• It snowed, the Toronto fat cat skiers cheered. But after the snow they couldn't get out of their driveways.
• People rushed to the airport to get out of the city for a tropical vacation. Its all timing. Winter got them before they got hot.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
The Break???
March break marched in like a Lion and out like a miserable exercise. The gonad free politicians granted a "Family Day" in February without pointing to the fact that only a couple of weeks later, there is an educational exercise called "March Break".
For the uninitiated or for us paleo-humans forced to go to school in only the most inclement of weathers no matter the date a short background is required. March Break is one of those committee sourced brain child of an educational system devoid of any understanding of its clients. The idea was to let students catch up on critical study projects in a relaxed period.
It also is "supposed" to let teachers catch up on the bureaucratic overload and prepare the final exams. Like most things theoretical there quickly evolved a whole other environment. The original concept, a good one conceived its model in a time devoid of something called affordable air travel, and in an era of Cold War where travel mounted greater peril than the commercial pussy willow journeys available today.
March Break, as a concept began well and was a valuable tool. No one traveled and people did study as there were the 3/4 season exams at the end of March. In the old order, exams counted large in any study course. The idea of having students actually participate in the learning process was totally alien. Teaching hugged the concept of rote and knowledge regurgitation.
When parents realized that here was a free week to bring their snot monsters along to a tropical winter vacation without having to dump the progeny on grand parents, unsuspecting relations or paid baby sitters. Travel agents developed new travel packages for families while sneaking up the fares during this designated week. In short, it became a clear week off.
There is less study during this week than at any other time of year including summer. In short its a week off. Which leaves me confused? Why the need for a Family Day?
The only way to relate is to recount my experience with teachers, usually rookie teachers, who insisted on giving home work before Christmas vacation. In the old days, (oh the pain of such a phrase) any break from the enormous mind numbing Ontario educational experience was appreciated.
It propelled a surreal experience. Every person in that classroom nodded in agreement with the proposal because the clock ticked slowly down to an abbreviated freedom. And every person in that room save for one lonely soul (the teacher) knew that they didn't plan to do a lick of work during that period.
Then "school breaks" appear a sham. And March Break in Canada, is no less a sham.
However this spring break began wonderfully if not a participant. If parents cannot get the full time off to go to a tropical vacation, they schedule closer family events like skiing. Skiing needs snow.
At the beginning of the March Break this year there came such a great snow fall. It caused airport delays which meant that the tropical vacations started off shortened by a few days and travelers spent a few days at airports waiting.
Additionally those skiers appreciating the benefits of snow viewed a welcoming glance, anticipating the freshly groomed base on Blue Mountain and other like "hills". Yet, it snowed so much that even if these people dug out their Mercedes they couldn't easily get to those slopes because the roads were clogged with snow. Justice exists.
For the uninitiated or for us paleo-humans forced to go to school in only the most inclement of weathers no matter the date a short background is required. March Break is one of those committee sourced brain child of an educational system devoid of any understanding of its clients. The idea was to let students catch up on critical study projects in a relaxed period.
It also is "supposed" to let teachers catch up on the bureaucratic overload and prepare the final exams. Like most things theoretical there quickly evolved a whole other environment. The original concept, a good one conceived its model in a time devoid of something called affordable air travel, and in an era of Cold War where travel mounted greater peril than the commercial pussy willow journeys available today.
March Break, as a concept began well and was a valuable tool. No one traveled and people did study as there were the 3/4 season exams at the end of March. In the old order, exams counted large in any study course. The idea of having students actually participate in the learning process was totally alien. Teaching hugged the concept of rote and knowledge regurgitation.
When parents realized that here was a free week to bring their snot monsters along to a tropical winter vacation without having to dump the progeny on grand parents, unsuspecting relations or paid baby sitters. Travel agents developed new travel packages for families while sneaking up the fares during this designated week. In short, it became a clear week off.
There is less study during this week than at any other time of year including summer. In short its a week off. Which leaves me confused? Why the need for a Family Day?
The only way to relate is to recount my experience with teachers, usually rookie teachers, who insisted on giving home work before Christmas vacation. In the old days, (oh the pain of such a phrase) any break from the enormous mind numbing Ontario educational experience was appreciated.
It propelled a surreal experience. Every person in that classroom nodded in agreement with the proposal because the clock ticked slowly down to an abbreviated freedom. And every person in that room save for one lonely soul (the teacher) knew that they didn't plan to do a lick of work during that period.
Then "school breaks" appear a sham. And March Break in Canada, is no less a sham.
However this spring break began wonderfully if not a participant. If parents cannot get the full time off to go to a tropical vacation, they schedule closer family events like skiing. Skiing needs snow.
At the beginning of the March Break this year there came such a great snow fall. It caused airport delays which meant that the tropical vacations started off shortened by a few days and travelers spent a few days at airports waiting.
Additionally those skiers appreciating the benefits of snow viewed a welcoming glance, anticipating the freshly groomed base on Blue Mountain and other like "hills". Yet, it snowed so much that even if these people dug out their Mercedes they couldn't easily get to those slopes because the roads were clogged with snow. Justice exists.
Thursday, March 06, 2008
Helping the blind
While working on various projects, I took the TTC a couple of times. The Commission upgraded the service to include street announcements for the next stops. This multi-million dollar project was done to placate a few blind people who sought this feature through legal action.
And the new system works. A digital sign near the front of the bus, streams out the name of the very next stop.
And the new system works. A digital sign near the front of the bus, streams out the name of the very next stop.
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