tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37797941394824668762024-03-04T22:48:22.452-08:00That's No LieKathy Couchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04337222924558670841noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779794139482466876.post-43402226206507133712013-03-10T13:49:00.001-07:002013-03-10T13:54:32.760-07:00I was a young teacher once...<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I was a young teacher once. I was excited with what I
thought were new and innovative ideas. Like what...like open area schools where
kids got to move freely, like the school where I observed with the library as
the hub in the center of a circular shaped school, like the move to
child-centred philosophy, like the recognition of the need for critical and
creative thinking. All of these progressive movements seemed new to me at the
time. But were they?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I was excited when my own children’s primary school embraced
all of this and more. They were led by Selma Wasserman of SFU and others that
followed in the same vein. Selma’s “Teaching for Thinking” changed the lives of
children and teachers. I knew teachers that literally changed how they taught
and never looked back. And those teachers continue to learn to this day. I was
sad when my children’s primary school was closed years later. It was an
incredible loss and a short-sighted decision.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I was excited by the recommendations coming out of the
Sullivan Commission in the late 1980’s and hopeful that they would be embraced
by educators. The recommendations were progressive and the Primary Program came
out of those recommendations. There was money provided for in-service. I was
sad that all ended at the intermediate level due to such things as poor
implementation plans, parental concerns about reporting, political competition
and no money for in-service. I am glad that young teachers are, perhaps
unknowingly, embracing much of the wisdom from the Sullivan Commission that was
never allowed to be implemented. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I was excited that the Ministry of Education of the day
(NDP) put in writing much of what teachers had always known, namely that
students learned at different rates and styles and that learning is dependent
upon the participation of the student. I was disappointed when that knowledge
was ignored by subsequent Ministers with the emphasis placed on standardized
testing and condoning the ranking of schools according to those tests. I am
further disappointed due to the threat of de-categorization of special needs students
who require special services to accommodate their different styles and rates of
learning. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Upon reflection, I wonder how many times before me had
teachers advocated for progressive change and I wonder if teachers with long
experience were thinking how nothing we were excited about was new.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think of authors like John Dewey who came
long before my career started. I find myself sometimes thinking “is this really
new.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’m happy that young teachers are enthusiastic about
progressive change. However, what I am not happy about is the thinking that
those of us who are older and more experienced were somehow living in the dark
ages and that we allowed education to go unchanged since the industrial
revolution.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t blame young teachers
for this. Our government constantly harps on the idea that schools haven’t
changed in over a century. Of course that is pure nonsense. Teachers have
always been progressive. Obviously there have been individual teachers who
didn’t embrace positive change, but for the most part teachers are a
progressive lot. No matter what age we are, we want our children to get the
best education possible. It is a good thing that young teachers are taking up
the torch. And because I know teachers are the most likely to know what is best
for kids in regard to education, we will be carrying those torches together
whether we be “old” or “young.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But I must warn you. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although I hope that progressive change can
happen, there will be roadblocks and some of what we as educators know to be best
for kids will never happen. There are a myriad of reasons: What’s best for kids
may cost more, i.e. smaller class sizes, supports for special needs. What’s
best for kids may not be what can be controlled by a controlling government.
What’s best for kids may not be what is best for the corporate interests that
are making inroads into our education system. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">If there have been roadblocks to progress in education
most have been put there by governments and their corporate agendas. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Kids Matter! Teachers Care!</span></div>
Kathy Couchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04337222924558670841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779794139482466876.post-465037712431167902013-02-12T17:58:00.001-08:002013-02-13T15:28:26.812-08:0021st Century and Reality in the Classroom<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I just watched the video on the C21 Canada site called<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Designing Schools for the 21<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">st</span></sup>
Century” presented by the Pearson Foundation and The Mobile Learning Institute.
</span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ur7gp6cB-Zo&feature=player_embedded"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ur7gp6cB-Zo&feature=player_embedded</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
It all seems very visionary which some would characterize as progressive and
therefore good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It makes one feel all
fuzzy and warm about educating teenagers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Everyone is interested in their learning. Everyone is happy. Who could
argue with that?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But...what don’t we see
in that video? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We don’t see the billions
of dollars required to build such a facility in every neighbourhood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So who would get such an amazing facility? We
don’t see the children who struggle with basic subjects. We don’t see the
special needs children and the supports they require.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This is a pie-in-the-sky vision designed to do what the
community Christmas Tree was meant to accomplish in the sale of overpriced
homes in a recently proposed housing development.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just think of the community Christmas tree
and one can imagine that if he/she moved into the neighbourhood all the
neighbours would get along like family and gather around the tree on Christmas
Eve and sing carols. What a wonderful vision! No matter that the development
was being built on a landfill and no Christmas tree would ever be able to grow
in that environment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As long as the
prospective buyers don’t know what’s under the surface and they continue to envision
the community Christmas tree. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I have no doubt that many of those who share the 21<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">st</span></sup>
C vision have the best of intentions and question why anyone would be skeptical
of this wonderful “new” and enlightened vision.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Why indeed?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Here are some thoughts about that:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Those of us who have been
teaching for a long time have seen the cycles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In the late 60s and in the 70s we saw what I, as a young teacher thought
were wonderful innovative changes to education.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>My children went to an open area primary school, one that worked very
well. The kids were not sitting in rows in most classes. Schools were designed
for free movement of students, we had multi-age classes, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So, many of us are resentful of the Ministry and other
management laying claim to what teachers already have been practicing and to further
innovations which teachers believed to be progressive but were often held back
due to funding shortages, philosophical differences and sometimes parental
concerns about changes. That was evident in the Sullivan Commission
recommendations in the late 80s. Now, all of a sudden, we see the Ministry laying
claim to educational enlightenment with the inference that teachers, especially
the older ones, are stale and not capable of recognizing progress or of adapting
to the times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For example, continually
telling teachers that having students sit in rows with their eyes forward is
from a different era, when teachers have been configuring their classes in many
different ways since the 60s, does nothing but breed resentment.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This attitude does not recognize
that many experienced teachers are true experts who have been working with and
observing children and how they learn for many years. They have seen firsthand
through that work, how the child’s brain works.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">And now another important concern: the question of what is
behind the world wide push towards “21<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">st</span></sup> century learning. We see big
corporations making serious inroads into the education “business.” And these
actions by multinational corporations are not philanthropic in nature.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are shrewd business decisions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We see organizations like GELP pushing
agendas that would benefit big businesses like Pearson, Cisco, Dell, Microsoft
and big banks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the U.S. we see big
business, through ALEC, actually crafting legislation with politicians. We see
meetings of big business and world political leaders, where discussions take
place about education policy around the world. We see the World Bank and the
International Monetary Fund with education and other policies that would profit
banks, but are not necessarily in the best interests of the citizens.</span></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Even those corporations that may appear to
be philanthropic are often looking for something in return. Once the system
gives in to large charitable funding it is often beholden to the donor’s intent
in giving the gift.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We also see teachers being left out of the
discussion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s obvious to me why.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Teachers are aware of the realities. They
want guaranteed working and learning conditions. They don’t want to be
overworked. They don’t want to be expected to perform miracles without adequate
resources and supports.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They would
actually want the system to work and work well, and that would require coming
down from Cloud 9 at the 50,000 foot level to ground level where the action takes
place and where realities have to be faced. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For example, how many schools in BC would be
replaced with anything close to the school toured in the video?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would venture none. In short, teachers
would get in the way of the dream because they are the ones in the trenches. Don’t
get me wrong. Teachers dream of the perfect system too, but they are the ones
who have to face the reality of lack of supports and resources and inadequate
facilities while at the same time being pressured with the dream of those at
the 50,000 ft. level. </span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Going back to the prospective buyers in the
proposed housing development, they need to consider the likelihood of the
Christmas tree growing at all, the likelihood of 300 happy neighbours gathering
around the tree, the reality that it is probably just a shrewd marketing
gimmick, etc. So like the prospective buyers in the proposed neighbourhood,
where they need to look at the reality of the Christmas tree vision and
consider all factors, so do we in the education system have to consider all of
the factors involved in 21stC learning and those delivering the most
fundamental of the services (teachers) need to play a major role. Teachers will inject the much needed perspective of reality. We need that perspective for success. </span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
