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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1997-05-07, Page 5Arthur Black THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MAY 7, 1997 PAGE 5. Thanks Mr. Hosack If I'd known 1 was going to live this long I'd have taken better care of myself . Eubie Blake You said it, Eubie. I'm not nearly as ancient as the legendary ivory tickler was when he made that observation, but I know what he was talking about. Each morning I took at my reflection in the bathroom mirror and think the same sad thought: If I'd known I was going to live this long, why did I ... gotoallthosepartieseatall thatjunkfooddoallthosedrugsdrinkallthat boozesmokeallthosecigarettes? There's an old story about a circus strongman known around the world for his ability to lift incredible weights off the ground. A newspaper reporter asked him how he came to be so mighty. The strongman explained that he'd been raised on a cattle farm. One day in his youth, as he was carrying a newborn calf to its mother, it occurred to him that it wouldn't be too long before that little calf would be too heavy to lift. Unless... Unless he made a practice of lifting the calf each and every day! He did - and that's how he came to be a circus strong man. Or so the story goes. I'm not too interested The great debate I finally caught up with a copy of the famous Third International Maths and Science Study which examined 41 nations to see how 13-y ear-old students were doing in these two subjects. There are so many conclusions to be drawn from this study that I would need far more than one short article to summarize the findings with reference to some of the things that stood out in my mind. First of all, how did the Canadian students do? They came 18th in both maths and sciences, which was slightly above average in both. They were well ahead of the Americans in maths and just below them in sciences. We were behind the Russians, Czechs, Austrians and Dutch in both. At the top of the heap were students from Singapore, followed closely by Hong Kong, Japan and South Korea. In fact, the Orientals did better than any other region. In short, you can make just about any comparison you want and make Canadians as good or bad as it suits you. There were a few very evident ramifications of this giant study. One of the most outstanding was that there is no relationship between the amount spent on education per pupil and quality. The United States spends three times as much per pupil as does Taiwan, but the latter beat the Americans hands down. The Swiss spend four times as much as the Czechs yet the latter came second in science and sixth in maths. The Swiss came 25th and eighth respectively. In spite of all the screaming here about class size, the study also showed that children in small classes do not achieve better grades than those in larger ones. Allied with that is the debate as to whether the entire class should be taught at once contrasted with breaking it up in running off to join the circus, but I admire the man's determination. And it occurs to me that if I had just touched my toes a half dozen times or done a few deep knee bends every time that guy picked up his calf. I'd see a helluva lot svelter silhouette each time I looked in the bathroom mirror. Ah well. Too late for that. But I regret my sedentary ways every now and then. For instance...every time I think of Everett W. Hosack. Hosack is a track and field champ. Let me quote one of his reviews: "Hosack, brilliant young hurdler, will uphold the standard in the obstacle races. This athlete...has blossomed out into a formidable hurdle hopper." What you need to know to put that review in perspective, is that it appeared in the Gainesville, Florida Daily Sun of May 2, 1924. What you also need to know is that Everett W. Hosack is still competing - and setting world records at the age of 95. This spring, Hosack travelled to Birmingham, Eng. to the European Indoor Veterans Athletics Championships where he set a world record for the long jump. In his age category, it must be added. And since he was the only entrant in the 95 to 99 years age bracket, his triumph was a bit of a forgone conclusion. But Everett Hosack has no illusions about By Raymond Canon into small groups in order to give a student a better chance to participate. The "whole-class" principle seems to give better results. The study looked at the way maths are taught in both Switzerland and Japan since both countries ranked high in this subject. The examiners found that in both countries more time is spent on basic math; students are taught to do sums in their heads before doing them on paper and calculators are generally banned. Both countries also use the "whole­ class" method. One important point. In both countries considerable effort is made to see that students do not fall behind. Those that start to slide are given extra teaching. Finally, there did not seem to be any relationship between the amount of time spent per school year on either maths or sciences and the results. A scattergram showing the time and results had countries all over the place. The Dutch, who ranked ninth in maths, spent less time than the Portuguese who ranked 37th. And so on! The study has caused a lot of soul-searching and so it should. The Germans, for example, are more than mildly upset that their students came only 23rd in maths; even the Russians beat them. Are we going to be happy with our middle- of-the-pack standing? Probably not! One thing that struck me was the fact that, while the results of the testing may not tell us precisely how a subject should be taught, it certainly did a good job at exposing as erroneous some of the stuff being passed off, in Canada and elsewhere, as holy writ. I think that a lot of countries will be examining the way in which subjects are taught and making changes, which is all to the good. I find myself in a rather unique position since I went to school in six countries and his win. "The only