BC Teachers Getting Screwed...Again

[socialist]

Well done there Socialist. With a bit more work on your part, you may earn some respect around these parts. Now, can you do this for a whole month?

One minor grammatical error, but that is outstanding for you. Just for future reference, when you start a new thought, you separate it from the previous thought with a period, not a semi-colon.

That's all you have. ROTFLMAO

[Pct2017]

Ah, Socialist, you simply crack me up. In your whine fest above, you refer to "your" class as between 25 to 30 kids, yet in the very next post you say "your" class is 24 kids. In previous posts you have stated that you do not live in BC, yet you state in reference to BC "We fund our system worse than any other province...." And, your writing style changes dramatically from one post to the next. And what is the deal with picking up the discussion about some budget, and you were not even smart enough to fill in some of the pre-amble that had occurred?

I challenged you to not be lazy and to actually present your own thoughts, so what do you do? You cut and paste the thoughts expressed by others. You are one lazy little teacher!! Are you really so devoid of original thought that you have to resort to plagiarism?

BTW, could you pass onto whoever wrote that she teaches for 7 to 8 hours day in and day out that when the bell rings at 9am and then again at 3pm and she gets 45 minutes off for lunch, that does not equate to 7 or 8 hours!

Are you this lazy at your job? Never mind, I already know that answer.

I am afraid we are going to have to rescind your name of Socialist along with your tag line. I hereby bequeath you the name Plink-a-Plink the Plagiarist. And your tag line henceforth will be "Piss me off and I will expose you, but I will use other peoples words because I am not smart enough to come up with my own".

Edited April 20, 2014 by Pct2017

[socialist]

Ah, Socialist, you simply crack me up. In your whine fest above, you refer to "your" class as between 25 to 30 kids, yet in the very next post you say "your" class is 24 kids. In previous posts you have stated that you do not live in BC, yet you state in reference to BC "We fund our system worse than any other province...." And, your writing style changes dramatically from one post to the next. And what is the deal with picking up the discussion about some budget, and you were not even smart enough to fill in some of the pre-amble that had occurred?

I challenged you to not be lazy and to actually present your own thoughts, so what do you do? You cut and paste the thoughts expressed by others. You are one lazy little teacher!! Are you really so devoid of original thought that you have to resort to plagiarism?

BTW, could you pass onto whoever wrote that she teaches for 7 to 8 hours day in and day out that when the bell rings at 9am and then again at 3pm and she gets 45 minutes off for lunch, that does not equate to 7 or 8 hours!

Are you this lazy at your job? Never mind, I already know that answer.

I am afraid we are going to have to rescind your name of Socialist along with your tag line. I hereby bequeath you the name Plink-a-Plink the Plagiarist. And your tag line henceforth will be "Piss me off and I will expose you, but I will use other peoples words because I am not smart enough to come up with my own".

Your ignorance on the subject aside, this is what educators have to deal with.

[socialist]

Socialist, I hope that you can comprehend that you personally epitomize just what it is that most of us in the general public dislike about teachers. Anytime you are challenged to express an opinion, you very consistently revert to citing loopy left wing websites, or worse yet, you present someone else's cartoons and posters. It takes much more effort and energy to express you own opinion in a forum such as this, but it is just plain lazy to continually refer to the work done by others. And what is the general consensus about teachers? That they are lazy and whiny.

So, my challenge to you is that you go one month without citing other's work, but instead you develop your own thoughts and present them in your own words. Preferably with correct grammar and spelling, but that may be a bridge too far.

Working as a public servant has never been a vow of poverty & we should not feel bad for comparable wage.

[socialist]

Socialist, I hope that you can comprehend that you personally epitomize just what it is that most of us in the general public dislike about teachers. Anytime you are challenged to express an opinion, you very consistently revert to citing loopy left wing websites, or worse yet, you present someone else's cartoons and posters. It takes much more effort and energy to express you own opinion in a forum such as this, but it is just plain lazy to continually refer to the work done by others. And what is the general consensus about teachers? That they are lazy and whiny.

So, my challenge to you is that you go one month without citing other's work, but instead you develop your own thoughts and present them in your own words. Preferably with correct grammar and spelling, but that may be a bridge too far.

So much you don't know, PCT. I'm not surprised though. BC teachers have to fight. This may help you understand.

[socialist]

Socialist, I hope that you can comprehend that you personally epitomize just what it is that most of us in the general public dislike about teachers. Anytime you are challenged to express an opinion, you very consistently revert to citing loopy left wing websites, or worse yet, you present someone else's cartoons and posters. It takes much more effort and energy to express you own opinion in a forum such as this, but it is just plain lazy to continually refer to the work done by others. And what is the general consensus about teachers? That they are lazy and whiny.

So, my challenge to you is that you go one month without citing other's work, but instead you develop your own thoughts and present them in your own words. Preferably with correct grammar and spelling, but that may be a bridge too far.

