Catholic School Board set to strike

[Jayems]

The board voted tonight that puts them 1 step closer to a strike.

For some reason, this totally ****es me off...

They're claiming that they need more time for personal life so they can take care of more family duties and cap the teaching hours at 28hrs/wk.


They get 2 months off every year, plus how many professional days a year???

They continue to hold the students ransom.

[jolinar of malkshor]

Originally Posted by Jayems

The board voted tonight that puts them 1 step closer to a strike.

For some reason, this totally ****es me off...

They're claiming that they need more time for personal life so they can take care of more family duties and cap the teaching hours at 28hrs/wk.


They get 2 months off every year, plus how many professional days a year???

They continue to hold the students ransom.

Are you aware of how much prep time is required for a good teacher......LOTS.

[fanforever1986]

we all know students love when teachers go on strike.

[Jayems]

Originally Posted by jolinar of malkshor

Are you aware of how much prep time is required for a good teacher......LOTS.

So why not make that the basis of the argument, not personal life?

[jolinar of malkshor]

Originally Posted by Jayems

So why not make that the basis of the argument, not personal life?

Well....since they spend so much time doing lessons plans and prep work....it cuts into their personal time.

[JiriHrdina]

Originally Posted by jolinar of malkshor

Well....since they spend so much time doing lessons plans and prep work....it cuts into their personal time.

Most careers do.

If you are becoming a teacher do you not know what you are getting into?

[Phaneuf3]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

Most careers do.

If you are becoming a teacher do you not know what you are getting into?

yea, i'm sure they all started off really idealistic and everything. they'd work a little longer for a little less pay than at other jobs because their work was so rewarding. there's nothing quite as fullfilling as contributing to the development of young minds. then slowly they start to wear you down. the constant insignificant problems. the whining. the disobedience. the making your life hell for the sake of making your life hell. some of these pukes are so damn stupid you wonder what the point in trying. every little weakness they see in you they have to exploit. show them any crack and they'll poke and prod to try to get to you until you just want to lie down and die.

[REDVAN]

After spending years in public education, I have this to say about striking teachers. Shut the hell up and do your job. Some teachers aren't that good in the first place. Some are. Does 2 hours a week of work make or break a teacher? I doubt it.

Also: when the last public school thing happened, a whole bunch of the teachers told me they didn't support the strike. They don't think striking is an effective way to get what you want. But of course, they did want the more money or whatever.

It's all about the benjamins.

[skins]

Originally Posted by Jayems

The board voted tonight that puts them 1 step closer to a strike.

For some reason, this totally ****es me off...

They're claiming that they need more time for personal life so they can take care of more family duties and cap the teaching hours at 28hrs/wk.

If you think that a teacher works 28hrs/wk, you better think again. If you think a teacher works 40hrs/wk, you better think again. A very commited teacher can work up to 80hrs a week (teaching, lesson planning, running extra-curricular activities, etc.). If you ask me, they deserve 2 months vacation a year. Also, you know that they do work on those "professional days" right? Only the students get the day off.

Originally Posted by Jayems

They continue to hold the students ransom.

They continue to be under-appreciated.

[skins]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

If you are becoming a teacher do you not know what you are getting into?

as a matter of fact, many new teachers don't. it's not uncommon for teachers to quit the profession after less than 5 years because they can't handle the stress or because it's too hard.

[JiriHrdina]

Originally Posted by skins

as a matter of fact, many new teachers don't. it's not uncommon for teachers to quit the profession after less than 5 years because they can't handle the stress or because it's too hard.

I guess that surprises me. The challenges and demands of the job shouldn't be of any surprise. Its common knowledge that schools are underfunded which places additional strain on the teachers. Classes are too big, resources aren't there and the time commitment is tremendous.

But it is what it is. If someone isn't prepared to take that on - find another profession.

[jolinar of malkshor]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

I guess that surprises me. The challenges and demands of the job shouldn't be of any surprise. Its common knowledge that schools are underfunded which places additional strain on the teachers. Classes are too big, resources aren't there and the time commitment is tremendous.

But it is what it is. If someone isn't prepared to take that on - find another profession.

So with all those problems.....they don't deserve more personal time eh?

It is easy to talk like that.....but when all the teachers decide that it isn't worth it.....so much for our education system.

There are good teachers and there are bad teachers.....just like any proffession. I for one would rather pay these people what they are worth as our children are the most important resources we have.....but if some of you want to cheap out on this.....be prepared for the consequences.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by REDVAN

It's all about the benjamins.

That's kind of contradictory. If you are dumb enough to get into teaching "for the benjamins", you are too dumb to get through 4 years (probably 6 now in Alberta) of university to actually become a teacher.

It's a funny subject for a message board dedicated to a professional hockey team. Darren McCarty makes about as much money per year as 30 public school teachers combined. Jarome made more money tonight than any teacher in the province does in an entire year.

