Dr. SPT

Across North America, a miniscule group of individuals are wreaking havoc at public schools, thanks to their handwringing, sign-making, meeting disruptions, and letter writing. School boards are now having to spend their time talking about banning books, pride flags, and imaginary litter boxes in school bathrooms. As an educator with many years of experience, let me fill you in on a little secret: Pride flags are NOT hurting your child. Library books are NOT hurting your child. Gender-neutral bathrooms are NOT hurting your child. Protesting these things takes attention away from actual, real issues of concern in schools right now.

This is not to say parents should not advocate for their children and their schools. PULEEZE! Educators everywhere would love it if you could bring your POSITIVE energy into the system. Adults working together, rather than pulling people apart is how children thrive in their schools. Do not allow a tiny group of individuals with an agenda dictate how schools should be run.

If you REALLY want to write an email of protest or make a sign and march around in front of a government building, here are some things you could (and probably should) worry about.

1. Underfunding – Do you know if your child has access to modern and up-to-date materials and technology? If your kid is in an older school building, does it have poor air quality or mold? Those things WILL hurt your child. You may want to ask when your kid’s school was last checked for environmental hazards. Schools in well-off neighbourhoods generally have more perks (better playgrounds, better tech) than those in low-income areas. Why? One reason is because those parent advisory councils (PTAs) are able to fundraise more money from the school community. Fair? Not really. True? Yes.

2. Illiteracy – Between 20 – 60 percent of school kids can’t read at a basic level by the end of grade 3. How’s your kid doing? Can they write in a way others understand? Are they able to carry on a proper conversation with their peers or adults? Or do they just mumble and then go back to their phone? Kids who leave school with low literacy skills have fewer opportunities than those who graduate with higher skills. Don’t allow your child’s future to be limited. Make sure your kid is being taught to read and write and speak and listen using evidence-based research methods. If you want your kid to succeed, perhaps that ought to be where you are spending your advocacy energy.

3. Bullying – Bullying happens in schools. It did when I was a kid, and it does now. The difference now is that kids come out of their mamas holding an iPad or iPhone. Now that mean girl or boy can insult you and the whole school knows about it in real time thanks to social media. Kids can become the school outcast in the time it takes one kid to hit send. Is your kid being bullied? Or is your kid a bully? You might want to find out.

4. Pornography – I could cry laughing in frustration when I hear about parents trying to ban books in school libraries. You’re afraid a BOOK is going to corrupt your child? Wow! Wait until you hear about this thing called the internet and the things your kid can access on there! Seriously. Do you know how hard it is for teachers to get kids to read?! Much less hunt down “naughty books” from the 1960s or “Mona has Two Mommies” from the library? Trust me, if your child is taking their phone to school, that’s all they’re focused on. And the stuff they can see on their phones? Not just every bit of garbage ever created on the web, but also dick pics and breasties of the kid sitting beside them. (I once had a GRADE 8 student put her phone down her shirt and take a picture in the MIDDLE OF ENGLISH CLASS and saw absolutely nothing wrong with it when I asked what the hell she was doing.) Students as young as grade 7 are making their own porn and then releasing it publicly with or without consent from their willing or unwilling partner. Yes, this happens. Yes, even at your kid’s school. Where’s your sign about that?

5. Focus – Video games and social media have been developed using the same protocols for addiction as Vegas slot machines. Teachers, on the other hand, are trying to teach your kid something that is most likely a. new to them, b. probably not particularly interesting and c. perhaps hard for them to understand. Trust me, they aren’t getting that dopamine hit in French class. When you question why your kid is failing math, please do not come for teachers unless you are ready to address the fact that your child likely has the attention span of a goldfish.

6. Drugs – The drugs of today are not the drugs of the 70s and 80s. Kids are using street drugs that could kill them. Drugs laced with fentanyl are available to kids whose brains are still developing. Even cannabis has been shown to harm growing adolescent brains. Before you say, not my kid! I encourage you to talk to your kid. Their life may depend on it.

7. Physical safety – Ask your kid if they feel safe in their classroom. You might be surprised by their answer. Some classes can get chaotic, loud and even dangerous. Educators have been warned/threatened not to touch the children who are hurting people and property due to the fear of the parents of this human tornado filing a lawsuit. So, while little Jimmy smashes his classmates’ school projects, throws the teacher’s phone and breaks the principal’s computer, educators are supposed to “reason” with them. Educators and students are shouting that they are being harmed in schools, but for some reason, no one is listening. So, where are the damn signs about that? Personally, I’d be waaaay more concerned about school safety than I would be about a multi-colored flag going up on the school flagpole for a month. (I’ve told horror stories from my own experience and inevitably someone will say, “They should bring back the strap. That would teach those kids.” What they mean is that schools should strap (aka: beat) OTHER people’s children. Not their child. No, no. Just the bad ones. I shake my head.)

8. Staff burnout – Crapping on educators is practically a North American sport, like hockey or pie-eating. Are there some bad apples who shouldn’t be teaching? Of course. Just like there are bad apples working at Walmart and in your local police force. But it’s hard to stay positive for kids when you’re constantly being told you’re in it for the money and the summers, or that you’re trying to indoctrinate children into becoming gay or trans or cats. First, that’s not how it works. Second, educators are way too tired to try to change your kid’s identity. They just want your kid to do their work, experience academic success, and be nice to others. It’s as simple as that.

9. Mental health – Our schools are not equipped to handle the every-growing number of kids who are suffering from diagnosed and undiagnosed mental illness. The pandemic not only exacerbated this fact, but also brought it to the surface. Kids who are vulnerable are more susceptible to human trafficking (yes, it happens in schools) and gang recruitment, as well as suicidal ideation and self-harm. Don’t even get me start on racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, and ableism. Unfortunately, due to the cacophony of hateful rhetoric out there right now, we are moving backwards in terms of inclusivity. Please see Item #3 – Bullying, above, and then multiply it by 1,000. Also, the educators in your kid’s school are probably NOT ok. If they are teaching your child, you want them to be in top form. Be nice.

10. This is a fill-in-the blank for your kid. Ask them how things are going and if anything is bothering them. I can almost 100% guarantee that their answer will NOT be,

“Gee golly, Mommy. I’m so scared of that Pride flag and those gender-neutral bathrooms, and those scary library books, and those non-existent litter boxes in my school bathroom for those kids who think they are cats. Help me, Mommy! Please make a sign and scream Bible verses at elected officials.”

I could probably list a dozen more things that you could put on a sign and march around shouting about it at the next school meeting. But I think these make the point.

Gender-neutral bathrooms are NOT going to hurt your child. An angry student with a gun or a knife? Dangerous.

Children identifying by different pronouns or names than the ones they were given when they were born? NOT dangerous. Internet porn that your daughter’s boyfriend bullies her into making? Dangerous.

Library books or movies where kids hear about happy, loving people of different genders and sexual identities? Not dangerous. Spending all your time online in an incel chat room? Super dangerous– for everyone!

Folks, if you want to be outraged about something and throw all of your energy into it, please choose one of the topics above. Your kid and your kid’s school will appreciate it.

Uncategorized

Dear Canada – Stop pretending you want political change

November 12, 2021December 12, 2021 suburbanprincessteacher

Dear Canada,

I regret to advise you that we are destined to be a two party country run primarily by old(er), rich, straight, white men from now until forever, unless we clean up our act.

I’m just finishing up the paperwork from my role in the recent Nova Scotia provincial election, and I gotta tell ya, I don’t have much hope.

Back in the dark days of the winter of 2021, my son decided he wanted to run for office in the next provincial election. I didn’t want someone else handling the money for his campaign, when the price for mishandling the money could be a possible jail term, so I agreed to act as my son’s official agent. This meant I was the money-lady. I collected donations and authorized payments.

I thought this was going to be a chance to support my son as he chased a dream and to see democracy in action up close. Instead, it turned out to be an eye-opening experience that has changed the way I think of politics and life in general.

I should clarify that my issues were not with my son, the candidate. No, I was in awe of him. He worked his butt off. While working full-time, he also conducted a full on campaign – going door-to-door, meeting with potential voters and non-profit groups; he worked with his small, but dedicated campaign team of other like-minded, mostly young people, and attended public debates, where he held his own, even while being condescended to by the sitting politician. (Side note: One of the best moments of watching the election results was seeing this pompous bag of air lose his seat. Good riddance.)

