BC Teacher-Librarians’s Association

BCTF Teacher Magazine: 2012 May/June

By Heather Daly 

The story of the BC Teacher-Librarians’ Association begins in 1939, when it was founded under the name “BC School Librarians’ Association.” It was in that year, for the first time, that “all forty-nine elementary schools [in Vancouver] had libraries, making Vancouver the only city in Canada with that level of service” (Obee 115). At that time, Victoria librarian Margaret Clay noted that the libraries in schools should include “gramophone records and good periodicals” (115).

School libraries “…became more important in the instructional program, beginning in 1964, due to teaching methods that stressed independent learning and individualized instruction” (Haycock 22). In 1966, “The Department of Education conducted a Survey of British Columbia School Libraries giving support for a strong school library program to support inquiry and discovery learning” (22).

The BC School Librarians’ Association officially became a PSA in 1967, and the association was a founding member of the PSA Council in 1971.

In the mid-1970s, the term “teacher-librarian” was developed in BC to emphasize the teaching portion of the role and that the professional in the library was a teacher and BCTF member; concordantly, the school library came to be seen more as a classroom in its own right. In 1983, the BC School Librarians’ Association became the BC Teacher-Librarians’ Association to reflect the changed role. The term “teacher-librarian” is now commonly used throughout the world.

Today, the BC Teacher-Librarians’ Association (BCTLA) offers:

• a year-round professional development program featuring an annual conference, webinars, and a summer institute.
• the annual Drop Everything and Read day which last year had over 60,000 participants, and other events including Love Your School Library Day.
• social media options, including seven blogs, three wikis, two Twitter accounts, a Ning, and a Facebook group.
• professional publications such as The Bookmark journal, school library position statements, and BCTLA book reviews.
• guides and tools for all BC educators, including The Points of Inquiry: A Framework for Information Literacy and the 21st-Century Learner and Ethics of Information Use: A Guide for Teachers.
• 14 awards and grants, including one to support teacher-librarian professional inquiry.
• resources and statistics to support school library and teacher-librarian advocacy efforts, including the results from BCTLA’s nearly 30 years of annual BC school library working and learning conditions surveys.

It is important to note that from its inception, BCTLA has drawn its strength from its chapters. In addition to the initiatives and opportunities that are offered at the provincial level, the BCTLA’s chapters (local specialist associations) provide professional development, advocacy for school libraries and teacher-librarians, and promotion of inquiry-based reading and learning at the local level. The Central Okanagan Teacher-Librarians’ Association (COTLA), for example, annually organizes the COTLA Author Week, the Surrey Chapter of the BCTLA is involved in the Surrey Book of the Year program, and teacher-librarians in Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows organize Bookfest. Other BCTLA chapters provide even broader service to their communities, such as the Vancouver Teacher-Librarians’ Association’s support for the Intrepid Pens, a Downtown Eastside Vancouver women’s group focused on reading and writing.

The BC Teacher-Librarians’ Association serves as an example to other associations. Beginning in the 2012–13 school year, BCTLA will be the subject of a two-year school library advocacy study sponsored by the American Association of School Librarians. The chair of the awards committee who scrutinized the grant application for the study noted that the research “has the potential to serve as a model for future school-library advocacy.” BCTLA has also recently been invited to join an international committee working to develop a school library advocacy toolkit.

In 2014, the BC Teacher-Librarians’ Association will celebrate its 75th anniversary as a group of “Professionals—Serving School Libraries” in British Columbia.

Heather Daly, president, BCTLA, www.bctf.ca/bctla

References:  
Haycock, Ken. 2008. “School Libraries in Vancouver: Factors Affecting Development.” The Bookmark 48, 2: 19–25. Vancouver: British Columbia Teacher-Librarians Association.
Obee, Dave. 2011. The Library Book: A History of Service to British Columbia. Vancouver: British Columbia Library Association.

Liberal education bills violate charter right to freedom of association

BCTF News Releases: 2011 April 13

In summary, the teachers‟ position is that the provincial government by its legislation unilaterally voided existing terms in their collective agreement, and prohibited future collective bargaining, on the subjects of restrictions on class sizes, class composition (number of special needs children integrated in the class), ratios of non-enrolling teachers to students (teachers not assigned to classrooms, such as librarians, counsellors, and special education teachers), and workload. The teachers say that these matters have a substantial impact on their working conditions. The legislation also affected some other related issues, such as school calendaring and hours and days of work.

Reasons for Judgment

Court rules teachers have right to grieve changes to working and learning conditions

BCTF News Release: 2011 March 31

Court rules teachers have right to grieve changes to working and learning conditions 

Teachers are applauding a decision by the BC Court of Appeal that requires principals and superintendents to ensure that any oversize classes are appropriate for student learning throughout the school year, not just on a particular day at the beginning of the year.

