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Teachers lobby hard for government support |
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 Ontario
teachers have launched a campaign that they hope will improve schools in the
province. Earlier this month, billboards and transit advertisements across the
province began to deliver the message: Teachers say a new, constructive dialogue about education with the Harris government is the only way to achieve the results parents want. “All the education stakeholders have a part in making our schools work, especially government,” says Jim Smith, OECTA president. As part of the 2000 and Beyond campaign, teachers are meeting with MPPs and inviting them into their classrooms to see for themselves what can be done with the right government support. “There are many things that can be done to improve education for our students.”  Smith acknowledges that the message is less confrontational than
teachers’ recent stance, and says that the time has come to build on the
strengths of Ontario’s education system.As a first step, OECTA is calling on the government to support in-service for elementary teachers similar to that now offered to secondary teachers. “The government should provide the necessary training and learning materials for elementary teachers to deliver the new curriculum, Smith says. “Our goals are straightforward. We want our students to get the time and attention they need and deserve, but we cannot do it alone.” Smith says that teachers are doing their part to ensure stability in the school system. “The doors are open, but it is not our intention to compromise the professionalism or personal welfare of our members with this effort.” OTF, AEFO, ETFO and OECTA are involved in the campaign. |
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Special education innovations need permanent funding: McVean Kathy McVean, a special education teacher and first
vice president of OECTA says that plans for Special Education announced January
27 by Education Minister Janet Ecker may be less than they appear at first
glance.McVean cautions that the announcement called for “maintenance of service for students with special needs.” New standards are meaningless if we don’t have new, long-term resources to implement them, McVean says. “The Ontario government must provide permanent additional funding beyond one year as concrete evidence of its long-term commitment to greater accountability and quality standards for programs that support special needs children.” She says information about funding totals for Special Education is vague, adding that the promised one-time injection of $40 million for 2000-01, “won’t even begin to address the current needs. At the moment, boards cannot provide all the resources these students need. I am told that boards are plundering other parts of their budgets to try to maintain Special Education programs that were affected by $1.2 billion in government cuts to education.” According to the education ministry, the province will now:
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 Hot TopicA message from Jim Smith, President OECTAAs you read above, OTF and three of its affiliates (ETFO, AEFO, OECTA) have embarked on a campaign to build support for excellent publicly-funded education in Ontario. As teachers, we want to position ourselves as stewards of quality and accountability in the education system, and to build a social consensus around the key role education plays in the province. We are participating in 2000 and Beyond with our eyes wide open. We know that, despite our good intentions and our desire to work with government and the other stakeholders in education, teachers may face new obstacles as the provincial government works towards its goals for education, goals that we do not necessarily share. In our quest for government support we have not forgotten what teachers in the classroom have been forced to accept. We will not sell you out for the sake of polite conversation with government. This campaign and this approach do not limit our future. If the government does not respond favourably, if it is unwilling to do its part, our options are still open. Public opinion research tells us that Ontarians have no appetite for more confrontation. We also know that they trust classroom teachers to tell them the truth about what is happening in schools today, and why. The public wants to know teachers are doing their best for students, are current and accountable. Through 2000 and Beyond, we are finding ways to tell your stories and to talk about education with the public, especially through community forums but also by inviting visitors into classrooms, talking more openly to parents and MPPs about education issues. We all know what Great Expectations and Great Teachers mean. Let’s define what Government Support and Great Results mean for us. Great results means all students receive the attention they need and deserve so they can reach their potential. Government support is all about respect really listening understanding, and responding to the views of teachers, parents, students and the community about education. Government support means ensuring great expectations are met by properly funding our schools. Finally, government support means showing a willingness to really put students first. With government support we are again running Summer Institutes. Upon our advice, the government instituted a task force on combined grades. I know that you want to see yourselves and your federation as leaders in the debate to enhance the quality of education. We hope that this campaign will bear fruit. We have great teachers. We have great expectations. Do we have the government support we need for the great results we know are possible? |
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 The Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association provides a variety of counselling and related services to help teachers deal with on-the-job problems. As a regular feature we’re presenting some cases from our counsellors’ files. Each is confidential so no names, schools or units are used. Case: A teacher consults the unit president because an angry parent has called to complain that the teacher gave her child a Valentine’s day card. The teacher explained that the card was given as a thank you for assistance the student provided while working on the teacher’s computer. However, the parent is not satisfied and says that she will report the incident to several authorities including the College of Teachers. Advice: The teacher should inform the principal of the parent’s concerns so that the principal is prepared in case the parent calls the school. The teacher is advised to write down what happened, describing all the circumstances leading up to the valentine card, but should not give the notes to anyone, principal, parent or even the OECTA unit president. The notes are only for the teacher’s use if the matter goes further. If the parent files a formal complaint with the College of Teachers or the Children’s Aid Society, or if the board decides to