We like to talk the big talk here in Canada about how we want “representation” in our political system, but we don’t back that up with real supports. Running for office is expensive, extremely time-consuming, and requires one to put themselves out there on public display for the trolls to attack from behind their computer screens. There is no “fat pension” for candidates; in fact, if you’re representing one of the small parties, there’s no money at all. To give an example, our campaign couldn’t even afford lawn signs. The riding was filled with lawn signs, posters and even billboards from all the other candidates and parties but none from ours. The campaign team was small and the budget was even smaller.

“I can’t count the number of times that a candidate thought he was going to get all this financial support and volunteer help from their community or friends and family which never, never comes,” said Jutt, who’s worked on numerous election campaigns for several major parties, both provincially and federally. (CBC News)

Money

Fundraising is the only way candidates can access funds to buy promotional materials, campaign signs, airtime, publicity and anything else they need to run a successful campaign. And it’s the one thing the rich, old(er), white guys have down pat. They know other people with money and have easy access to them through a variety of networking methods. In an study done of candidates in Southern Ontario, more than half were sitting or former politicians, lawyers or business executives. This is exactly how the well-off, connected candidates get an(other) advantage. The people they hit up for money are expecting that quid-pro-quo relationship. They support each other, so the cream continues to rise to the top, and the power remains in the same hands, year after year.

Time

Running for office is a full-time job; however, unless you have enough money saved up to last you for about 6 months, you’ll need to work two jobs – one that pays the rent and one that runs your campaign. And if you have children at home? Well, that’s where privilege kicks in once again. You need to either have a partner at home who can continue to get the kids to school and soccer or have the money to pay someone to care for your children when you’re not available. Only 30% of Canadian MPs are women, which makes sense, since women still (after all these years) tend to take on the majority of the childcare and housekeeping duties in a marriage. It is challenging to get women to agree to take their very limited amount of free time and spend it doing something that not only offers very little positive reinforcement but opens them up to abuse from the general public.

Online and In Person Abuse from the Public

A political candidate needs to develop an incredibly thick skin. This is thanks in part to social media and a culture that has become more and more comfortable with hurling abuse at anyone they feel disagrees with them or has wronged them. (I also place a lot of the blame for this new acceptance of being a jerk at the feet of a former President who shall not be named, but that’s a story for another time.) Canada isn’t much better. Citizens have become emboldened to go after politicians with threats, both online and in person. “A bot analyzed more than 350,000 tweets sent to Canadian political candidates during the first week of the federal election campaign. It found that more than 20 per cent of them were considered toxic, with nearly 10 per cent containing threats of violence and other aggressive language.” (CTV News) Who would want to take this on? Women and people from marginalized groups are even more vulnerable to attack. A Canadian study showed that incumbent female candidates were five times more likely to be the focus on toxic texts (Samara Centre for Democracy and Areto Labs). Racialized candidates also face abuse that goes beyond that experienced by their white peers. “I work with a lot of candidates of colour,” Jutt explained. “You send them out to knock a few doors and they’re like, ‘Wow, I did not know that I was going to get doors slammed in my face because I’m X faith” (CBC News).

What now?

Unless our system changes, drastically, we are never going to have a government that reflects our population. “[Elected officials] inform our views of where Canadian society should go, what Canadian governments should do,” said Morden.”So we’re missing a really important piece of the demographic puzzle” (CBC News).

Based on my experience, that’s not happening anytime soon.

Now, wish me luck as I work on finishing the mountain of paperwork needed to finalize the campaign.

(Note: This is yet another way people are discouraged from running for office. The paperwork is complicated and you can be charged if you do something wrong. Sigh…it never ends.)

Princess, Rants, Raves, Suburban, Teacher

Snow Days – Every job is different

January 22, 2013March 26, 2020 suburbanprincessteacher

Today was a Snow Day. Capital “S”, capital “D”, which means students and teachers in our school district had the day off.

This also means the haters were out in full force once again on talk radio (or as I call it, Old Man Radio). Teacher-haters love Old Man Radio. It gives them a chance to publicly air their views about all the wrongs they see in society. Most of which are caused by lazy-ass teachers.

I wish I could host that radio show when these issues come up.

“School’s cancelled again, which means teachers get a day off! It’s crazy! Why should teachers be allowed to stay home when I have to go to work?!” shouts the irate caller, obviously taking a short break from his very important job.

“Oh, I see. So you think things should be the same for everybody?”

“Yeah, right. They should be the same.” The caller is happy now.

“So, everyone should make the same salary, work the same hours, get the same benefits, and have the same rules regarding their employment?”

“Well, no,” he stammers. “I mean, you know, every job is different.”

Right.

Every job is different.

There are so many jobs that I could not, would not, or choose not, to do.

As much as I would like to make the money that comes with being a surgeon, I didn’t have the brains or the desire to do all the work it takes to become one. Do I begrudge them their high salary and all the other perks of their job? No. I understand that in order to get those things, you have to do all the work beforehand and afterward and I wasn’t prepared to do that.

And as much as I would love to argue cases in a courtroom and learn all about interesting facts of laws, I know I wouldn’t have the ability to remain neutral. So, do I hate lawyers for doing what they do even though I wasn’t able to do it myself? Of course not. That would be illogical.

Someone in a high-end sales position can make my entire annual salary in bonuses and incentives. Does that annoy me? No, because I didn’t choose to go that route. I couldn’t sell ice cream to kids on a sunny day.

There are a million jobs that I think would be fascinating and interesting, but I know I’m not suited for them.

Here’s the thing: I don’t begrudge anyone the salary they make or the benefits they enjoy from their chosen career. I know that no matter what your job, there are ups and downs. Perks and pains. And people pick their careers according to what they want out of life. Do you want lots of money or do you want more freedom and free time? Do you want to help people, animals, or the environment? Everyone makes their own decisions.

I’m a teacher. I’m suited for that and I’m good at it. And I worked really, really hard to get to where I am today. Three degrees, student loans, numerous mandatory courses and workshops, and years of dead-end short-term contract positions just to get the opportunity for a full-time position.

Some people are suited to teaching. Other people are not. If you don’t enjoy teaching, if it doesn’t make you tick, you’re going to have a very difficult time in the classroom. If you’re doing it for the summer break or the rare Snow Day, enjoy that time, because you are going to pay for it the rest of the year.

That’s why it ticks me off when non-teacher-types complain about Snow Days.

Snow Days are magical for those of us who get to experience their joy.

Unfortunately, not everyone gets to have this experience. In fact, the majority of the population doesn’t. Most people have to leave their homes extra early in the middle of dangerous driving conditions in order to get to their job.

And I’m sorry about that. If I ruled the world, unless you were in a mandatory service industry (like fire, hospital or police personnel), I’d let you stay home until the plows cleared the streets and made it safe for everyone to get back on the roads. But since I don’t, all I can say is this.

Yes, teachers get the day off during a Snow Day. It’s part of the job. Just like cleaning up a child when they get sick on themselves. Or helping them through an argument with a friend. Or teaching them how to read when that’s the hardest part of their day. It’s a part of the job like writing report cards late into the night. And being cursed at by angry students and parents. It’s a part of the job like a million other things that make up the position.

I’m not going to complain about doing any of those things; however, I’m also not going to apologize for the occasional Snow Day or the summers off.

I have the job I chose and worked my butt off for. And for now…my job includes Snow Days.

UPDATE: March 1, 2015 – Are you a teacher? Do you want your say on snow days and other issues affecting teachers? Click here to add your two cents to a survey. It is completely anonymous and takes less than 5 minutes to complete.

Uncategorized

One of Mine

October 17, 2017April 20, 2019 suburbanprincessteacher

rest in peace Teachers know the expression.

Whenever something happens to a young person in the community where you teach, the first question that comes to mind is: “Was he or she one of mine?” ie. Was this person one of my former students?

If the news is good (they won a scholarship, were on a winning team, helped the community), the feeling is one of pride. “Bravo! I’m so proud of you.” You pat yourself on the back and think, “I played a small role in that.”

