Whoop~Up Bulletin
Vol.86, No.10, September 29, 2003
Upcoming (Meeting days in black)
Bernie's Top Ten Reasons why you should join Rotary
# 6 GOOD CITIZENSHIP:
Membership in Rotary makes one a better citizen. Weekly Rotary Club programs keep members informed about what is taking place in the community, nation, and world. Rotary's expansive network of clubs and programs provides extensive opportunities for service and interchange.
President Bernie welcomed many guests including:
Yuki Momma, Ambassadorial Scholar from Japan
Joan McDonald
Tom Schmidt
Olive Green
Eleanor Hawthorne
Cliff Elle, Guest Speaker
Judi Cassidy
Mariette Jacobson
Emlyn Jessop
Sylvia Chinner
Patti Heck
Kelvin Nelson
Linda Killoran
Gert Talbot
Lynn Lowe
Cam Hall
Darrell Locklear
Gert Cairns
Interact & Rotoract News
Bernie attended the recent Interact meeting at CCH where 27 enthusiastic student members are planning to distribute food hampers at Christmas again. This year's hampers will have sufficient food for one week. Rotoract had their first meeting a the U of L, more news later.
Summer Lottery
The Lottery closed last night (Sunday) at midnight. Bernie delivered a big thanks to the organisers.
Kendall asked for ten volunteers to help with the Lottery draw at Global on Wednesday from 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Global will supply coffee and police food.
Ambassadorial Scholar
Emlyn Jessop from Calgary chairs the sub-committee of the Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholarship and World Peace Awards which selects outgoing ambassadors. The District selects the scholars and Rotary International selects the location where they will serve. We have one member in Tokyo, one in Bradford, England, and a third selected but not assigned. Emlyn introduced Yuki Momma who is the inbound Ambassadorial Scholar from Japan. She spoke briefly, saying she is happy to be here and taking the challenging courses at the U of L.
Isabel Report
Our exchange student from SWITZERLAND, says that our school system is better socially, and teachers are interested in students. They ask "How are you?" Her school adviser is interested and helpful. In Switzerland, the teachers are only interested that you learn and study. There are many opportunities to meet other students here through sports and band. Isabel also learned about school pride and taking an interest in team wins. She will be attending a Red Hot Chile Peppers performance in Calgary on the weekend.
Sergeant At Arms Report
Robin Hood couldn't help himself, he just had to fine Bernie for trying to make Isabel Swedish, and non-partnered Rotarians found they had saved only nine dollars by flying solo. Kendall paid for asking for somebody to bring a home video camera to Global to film the draw (...coals to Newcastle?).
Happy Bucks from Nancy because Yuki chose Lethbridge over Calgary, and happy her son is also attending the Red Hot Chile Peppers performance. Emlyn paid an objection buck because Yuki chose us over Calgary. Les Talbot was happy to be married to Gert for 57 years, and happy to be going to his daughter Barbara's wedding in Toronto. Ken Lewis is bubbling-over happy that the Lethbridge Community Foundation supper is almost sold out. Jennifer is happy her son is now employed as Lethbridge's Assistant Development Officer, and hopefully will be moving to his own digs soon. Kendall is happy he and Doug McArthur got a weekend motorcycle trip in, and he was far enough away to not be thinking of the Lottery. Dennis is happy he parred the back nine, but we won't talk about the front nine. Bernie is happy his relatives are visiting. Tania is happy to be returned from the conference and happy to be invited to come blow her horn in the Community Band. Gord Lowe is happy for river-fishing salmon on The Island. But did he catch large enough ones that he can tell the truth about size? And happy the new Captain has arrived to replace Sam.
Guest Speaker
Wayne introduced
Rotarian Cliff Elle who is SAA on the Rotary Club of Pincher Creek. Cliff
was born in Saskatchewan, attended University in Alberta, got his first teaching
job in a two room school south-east of Medicine Hat. He moved to Taber
school central office, then accepted a job as Superintendent for the County of
Fourty Mile from 1971-82. He was Superintendent at Vulcan from 1982-91,
Pincher Creek School Division from 1991-95 which joined Livingstone Range School
Division, and he retired in 1997. He was owner of two Sylvan Learning
System Schools in Calgary, but has sold 60% interest to his daughter. He
and his wife Ann live at Beaver Mines, and they have three daughters and four
grand children.
Cliff says he joined Rotary just over a year ago, and enjoys it very much, and gets to meet many familiar faces and new friends. He says as Wayne took his digital camera apart and put it back together before taking the photo on the right, he was reminded of the two boys visiting their grandparents' farm. The boys stayed on the farm while the old folks went to town, and to entertain themselves, they disassembled and re-assembled the old pendulum clock. There were a few parts left over, but it seemed to run okay.
Late that evening, laying in bed the clock chimed 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14 o'clock. Grandma poked Grandma and asked what that meant. Grandpa thought he'd never been up that late before.
