The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

B MB Mn ie Ail l ceA We c ic sA d is ts d Tt ce tdsA . B is e o B ht n t ce w \ Oak_ville Beaver Weekend, Sunday, Feb. 20, 1994 â€" 22 Ne se se e mtc ote ie e ste ote ste ote ote se ote ote oi ste ofe ote ote ole ote se sie ote ie ie Free Franchising Seminar Discover yourself why Mail Boxes Etc., has become the world‘s largest _ franchised network of postal business communication services. With over 100 locations in Canada and growing at 1 new centre every week, we‘re the leader in one of the fastest growing industries in the world Date: Wednesday, February 23, 1994 Place: Mail Boxes Etc. Corporate office 505 Iroquois Shore Road, Unit 4, Oakville, Ontario Time: 7:30â€"9:00 p.m. Limited Seating. Call now for reservations! Tinxoian association FR*\ICH SE Association cANADIINNE 0t ta FRANCHISt (905) 338â€"9754 MAIL BOXES ETC 4 By DIANE SALTER Special to the Beaver There is nothing wrong with havâ€" ing and expressing opinions. We all have them, opinions about why peoâ€" ple behave as they do, about how to raise children, about what works in education and what doesn‘t. The problem arises when opinions are preâ€" sented as statements of fact rather than as expressions of belief. This is occurring in the current debate over the appropriate length of a kinderâ€" garten day. One such opinion, expressed by Diane Hart, Oakville Beaver February 16, is that: "The school board will jeopardize the very thing se slsb se t se ste se oke se ote se ie se ste se se stt se k k K K 3 K â€" they claim is dear to them â€" the qualiâ€" «©, ty of education." Another opinion, from Nancy Batchelor as quoted by Diane Hart, expressed her fear that "the child‘s best interests are getting lost in the talk of cost cutting." Evidence does not support the belief that the quality of education is reduced by the introduction of a fullâ€" day â€" kindergarten _ program. Alternating full day kindergarten is currently operating in 45 Ontario Boards of Education and no adverse effects have been noted in either the quality of education provided or the children‘s enjoyment of school. Furthermore, costâ€"cutting is an issue that must be addressed. The TORONTO‘S CRAZY ABOUT... Musical Comedy ORYO U The New GERSHWIN Visit the Box Office at 260 King St. W. or CALL: (416) 872â€"1212 TOLL FREE 1â€"800â€"461â€"3333 [GROUPS OF 20 OR MORE: (416) 593â€"4142 ROYVAL ALEXANDRA THEATRE, TORONTO Alternate day kindergarten: Fact vs opinion suggested change in kindergarten proâ€" gramming would save $67,500 in 1994 and $231,750 annually. Existing programs give no eviâ€" dence to suggest that alternating fullâ€" day kindergarten is detrimental to children, indicating that cost cutting need not correlate with reduced qualiâ€" ty of service. Other concerns were raised that are relevant to assessing the desirability of the proposed changes to kindergarten. Ms Batchelor (as quoted by Ms Hart), expressed concern that a fullâ€"day kindergarten program would be stressâ€" ful to a child who is involved in extraâ€" curricular activities. I contend that, as parents, we have choices about the type and amount of extra activities that are appropriate to our child‘s developmental level and interest. If desired, activities can be arranged on the weekends or on the weekdays that the child does not attend kindergarten. Concern was also expressed that "a half day is all that‘s needed at this stage to ease the child into the sysâ€" tem." If this is a valid concern, I would like to raise the following quesâ€" tion: "Do we need a complete school year of half days to ease the child into the system?" To me this seems like an excessive amount of easing! How about one week of half days, at the beginning of the year, with parental involvement if desired? Two further concerns were raised about potential problems during school lunches. First, there was a conâ€" cern that children would have difficulâ€" ty managing lunch. Yet, from my observations of children at summerâ€" camp programs such as those offered by the YMCA and Oakville Parks and Recreation, children of this age think its "fun" to pack a lunch; it‘s like a picnic, and they have no difficulty eatâ€" ing and enjoying what is provided for them. The second concern was that the children would not be adequately supervised. It is a fact that schools provide lunch time supervisors and activities. If parents are still cong cerned, how about volunteering on day a week to help out during the lunch period? In the community many are com< fortable with the existing paradigm of kindergarten and are, therefore, resisâ€" tant to change. Change however,, while sometimes difficult, is often desirable and necessary. Those expressing conflicting views over this issue have a common concern about acting in the best interest of their chil dren. Discussions about controversi issues often result in confusion between facts and opinions. The cur~‘ rent debate regarding the benefit v harm of children attending kind@ garten on an alternating full day ba exemplifies this type of error in com:* munication.I suggest that we examing the evidence upon which our opinior@ are based in order to decide the mos® appropriate course of action when tit" voting on this issue takes place, 21st at a Halton Board of Educatior meeting. Diane Salter has a Master‘s Degree Educational Psychology and is currently com; ing a doctorate in Cognitive Development Ontario Institute for Studies in Educati has presented her research on child ment at the Piagetian Conferef i Philadelphia, and at the Canadian S6, y $ Studies in Education Conference, titawa Ontario in 1993 and will be presenting Amsterdam at the International Society {% Studies in Behavioural Development in June, 1994. "< INF O S O U RC E ( Lt ‘ . ; l ce Toh 7e l 2 ALONE 1. Call 845â€"5585 (toud1 tone only) 2. When prompted enter the 4â€" digit code from the directory 3. To end your call press * CHURCH 5049 COMMUNITY/NONâ€"PROFIT GROUPS COMpIELELISEING. .. ... ced idR NE ies was it ol ie ic 5261 ENTERTAINMENT Top 10 WECKIy . i 51700 TOD 10 WE@KIY 5701 Oakville Symphony Orches k Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts Th@@tT€ HALTON SPECIAL EVENTS HaILON TOUNSI]. ........ :.++ le is HEALTH HOROSCOPE DIRECTORY... JOKE OF THE DAY.......... LOTTERIES : on onl o in 5380 Lottario Results... 3 OAKVILLE BEAVER SERVICES es OAKVILLE BEAVER HOME DELIVE " T ity Polici Commun olicing BFOMLE. :o c is c ts Ievini it i 5508 Oakville Downtown. Hopedale area........ Iroquois Ridge Area. K@NT Maple Grove/Clearview Areas.. RIVET OSKSICONCGE @s: sns 5511 CRIME PREVENTION Crime Stoppers 845-5 585 t CHIMG Of hC ... 227222 rren itivess 5557 QUESTION OF THE WEEK.... QUOTE OF THE DAY........ SUGGESTION BOX.. TEENLINE DIRECTORY.......... L LEAVE UPDATE 00000 WEATHER DEPT. OF ENVIRONMENT: + 0000 POLL NNE LNE oys e e en ... 5200