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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1995-05-17, Page 1614-TNE HURON EXPOSITOR, May 17, 1 M Television makes youths aware of world continued from page two "I'm teaching a second gen- eration of students and I can't attribute any changes in student behaviour to television," he said. 'Television has made students in some respects a lot more aware of the world around them." He notes that because of the existence of satellite dishes the young people of Huron County aren't isolated. Burgess sees some negatives associated with television, such as the desensitization of children. Young people may also like their information in bite -size (or byte -size?) chunks. "Because of the tremendous breadth of what they do see on television they tend to want information in small doses," said Burgess, but he cautions it's dangerous to generalize. One thing that worries him, as a parent, is the availability of restricted movies and other fare through the satellite dishes in many rural homes and on cable TV. He says one of the possible negatives of television is the values young people are learning. "There are more teenagers who watch adult -type films than adults." Some movies provide youths with a `quick fix' but don't provide depth and complex story lines, he suggests. Burgess is not one of those people, however, who wants to make television an easy target. "It has lots of potential, it's always had lots of potential," he said. "Most of my students watch less TV than their par- ents do." He says television mini-series have sometimes encouraged Retired teacher Joan Brodie has Inttlated debate on TV. people to go back and read the original book upon which it is based. "There have always been people who read and people who choose not to read more than they have to." Today's young people are very literate about media images, said the film arts teacher. Even students who aren't strong academically are sometimes very perceptive about visual images. "A lot of them can spot phoneyness or artificiality per- haps better than their parents," according to Burgess. "They can spot it in the entertainment media, they're perhaps not so sophisticated in what's on the news." The school's film arts course helps the students become even more discriminating as viewers of television. With the advent of camcorders students also learn how to become their own 'pro- ducers.' "It takes a lot of work to see the overall picture and distil it down to the short video which you want to accomplish," he said. "In some respects the same planning and artistic skills that go into writing go into creating a good visual story." Burgess sees a role for the TV in the classroom. "It's a tool like many tools, the computer is a tool which serves a function, television is a tool which can serve a func- Logging your viewing? A book called Breaking Your Child's TV Addiction, which is available at the Seaforth Library Branch includes a daily viewing log. The log includes documenting the num- ber of hours watched and the estimated violent acts viewed. If your family embarks on an exercise like this one this news- paper would be interested in hearing your results. Board opposes new plans BY MICHELE GREENE Advocate Staff Separate trustees are pub- lishing four booklets intended to provide the public with facts --not fiction. The Huron -Perth Roman Catholic Separate School was initially pleased with the rec- ommendations of the Royal Commission on Learning, released in late January. However, the provincial gov- ernment's recent announce- ments about plans to amalga- mate boards by about 50 per cent were not among the com- mission's recommendations. The commission said it did- n't find any evidence that the number of boards relates to the quality of learning. It con- cluded that amalgamation isn't one of the big issues in Ontario education. Local sep- arate trustees quickly lost their optimism about the Royal Commission on Learning when they learned the province wasn't taking its advice. To counter the misleading information, the board approved the publication of four booklets entitled The Royal Commission On Learning, School Board Amalgamations, The Education's Minister's Announcements, and Sharing Between Local School Boards. They will outline the recommendations of the com- mission, point out myths and truths about amalgamation, list the minister's announce- ments compared to the rec- ommendations and demon- strate how the board is shar- ing services with the Perth County Board of Education and the Huron County Board of Education to reduce costs. The first booklet was expected to be in churches and school last Sunday with the others to come out one week a part. They will be used to inform the public as well as election candidates with whom trustees agreed they would discuss education- al issues, such as amalgama- tion. With the priest's permis- sion, some trustees may talk to parishioners at their local churches or send letters to the ratepayers advising them of the booklets. At a special meeting last Tuesday night, trustees approved the draft copy of the second booklet on amalgama- tion. It presents what the board describes as 25 myths about amalgamation and counters them with realities. "It is important we get this out soon. The general public is uninformed about this. They want the information. They are asking us for it," said Chairperson Louise Martin. Dr. Brown .described the minister's announcements of amalgamating boards as "vote -getters" because any initiative to save money is favored by the public. The first myth outlined in the second -book suggests that amalgamating boards will save money. "It would drive costs up dramatically and wouldn't provide any educational bene- fits. All the studies [the Minister of Education and Training] has funded showed that it's not the case," said Dr. Brown. Stratford Trustee Ron Marcy said the public should question what the amalgama- tion of boards would mean. He wondered if amalgamation Of municipal councils and other public councils would be a reality in the future. "People have to look ahead to see what the consequences would be for schools boards and other organizations," he said. Dr. Brown emphasized that the hoard is not against amal- gamation. He said there are boards in the province that operate a few schools or none at all. "There are some boards that should be amalgamated. We're not saying amalgama- tion is a bad thing but it should he realistic," he said. Grave decorated with fla Approximately 25 members of Branch 156 attended the graveside service for H. "Buz" Finnigan last Saturday with Padre Major