Education is in Trouble
Cliff says now that he's retired he has time to observe public concerns with health and education with and has concluded that education is in trouble. There have been many changes since he began teaching. We have smaller families, a reduced level of discipline, a higher divorce rate, single parent families, and many associated social impacts. Cliff started his career teaching five grades in one room; they were good kids, and he had the support of parents.
Now it is more difficult for the teacher. Two-thirds of the students are doing very well, but the other one-third range from failing to marginally getting by. There are funds for special needs students which are the bottom 10%, but the 10% to 33% group is having trouble and is causing frustration and stress. This problem began about 15 years ago when special needs students were integrated with regular classes. Disruptive behavior from those students and the addition of an adult teacher aide adds further stress, which is resulting in teacher burnout. If the government spent a lot of money to lower class sizes, not much would change.
Role of School
If a 25 year old cannot read, the school system is blamed for not doing its job, but if a 30 year old is not able to get along with other workers and employers, the school is not blamed. We need to look at the changing roles where family, church, youth groups and schools were all responsible for educating and socializing kids. This is slowly being completely downloaded on the school.
What is the Solution?
Cliff finds that students who attend Sylvan Learning after school and Saturdays are kids who have problems that first need to be diagnosed and then treated. What particular area of learning is the student deficient in? Once the area can be addressed on a one-to-one basis, the students often become high achievers.
Look back to the public school where the teacher has limited time to diagnose and treat. Maybe society needs to take a helping hand in the solution. We all expect kids to read, do math and understand some science. But maybe we need to change the model. We know that about 21 kids out of 25 know and learn well. If those students could leave the classroom, the teacher would have time to help those that are in trouble. However, society looks at the teacher as a babysitter. So, how do we give the babysitting job back to the parents and leave the teacher to teach?
If we look at a parallel situation in health care, we no longer treat the patient and keep them in hospital for two weeks. We get them safely out of surgery and send them home with an expectation that the family will help them for a few days.
Let us look, too, at the measurement of an education. Why do we say a student has been in the system for 12 years which is a measurement of time rather than a measurement of what is learned? Looking at home schooling we see that parents are very capable of teaching their own kids and they don't need to spend the entire day doing it. It's time to look at different ways of educating, because this present system is not working very well.
Bernie thanked Cliff for an interesting and thought-provoking presentation.
Correspondence
September 9, 2003
President Bernie Carriere
Lethbridge Rotary Club
27 Riverdale Terrace West
Lethbridge, AB
T1K 7S8
Dear Bernie,
RE: Volunteers’ Appreciation Night in Crowsnest Pass
On behalf of the Crowsnest Pass Economic Development Board please accept our appreciation for the kindness shown by the Members of your Rotary Club by ensuring that our volunteers had a great evening. I have been a member of the Coleman Lions for the past 27 years, President for 2 years (’81-’83) and Secretary from ’84 -’96 and ’99 to present, so I know the many hours one contributes to helping others. It indeed was a pleasure for me and in particular for my wife, having me on the other side of the serving table. The cheerfulness of your members truly made it an appreciation night. My wife, a Guidance Counsellor and High School Teacher, spent 10 days cooking at the Mapleview Hall for the Firefighters, Support Staff and those displaced from their homes. We were able to spend several hours socializing and dancing with our good friends Phyllis and David Coutts, and a number of our other friends.
Rotarians are known worldwide for their dedicated service to those less fortunate by promoting peace, assisting in building better communities, providing technology training and the endeavour to eradicate Polio. I have had the pleasure over the years to work with a number of Rotarians on projects of mutual interest.
On behalf of the Coleman Lions I wish to extend our thanks and offer assistance to your Club. If we were called upon we would bring along Brent Johnson to show our guys how to act in the big city.
In closing, as the Economic Development Coordinator, please do not hesitate to contact me if our office can be of assistance to YOU or YOUR Club.
Sincerely,
Cliff Reiling, EC.D(F)
Economic Development Coordinator
June 6, 2003
Mr Frank Vasil
President
Lethbridge Rotary Club
Dear Frank,
It has been 41 years past since I joined Rotary – Brandon, Red Deer and the last 35 years here in Lethbridge. The hi-lites have been Club President here in ’72 – ’73, becoming a Paul Harris Fellow and the many friends made through Rotary.
There is no question Rotary has made a difference for millions throughout the world and here at home. I know Rotary made me a better person for which I’m grateful.
The leadership of RI and our club was most wise to open Rotary to women – they are real doers and have breathed new life into Rotary.
I find I cannot any longer contribute actively to Rotary and have chosen to resign from Rotary. To our club and all its members I thank them for all my years of fellowship and best wishes for the future.
Sincerely,
John Gogo
Door Prize, $10 to Darrell Lockyear, and $5 to John Harmer
"We endeavor to tell the truth in all reporting."