York education experts talk creeping privatization of public education, 123s and ABCs
TORONTO, Aug. 29, 2024 – With students returning to the classroom next week, experts from York University’s Faculty of Education are available to talk about how public education is increasingly relying on private dollars and how to help kids tackle math anxiety.
The privatization of public education shows itself in a number of areas, says Professor Sue Winton, York Research Chair in Policy Analysis for Democracy and the author of Unequal Benefits: Privatization and Public Education in Canada. Privatization undermines the public school system and perpetuates inequalities, says Winton.
Winton is available for comment on:
- How policy plays a role in supporting or undermining public education
- How school fees, fundraising, school choice, and specialized programs can all contribute to the increasing encroachment of privatization
- How increasing privatization can affect kids, families, communities, and democracy
Professor Tina Rapke says the idea that there are some kids that are just good at math and others that are not, is simply not true. Parents and teachers can implement a number of strategies that can help give kids the confidence they need to succeed when it comes to dealing with numbers.
Rapke, who works directly with students and teachers in classroom settings, is available for comment on topics including:
- Why and how to focus on students’ ideas to enhance math education
- Strategies for classroom teaching and math learning at home
- How kids develop mathematical ideas
While young students definitely benefit from phonics-based learning for early reading and spelling acquisition, implementing such policies needs to be done thoroughly and in an evidence-consistent way, says Professor and Dean of the Faculty of Education Robert Savage. Savage, who has published 100 research articles in international peer-reviewed journals exploring children’s early reading and spelling, emphasizes that changes need to be age- and needs-appropriate and be introduced in ways that consider both foundational skills and how phonics is situated in wider literacy practices.
Savage is available for comment on:
- Curriculum changes to early learning and reading intervention strategies
- Cognitive processes in reading and spelling
- Strategies for different age-groups when learning how to read and spell
- How dyslexia and other learning difficulties affect reading and spelling
About York University
York University is a modern, multi-campus, urban university located in Toronto, Ontario. Backed by a diverse group of students, faculty, staff, alumni and partners, we bring a uniquely global perspective to help solve societal challenges, drive positive change, and prepare our students for success. York’s fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario’s Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education. York’s campuses in Costa Rica and India offer students exceptional transnational learning opportunities and innovative programs. Together, we can make things right for our communities, our planet, and our future.
Media Contacts: Emina Gamulin, York University Media Relations and External Communications, 437-217-6362, egamulin@yorku.ca
