October 6 - So it Begins - The Alberta Teacher Strike

[BigThief]

Originally Posted by Locke

The sooner the children learn that life is an endless series of disappointments and #### sandwiches the better they'll be prepared for the unmitigated ####storm that is life.

"Did you get anything you wanted?"

Nobody ever gets anything they want. If anyone told you this was going to be 'fair' then they were lying to you.

Hey teacher, how was the strike?

LIFE ####ING SUCKS!!!!

Even said in jest that's just a terrible ####ty out look and time to change things up if that's how life is for you

[iggy_oi]

Originally Posted by Slava

I couldn’t agree more with your whole post, but the post leading to your comment here is really the funniest thing in this entire thread!

It was pretty funny. So funny in fact we should probably review the sequence of events again so we can all have another laugh.

Originally Posted by powderjunkie

But I am impressed with your crystal ball to know that this "unprecedented response" was going to be a damp squib. It's also an unprecedented opportunity to improve broad support for unions...plenty of keyboard warriors like me think they're pissing it away...but maybe the less politically engaged will somehow see it differently?

Originally Posted by iggy_oi

The problem is the keyboard warriors didn’t do any research before anointing their new saviours.

Originally Posted by powderjunkie

The irony of you accusing others of being keyboard warriors aside,

To recap:

Powderjunkie calls himself a keyboard warrior, I respond using the same term in what I consider to be a pretty neutral manner, he responds by claiming I’m accusing him of being a keyboard warrior. You(Slava) try and use that to take a potshot at me due to what I can only assume is an inability on your part to add much else to the conversation.

It was funny. Slightly manipulative and bordering on gaslighting, but since I’ve got a dark sense of humour at times it’s funny none the less. I’m glad humour was able to let us see past our differences Slava and agree on something for a change. It’s a Halloween miracle!

[Wolven]

I dont really have a dog in this fight but I didnt vote for these #####clowns.

Not wanting to call out one person specifically but I think this is the mentality that the general public needs to shift - we now all have a dog in this fight, so to speak.

Once the government starts coming for one of the constitutional rights for one group of people we have to realize that everyone's rights are now in jeopardy. Today ~51,000 teachers have lost the right to strike, the right to negotiate for a better deal and better working conditions. Next up, 18,000 nurses will lose their rights. Then the EMTs who drive ambulances and other AHS staff under HSAA who also are in negotiations that the UCP doesn't want to play nice with.

Who wants to end up in a car accident where the EMTs and Nurses that you are about to rely upon to save your life are not interested in doing their jobs because the government wouldn't negotiate and then NWC'd them? I already think the impact is huge with teachers but some people need to visualize a more dramatic scenario.

But those are just contract negotiations, the UCP also want to take away the rights of Trans people (specifically kids). How long until they take away the rights of the gay community? How long until they take away the rights of all women? Or maybe you won't really care until they take away porn? Then once the government has enough power and control, how long is it until they force separation to make Alberta a territory of the US? (Because you know the US won't be giving Alberta state-status.)

At some point there will be an issue that directly affects you or your loved ones but if we wait until everyone is directly affected then it will be too late. Better to stop the fascists now and tell them they are welcome to separate themselves from the rest of us and move to a red state in America if that is what they want.

[Point Blank]

Originally Posted by Superflyer

What I find with this kind of person is they latch onto one thing that kind of over laps with their world and just use that one as a talking point. They don't care about the other things like growth or class size because that is not something that they can relate to in their normal day.
The other thing I hear a lot from these people is teachers are getting a raise but I have not had one in years and they should just be happy to have a job. When I hear things like this I usually just roll my eyes because they are not going to be genuine in a conversation.

Yeah, that’s all rhetoric I’ve heard before as well. Don’t get me wrong I’m very grateful for my job, it’s more just the children aren’t receiving the best education they can get. We’ve reached a critical mass where teachers literally cannot attend to everyone and are in triage mode. Teachers are getting chairs thrown at them daily, the kids who want to learn aren’t getting any attention, and they’re spending way more time outside of school hours marking and planning.

Here’s some perspective on marking. From a high school lens, let’s say I teach 38 students per class which is pretty standard. I’m going to use some Danielle Smith math with simple averages, but knowing it is more ebby and flowy:
- 3 sections means that’s 114 students per semester.
- If I want to give really good feedback for every student (which is best practice), it will take me 8 minutes to mark every test I give, that’s 15 hours on just marking ONE test.
- And my job isn’t just marking, I’m writing IPP’s, benchmarking EAL’s, writing report cards, PT interviews, and extracurriculars…oh and teaching of course.
- using a conservative estimate, If I only give one assessment for every outcome in science 10, that’s 12 assessments and 182 hours (but I need to get way more assessment evidence than that)
- 78 teaching days for semester 1 means I am adding 2 hours per day on top of my regular duties JUST for marking.

When I coached basketball, semester 1 meant 2 hours daily dedicated to practice (90 minutes + 30 minutes of setup/clean up and making sure kids get home) plus staying until 9pm once a week for games. So just basketball and marking alone took about 4 extra hours per day on top of a 7 hour day, not counting games.

So when Demetrios Nicolaides denies that class sizes are not important, it makes my back rise because even getting my class sizes down to 35 will reduce my marking in semester 1 by a conservative estimate of 14 hours. Or it can give me more time per test to give better feedback. Or give me one on one time with students who need more support.

And marking isn’t the only thing I care about. Elementary teachers want to be able to engage a class without chairs being thrown at them or having to evacuate, they want to provide opportunities to enrich the stronger students, and they don’t want to always pair the disruptive students with the empathetic ones.

