news

April 17, 2012

A STRONG YES VOTE STRENGTHENS OUR POSITION

Dear colleague,

We are at a critical time.

Voting on the AGM Action Plan is this week.

A strong yes vote will strengthen our hand in the weeks ahead. It sends government a clear message.

We have been forced into a mock mediation process which imposes the employers’ demands for concessions regarding seniority, post and fill, layoff and recall and evaluation, discipline and dismissal—and will drastically erode professional autonomy and professional development rights.

On top of that, Bill 22 will make working and learning conditions even worse. The legislation wipes out virtually all current class-size and composition limits in the School Act and absolves the government of any responsibility to fund the system properly.

Bill 22 scorns the Supreme Court ruling that the 2002 contract stripping was unconstitutional and robs us of our right to free collective bargaining.

In this context it is crucial that BC teachers unite to resist this devastating bill. I am writing to ask you to vote yes to the Action Plan recommended by the Annual General Meeting for the April–June period.

Our plan is not perfect, but it is a compromise that we can unite behind. The Action Plan is a moderate and reasoned one. The Annual General Meeting combined elements of determination, demonstrative action, fluidity, and flexibility.

Part of the action plan is to continue to work politically to try to change this government’s mind and to inform parents and the public of the devastating consequences this bill will have on education. We are also pursuing legal challenges.

This ballot is not for a full-scale withdrawal of services. It is important for members to be aware that the plan requires the BCTF Executive Committee or Representative Assembly to hold another province-wide membership vote, should any escalation of the plan be contemplated.

Once adopted, the plan can be modified by the Executive Committee and Representative Assembly based on member input or changing conditions.

The plan and further information can be found on the member portal at mybctf.ca.

Susan Lambert

President

May 31, 2010

OPPORTUNITIES FOR BCTF MEMBERS

Evaluators for Educational Software

K-12 Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Modern Languages, Fine Arts, ESL

The BCTF is seeking teachers to evaluate educational software through the Educational Resource Acquisition Consortium (ERAC), a consortium of school districts that conducts evaluations of learning resources under agreement with the Ministry of Education.

For more information, go to http://bctf.ca/opportunities/ERACCommittees.aspx.

January 12 , 2009

REPORT FROM THE PSA TASK FORCE
ON THE PROVINCIAL SPECIALIST ASSOCIATIONS (PSA)

The BCTF Executive, having heard concerns expressed by the PSAC and individual PSAs, decided to create a PSA Task Force in the spring of 2008. The intent of this review was to strengthen the role of PSAs and the PSAC within the Federation.

The task force was charged with the following terms of reference:

To examine the challenges and opportunities facing PSAs
To review BCTF policies, procedures, funding, and services related to PSAs
To make recommendations for strengthening PSA networks at the provincial and local level
To make recommendations for enhancing the role of PSAs in providing professional development opportunities for members.

To read the full report, click here.

November 22, 2008

FOUNDATION SKILLS ASSESSMENT (FSA) VOTE

We, the presidents of the Provincial Specialists’ Associations, met and, after much discussion and reflection on the Foundation Skills Assessment issue, agreed that a yes vote is important and appropriate. We urge you to vote YES on December 9 or 10, 2008 to the following question:

“Do you agree with the 2008 AGM decision that unless the Ministry of Education changes to a random sampling with neither schools nor students identified, teachers will exercise their professional autonomy and not prepare for, administer, or mark the provincial FSAs?”

These are our reasons:

The Foundation Skills Assessment tests do not help teachers teach or students learn.
They take valuable time and resources away from teaching and learning.
The FSA results are misused to rank schools based on a very narrow measure and set up a false impression of public schools, teachers, and students.
The FSA and overuse of standardized testing narrow the curriculum and reduce the opportunities for students to engage in meaningful learning experience.