“This is an extremely important decision because it means that the legal obligation to ensure a class is appropriate for student learning continues beyond September 30,” said BCTF President Susan Lambert. “Principals and superintendents must reconsider their determination of appropriateness if the classroom conditions change, or if promised resources or assistance are not provided or are withdrawn during the school year.”

Since 2002, when the BC Liberals stripped class-size and composition language from the teachers’ collective agreements, thousands of teachers have filed grievances in an effort to ensure the teaching and learning conditions in their classrooms are workable. About 15,000 outstanding grievances for 2006–11 remain unresolved.

This case began in 2009, when a teacher in Alberni filed a grievance regarding her Grade 5 class, which had more than the legally allowed number of students with Individual Education Plans (IEPs). Recognizing that the class was not appropriate for student learning, the teacher was provided with an integration support aide. However, the frequent and prolonged absence of the aide made providing appropriate education much more difficult and breached a promise made at the beginning of the school year.

“We’re gratified that the Court of Appeal has upheld our position that teachers have the right to grieve unacceptable class-size and composition, and that appropriate learning conditions must be upheld throughout the school year,” said Lambert. “We are determined to restore these stripped provisions because we know that contractual guarantees are the best way to ensure that students’ needs can be met in classes that are manageable. Both teachers and the public expect changes.”

BCTF public opinion research released last week shows strong public support for restoring contractual language to limit class sizes. Nine out of ten British Columbians believe it is important that BC teachers have a contract that protects learning conditions, and 84% believe that restoration of the right to negotiate learning and working conditions is important. In addition, 70% believe funding for public schools is too low.

For more information, contact Nancy Knickerbocker, BCTF media relations officer, at 604-871-1881 (office) or 604-340-1959 (cell).

Bargaining for our future

BCTF: 2011 March 1

In a recent speech at the British Columbia Public School Employers’ Association (BCPSEA) AGM, BCTF President Susan Lambert, emphasized our determination to renegotiate the split of issues, and our desire for a constructive round of local and provincial bargaining. The BCTF plan is for salary, benefits, hours of work, and paid leaves to be at the provincial table with all other items negotiated at local tables.

Not since provincial bargaining was imposed in 1994 have locals had the opportunity to update “stale” clauses, and to revise and enhance provisions to more adequately address today’s teaching environment. No progress has been possible in improving working conditions, personnel practices, and professional rights including professional development.

Teacher salaries in BC continue to lag further behind most other provinces. In Vancouver, the city with the highest cost of living in Canada, we are $9,981 behind our colleagues in Toronto (5 max.). Closer to home the situation is even worse. At 5 max., we are currently $11,311 behind our colleagues in Calgary and $11,580 behind teachers in Edmonton (where 5 max. will rise to $95,135, and 6 max. to over $100,000 in September 2011). In addition teachers in elementary schools in Toronto get 220 (increasing to 240 in 2012) minutes of prep time per week.

Other occupations traditionally compared with teachers are also outpacing us. Police, firefighters, and nurses have higher starting and maximum salaries than our category 5 in Vancouver.

The October 2010 BCTF Bargaining Conference set as a salary objective parity with teachers in Alberta and Ontario. Teachers need and deserve to be paid fairly and in keeping with our colleagues in the rest of Canada. We have been subjected to government wage freezes and legislated settlements for over a decade. We cannot allow the decline in our salaries to continue.

Bills 27 and 28 enacted in January 2002, which eliminated the class-size and class-composition limits in the provincial collective agreement were challenged in BC Supreme Court. We await the result and hope that the unjust contract stripping of class-size and composition ratios (for learning assistance, ESL, counsellors, teacher-librarians) will be declared illegal. Locals would then be empowered to at least pursue the manner and consequences of the implementation of the class-size/composition limits that currently exist in legislation. Students’ learning conditions are our working conditions.

Teachers will not accept another legislated collective agreement. We want a fair deal at the bargaining table.

BCeSIS Status Update

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZoNAEWOy34

In memorium: John Church

Teacher Magazine: 2010 September

By Gary Onstad  

John Church was a teacher, writer, curriculum developer, school trustee, and strong supporter of public education.

He earned a BA in history and after teacher training took a Master of Arts degree in history. He taught at elementary and secondary schools in Prince Rupert, Langley, and Vancouver where he was social studies department head for 10 years at Gladstone Secondary School.

In 1964, John Church joined the Professional Development Division of the BCTF. He took a leave of absence to be a representative of the UBC Faculty of Education in a CIDA-sponsored teacher training project in Tanzania in 1968. 