Kathy Couchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04337222924558670841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779794139482466876.post-69300168941247739412012-09-18T22:58:00.002-07:002012-09-18T23:11:32.234-07:00Advice to MOE, School Boards, Administration, etc.All of those involved in developing Education policy need to take a look at the Charter for Public Education. Determine if whatever you are advocating will get you closer to the Charter. If it does then you are heading in the right direction. If not, stop what you are doing and head in a direction that will.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdbDZ0xOuiUd6dKdZe20nhNB4SXa3cyxwuPahqRnncXJJX4_W-87lsmRSFNKcmS4Ua0-TnteUVaTZeKQhWgrNqzXq-4QDaYv2ELobacIbjwG-3ALhH2-WnpGI-P0OrxtS9ZiAH80pUoZc/s1600/Charter+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; height: 336px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; width: 435px;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdbDZ0xOuiUd6dKdZe20nhNB4SXa3cyxwuPahqRnncXJJX4_W-87lsmRSFNKcmS4Ua0-TnteUVaTZeKQhWgrNqzXq-4QDaYv2ELobacIbjwG-3ALhH2-WnpGI-P0OrxtS9ZiAH80pUoZc/s400/Charter+(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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For a full size copy of the Charter for Public Education go to <a href="http://publiced.ca/index.php?page=english">http://publiced.ca/index.php?page=english</a></div>
Kathy Couchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04337222924558670841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779794139482466876.post-82181844360900328862012-08-20T12:23:00.001-07:002012-08-20T12:23:40.987-07:00PRIVATIZATION: Paranoid or Perceptive?<span style="font-family: Calibri;">
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">You can’t get people to drop something that works, unless you make it stop working.” – Corky Evans (2009)<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">When teachers express concern about privatization of education services, we hear: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Come on now...you teachers are just paranoid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where’s the proof?”<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We all know that the Liberal government believes in a free market ideology.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That ideology drives their privatization agenda.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have seen this agenda in the various attempts at P3s, the privatization of important hospital services and in the undermining of BC Hydro while at the same time promoting private Run of the River projects.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Public Education is not immune to that ideology.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The biggest difference is that because public education is so important to so many people, the government must be very careful about not just privatizing openly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have to do so by stealth.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">How do they do that? The privatization of public education is being facilitated by underfunding and the accountability agenda.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Both are by design and are intended specifically to undermine public confidence in the public education system, over time. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">You can’t get people to drop something that works, unless you make it stop working.” – Corky Evans (2009)<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Liberal government believes that <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">private is better </b>and here is how they have gone about trying to “convince” the public.</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1.</span><span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">First, underfund.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you withhold funding, important services are lost and if important services are lost, parents become dissatisfied with the public system.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is easy, for the government, once this happens, to implement “accountability measures. Those with enough money might bail on the public system at this point.</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2.</span><span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Implement the Accountability agenda</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">a.</span><span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Keep the accountability demands as far away from the government as possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Focus all accountability on the teachers</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">b.</span><span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Bring in “Accountability Contracts” (which were quickly changed to “achievement contracts" in B.C.) Insist on standardization of goals and demand loads and loads of data.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Design goals so that success is near impossible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That way more standardized tests can be justified.</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">c.</span><span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Standardized tests – out of the demand for data comes standardized tests (FSAs, Grade 10 and 11 exams, a myriad of district wide tests).</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">d.</span><span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ranking of Schools – standardized testing then gives rise to the ranking of schools. These rankings undermine public confidence and seriously undermine teacher and student morale.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The public calls for more standardization in the classroom so that the kids can do better on the standardized tests.</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">e.</span><span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Standardization of education, results in a loss of autonomy for teachers and with the loss of autonomy, the education experience of students is diminished. Once the educational experience is diminished (i.e. narrowing curriculum, scripted lessons), private options look more attractive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Throw in public funding for private schools and the ability for full funding for private distributed learning and soon the public system is a shell of its former self. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">When you consider the pattern established by past practice and you look at what is happening in the U.S.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>with private charter schools, I think you can dismiss paranoia and say <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">...”you teachers are so perceptive.” <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
Kathy Couchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04337222924558670841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779794139482466876.post-12904703501135429262012-07-07T19:45:00.001-07:002012-07-07T20:11:22.759-07:00Education before incarceration<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">On Feb. 6, 2012 the Liberal government bragged that the new prison near Oliver BC would produce 240 full time jobs. Hold on...is this something to brag about? Wouldn't it be more appropriate, in a time when the crime rate has decreased, to brag that there will be 240 more teaching jobs, or 1000 more? That would be something to brag about. But when do we ever hear that? When it comes to education, it is more likely that we hear about cuts to teachers and resources. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">Christy Clark has the gall to say that this prison will help families and will help schools thrive. Families will be attracted to the region. She goes on to say that she hopes that a prison in the community will change the statistics of Aboriginal incarceration in the country. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">Whaaaat? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">These statements are just mind-boggling coming from a government that has cut the education budget by nearly $3 billion in the last 10 years. Classes are overcrowded and services to special needs are lacking. Yet Ms. Clark thinks building a prison is what it will take to make schools thrive. She thinks building a prison on aboriginal property near Oliver will keep aboriginal people out of prison in this country. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">Whaaaat? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">Mark Twain once said, "Every time you stop a school, you will have to build a jail. What you gain at one end you lose at the other. It's like feeding a dog on his own tail. It won't fatten the dog." </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">It is time to get our priorities straight. We need to support schools, rather than build more prisons. Education needs to be a priority over incarceration.</span></div>Kathy Couchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04337222924558670841noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779794139482466876.post-31304015224614692872012-06-05T16:10:00.001-07:002012-06-14T20:54:45.317-07:00In Praise of Cowichan Valley Board of Trustees (Updated)In Praise of Cowichan Valley Board of Trustees (Updated)<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">On May 17 in Janet Steffenhagen's blog George Abbott, in response to the approved restoration budget of Cowichan Valley School Board, predicted there will be “a miraculous turn around” by the board before the June 30 deadline for school districts to submit their budgets and went on to threaten the board with relief from their duties. Too bad George Abbott, you were wrong, the Cowichan Valley Board has submitted their restoration budget and I applaud them for doing so. <a href="http://thetyee.ca/Blogs/TheHook/Education/2012/05/31/BCTF-supports-Cowichan-Valley-restoration-budget/">http://thetyee.ca/Blogs/TheHook/Education/2012/05/31/BCTF-supports-Cowichan-Valley-restoration-budget/</a> <br />Support is rolling in, from around the province, on the facebook page "The Budget begins with you."<br /><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Budget-Begins-With-You/367788029917203">https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Budget-Begins-With-You/367788029917203</a><br /><br />The Cowichan Valley board is doing what any board should be doing. They have been elected to be stewards of the education system in their constituency and that is exactly what they are doing. They have the support of their constituents including the Cowichan Tribes, the largest First Nations band in British Columbia, whose council has passed a motion of support for the budget. They were elected on a platform that they would submit a restoration budget and to do anything different would be a breach of that promise to the community. <br /><br />For ten years, boards across BC have been complying with the order to submit a balanced budget, without acknowledgement, through any effective action, of the damage that is being done to their schools and the children who attend those schools. To ignore that damage makes boards complicit in the destruction of the education system that our provincial government seems so intent on creating. <br /><br />Eden Haythornthwaite, in her statement to the "Tyee" online news source said, " If we just continue to do it, what good are we to the community? We're no good. We're just a beard for the ministry." I couldn't agree more. The time has come. Enough is enough. Thank you Cowichan Valley School trustees. <br /><br />I would encourage every citizen who is concerned about the state of funding for education in BC to write a letter of support to the Cowichan Valley board to their chair, Eden Haythornthwaite. Her e-mail address is </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span"><a href="mailto:ehaythor@sd79.bc.ca">ehaythor@sd79.bc.ca</a></span><br />
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Send copies to your own trustees letting them know that you agree with the actions of the Cowichan Valley school board.<br />
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Or if you are within travelling distance attend the <em>Stand up for the Made-in-Cowichan Budget</em> rally. It will be held outside the board office at 2557 Beverly Street in Duncan, on Wednesday June 20. <br />
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Update:<br />
Listen to Eden Haythornthwaite on CBC at <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/ontheisland/2012/06/13/cowichan-school-board-standoff/">http://www.cbc.ca/ontheisland/2012/06/13/cowichan-school-board-standoff/</a>#</div>
