So the NSTU has voted in favor (by 96%) to strike. While, as a union, they have a certain right to strike our children also have a right to a public education. These two "rights" are in direct conflict during this kind of situation. Parents will fall on either side of the fence, they will either support teachers or their child's right to an education. You simply cannot have it both ways.
Some would argue that by supporting teachers, you support children's education. But if you peel away WHY the teachers are voting to strike it becomes clear this has very little to do with a child's education and more to do with money and teacher's free time.
Teacher's reasons to strike #1: Service Awards!
Again and again I hear that this is a non negotiable issue for the teachers. The service award is a pay out (of upwards of $20, 000) at the conclusion of a teacher's career. It has absolutely nothing to do with how well they met the curriculum outcomes for which they were assigned each year, or how successful their students were. It amounts to a time-served in the union award. In addition to their hefty pension plan I certainly don't want my tax dollars giving them a huge good bye present when they retire.
Teacher's reasons to strike #2: The Workload!
A big complaint is the addition of extra student tracking responsibilities "forced" on the teachers. This whole thing leaves a bad taste in my mouth. How can any teacher think that enhanced student tracking, which would lead to identifying student's needs and strengths that could be addressed in the classroom would be a bad thing? Apparently being accountable for how well they do their job is too much for teachers to handle.
Teacher's reasons to strike #3: No Time!
But wait teachers will cry. While they are tracking students they don't have time to modify lesson plans, or provide extra support during recess and lunch hours! Perhaps all of those PD days that happen once per month could be used as program planning days where you go through your curriculum and modify it based on the needs of your students? Or maybe use one of your off periods during the day, or any one of those March break days...or a day or two during summer vacation?? My point is that they do have the time. It's called time management.
Teacher's reason to strike #4: Class Sizes!
This is one I can get behind, but at the same time this government has tried to cap class sizes. They can do more, as can the next government. It will take hiring more teachers and it isn't something one government mandate can fix. Steps are being taken, albeit slowly, but apparently that is not enough for the current roster of unionized teachers.
The government is thinking about employing Bill 148 which would effectively force teachers back to work. This keeps in line with the child's right to an education and not to be subject to the whims of a union. I, for one, support my child's right to an education and therefore Bill 148. As a parent of a child with some learning challenges I only see a walk out as a serious interruption in her education, one that I hope the government will take steps to prevent.
Wednesday, October 26, 2016
Wednesday, July 6, 2016
Valuing Our Own Decisions
I was reading a facebook post by a relative earlier today and her words really struck a cord. She said when she was feeling doubtful about her goals and if she could accomplish them it was the encouragement of others that helped her get through those times. It got me thinking. She's a middle aged woman who is only now starting to find her footing in life. She's not alone. I know many other people in my life that seem to be only getting their crap together 15 years after the social norm. Why is that? Then I looked at all of these people's life patterns. None of them appear to accomplish anything without some serious ego-stroking from others, and because of that they have stumbled and fallen in their life goals over and over.
Don't get me wrong. I know that all humans want other people's acceptance in one form or another at different points in our lives. It's the people though that constantly wonder "why me", that seem to need to approval/encouragement of others for almost every single thing that struggle the most. When you need to approval of others for your own choices you end up changing your original intent of those choices along the way to ensure you continue to get that acceptance from your supporters. It's human nature.
Here's my advice. Grow the hell up.
1. Put on your big girl/boy pants and realize you don't need a cheerleader for everything you set out to do in life. And YES that includes posting everything on FB.
2. Make decisions...NO not wishes. Decisions about your life. DECIDE you are going to go after a certain goal, see it through and finish it no matter how hard it gets. And no, you don't get to take a poll of your friends and family to see if it is the "right" decision. If you want it, do it. Don't' wait for someone to tell you its ok or that it is a "good" idea.
3. Even if you fail at your goal understand that everything is a learning experience and try to use that experience to make something even better out of it.
4. When you decide to quit something make sure it is because your goals have changed and not because of "other" people, whether that be them telling you are bad at something or that the original idea was dumb. Life changes and goals do too. That is OK.