But when the news is bad, the grief is overwhelming.

A 17-year-old boy in my neighbourhood died last week and the first question was, “Was he one of mine?”

Sadly, he was.

Seven years ago, I had this bouncy, bubbly, bright-eyed boy in my grade 5 class. He had that long, wavy blond hair that boys often lose when they hit school and a smile that made it easy to forgive his whirlwind nature. He was, even though we aren’t supposed to admit it, one of my favourites. I never forgot him, even though I have probably only seen him once or twice since then. He is forever 10 years old in my mind. He should have gone on to have a wonderful life, full of love and laughter. I know he would have done good in the world. My heart breaks for the loss and aches for his family and friends who have to go on without him.

Rest in peace, Simon. You were one of mine and I will miss you.

education, Rants, Retention, Teacher

The No Fail Philosophy Has Many Shades of Grey

April 2, 2017April 4, 2017 suburbanprincessteacher

One of the important conversations that took place during the recent Nova Scotia teachers contract negotiations dealt with the existence (or non-existence) of the province’s no-fail policy.

The Minister argued that no such policy existed; however, teachers and administrators knew that this unwritten rule was firmly enforced and argued that it made it difficult for them to support families and kids.

Of course, it was only a matter of time before the great people on the interwebs weighed in and started sharing their opinions on the issue.

They said that “lazy” kids should be held back. As if a lack of ability was something that needed to be punished, so that these students would “try harder”. They also argued that a year being held back would result in all of these kids “catching up” and going on to future academic success.

fair isn't always equal Now, this argument does ring true in some cases. There are some students who are working the system. (Just like there are some people who slack off at work and some people who cheat the welfare system.) The kid who skips all of grade 10 so that he can play video games and deal drugs, probably shouldn’t get a free pass to grade 11. (He may need mental health and addiction support, but that’s another story for another time.)

But there are many, many more students, who try their best every day and still come up short. Perhaps the system isn’t built for them; perhaps their brain works a little bit differently.

That’s when the training and expertise that teachers have needs to come in to play. That’s when we need to have those conversations with parents and students and figure out what’s best for that specific student. And that’s when the relationship between the teacher, the student and the family is so important.

Because if we trust that teachers want what’s best for their students and we trust that parents want what’s best for their children, then we need to trust their judgement.

And there’s the rub, right there. Trust.

Do you trust that teachers want what’s best for kids? Does our society? Does the government? If we don’t trust teachers to do what’s right, then how can we, in good conscience, send children to school every day?

In some cases, retention is right and good for the student. I’ve seen it work in the lower grades. Some of these little munchkins just aren’t ready for school at age 4 or 5. But a positive retention story after those early years is pretty rare, in my never to be humble opinion. There is lots of research that shows that retention does not result in student improvement and actually results in higher drop out rates as they go into high school.

In almost every case, the kids I’ve worked with want to do well. They just can’t. It doesn’t mean they’re stupid or lazy. It means the system isn’t working for them. A learning disability or cognitive delay means that no matter how many years you retain them, they will not “catch up” with their peers in their particular area of weakness. Knowing that, do you really want a 16-year-old sitting, seething in a grade 3 classroom? No? Neither do I. Neither do they.

Before we even consider retention, we need to look at helping our students move from where they’re at, to where they could be. That means beefing up our extra supports through adaptations and individualized plans. It means putting more money into specialists, like psychologists and speech therapists and guidance counselors, and investing money into our learning centres and resource teachers. We need to hold our students responsible for individual assignments and classroom behaviour every day, instead of letting them slide by and then slamming them at the end of the term with the fact that they have failed.

Instead of thinking that it’s the kids who are broken, perhaps we need to look at the underfunded, overcrowded cookie-cutter school system we have put them in.

Retention is not a black or white issue. We need to consider all of the different shades of grey before we rush into a decision that could have dire future effects. Every child is an individual and needs to be treated as such.

We need all kinds of thinkers and doers in our society, not just the kids who are all academic strengths and no challenges. What a dreary world it would be if we were all the same.

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If you liked this post, consider ordering my book through Pembroke Publishers (Canada) or Stenhouse Publishers (United States). Thanks for your support! book-cover

American politics, conspiracy theories, critical literacy, Donald Trump, education, news media, Pizzagate, Teacher

Critical Literacy Skills are Critical, Especially Now

February 1, 2017February 1, 2017 suburbanprincessteacher

truth

These are some wild and crazy times.

How does a person know who or what to believe anymore? And more importantly, as teachers, how do we teach our students how to separate the truth from the tabloid headlines?

Fake news, alternative facts, liberal media, right-wing conservative news.

And smack dab in the middle is newly minted U.S. President Donald Trump madly tweeting out his version of the truth.

How you know what’s what and who’s right?

Anyone who has ever taught literacy knows that children and youth often have a great deal of difficulty figuring out the main point of a book, a video, or even a conversation.

Let me give you an example:

Grade 10 student Jeffrey has just finished reading a book about the holocaust. In the book, a family is forced to flee their home in order to avoid capture by the Germans. The book is heart-wrenching and involves some family members being sent to a concentration camp.

When he’s done the book, you sit down with him and ask, “So, tell me about your book.”

“Well,” he says, “It’s about this kid in Germany during the war.”

“Sounds interesting,” you say. “Tell me more.”

“Welllll, there was this one part about a chicken.”

You strain your brain to figure out what he’s talking about…a chicken?

“What happened with the chicken?”

“Well, this kid goes to sit down on the train but there’s this chicken on board and it’s pooped on the seat. And the kid sits in it. That part was funny.”

“Um, OK,” you say, vaguely remembering this very small, inconsequential part of the story. “But what do you think this story was about? ”

“I didn’t really understand that much of it, (pause) but I really liked the part of about the chicken because once my brother sat in bird crap and we all laughed our heads off.”

As teachers we know from this short exchange that Jeffrey has probably not yet learned how to read critically or for meaning. The only thing he could find to talk about was a piece of the story that he could relate to and that he found funny (cuz, you know, poop is hilarious).

Sadly, this is how a large portion of the population is reading nowadays.

Being able to read critically and for more meaning is a skill that many students and, more frighteningly, many adults are sorely lacking these days.

I see this everyday on social media.

People take one small kernel of information that agrees with their point of view and proceed to spread it across their social media sites. Well meaning and well-educated people are sharing articles from disreputable websites merely because it amuses them or because the information aligns with their already preconceived notions.

Not understanding how to check your sources and verify your information is a modern plague on our society. Taking one person’s opinion and sharing it as fact is dangerous and it can make you appear ignorant. And I hate to break it to people, but just because you saw someone somewhere say something once in a YouTube video doesn’t make it a fact.

Unfortunately, President Trump has made it even more difficult for people to know what to believe. What do you do when someone in a position of great power tweets or says something that other people are saying is untrue? I understand how people can be torn…he’s the President, so he must know…on the other hand every major news outlet and expert with knowledge of the subject is saying he’s wrong.

ghandi So, what’s a person to do?

First, ask yourself these three questions when you read something, hear something, or view something:

What is the author’s purpose?

Why did the author write this? Was the purpose to entertain, educate or persuade? These aren’t difficult questions. I’ve done them with elementary school students and with a little thought and self-reflection they can usually figure out the author’s purpose. Just take a minute and think about it. If you feel like you’re being manipulated, chances are, you are.

What is the tone of this piece and are there any persuasive elements being used to make me feel one way or the other?

Does the video try to scare you or make you feel afraid for yourself or your family? Is the tone condescending, making you feel as if you better believe what the person is saying or else you’re a dope? Is the person shouting or raising their voice in an attempt to get you to see the truth? If that’s the case, try to find a different source that gives you only the facts, something you can double-check on multiple sites. Try these non-partisan, fact-checking websites. They are great for doing a quick check.

Is there any bias to this piece?

First, do a little research on the person writing the piece or making the statement. If that person is linked to one side, chances are their argument will be slanted towards that group or individual and you know you won’t getting both sides of the story.

This requires a bit of research and due diligence on your part, but it’s worth it. Think about it…do you want to make up your own mind on the issues or do you just want to take someone else’s word for it?

