I've been researching and developing my ideas for "Educate Me!?" for a couple of years now. After a lot of talking, listening, reading, writing, pitching, and plenty of constructive revisions to these ideas along the way, my team and I are ready to finish this project with a whirlwind of filming and editing to be complete by summertime!
To help me keep this going as an independent production I've decided to use a grassroots campaign for fundraising and to get the job done! I've chosen Indiegogo to help me 'do it with others' (that is their motto) and make it easier for people to contribute in a variety of ways. ;)
I have posted the pitch and other info on our page www.indiegogo.com/Educate-Me. Along with this blog, the Indiegogo page will be the hub for finding out all that is new with the production over the next few months as I will post some video clips of interest to it often. They also offer a variety of helpful tools you can use to share the project with everyone you know...and of course you can easily make a donation to the project and take advantage of some VIP Perks!
What We Need & Why
The money raised thru Indiegogo (and thru donations made directly to Saucy Side Productions if you prefer) will be used to cover equipment rentals, legal fees, travel costs for our final destinations, payment for the hard work of my crew (can't ask everyone to volunteer all their time!) and other production costs I can't fund myself.
Please contact me at kathy@educate-me.ca if you are interested in further details regarding our budget.
Other Ways You Can Help
Aside from making a donation and taking advantage of one our great Indiegogo VIP perks (you know you want to!), we could really use your help spreading the word about the "Educate Me!?" project through your networks!
Feel free to use any of the sharing tools found on our Indiegogo page to ask your friends and family to make a donation and pass it on! The more people who 'like' us, 'share' us, 'join' us (on facebook) and 'tweet' about us, the better!! Virtual hugs and much gratitude for every person you pass this info forward to :)
To help us keep our costs low, another way you can help is by feeding our team or finding us comfy rooms to sleep in during our 3 month whirlwind of travel to collect our final footage and interviews (I'll do dishes to contribute in kind!). Contact me at kathy@educate-me.ca for more information if you think you can help us out with sustenance and good company along the way. Cheers!
Remember: visit www.indiegogo.com/Educate-Me to make a contribution of any size, use the tools to share the project with everyone you know, read the pitch, see the trailer (will be up soon) and for regular updates on the production of the documentary! There will also be many opportunities for you to add your voice to this project if you’re keen to do so...stay tuned for details!
Here we gogo! And with a little help from our friends (like you!) 2011 will be the year that “Educate Me!?” gets to spark some great national debate on whether Canadians feel education should be a public trust or a market choice.
I’m always happy to hear your thoughts, questions and suggestions – please keep that feedback coming friends. Many thanks for your continued support! :)
Be well
Kathy
1.09.2011
1.02.2011
why "Educate Me!?"
My introduction to education issues began in 2002 when I had the privilege to be one of five panel members traveling around British Columbia in search of the principles of public education. At the end of our journey we published the Charter for Public Education which is a document that now belongs to the public, along with a full report that expanded on each of these principles with details from our hearings.
An experience that was life changing for me in many ways! Listening to over 1500 people of all ages from all walks of life around this province. All of them sharing their frustrations and their visions for what public education could be, and should be.
This was also the time that I was introduced to the fears that many people have around the privatization of public education. As a fan of documentaries the seed was planted in my mind for a project that would explore this subject in a new way. In the 8 years since the Charter was published I've learned a few things that have helped propel me to see this project come to life.
One thing I've learned is that the stakeholders, such as the teachers, trustees, principals, superintendents and support staff (all those people involved in the day to day work of education) can't do a project like this on their own without being written off as a "special interest" group.
While I have been actively involved with the Charter for Public Education Network (CPEN), the organization we founded to keep the dialogue started with the Charter process going, I have found it a challenge to discuss the principles with those who want to dismiss the entire process because it was initially funded by the BC Teachers federation. (BCTF)
The reason I remained committed to CPEN for many years is because I wanted to make sure the voices of all the community members we heard from weren't written off because some people believe its just a tool for the teachers union. (fyi, the only stakeholder who didn't have any time for the Charter for Public Education process was the provincial Ministry of Education. The Minister of the day declined many invitations by our panel to share her thoughts on the principles of public education with us)
Another thing I've learned is that each of the stakeholder groups is caught up in their own important issues of class size, tuition hikes, special needs supports, safety, technology, maintenance and other problems which are really symptoms of a bigger challenge they all face. Everyone is dealing with continued budget cuts which sometimes has them fighting each other for needed resources.
My theory is that we can nickle and dime our education system to death, or we can invest in the system we want.
Well, what kind of system DO we want?
Lately there is a big push for more and more 'school choice' which I'm worried about. I wonder how much choice we can offer and still be able to provide quality for all learners. And here lies that slippery slope to free market reform: if parents are going to 'shop' around for the 'best' school for their child, why not just hand them the money and let them really shop?