Frank Golding conducting the service. Mrs. Finnigan expressed her thanks to all those participating. The Ladies Auxiliary held another successful Sunday dinner. The committee thanks everyone for the desserts and help and also to the public for supporting this event. The qualifying round for the Zone C-1 Golf Tournament has been changed to May 22. On Saturday, May 20 in Goderich all Legion and Ladies Seaforth Legion by Barbara Scott Auxiliary members from Zone C-1 will parade to the cenotaph for a service, then will dedicate the new fountain which has been presented by the Dutch community. Contact Thelma Coombs if you intend attend- ing. The graves at area cemeteries have been decorated with a Canadian Flag for Decoration Day. If you know of any grave which has inadvertently been missed. Please contact Jim Watson and this will be _cor- rected. Officers and chairmen of the Branch and Auxiliary are urged to attend the information day at Branch 167 Exeter on Sunday June 4 at 10 a.m. This will be a important seminar and all comrades should make a special effort to attend. Tickets arc now on sale for the Branch for the Home- coming show on August 4 at the Legion. Tickets are $10. Also for the Branch Ladies Auxiliary Homecoming Dinner on Sunday, August 6, $9 and children $4.50. Dublin extends sympathy Mother's Day is always a special day in the year to show our mothers how much they mean to us. Katie Murray thoroughly enjoyed a visit from her daughters Louise Maloney, Kitchener and Rose Marie Murray, Waterloo and Catherine Melady, Seaforth. Don and Eileen MacRae attended the Christening of their Great Grandson Brett David Pelling son of Mark and Stephanie Pelting on Sunday in the Otterville United Church, Otterville. Also attending were grandparents, David and Dublin by Dorothy Dillon 345-2883 Sharon Pelling, Meaford; Aunt Jennifer Pelling and friend, Rod, Mississauga; Great Aunts and Uncles - George and Ivy Pelling, Mississauga; Bill and Kathy Wolfe, Mitchell; and Jack and Denise Kelly, Stratford; as well as grandpar- ents, Jerry and Sharon Balcolm and great-grandparents Mr. and Mrs. Davis, all 01 Otterville. Everyone dined and visited at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Balcolm. A very Happy Birthday to a very special person, John Schoonderwoerd, who cel- ebrates this week. John, your many many friends love your smile and help you give to others. THOUGHT FOR TODAY 'A sure-fire way to get your name in the newspaper is to walk across the street reading onel' Lion," he said. Television can provide society with an image to which everyone can relate. For instance, Burgess recalls the landing of U.S. astronauts on the moon as one of those images. "The assassination of Kennedy is an image so many people have shared." Television is being blamed by many for the corruption of youth...but Burgess puts the issue in some perspective. He recalls that when he was 10 years old there was a contro- versy that comic books would be the ruination of children. "I think blaming television for most of the ills in the younger generation is a simple answer and there isn't a simple answer." The Seaforth father said parents have to exercise discre- tion in the viewing habits of their children. "I'd hate to think an eight- year-old's favourite program is Married...with Children." Even more important than the content of the shows, said Burgess, is the number of hours children watch. The SDHS teacher sometimes takes surveys about television with his students. One of the things he finds surprising is the number of televisions families have in their homes in different rooms. TV IN CLASSROOM? Does the television have a place in the classroom? Huron County Board of Education Director Paul Carroll says the television allows young people to `participate' in significant events like satellite launchings. Carroll foresees the integra- tion of many technologies in the education system ins luding television, video and ;om- puters. He sees a tine• when the computer desktop will act as a television monitor with video capacity. Even books may change form, such as an electronic tablet. "I think the definition of literacy is expanding," said Carroll. "I've watched little kids interact with books on the CD-ROM." The Seaforth n•s lent says there doesn't need to be a choice made betwec ., television and books. "It isn't a matter of 'either or' ", he said. "I think there will always be a time when you will crawl up in a corner with a book." Carroll says technology won't be miraculous on one hand, or catastrophic on the other hand. Finding the reason for social ills is far more complicated than blaming television, said Carroll. There have been many periods of moral decline in the past, he said, when television was nowhere to be found. "We just don't live in the world we used to live in, we can't blame that on TV or Nintendo games," he said. Pointing to Rwanda, he says there is a tragedy which can't be linked to television. "There are a lot of economic factors." IS TV ADDICTIVE? While some others suggest TV is a mixed bag of goods, which must be used carefully, Joan Brodie says her reading of the research suggests otherwise. She refers an interviewer to the research which exists on the topic, naming these books: •Endangered Minds, 'Why Children Don't Think and What We Can Do About 1t' by Jane M. Healy, PhD. •Four Arguments for the Elim- ination of Television, by Jerry Mander. Among the findings in Brodie's readings are that the brain waves of a person watch- ing TV are the same as those of a sleep walker. "The messages are assimi- lated at a subconscious level." When talking about television she even uses the word addic- tion. The Bayfield resident asks this question: "What would you do if some- one wanted to implant a chip in your child's brain?" That is the way she sees television. "Most programming is one long commercial...watching The Lion King they want all the Lion King products." Many educators say to watch television with your children. Brodie says, if possible, avoid television altogether. "They say sit down with your child, watch it and discuss it...I say sit down with your child and play a game, sit down with your child and do a craft, go outside and look for insects and animal tracks, throw a ball..." The retired school teacher said she had a gut reaction when her children were grow- ing up that television wasn't a good use of their time. She says, however, she becomes increasingly opposed to the `tube' as she reads current research. "There's beautiful sunshine out there...why would you sit, and stare at a bunch of glowing wires?" 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