I would also recommend that you get more than one source. For example: A few months back there was this wild conspiracy theory making the rounds on the internet that claimed Hillary Clinton was running a child-sex ring out of a pizza joint. Now, before hitting “share” on your Facebook, first you could have checked to see if any of the major news networks were reporting on the story. You could have Googled it. Checked Snopes. This bizarre story, which was later nicknamed Pizzagate, circulated on the internet for weeks, gaining thousands of believers. One man went far as to test this theory by shooting a gun into a pizza parlour! Luckily no one was injured or killed, but it goes to show how dangerous false news can be.

If smart, savvy grown-up people are being taken in by bogus websites and fake news, how we can help our students avoid this trip down the rabbit hole?

We start by bringing media literacy lessons into every classroom – not just the language arts classes but science, music, history, everything. We tell our students, openly and honestly, that there is a lot of stuff on the internet and not all of it is true. And we help them navigate their way around. Yes, our children and youth are good with technology. What they are not good at is media literacy.

Talk about the news with your students. Encourage them to question what they watch, read and listen to. A great activity based website for teachers is MediaSmarts. It offers hundreds of activities to do with children from elementary straight through to high school. It invites them to question what they read and probe for the truth. I’ve done some of these activities with students in both elementary and middle school. The students are always amazed to discover that just because something has been published or put on the web doesn’t always mean that it is true or accurate or ethical.

Critical literacy skills are important for all of us, especially now. Develop your own and teach the next generation. It may be the most important thing you do for your students and yourself.

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book-cover

If you’re looking for more ways to help your students get the most of their literacy skills, check out my new book, Teaching with Humor, Compassion and Conviction – Helping Our Students Become Literate, Considerate, Passionate Human Beings.

Links to the publishers

Canadian: Pembroke Publishers

American: Stenhouse Publishers

Uncategorized

So, NO! Now, what?

October 8, 2016 suburbanprincessteacher

Great advice. Together we’re stronger. Our stories make us stronger. Let’s get out there and share them with whomever will listen to us.

Towards A More Perfect NSTU

So. Here we are, smack in the middle of uncharted territory. Minutes after 70% of voting public school members rejected the latest tentative agreement, Minister Casey made it clear that the government has no interest whatsoever in collective bargaining that involves further negotiation. That, coupled with repeated statements from Premier McNeil in the days leading to the ratification vote that the government will not allow an arbitrator to settle any collective agreement with public sector unions, leaves us with a collective bargaining process with one final chapter: strike action or lockout.

Let’s step back for a moment to consider our lot.

Collective bargaining is traditionally a process that has a continuum of options and phases designed to provide both sides with flexibility and opportunity to find avenues to arrive at mutually agreeable terms. At times, that process is fairly straightforward. In others, these options provide complexity that empowers problem solving…

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Be Brave, Rants, Uncategorized

THE STRAW THAT BROKE THIS TEACHER’S BACK

September 29, 2016September 30, 2016 suburbanprincessteacher

teacher

Hey. Psst. Teachers. Yeah, you.

NSTU members, in particular.

Can we talk?

WTF?

I mean seriously. What the H-E-double hockey sticks is going on?

We are supposedly in “contract negotiations” right now, but from my perspective it looks like we are being handed our hineys on a silver platter. And those doing the handing have their hands out like they are expecting a tip and a pat on the back.

Well, you can put your hands back in your pockets, folks. No tip for you!

Our new contract is basically a dog’s breakfast made up of our old, rejected, contract. It’s like we are being told that it’s new and improved, when really it’s last night chicken and it’s just as rubbery and tasteless as it was the first day it was served and sent back.

The union wants us to trust that they have gotten us the best deal they possibly could, but sadly I lost trust in my union a long time ago.

I, like many others I’ve talked to, have gone to the union for help with a variety of different issues and been told, “There’s nothing we can do to help you.”

The straw that broke my old, decrepit back this time around though deals with an issue so small that it might seem insignificant. But when seen in the larger picture of the culture of distrust, disrespect and a complete lack of understanding of what teachers really do, it actually serves as a perfect example.

It seems there is a rule regarding the reimbursement of teacher expenses whereby teachers are not allowed to earn loyalty card (Air Miles, Chapters, etc) points if they want to be reimbursed for their purchases.

Is this news to you?

It was news to me until I arrived at my current school last year. I have been at seven different schools over the past 12 years (thank you, term contracts – not) and this is the first time this issue has ever come up. But the accountant who deals with our school refuses to reimburse any receipts that show that the teacher has received any sort of loyalty points.

WTF…again.

This is a major pain in the patooty because if you’re like most of us, you just scan your Air Miles card as a matter of course. I love watching the look on the 17-year-old sales clerk’s face when he asks, “Do you have an Air Miles card?” And I say, “Yes, but I’m not allowed to use it because my employer thinks I’m basically scamming the system if I swipe my card and earn 2 cents worth of points, even though I’ve driven all the way here on my own time with my own gas, to buy things I should already have in my classroom.” (Yes, sales clerks now go on break when they see me coming.)

So, I sent a request to my union rep, asking if he could look into this matter. He responded first by saying he thought teachers wouldn’t be allowed to gather loyalty points because of Revenue Canada tax implications (Not true. I checked the Revenue Canada site and loyalty points are not a problem. Check it out. http://www.crarc.gc.ca/tx/bsnss/tpcs/pyrll/bnfts/lylty/menu-eng.html

That kind of annoyed me because really, it took me 5 seconds to Google it and find out an answer.

But the straw that really broke my back was when he said that the union wouldn’t want to get involved with this matter because of the “optics”. God forbid. They wouldn’t want the public to think teachers were gettin’ away with somethin’.

The optics.

Are you freakin’ kidding me right now?!!!

What “optics” would these be?

The one where teachers are purchasing things for their classrooms or their students on their own time, with their own money and then waiting a week/a month to see if/when they get reimbursed?

We should be getting patted on the back for this service, not being treated like we’re criminals who are trying to double-dip the system.

Who is my union protecting? Me or themselves?

See for yourself. This is what I sent to the union asking for their support. The response was a simple, sorry, we can’t help you.

___________________________________________________________

Request for policy regarding reimbursement of teacher expenses to be changed to reflect the reality of teacher expenses. I respectfully submit that this rule is insulting, discriminatory and absurd and ask that it be changed to allow teachers to use any points card they may possess when making purchases for their classrooms.

Fact: Teachers are not “getting away with something” when they use their points cards to purchase supplies for their classrooms. They are giving freely of their time, money and efforts in order to help their students meet their potential. Not reimbursing teachers for valid classroom expenses because they swiped their points card, suggests a lack of respect for people who are trying to do what’s best for their students.

Fact: Teachers are expected to purchase supplies for their classroom using money they receive through school fundraisers or from their administration. They are also expected to use their own time and source of transportation to travel to purchase these items. I challenge anyone to find a teacher who doesn’t spend their personal time and money, driving around purchasing items for their classroom.

If teachers were to charge for their actual expenses when they purchase items for their classroom:

Sample Hourly wage (based on 7 hour day) = $34/hr (Based on what I am charged if I take a day off without pay, approximate salary is $235 per day)

Mileage for school related activities – $0.438/km

Sample interest on money spent from the teacher’s chequing account – 3.2% (variable)

Value of Sample Points cards (ex. Air Miles, Chapters Plum rewards)

Air Miles

1 Air Miles point = $0.10

“It works like this: each time a collector accumulates 95 reward miles, he or she can exchange them for $10 off the bill at a participating retailer. The $10 is deducted after the payment of tax on the total bill.” – Air Miles website

At Sobeys you get 1 point for every $20 spent. So every $20 spent = $0.10 reward. Anything under $20 results in no points earned.

Chapters Indigo – Plum Rewards

Earn 5 points for every $1 spent

1 Plum Rewards point = $0.002

2500 points = $5

________________________________________________________________

This is a sample invoice of expenses for a school learning centre that was not accepted simply because an Air Miles card was used and a Plum rewards card was used. If a teacher commits the unforgivable sin of swiping their points card, they must drive back to the store, ask for a refund, then repurchase the items without using their card, in order to be reimbursed. This costs teachers time, (gas) money, and unnecessary stress and hardship.