There, Church established a teachers’ resource centre and taught social, science, and history methods courses to prospective secondary school teachers. On his return to Canada, he wrote an extensive school library study, “Personalized Learning.” This led to the establishment of demonstration school library projects in Vernon and Vancouver from 1970 to 1975. In addition to his interest in school libraries, Church wrote positively about the curriculum development model that gave teachers a significant role in the process. He was a key player as teachers gained direct and shared sponsorship of curriculum revision.

In the late 1970s, Church was a consultant with the Canada Studies Foundation and chair of the board of Project Canada West. This successful curriculum development project involved 14 teams of teachers and students in four western provinces. The project produced uniquely Canadian curriculum—one of Church’s professional passions. He felt strongly that the traditional British and more recent American influences needed to be balanced with Canadian points of view.

Church’s service to education was recognized in 1982 when he was awarded the GA Fergusson Award, the highest honour granted by the BCTF. The following year, he was granted Honourary Life membership in the Federation. He was also an Honourary Life member of the BC School Teacher-Librarians Association and the New Democratic Party.

Education was a high priority for both John and his wife Shirley Church. She was division head of English and modern languages at Langara campus of Vancouver Community College. They were articulate, perceptive, intelligent members of the education community.

In November 1984, John Church was nominated by COPE to run for Vancouver School Board in a campaign labelled “The school wars.” After years of Social Credit restraint and cutbacks, COPE presented a platform of “No More Cuts!” Vancouver voters responded by upsetting the incumbent and compliant NPA Board and electing a COPE majority. Church chaired the important Education and Student Services Committee.

When the board submitted a “needs” budget $14 million over what the government decreed, the entire school board was fired. But to Church’s delight, in the by-election the government was forced to call, COPE swept all nine seats. The cutbacks were never made.

John Church continued his work in education long after he retired. We will all miss his vision, comprehension, and tenacity. Much of his life was dedicated to support for the importance of public education and we will always honour and respect his efforts in the ongoing struggle. 

Gary Onstad is a retired Vancouver teacher. 

Teacher-librarians on the loose at the legislature

Teacher Magazine: November/December 2009

A group of teacher-librarians representing the BC Teacher-Librarians’ Association (BCTLA) visited the legislature on National School Library Day, October 26, 2009.

On October 26, several MLAs, some joined by members of the BCTLA team, supported Drop Everything and Read (DEAR) by going to Greater Victoria elementary schools and reading with students.

Other members of the group met with Adrian Dix and Shane Simpson in the Opposition Caucus room and discussed with them substantive issues surrounding teacher-librarianship and public education. Vancouver examples proved worthwhile as these engaged the interest of Dix and Simpson. The Vancouver teacher-librarians who were on the team are very familiar with the working and learning conditions of Vancouver school libraries and were able to provide accurate and devastating statistics to demonstrate the inequities between schools (e.g., two school libraries, in schools with similar student FTEs, with vastly different teacher-librarian staffing levels) which are a result of the lack of funding, the removal of ratios from the contract, and the lack of leadership from the ministry (refusal to refresh Developing Independent Learners: The Role of the School Library Resource Centre), all combined with site-based decision making.

Later in the morning, Pat Parungao met with Liberal MLA Richard Lee and showed him the school library inquiry video, created by the Vancouver teacher-librarians’ inquiry group. (http://schoollibraryprogram.pbworks.com/Video-Project).

Meanwhile, the other members of the group visited the Legislative Library and found common ground there talking with the library staff.

The library is spectacular, and still houses a card catalogue and microfiche for items that have not yet been added to an electronic database.

The group worked with the librarians to have a copy of the book, The Fourth Way: The Inspiring Future of Educational Change by Andy Hargreaves and Dennis Shirley ordered, and directed toward the MLAs we met with.

Following this, at the appointed time in the day, the group participated in the DEAR Challenge in the beautiful surroundings of the Library Reading Room.

Members of the team met for lunch with Robin Austin, the opposition education critic, and Diane Thorne, deputy education critic. We discussed a wide range of issues around school libraries and education in general, including class size and composition (and the recent ruling), learning resources selection, support for Aboriginal learners, recent cuts affecting K–12, the overall lack of funding for K–12 including the trustees’ call to delay all-day Kindergarten, and the growing federation of all education stakeholders in support of renewed funding for the K–12 system. Before the meeting, the NDP did not know of the recently exposed Liberal cut to BC ERAC (Educational Resource Acquisition Consortium) ($1.2 million ministry grant reduced to $500,000).

Thorne and Austin were engaged by the description of initiatives under way in school libraries to support learning, such as the automation of SD43’s Aboriginal Education Library. They also seemed very interested in the large number of post-secondary degrees possessed by the team members. It just came up as a comment, but the fact that in particular one team member has five post-secondary degrees demonstrated the expertise of teachers working in school libraries and in the K–12 system as a whole.

