Originally Posted by Rich_007

I have witnessed 'da yoots' on both sides of the big water.

Canada: education designed to develop fully rounded young people, small adults prepared for later life, able to understand others views, listen and learn. Young adults can interact with real adults, conduct a conversation, make a contribution. Focus on activity, see the little ones outside in snow and bitter cold having run, running about, playing games. Politeness and civility is bred into them at influential ages. A kind of 'slow-burn' education designed to develop people, not consumers. Values which recognize people more than just their house/car/job status/salary/postal code, value the world around us.

UK: Focus on boffin-training, cram as much information into these little organic computers as possible. Develop children into self centred little "me-me-beings". Kids often grunt, produce monosyllabic answers, avoid adult company at all times. Breed into them that they are all important, to ignore others at all costs and that violence, brutality, selfishnes, always gets you what you want. Teach kids to make most noise = greater success in life. An education designed to create 'consumers', create generations of perfect little drones for entry into 'industry' to make noise, succeed in a self-centred manner. All or nothing, make it big or you're worth nothing attitude.

Of course, there are plenty of Paris/Britney types here, dumb as dishwater with purrfect teeth bright as the sun, and plenty grouchy sullen goth yoots. Day to day though, there's a marked difference in manners, ability to conduct a conversation, and overall attitude, between UK and Canada yoots.

Rich.

Originally Posted by fishfinger

I really think education is a personal subject. What I want for my children isn't necessarily what you want for yours. I feel that by sending them to school here, I have let them down. I have been selfish by living out my dream and letting them suffer. Hopefully I can get them back up to the correct standard when we go back to England.

I just wanted to let people know that it doesn't always work out!

Originally Posted by oceanMDX

This is some of what you stated in prior posts on this forum:

1) "I wish I had known that years of schooling and work experience would count for bugger all, I would never have come here. "

2) "I got pretty much the same treatment when I arrived 8 years ago and have had to go back to University and get another degree (which was so easy compared to my UK one) to get anywhere. I was a commodity tax consultant/fraud investigator and a qualified teacher when I came - neither qualification was recognised as the tax training was all UK government based and the PGCE was over ten years old."

You say you did your research before coming to Canada, but it's the quality of your research/critical thinking that I'm questioning.

If you want to be highly critical of the educational level of Canadians, I think you open your own abilities and decisions up for critique.

Originally Posted by oceanMDX

Actually I spend half the year in BC, and much of that time is spent about as far out of Abbotsford as where you live. It should be obvious to anyone who is familiar with Abby that Sikhs don't make up anywhere near the majority of the population. I still can't believe that you thought they did!

..... That difference explains why I post references backing my comments and you can't.

BTW, did you know that the University of British Columbia is ranked by Newsweek as the 27th best university in the world?

http://www.ubc.ca/global/index.html

Originally Posted by fishfinger

Can you explain why my 8 year old son's education and ability has gone downhill since he arrived in Canada 3 years ago? When we first arrived he could write joined up, read and spell correctly, now he can't spell and nobody can read what he is writing.

My 11 year old used to write stories that were 3 A4 pages long (when he was 8) and now he can barely write 1 exercise book page.

I feel I've let my kids down by moving to Canada.

Originally Posted by Linda P

When we arrived in March 05, my son went into grade 1. I was amazed at the stories his class mates were writing, back in the UK they were only just writing sentences!!!

Linda

Originally Posted by dingbat

If I was qualified to teach Canadians in the UK...how come all of a sudden I could not teach the same stuff in Canada?

Originally Posted by dingbat

Wait until the 2006 census results are published officially. As soon as I have the official link, I would be happy to post it. Answers.com (that I think you used for the 13% figure) used the 2001 adjusted census figure. That figure was disregarded by many as it does not account for the fact that many families were found to under report or simply not disclose who actually lived in their home, when those stats were compared to, for example benefit claimants and their dependants. I looked again today at the advance stats I have on my desk at work. They are used to do projections of service provider requirements. The contentious 53% is defined as "Asian". Yes I assumed Sikh, as I have yet to run into a Hindu in Abbotsford. I am still waiting as of this evening to find out if "Asian" included people from other parts of Asia or the world. I happily stand corrected if it does.

Originally Posted by oceanMDX

There are doctors who were educated in Afghanistan and still practice there who are qualified to treat Canadians in that country, but those doctors can't simply set up a practice after immigrating to Canada because their education/qualifications wouldn't be accepted as being equivalent to that of a licensed doctor practicing in Canada. I'm happy to have the licensing bodies for the professions protecting the Canadian public in this way.

Now in your particular case, I'm not saying that you weren't qualified to perform your vocation after having moved to Canada. I'm simply not qualified to make that determination. Your case sounds rather unusual - if not bizarre - in that you say a "union" intervened and prevented you from taking the job you were originally offered. Did you need a license to work in your field? Just how did this "union" stop you?

Originally Posted by dingbat

My appointment was "grieved" by the person who was holding the post, as I discovered, through the Union. This would have been quite proper and not the least surprising with hindsight. The whole thing was a management
balls-up really, hardly more than that. No, I did not need a license to do the job, because it was not (and I believe still is not) a "regulated position" in the federal government. I now know how important what I considered minor details were. The equivalent union in the UK civil service was a paper tiger by comparison....

Originally Posted by oceanMDX

In other words, the idiot who offered you the job had no business to do so in the first place. I agree that what happened was terrible and that you likely should have been compensated, but I don't think that Canada, BC or Abbotsford should take the blame for your misfortune.... the idiot in management should bear the responsibility.

Originally Posted by dingbat

Agreed. Is this the bit we kiss and make up?

Originally Posted by oceanMDX

Okay, if your other half doesn't mind.

Originally Posted by fishfinger

Don't they pay teachers more money in Alberta though than BC?

Anyway all of this banter, still hasn't helped my kids, they have definitely gone backwards since being here. I'm happy to call it quits, I tried and failed them here so back home we go. I think I've made the point I wanted to make so cheerio everyone!