investigate, the teacher should immediately phone OECTA’s Provincial Office or the local unit office for assistance. The teacher should not discuss the complaint with anyone, especially parents or students. Discussion: Teachers should be very wary of giving the wrong impression to students who are impressionable and can misunderstand even the most innocent of intentions. For example, it may be inappropriate for a teacher to give a Valentine’s day card to a student as the spirit behind the card is romantic. As well, the teacher has no control over an individual parent’s reaction. Teachers should be very careful with anything they write (or say) to students; many misunderstandings have occurred with writings taken out of context. Teachers are held to a higher standard of trust and care than most members of the public. They must maintain appropriate boundaries with their students and avoid any relationship that crosses those boundaries. Teachers are role models and must always maintain clearly professional relationships with their students. OECTA’s Counselling and Member Services Department has produced a pamphlet on this issue entitled Relationships: Appropriate and Professional. Members can obtain a copy from their unit president. |
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Role on College Council was stimulating: KennedyWithin weeks, the Ontario Teachers’ Federation will begin selecting candidates it will sponsor for the next round of elections for the governing council of the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT).Teachers interested in candidacy should contact Carolyn Stevens at OECTA’s provincial office at 1-800-268-7230 or 416-925-2493 by March 31. Beginning in 1996, the College was assigned authority to license teachers, accredit teacher education programs, and investigate and discipline teachers for professional misconduct. OECTA’s Donna Marie Kennedy, president of the Ottawa-Carleton Unit, is the first Chair of the Ontario College of Teachers, an experience that she describes as “incredibly stimulating and challenging.” She says teachers should give serious consideration to serving their profession by standing for election to the College. OCT gives teachers a voice in setting standards for their profession and in accrediting professional teacher education programs, while parents and other education stakeholders who sit on the council also have a role in governing the teaching profession. Kennedy, a Special Education teacher who has taught Grades 1 to 9 in schools in Ottawa, Toronto and Maynooth, was one of 17 teachers elected by members of the profession to the College’s governing council. Another 14 council members are appointed from the community by government to represent the public. “Through the Ontario Teachers’ Federation, teachers shouldered full responsibility for the profession in the past. Now the College has assumed that responsibility. Our challenge is to oversee our profession, our professional education and our professional needs and maintain good communication with our members and boost public confidence in Ontario's dedicated teachers." |
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EI amendments - still waitingLast fall, the federal government announced that it intended to make amendments to the Employment Insurance Act that would affect part-time workers and those going on maternity or parental leaves. Although early reports indicated the changes would take effect January 1, 2000, the government has so far failed to bring forward any legislative proposals or regulation changes. The target date for any amendments is now January 1, 2001.In the meantime, OECTA continues to work with the Canadian Teachers’ Federation to encourage changes to the act that would benefit all workers. |
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Safety during physical activity - it just got a whole lot easierBy Gordon W. Stewart“Safety first.” “An ounce of prevention...” “Better safe than sorry.” These thoughts are no doubt in the back of the mind when providing physical education instruction and when supervising intramural and interschool athletic programs. There is surely a high awareness of the importance of safety, but the many responsibilities of teachers these days makes it difficult to always give it full attention. Well, turning safety awareness into action just got easier with recent publication of Physical Education: Ontario Safety Guidelines. The Guidelines have been produced by the Ontario Physical and Health Education Association (OPHEA) in partnership with the Ontario School Boards’ Insurance Exchange (OSBIE), the Ontario Association for the Supervision of Physical and Health Education (OASPHE), the Canadian Intramural Recreation Association Ontario (CIRA), and the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations (OFSAA). School boards across the province now have the Guidelines, and are at various stages of preparing or offering in-service training to assist in implementing them. Nuts and bolts of the guidelines Primary responsibility for the care and safety of students rests with the school board and with the teachers and staff at each school. An important aspect of fulfilling this role is to recognize there is an element of risk in all physical activities and to manage that risk effectively. Following the Guidelines will make it easy for you to do this. There are separate Guidelines for the elementary and secondary levels, with each divided into three areas:
The Guidelines are concise and comprehensive, with a consistent format from one to the next. Each of the Guidelines covers:
Making your life easier
Shared responsibility The sample letter to parents, medical information form, and list of students’ responsibilities can help you involve parents in physical education at your school. Implied in the Guidelines is a broader view of the issue, too. “Just as health is more than the absence of disease, safety is more than simply preventing injuries and accidents,” notes Sue Amos, Co-ordinator of Health and Physical Education for the Halton Board of Education and lead writer of the Guidelines. “Safety is a key element in providing students with appropriate and rewarding physical activity.” For more information on the Guidelines contact OPHEA, 1185 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 501, Toronto ON M3C 3C6. Tel: 416-426-7120; FAX: 416-426-7373. Gord Stewart is a health promotion consultant and author with special expertise in the areas of physical activity and sport. |