Purchases	Cost (tax incl.)	Point(s) earned	Cash Value of Points	Expenses of teacher to purchase product(s)	Invoice
Sobeys Baby Wipes for learning centre (LC) students who require toileting support	$9.18 (incl.$1.20 tax)	Air miles – 0 (purchase was less $20 so no points were earned)	$0.00	Mileage to and from school to Sobeys 14 km x 0.438 = $6.13 Time spent $34/hr x 0.5 hrs = $17	$23.13 (+3.2% interest earned while awaiting reimbursement)
Chapters Indigo Educational games and activities for LC students	$33.69 (incl.$2.26 tax)	Plum points – 157	$0.34	Mileage to and from school to Chapters 36 km x 0.438 = $15.77 Time spent $34/hr x 1.5 hrs = $51	$66.77 (+3.2% interest earned while awaiting reimbursement)
Total Cost vs. Benefit	Teacher would have received $0.34 in points with no cost to HRSB vs HRSB billed $89.90 for teacher expenses

And that’s what really gets my goat: The complete and utter lack of understanding for what teachers do, day in and day out.

Everyone likes to talk about how much money teachers make,“Oh, those teachers. Raking in the big bucks. Only working 10 months a year. What a life!”

But no one talks about how much it costs to be a teacher.

Teachers: How much do you spend each year on your classroom?

What types of things have you bought? Paper, pencils, games, furniture, clothing, food? The list endless.

This isn’t a hypothetical question. Please let me know in the comment section. I really want to know. I know elementary school teachers spend a fortune on items for their classrooms and that junior and senior high school teachers are often paying for large ticket items for their students for trips and supplies.

How much does your job cost you?

Everyone knows that teachers spend their own money in order to ensure their students have a classroom that is set up for their success.

Our Prime Minister (who is also my manservant in an alternative universe) knows this is true.

This past year, the Government of Canada created an income tax category for it. Truly! It’s called the Eligible Educator School Supply Tax Credit. This is, according to the CRA, a “new refundable tax credit calculated as 15% of up to $1,000 in eligible expenses per year, for supplies of an eligible teacher or early childhood educator. Therefore, the maximum tax credit is $150 per year.”

Think about that for a minute. The Government of Canada is saying: We know teachers are spending their own money in order to do their jobs properly and we are willing to give them 15% of that back. What? What?!

While I appreciate the acknowledgement of the money teachers are spending out of pocket, Prime Minister/Manservant, doesn’t this just seem WRONG???

What other group of professionals pay to do their job? And then only ask for 15% of that money back?

Imagine:

Scenario 1:

Jim, the nurse, is finishing up his shift when he realizes that Mary in room 4B doesn’t have a warm blanket for her bed and is all out of Kleenex. He knows there is no money left in the hospital budget, so after work he drives to Walmart, buys Mary a blanket and a few boxes of Kleenex and then goes home to his family – 1 hour later and $30 poorer. He knows the most he’ll ever get back is 15% of $30 ($4.50), but he sleeps better knowing his patient has what she needs.

Scenario 2:

Susan, the lawyer, is cleaning up her desk after her day at work when she realizes she’s out of copy paper. She has already spent the tiny budget she has been given to do her job properly, but she knows she can’t do her job tomorrow without it. So she puts on her coat, walks to the nearest office supplies store, spends $100 on copier paper, and then carries it back to work. Her boss knows she is spending her own money but feels it’s just “part of her job”. She doesn’t get reimbursed, despite the fact that she needs these materials to do her job properly.

Both of these scenarios sound ridiculous, but teachers do this kind of thing everyday.

So, this is my long, round-about way of saying, No.

Just no.

I get that our province is short of cash.

I get that our union feels they can’t negotiate a better deal.

But I’m not ready to say, that’s OK. Kick me again.

I’m too old for this crap. I’m giving 110% and I’m not even earning loyalty points for it.

I’m willing to take the risk and vote no.

We can stand up or we can lie down.

What are you going to do?

cant-scare-me

Uncategorized

Dear Hillary: How Very Dare You!

August 4, 2016 suburbanprincessteacher

Fantastic article.

Social Justice For All

Let me be as candid and transparent as possible: I was a very strong supporter of Bernie Sanders, and until the past four weeks, held out great hope that he would become our next President. Over the course of the past month, I have had to do a great deal of reflecting and ask myself where does this seemingly irrational antipathy for Hillary Clinton come from? Why have I participated in it? After doing some research and looking hard at systemic misogyny, I have had to confront myself with the truth that I bought into a narrative about Hillary Clinton that has been produced, packaged, and perpetuated by mostly the GOP with the help of many democrats and independents.

This narrative is a 30-year-old vilification of a woman who is bright, independent, wealthy, and powerful — a woman who asks for what she wants and needs. How very dare you…

View original post 1,139 more words

Dallas police shootings, Donald Trump, education, gun violence, Orlando shooting, police violence, Rants, Teacher

Teach Your Children Well

July 10, 2016July 11, 2016 suburbanprincessteacher

So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is…fear itself — nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance. Franklin D. Roosevelt, March 4, 1933

Fear.

This nameless, unreasoning terror has paralyzed a nation once again.

In less than a month, the fabric of the United States has started to unravel at a rate that seems unprecedented.

First, we had the mass murder of the nightclub patrons in Orlando.

Then, two black men were shot by police during what appeared to be routine questioning, triggering protests across the country against police violence.

Finally, five police officers were killed, seven more were wounded, and two civilians who were in the wrong place at the wrong time were injured. The 25-year-old shooter, a man who said he wanted to kill white people, especially white police officers, is now dead.

First they blamed the Muslims, then the police, and finally the Black Lives Matter movement that was holding a rally where the police and civilians were shot.

As a Canadian, I can shake my head and tut-tut about the state of the United States of America, but we have our fair share of systemic racism here in Canada as well. We just have much stricter gun laws and an overall mindset that doesn’t argue for the godgiven right of all persons to own and carry automatic weapons just because somebody said we should a few hundred years. (Sweet Jesus, people. The founding fathers were talking about muskets, not AK-47’s. How hard is that to understand?)

It’s sickening and sad and terrifying to think that this is the world we have created for our children. It’s like we’re going backwards instead of forwards. And I blame it on one thing: fear.

People like Donald Trump are pouring lighter fluid on the fire of fear everyday. With every stupid, xenophobic, sexist, racist, homophobic tweet and sound bite, Trump and those like him, make that person who is already afraid of losing his job or going hungry that much more afraid and angry. And people who are angry and afraid, generally, don’t make good choices.

It’s natural to fear things we don’t understand. If you feel that your life is going down the toilet, it’s much easier to blame someone else, someone different from you, than it is to take responsibility for yourself and work to make things better.

Teachers alone can’t fix a society in crisis, but we can do our part to make sure the next generation is raised with more understanding, more compassion, and more strength.

We can do that by teaching them about the differences and similarities that exist between all people. We can help them realize and develop their ability for compassion and teach them to be brave enough to stand by their beliefs so that they can stand up for themselves and others. And we can empower them by giving them the tools they need to make intelligent, well thought out choices and decisions.

As teachers we can ensure that our students – ALL of our students – feel loved and respected everyday. We can cultivate an atmosphere in the classroom where our students support each other, not in spite of their differences, but because of them. We can show them that acts of kindness make us feel good and that being mean hurts us as much as it hurts the other person.

We can introduce our students to other cultures and sexual orientations, so that they can see that people are people and love is love. We need to do this so that they don’t grow up thinking that people who are different are to be feared or reviled. We must do this so that they don’t grow up thinking that the only answers to their problems are those which involve violence and hate.

Teachers can’t change what’s happening today, but we can influence what happens tomorrow. We can educate our students about the world and the people in it and by doing so, rid them of the fear that is so pervasive in our world today.

By doing this, we can show them that there is nothing to fear but fear itself.

Coming September 2016 – Teaching with Humour, Compassion and Conviction – Helping Our Students become literate, considerate, passionate human beings. Heather Hollis (aka: SuburbanPrincessTeacher)

Published by: Pembroke Publishers.

Be Brave, education, Parenting, Snow Days, Teacher

And the Survey Says… Teachers: Speak Up, Speak Out

July 28, 2015July 28, 2015 suburbanprincessteacher

The teachers have spoken and it appears they are a little bit stressed.