reason I am excelling now," he says, "is that I have outlived all my competitors." Still - would you, at your age, like to get up in front of a stadium full of spectators and try your luck at the long jump? Everett Hosack jumped six feet, eight inches - and he's 95. It's been a busy year for Hosack. He also set world records at the Kent State Indoor Masters Meet in Ohio and as the Masters Indoor Championships in Greensboro, N.C. Then there was his triumph at the North Coast Masters Indoor Championships and the Cleveland Classics Masters Meet. Nothing to compare, of course, with Hosack's achievement at the World Championships in Japan, where he carved a phenomenal 21 seconds off the world record for 400 metres. Mind you, that was back in 1993. Hosack was only 91 then. I managed to catch up with Everett Hosack between track meets last month. I asked him if he had any advice for a pudgy, out of shape, over-the-hill guy about half his age. Should I take up weight training? Join a gym? Start jogging? "Not really" he said. "I used to preach vigorous exercise for all, but now I believe you should just do what makes you happy. It makes me happy to compete." And it makes me happy not to. Thank you Everett W. Hosack. I feel fitter already. have taught at the high school, college and university level. One thing that stands out in my mind is the motivation of students. I think that good study habits, a desire to learn and a respect for the system have to be developed and home is one place to encourage it. If you teach a class with Oriental students in it, you will see just how highly motivated they are compared with many Canadian students who have little respect for either themselves or education and think that the world owes them a living. As any teacher can tell you, it is a sheer delight to teach motivated students; the results speak for themselves. Part of that motivation comes from good teaching. For a teacher it is sweet music to hear a student tell you that your course has been relevant and that they can see the results when they follow your suggestions. A teacher dedicated to high quality instruction should be paid as much as a hockey or baseball player and have then- own hall of fame. My opinion of the Maths and Science Study is that it has encouraged a lot of countries to examine their system more carefully than they have in the past. The Hungarians found, for example, that while their students were relatively good in maths and sciences, they were poor in literacy; the result is that the country's education system is now spending more time on teaching the students how to read (hint for Canada?) As our western world turns more to activities that are based on the information revolution, we cannot afford to waste undue time on how many trustees can dance on the point of a needle. We have to put in place a system that can turn out literate, flexible and motivated students. This is the message that is seeping through in many places besides Canada. The Short of it A Mother's Day tale This Sunday is Mother’s Day and in honour of the occasion I would like to share a true story. The babies lay beside their ruined home, helpless and frightened, their mother nowhere in sight. Their heartbreaking cries could be heard above the buzz of a busy spring day, stirring a sense of impotence in those working nearby. Should they be moved and risk separating them forever from their absent parent? As compassion and confusion collided, complicating any ability for clear thought, the mother appeared. Then to the amazement of those watching, she ambled away, apparently oblivious to, or unconcerned about, her offspring's plight. Last week's windy Thursday felled a portion of a giant tree at the front of my family's home, effectively blocking the road As men with chainsaws and loaders worked to remove the obstruction, the drama began to unfold. Four very tiny baby raccoons toppled, disoriented, from the mammoth log. After a brief wait to see if Mom was going to appear, the squalling infants were tenderly lifted by human hands, just out of harm's way, and snuggled together al the base of the tree. Some time later, these same humans watched dumbfounded as the mother, ignoring her babies' cries, crept from her ruined home and walked away. Suffice it to say that seeing new life exposed so soon to the world's harsh realities aroused some strong feelings. My parental inclination to preserve young life, was confounded by ignorance. I consulted someone with more expertise in this area. Helpful and understanding he assured me that mother would likely return and the babies would probably survive the chilly weather until she did. My husband and a helpful neighbour made them a warm bed of sawdust and with faith in motherhood, we waited. However, as time passed the little ones seemed to fail and our sense of inadequacy was shadowed by sad disbelief in what seemed to be a parent's desertion. Knowing that human mothers are capable of selfish, even brutal acts against their young I shouldn't have been surprised by the adult raccoon's actions. But as a mother typical of the majority, who could not imagine leaving my children in distress, I was mildly discomfitted. While there are pitiful examples to the contrary, my image of what a mother should be is one of courage, devotion and steadfast love. As the animal kingdom is neither as weak, nor as self- absorbed as homo sapiens, I assumed that they, rather than having any of the pitiful examples, typified the best of motherhood. Late that evening it began to seem I was wrong. As morning dawned it was with trepidation that we ventured to the makeshift nest, certain of what we would find. However, with delighted surprise we saw Mom had come back. Instead of turning her back on her babies to save herself, she had instead gone to look for new lodgings, perhaps sensing we would look after them until her return. She, was after all, the essence of motherhood, quiet strength and just doing the best she could under the circumstances.