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<br />Kathy Couchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04337222924558670841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779794139482466876.post-29465707345326730412012-05-03T23:01:00.001-07:002012-05-03T23:04:42.332-07:00A Teacher's Perspective on the Principal's perspective<strong><span style="font-size: large;">A Response to BCPVPA:</span></strong><br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Following, in red, are my responses to the recent “Perspectives from the Principal’s Office,” by Jameel Aziz, President of the BC Principals’ and Vice-principals’ Association (BCPVPA). Upon reading this article, one might wonder how they think they will ever be able to mend the rift that has occurred between administration and teachers, let alone improve the relationship, by writing such an article. This type of article will only widen to a gaping chasm what could have been a mendable crack. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #404040;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">The 2011-2012 school year has been anything but normal and as we head into its last few months, I have been asked to share the perspectives of members of the BC Principals’ & Vice-Principals’ Association. These illustrations, while not representative of all schools, are examples of the real challenges that many schools, students and parents have faced this year. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #404040;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span></span><span style="color: #404040;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="color: #404040;">Schools are typically vibrant communities, with a lot of positive interactions both in classrooms and out of them. School culture has been significantly eroded this year by the continuing dispute between the BC Public School Employers’ Association (the body which negotiates on behalf of school boards with teachers in British Columbia) and the BC Teachers’ Federation (BCTF). The routine and critically important communications between teachers and principals and vice-principals about student progress have not occurred in the normal fashion. As a consequence many students have not had their important academic issues addressed in a timely fashion or at all. </span><span style="color: red;">Although teachers may not have been communicating with administration in the same way, they have continued to communicate with parents and with those colleagues responsible for developing programs and services to students.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, some academic issues may not have been addressed in a timely fashion, but one can hardly blame the job action on that. Many issues for students have not been addressed for years due to lack of funding and over 700 special education teacher positions being lost over the past 10 years. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As well, school counsellor positions have decreased by 11.2% over the last 9 years. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>English as a Second Language positions have decreased by over 330.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Library positions are nearly 300 fewer than in 2001.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>None of these can be attributed to declining needs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact needs have actually increased.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Teachers are advocating for the return of these necessary services.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="color: #404040;">This year has seen the cancellation of some Christmas and winter holiday performances and routine student recognition assemblies. Some meetings about students who are having difficulties have not taken place. Meetings with teachers to discuss the direction of school initiatives and goals have not taken place. Parents did not receive first term report cards about their child’s progress. While some parents were able to get information about their child, many did not receive this information. Indeed, some parents reported that they made electronic contact with teachers but received no helpful response. Students have informed us that they have missed out on numerous scholarship opportunities as many of these applications require leadership activities to be considered. </span><span style="color: red;">Mr Aziz, the wording of your accusation that some parents were “able to get information” would infer that getting information from teachers was difficult.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The fact is that just the opposite was true.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The vast majority of parents were getting far more useful information than they would ever get from a report card. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="color: #404040;">Surprisingly all of this disruption has not generated as much public response as those of us in the system would have expected. Still, principals and vice-principals often hear from parents that they are concerned about vocalizing these issues. </span><span style="color: red;">It is not surprising at all that this has not generated much public response.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When people are actually getting better and more relevant service, they don’t usually complain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Teachers have worked very hard this year to ensure that parents get useful and relevant information about their children’s progress.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #404040;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">We have now moved into a new phase of this dispute. In many districts, the school day consists of student instruction from bell to bell but little else. If we, as adults, reflect on our student experiences, we know that instruction and formal learning opportunities are only part of the value of school. The interactions</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #404040;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">with teachers and others, through clubs, sports, fine arts activities,</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #404040;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">drama performances, field trips and special school activities</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #404040;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">make our schools special and create unique, memorable and</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #404040;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">invaluable experiences for students. These enriching and positive</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #404040;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">opportunities will not be a part of the public education experience</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="color: #404040;">for many of our students. </span><span style="color: red;">Teachers are not stopping these activities from occurring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Principals, vice principals and other excluded staff along with parents and community members are welcome to step up to the plate and do their share.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If principals and others believe these activities to be “invaluable, unique, memorable, enriching and positive, then surely they will step up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr. Aziz, your descriptive words mean nothing if you continue to write other words that indicate a complete lack of respect for the teachers and the work they do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For as long as I can remember, teachers have been freely giving of their own volunteer time to support other people’s children. Perhaps it is time for people to realize just how much teachers actually do to support their students beyond what is required. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #404040;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Principals and vice-principals have had many conversations about a</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #404040;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">new normal that is being established in our schools and they have</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #404040;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">consistently expressed a belief that this is not a positive direction.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #404040;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">If schools lose the energy, character and culture that have been</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #404040;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">their hallmark, our students will leave their public education years</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #404040;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">less well-rounded, less prepared for their working lives and less</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="color: #404040;">likely to champion public education when they are adults. </span><span style="color: red;">What a short time it took principals and vice principals to declare that a new normal is being established! I suppose if it goes on long enough some teachers may decide to curtail some of their volunteer activities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t know. However, if you are concerned, it might be wise to step up to the plate and start supporting teachers’ efforts to achieve an education system that is in keeping with “Better Schools for BC” than supporting the constant underfunding of our education system through silence and complicity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="color: red;">Better Schools for BC </span><span style="color: #0070c0;">http://bctf.ca/uploadedFiles/Public/Publications/BetterSchoolsForBC.pdf</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #404040;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Principals and vice-principals do not have the answers to resolve</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #404040;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">the issues facing our schools, but we believe it is important to</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #404040;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">share the reality as we see it on a daily basis. Our concern, as this</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #404040;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">school year moves to a close, is that nothing will be different in</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #404040;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">September and students will be forced to endure another year of</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="color: #404040;">disengagement from the system. </span><span style="color: red;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It won’t do any good to just stand by and be concerned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You need to be vocal and work alongside teachers in their efforts to maintain a Class A education system.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You cannot do that by cheering as this government attempts to make the lives of teachers more difficult by stripping long standing rights to job security.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You cannot do that by supporting threats to teachers through Bill 22.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The actions of Principals and vice principals through articles like this one can only further erode the already strained relationship between these two groups. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #404040;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">There is no sign that a resolution is at hand. If this dispute</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #404040;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">continues for another year, the negative effects will be long-term</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="color: #404040;">and profound. </span><span style="color: red;">You are right. There currently is no sign of resolution.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How can there be with legislation being drawn up like Bill 22 and Bill 36? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How can there be when there have been 21 education bills since the current government has been in office, not one of which has been seen by teachers as offering an improvement?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>10 of these pieces of legislation have been deemed in contravention of International Labour Law, of which Canada is a signatory. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="color: red;">Bill 22 hurts students and attacks teachers’ rights.</span><span style="color: #0070c0;"> http://www.bctf.ca/BargainingAndContracts.aspx?id=25978</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #404040;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span></span><span style="color: #404040;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Principals and vice-principals have worked hard this year to ensure</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #404040;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">that as many as possible of the normal school processes occur,</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #404040;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">and they will continue to do so. However, the system works much</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #404040;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">more effectively to serve the needs of students and families when</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="color: #404040;">all partners are able to work together to provide that support. </span><span style="color: red;">Wouldn’t that be great! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately, it has been mostly teachers who have been volunteering to do extra-curricular activities. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This latest job action is to protest the cuts of the last 10 years and to advocate for re-instatement and improvement of services to students. Perhaps if principals and vice-principals joined with teachers and “worked together” in this important struggle “to provide that support” we wouldn’t be in this situation.</span><span style="color: #404040;"></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #404040;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">This latest phase in our schools will not allow principals and vice principals</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #404040;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">to pick up the many pieces of school life that will be lost</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #404040;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">and in the end it will be the students and families of the public</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #404040;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">system who will miss out.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Statement from BCTF in response to this statement: <strong><span style="font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif";">For the past 10 years, it’s been teachers picking up the pieces – because of the loss of so many special education positions, because of the loss of ESL teaching positions, because of larger class sizes and fewer supports to go around to all students. Teachers in schools have been shouldering the burden. Their union dues have gone toward expensive challenges in the courts to try to get those working and learning conditions back, and teachers’ hard work has gone into trying to get the message out to parents and the public about the devastating changes flowing from Bill 27/28. From our perspective, the BCPVPA has, at best, sat idly by – and, at worst, cheered the provincial government for implementing legislation like Bills 27/28. </span></strong></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #404040;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">A respectful and workable solution must be found soon to protect</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #404040;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">the long-term viability of public education and to continue to give</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #404040;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">students the opportunities they need to thrive now and achieve</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #404040;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">in the future. <span style="color: red;">Yes indeed! A <strong><span style="color: purple;">respectful and workable solution</span></strong> is what is needed. What is not needed is Bill after Bill that erodes the rights of teachers and promotes the deterioration of our children's learning conditions and our education system.</span></span></span>Kathy Couchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04337222924558670841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779794139482466876.post-2185025232251784882012-04-22T19:38:00.000-07:002012-04-22T19:46:05.598-07:00Extracurricular activities: Who is betraying the faith?<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Geoff Johnson, retired superintendent has once again gotten it wrong in his article "Extracurricular Activities Make a Difference." </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> <a href="http://www.timescolonist.com/sports/Extracurricular+activities+make+difference/6471190/story.html" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">http://<wbr><span class="word_break"></span>www.timescolonist.com/<wbr><span class="word_break"></span>sports/<wbr><span class="word_break"></span>Extracurricular+activities+<wbr><span class="word_break"></span>make+difference/6471190/<wbr><span class="word_break"></span>story.html</a> </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Geoff, if we all know about these kids, I’m wondering why you and current administration are not stepping up to the plate to coach. Why is it not important enough for</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="text_exposed_show"> their own parents to step up and take over for the next 2 and one half months? Why are teachers the only ones expected to volunteer time so that people like Mike can have that special reason to keep going? </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Let me assure you that teachers have not decided to do this lightly. It is with a heavy heart that they do this. However, the suggestion that extra-curricular be included in the job action has come from the grassroots teachers. In some locals it has been the coaches themselves who have volunteered to drop extra-curricular because they feel that the government has backed them into that corner through the passage of Bill 22.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">I wonder why you insist on laying the blame at the feet of the teachers rather than on the government who are the perpetrators of that shabby treatment of which you speak. </span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">I don’t think the BCTF has ever said it is “all” about the kids. However, it certainly is about the future of our education system which of course is in place for the kids. There is a much bigger picture here which the teachers of BC are concerned about and if you really want to help, I suggest you and your administrator friends step forward and fill the temporary gap in extra-curricular. Since they (administrators) refuse to take a stand on underfunding, Bill 22, and other assaults on the education system, perhaps they could just do that little bit while the teachers are actually taking a stand in protecting our world class education system before it is completely ruined.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">The government of BC is betraying the children's faith and the Principals' and Vice-principals' Association and the BC School Superintendents' Association has done nothing to show that they disagree with that betrayal of faith. It's time to step forward. </span></div>Kathy Couchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04337222924558670841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779794139482466876.post-4537819249464134112012-03-05T08:06:00.000-08:002012-03-05T08:06:00.693-08:00BCPSEA: What a Mug's Game they play!<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">BCTF’s opening proposal for salary is Cost of living for the 1<sup>st</sup> year, cost of living plus a small market adjustment of 3% in the second and third years. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>BCPSEA claims that this opening proposal of 15% over 3 years amounts to 2 billion dollars.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Let’s take a closer look.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The full operating grant funding for 2011/12 amounts to 4.72 billion dollars. Teacher salaries account for 2.17 billion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s about 46% of the total operating grant for the province. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Yet the government and BCPSEA claim that an opening proposal of 15% over three years will equal 2 billion? Even an elementary school studying basic percentages couldn’t fathom that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That preposterous claim would mean that the teachers are asking that their salaries be raised by nearly 100% during the course of three years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did they hear wrong?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Were the teachers asking for 100% increase over 3 years? No, they were making an opening proposal of 3% (cost of living), 3% cost of living + 3% market adjustment, then 3% cost of living + 3% market adjustment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All of which is negotiable, by the way. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">15% of 2.17 billion is actually $325,510,038. Even with some compounding over the 3 years, the teachers are not asking for 100% increase over 3 years as BCPSEA suggests and as Mr. Abbott and various newspapers keep repeating. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Hope that puts an end to the Mug’s game that BCPSEA is playing with regard to salary demands. </span></div>Kathy Couchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04337222924558670841noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779794139482466876.post-49050774443132616782012-03-03T14:22:00.001-08:002012-03-03T14:24:15.776-08:00Corrections to Government Made-up "Facts."<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">Thank you to the BC Ministry of Education for providing me with such a convenient opportunity to present the facts to my readers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The following table (the parts in black) was posted on the Ministry websites.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most of what they have presented as fact is simply made up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The REAL facts are in <span style="color: red;">red.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><span style="color: red;"></span></span></div><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;"><tbody>
<tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 221.4pt;" valign="top" width="295"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">British Columbia Teachers’ Federation Claim</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"></span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #d4d0c8; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 239.4pt;" valign="top" width="319"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">FACT </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"></span></span></div></td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #d4d0c8; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 221.4pt;" valign="top" width="295"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">700 fewer Special Needs teachers</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #d4d0c8; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #d4d0c8; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 239.4pt;" valign="top" width="319"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Government propagated MYTH: </span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">2,100 additional special needs teaching assistants in B.C. classrooms. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: red; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">FACT: </span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: red; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Although assistants are important, in the time between 2001 and 2007 over 600 special ed. TEACHERS were lost. At the same time the numbers of special needs students increased by over 1400 students. Since 2006 , 174 more special needs teachers have been lost and over 1,000 more special needs assistants have been added. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><a href="http://bctf.ca/announcements.aspx?id=25308">http://bctf.ca/announcements.aspx?id=25308</a></span></div></td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #d4d0c8; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 221.4pt;" valign="top" width="295"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Ninth-best paid in Canada</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #d4d0c8; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #d4d0c8; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 239.4pt;" valign="top" width="319"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Gov propagated MYTH: </span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">B.C. teachers’ salary plus benefits is fourth-best among provinces. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: red; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">FACT:</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: red; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"> When comparing categories of equal training and experience BC teachers range from 6<sup>th</sup> to 9<sup>th</sup> depending on category.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The facts are clearly shown in the BCTF documents found at </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #4f81bd; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: accent1;"><a href="http://www.bctf.ca/uploadedFiles/Public/BargainingContracts/U102-SalaryDocument.pdf">http://www.bctf.ca/uploadedFiles/Public/BargainingContracts/U102-SalaryDocument.pdf</a></span></span></div></td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #d4d0c8; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 221.4pt;" valign="top" width="295"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Seniority eroded under Bill 22 - Education Improvement Act</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #d4d0c8; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #d4d0c8; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 239.4pt;" valign="top" width="319"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Gov propagated MYTH: </span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Seniority remains key factor but qualifications also considered. Math teachers teaching Math; Science teachers teaching Science. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red;">FACT: </span></b><span style="color: red;">This is a made-up problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All teacher collective agreements contain within their seniority language a provision that qualifications trump seniority. The government proposal is that seniority comes after principal’s choice which opens the door for all kinds of discrimination which would be difficult to prove.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>i.e. nepotism, cronyism, applicant too active in the union, too fat, too feminine, too masculine, of child bearing age.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who knows? <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Seniority is NOT a key factor in the BCPSEA proposal and for their information qualifications are already considered in collective agreements.</b> </span></span><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"></span></span></div></td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 4;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #d4d0c8; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 221.4pt;" valign="top" width="295"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Contract demands are reasonable</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #d4d0c8; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #d4d0c8; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 239.4pt;" valign="top" width="319"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Gov propagated MYTH: </span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">A 15 per cent wage increase at a cost of $2 billion is completely unreasonable, given the current economic reality. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><strong><span style="color: red;">FACT: </span></strong><span style="color: red;">It is reasonable to ask for a cost of living increase.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And since BC teachers are so far behind colleagues across the country, it is reasonable to propose a small catch-up, which by the way is only a tiny fraction of the actual gap. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is also our opening position. Unfortunately BCPSEA has not offered even one counter to our opening position. Furthermore, BCPSEA continues to play a mug’s game with their costing. The BCTF costing of all of our proposals is $535 million dollars.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a little odd 15% increase to one account (which comprises between 40 – 50% of the total budget) within a total budget of 4 – 5 billion $ would increase the total budget by nearly 50%.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hmmm...Some monkey business going on with those calculations. </span></span><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"></span></span></div></td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 5;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #d4d0c8; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 221.4pt;" valign="top" width="295"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Wage increases are modest</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #d4d0c8; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #d4d0c8; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 239.4pt;" valign="top" width="319"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Gov propagated MYTH: </span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Teachers’ union demands would cost $2 billion, which would raise taxes on all B.C. families. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: red; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">FACT: </span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: red; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">The BC Liberals have made some serious mistakes in handling taxpayer money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are now choosing to make the workers of BC pay for their mistakes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have other options which they refuse to take.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They could rescind some of the tax breaks they have given to the wealthiest corporations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Currently BC has the lowest corporate tax rates in the G8.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am not talking about incorporated small businesses here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am talking about extremely wealthy companies, many of whom over charge and underpay. </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #7030a0; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Talk about favouring the 1% over the 99%.</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: red; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"> </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"></span></span></div></td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 6;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #d4d0c8; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 221.4pt;" valign="top" width="295"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Eliminated class sizes</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #d4d0c8; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #d4d0c8; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 239.4pt;" valign="top" width="319"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Gov propagated MYTH: </span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Class-size caps on all grades with exceptions made by principals and superintendents. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: red; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">FACT: </span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: red; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">And how are principals and superintendents going to make class sizes reasonable without adequate funding?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The consultation with the teacher, the person who best knows what will work in any given classroom, is also no longer required. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"></span></span></div></td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 7;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #d4d0c8; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 221.4pt;" valign="top" width="295"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Reject net-zero wage mandate</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #d4d0c8; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #d4d0c8; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 239.4pt;" valign="top" width="319"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">130 net-zero contracts signed.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">25,000 CUPE employees signed net zero contracts.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: red; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">FACT:</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"> <span style="color: red;">That is a decision for other unions to make.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Labour unions are in support of the BCTF struggle for a fair and reasonable deal. They recognize that this is an assault on all of them, not just teachers. </span></span><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"></span></span></div></td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 8;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #d4d0c8; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 221.4pt;" valign="top" width="295"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Teachers have not been fairly compensated</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #d4d0c8; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #d4d0c8; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 239.4pt;" valign="top" width="319"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Teachers received a 16 per cent wage increase; $3,700 signing bonus for their last contract. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: red; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">FACT: </span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: red; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">And yet teachers have gone from 3<sup>rd</sup> in Canada to as low as 9<sup>th</sup>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But what is even more egregious is the insistence on stripping the collective agreement of long held rights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Furthermore the government has ignored the Supreme Court ruling by Judge Griffin regarding class size and composition, teachers’ working conditions and students’ learning conditions. Bill 22 is an all out assault on unions and the government is starting with teachers. It is also an assault on students and the education system in general. </span></span></div></td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 9; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #d4d0c8; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 221.4pt;" valign="top" width="295"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">12,000 overcrowded classes</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #d4d0c8; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #d4d0c8; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 239.4pt;" valign="top" width="319"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Gov propagated MYTH: </span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Of 65,000 classes, fewer than 1,500 have more than 31 students.</span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fewer than 600 have more than 33 -- most of these are band, choir and theatre. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: red; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">FACT: </span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: red; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Overcrowding is more than that. What about classes that pose a health and safety problem because children are being crammed into labs that are only made for 24 students? What about classes of 28 with 8 special needs students? Are those not overcrowded? </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: red; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Here is the BCTF brief on Education Funding to the Select Standing committee on Finance and Government Services which clearly indicates the true extent of overcrowding in our schools:</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><a href="http://bctf.ca/uploadedFiles/Public/Publications/Briefs/2011EdFundingBrief.pdf">http://bctf.ca/uploadedFiles/Public/Publications/Briefs/2011EdFundingBrief.pdf</a></span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Kathy Couchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04337222924558670841noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779794139482466876.post-27449471289759889822012-02-12T11:08:00.000-08:002012-02-12T11:13:04.224-08:00Heroes? Who are the real heroes in the education system?<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">I was shocked and dismayed to read an article in the Province, written by <span style="color: #404040;">Joy Ruffeski, retired administrator and past president of the <strong><span style="font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif";">BC Retired Principals and Vice Principals association?</span></strong></span></span></span></b></div><br />
