Crotchety Teacher

Thought it was timely to post this as Daily Sketch since its Back to School for the kiddies after a nice long hot summer. The glum faces and the dismal expressions reminds me of another long year of school. "Get used to it kids," I say, "school for you guys will be long. High school and post-secondary and perhaps even more post-secondary." Their faces sink even more. Learning hasn't always been exciting for them and my wife and I supplement their education a great deal. Are teachers not inspired to learn anymore? Has stagnation and comfort usurped joy and enthusiasm for learning? I know there are still some passionate educators out and my children have met them but they are far and few between.

Later in my class I share my kid's sentiment with my students, who are much older. Their feedback is imbued with passion and disappointment as they share their stories of public education as a broken system far too great a topic to get into here...

...As for my kids, here's hoping your educators will continue to rise above the doldrums of mediocrity and show the passion for learning and knowledge to be just as exciting as I see it.

Education and Role Models

This editorial is a continuation of my series on education. The question of role models inside and outside the classroom is a crucial element in public education in Ontario Canada.

A recent study on education shows how many junior and intermediate students feel isolated from their teachers when it comes to matters of psychological and emotional concerns. In my opinion many students turn to celebrities and media personalities as their main influence.

Key concerns over the influence of behaviour towards others and matters of self esteem are often either ignored or overlooked not only in education but in parenting, and friendships where far too often the pressures of longer work weeks and the over-consuming culture we've become sends a message that perhaps money and status are save all solutions to shrinking role models.

But alas, a good editorial makes you think, so I leave it up to you to decide...

Education Ontario and The Monkey On My Back

Decided to break away from my usual format of the daily sketch and focus on an opinion piece for my OP/ED section.

Education in my hometown, Ontario Canada, is a controversial topic. Eduction isn't simply enough that a teacher's main responsibility is to their student's education and learning. Over the years many additional responsibilities have been added to public education by our provincial government. Some might say they've been dumped onto the elementary teachers laps irrespective of teacher's concerns.

The Ontario Government has been relying more heavily on standardized testing as a model for determining the overall status of school performance. Teachers who teach grade 3 and 6 especially feel the additional pressure in preparing their students for the standardized tests on top of their already loaded expectations.

There has been much debate over the topic of standardized tests and educational performance, and debates over the health of public education in Ontario and whether our province is producing brilliant minds or mindless minions.  You decide...
 

Salon International Exhibition, France 2011

I was invited to contribute a few editorial cartoons to the Salon

International exhibition this year. The theme of the exhibit was on

"living together." The exhibit wasn't specifically about any particular area, so

I submitted work I think deals within the context of living together.

Have a look and decide for yourself.

The size of the artwork is done on 11 by 14. I prefer Arches Hot-Press watercolour

paper. Viva La Femmes and Policing with Pride are both coloured digitally,

using a pen tablet. Bora Bora is coloured using Pantone markers, while the

other two cartoons are painted traditionally with watercolour and acrylic paints.