Making Sustainable Large-Scale Change Possible: The Ontario Experience Essay

Whoever said that the only constant thing in the world is change is indeed a sage. That person could have acknowledged the statement based on personal experiences. Everything in the world changes from time to time- persons, governing and even the climate. Changes ar basic events in the world. Changes often come as surprises. On organizational level, change could come as a way of intervention which may bring out negative or positive consequences. The world today is filled with movements of people clamouring for change. The daily pertlys in the television flash with headlines on citizens c beer on their governments for reform students protesting on the streets to demand democracy environmentalists and animal-rights advocates asking for ban on chemicals and so on. Practically, people yearn for change in their personal lives, work, laws, and in the government. The instruction sector in some countries goes for change, too. In Ontario, Canada an overhaul in the public education sys tem took place to address the problems plaguing the system. Levin (2007) summarized the change as a strategy which serves as an role model of large-scale change in education that is respectful of educators, fair to students and communities and based on the best available knowledge (p. 323). The education system in Ontario, Canada suffered from solidifyingbacks since early 1990s due to government measures oblige (Levin, 2007). There were reductions in staffing levels and increased in teachers workloads. Consequently, these yielded labour strikes, dissatisfaction and low-morale among the teachers.Levin reported that during the late 1990s, a change in the government system took place which adversely affected the education system. Local discipline districts were reduced to half, school principals were taken out of the teachers partnership and signifi contributet amount of funding was cut. Teachers took the brunt of these changes as the government then was deemed as critical of publ ic teachers and schools. Levin cited that the people were unhappy and dissatisfied with the public education system. Canadas 2003 election changed the educational atmosphere as it became the rallying cry of the Liberal Party, which won the election. Levin pointed out that the new government crafted new strategies (dubbed as the Literacy and Numeracy Strategy and the scholar Success Strategy) in late 2003 to solve the problem of public education. These have two main goals to improve elementary school literacy and numeracy outcomes and increase high school graduation grade. Now on its almost fifth year of instruction execution, the strategies proved effective. The Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat of the of Ontarios Ministry of Education reported the following accomplishments by dint of its 2006 Project Report, devising It Happen improved overall provincial rate of 64% for reading, writing and mathematics in Grade about 17,000 schools improved by five or more percent in their Gra de 6 reading scores over 2000 schools got part reading scores among Grade 3 students while 900 schools did better on both the Grades 3 and 6 reading scores. Moreover, Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat reported in 2007 that the get along of schools with very low performance dropped by three-fourths. Graduation rates rose by fiver percent, from 68% to 73% in school year 2005-2006. Levin wrote that there have been an obvious level of energy and enthusiasm and the number of teachers leaving the profession or opting for early retirement was reduced.Insight from Basic System Approach on the Ontario Case The Ontario experience is one example of how a system works. From the previous lesson, Owens (2004) explained the interrelatedness of subsystems and the multiple causations. The problems of education in Ontario in the 1990s directly hit the teachers. These problems caused serious effects on the quality of education.In turn, the students were affected as they struggled with difficulties o n subject aras such as reading and mathematics. Since Ontario is a highly-diversified province, students who atomic number 18 children of immigrants were also knocked down by the problems within the system. One preempt see, as Owens empha size of itd, that the multiple causation of problems and solutions directly affect the whole system. My personal analysis is as a system, the problem of one minute part ripples through the whole system, contributing to its downfall once left unguarded. The Ontario problem back then was caused by a change in the political leadership and system. Decisions imposed upon the teachers from the authorities led to masteryive breakdowns in the public educational system. Ultimately, Levin said that most parents lost their confidence in public education and resorted to private enrolment. study through Levins article, I could say that the principles behind the continuing success of the Ontario public education system are consistent with our lessons and p revious reading. Ontario is a success story a model which is worth emulating. Nevertheless, one may wonder is the Ontario experience transferable? Can it be duplicated to other provinces within Canada and