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Why preserving Section 43 of the criminal code matters to teachersLawyers for the Canadian Teachers’ Federation (CTF) were in court in December to oppose the application by the Canadian Foundation for Children, Youth and the Law to have Section 43 of the Criminal Code declared unconstitutional. While CTF opposes the use of corporal punishment and has extensive policy supporting the right of children to be protected from abuse, the federation also believes that Section 43 helps teachers maintain a safe and secure school environment for all students. CTF president Marilies Rettig, a former president of OECTA, has these thoughts on the subject. The Canadian public has been subjected to a great deal of misleading information surrounding school discipline and Section 43 of the Criminal Code. The teachers of Canada want to make it very clear that Section 43 of the Criminal Code does not sanction or condone child abuse. The Canadian Teachers' Federation opposes the use of corporal punishment and has extensive policy supporting the right of children to be protected from abuse. Why then does CTF support the retention of Section 43? Section 43 does not confer a right to use force, nor is it a license to hit children. It provides a shield to various classes of persons, including teachers, when the use of force by way of correction is justified. Section 43 states "Every school teacher, parent or person standing in the place of a parent is justified in using force by way of correction towards a pupil or child, as the case may be, who is under his care, if the force does not exceed what is reasonable under the circumstances." In order for a teacher to use this section as a successful defence against an assault charge, it is necessary that:
Jurisprudence has evolved considerably over the past number of decades. Court decisions are generally based on the evolution of societal norms regarding what is reasonable force under the circumstances. These norms have become increasingly more child-centred. The right of the child to protection from abuse is an issue that must be tackled from much broader social considerations than one section of the Criminal Code. There is no evidence to indicate that the existence of Section 43 is a root cause of child abuse or that it encourages abuse of children. Courts continue to insist on both justification and reasonableness in evaluating whether or not the use of physical force by teachers in a given situation is warranted. A significant number of teachers who have attempted to invoke Section 43 as a defence were nevertheless convicted of assault in instances where the courts found that the force used was unreasonable under the circumstances. Teachers deal with many situations during the course of a school day in which physical intervention, be it only a restraining hand, may be the surest and quickest way to control unruly behaviour and to prevent young people from doing harm to themselves or each other. A teacher who could not put out a hand to check a rush for a door or a place at a cafeteria table, to stop a fight or a bullying assault, or to prevent damage to property, would be hard pressed to maintain the degree of order necessary to maintain a safe and appropriate school and learning environment. Any overt action to lessen the authority of teachers would only exacerbate an already serious problem. In survey after survey, teachers indicate that student discipline and problems of violence in the school are on the rise. The repeal of Section 43 would send the wrong signal to both students and teachers. Students who are abusive to their peers, and in some cases to teachers, would receive a message that such behaviour is more likely to be tolerated in the future. Teachers would be more vulnerable to the threat of prosecution and less likely to intervene in, and more likely to ignore, situations that require immediate action. There would likely be an increase in the need for police intervention in school situations as well as a substantial increase in the number of cases in which teachers would be subject to prosecution. It is important to understand that the best case scenario for a teacher accused of using excessive force towards a pupil is a verdict of "not guilty," usually after lengthy court proceedings. One is never found innocent by a court of law. Some contend that a few individuals have used Section 43 successfully as a defence for the use of excessive force. This is not an argument for its repeal. As with any law, a bad judgment does not mean a law is defective. Section 43 remains an essential protection for both students and teachers because it does not apply exclusively to corporal punishment, which the Canadian Teachers' Federation opposes. Numerous situations arise on a day-to-day basis within schools that affect the quality of the learning environment and the safety of students. Such situations include:
For these reasons, reasons teachers oppose the legal challenge to Section 43. Marilies Rettig is President of the Canadian Teachers' Federation |
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Advocates for education needed Classroom teachers are the key to opening new constructive dialogue about education, said OECTA president Jim Smith as he helped launch a new campaign 2000 and Beyond in support of public education. “All the education stakeholders have a part in making our schools work, including parents, teachers and government,” he says. Smith says he is appealing to teachers to help people know what happens in today’s classrooms because polls show that classroom teachers consistently rate as the most trustworthy and credible advocates for education. “Everyday stories about teaching and the advances in education build support,” Smith says. “With parents, community, teachers and government working together, we can make schools better.” This is the theme of the campaign that began this month. Participants who attended focus testing of the billboards and transit ads that appeared earlier in February reported that classroom teachers spoke best about education issues. Smith says that teachers are most effective as advocates for education when they nurture open and relaxed communication with parents and invite visitors into their classrooms. |
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Black History Month - A time for reflectionDeveloping a “broader point of view” was one of the long-term goals of the Ontario Black History Society when it initiated the formal declaration of February as Black History Month across Canada. An opportunity to share the historical and present contributions of African Canadians, Black History Month began in the United States, as "Negro History Week" in February 1926, as a supplement to the school curriculum, through the work of African American scholar, Dr. Carter G. Woodson. His aim was to encourage a greater awareness and understanding of the African experience in America, Africa and throughout the world. Later, in the 1960s, the week expanded into Black History Month to commemorate, through community activities, a more balanced and accurate picture of Black history. Black History Month has been celebrated in Canada by groups such as the Canadian Negro Women's Association, who brought the celebration to Toronto in the 1960s. It is now officially recognized throughout Canada following a unanimous adopted motion in the House of Commons proposed by Jean Augustine, Member of Parliament for Etobicoke-Lakeshore. Writing in the newsletter of the Ontario Black History Society, president Rosemary Sadlier said, “The Black community, while identified by skin colour and heritage, is diverse not just regarding country or origin. Historically and in the present day, there are individuals who are professionals, and those who are blue collar workers, there are nurses and teachers, and there are doctors and lawyers, just as there are criminals. ... Perhaps as we enter a new Millennium, there will be greater emphasis placed on including our history the good, the bad and the ugly so that we can all work from a broader point of view.” Visit the website of the Ontario Black History Society to check out activities marking this special month and resources available to help teachers in the classroom: www.interlog.com/~obhs/ |