Here's another one for you to help with your lack of understanding.

[socialist]

Socialist, I hope that you can comprehend that you personally epitomize just what it is that most of us in the general public dislike about teachers. Anytime you are challenged to express an opinion, you very consistently revert to citing loopy left wing websites, or worse yet, you present someone else's cartoons and posters. It takes much more effort and energy to express you own opinion in a forum such as this, but it is just plain lazy to continually refer to the work done by others. And what is the general consensus about teachers? That they are lazy and whiny.

So, my challenge to you is that you go one month without citing other's work, but instead you develop your own thoughts and present them in your own words. Preferably with correct grammar and spelling, but that may be a bridge too far.

[socialist]

Socialist, I hope that you can comprehend that you personally epitomize just what it is that most of us in the general public dislike about teachers. Anytime you are challenged to express an opinion, you very consistently revert to citing loopy left wing websites, or worse yet, you present someone else's cartoons and posters. It takes much more effort and energy to express you own opinion in a forum such as this, but it is just plain lazy to continually refer to the work done by others. And what is the general consensus about teachers? That they are lazy and whiny.

So, my challenge to you is that you go one month without citing other's work, but instead you develop your own thoughts and present them in your own words. Preferably with correct grammar and spelling, but that may be a bridge too far.

The public overwhelmingly supports BC educators and the BCTF to end useless standardized tests.

[socialist]

Socialist, I hope that you can comprehend that you personally epitomize just what it is that most of us in the general public dislike about teachers. Anytime you are challenged to express an opinion, you very consistently revert to citing loopy left wing websites, or worse yet, you present someone else's cartoons and posters. It takes much more effort and energy to express you own opinion in a forum such as this, but it is just plain lazy to continually refer to the work done by others. And what is the general consensus about teachers? That they are lazy and whiny.

So, my challenge to you is that you go one month without citing other's work, but instead you develop your own thoughts and present them in your own words. Preferably with correct grammar and spelling, but that may be a bridge too far.

As an educator, I will not remain neutral.

“The educator has the duty of not being neutral.”

― Paulo Freire, We Make the Road by Walking: Conversations on Education and Social Change

Edited by Michael Hardner - unnecessary image replaced with quote on image

[cybercoma]

Your ignorance on the subject aside, this is what educators have to deal with.

I hate those eCards but this is a really important point that people who criticize teachers don't seem to understand. Assessing teachers' abilities is not as straightforward as some here believe.

[cybercoma]

Working as a public servant has never been a vow of poverty & we should not feel bad for comparable wage.

Teachers have nearly a decade of post-secondary school, as well as all the professional development and additional training they receive while working. Socialist is absolutely right. They're professionals and should rightfully be paid as professionals. Anyone who argues that teachers should be making less than $50k a year is off their rocker. No other profession that requires this level of training is paid so little.

Edited April 21, 2014 by cybercoma

[cybercoma]

So, my challenge to you is that you go one month without citing other's work, but instead you develop your own thoughts and present them in your own words. Preferably with correct grammar and spelling, but that may be a bridge too far.

In other words, please stop presenting me with researched facts. I might be forced to change my opinion.

[Bryan]

Teachers have nearly a decade of post-secondary school, as well as all the professional development and additional training they receive while working. Socialist is absolutely right. They're professionals and should rightfully be paid as professionals. Anyone who argues that teachers should be making less than $50k a year is off their rocker. No other profession that requires this level of training is paid so little.

Most BC teacher pay scales are already a hell of a lot more than $50K, and a B. Ed can be achieved in less than 5 years. No one is saying they shouldn't be paid, because they are already very VERY well compensated for what they bring to the table.

[overthere]

Assessing teachers' abilities is not as straightforward as some here believe.

And it is not as difficult as some would have us believe.

Oh, and the primary purpose of standardized testing of students is to obtain some measure of how they are doing academically. There are many reasons a student or group or students may be below average in a test administered to all students. What teachers unions want to pretend is that one of those many reasons may be substandard instruction by a substandard teacher.

The assessment tools of teachers in Alberta(standard testing excluded) are a joke. The principal or more likely the vice principal spends a brief, prearranged time in the classroom observing the teacher. They fill out a form. Everybody belongs to the same union, The chances of any followup on a perceived defiiciency is nil.

[overthere]

Here's another one for you to help with your lack of understanding.

Source: BCTF research table. Good one!

It's the usual civil service wankathon : we need to be paid more because other people may be overpaid.

Firefighters and cops use this all the time, it works even better for them because there are many more police and firefighter organization to cherry pick examples. There is always somebody paid more than you, as if that somehow is a justification for a raise.

[Pct2017]

Most BC teacher pay scales are already a hell of a lot more than $50K, and a B. Ed can be achieved in less than 5 years. No one is saying they shouldn't be paid, because they are already very VERY well compensated for what they bring to the table.

