hearts of millions of TV viewers, when his address at the 13th International Aids Conference in Durban, South Africa in 2000, was televised worldwide. Subsequently he and his adoptive mother, Gail Johnson, established a series of Nkosi’s Havens for mothers with AIDS and their children. Nkosi died in 2001. His entreaty to everyone—"Do all that you can, with all that you have, in the time that you have, in the place where you are"—is featured in the song.
After the choir performed at Emily Carr Elementary School on March 12, the school community raised just over $500 selling the beaded AIDS ribbons. In June 2007, the peace choir recorded a CD of eight songs called Songs for Peace with the support of the parents and the school. These CD’s are still available at a cost of $10 to cover recording and production costs.
For Orth-Pallavicini, the choir experience has been both a joy and a challenge. The biggest surprise? "I had expected the older kids to be the most eager to join initially but was actually deluged by the youngest ones—Grade 1s and even Kindergarten—wanting to join. And even more surprising, the young ones loved the more complex songs and had no trouble with foreign languages (like Zulu). They were fine with complicated lyrics and for many of them English was their second language."
The challenge in the HIV/AIDS project is "...keeping alive the links and connections with real people in Africa. Those personal connections are powerful learning experiences. We get letters from CAYO (Counselling of the Adolescent and Youth Organization) the group on Malawi we work with. CAYO’s Executive Director Fryson Chodzi visited the school last June."
The next major external gig for the Peace Choir will be at the BCTF’s Public Education Conference on Friday evening, January 25. Orth-Pallavicini is a little nervous as any choir master is when challenged by an important performance. But she’s confident her children will be ready.
Murray Dobbin, a Vancouver author and writer, is acting assistant director and Teacher editor, BCTF Communications and Campaigns Division.
Simon Fraser Elementary School Peace Choir
By Murray Dobbin
Marisa Orth-Pallavicini has been the teacher-librarian at Simon Fraser Elementary School in Vancouver for six years, and today she is also the choir master of the school’s Peace Choir. Both themes—peace and music—come naturally to Orth-Pallavicini. The politics of social justice permeate her life and that of her husband, Vancouver City Councillor David Cadman. And music is key to her life as well, she has been co-writing the music for the Euphonious Feminist Non-Performing Quintet for 12 years. She believes music is a powerful force for good in the world and that belief was at the root of her decision to form and lead the choir.
"The Simon Fraser Peace Choir began in April of 2006 when I had an invitation to bring together a choir to perform at the Opening of the Mayors for Peace and the International Peace Messenger Cities’ conference, which was part of the World Peace Forum in Vancouver in June of 2006. As teacher-librarian at Simon Fraser who had led student choirs in the past, I decided that this was a wonderful opportunity to start a choir with a purpose: to sing for peace, and to try to do what we could to make the world a better place."
Membership in the choir was voluntary and was open to all grades except half-day Kindergarten because of rehearsal scheduling. The Peace Choir’s first concert was performed at the Orpheum Theatre on a Saturday morning in June. "It was a very exciting start for our choir. One of the people who heard us that day was Reiko Ono, a survivor of the atomic bomb dropped on the city of Nagasaki during World War II. She was so impressed with the choir that she asked to come and visit our school."
In September 2006, the Peace Choir members met again and decided to sing for the school’s Remembrance Day assembly. After each concert, membership in the choir is again open to all students, so that students can join after having seen a choir performance. "The Peace Choir meets when we have a concert to practise for or when they need to learn a new song. The repertoire of the choir is now up to 12 songs." They meet at lunchtime once a week and on Wednesday afternoons during the last period of the day. The choir has grown from its original 40 members to 71 and they need to hold separate rehearsals for primary and intermediate students until the last week of rehearsals before a performance because the space is limited in the library.
Word of the choir gets around. Last December, they received an invitation from the teacher-librarian at Emily Carr Elementary School to do a concert. That led to an interest in Simon Fraser’s Student Council (Orth-Pallavicini is their teacher/ advisor) project to raise funds for children in Malawi who had been orphaned or seriously affected by HIV/AIDS. The council was raising money by selling beaded AIDS ribbons made by the children in Malawi and their caregivers. "The students and staff at Emily Carr decided to have a penny drive and sell some of the pins to support our efforts," says Orth-Pallavicini, "The Peace Choir worked on a song, For Nkosi, sung in English and Zulu, and a script explaining the issue of HIV/ AIDS. This was a real challenge for them but it turned out wonderfully."
Teacher newsmag spoke to five of the young students in the choir: James Cuevas, Anika Hundal, Amber Looi, Misa Lucyshyn, and Kieryn Silver. All were enthusiastic about the singing—James revealed, "I used to just sing in the bath tub and in the shower but in the Peace Choir I could really sing." But they were just as excited by the theme of the choir and its overseas project. Misa Lucyshyn said, "What’s important about peace?
The world is not all peaceful. If children see violence every day they will grow up to be violent and afraid. If children grow up in peace they will grow up to be peaceful people that will make the world better and safe."
All five were especially proud that they were helping people in Africa who were suffering from AIDS or who were orphaned by the disease. The impact of the lives of orphans on the lives of Canadian children was obvious. "The children in Africa have just been forgotten," said Amber. "Their parents have died of AIDS and now they just have to find a way to fend for themselves. It’s very sad."
All the choir members have their favourite song, it seems, but one was top of the list for several. That was For Nkosi. The song, written by Orth-Pallavicini and her fellow songwriter, Pat Davit, is a dedication to Nkosi Johnson. This slight 11-year-old South African captured the hearts of millions of TV viewers, when his address at the 13th International Aids Conference in Durban, South Africa in 2000, was televised worldwide. Subsequently he and his adoptive mother, Gail Johnson, established a series of Nkosi’s Havens for mothers with AIDS and their children. Nkosi died in 2001. His entreaty to everyone—"Do all that you can, with all that you have, in the time that you have, in the place where you are"—is featured in the song.
After the choir performed at Emily Carr Elementary School on March 12, the school community raised just over $500 selling the beaded AIDS ribbons. In June 2007, the peace choir recorded a CD of eight songs called Songs for Peace with the support of the parents and the school. These CD’s are still available at a cost of $10 to cover recording and production costs.
For Orth-Pallavicini, the choir experience has been both a joy and a challenge. The biggest surprise? "I had expected the older kids to be the most eager to join initially but was actually deluged by the youngest ones—Grade 1s and even Kindergarten—wanting to join. And even more surprising, the young ones loved the more complex songs and had no trouble with foreign languages (like Zulu). They were fine with complicated lyrics and for many of them English was their second language."
The challenge in the HIV/AIDS project is "...keeping alive the links and connections with real people in Africa. Those personal connections are powerful learning experiences. We get letters from CAYO (Counselling of the Adolescent and Youth Organization) the group on Malawi we work with. CAYO’s Executive Director Fryson Chodzi visited the school last June."
The next major external gig for the Peace Choir will be at the BCTF’s Public Education Conference on Friday evening, January 25. Orth-Pallavicini is a little nervous as any choir master is when challenged by an important performance. But she’s confident her children will be ready.
Murray Dobbin, a Vancouver author and writer, is acting assistant director and Teacher editor, BCTF Communications and Campaigns Division.
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