We believe that the best part of this meeting was forming relationships that will hopefully continue in some form or another.

At 1:00 p.m., the entire group reconvened and picked up our reservation/seating passes, left our belongings at the security check and passed through the metal detector into the gallery. Very few MLAs were in session on each side of the house. It almost seemed as if the MLAs asking questions were positioned in relation to the MLAs behind and beside them in a way such that when the Hansard TV camera was on each of the speakers it appeared as if more MLAs were in the house.

Private members speeches about National School Library Day were given by MLA Ron Cantelon and MLA Diane Thorne (Coquitlam/ Maillardville). We were happy to hear that Ron Cantelon’s daughter-in-law is a teacher-librarian and that Ron supported DEAR. Diane’s speech presented a thorough understanding of the role of school library programs, mentioning inquiry and critical thinking.

As an aside, we were joined in the gallery by individuals introduced as leading members of the technology industry as well as the leader and deputy leader of the BC Green Party. Kevin Krueger, in his non-answering of questions about the effects of the HST on the tourism industry, mentioned that he had just met with the technology group and that they had told him that they “love the HST”! At this, members of the technology group in the public gallery burst out laughing.

The BCTLA team felt quite at home at the legislature and used every resource in our lobby efforts. We think the BCTF was very well-served by letting a group of teacher-librarians loose on the legislature building. The team proved very resourceful, one of many speciality-area-related capacities, including also a propensity for information seeking and provision, which was employed during the day.

We felt that the visit was very valuable and we look forward to the BCTF pursuing more opportunities to work directly with MLAs, including providing the Opposition with information about cuts to the K–12 system and statistics that may assist the Opposition in their efforts in Question Period and in estimates debates. We were pleased to see this as focus in the BCTF Executive key decisions from October 21–22, 2009.

We were very happy to be able to bring our knowledge to the table in support of BCTF, BCTLA, and K–12 public education in general, and thank the BCTF for supporting our lobbying visit. We look forward to more of our members meeting with MLAs in ridings when the current session breaks. We hope next year to have National School Library Day finally proclaimed, and will begin work early on more MLAs’ participation in DEAR. We do hope that next year they will read in the legislature (not just loudly thump their desks and voice agreement when the suggestion was made that the MLAs read after question period).

Representing BCTLA through the BCTF: Heather Daly (BCTLA president), Karen Lindsay (BCTLA vice-president Advocacy),Moira Ekdahl (BCTLA liaison chair), Val Hamilton (BCTLA web steward), Michele Farquharson (BCTLA continuing education co-chair), Sandra Hedley, Kathy Inglis, Geoff Orme, Pat Parungao (former BCTLA president), Mark Roberts (former BCTLA president), and Cheriee Weichel.

Down with homework

Teacher Magazine letter: 2009 April

Regarding “Down with Homework!” (Teacher, Jan./Feb. 2008).

As a teacher of senior English, I have gradually moved to a no-homework policy (the only exception being the reading of novels, for which there is simply not enough class time). Senior students have athletics, hobbies, social lives, and jobs, all of which are inescapable if not essential parts of modern life. I want to respect students’ needs to become fully rounded individuals rather than being overstressed, always-studying educational automata. Students are given enough class time to do the work, resulting in much more work being done, skills being developed, and attitudes toward school being improved.

There has been no loss of skill or marks as nearly as I can tell, on both in-school assessment and on provincial exams. We have also moved into fully student-directed literature studies,
where students choose the novels and stories they read. We have our students doing 15 minutes of nonschool-related (but for-credit, if students so choose) silent reading daily. The result? Kids are reading more, enjoying reading, and in a school of 1,300, we have 1,200 books signed out of the library at any given time. You know you are doing something right when the librarian has waiting lists for novels and buys more books because the kids have so many signed out—this
in a school with a high ESL population.

The upshot of all this is that giving students less homework and more choice seems to be paying off.

Chris Stolz
Surrey

BC drops everything and reads!

Teacher Magazine: November/December 2008
By Karen Lindsay

On September 2, 2008, the British Columbia Teacher-librarians’ Association challenged not only students and teachers, but the premier, members of the legislature, and people across BC to “Drop Everything and Read” for 20 minutes on Monday, October 27.

For many years, teacher-librarians have organized special school events to mark National School Library Day on the fourth Monday in October. This was the first year they took their celebration to the general public, and the response was wonderful. Hundreds of people signed up on the Drop Everything and Read Facebook page , and hundreds more on the BCTLA’s DEAR blog. People signed on from across BC and as far away as Israel!

Teacher-librarians agree that making BC the most literate province in Canada is a worthy goal. An educated population makes the province wealthy in so many ways. As teachers, they also know the impact that good modeling has on children. Seeing the adults around them put aside business for a few minutes to let pleasure reading be their priority sent a powerful message.