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Canadians oppose classroom ads: poll Seven out of 10 Canadians are staunchly opposed to advertising of any kind in the classroom, a recent poll shows and the Canadian Teachers' Federation (CTF) is urging provincial and territorial governments to stop this commercial exploitation of children. "The findings confirm what teachers and educators have been saying all along," says Marilies Rettig, President of CTF. According to Rettig, the poll findings are a serious blow to the growing trend of school commercialism and recent attempts by companies to entice schools with their services and products. "Poll results also show that nine out of 10 Canadians oppose advertising in schools even when attached to the promise of money and equipment if this means students must watch advertising segments during class time. "One example is the Youth News Network (YNN) which has been trying to lure secondary schools with their offer of big televisions, VCRs, satellite dishes and lots of computers in exchange for ensuring that students watch over 12 minutes of YNN-packaged news and information programs every day 10 minutes of so-called news and 2 1/2 minutes of commercials. "This type of approach is fundamentally wrong since it eats away not only at instructional time but holds students captive for commercial purposes. Teachers have said this is wrong. And now the poll results say that the majority of Canadians echo the same sentiment. "It is crucial that provincial and territorial governments restore and provide adequate funding,” Rettig says. The Environics poll, conducted Dec. 22, 1999 to Jan. 16, 2000, was based on interviews with 2,049 Canadians aged 18 and over. Results of a survey this size can be considered accurate to within plus or minus 2.2 per cent, 19 times out of 20. |
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EIC Report: Funding formula needs adjustmentFunding problems in education can be dealt with by modifying the amounts and details of the funding formula, says the Education Improvement Commission (EIC) in a status report about its evaluation of all Ontario school boards released January 25. The report recommends that allocations for ESL and for ‘learning opportunities’ (extra money for students in large urban areas with exceptional socio-economic circumstances) should be enriched. The EIC says, however, that the formula is “a workable framework.” OECTA president Jim Smith says the framework may be workable, but the amount of money in it is not. The province should heed the commission’s advice, he says. “It was inevitable that the formula would need to be adjusted. A one-size-fits-all model is bound to cause problems since we are dealing with the real and individual needs of our students.” “Another report from the Education Improvement Commission reveals the inadequacy of the education funding formula," Ontario Teachers' Federation (OTF) president Barbara Sargent says. "Now we have been given the statistical data to back up stories we hear from teachers." “Most school boards are spending at or above the level of funding the Ministry of Education provides for classroom expenditures," says Phyllis Benedict, president of the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO). That comes at a cost. "Boards are paying their bills by drawing on dwindling reserve funds, by diverting temporary mitigation money and by scraping dollars from other strained lines in the education funding formula," says Benedict. The EIC’s findings and recommendations are contained in the Third Interim Report on the Progress Review of Ontario's New District School Boards. While it is based on all 72 boards, it focuses on those in the Greater Toronto Area, on French-language boards, and on small northern boards. |
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Your PensionMembers on leave (for example, maternity leave) who want to purchase pension for that period must ensure they keep up their membership in the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT) because only members of the college may be members of the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan. A member who does not maintain college membership for the period of the leave will later find it impossible to buy that pensionable time. College membership runs from January 1 to December 31. School boards will not deduct the college membership fee for employees who are on leave when the membership is due. For this reason, teachers on leave should ensure the college has their current address so they can receive the notice of renewal directly from the OCT, and pay it promptly. In addition, members who allow their OCT membership to lapse during their leave will be charged a $100 fee for reinstatement, on top of the annual $90 membership fee. Failure to maintain college membership could also result in the member being treated as a new applicant which may involve thorough record checks before college membership is granted. Important Notice: Applying for your pensionIf You Are Applying for Service Pension - |
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1. Contact Teachers’ Pension Plan Board once you know what your plans are. (NO need to resign yet.) January is not too early for June or August resignations; September is advisable for December resignations. 2. Inform Teachers’ Pension Plan Board of your intended resignation date; request the necessary documents be sent to you. The Pension Board staff member will request your permission to contact your school board to receive information regarding your salary. This is necessary to calculate your ‘best 5’ salary and an accurate pension estimate. As a courtesy, call the school board and speak to the person in payroll who is responsible for reporting to the Teachers’ Pension Plan Board and make them aware that you have authorized the Teachers’ Pension Plan Board to contact them. 3. Once all salary confirmations are verified at the Pension Board, they will provide you with a pension estimate and the necessary documents to sign and return to them. (This process can take several months depending on school board cooperation.) The following documents must be returned to the Teachers’ Pension Plan Board with your signed pension application:
