Spotlight


Schools on the Move video

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Transcript

Gosford Public School is one of 35 schools being recognized this year as a School on the Move – for its success in improving student achievement despite facing significant challenges. Staff and students at the Toronto school talk about the challenges they face and how they have worked hard to overcome them.

Student #1(male): (in class) He showed his anger by screaming in the shower.
(to camera) The first time when I came to Grade 3 it felt like I'm nervous and excited at the same time.

Student #2 (male): In math I'm kind of nervous sometimes because I don't know if it's going to be hard or easy.

Student #3 (female): The first day of school I didn't have any friends. Now I have like five or six friends to play with.

Susan Billington, principal: Our school is a Kindergarten to Grade 5 school, located in the Jane and Finch area of Toronto. It's quite challenging because many of our children experience a great deal of stress. Some of our children come to school hungry and it makes it more difficult for them to focus on their learning.

Ursula Ratajczak, Grade 3 teacher: Most of our children come from low-income families. Most of them are ESL. We definitely don't have that parental support and I think we have to work harder.

Ursula Ratajczak: (to class) Think about your life.

Glenford Duffus, supervisory officer: Schools on the Move program is a network that connects and celebrates schools that have used evidence-based instructional practices to improve student achievement. There are 142 schools in the province. These schools have demonstrated achieving student success despite the challenges they face.

Susan Billington: The Schools on the Move initiative is a way for us to network. It's a way for us to celebrate the learning that's taking place at our schools. Although we're in very challenging circumstances, all children can learn and they can learn to develop higher-level thinking skills.

Student #3: My favourite subjects are math, reading and social studies.

Student #1: I think what I want to be when I grow up is a chef because it feels good to cook for people.

Student #2: I come here every day because it's important for your education.

Ursula Ratajczak: I think we make a lot of assumptions about kids in this kind of community and we make excuses for them. We want to share our belief at Gosford that all children can succeed despite any circumstances. It's having those high standards that is so important.