5. Don't keep doing something because you are "supposed to" or because it makes other people happy. Do it for yourself, because in the end it is YOU that has to live with your choices, not other people.
When you can get to a point where you set a goal and achieve it without the constant advice and cheerleading of others you will understand what it truly means to feel self-accomplished.
If I had decided my life they way these other people do I would never have married my husband of 14 years, never gotten my B.Ed., never bought a house, never made the switch from teaching to instructional design and never started running. All of these things are now passions in my life and have brought me to places and people I would never have met otherwise. I tell my husband and my family all the time that despite my personal struggles day to day I am HAPPY. My life is good. How did I do it? I decided these things for myself. Sure, I listened to the advice of others, but it did not rule my choices or goals. It has always been the most important thing to me to be satisfied with my own choices. Understanding and valuing that self-acceptance of your own choices seems to be a crucial part of the life puzzle that these other people never received or learned.
This isn't meant to be a post about how other people should/shouldn't live. It's actually a wake up call to myself to make sure that I impress on my own daughter that she value her own choices above the approval of others. When I look at the miserable path some of these people's lives have taken because they don't value their own choices above the opinions of others it makes me terrified that my own child will end up in this miserable cycle of trying and failing and aimlessly wandering through life with no real passion and self determination. From now on when she asks my advice I'll turn it on her and ask if SHE thinks her idea/goal is a good one and to confidently go after it and that I'll help any way I can. I'll always be there as a shoulder but I'm not going to be a crutch.
Don't get me wrong. I know that all humans want other people's acceptance in one form or another at different points in our lives. It's the people though that constantly wonder "why me", that seem to need to approval/encouragement of others for almost every single thing that struggle the most. When you need to approval of others for your own choices you end up changing your original intent of those choices along the way to ensure you continue to get that acceptance from your supporters. It's human nature.
Here's my advice. Grow the hell up.
1. Put on your big girl/boy pants and realize you don't need a cheerleader for everything you set out to do in life. And YES that includes posting everything on FB.
2. Make decisions...NO not wishes. Decisions about your life. DECIDE you are going to go after a certain goal, see it through and finish it no matter how hard it gets. And no, you don't get to take a poll of your friends and family to see if it is the "right" decision. If you want it, do it. Don't' wait for someone to tell you its ok or that it is a "good" idea.
3. Even if you fail at your goal understand that everything is a learning experience and try to use that experience to make something even better out of it.
4. When you decide to quit something make sure it is because your goals have changed and not because of "other" people, whether that be them telling you are bad at something or that the original idea was dumb. Life changes and goals do too. That is OK.
5. Don't keep doing something because you are "supposed to" or because it makes other people happy. Do it for yourself, because in the end it is YOU that has to live with your choices, not other people.
When you can get to a point where you set a goal and achieve it without the constant advice and cheerleading of others you will understand what it truly means to feel self-accomplished.
If I had decided my life they way these other people do I would never have married my husband of 14 years, never gotten my B.Ed., never bought a house, never made the switch from teaching to instructional design and never started running. All of these things are now passions in my life and have brought me to places and people I would never have met otherwise. I tell my husband and my family all the time that despite my personal struggles day to day I am HAPPY. My life is good. How did I do it? I decided these things for myself. Sure, I listened to the advice of others, but it did not rule my choices or goals. It has always been the most important thing to me to be satisfied with my own choices. Understanding and valuing that self-acceptance of your own choices seems to be a crucial part of the life puzzle that these other people never received or learned.
This isn't meant to be a post about how other people should/shouldn't live. It's actually a wake up call to myself to make sure that I impress on my own daughter that she value her own choices above the approval of others. When I look at the miserable path some of these people's lives have taken because they don't value their own choices above the opinions of others it makes me terrified that my own child will end up in this miserable cycle of trying and failing and aimlessly wandering through life with no real passion and self determination. From now on when she asks my advice I'll turn it on her and ask if SHE thinks her idea/goal is a good one and to confidently go after it and that I'll help any way I can. I'll always be there as a shoulder but I'm not going to be a crutch.
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