Originally the brainchild of Surrey teacher-librarian Bonnie Chapman, the Drop Everything and Read (DEAR) Challenge was tested in many schools across the province on National School Library Day last year. Hundreds of BC students engaged in silent reading from 11:00 a.m. to 11:20 a.m. that day, and the response was terrific.

“You could hear a pin drop!” “Kids didn’t want to stop after 20 minutes.” This year’s campaign really seemed to capture people’s imaginations. Teachers and teacher-librarians invited
their MLA, the mayor, trustees, their superintendent, local athletes and actors to come and read with their students—and they did! Parents took the DEAR challenge into their workplaces where they read quietly for 20 minutes away from the phones.

Finance Minister Carole Taylor set aside “some pleasurable reading time in the Vancouver-Langara constituency office.” Premier Campbell commended the BCTLA on the initiative.
And Education Minister Shirley Bond celebrated National School Library by taking part in the Drop Everything and Read challenge. At Carson Graham Secondary School in North Vancouver,
students, and staff were joined by Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia Steven Point in celebration of First Nations literacy.

Responses from schools were the stuff that warms a teacher-librarian’s heart. Several schools wrote to say they were going to Drop Everything and Read every month for the rest of the year. DEAR went well enough in some high schools that they are now willing to pilot a daily silent reading program that could become a permanent part of their timetable.

The BCTLA would love to see the DEAR campaign grow so that in the next few years other provinces take up the challenge as well. Given a few years’ practice, I think BC could take
on the whole country in a DEAR challenge! One of the best things about DEAR is the way it puts
everyone on the same page, if you’ll excuse the expression. No matter where you are politically, you can get behind the value of a few minutes’ peaceful reading. If your school was not involved this year, do not despair; DEAR will be back to celebrate National School Library Day 2009.

Karen Lindsay is teacher-librarian at Ecole Reynolds Secondary, Richmond.

PSAs say YES

BCTF School Staff Alert
2008-09 #8
November 27, 2008

Our Provincial Specialists’ Associations provide a source of support and a vehicle for communication for a wide variety of subject and service areas to teachers throughout the K–12 public education system.

Following their recent meeting, the presidents of all 33 PSAs issued a statement on the Foundation Skills Assessment urging a strong YES 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.

Following their statement, they gave the following 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 experiences.

DID YOU DROP EVERYTHING AND READ?

BCTF E-News
Vol. 8, No.3, November 12, 2008

On Monday, October 27, at 11:00 a.m., the BC Teacher-Librarians’ Association was urging everyone to spend at least 20 minutes reading. Fifty reports are in from schools around the province giving numbers of students and staff who participated. At Carson Graham Secondary School in North Vancouver, students and staff were joined by Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia Steven Point in celebration of First Nations literacy. MLA Claude Richmond, Mayor Terry Lake, school trustees, and councillors along with members of the Kamloops Blazers WHL Hockey team joined Sahali Secondary School in Kamloops and were featured on the local TV evening news.

You can read more at http://bctladear.blogspot.com/2008/10/send-us-your-numbers.html.

The numbers tell the story

BCTF: 2008 October 31

http://www.bctf.ca/uploadedFiles/issues/Education_Finance/TheNumbersTellTheStory.pdf

Drop Everything and Read!

BCTF School Staff Alert: 2008 October 14

The British Columbia Teacher-Librarians’ Association is marking National School Library Day by urging everyone to participate in the Drop Everything and Read! challenge.

On Monday, October 27, between 11:00 a.m. and 11:20 a.m., people young and old across BC will stop to read for 20 minutes in celebration of the joy reading can bring.

Studies show that daily silent reading is a very effective way of improving reading comprehension, increasing vocabulary, improving spelling, and broadening understanding of others. “Let students choose what they want to read from a well-stocked school library or from home, and then give them the time and space in which to read—away from the threat of tests and questions,” says Karen Lindsay, vice-president of the BCTLA, who would like to see the DEAR challenge grow to include other provinces.

Groups and schools who decide to participate should contact their local media and highlight the importance of libraries, books, and adults as role models in encouraging children to read.

The BCTLA has created a Facebook page to allow people to make their reading count. Point your browser to http://www.new.facebook.com/event.php?eid=38741982688 or search for “Drop Everything and Read!” at www.facebook.com.

Join with children, parents, trustees, administrators, and politicians in highlighting the need to maintain and reinstate library services in schools.

The Canadian Coalition for School Libraries is unequivocal, “School library programs are being drastically reduced across the country as school boards confront funding shortfalls. But cuts are occurring when researchers abroad have determined that well-stocked, professionally staffed school libraries which remain open during the day are linked to student achievement, reading, information literacy skills, and success at the post-secondary level.”