People have a very paternalistic attitude towards education policy because since they went to school, they think they know everything about teaching and learning. They keep bringing up salaries which is a lazy argument because that’s never been the main issue, and quite frankly, even if they are paid decently, it won’t matter if the province can’t retain teachers. 50% of teachers in AB leave the profession within 5 years, and that was before all this BS happened with the UCP. Last year, only 29 people applied to the Principal cohort in the CBE, which doesn’t even cover attrition, and CBE is now relying on retired principals to run many schools. The strike is primarily about better learning conditions but also keeping the system from collapsing. So yeah sorry if I don’t appear to be “grateful” when kids aren’t getting what they are entitled to. I don’t want to send letters home about pronouns, I don’t want to scan my classroom library to the government so that they can ensure I’m not “brainwashing” them, and play these stupid culture war games. I want to provide the best learning experiences for 114 students in a semester, I want them to go outside to learn about biology instead of sitting in a room writing scantron tests.

And if they didn’t know this strike was about learning conditions, their head is in the sand. If you’ve gone to any of the teacher rallies and protests, read the signs and you’ll see a common theme.

[Bigtime]

Kid is grade 11 just texted us saying the school made a PA announcement that the walkout wasn't happening today. Seems like potential shenanigans to me.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Kid is grade 11 just texted us saying the school made a PA announcement that the walkout wasn't happening today. Seems like potential shenanigans to me.

I remember when I was in school the students were supposed to walk out over something (pretty sure it wasn't a labour issue) and the school administration and teachers did everything to make sure it didn't happen.

[Ashartus]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Kid is grade 11 just texted us saying the school made a PA announcement that the walkout wasn't happening today. Seems like potential shenanigans to me.

My daughter just texted that she is joining the walkout even though she really didn't want to miss the class she is skipping out on. The schools have no involvement in organization, it is all student driven through their social media.

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by Ashartus

My daughter just texted that she is joining the walkout even though she really didn't want to miss the class she is skipping out on.

Mine also updated that they are walking out, despite this information. The plan is to head down to the city hall rally.

[BagoPucks]

It's good that the kids are finally engaged and not on their phones. It just makes me cringe as an adult that kids are showing up when the adults couldn't figure it out.

[Jason14h]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Kid is grade 11 just texted us saying the school made a PA announcement that the walkout wasn't happening today. Seems like potential shenanigans to me.

The school obviously can’t support a walkout …….

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by Jason14h

The school obviously can’t support a walkout …….

Yes, they sent a letter stating as much yesterday. However, them getting on the PA and saying the walkout is no longer happening is what exactly? Especially if it is not true.

[Lubicon]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

I remember when I was in school the students were supposed to walk out over something (pretty sure it wasn't a labour issue) and the school administration and teachers did everything to make sure it didn't happen.

Same back in my younger days. As a matter of fact we were given unexcused absences if it happened (which led to further consequences if there were enough).

[Lubicon]

Originally Posted by Superflyer

I have a question for teachers, I hear a lot that they need to buy stuff for their classrooms, what stuff is it?
I was in a discussion with someone in the trades where he was saying that he needs to buy his own tools so the teachers should have to do the same. Since I could not say what the teachers actually buy with their own money I could not overly discuss past that.

Trades can write off these purchases on their taxes IIRC. Teachers I assume are like other professionals and cannot.

[Point Blank]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Yes, they sent a letter stating as much yesterday. However, them getting on the PA and saying the walkout is not longer happening is what exactly?

CBE protocol is that admin and teachers cannot prevent a student walkout nor endorse one as it is their democratic right.

However, if in instances that the admin has reasonable grounds to believe that the walkout would not lead to a safe environment for learners, it should be overridden. So if they know students are planning shenanigans, or if fights are breaking out prior, or any other reason, safety takes priority.

EDIT: sorry just clarifying- this would be super rare and admin probably could handle it better than outright canceling it, such as being super visible and talking about expectations ahead of time.

[Ashartus]

Just got the unexecused absence calls for my kids so they have joined.

[Bigtime]

I see my kid on the move, so I assume they are incoming for us too.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

I see my kid on the move, so I assume they are incoming for us too.

What...did you chip your kid?

[Geraldsh]

Yesterday I listened to a student being interviewed about the walkout. She is in a class of 41 and there’s not enough desks or chairs for everyone so while she is out protesting someone else will be able to sit down. The casual way she mentioned this blew my mind, it’s a normal condition of learning for and her fellow students.

[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by iggy_oi

It was pretty funny. So funny in fact we should probably review the sequence of events again so we can all have another laugh.


To recap:

Powderjunkie calls himself a keyboard warrior, I respond using the same term in what I consider to be a pretty neutral manner, he responds by claiming I’m accusing him of being a keyboard warrior. You(Slava) try and use that to take a potshot at me due to what I can only assume is an inability on your part to add much else to the conversation.

It was funny. Slightly manipulative and bordering on gaslighting, but since I’ve got a dark sense of humour at times it’s funny none the less. I’m glad humour was able to let us see past our differences Slava and agree on something for a change. It’s a Halloween miracle!

Checkmate mother####er!

https://forum.calgarypuck.com/showpo...&postcount=945

Originally Posted by iggy_oi

It’s not about “shrinking in the moment”, I’m just checking the unrealistic expectations people seem to have. Unions members don’t have the right to just strike on a whim and what many in this province are expecting of them needs far more support from the general population than just being keyboard warriors.

All in good fun of course. But to go back to the bolded point you made a couple days ago, what specifically do you want the general population to do to support you?

We're trying to tell you that we've got your back. The students are telling you that they've got your back. Of course there is huge risk here and we don't know how it will go. Do I really need to give you the speech from Braveheart?

[Barnes]

My son missed the bus this morning and I wasnt about to miss a meeting to drive him to a walkout. Lesson for today is this was important, go the #### to bed, you're autumn vacay is over and you're cleaning your bathroom and the basement.