As I have previously Yammered, I've signed my class up for the 80 Schools Around the World project. Not being certain how to start, I just started anyway, as Sylvia has us all on a Google Docs database. I contacted Nadine Norris a tech consultant from Oak Forest Illinois (near Chicago). Actually I Skyped her; my class was working on an assignment and she was eating lunch in her tech room.
Nadine had a fourth grade class who was studying government and wanted to ask my class some questions about Canadian government. Nadine was shocked to learn (as are many Canadians) that the prime minister is not the head of our governemnt; Queen Elizabeth is.
Friday morning came and the appointed Skype hour. My grade six group protested that they didn't really know anything about Canadian government ("Too bad," I said.) I had trouble connected to the wireless with my Mac and had to use the Dell (I don't really like the web cam as well as the one on my Mac). In my haste, I had forgotten to re hook up the data projector, so my group of 12 or so was clustered around the laptop.
What I found interesting was the kinds of questions the American kids asked; for example, how long has the Queen held her position. (Since 1953 I supplied the answer). My class asked the fourth graders if they were happy to have Obama and the kids clapped (I guess that's a yes.)
On reflection, I think it was a great experience for the kids. Most of the time, we Canadians don't get this kind of experience until we leave the country to visit an other one. I still wish I had better technology for a big group; Skype is after all best suited for an individual to individual conference. However, what better way to do a crash course with a test on Canadian government? (Well, maybe go to Ottawa and have to work for an MP?)
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3 comments:
I'm not sure but I think the GG is the Head of State while the PM is the Head of Government. I like the comment about not really knowing what you are doing but doing it anyway. I let that stop me all the time. Good work, Pat!
Thanks Mark. I appologized to Nadine. This is my email:
OK I kind of goofed. Canada is a constitutional monarchy. Queen Elizabeth is head of state. She or her designate, the Governor General who is Michaelle Jean, signs bills into law.
Laws are made and passed by the House of Commons, voted on by the Senate (appointed house) and if passed there are signed into law by the G-G. The prime minister is the head of the governemnt; however people in Canada elect a political party to power and that party's leader become's prime minister. Formally that leader, after an election, must go to the G-G and convince the G-G he (or she) can form a government.
What is interesting right now is we have two opposition parties trying to take over the running of parliament as a coalition government. The ruling Conservatives have a minority of seats and if the largest opposition parties make a coalition, they can go to the Governor - General and ask to form a government if the governing party loses a vote of confidence in the House of Commons.
I was trying to make the point (I guess) that in the United States the President is the elected head of state AND the head of the government. In Canada, the person who becomes our prime minister is elected as a member of Parliament and is chosen as leader by his / her own political party. If the PM resigns, dies, or is forced out of office, a new leader is chosen from a leadership race within the party. If that person is an MP, he/she then becomes PM. If not, then they need to run for public office to take on the full powers of the Prime Minister.
If you've got all that, you are doing extremely well.
Is this better Mark? Thanks for the gentle reminder.
What a great experience for your students! Too often we say that the Americans don't care or know about our politics. We don't know everything about their politics either so it's great for your students to learn from other kids who are living there and teach kids from other countries about our politics (and learn about our politics while they're at it!).
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