BCTF Education Funding brief

BCTF: 2008 September 30

BCTF Education Funding brief is presented to the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services

BCTF President Irene Lanzinger, in her presentation to the BC Selecting Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services, urged the provincial government to focus on overcoming poverty, and improving services to children.

Five key priorities are addressed in the Education Funding brief:

1. Eliminate child poverty: set a target, create a plan, and take action.
2. Provide a universal childcare program and fully fund the early literacy programs initiated by government.
3. Restore the level of service to students with special needs.
4. Reduce class sizes so that all children get adequate attention to their learning.
5. Fully fund costs for services that the province has downloaded onto boards of education.

Members can access the complete submission by going to bctf.ca.
http://www.bctf.ca/uploadedFiles/Publications/Briefs_Position_papers/EducationFunding2008.pdf

The Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services is a legislative committee that is touring the province to gather input before the next provincial budget. Members can also have their own individual say on budget priorities by going to www.leg.bc.ca/budgetconsultations. The deadline for submissions has been extended to Friday, October 24.

Learning Roundtable, June 11, 2008

BCTF Report on the meeting of the Learning Roundtable, June 11, 2008

BCTF: 2008 June 25
http://www.bctf.ca/IssuesInEducation.aspx?id=16102

2. Decline in specialist positions

The statistics provided by the ministry showed that the number of non-enrolling teachers had stayed about the same over the past four years. The BCTF handed out statistics that show dramatic declines in numbers of teacher-librarians, counselors, and special education and ESL teachers—going back to 2001–02 when formulas for these positions were in the collective agreement.

The Minister said that was not a useful comparison. Those were collective agreement provisions that the government had eliminated in order to give flexibility to school districts. She ignored the fact that it was budget cuts that made it impossible for districts to maintain the non-enrolling positions and the service they provide.

Specialist teachers: Who are we and what do we have to offer?

Teacher Magazine: 2008 March
By Paul Boscariol and Janice Neden

The term specialist teacher is often heard and used, but do we really know what it refers to? A specialist teacher can be defined as one who has training in a specific discipline taken as a major in undergrad studies or taken throughout the university education program. This training has prepared the teacher with the knowledge and skills necessary to most effectively teach that area.

What is the importance of a specialist teacher? The specialist teacher is extremely important to ensure that our students are receiving the best level of education in that particular discipline. In the case of technology education, a person trained in that discipline knows far more than what the tools and equipment are and how to use them. The training includes how to safely manage a class of students who are in constant motion, using the tools and equipment, performing tasks and operations that have inherent safety risks. This is achieved through both the course of study and supervised practicum in a shop. Another example is that of learning assistance and special education, where teachers have specific training that gives them the tools and skills necessary to identify learning challenges that students may have. The second part of this process is to develop and implement appropriate programs to assist the students to be successful. These are but two examples of many areas where a specialist teacher is required to ensure that grade and age level, subject area, safety, identification of special needs, and learning support of students are effectively met.

The BCTF Provincial Specialist Association Council (PSAC) has identified and supported the need to recognize the importance of specialist teachers in our schools. To that end, PSAC put forward the following recommendation to the Executive Committee in November 2007. This was developed from an ad hoc committee consisting of: Irene Lanzinger, BCTF president; Fran Robinson, past EC member; Pat Clarke, BCTF staff; Janice Neden, Learning Assistance Teachers’ Association president; and Paul Boscariol, BC Technology Education Association president.

PSAC Recommendation—Specialist teachers
That the AGM amend BCTF policy 47.D. 01 to read:

1. That all assignments to teaching positions should be appropriate in terms of the member’s specific qualifications and teaching experience, and appointments should be made in consideration of relevant qualification and experience factors pertaining to grade and age level, subject area, special needs, learning support, and student safety in any proposed teaching assignment.

2. That where teachers are assigned or choose to teach in areas where they may lack specific qualifications and/or relevant experience, a plan of professional support and development be provided through such programs or activities as district/local joint mentoring programs, post-certification training opportunities, and local union, PSA or LSA organized professional development.

While it is the hope of PSAC that specialist teachers be employed in these positions, it is also understood that this cannot always be achieved for a number of reasons. To accommodate this situation, the ad hoc committee developed a second part to the proposed amendment that would provide proper training opportunities for non-specialist teachers who find themselves in such a position.

The Executive Committee, after much debate, deleted part 1 of this recommendation. Part 2 was amended to read:

That professional support such as district and/or local mentoring programs post-certificate training opportunities and local union, PSA, LSA organized professional development be made available when teachers are assigned or choose to teach in areas outside of their relevant experience and the teacher requests such assistance.

