A knowledgeable, sensible overview of how schools work, who they sometimes fail, and how they can do better This first volume in the new Penguin/McGill Institute series on Understanding Canada is about education, a subject that is uppermost on the minds of many Canadians. It offers an introduction to the current debates on the quality of Canadian schools and on the variety of educational policies and reforms designed to improve them. Along the way, Ken Osborne uses colourful anecdotes from his own wealth of experience as a teacher to examine and explain the problems facing Canadian schools. With sections on the origins of public schooling, reconciling the needs of students and the needs of society, streaming and tracking, special needs, charter schools, vouchers, home schooling, school board reform, and school-business partnerships, this book is an indispensable primer for parents, educators, policy makers, and anyone concerned about the future of Canada's schools. - from Amzon