<strong><span style="color: #404040; font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: x-small;">She insists that principals are unsung heroes in the current teachers’ job action. </span></span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #404040; font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Giving the title of hero to a group who has kept silent about the cuts to the education system for over 10 years seems a bit of an overstatement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #404040; font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: x-small;">We might not be in this situation if the principals, vice principals and superintendents had stood up to the government. We may still have our teachers of the special needs, our librarians and more reasonable class sizes and workable class compositions. We may not have health and safety issues in our labs and shops because of overcrowding. In fact we may have improved on what we had in 2001 if principals and other administrators had the courage to stand up and work as hard as teachers have to maintain and improve services within the education system. Their silence has NOT helped the students. </span></span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #404040; font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Instead they have left the job to teachers.</span></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #404040; font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;"></span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #404040; font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: x-small;">It is astounding that someone, who worked within the system, could not see that the workload of teachers is untenable with or without the few jobs that the principals/administration have had to do during the job action.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The administration is now adding to their workload what teachers have been doing forever (with constant additional tasks being added over the past 10 years).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If administrators can’t handle it for a few months, just imagine what it has been like for teachers for 10 YEARS!</span></span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #404040; font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: x-small;">And don’t ever think that the administration has not cut back on what teachers usually do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some districts have eliminated recess to avoid supervision.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Others have refused to do paperwork and money collection for field trips, thus causing trips to be cancelled (and then blaming the job action). But somehow it is okay to burden teachers with this extra work? </span></span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #404040; font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: x-small;">There is a positive to this article however.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What it is doing, is admitting to the public that a teacher’s job is too difficult.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just think, a teacher who works close to an average 50 hours per week, has all this to do as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps now that administrators have experienced a bit of the reality, they will, instead of agreeing to pile even more on to teachers, work to support teachers. Perhaps they will realize the need for adequate preparation time for teachers. Perhaps they will join the fight for adequate funding and workable class sizes and compositions instead of checking off the hundreds of forms saying that class sizes and compositions are suitable for student learning when they clearly are not. </span></span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #404040; font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Perhaps they will join the true heroes of the system and become heroes themselves as well. </span></span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><strong><span style="color: #404040; font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif";">We can hope. </span></strong><span style="color: #404040;"></span></span><br />
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</div>Kathy Couchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04337222924558670841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779794139482466876.post-89803551712431031382012-02-11T17:40:00.007-08:002012-02-19T17:43:37.191-08:00Response to George Abbott's Editorial re Appointment of "neutral" fact-finderOn Feb. 10, Minister of Education, George Abbott, released an "opinion-editorial" regarding the recent appointment of government insider, Trevor Hughes, as a so-called "neutral" investigator into the progress of teacher/BCPSEA bargaining. Following are my comments, in italics and bolded and red, to many of the assertions made by Minister Abbott. <br />
Opinion-Editorial<br />
By George Abbott<br />
Minister of Education<br />
Feb 10, 2011<br />
VICTORIA - Since being appointed Education Minister last March, I've had the pleasure of visiting 95 schools and half of the province's 60 school districts. I've met with hundreds of teachers, students, parents and administrators. <br />
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Every visit and every meeting has only reinforced in my mind that British Columbia has a great education system, filled with people who are passionate about what they do.<br />
I've seen first-hand how important teachers are to student success. <br />
<span style="color: red;"><strong><em>So if you really mean this, why is your focus on fix the teacher? Why are you trying to control teacher Pro-D, implement an evaluation system that does not contain due process, etc.?</em></strong></span><br />
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I also know how important it is for teaching assistants, administrators, principals, parents and teachers to work together to support learning. It takes co-operation and a team of people to help students reach their full potential.<br />
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Unfortunately, the current teacher's strike makes this kind of co-operation virtually impossible.<br />
<strong><em><span style="color: red;">This statement is untrue. Teachers will meet with teaching assistants, parents and other teachers. They will not meet with administration unless the administrator is also teaching a particular student. </span></em></strong><br />
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Teachers are not attending staff meetings nor any other meetings at which the principal is present. There are no collaborative meetings between teachers, principals, vice-principals, district staff and education assistants. There are no written communications with principals, whether they are student marks, progress reports, or report cards. Unfortunately, it is often the very students most in need of our educational teams who bear the brunt of the union's actions.<br />
<span style="color: red;"><strong><em>Where is the evidence to back up such a statement? You know full well that the teachers' job action has been designed to NOT be detrimental to student learning. </em></strong></span><br />
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Almost a year ago, employers and the teachers' union sat down to negotiate a new contract. We made it clear from the outset that we had a net-zero mandate. But employers also wanted to talk about how to improve benefits for teachers, how to ensure the right teachers are matched to the right jobs, and how to support good teachers so they can become great teachers.<br />
<span style="color: red;"><strong><em>Where is the evidence that there is a plethora of teachers in the wrong jobs? Is it worth alienating the whole teaching force of BC to correct a handful of bad decisions by principals? Any problems in this regard are not the fault of teacher collective agreements. </em></strong></span><br />
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Then last fall, government put $165 million in new funding on the table to deal with class composition issues. And yet - like everything else we brought forward - the teachers union walked away from discussions on how to best use those funds. Their singular focus has been to secure a large salary increase - 15 percent over three years -- and other major compensation improvements estimated at over $2 billion.<br />
<span style="color: red;"><strong><em>The teachers' union did not walk away from the discussions. The government walked away from the table because they refused to talk about any agreement that would limit class size and composition. Moreover, the BCTF's focus has not been solely on compensation improvements. The BCTF tabled a proposal on class size and composition at the remedy table which offered FLEXIBILITY for families. When digging deeper into how much the new $165 million would benefit students it would benefit each student by 27 cents per day or 1 minute of time per day. (See <a href="mhtml:{1685D98D-778C-409D-86AD-2B2B91EB72D2}mid://00000070/!x-usc:http://staffroomconfidential.blogspot.com/2012/02/bcs-learning-incentives-fund-1-minute.html">http://staffroomconfidential.blogspot.com/2012/02/bcs-learning-incentives-fund-1-minute.html</a> ) Furthermore the process for getting that paltry sum would cause schools and districts to compete for it. Along with not being even close to adequate, it is an extremely undignified (and I would say unsavoury) way to obtain funding for our students with special needs. </em></strong></span><br />
<strong><em><span style="color: red;">On the salary bit: The BCTF tabled a salary proposal that would ensure a cost of living increase for each of three years along with a very modest labour market adjustment that would make a very slight move towards catching up to other provinces. BC teachers are now 9th to 11th out of 13 prov and territories. This is nothing for the BC Liberal govt to be proud of. This is an opening proposal and is negotiable. </span></em></strong>Despite 11 months of negotiations and nearly 80 bargaining sessions, there are few signs of progress. We have successfully negotiated agreements with all other major public sector unions. The teachers' union, unfortunately, steadfastly refuses to accept British Columbia's economic and financial reality. The union's proposal to increase personal income taxes by 25 per cent to pay for their wage demands is completely unreasonable and ignores the needs and challenges of families across this province.<span style="color: red;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><strong><em>The "economic and financial reality" of the BC gov't is as a result of some very unwise decisions by the Liberal govt. There is the "roof" (over half a billion $), then the enormous tax breaks to corporations which amounted to a loss of billions in tax revenue. The logic presented by the Liberals was that it would result in a "trickle down" of jobs. That didn't happen. Let's not forget the smart meters that no one wants. That amounts to nearly 1 billion dollars. Some whole municipalities have spoken in opposition to installing these expensive meters. In order to pay for these unwise decisions, the education system has been deprived of over 3 billion needed dollars in the past 10 years and the public sector workers, the real economic workhorses, have been forced to pay for these mistakes. The BCTF is absolutely NOT advocating for a tax increase for the citizens of BC. The gov't needs to take another look at their own priorities. They are the ones who are ignoring the needs and challenges of families across this province by prioritizing tax cuts to the wealthy, and other unwise expenditures, over the education of future generations, the very people who will be running our province in a few years. </em></strong></span><br />
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The strike is having a real impact on students and creating a strain in our schools and classrooms. There is rising anxiety, frustration and concern amongst all educational partners about the length of time this dispute has gone on and the impact on 500,000 students across British Columbia. Government would prefer to negotiate an agreement, but we cannot let the current impasse drift indefinitely.<span style="color: red;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><strong><em>Respect teachers and care about students. That is the solution. You can't put students first if you put teachers last. </em></strong></span><br />
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I am simply not prepared to see a school year pass without every parent in B.C. getting a fulsome accounting of how their children are progressing in school. I am particularly concerned about the impact on vulnerable students. <br />
<span style="color: red;"><strong><em>Teachers are working harder than ever to give students a full accounting of their progress. If parents have further concerns they should contact their child's teacher. They will receive a far more comprehensive and useful accounting than any report card ever could. </em></strong></span><br />
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This past week, in an effort to resolve this issue, I asked Labour Minister Margaret MacDiarmid to appoint a neutral party to inquire into the status of negotiations. It may well be that this individual can find reasons to be optimistic about continuing negotiations - or it may be that government will need to look at other ways to resolve the dispute. <br />
<span style="color: red;"><strong><em>Minister MacDiarmid has failed in her job. She has not appointed a neutral party. She has appointed an Assistant Deputy Minister within the Liberal Government to do the inquiry. Under no definition of the word "neutral" is this a neutral appointment. Claire Avison, also an Assistant Deputy Minister of the Liberal Government, has been at the bargaining table since June 2011 and has clearly stated that the government mandate is non-negotiable. A truly neutral party would find this pre-condition to bargaining as a major blockage to full free collective bargaining. </em></strong></span><br />
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This past fall, we announced BC's new Education Plan to transform education and better prepare students for the 21st century. It has been a great success. Now, more than ever, we want teachers to work with all the educational partners to improve our system. <br />