If you are choosing either of the Health Care Plans offered to retired teachers and want to have payments deducted from your pension, ensure that the health care application indicates this option and is returned to the insurance company (Johnson or OTIP) in a timely fashion to avoid a gap in coverage. 4. Your first pension cheque will arrive by the last day of the month following the last month in which you taught. For example, if you retired effective June 30, your first pension cheque is July 31. If you retire on March 17, your first pension cheque is April 30. The Pension Board will send you a summary of deductions with your first pension cheque. After that time, a new summary will only be sent when the amounts change, that is, each January when pension increases to match the Consumer Price Index. 5. Relax and enjoy your pension. Inform the Teachers’ Pension Plan Board of any changes such as in address, bank account or tax deductions, whenever necessary. |
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Lead students to JamaicaIn July 2000, John Mackle, principal of St. Peter’s Secondary School and currently serving as volunteer president of the respected international development organization, “JAMAICAN SELF HELP” is planning to lead a group of interested secondary school teachers on a one-week (July 8-14) learning trip to Kingston, Jamaica. Mackle, who has led student groups for the past two years, hopes to extend the opportunity for faith and international service learning to his colleagues in Ontario Catholic high schools. The cost of the trip will be approximately $1,400 for one week. Participating teachers will fly to Kingston, stay at a Franciscan sisters convent and accompany John as he shows them the various projects where students can work, meet the people who accept volunteers, and join in Jamaican liturgies in grassroots communities. Teachers on this trip will see how transportation and other logistics work, learn how the preparation and de-briefing can be done and experience some of the cultural and environmental delights. “The visits have changed the culture of our school,” Mackle says. “With the support of JAMAICAN SELF HELP and the very welcoming church contacts in Kingston, we have deepened the faith life and the commitment to service among our students.” Contact: John Mackle at 705-745-1358 or e-mail: johnmack@spss.peterborough.on.ca |
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CLC boycotts National PostThe Canadian labour movement has authorized a national boycott campaign against Conrad Black's National Post to bring pressure on Black to settle the strike at the Calgary Herald. The 230 members of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada (CEP Local 115A) and the Graphic Communications International Union (GCIU Local 34M) are attempting to reach a first collective agreement with the Calgary Herald and have been on strike since November 8, 1999. The Calgary Herald and the National Post are both owned by Conrad Black. When he announced the boycott, Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) President Ken Georgetti said, "Black has drawn a line in the sand in Calgary against the labour movement, by his use of strikebreakers and by his refusal to negotiate basic conditions like seniority rights that have existed in other newsrooms across the country for over 50 years. This boycott approval gives the Calgary strikers the tools they need to put pressure on Conrad Black right across this country to resolve this dispute. The National Post is being used to break this strike and we are giving our membership the mandate to bring economic pressure to bear on the Post in support of the strikers." OECTA is a member of the CLC. The unions have been trying for more than a year to negotiate a collective agreement. Money is not the key issue in the dispute. The strike is over the right of these workers to have union representation. The employer has consistently refused to negotiate the most basic provisions of the collective agreement. The Council of Canadians has already endorsed the boycott, said COC Chair Maude Barlow, because of the threat Black's stance poses both to quality journalism and to diversity of debate in local communities across the country. The boycott encompasses single purchases, subscriptions and all advertising. The organizational focus of the campaign is a new website, www.savetheherald.com which allows supporters to cancel subscriptions to either paper, contact advertisers in either paper or to join campaign activities in various centres across the country. The site also links to the Calgary union’s strike page as well as other resources for Canadians concerned about Black's stance in the dispute. Since the dispute began, readership in the Herald has declined 25 per cent according to a telephone survey of more than 600 Calgarians. |
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YNN begins school programYNN, the Youth News Network, began broadcasting its commercial-laden news program into several high schools across Canada in January. Meanwhile, the Canadian Teachers’ Federation (CTF) has reaffirmed its strong opposition to YNN as a crass commercial venture and its committment to working with other national partners to make sure that YNN stays out of Canadian schools. At first glance, YNN seems attractive because it offers schools electronic equipment including televisions, VCRs, satellite dishes and computers. But nothing is free. In exchange, YNN’s news and commercial programming 10 minutes of news accompanied by 2.5 minutes of advertisements is compulsory viewing for students. According to the Canadian Association of Media Education (CAMEO), “the national movement that continues to oppose YNN rejects both the educational legitimacy and morality of forcing children to watch advertising during classroom time (in exchange for “free” a/v equipment) as well as forcing them to watch news programming from unknown sources.” CTF instead supports Cable in the Classroom as a classroom resource that enriches curriculum. “It brings media into our schools in a way we can endorse. Cable in the Classroom is offered commercial-free and, unlike YNN, teachers are free to use the materials if, when and how they choose,” says OECTA president Jim Smith. For information about YNN, visit the Canadian Teachers’ Federation website at www.ctf-fce.ca |
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The grass is sometimes greenerBy Pat Callan, Teacher Exchange Coordinator, CEEF Are you tired of teaching in Ontario? Is your daily classroom routine getting you down? Perhaps a change of scenery would re-energize you and your career. If so, the Canadian Education Exchange Foundation (CEEF) has the answer. A non-profit organization, CEEF facilitates one-year exchanges for teachers, short term job shadowing for school administrators, school partner programs for groups of students, and six-month exchanges for senior elementary and secondary students. This program was run by the Ministry of Education until 1991 when it was divested first to OFEE (Ontario Federation for Educator Exchange) and then to CEEF. What do you need? What is in it for you? Where are the best opportunities? What is involved in the matching process? What makes for a successful match?