A few months ago, I asked teachers to share their feelings in an on-line poll. I received 172 responses from teachers, mostly from Canada, with a few from the US, and one solitary soul from South America.

They weren’t shy about sharing their feelings about the stress that teachers are under in today’s world. It was obvious to me that they all shared the common goal of wanting to give the very best they could to the children in their classrooms.

I have shared with you the numbers and the stats, but more importantly, I have shared many of the comments I received. Some of them were heart-warming, while others were heart-breaking.

Not every comment appears here but I tried to include examples from teachers of different grades, from different areas, with varying degrees of experience.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to complete the survey. Here’s who they were:

1. What grade level do you teach? (169 answers, 3 skips)

Early Elementary (K-3): 56 – 33%

Late Elementary (4-6): 30 – 18%

Junior High (7-9): 38 – 22%

High school (10-12): 31 – 18%

Other: 13 – 8% (includes: resource, learning centre, administration, combined class, substitute, music)

College/University: 1 – 1%

2. Where do you teach? (171 answers, 1 skip)

Canada: 156 – 95%

United States: 7 – 4%

South America: 1 – 1%

3. How many years have you been teaching? (147 answers, 25 skips)

10 – 15 years: 53 – 36%

5-10 years: 45 – 31%

15-20 years: 25 – 17%

20+ years:18 – 12%

3-5 years: 5 – 3%

0-2 years:1 – 1%

4. Organize in order of importance: what is your greatest source of stress right now? (172 answers, 0 skips)

Teachers were asked rank the following items in order from 1 – 7 in terms of their greatest source of stress.

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Inclusion/Differentiation	31 (18.0%)	43 (25.0%)	38 (22.1%)	40 (23.3%)	11 (6.4%)	2 (1.2%)	3 (1.7%)
Negative Public Opinion	27 (15.7%)	29 (16.9%)	29 (16.9%)	32 (18.6%)	39 (22.7%)	8 (4.7%)	1 (0.6%)
Classroom Size	27 (15.7%)	37 (21.5%)	28 (16.3%)	25 (14.5%)	41 (23.8%)	10 (5.8%)	3 (1.7%)
Administration/Employer	35 (20.3%)	19 (11.0%)	25 (14.5%)	34 (19.8%)	36 (20.9%)	16 (9.3%)	—
Personal/Family/Work Balance	33 (19.2%)	29 (16.9%)	24 (14.0%)	29 (16.9%)	22 (12.8%)	16 (9.3%)	15 (8.7%)
Other	6 (3.5%)	13 (7.6%)	11 (6.4%)	5 (2.9%)	11 (6.4%)	87 (50.6%)	29 (16.9%)
I don’t feel stressed	13 (7.6%)	2 (1.2%)	17 (9.9%)	7 (4.1%)	7 (4.1%)	24 (14.0%)	97 (56.4%)

(Results tabulated by Polldaddy.com)

5. Please elaborate on your response to the previous question. If you wrote in an answer different from those listed, please explain. (79 answers, 93 skips)

Inclusion/Differentiation

Inclusion happened and things were fine until all the supports were quietly removed, one by one. Educational Program Assistants were cut so deep that now they are reserved almost exclusively for “fight” or “flight” children. Learning centre teachers have become coordinators of EPAs and rarely work with students in-depth. Resource teachers are so overloaded that they are seeing more kids, less often. We need more in-classroom supports. (Canada, Early Elementary, 10-15 years)

It is simply impossible to meet the needs of every child in your class. We have children with special needs, children who are on individual program plans, behaviour problems, children with anxiety, along with the “regular” children. (South America, Early Elementary)

With less money going to pay for supports in the classroom, it is difficult to differentiate learning. For example, if you have a student who has Autism (all day) but only have an Educational Assistant for 30 min/day. (Canada, Early Elementary, 10-15 years)

Differentiation is nearly impossible in an everyday classroom. (Canada, Junior High, 10-15 years)

I have 28 students in Grade 5. They range from globally delayed (working at the grade 1 level) to autistic (prone to screaming fits daily) to gifted. Planning takes about 4 hours per day to ensure all lessons have been differentiated. (Canada, Late Elementary, 15-20 years)

With so little prep time, how am I supposed to look after/prepare/plan/respect all the individualised plan for all the students that have one? (Canada, Junior High)

Class sizes are too large and there is such a diverse group of learners that it feels impossible to meet the needs of all students on a daily basis. Children with special needs and leaning challenges suffer because of the large class sizes. (Canada, Early Elementary, 10-15 years)

Negative Public Opinion

Every time we turn around, something negative is being discussed in the news and it is never accurate. The media presents it with a biased bent and the so-called experts are not experts. The union does not reply. (Canada, Late Elementary)

I find it demoralizing to hear all the negative opinions on teachers, snow days, summer vacation, etc. I feel like the public forgets that teachers also have families who count on us. Sometimes I feel like they expect my family to come second to their wants and desires for their children. (Canada, Junior High, 5-10 years)

There’s been a great deal of teacher-bashing due to a recent education report and several snow days. (Canada, High School, 15-20 years)

People speak so badly of teachers and disrespect the job we do. They feel it is babysitting and so easy anyone could do it. People also say we are just in it for the holidays. Teachers need to get the respect they deserve! (Canada, Late Elementary, 5-10)

Classroom Size

Too many students per class and too many with too many needs. Also, students are not held accountable and everybody passes. (Canada, Junior High, 20+ years)

I have 27 first graders in my class. I’m expected to differentiate and meet each of their needs. It’s hard. Too many kids, too many expectations that aren’t necessarily developmentally appropriate, and just one me. (USA, Early Elementary, 10-15 years)

My cap is 35 and I hit it yearly. (Canada, High School, 5-10 years)

We have to differentiate and at the same time control what is going on with 30 or more kids in the classroom. Kids are not the same as the where a long time ago. We teachers are supposed to be entertainers and if the kids are not having fun it is ok for them not to participate. (Canada, Junior High, 15-20 years)

Administration/Employer

If I were to try to capture the essence of the problems in education right now, I would say that having a government (hence my identification of employer) that feels it must respond to every social problem by downloading it to already over-worked teachers, who are then held accountable for the fact that the problems persist. Instead of expecting parents to parent, such as making good choices for their children instead of allowing kids to run the show, teachers have become the scapegoats. (Canada, Late Elementary, 10-15 years)

I am always watching over my shoulder as I am unsure of my administration. Admin is always right and our voice is not welcome, especially if we don’t agree. If we don’t agree, we are shut out. We have no voice! Just last week I said to my peers, why don’t they ask us what is working/not working in the classroom with new curriculums? (Canada, Early Elementary, 20+ years)

My main source of stress right is now is cell phones in the classroom. My administration believes that students should be allowed to have their cell phones with them at all times. This means I am constantly policing proper use. In middle school, this does not come naturally to students, so it is a constant battle that interrupts valuable learning time. (Canada, Junior High, 20+ years)

Administration will favour helicopter parents and change teacher’s marks accordingly. (Canada, High school, 20+ years)

The Department coming up with more paperwork all the time and using all of our in-service days to justify their existence to the public. (Canada, Junior High, 10-15 years)

School politics / favouritism/ ineffective leadership (Canada, High School, 10-15 years)

Personal/Family/Work Balance

Fortunately, I feel very little stress from classroom size, negative public opinion, and my employers. My greatest struggle is with balancing work and personal life; I always feel that I could be doing something better if only I had more time and energy. (Canada, High School, 5-10 years)

I often stay late at work and still end up taking things home. My family feels that I don’t give them enough time. I feel that I make a difference in children’s lives, but public opinion is very demoralizing. (Canada, Early Elementary, 10-15 years)

I feel as though I cannot possibly give my students AND my family my best. Somebody always gets the short end of the stick. I bring my students home in my head every night. Sometimes I am rocking my own babies to sleep while crying because I’m thinking about my students putting themselves and their siblings to bed alone. (Canada, Early Elementary, 3-5 years)

Other

How can you be an educator and not be stressed??????? (USA, Junior High, 20+ years)

For other, issues around resources and having to create your own materials/spend your own money to teach the curriculum in the way that is expected. (Canada, Early Elementary)

