Journey's End

Looks like the time for campaigning has come to an end, leaving me with regret about how many schools I simply was not able to visit and how many teachers I just could not reach. I wish I could have travelled everywhere, and I covered as many kilometers as I possible could, but it just was too little time for so much distance.
I really appreciate having met as many fellow teachers as I did, and am grateful for the time you took to greet me, speak to me, give me a tour of your school, and carry my greetings to those on your staff with whom I was unable to make contact. With all you have to do in the run of a day, thank you for allowing me a few precious moments.

Impressed

Over thirty schools in 2 days... the week is flying and I have only scratched the surface when it comes to contacting teachers. But oh! What great things I've been seeing in our schools! It seems that for every need we identify as teachers, we take the initative to provide the service to students. Teacher-directed programs feed kids, help provide school supplies, and offer countless other services, all important. However, we are spreading ourselves increasingly thin. My goal is to see the creation of a system where a teacher identifies the need and an appropriate companion agency offers the service, whether it be social, medical or psychological. We need help in the form of dollars for programs and the experts to run them! We want to do everything, and we're trying, but there simply are too few hours in a day. I admire my fellow teachers for their caring, concern and compassion, but must remind you all--- make time yourselves too!

Hello........I must be going!

What a hectic time of year to try to visit teachers! Sometimes the best we can manage is a wave and a smile. To those who have had the time to say 'hello' and exchange a word or two,thank you. I hope you'll send my greetings and best wishes onward to your colleagues and assure them I'd love to hear from them at their convenience via email or by phone to answer questions or discuss issues.
Thanks again, and may the rain hold off long enough for outdoor recess!

Goals

I've been asked by a few teachers what motivated me to run for this office, and I see that as a very valid question.

Oh my! No one can see it, but I just wrote a twenty paragraph diatribe, trying to explain everything that has sparked my interest in working for teachers. Let me spare you that and answer simply: I want to be a voice for those who cannot or do not speak for themselves.

I have arrived at a point in my career (and it has taken a while) where I have learned to say 'no', both for myself and for others, when simple requests begin to mount up to unreasonable workloads. It's the story of the straw and the camel, but these days, our loads are all we can manage from day one. Too many of us accept overload and burnout as part of the job and this must change. We must speak up for ourselves and for others.

I have been trying to do just that at the local level, speak up for those who are not ready yet to speak for themselves. I feel we must all do the same. No one in this profession is super human, though most of us try to be (some very convincingly) in order to fill the student needs we identify. If we continue to allow those additional straws to be added to our packs, we will break and the students will suffer.

Locally and provincially, I want to see teachers united, helping one another define and redefine our roles. We are not everything to all. We need help and support from those with other areas of expertise. Education needs supports from companion departments and can not bear the burden alone. We need to speak up for ourselves, and I am ready to be heard.

That's why I'm running.

Frustrations and Fears

For how long have we been awaiting increased sharing of responsibility between government departments? Teachers have a right to feel frustrated as our system struggles to cope with needs of students that fall under the purview of medical or social expertise, not covered by teacher training. Not only does our system suffer under the additional strain, but teachers are afraid. Students with life-threatening illnesses that require constant monitoring need professionals in the schools who have been specially trained to manage their health care on a day-to-day basis. When such personnel is not there, it falls to the teacher to take on the added responsibility.
Every day, members of our association breath a sigh of relief as they realize another day has ended safely for each child in the class. Too many, however, fear the day when their first aid skills may be insufficient to meet the need of a child in medical crisis. We need supports from the department of health and we need them yesterday. The time has passed for agreements in principle. We must make our employer see the concerns through our eyes and form the necessary partnerships. Let's get our students the supports they need, without trying to do it all ourselves.

Everything to everyone

No one can be everything to everyone, but the more stories I hear from teachers, the more examples I have of a group of people who are trying to fill that bill.

How long do our students have to wait to see the Distict psychologist, if indeed the District is fortunate enough even to have one! When will appropriate numbers of experts in companion fields to education be added to the education system? All should not fall to the shoulders of teachers nor to the education budget. There has been talk of shared services; it's past time to act on the talk.

Please continue to share your issues and concerns as I travel through your area. This week, I'll be attending a meeting of Branch 0619 Tuesday, and hope to meet many area teachers as I visit schools through the day.

Discussions

A very good question was raised yesterday at a school I visited. Why should it take 11 years for a new teacher to reach full salary? That's a third of a career, and seems excessive!

With so many in the system with fewer than 11 years experience, I see this as an important area of focus for future negotiations. In order to make it a priority, it should come forward as a branch resolution to the AGM where, if it passes debate, it could be referred to the NBTF committee which puts our asking package together.

Deadline for Branch nominations is April 1.