PRESIDENT	PROVINCIAL SPECIALIST ASSOCIATION
Chris Stewart	AEA (Aboriginal Education Association)
Victor Guenther	AEPSA (Adult Educators’ Provincial Specialist Association)
Sophie Bergeron	APPIPC (Association Provinciale des Professeurs d’Immersion et du Programme Francophone)
Mike Shaw	BCAEA (BC Alternate Education Association)
Michele Roblin	BCAMT (BC Association of Mathematics Teachers)
Sharon Richards	BCATA (BC Art Teachers¡¦ Association)
Sandi Kostur	BCATML (BC Association of Teachers of Modern Languages)
Martin Runge	BCBEA (BC Business Education Association)
Eric MacNeill	BCCASA (BC Culinary Arts Specialist Association)
Mike Galliford	BCCLA (BC Co-operative Learning Provincial Specialist Association)
Judy Herridge	BCDEA (BC Dance Educators’ Association)
David Comrie	BCEDLPSA (BC Educators for Distributed Learning Provincial Specialist Association)
Kathryn Saul-Fowler	BCMEA (BC Music Educators’ Association)
Sandra Huggett	BCPTA (BC Primary Teachers’ Association)
Virginia Ivey	BCRSSTA (BC Rural and Small Schools Teachers’ Association)
Grahame Rainey	BCScTA (BC Science Teachers’ Association)
Raquel Chin	BCSSTA (BC Social Studies Teachers’ Association)
Paul Boscariol	BCTEA (BC Technology Education Association)
Leyton Schnellert	BCTELA (BC Teachers of English Language Arts)
Heather Daly	BCTLA (BC Teacher-Librarians Association)
Mike Silverton	CUEBC (Computer-Using Educators of BC)
Michael Aaku	EAR (Educators Against Racism Provincial Specialist Association)
Janice Neden	LATA (Learning Assistance Teachers’ Association)
Susan Ruzic	PAGE (BC Teachers for Peace and Global Education)
Debbie Keel	PE-BC (Physical Education-British Columbia)
Ray Myrtle	PITA (Provincial Intermediate Teachers’ Association)
Leann Buteau	SEA (Special Education Association)

September 7, 2008

International Teaching Opportunity

Introduction of World International English Xiaoshan Center

“The Qiantang Tide on August 18th is unique all over the world”. Since ancient times, there have been many beautiful stories about the roaring tide. At present, Xiaoshan, located at the south bank of QiantangRiver, gives off a shining light like a bright pearl. As the south gate of Hangzhou, Xiaoshan is not only a place with attractive landscapesand various kinds of celebrities, but also a place whose GDP, Financial revenue, industrial outcomes and other economic standards remain first place in the province. It is a beautiful town that attracts many foreign friends.

The World International English School is located at 3F Jinmao Mansion, No. 398 Center Shixin Road, Xiaoshan, Hangzhou. The location is a golden mile between the old city proper and the new one. The World International English School center covers an area of 1200 m2, with over 30 staffs. A modern teaching environment and a highly-qualified team of professional staff presents a strong appeal to outstanding domestic and foreign teachers. The unique all-round learning method, relaxed and active English content, and specialized professional teaching concepts have achieved wide praise from students and citizens. We believe that we are all friends, and we mutually benefit when we make friends from all over the world. Lots of foreign friends come to World English School to enjoy coffee in the coffee bar and to develop friendships.

Professional foreign teachers are welcomed to join us. We guarantee a high salary. For those foreign teachers who sign a one-year labor contract with us, the first two months are probation periods. We will ensure you a salary of 6000-9000 RMB per month and 1000-1500 RMB for housing subsidiary per month in this period. After this period, we will offer an over 9000 RMB salary per month for full-time employees according to their performances. In addition, we will offer subsidiaries for air tickets and holidays.

One more language, one more channel to learn about the World. “International culture” concept is suitable for the development of Xiaoshan, offering us a new way to learn. We welcome you to join the World International English experience and hand in hand we will enjoy a wonderful journey.

ADD: 3F, Jinmao Mansion, No.398 Center Shinxin Road, Xiaoshan, Hangzhou, China

WEB: www.365world.com

TEL: 0086-0571-82826619

FAX: 0086-0571-82828005

P.C: 311200

EMAIL: hr.xs@365world.com

January 31, 2008

Specialist Teachers:

who are we and what do we have to offer?

An article on the importance of specialist teachers

by

Paul Boscariol, President, BC Technology Association

and

Janice Neden, President, Learning Assistance Teachers' Association

Feb. 20, 2007

Delta Learning Assistance Teachers' Presentation on Bill 33

Concerned about aspects of Bill 33 that work against the principle of inclusive education and negatively affect gifted students, students in the grey area and their learning assistance teachers? Check out this presentation by the Delta Learning Assistance Teachers' Local Specialist Association to the Delta School Board. Please feel free to change the presentation to suit local conditions and send it to your school PAC, school board, district administration, MLA, etc.