So many issues here to discuss. I am a teacher, I do not work for the Calgary Board.
1. The Calgary Board is very mismanaged top down and have made poor decision in the past on staffing, building, etc.
2. The province has underfunded education based on their 'goals' for reforming education. When money follows students you handcuff schools who have students move in after the October 30 transfer (of funds) deadline. When you don't have enough money being put in, you end up with larger class sizes with very diverse needs and less support.
3. SmartBoards are not unnecessary tools. I use them every day. In fact it is all I use. Added to that, technology that is integrated is crucial to student learning.
4. Education Philosophy. If anything is outdated it is the use of text books. They have their place in education, however the shift is to move away from paper copy text books that are made by former teachers and not experts in the field. There is a shift in what "education" is with the it phrase being "21st century learner." In reality the 21st century learner is not all that different. They don't relate to textbooks as much as they do a computer screen. Also the acceptance is that rather than teaching students the information you are teaching students how to attain the information, since it is so readily available. If you think that you can give an 9 year old a computer and ask them google and find the answer to a question, you will be very frustrated.
5. Curriculum concepts are old, horribly structured and in need of change.
6. Only place where we can affect the social structure of the future. Why do you think there is such a huge apathy when it comes to voting between 18 - 40 year olds? Because social action, social conscience and global view was not developed for these people while in school.
7. Teachers will not be replaced. The way teachers teach will change (which it has over the last thousand years many times.
8. There are very few professions in which everyone believes they can do a better job and receive such intense scrutiny. But there is nothing like having a life changing teacher.
9. Eliminating the union would not be beneficial to the school system. The ATA is the only thing right now powerful enough to keep the government accountable to teachers, parents, and most importantly students. If you think the opposition parties in Alberta are keeping the government from cutting more, you are terribly mistaken. There are issues within the system just like anything else...but the benefits outweigh the detriments.
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