I'm someone who suffers a wee bit of shopping anxiety, even more so when I have too much choice, which is one reason I'm nervous about this path. Do we really have that much to worry about that we need to shop? Why aren't we simply investing in quality neighbourhood schools so children can be educated in their home community?
Another reason the market approach makes me nervous is that we need to consider who we want controlling our education system, and why. If we treat education like just another free market service, who is liable when things go wrong? And does competition between schools for students and funding really improve learning outcomes?
These are the issues I want to spark debate around with Canadians.
While I still believe in the Charter for Public Education as an effective tool for dialogue, I also want to provide something a little less 'mom and apple pie'. This is the other dismissive line that I hear when some people look at the principles it expresses. I'm a big fan of moms and apple pie, and I'm also a believer in having things we can aspire towards to help us progress as a human society. We shouldn't be afraid of things that are visionary in their ideal and that give us something to live up to.
When my daughter starts kindergarten in the fall my focus will turn to the local once again, and along with getting involved with the school Parent Advisory Council (PAC) I'll likely reconnect with CPEN as I really enjoy talking with people about the principles, which ones they agree with, don't agree with and why? Which ones reflect the reality in their schools and communities?
Now is my time to explore the big picture and finish my quest to understand the politics of the privatization debate and share my findings with others who are keen to talk about the pros and cons of a public or a private system overall.
My hope is that my documentary will provide another tool for dialogue that people can use when organizing in their communities, as well as a little something that will encourage all Canadians to value what our public education system already contributes to our society...and what it might look like if we invest in its full potential for all learners.
An experience that was life changing for me in many ways! Listening to over 1500 people of all ages from all walks of life around this province. All of them sharing their frustrations and their visions for what public education could be, and should be.
This was also the time that I was introduced to the fears that many people have around the privatization of public education. As a fan of documentaries the seed was planted in my mind for a project that would explore this subject in a new way. In the 8 years since the Charter was published I've learned a few things that have helped propel me to see this project come to life.
One thing I've learned is that the stakeholders, such as the teachers, trustees, principals, superintendents and support staff (all those people involved in the day to day work of education) can't do a project like this on their own without being written off as a "special interest" group.
While I have been actively involved with the Charter for Public Education Network (CPEN), the organization we founded to keep the dialogue started with the Charter process going, I have found it a challenge to discuss the principles with those who want to dismiss the entire process because it was initially funded by the BC Teachers federation. (BCTF)
The reason I remained committed to CPEN for many years is because I wanted to make sure the voices of all the community members we heard from weren't written off because some people believe its just a tool for the teachers union. (fyi, the only stakeholder who didn't have any time for the Charter for Public Education process was the provincial Ministry of Education. The Minister of the day declined many invitations by our panel to share her thoughts on the principles of public education with us)
Another thing I've learned is that each of the stakeholder groups is caught up in their own important issues of class size, tuition hikes, special needs supports, safety, technology, maintenance and other problems which are really symptoms of a bigger challenge they all face. Everyone is dealing with continued budget cuts which sometimes has them fighting each other for needed resources.
My theory is that we can nickle and dime our education system to death, or we can invest in the system we want.
Well, what kind of system DO we want?
Lately there is a big push for more and more 'school choice' which I'm worried about. I wonder how much choice we can offer and still be able to provide quality for all learners. And here lies that slippery slope to free market reform: if parents are going to 'shop' around for the 'best' school for their child, why not just hand them the money and let them really shop?
I'm someone who suffers a wee bit of shopping anxiety, even more so when I have too much choice, which is one reason I'm nervous about this path. Do we really have that much to worry about that we need to shop? Why aren't we simply investing in quality neighbourhood schools so children can be educated in their home community?
Another reason the market approach makes me nervous is that we need to consider who we want controlling our education system, and why. If we treat education like just another free market service, who is liable when things go wrong? And does competition between schools for students and funding really improve learning outcomes?
These are the issues I want to spark debate around with Canadians.
While I still believe in the Charter for Public Education as an effective tool for dialogue, I also want to provide something a little less 'mom and apple pie'. This is the other dismissive line that I hear when some people look at the principles it expresses. I'm a big fan of moms and apple pie, and I'm also a believer in having things we can aspire towards to help us progress as a human society. We shouldn't be afraid of things that are visionary in their ideal and that give us something to live up to.
When my daughter starts kindergarten in the fall my focus will turn to the local once again, and along with getting involved with the school Parent Advisory Council (PAC) I'll likely reconnect with CPEN as I really enjoy talking with people about the principles, which ones they agree with, don't agree with and why? Which ones reflect the reality in their schools and communities?
Now is my time to explore the big picture and finish my quest to understand the politics of the privatization debate and share my findings with others who are keen to talk about the pros and cons of a public or a private system overall.
My hope is that my documentary will provide another tool for dialogue that people can use when organizing in their communities, as well as a little something that will encourage all Canadians to value what our public education system already contributes to our society...and what it might look like if we invest in its full potential for all learners.
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