But to move forward, we need to restore some degree of normalcy to what remains of the school year. And I sincerely hope the neutral party, working with the employers and the teachers union, can help us find that constructive path.<br />
<strong><em> <span style="color: red;">Minister Abbott</span><span style="color: red;"> repeats the term "neutral party." I do not see any neutral party involved. This appointment is eroding the credibility of the Liberal government even beyond where it is now. The appointment of a similar "neutral party" in September of 2005 (also under a net zero mandate) resulted in legislation being introduced within 3 days of the final report from Assistant Deputy Minister Connolly. That report appeared to be pre-planned and biased and I don't see any reason to believe that this time it will be any different. </span></em></strong><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"><em><strong>One point that I missed. Mr. Abbott says " I sincerely hope the neutral party, working with the employers and the teachers union, can help us find that constructive path." This statement is anything but sincere. He knows full well that the so-called "neutral party" has been given a yes or no task. He is to say yes they can reach agreement or no they can't. I don't see that it is within his mandate to do anything that could be termed constructive. </strong></em></span>Kathy Couchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04337222924558670841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779794139482466876.post-79923061666600962802011-09-29T18:59:00.000-07:002011-09-29T19:06:15.565-07:00BCPSEA opposed to trustee philosophy of "What Trustees Do."<div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">It appears as though BCPSEA does not represent the trustees. Here is what the trustees association believes about local solutions for local problems by local people.</span><br />
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</div><div></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><strong><em>"British Columbia is a large province with many communities, each having different priorities, needs and unique educational requirements. British Columbians elect their 60 boards of education to improve student achievement according to the diverse needs of these communities. As locally elected representatives, the trustees on these boards best understand their respective communities’ particular strengths, challenges and demands.</em></strong></span></div><div></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><strong><em>Trustees engage their communities in building and maintaining a school system that reflects local priorities, values and expectations. School trustees listen to their communities; guide the work of their school district; and set plans, policies and the annual budget."</em></strong><a href="http://www.bcsta.org/what_trustees_do">http://www.bcsta.org/what_trustees_do</a> </span><br />
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</div><div></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">In direct opposition to this philosophy is the BCPSEA position on local bargaining. On the other hand, BCTF has presented a proposal on changing the split of local/provincial issues that is directly in line with the trustees' belief. Their proposal is to place more non-cost items into the hands of local trustees and local union reps. </span><br />
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<div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">To have local boards around the province negotiate the many items that locals have identified as not having been touched in nearly 20 years would actually seem to be the more efficient route. BCPSEA has had the opportunity to negotiate many items over the past 20 years and has not. Perhaps they need some help. Perhaps dividing up the workload among 60 districts would save them a lot of time and would ensure that everything gets covered. It is clear that BCPSEA has had trouble negotiating the few items that are actually deemed provincial let alone the many that can be negotiated locally. Think about it. When you have too much work to do wouldn't you think it wise to get a few more people involved so the workload can be shared?</span><br />
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</div><div></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">It is clear that when local problems are solved by local people that the result will be fewer grievances, fewer expensive arbitrations, as well as less labour unrest. One really has to wonder if the reluctance to make changes to the split of issues is more about control than about efficiency. </span></div></div><div><br />
</div>Kathy Couchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04337222924558670841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779794139482466876.post-33731154142942957372011-09-09T13:34:00.000-07:002011-09-09T13:34:26.888-07:00They have come in with their bottom line,that being less than nothing<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">Black Press, through a recent editorial made the following statement:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“This fight was not unexpected. We have a government and union leadership unwilling to budge.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This isn’t the first time I’ve heard this and I think it needs to be cleared up.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It isn’t the union or its leadership that is unwilling to budge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The union bargaining team fully expects to budge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We put forward our proposals and we get no counter proposals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are we expected to bargain with ourselves?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Should we be thinking, “They didn’t respond with a counter proposal, so we should move a little closer to their sub zero mandate?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How is that bargaining?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Clearly, it isn’t bargaining. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It is the government (through their bargaining agent, BCPSEA) who refuses to budge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have come in with their bottom line, that being less than nothing and they are sticking to it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr. Abbott even indicated that several times during news interviews.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The only way for bargaining to occur, is for both sides being willing to “budge.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s time for the government to change their mandate and allow BCPSEA to have that “budging” room. </span></div>Kathy Couchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04337222924558670841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779794139482466876.post-44498752059305421262011-09-02T18:10:00.000-07:002011-09-02T18:11:35.938-07:00Why are they taking away recess?<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The recent decision by some school districts to cancel recess while the teachers are on a legal job action brings to mind some serious questions regarding the thinking of some current school district administrations. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">First off, I think that parents and the public know where the buck stops in this situation and in this case it is in the hands of district administration. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Labour Relations Board (LRB) has declared the withdrawal of certain services as well within the law.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of those services is <em>“before/after school, recess or noon hour supervision.</em><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have said that these supervisions <strong><em>“will continue to be provided by teachers subject to the Employer utilizing management and excluded staff to the best extent possible to replace teachers for these activities.”</em> </strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Therefore teachers cannot be required to do supervision unless all available management and excluded staff have been utilized.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">But what has happened in those districts where they have decided to cancel recess?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have they utilized all management personnel?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>School District 23 (Central Okanagan) says they don’t have enough people to take over that 15 minutes per day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>SD23 has at least twice as many administrators and excluded staff, in the district, as they have schools.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Surely they can find enough administrators to take on that short but rewarding task of being with the children during recess. What’s the problem? And in case they have misinterpreted the LRB ruling, if they truly have used all of their management staff then they can legitimately request that teachers do that work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They aren’t doing that why?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is it because they haven’t utilized management staff to the best extent possible?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">They have been given choices by the LRB.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why have they chosen the meanest solution by cancelling recess?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"></i></div>Kathy Couchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04337222924558670841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779794139482466876.post-34688113043150560422011-06-22T22:19:00.000-07:002011-07-11T19:24:51.361-07:00Teaching 21st century in the 20th century<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">Every time I hear the Ministry of Education criticize teachers for one size fits all and the talk about the need for teachers to be facilitators, rather than teachers, that we need to get out of the classroom, we need to use 21<sup>st</sup> century technology, teach critical thinking, etc., I think of all of the many times that teachers have done just that. And they were doing it in the 20<sup>th</sup> century. These are the times that our children will remember well into adulthood. On a quick look through BC Teacher Archives, I found the following. I have selected only a few, but I could have filled many, many pages with these stories. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">I have no doubt that there is a need for training and professional development to help teachers keep up with the</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>technological times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And teachers are eager to learn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I would like to ask the Minister not to insult us by inferring that we need fixing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ask that he support teachers to be able to teach in whatever way best suits their classes. Support us, don’t tell us how to teach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">Teacher Newsmagazine</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">Volume 10, Number 7, May/June 1998</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><strong>Students mine a rich vein of history</strong></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><em>by Werner Kaschel</em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><em>For three days in early June, school bags are filled not with texts and notebooks, but with camping equipment, small first-aid kits and gold pans. The classroom is the outdoors.</em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">Teacher Newsmagazine</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">Volume 11, Number 1, September 1998</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><strong>An experience in environmental education</strong></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><em>by Steve Lott</em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><em>These are Grade 7 city kids and for most of them it is the first time they have been to a beach llike this, even though it's only 20 minutes by bus from our school. I have brought them here in the hope that such an out-of-school experience will broaden their appreciation of where they live and what it means to be a member of a complex ecological community</em>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">Teacher Newsmagazine</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">Volume 10, Number 3, Nov/Dec 1997</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><strong>Adventures in Math and Science</strong></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><em>by Alan Gregson</em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><em>Adventures in Math and Science is a multilayered celebration of learning, prepared and delivered by teachers in collaboration with professional services, business partners, community newspapers, parents and a host of other volunteers.