to other countries as well? I should say that the Ontario experience is unique for every situation is different from the rest. Many factors contribute to its situation such as the political, economic, cultural, and social atmospheres. But, scorn of the given unique conditions, the strategies can be also applied to smaller systems on a case-to-case basis. Strategy such as reducing classroom size and student mentoring are very pragmatic. Likewise, the principles of participation, consultation and evaluation are quite universal which for me, makes the Ontario project can be reproduced or duplicated to other schools provided that the socio-political and the cultural aspects are integrated. I believe good practices are worth following and mustiness be contextualized to ensure its effe ctiveness. It must also be sustained.Lessons Learned from the Ontario Experience The Ontario example is a case which highlights the necessity of change. It demonstrates the power of change to generate positive results which impact the whole system. There are significant lessons which we can pick from the article. Personally, I gained from reading Levins work. The first lesson that struck me is the complexity of the educational system. Education is really indispensable to a country that it takes a government policy to enamor the whole system. A governments decision or ruling on the educational system either build or ruin a country. Countries count on their education department for productive, patriotic and loving citizens good citizens are profitable to a country. I also realized that a government initiative is very powerful as it demands implementation and obedience from its constituents as compared with a grass-root level or city-level proposals. Political influence and leadership make the implementation of projects or programs more smoothly. I also appreciate the consultation aspect of the Ontario project. I learned that consultation has benefits. Consultation is a venue where the voices of the concerned parties are heard. By this, there is representation. The suggestions of the parents and teachers are heard. As I ponder through the case, it came to me that consultation is one factor which makes a school system successful. After all, parents and students are the clients of a school. Their voices must also be tapped for the proper implementation of school projects. Consulting the parents on their childrens concerns and inquiring them on issues are part of our profession as teachers or educators. Another particular lesson is the relevance of partnership. Levin discussed that the Ministry of Education forged partnerships with different local school boards for the implementation of the two strategies. The educational system has many stakeholders and they must be acknowledged and won over. Through partnership, relationships are formed, allowing for a better working environment. The reading taught me also that test and accountability matters. Like what the Ontario example demonstrated, tests are very important to measure the success of educational policy. Tests also work as gauges which measure the success of students. I was impressed by the fact the Ontarios Ministry of Education directed its provincial and district offices to report on the public the progress indicators of the students. There is no such thing as a deal or perfect program, as what I have reflected from the article. The Ontario experience is not without flaws. Levin wrote that the teachers feel overwhelmed by the tasks. There are quarrels for every change or new programs to be implemented. There are always detractors and encouragers within a system. A program can be accepted or scorned. Either way, it is an inescapable reality. In relation to change, it does not happen i n an instant. It is not an overnight function. A change in the system may mean years of implementation. Time can only aid and sharpen its implementation. Lastly, to recognize the skills and the capabilities of the teachers is one winning factor in education. The Ontario problem commenced because of the governments bias against the public school teachers (Levin, 2007). Teachers are major stakeholders in the educational system thus, theres a need for acknowledgment and incentives. Teachers are important assets therefore, they must be treated as invaluable human resource to the system.Conclusion The strategies adopted by the Ontario Ministry of Education proved to be successful. Sustainable, large-scale projects can be a tough challenge but if all the systems are in agreement to it and proper delegation of work is done, it can become a pleasurable job and a welcomed change. Ontario has set an example my conviction follows impossible ideas can be realized if the stakeholders within the system are united.BibliographyLevin, B. (2007). Sustainable large-scale renewal. Journal of Educational Change, 8, 323-336.Owens, R. G. (2004). Organizational conduct in education Adaptive leadership and School Reform. Boston MA Allyn & Pearson, p. 19-21.Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat. (2007). Making it happen. Toronto Ontario Ministry of Education. Retrieved April 11, 2008, from http//www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/literacynumeracy/makeithappen.pdf. p. 14