Administrative tasks i.e. paperwork, non-teaching related tasks. (Canada, Administration/Resource, 10-15 years)

Teaching has become very stressful. (Canada, Junior High, 20+ years)

Another stressful factor, which is not on the list, is social promotion. This feeds the stress and frustration I experience when differentiating lessons. (Canada, High School, 5-10 years)

Admins additional paperwork and no prep time. (Canada, Late Elementary, 3-5 years)

Paperwork!!! So much Paperwork!!!! And only being able to mark students on skills rather than efforts. (Canada, Music, 3-5 years)

Cutbacks and the lack of jobs are a major stressor right now. (Canada, Junior High, 5-10 years)

Paperwork – attendance , exam exemptions , documenting parent contact , adaptations; pseudo-parenting- responsibility, independence, career planning, social skills, gender sexuality issues, cyber bullying, mental health. (Canada, High School, 5-10)

Education is subject to an impossible standard: that all students will achieve standardized excellence. Anything short of this goal is failure, despite the reality that not every human being has the same academic capacity. Students should be held to improve relative to their own abilities. This is not how the system is measured, and thus, we can never met the impossible expectations placed on the system. The apparent lack of support from increasing numbers of parents/families amplifies this. (Canada, Late Elementary, 15-20 years)

Teachers are being passed the buck to raise children, educate them, treat mental health, solve behavior problems, manage their exercise and food intake, and most recently prevent them from joining ISIS ( yeah, couldn’t believe that one either). (Canada, Early Elementary, 5-10 years)

We are expected to be a jack of all trades. Teacher demands are increasing, curriculum is changing constantly, lack of funds mean we pour our own into our classroom, and we get little thanks from the parent. Parents seem to lack responsibility for student success…students have more rights and fewer consequences for inappropriate behaviour. (Canada, Early Elementary, 15-20 years)

I don’t feel stressed

There were a few teachers (8%) who picked “I don’t feel stressed” as their number one answer. We need to find these people and figure out how they did it. One of these respondents said:

I really don’t feel stressed – only at particular times of the year when there is time pressure. e.g. Report card writing and parent-teacher. (Canada, Early Elementary, 20+ years)

6. Do you feel you receive enough support from other professionals at your school, such as teaching assistants, school psychologists, administrators, resource and learning centre teachers, SLPs, guidance, others? (156 answers, 16 skips)

No: 101 – 65%

Yes: 55 – 35%

7. If you feel you are lacking in support, where do you need additional support in order to better meet the needs of your students? (98 answers, 74 skips)

(Note: The responses to this questions make it clear that teachers need more – more support from all of the other professionals in the school system. Teachers are frustrated that they can’t meet the wide and varied needs of the children in their classroom and they are looking for help. It is generally acknowledged that there just aren’t enough staff to provide the supports needed.)

The support we require as teachers must come from outside of the school through a recognition that we cannot be all things to all people. Realistic expectations of the role of the teacher, coupled with a stand on our behalf by those at the board and department level. (Canada, Late Elementary, 10-15 years)

More mental health support, more EPAs in schools, more learning centre teachers, resource, school psychologists, guidance….Teachers are doing a fine job teaching [and they could do more] if they could dedicate their days to teaching and not solving the world’s problems. (Canada, Early Elementary, 5-10 years)

Many of those people are so bogged down with paperwork that they have little to no time to actually do the job they’re supposed to be doing, which is working with students. (Canada, High School, 10-15 years)

The other professionals can only provide the amount of help they are assigned. They try to help everyone but there are not enough of them. We need many more TAs, more resource teachers and in most schools there are NO Guidance counsellors, which are desperately needed. (Canada, Early Elementary)

More planning time with other teachers. (Canada, Junior High, 5-10 years)

Someone needs to make administration accountable! Right now they are not proactive at all, the students and parents are running the school and there is no one to tell or no one that steps in to see how principals are doing. (Canada, Junior High, 10-15 years)

The school psychologists are so overworked that they hardly have a second to breathe. The admin are so busy putting out fires and pleasing parents that they have no time to be present in our rooms. (Canada, Early Elementary, 3-5 years)

More – there is not enough of this support so it is spread too thin. (Canada, Early Elementary, 10-15 years)

I believe that more supports need to be in place for students with weak reading, spelling, and comprehension skills. More supports need to be in place to assist a teacher when implementing individualized programs. I feel that the classroom teacher should be instrumental in providing expertise and challenge in the subject area; educational assistants or resource support should ALWAYS be available to students on individualized programs. (Canada, High School, 5-10 years)

Mental health issues. (Canada, Elementary 4-6, 10-15 years)

8. If your school is cancelled due to inclement weather, what do you think should be done? (150 answers, 22 skips)

1. Nothing should be done. Storm days are a normal part of the school experience: 105 – 70%

2. Other*: 30 – 20%

3. Teachers should prepare on-line lessons for students to complete while they are out of school: 5 – 3%

4. Teachers should prepare packages of storm lessons for students to complete at home: 4 – 3%

5. Teachers should report to school regardless of the weather, even when it is cancelled for students: 4 – 3%

6. School should never be cancelled. Parents should be given the choice to send their child to school or keep them home: 2 – 1%

*Some of the other responses are listed below:

This is a levelled question. High school students who are in semesters would benefit from online lessons or support. Elementary students are fine. They need to read more and stay off the computers. Go outside and play in the snow. (Canada, Early Elementary, 10-15 years)

I feel the need to say that I STRONGLY disagree with every listed option except “storm days are a normal part of the school experience”. (Canada, High School, 5-10 years)

I think teachers could make a reasonable effort to get to their work site; however, if the roads are dangerous then their judgment should be respected. (Canada, Early Elementary, 15-20 years)

After the second day, on-line instructions should be made available to students missing school for winter weather. I live in the South….our Snow Days are a local celebration. One play day is okay and then back to studies!!! (USA, Junior High, 20+ years)

My board remains open always. It is sometimes dangerous to travel, and yet the doors are open to students and the expectation is to get to work. (Canada, Music, 10-15 years)

Expecting all kids to work at home is not realistic. Not all homes and parents are equipped to sit down and do “schooling” with their children all day. (Canada, High School, 10-15 years)

The additional days have already been added to the school year in Nova Scotia. Because of the extension of the school year to 195 days, we already have 10 snow days built in, in addition to those that historically occurred. (Canada, Late Elementary, 10-15 years)

Teachers should make a reasonable attempt to get to their school; however, if the roads are too bad they can work from home. I live close to my school (5 mins) so I would love to be able to work in my classroom on storm days if the roads are clear enough to drive and the school is plowed out. (Canada, Early Elementary)

We are in Canada, for crying out loud! We have had snow days since the 1800’s…why are snow days such a big issue this year? (Canada, Junior High)

9. What would you like the general public to know about you as a teacher or teachers in general? (121 answers, 51 skips)

We work hard for your kids every day. The system is not designed to “meet the needs of all kids”, yet you have to trust we are doing our damn best to try and do this as best as we can. (Canada, High School, 10-15 years)

We are personally invested in your child. We care about them and truly want what’s best for them. (USA, Early Elementary, 10-15 years)

That if you think it is such an easy job to be a teacher and that we have it so easy that you should come into a classroom for a day or for an hour for that matter and see just how easy we have it!!! I love my job and love being a teacher and wouldn’t want to do anything else but it is not an easy job. (Canada, Early Elementary, 5-10 years)

Teachers are professionals, trained in pedagogy. Just as other professionals are trained in their area of expertise. (Canada, Late Elementary, 10-15 years)

That I live this job. I never leave it in the building. I am constantly thinking of/ working on how to improve my performance to help my students succeed. (Canada, Early Elementary, 5-10 years)

We care, we work hard, we appreciate support and do our best. (Canada, Junior High, 10-15 years)

In order to initiate change in the system, you must share your thoughts and opinions. You must not, however, assume you understand the system better than those who work within the system. Do not gripe about the school system to your children- allow them to form their own opinions, not simply echo yours. Teachers are not the only educators – parents and guardians are the first and often most influential educators in a child’s life. Lastly, please read to your little ones. They need it. (Canada, High School, 5-10 years)