What now? If you have questions or want to apply for an exchange, just call 1-800-899-8367 or check our website at www.ceef.ca |
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Canadians deliver educational and medical supportBy Fintan Kilbride, retired OECTA member  Since retiring from Neil McNeil High School in Toronto almost eight years ago I have been working to obtain educational and medical assistance for Nicaragua and Haiti, the two poorest countries in the western hemisphere. Through a network of Canadian and other volunteers it is easy to get a clear, up-to-date picture of the needs, and how we in Canada with very little effort can help significantly. Medical relief is always a top priority. Fortunately, World Medical Relief in Detroit provides a regular assortment of supplies, equipment and fresh dated medicines at between 1 per cent and 2 per cent of cost. These supplies are then shipped by Canadian Food for Children or air-freighted from Toronto at very little extra cost. Another health problem is contaminated drinking water which accounts for over 85 per cent of all illness in developing countries. To meet this need, several water systems have been built in the past year in northern Nicaragua where widespread devastation was caused by Hurricane Mitch in November 1998. These systems were built for less than $2,000 each under the supervision of Toronto volunteer, Paz Gajardo. Paz also emphasizes the need for elementary schools in rural Waslala. With strong community involvement, a two-classroom building can be erected for as little as $3,000. Each has an aluminum roof, concrete floor and louvred doors and windows for better light and ventilation in many cases replacing a porous mat roof balanced precariously on four bamboo poles. In the past year six of these small schools have been completed with the help of Free the Children, the organization started five years ago by then twelve-year-old Craig Kielburger. Because of his regular appearances on TV and his worldwide speaking engagements, schoolchildren throughout Canada and the United States have answered his call to assist disadvantaged children in Central America and elsewhere. In November 1999 Craig was the profiled guest of Oprah Winfrey. In the course of the interview Oprah asked him what are some projects of Free the Children on behalf of oppressed children. Craig mentioned the school building program in Nicaragua, and the minimal cost per school. To the delighted applause of her studio audience, and doubtless most of her 12 million fans, Oprah said, “I want to build a hundred of these schools.” Already plans are being made to build these “Oprah schools” in countries throughout the world where community involvement, and therefore local “ownership,” is the key ingredient. From July 8-22, 2000, I will accompany senior high school students and adults to work among the poor in Kingston, Jamaica. Information about this invaluable experience and any of the above programs is available from Fintan Kilbride, phone 416-322-6248 or e-mail: fintan.kilbride@sympatico.ca. Donations to all the projects can be made through Free the Children, c/o 1750 Steeles Avenue West, Unit 218, Concord, ON L4K 2L7; (Concord is just outside Toronto) phone 905-760-9382; e-mail: freechild@clo.com. Tax receipts are available upon request. |
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 Phys Ed conference: The Ontario
Physical and Health Education Association (OPHEA) and the Canadian Association
for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance will co-host an exciting
professional development event next October, at the YMCA Geneva Park Conference
Centre in Orillia. This professional development event promises to be bigger
than ever, so it’s not too early to mark October 12-14, 2000 on your
calendar. For information, call OPHEA 416-426-7120; FAX: 416-426-7373; e-mail:
info@ophea.orgBeyond the Millennium: From May 13 to 17, 2000, in Toronto, the first international conference to bring those who are involved in media education together with those who produce and distribute television, film and new media for young people. Summit 2000 will include over 120 media education workshops presented by the world’s leading media educators; a five-part introductory course in media literacy (application for accreditation pending with the Ontario College of Teachers). For more information, check out the website www.summit2000.net or contact Summit 2000, 1003 - 60 St. Clair Ave. East, Toronto, ON M4T 1N5. Tel: 416-515-0466; FAX: 416-515-0467; e-mail: summit2000@interlog.com CBC4Kids Teacher's Guide: CBC4Kids has released the CBC4Kids Teacher's Guide, available in print and online. It is designed specifically for teachers who are interested in incorporating the Internet into their classrooms and are looking for a comprehensive resource to help them. The 98-page Teacher's Guide provides extensive Technical Tips, detailed information on how to build a website and lesson strategies based on CBC4Kids content that will support learning outcomes in key curriculum areas. CBC4Kids has established itself as one of Canada's most popular websites for children; one that is safe, entertaining, educational and non-commercial. Free copies of the Teacher's Guide can be ordered online at http://teachers.cbc4kids.ca or by writing CBC4Kids Teachers Guide, P.O. Box 500, Station A, Toronto, ON M5W 1E6. Teacher-of-the-Year: The Toronto Sun is looking for teachers who model excellence in order to honour them as one of the paper’s teachers-of-the-year. Since 1985, the contest has encouraged parents, students and colleagues to focus on positive teaching practices by nominating an exceptional teacher for the award. All teachers are eligible for honours; anyone can submit a nomination. To nominate a teacher, submit the teacher’s name and that of the school, along with a letter describing why this person is special. Send