For a measure of how we have failed to substantially change for more than a half century despite what we have learned about the conditions children and youth need to flourish, consider the following.
Living and Learning, better known with reference to its principal authors as the Hall-Dennis Report, was commissioned by the Ontario Government and published in 1968. Its compassion for children, and understanding of them, is still impressive. Some close observers of education continue to have it at the top of their list of best reports on education ever commissioned by a government. The following quote from the report indicates that things are still much the same as they were more than 50 years ago.
“Today, on every side, however, there is heard a growing demand for a fresh look at education in Ontario. The Committee was told of inflexible programs, outdated curricula, unrealistic regulations, regimented organization, and mistaken aims of education. We heard from alienated students, frustrated teachers, irate parents, and concerned educators. Many public organizations and private individuals have told us of their growing discontent and lack of confidence in a school system which, in their opinion, has become outmoded and is failing those it exists to serve.”
If its recommendations had been properly implemented, public education would probably now be on much firmer ground in Ontario. We have acquired the knowledge about how children learn best, but we have failed to develop the knowledge about how to implement it, about how to create change. OPERI offers a solution. It presents an incremental process for moving to a new approach to education. It is a common sense process that minimizes disruption.
It is the overall good feeling about humanity that makes Living and Learning remarkable. If we can establish that same good feeling about the learning environments children attend daily, the positive results will extend well beyond school as indicated by Child Health Is Planetary Health, also known as CHIP.