I am a hard-working teacher who takes time and consideration to prepare lessons and assignments to help your child. Please support me in doing this. (Canada, High School, 10-15 years)

We can care about your child and at the same time stand up for our rights. (Canada, 20+ years)

I work a minimum of seventy-five hours a week. Four snow days a year does not make me lazy. Besides, I work on those days too. (Canada, High School, 10-15 years)

We love the kids, but we can’t be their parents or therapists. (Canada, Early Elementary, 5-10 years)

That most teachers (not all) spend a great deal of their own time and money to help ensure that your children get the best education possible! We really do love our students, as if they were our own! When we talk about our students to other people we refer to them as ‘my kids’. We love what we do and that is why we are teachers, we are not just in this profession for the summer vacation and snow days. That is a great misconception! Your support would go a long way in boosting our morale! (Canada, Junior High, 5-10 years)

I love my students. Beyond measure. And I want my own kids to have teachers who truly love them. (Canada, Early Elementary, 3-5 years)

I am exhausted. Ask any teacher from 20 years ago and they will tell you that the profession has changed drastically. 20 yrs ago there was no inclusion, no 4-year-olds in primary, and no technology and social media. Teachers weren’t competing with iPads and video games. You were allowed to relax and have fun in the classroom. Holiday parties weren’t banned and there was not as much, if any, of this ‘ data collection’ nonsense. Teachers could teach! They weren’t meeting’ed to death! (Canada, Early Elementary, 5-10 years)

Our hours are not 9 to 3. The majority of teachers spend a couple of hours both before and after school preparing lessons, gathering materials, meeting with other staff to discuss student needs, marking, clubs and the list goes on. (Canada, Late Elementary, 10-15 years)

10. Do you feel teachers are fairly portrayed in the media? (146 answers, 26 skips)

No: 129 – 88%

Yes: 17 – 12%

I am so tired of my heart breaking, it’s to the point that I am almost afraid to tell people I am a teacher. The generalized assumptions about our lives and jobs are so hurtful. And so inaccurate. For example, I have children too. I have to do something with them on PD days as well! So when people take to Facebook blasting us for taking time to collaborate I want to lose my mind. In what other job do employees NOT have time to meet and discuss their work with colleagues? We are often lumped together as a bunch of selfish over-paid, under-working lazy bums who put in time to hang out on ski hills and beaches on our vacations. See us for who we really are, not a negative stereotype. (Canada, High School, 10-15 years)

We need someone to follow us around for a week and report on that. The media doesn’t talk about all of the extra things we do, they just try to create controversy. They focus on strikes and snow days. Rarely do they report on “good news” stories. (Canada, Admin/Resource, 10-15 years)

Teachers fear repercussions for speaking out. Because of this, unless other informed members of society speak out, our voices are not heard.(Canada, Elementary, 10-15 years)

Teachers are often called lazy and accused of having it easy. The media seems to show us through a lens of the public opinion that we work till 3 and have weekends long holidays March Break and summers off. No one seems to realize that we don’t just show up and follow a script. We plan everything we do, correct students work , deal with parents, organize our student things, supervise students , plan field trips, wipe noses do zippers and laces, wipe tears and cuts, help foster independence, friendship and social skills, work evenings and weekends , read professional books to improve teaching , engage in learning activities and professor all development on our own time use our money to buy things to help provide essentials for our lessons attend curriculum nights, concerts, etc. and we only get paid for 195 days. We don’t even get paid holidays like most professionals do. I am just skimming the surface of all teachers do that the media forgets. (Canada, Early Elementary, 10-15 years)

We’re a very modest lot. We do incredible, amazing things EVERY SINGLE DAY. We’re performers, counselors, mediators, models, and teachers. We don’t always flaunt our accomplishments (we often don’t have time and don’t usually feel the need). However, I don’t feel that we are negatively portrayed in the news media (social media is a whole other ballgame, though). (Canada, High School, 5-10 years)

My answer is sometimes. Some teachers are treated like royalty and can do no wrong and are rewarded with wonderful media coverage; however, equally excellent educators are often perceived to be lesser because they are less popular with parents and administrators and these teachers find that almost everything they propose is met with forceful argument and parental resistance (even if it is the same information given to students by the better received staff). These teachers often receive negative press and are seen to be hard to work with and embarrassing to the school system. (USA, Junior High, 20+ years)

Teachers are the scapegoats for all that ails the public education system. The government pushes the idea that if students aren’t performing well on standardized tests, then it must be the teachers’ fault. The general public jumps on the bandwagon with the government. Instead of complaining about trivial matters like teachers getting storm days off it would be more constructive to talk about things like how poorly funded the education system is, how many students do not receive the support they need because there aren’t enough teachers, teaching assistants, guidance counselors, etc. in the system. How about a discussion on how difficult it is for teachers to teach a class in which a quarter of the class shows up high on drugs? Or a discussion on the impact higher poverty rates are having on students’ success in school? Or a discussion on how current discipline practices in schools are simply not working for those students who repeatedly act out and negatively impact upon the learning of others? The media could highlight the real problems with the system, as well as the successes of the system, but it chooses to focus on whatever it thinks will sell newspapers, gets viewers to tune in, etc. Unfortunately those things don’t help anyone at all. (Canada, High School, 10-15 years)

The media makes me feel as though I have it “so good” that I have no right to complain. How about the day I got slapped by a student? Or the day that a student accused me of hitting them? How about the day a parent wandered into my room full of students and proceeded to berate me? Or the time a parent said (within earshot) that I was worth nothing because I was pregnant and not going to be teaching for the year? We get treated like crap, and yet since we have summers off, we’re supposed to suck it up. (Canada, Early Elementary, 3-5 years)

We are SO much more than snow days and summers off! (Canada, Early Elementary, 5-10 years)

Teachers are not portrayed fairly because they are underrepresented. Teachers do not typically represent themselves in the media and our unions and boards do a poor job, since most of those individuals spend little time in today’s classrooms, or speaking with teacher and students. (Canada, Junior High, 5-10 years)

There are bad people in any profession. Teachers are no different. By and large teachers are professionals trying to make a difference for children. The media and “edu-experts” often latch onto incorrect or exaggerated issues to sell their product, and as the old saying goes, “If it bleeds, it leads”. Sensationalism draws viewers, which sells advertising minutes, and simplistic, short news bursts are easier than thoughtful and carefully considered opinions on problems (and positives) in education. (Canada, Late Elementary, 5-10 years)

Teachers are silenced by our collective agreements and our adherence to a professional code of conduct. We are not permitted to speak out or about our employer’s competencies if we wish to continue to teach. (Canada, High School, 5-10 years)

The media slants their stories to rile the general public. Look at all those days those teachers had off because of snow or the average teacher earns X amount and only works 10 months of the year with every weekend off, all holidays and 2 months in the summer. The media is very quick to criticize and blame, but rarely praises or apologizes when proven wrong or unfair. (Canada, Late Elementary, 20+ years)

Tired, and have frankly given up, having to justify my career choice. I still find it difficult to understand why people feel they can tell us how to do our jobs when they have never done our jobs. I am speaking about the public in general, and the self-declared experts who seek out and receive airplay. I must say at the same time that some teachers who are flippantly announcing their storm day plans which involve trips to the mall, etc. are not helping. (Canada, 20+ years)

We are one of the only professions where it is okay, even enjoyed to bash openly. I realize that this is probably the minority, but the others who support us rarely speak out. Media outlets (CBC ,CTV) in particular seem to have a hate on for teachers. Their inability to be creative journalists, means they report on the same things year after year. Snow days are one of these tired news stories. (Canada, Early Elementary, 15-20 years)

The “media” looks for sensationalism therefore what causes the greatest outcry (just or not) is what is followed and encouraged – the needs/best interests of the students are not considered. (Canada, Late Elementary, 20+ years)

I would love for any person who loves to complain about teachers to come spend a day with a teacher so they will have an informed opinion about what we do every day. We don’t just teach reading and writing, we wear many hats throughout the day. (Canada, Late Elementary, 5-10 years)

The Last Word

People will always have an opinion – positive or negative. As professionals, you just need to keep doing your best, every day. (Canada, High School, 10-15 years)

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