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Originally Posted by Flickered Flame
I am not surprised at some of the comments towards the teaching profession in this thread because usually, people who have never done it, never really understand what it actually takes to be a teacher. It doesn't help when the government of this province is very good at making teachers look bad, which is the case right now. Because us teachers didn't give up our raise, the government has cut small class initiatives. People and parents see that as the teachers being greedy. The reality is when teachers signed their 5 year contracts, 4 years ago, it was the government who proposed the yearly % increase based on the weekly index but now they want to take it back because they have mismanaged their finances?
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I'm not sure if it's necessarily greedy, but we do see it as out of touch with reality. The global economy has changed since you signed your last contract four years ago. It would be pretty strange to expect any increases with nothing in the news for the past two or three years but talk of a poor economy. The government has made some mistakes with their finances for sure, but to pin Alberta's financial state entirely on mismanagement is not fair.
Bonuses in the private sector have all decreased since 2007. I've heard teachers defend their compensation versus the private sector on the basis that they don't get bonuses. Well, bonuses have decreased since your last bonus signing.
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Originally Posted by Flickered Flame
the end, the government can hold back as much money as they want because I will continue to make a difference in teenagers lives. I will continue to teach my kids how to be problem solvers rather than spoon feed them answers, I will continue to coach both basketball and badminton, I will continue to be the technology lead teacher in my school so that I can help other teachers become more proficient in using technology in their classrooms, I will continue to teach concepts with outside of the box lessons, I will continue to be a counselor to those students who have behaviour issues, emotional issues, who lack social skills or issues they have at home, I will continue to make a difference despite having this black cloud over my head because I am a teacher in Alberta.
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Good for you...I respect that a lot. Often teachers vote to strike when they don't get what they want, but obviously you won't do that. Thank you.