It is difficult to understand how, on one hand the BCTF recognizes specialist teachers through the individual Provincial Specialist Associations and through our collective PSA Council, yet they do not want to recognize the same in policy. A precedent has been set with the recognition, in policy, of counsellors as specialists, yet there is a resistance to recognize the rest of the specialists. The intent here is to give due recognition to all, and not to have the counsellors’ recognition removed.

The focus should not be on preventing recognition of specialist teachers, but rather on recognizing specialists in policy and improving the training opportunities and support for those who, for whatever reason, have found themselves teaching in an area they have not been trained in. Within our membership, we have a wealth of expertise and experience that can be utilized to assist with post-certification training opportunities and mentoring programs. Let us not lose this opportunity to recognize specialist teachers.

Paul Boscariol teaches at LV Rogers Secondary School, Nelson and Janice Neden teaches at McGowan Park Elementary School, Kamloops.

Agree? Disagree? More to add? Send us your views (newsmag@bctf.ca) and we may print them in the next issue.

Foundation Skills Assessment—no end of problems

BCTF: 2008 February 6
http://www.bctf.ca/

As Grades 4 and 7 students began writing FSA tests on Monday, the problems came pouring in by phone and e-mail: computer crashes in all parts of the province; administrators denying parents the right to exempt their child from the tests; children walking to neighbouring schools to take the online portion of the test; libraries and computer labs off limits to the rest of the school for up to two weeks while the tests are being written. At a news conference held at the BCTF on Monday, February 4, teachers, a local president, and a retired superintendent raised similar concerns about the Foundation Skills Assessment.

News Conference on FSA

• Nancy Zegarchuk

Students begin writing FSAs--Ministry out of touch with reality

BCTF: 2008 February 4
http://www.bctf.ca/NewsReleases.aspx

Video: Teachers concerned about FSA
http://www.bctf.ca/multimedia/mediaframe.cfm?asset=167

Today thousands of Grades 4 and 7 students in British Columbia will begin writing Foundation Skills Assessment tests. Teachers know these tests are not useful and they take valuable time away from teaching and learning.

This year for the first time, all students will be required to complete the multiple-choice portion of the test online. Some school libraries and computer labs will be closed to students for up to two weeks during the writing of these tests.

“The Ministry of Education is completely out of touch with the realities in our schools,” says Irene Lanzinger, president of the British Columbia Teachers’ Federation. “Many elementary schools, particularly those in poorer economic regions of the province, will be scrambling to find enough computers for all students. Some students will have to walk or take a bus to a neighbouring school to complete the online portion of the test.”

Parents have been calling the BCTF to ask how they can have their child exempted from the tests. Many report being bullied by the principal or superintendent who are insisting that their child write the test. In some instances, parents are resorting to keeping their children at home for the duration of the tests then find that the administrator has administered the test once the child returns to school.

“Parental requests have been completely ignored,” says Lanzinger. “If parents really want this test as the ministry keeps insisting, why are they forcing students to write?”

The Federation is advising parents whose rights have been denied to exercise their right under Section 11 of the School Act to appeal to their school board.
For a detailed backgrounder on the issues involved with FSA tests, please see: http://www.bctf.ca/fsa.aspx


For more information, contact Kathleen MacKinnon, BCTF media relations officer, at 604-871-1881 (office) or 604-340-1959 (cell).

Songs of peace

Making the world a better place
Simon Fraser Elementary School Peace Choir

By Murray Dobbin

Marisa Orth-Pallavicini has been the teacher-librarian at Simon Fraser Elementary School in Vancouver for six years, and today she is also the choir master of the school’s Peace Choir. Both themes—peace and music—come naturally to Orth-Pallavicini. The politics of social justice permeate her life and that of her husband, Vancouver City Councillor David Cadman. And music is key to her life as well, she has been co-writing the music for the Euphonious Feminist Non-Performing Quintet for 12 years. She believes music is a powerful force for good in the world and that belief was at the root of her decision to form and lead the choir.

"The Simon Fraser Peace Choir began in April of 2006 when I had an invitation to bring together a choir to perform at the Opening of the Mayors for Peace and the International Peace Messenger Cities’ conference, which was part of the World Peace Forum in Vancouver in June of 2006. As teacher-librarian at Simon Fraser who had led student choirs in the past, I decided that this was a wonderful opportunity to start a choir with a purpose: to sing for peace, and to try to do what we could to make the world a better place."

Membership in the choir was voluntary and was open to all grades except half-day Kindergarten because of rehearsal scheduling. The Peace Choir’s first concert was performed at the Orpheum Theatre on a Saturday morning in June. "It was a very exciting start for our choir. One of the people who heard us that day was Reiko Ono, a survivor of the atomic bomb dropped on the city of Nagasaki during World War II. She was so impressed with the choir that she asked to come and visit our school."

