Recently my school (Brookview Middle) in the Jane/Finch neighborhood of Toronto had the opportunity to watch the new movie, ?Akeela and the Bee,? which tells the story of a young African American girl who became a national co-champion (USA) of Spelling Bee through determination and perseverance when her single mother/siblings, her school and her neighborhood (a minority community) came together to support her in the long run. In Ghana, there is an Akan adage which, literally translated means, ?if one climbs a good tree s/he is pushed up.? How true!
AKEELA and the BEE has been described by film critics as a heart-warming, triumph-over adversity drama that centers on a precocious eleven-year-old girl, Akeela Anderson from south Los Angeles, who discovered to have a talent for words. In spite of the objections of her mother Wanda, Akeela enters a spelling contest. Her gift takes her to compete in the National Spelling Bee, the most famous competition of its kind in the world. On the way, she is helped by a forthright, mysterious teacher, Dr. Larabee (who I saw in the movie as a role-model for Akeela who lost her father at the age of six) and a cast of colorful characters from the COMMUNITY. Her journey evokes pride in the neighborhood, bringing them to together! Isn?t that wonderful? My eyes welled up with tears as I sat throughout the movie.
In fact, when parents/guardians, the community and the school come together to support our students, together we will be able to achieve a lot of SUCCESS in our COMMUNITY. Together we stand, divided we fall!
My lengthy introduction to this write-up is unusual. However, it underscores a very important point. The point that if we want our students to achieve success in their journey of learning and that of life as a whole, then we must come together as parents, teachers and community members to encourage and inspire our young ones for success. If we do not find time to succeed we have time to fail!
How can we be part of this coming-together-syndrome, which always impact success? There are many opportunities in the form of school establishments like school councils, school volunteers and programs like open days, parent/teacher interviews, curriculum nights, spring-mix to mention a few which we can take advantage of. Unfortunately, many parents and members of the Ghanaian community in Toronto (and perhaps, elsewhere) are very apathetic in this wise.
The question that keeps ringing in my ears whenever I do not see parents from our community at school programs meant for them is: where are the Ghanaian parents who should have been here? Are they at work or at home? If they are at work couldn't they have asked for permission to be away from work to be at their child?s school program which comes once in a blue moon? If they are at home then my fears are more compounded by the frightening fact that most Ghanaians care less about their child's education. It is a fact that many Ghanaians living in Toronto have to do more than one job to make ends meet. However, we need not to sacrifice the education of our children on the altar of our jobs. The best investment we can make now is in our children's education. That pays more than our double and triple jobs in the long term!
First-Hand Experience As a Parent:
At my first school council meeting in Toronto-Canada about eight years ago, my experience at executive meetings of Parent/Teacher Association (PTA) in Ghana became reminiscent. Parents ?participating? in school administration. I was at this Etobicoke school council meeting to stand in for a friend who has a child at that school. I will never regret the time spent at the meeting. It was a golden opportunity for me to learn at first hand what goes on at school council meetings in Canada.
The School Council is an important part of school in this country. It brings the concerns and the best advice of parents, community and school staff together in one forum. Among other things the direction, advice and support given by the school council assist the school in its efforts to improve student success and achievement in a safe, comfortable learning environment.
School Councils in Ontario:
On April 12,1995, the Ontario Ministry of Education and Training (OMET) issued its Policy/program Memorandum No.122 requiring all school boards in the province to have in place policies regarding the formation of school councils by June 1996. Theoretically, the essential function of school councils is to give voice to parents and members of the community by removing some of the major aspect of the administration for an individual school from the purview of a central board of education.
The Ontario initiative is the result of the recommendation of the Ontario Royal Commission on Learning (1995) and the Ontario Parent Council (1995) that school councils be established ?to enable parents and students to assume a more responsible and active role in education programs and services within their local community?(OMET, 1995,p.l).
Perhaps, the school council?s ?participatory? role in academic development of the school is limited or even eliminated from its mandate by the OMET precluding the council from having specific influence in the policy area of curriculum. This notwithstanding, the councils have tremendous ?advisory? role to play in the life of the school. How do we as parents take opportunity in the School Council to get involve with the education of our children? Is there any public willingness, especially among the Ghanaian community, to serve on these councils? Are parents motivated enough to sit on school councils? Let?s try to explore some answers to these questions in the following paragraphs.
Willingness to Serve/Help:
Research has indicated that there is no sufficient motivation for parents who are, for the most part, motivated solely by their narrow concern with educational opportunities for their children to get involve with the school councils (see Golench, 1997). Though the government?s initiative, to me, provides activity and empowerment, many parents have seen school councils as non-starter. Such parents find themselves either too busy with daily life or have no interest to volunteer on the school councils. There should be therefore appropriate motivation for enthusiastic voluntary participation from parents. My recent experience at the school council meeting mentioned earlier underscores my conviction of the tremendous opportunity that parents who serve on the school council have in influencing school life in their local community. The public willingness must be whipped up and sustained among parents through encouraging parents? involvement in school programs!
The potential for assistance and knowledge that lies in the community beyond the school?s parents is a significant untapped resource. School Councils should not be seen as or make to look elitist.
I would therefore encourage parents (especially Ghanaians) to take opportunity of school councils and curriculum as well as information nights at their children?s schools to influence the school life for their children and the community at large. Those who can should volunteer to serve as community representatives on these councils. Those who can't attend such important school/parent gatherings should make use of their representatives to let their voices and concern heard at council meetings. Parents who are not council members are invited to sit in council meetings to contribute to discussions. This is an opportunity parents must make use of to strength the school community.
On a more personal note I would submit that ?Akeela and the Bee? is an inspirational film for the community in our efforts to make our children succeed at school and in life. I therefore encourage Ghanaian families in particular and minority people in general take the opportunity to watch this film whenever it comes to any theatre near them.
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