nominations to Dr. Joyce Nesker Simmons, c/o The Toronto Sun, 333 King St. East, Toronto, ON M5A 3X5. Entries must be submitted by March 31, 2000. Looking for HPE resources: Check the Web for resources that fit Ontario’s new health and physical education (HPE) curriculum. The Ontario Physical and Health Education Association offers the HPE Resource Inventory that lets you search for available resources by strand, component and grade. Selected resources have been reviewed by health and physical education experts. Contact and ordering information is also included. Visit www.ophea.org How do you used ECO in your classroom? The Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions (CIHM) is seeking contributions from teachers and students alike who have original ideas to share about how they’ve used Early Canadiana Online (ECO) for class projects. A selection of 10-15 essays (up to 500 words in length) will be published in the spring issue of Facsimile, CIHM’s bilingual newsletter. Some of these essays will also be included as teaching tools on the ECO website at www.canadiana.org. The Learning Page is currently being developed in collaboration with teachers and associations such as HISTOR!CA. Send ECO project ideas for Facsimile and the Learning Page with your name and address, by regular mail, fax or e-mail by March 24, 2000 to: Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions, c/o Alexandra Lewis, 395 Wellington Street, Room 468, Ottawa, ON K1A 0N4; 613-235-2628; FAX: 613-235-9752, e-mail: cihmicmh@nlc-bnc.ca Teaching students about unions: The Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) has produced a program for high school students about unions and operates a speakers’ bureau to bring trade unionists into schools. “Talking Union” offers five modules depending upon the grade level and subject being taught, a program designed by teachers and union educators, on the following themes: What do unions do? Know your Rights; Health and Safety; Unions and Social Reform; and, Unions and Equality. For information contact sstewart@ofl.fto.on.ca; 416-441-2731; FAX: 441-0722; Ontario Federation of Labour, 15 Gervais Drive, 2nd floor, Toronto, ON M3C 1Y8. |
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 Feeling isolated because of the demands of your new career? Want to explore educational issues with teachers beyond your own school walls? The Education Network of Ontario (ENO/REO) facilitates computer-based electronic conferencing providing opportunities for educators to network and discuss issues. Created by the Ontario Teachers’ Federation in 1992, the network offers dozens of electronic conferences addressing topics ranging from curriculum, organizational issues, leadership, student projects and many more. “Nowhere else will you find the breadth and depth of online discussion geared specifically to the educational community in Ontario,” says ENO. Everyone who works or who is involved in a formal role in publicly funded elementary or secondary education in Ontario is eligible to become an ENO/REO member with a private account. Teachers who are not currently employed but who are in possession of a current Ontario College of Teachers Certificate of Qualification and are involved in ENO-sponsored projects are also eligible to become ENO/REO members. Members must limit their usage to educational pursuits and work offline as much as possible. To become an ENO/REO member, complete the ENO Application form (complete all the fields on the form) on the site: www.enoreo.on.ca. In order to reduce processing time and the use of paper, the network no longer accepts faxed or mailed application forms. Once you have submitted the form, you will be given a Registration Confirmation Number that can be used to check the status of your application and to receive your account information using the Membership Application Status form. ENO/REO — Your conference headquarters Only ENO members may read or contribute to conferences. To get into them, you'll be asked for your usercode and password. Conferences are secure; they are personal. That means all members are identified with first and last names. No one gets to hide behind nicknames like MajorPat or Skibuff. The network thinks that encourages personal responsibility and professional discussion. Nonetheless, online talk tends to drift and repeat itself and sometimes explode. To keep from total chaos, the conferences have moderators. This person makes members feel welcome and guides the discussion unobtrusively. She or he knows a thing or two about computers and has an interest in the conference topic, but isn't usually a techie. Several times each month ENO/REO publishes brief summaries of activities on a number of the conferences and projects it hosts for members. The summaries are provided by the moderators and project leaders. Conferences have been created for work in policy and curriculum areas. ENO also maintains a number of conferences that have been useful to members over the years. In conferences where there is no formal moderation, members are invited to take shared leadership roles to introduce, organize and discuss topics of interest related to the focus of the conferences. ENO is bilingual. Most of the conferences are in English, because most of our members are English-speaking. Some are in French. And some are in both languages. (The names of English conferences start with eno, the French ones with reo, and the bilingual ones with enoreo.) The scope is immense, since ENO is open to educators from both elementary and secondary schools, both separate and public boards, both French and English systems. ENO runs about 150 conferences. You can: argue secondary school reform with a staffer from the Ministry of Education; put your feet up in the virtual lounge, the spot for informal chat; get a provincial perspective about the Ontario College of Teachers; pursue new interests from distance ed. to genealogy to the classics; talk to the experts, such as Grant Wiggins, an internationally known expert in student assessment. For further information about ENO conferences, please contact John Izatt johnizat@enoreo.on.ca. Or check out www.enoreo.on.ca |