[V]

While this doesn't seem to be the issue with this strike, it really is ridiculous how little teachers make. I guess they can supplement the income with a month's work during the summer if they don't want to take a vacation, but the fact that I'm not even a P.Eng yet and I make more than my dad ever can dream of is pretty funny.

They're only influencing our youth. No sense creating a system that would attract the most able teachers out there.

[jolinar of malkshor]

Originally Posted by Dominicwasalreadytaken

While this doesn't seem to be the issue with this strike, it really is ridiculous how little teachers make. I guess they can supplement the income with a month's work during the summer if they don't want to take a vacation, but the fact that I'm not even a P.Eng yet and I make more than my dad ever can dream of is pretty funny.

They're only influencing our youth. No sense creating a system that would attract the most able teachers out there.

My thoughts exactly

[brownie]

2 Months????You forgot the 2 weeks at xmas and another week in the spring.They are a bunch of whiners,IMO.

[Agamemnon]

What's the annual pay raise right now for a teacher? In my industry anything less than around 10% and you start looking for a new job. Isn't their standard pay raises something pitiful like 2-3% up to a capped point? Considering that what a teacher does is far more important than what I do its shameful I make more money.

[RedHot25]

Well I can speak from personal experience, as my dad was a teacher for for nearly 30 years.

Whoever said 80 hrs/week is probably right, and maybe even a bit more. Often his days started at 8am, he was at the school until ~4.30-5pm, then home to have dinner, and then from ~6 to 10/11pm it was work (marking, extracurricular activities such as vball games, meetings with parents above and beyond regular parent-teacher interviews, etc). Often involved at least 1 whole day on the weekend working as well, prepping for the week and/or attending a sport tournament or academic thing for the weekend.

Not looking for sympathy or anything, just telling it from what I saw.

Christmas break - yup, they got christmas break, BUT...about 1/4 to 1/2 of that was used up for work: first bit to wrap up ends from the fall/winter, 2nd bit to prepare for the new year.

Summer - yup he got 2 months off. It was nice, no denying that. However, out of those 2 months I would say ~ 1 month of it was used up for work-related activities:

-marking grades at the end of year involves a tonne of extra work.
-a lot of teachers, on top of this, would go to edmonton etc and mark provincial exams
-often this is where a lot of teachers would do professional development courses, etc
-cleaning up/rearranging the class room from the year (not as in a janitor's duties, but moreso from a teaching perspective)
-preparing for the new school year
-parent questions, interviews, etc at the end of the school year, etc...

So in theory, yes a month off (once work is taken into account) is nice and more than most other professions. So you could in theory "ding them" there, I guess.

As for salary, I think my dad topped out at ~ $50,000/year...and this is nearing 30 years of teaching, etc.

Anyways, just my 2 cents worth.

Cheers.

[Mr.Coffee]

Originally Posted by Agamemnon

What's the annual pay raise right now for a teacher? In my industry anything less than around 10% and you start looking for a new job. Isn't their standard pay raises something pitiful like 2-3% up to a capped point? Considering that what a teacher does is far more important than what I do its shameful I make more money.

Landman already??

So but anyways I'm not a teacher so I don't know what they put up with, so I guess I won't comment on that. But I will say this:

these people go on strike every year to two years, and frankly it makes them look ridiculous publicly. I'm sure what everybody thought when they heard this is- 'Oh great here we go again'.

Key word being again. Because this is happening ALL THE TIME.

To be honest, wouldn't teachers would be happier without a union? At least then the good teachers could try and get the wages they deserve, and the bad ones would be paid appropriately.

[Agamemnon]

Originally Posted by Mr.Coffee

Landman already??

So but anyways I'm not a teacher so I don't know what they put up with, so I guess I won't comment on that. But I will say this:

these people go on strike every year to two years, and frankly it makes them look ridiculous publicly. I'm sure what everybody thought when they heard this is- 'Oh great here we go again'.

Key word being again. Because this is happening ALL THE TIME.

To be honest, wouldn't teachers would be happier without a union? At least then the good teachers could try and get the wages they deserve, and the bad ones would be paid appropriately.

Fair enough... though again, how much do they actually get paid? What are they're annual pay increases? What is the cap for a teacher's salary? How much do they get paid 'per hour' when calculating all the extra time they put in. And honestly, why shouldn't they be paid well to reflect the vitally important role they play in society. I can't think of many more necessary occupations than guiding virtually every youngster in the country through their formative learning years. If anything we should be re-thinking exactly how many resources/money to be investing in education and ramping it up... I think the return on investment in that industry can make or break the intellectual future of the country.

I hear what you're saying about them constantly striking, but maybe they're constantly underpaid/underappreciated/under-supported?

Does anyone know the actual #'s of teacher's pay for Separate/Public systems in Alberta?