</em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">Teacher Newsmagazine</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">Volume 11, Number 2, October 1998</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><strong>From Coquitlam to the Yukon</strong></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><em>by Chris King and Phil Wright</em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><em>The value that the students received from the experience can never be measured.</em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">Teacher Newsmagazine</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">Volume 13, Number 1, September 2000</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><strong>First Nations students explore cultural heritage</strong></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><em>by Jeff Crocker</em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><em>The Abby Junior students and teachers will have Kyuquot Sound and the beauty of that remote land imprinted on our minds forever.</em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">So it appears as though using the community, both locally and globally has been going on for a long time. Its nothing new. However, all of these events are highly dependent on funding, which in the last 10 years, has been woefully inadequate. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">Then the Ministry infers that we are all technological luddites. However it seems that online teaching innovations have been around for years. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">In April 1997 May Knapp reported about on <em>online experience between Richmond's Walter Lee Elementary School and Vanderhoof's Evelyn Dickson Elementary. The schools participated in a workshop to launch a new discovery-based online game for elementary students. </em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><strong>Before the digital natives came around there were many teachers that were digital pioneers!</strong></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">The following year Shayne Konar, a teacher in Grand Forks reported the following amazing experience to the BCTF Teacher Magazine.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><em>"The results, so far, of this hi-tech, hands-on approach to curriculum and learning have been exciting. While Lach is currently in Central America, and a long way from home (Castlegar), he's not alone on his journey. Students "ride along" with him courtesy of a global phone satellite link, digital camera, and computer providing direct voice and data communications to classrooms in Grand Forks. The alignment of time zones affords the opportunity for real time interaction/conversation with Lach as he travels through diverse cultures, languages, and lifestyles. The "passengers" on this trip are anything but passive. They receive and send e-mail, learn Spanish, and research how people live, their environment and history. Diverse questions about politics, economics, the effects of El Nino, ecology, and unique features can be answered on the spot. Students are in charge of their learning: directing Lach, becoming navigators, and plotting co-ordinates and trip direction."</em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">And in September 1997, Lance Read recognized that, <em>"computers are excellent tools for assisting people in the efficient collection of information and the enhancement and presentation of thoughts and ideas surrounding that information."</em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">In the May/June 2000 issue Henning von Krogh wrote about <strong>"Technology and the changing role of a teacher."</strong></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><em>"How does this affect my workload and the expectations of me? As the science specialist, I am responsible for students enrolled in Science 8, 9, 10, Biology 11, 12, Chemistry 11, 12, Physics 11, Geography 12, Forestry 11, 12, Earth Science 11.</em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><em>I am also available to help students in Math 8, 9, 10, 11A, or anything else they might ask. I am responsible for helping students with technical support, answering any questions, at any point in any of these courses, and trouble-shooting the new system. I am to modify the courses if I deem it beneficial, add in my "best practices," "learn" new material for courses I have not taught before, negotiate alternate projects for students wishing to replace Pathfinder work with more active research and investigation, make the courses more relevant and essentially be a mentor to all students. With 23 years of teaching experience, a solid background in many of these courses and the confidence that comes with practice, it is easier for me. What of a beginning teacher? Where would one start?"</em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">The Ministry also speaks about the need for teaching critical thinking. I think we've known about that for years as well.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">Teacher Newsmagazine</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">Volume 9, Number 4, Jan/Feb. 1997</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><strong>Teaching Children is Labour Intensive</strong></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">by Janet Amsden</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><em>We have altered our teaching to make a system that conforms to the child rather than one that forces the child to conform to the system with class sizes of 30 or less, we know our students much better than our teachers knew us. Education has become child centred, no longer teacher centred.</em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">Teacher Newsmagazine</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">Volume 11, Number 1, September 1998</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><strong>Teach critical thinking through historical problem solving</strong></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">by Linda Clode</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><em>Using their critical thinking skills of analysis, synthesis, and evaluation, students can propose alternative solutions to the decisions made in the past. Applying problem solving to history encourages students to see the importance of careful consideration of the problems facing the nations and to come to the realization that consequences of any decision are inevitable</em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">But what is especially great is that teachers can offer the human touch. They understand that there are other needs of children as is shown in the following article. How wonderful!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">Teacher Newsmagazine</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">Volume 10, Number 2, October 1997</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><strong>The Refuge: one school's heart, all schools' hope?</strong></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><em>by Gavin Hainsworth</em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><em>"In the current storm of passionate interest in technology, one school, Ridgeway Elementary, of North Vancouver, has planted a walled garden at its centre instead of a MacLab. Appropriately called the Refuge, this sanctuary to students and teachers alike has transformed the school and community in ways that Voltaire (and many others) would approve. In an otherwise sterile urban environment, students can walk down the hall and open a door to find nature. The secret garden of Ridgeway is as mysterious as that in Frances Hodgson Burnett's novel of the same name unseen from the classrooms, with only two entrances: a painted doorway and dark metal gate."</em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div>Kathy Couchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04337222924558670841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779794139482466876.post-77364722491802065782011-06-20T20:42:00.000-07:002011-06-24T18:18:37.718-07:00Why the focus on "fix the teacher?"<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Response to "Collective Bargaining to Sustain a Strong Public Education System." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Government’s presentation to the BCTF bargaining team has quite a few reasons for teachers , parents and students to be concerned.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Focused on student outcomes rather than system inputs.</strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How does that work?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Inputs are extremely important.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Without the appropriate resources and supports the outcomes can not be as good as they should be and for some special needs and grey area students they will not be good.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>The list of visions</strong> is admirable and much of that vision is the vision of most teachers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So why in the past 10 years has this government been fighting against this vision by insisting on standardized testing or “testing to assess” as they say, which keeps the learning in the classroom?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ask any teacher, especially of Grade 10 Science, about the pressure to stay within the confines of the classroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The pressures of sticking to the curriculum because of the government tests has all but done away with "out of the classroom" experiences.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s not to mention the underfunding which has cut down on laboratory supplies, making the default system, out of date book learning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ask the Grade 10 Science teachers if that is their choice. Why has the government insisted on data, data, data over the last 10 years? Everything they have done in the last 10 years has been the opposite of what they claim to be their vision. </span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then there is the part about <strong>co-planning with parents</strong>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some parents will be able to do this and it will be welcomed, but many parents are not in a position economically or socially to do this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where does this plan leave the children of those parents?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is an unrealistic goal of this plan.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">4.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>As far as all of the “fix the teacher” stuff</strong>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have a very<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>highly rated teacher training system in B.C. and our teachers must be good since our students are among the best educated in the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is an agreed upon process for evaluation in every collective agreement in the province and professional development is best decided by the teacher him/herself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 18pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">If the Ministry wants to support teachers, they can do so by making sure that the system and our students have the necessary supports to succeed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They can make sure that class sizes and composition are workable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They can make sure that those who know the students the best have the autonomy to teach in a way that is best suited to the students in the class. They can encourage and support teachers to use the aspects of “personalized learning” in their classroom that best suit the class they have in any given year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The needs of students are different every year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their one size fits all version of personalized learning is not what will work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The teachers in the classroom need to decide what system will work best. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 18pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Why is there such a focus on “fix the teacher” which the Ministry calls “Supporting teachers?” There can only be one reason why the Ministry wants to fix what isn’t broken.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s to gut the collective agreement of these very provisions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They do not like teachers to have autonomy over their teaching styles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They want control over their professional development, and they want to get rid of the fairest way of dealing with layoffs and recall, that being seniority.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They want to control the length of the day so that teachers can be available all hours of the day and they want to control class size so that teachers can be <strong>facilitators</strong> to many more students rather than<strong> teachers</strong> to 30 at a time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>Kathy Couchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04337222924558670841noreply@blogger.com0