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| MARCH 3 Parenting and Power, lecture by Dr. Kieran Bonner. Contact: St. Jerome’s University, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G3; 519-884-8111, ext. 259; FAX 519-884-5759. 31-April 1 Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario Kindergarten Years Conference. Mississauga Convention Centre. Contact: Nancy Wannamaker or Jim McMahon, 1-888-838-3836; FAX: 416-642-2224; www.etfo.on.ca APRIL 1 Halton District School Board, Halton Catholic District School Board, Region of Halton & Halton Social Planning Council 5th Annual For the Love of Literacy Conference. Iroquois Ridge High School, Oakville, Ontario. Contact: Mary Marshall, 905-335-3663, ext. 3251; e-mail: Marshallm@mail.hatonbe.on.ca 7 The Next Pope: The Papacy in the New Millennium, lecture by John Wilkins, Editor, The Tablet. Contact: St. Jerome’s University, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G3; 519-884-8111, ext. 259; FAX 519-884-5759. 10-11 Ontario Association for Students at Risk conference: "Let's Talk About Change." Delta Airport Hotel, Toronto. Contact: Carol Carr, 1-877-741-4577, ext. 2183; FAX: 705-760-8665; e-mail: carol_carr@kpr.edu.on.ca; www.oasar.org 13-15 Ontario Co-operative Education Association School To Future: OCEA Spring Conference. Alliston, Ontario. Contact: 705-325-3823; FAX: 705-325-3823. 14-15 "The Junior Child: Yours To Discover" cpnference. OISE, Toronto. Contact: Jill Snider, 519-570-0003, ext. 4266; e-mail: jill_snider@wrdsb.edu.on.ca 14-18 Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, annual TESOL conference. Vancouver, BC. Contact: TESOL 703- 836-0774; FAX: 703- 836-7864; e-mail tesol@tesol.edu or conv@tesol.edu; www.tesol.edu/conv/ t2000.html 29 Design & Technology Teachers of Ontario conference. Don View Middle School, 20 Evermede Drive, Toronto. Contact: Rick Kirkpatrick, 519-673-1080; e-mail: rickkirk@enoreo.on.ca; www.wincom.net/dtto/confer2000.html 29 Bridging the Millennium, Canadian Association for the Practical Study of Law in Education (CAPSLE) conference. Charlottetown, P.E.I. Contact: 905-873-7414; FAX 905-873-0662; e-mail: capsle@aztec-net.com 29 Science Now! Conference for Ontario Elementary School Teachers. Althouse College, University of Western Ontario. Contact: Sue Schofield, 519-661-4029; FAX: 519-661-3490; e-mail: sjschofi@julian.uwo.ca; www.letstalkscience.uwo.ca MAY 1-3 “Back-to-Work Transitions 2000,” Canadian Institute for Occupational Development in Education international conference. Toronto Colony Hotel. Contact: School-to-Work Transitions 2000, 500 The East Mall, Etobicoke, ON M9B 2C4; 1-800-648-9888; www.school-to-work2000.com 4-6 Curriculum 2000, “Beyond Horizons.” Blue Mountain Resorts, Collingwood. Contact: Lynn Strangway, 705-445-0811; e-mail: strnwy@connex.net; http://mariposa.scdsb.on.ca/cc00 6-7 Ontario Society for Environmental Education Conference 2000: Teaching for a Sustainable Future. Waterloo. Contact: 519-743-1234; e-mail: carolyn_pearce@wrdsb.edu.on.ca; www.osee.org 11-12 Equity in the Classroom, Equity in the Curriculum conference. York University, main campus, 4700 Keele Street, North York. Plenary speakers: Shyam Selvadurai, author and Roberta Jamieson, former ombudsman, Ontario Government. Contact: Marlene Richman, Coordinator, 416-736-2100, ext. 40204; e-mail: mrichman@yorku.ca 13-17 Summit 2000 “Children, Youth and the Media,” first international conference on media education. Metro Convention Centre, Toronto. Contact: www.summit2000.net, or Summit 2000, 60 St. Clair Avenue East, Suite 1003, Toronto ON M4T 1N5, 416-515-0466; FAX 416-515-0467; e-mail: summit2000@interlog.com JUNE 19-21 “What’s Hot? Complexity and Change in Sexuality and Sexual Health,” Annual Guelph Conference and Training Institute on Sexuality. Contact: Office of Open Learning, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1; 519-767-5000; FAX 519-767-1114; e-mail: info@opening.uoguelph.ca; www.open.uoguelph.ca/sexconf 23-25 Saskatoon Grads! Teachers’ College, Normal School Reunion. All years. Send $10.00 registration fee to W. Willems, 904 ? 405 5th Ave. N., Saskatoon, SK S7K 6Z3 with name, maiden name, address, phone, year of graduation. JULY 15-22 “Birds of a Feather - Go where together?” Huntsman Marine Science Centre Summer Institute, St. Andrews, NB. Contact: Tracey Dean, Public Education, HMSC, 1 Lower Campus Road, St. Andrews, NB E5B 2L7; 506-529-1200; FAX 506-529-1212; e-mail: huntsman@nbnet.nb.ca; www.unb.ca/huntsman AUGUST 5-12 Marine Science Summer Institute. Huntsman Marine Science Centre Summer Institute, St. Andrews, NB. Contact: Tracey Dean, Public Education, HMSC, 1 Lower Campus Road, St. Andrews, NB E5B 2L7; 506-529-1200; FAX: 506-529-1212; e-mail: huntsman@nbnet.nb.ca; www.unb.ca/huntsman 21-23 am + Oct. 27 “Principal as Assessor: Results-Based Leadership” sponsored by Assessment Training Consortium in Toronto. Contact: Dr. Pat Crawford, Phone/FAX: 416-429-1422; e-mail: p.crawford@sympatico.ca 23-25 am + Oct. 26 “Principal as Assessor: Results-Based Leadership” sponsored by Assessment Training Consortium in Waterloo. Contact: Dr. Pat Crawford, Phone/FAX 416-429-1422; e-mail: p.crawford@sympatico.ca |
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NoticesBe an OTF-sponsored candidate for the elections
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QECO and OTF movedThe Qualifications Evaluation Council of Ontario (QECO) and
the Ontario Teachers’ Federation, (OTF) have a new address. Please send
all correspondence to QECO: 416-323-1969; 1-800-385-1030 |
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