In September 2006, the Peace Choir members met again and decided to sing for the school’s Remembrance Day assembly. After each concert, membership in the choir is again open to all students, so that students can join after having seen a choir performance. "The Peace Choir meets when we have a concert to practise for or when they need to learn a new song. The repertoire of the choir is now up to 12 songs." They meet at lunchtime once a week and on Wednesday afternoons during the last period of the day. The choir has grown from its original 40 members to 71 and they need to hold separate rehearsals for primary and intermediate students until the last week of rehearsals before a performance because the space is limited in the library.

Word of the choir gets around. Last December, they received an invitation from the teacher-librarian at Emily Carr Elementary School to do a concert. That led to an interest in Simon Fraser’s Student Council (Orth-Pallavicini is their teacher/ advisor) project to raise funds for children in Malawi who had been orphaned or seriously affected by HIV/AIDS. The council was raising money by selling beaded AIDS ribbons made by the children in Malawi and their caregivers. "The students and staff at Emily Carr decided to have a penny drive and sell some of the pins to support our efforts," says Orth-Pallavicini, "The Peace Choir worked on a song, For Nkosi, sung in English and Zulu, and a script explaining the issue of HIV/ AIDS. This was a real challenge for them but it turned out wonderfully."

Teacher newsmag spoke to five of the young students in the choir: James Cuevas, Anika Hundal, Amber Looi, Misa Lucyshyn, and Kieryn Silver. All were enthusiastic about the singing—James revealed, "I used to just sing in the bath tub and in the shower but in the Peace Choir I could really sing." But they were just as excited by the theme of the choir and its overseas project. Misa Lucyshyn said, "What’s important about peace?

The world is not all peaceful. If children see violence every day they will grow up to be violent and afraid. If children grow up in peace they will grow up to be peaceful people that will make the world better and safe."

All five were especially proud that they were helping people in Africa who were suffering from AIDS or who were orphaned by the disease. The impact of the lives of orphans on the lives of Canadian children was obvious. "The children in Africa have just been forgotten," said Amber. "Their parents have died of AIDS and now they just have to find a way to fend for themselves. It’s very sad."

All the choir members have their favourite song, it seems, but one was top of the list for several. That was For Nkosi. The song, written by Orth-Pallavicini and her fellow songwriter, Pat Davit, is a dedication to Nkosi Johnson. This slight 11-year-old South African captured the hearts of millions of TV viewers, when his address at the 13th International Aids Conference in Durban, South Africa in 2000, was televised worldwide. Subsequently he and his adoptive mother, Gail Johnson, established a series of Nkosi’s Havens for mothers with AIDS and their children. Nkosi died in 2001. His entreaty to everyone—"Do all that you can, with all that you have, in the time that you have, in the place where you are"—is featured in the song.

After the choir performed at Emily Carr Elementary School on March 12, the school community raised just over $500 selling the beaded AIDS ribbons. In June 2007, the peace choir recorded a CD of eight songs called Songs for Peace with the support of the parents and the school. These CD’s are still available at a cost of $10 to cover recording and production costs.

For Orth-Pallavicini, the choir experience has been both a joy and a challenge. The biggest surprise? "I had expected the older kids to be the most eager to join initially but was actually deluged by the youngest ones—Grade 1s and even Kindergarten—wanting to join. And even more surprising, the young ones loved the more complex songs and had no trouble with foreign languages (like Zulu). They were fine with complicated lyrics and for many of them English was their second language."

The challenge in the HIV/AIDS project is "...keeping alive the links and connections with real people in Africa. Those personal connections are powerful learning experiences. We get letters from CAYO (Counselling of the Adolescent and Youth Organization) the group on Malawi we work with. CAYO’s Executive Director Fryson Chodzi visited the school last June."

The next major external gig for the Peace Choir will be at the BCTF’s Public Education Conference on Friday evening, January 25. Orth-Pallavicini is a little nervous as any choir master is when challenged by an important performance. But she’s confident her children will be ready.

Murray Dobbin, a Vancouver author and writer, is acting assistant director and Teacher editor, BCTF Communications and Campaigns Division.

DROP EVERYTHING AND READ!

BCTF E-news - October 10, 2007

The organizing committee of the BCTLA 2007 Fall Conference has come up with a challenge in honour of National School Library day, October 22. As host of the BC Teacher-Librarians' Association Conference, the Surrey chapter of the BCTLA is issuing a challenge to the citizens of British Columbia: Drop everything and read.

In celebration of the joy reading can bring, the Surrey BCTLA is envisioning every child, staff person, administrator, and parent stopping to read for 15 minutes at 1:00 p.m. on October 22, National School Library day and International School Library Day.