The most recent TDSB census of parents and students shows improvements where the school board has influence, such as including students’ experience, welcoming parents into schools, or creating an environment where students feel safe. This part is a good news story that shows that concentrated educational efforts can make a difference.
However, as media reports have highlighted earlier, students are also feeling more stressed. The census results also show that physical health and nutrition drop in higher grades. Similarly, students are more likely to report being tired, having headaches, or being less happy in higher grades.
One-third of students don’t want to go to school, regardless of their age.
- 34% of Grade 7/8 and 46% of high school students said they have no adult in whom they could confide.
- 34% of Grade 7/8 and 31% of high school students said they had one adult in whom they could confide.
- 31% of Grade 7/8 and 23% of high school students said they had more than one adult in whom they could confide.
Students report being less comfortable participating in class, especially those in high school.
According to the census, overwhelmingly students feel safe in class, but do report feeling less safe in other parts of the school building or outside on the grounds.
These are startling initial numbers. The impulse will be to psychologize the results, to describe the deficits in TDSB students and in their families. However, I want to suggest an alternative.
The social science of sociology might shed better light on how to support students to succeed: When students feel they belong in their schools, they will thrive. Foresightedly, some Board staff and trustees are already taking some good first steps and so have struck a working group to look more closely at the issue of how school relations shape better learning.
While the comparisons have not yet been explicitly made, this committee might start with the widening demographic gap between teacher and students. Increasingly divided by age, culture and socioeconomic class, students have a pretty good reason to feel disconnected from the adults in their schools. It’s up to the adults to fix that.
Global Toronto reports on TDSB 2011 census
TDSB census 2011 shows Toronto’s divisions and diversity, May 16, 2013
Belonging Community 
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