In regards to the duration of a B Ed, Cybercoma is rightfully taking into account that the majority of students in that faculty have already flunked out of their original faculty, so you really do have to add one or two years. The best analogy I have ever heard about the Faculty of Education at any university is that it acts as the landfill. Send us your cast-offs from science. We will take your failures from Nursing. Bombed out of Applied Sciences, c'mon over. You can get a Fast Eddie in only four years and you will enjoy the more relaxed pace of cream puff courses.

[Pct2017]

Here's another one for you to help with your lack of understanding.

The obvious response to this is - well done provincial government of British Columbia. Keep up the outstanding work. If, in the very unlikely case that a BC teacher does move to another province to make $300/month more, do not worry. There are thousands and thousands of unemployed or underemployed teachers waiting to take her position.

[socialist]

The neo-liberal government is causing this. I hope parents realize what the BC government is doing to their children's education.

http://www.cbc.ca/m/touch/canada/british-columbia/story/1.2614264

[cybercoma]

Most BC teacher pay scales are already a hell of a lot more than $50K, and a B. Ed can be achieved in less than 5 years. No one is saying they shouldn't be paid, because they are already very VERY well compensated for what they bring to the table.

you know you need a post secondary degree before going to get your BEd , right?

[Pct2017]

you know you need a post secondary degree before going to get your BEd , right?

Well, that is true. Here in BC, particularly at UBC, you have to have a 120 credit degree before you enter the Faculty of Education. So there is four years. But, what you are kind of forgetting to mention is that the actual B Ed is then completed in 12 months.

Hence, I am still assuming that if you refer to a teacher attending university for almost 10 years, that is due in part that she has to flunk out of at least one other faculty before fleeing to teacher school.

Edited April 22, 2014 by Pct2017

[overthere]

Well, that is true. Here in BC, particularly at UBC, you have to have a 120 credit degree before you enter the Faculty of Education. So there is four years. But, what are kind of forgetting to mention is that the actual B Ed is then completed in 12 months.

Hence, I am still assuming that if you refer to a teacher attending university for almost 10 years, that is due in part that she has to flunk out of at least one other faculty before fleeing to teacher school.

In Alberta, Its no harder to get into the four year degree program than into other faculties like arts or science. You have to have a BEd to get a job after.

But getting an afterdegree, a BEd, is really hard because they accept so very few students. You need a near perfect GPA to get into the afterdegree program.

[Pct2017]

In Alberta, Its no harder to get into the four year degree program than into other faculties like arts or science. You have to have a BEd to get a job after.

But getting an afterdegree, a BEd, is really hard because they accept so very few students. You need a near perfect GPA to get into the afterdegree program.

Sounds like Alberta is thinking this through better than BC. Our B Ed grads outnumber available jobs by something like 1500 per tear. I have long said that a golden opportunity is being lost by not limiting seats in that faculty to only the brightest and best available. Then, perhaps the future quality of teachers would be higher.

[overthere]

I reckon that overall the quality of teachers is pretty good now. People have different motives for becoming teachers, often a combo of : good pay, great civil service benefits, warm and dry workspace and time off when your kids have time off are some of them. One benefit that women note is the opportunity (here at least) to jobshare or work parttime and take off plenty of time to have kids if you wish.

The best way to improve the quality of teachers is to have any kind of reasonable assessment of actual performance on the job.

You could start by having assessors(pricipals or others) not be part of the same bargaining unit as those being assessed- and have actual consequnces for poor performers, like they have in the real world.

[Mighty AC]

I have long said that a golden opportunity is being lost by not limiting seats in that faculty to only the brightest and best available. Then, perhaps the future quality of teachers would be higher.

I don't think knowledge of the subject matter seriously impacts teaching ability in Canadian schools. The vast majority understand the material well enough to teach it. In my opinion, the best teachers are performers and know people. They make an effort to know their students and understand how they learn, then differentiate and package lessons into the most digestible forms. Add in a dash of humour, plus a pinch of showmanship and you have an engaging effective educator. Triple-E, that's a teacher Preston Manning could get behind.

Anyway, in my opinion, on top of content and pedagogical knowledge teachers should train like the preachers employed by those large gospel churches. Those guys read an audience, command attention and get their message heard. It's time to differentiate and edutain our students. Hallelujah! Praise Trigonometry!

Edited April 22, 2014 by Mighty AC

[Big Guy]

I believe that the best teachers are those who can not only sympathize but also empathize with the average student. In Ontario, the Faculty of Ed reserves a number of seats for those with work experience and other experiences. I have been associated with that Faculty, have supported that concept and seen it prove successful in the field.

The vast majority of those in those in the top 5% academically have been wrapped in the “educational cocoon”. Many have difficulty understanding the problems of the average and poor student because they have never been in that situation. I do understand that there are very many definitions of good and bad teaching. I have found that the most successful in the classroom were not necessarily those top academics but those who could empathize with most members of the class.