How has the teachers job action effected you/families?

[ree]

I am listening to CBC radio about the teacher's job action and how the government is considering to mandate them 'back to work' (are they not working right now?). A Minister of Education was on and was saying that the job action is hurting students and parents, for example (these were the examples provided by the gentleman):
-A parent had a student in grade 12 and they thought he was graduating this year, but he failed a class and the parents had no idea this was going on.
-A superintendent in Kelowna mentioned that the first nations students in one their school had a high struggling rate.

Now, I'm not entirely sure if these problems are directly related to job action.

So, I am interested in hearing how the Job Action has effected you/your family/your student etc. Have the effects been good, bad or has there been little effect?

[Annikki]

I don't even know what my son's teachers look like...I work and depend on meet the teacher nights to meet them and parent teacher interviews.

Lack of communication from the classroom and no report cards. A call from the learning assistant was in january was the only indication he needed extra help.

No field trips.

[OnceHarmony]

I have not noticed any effect.

I still communicate with the teacher and the teacher with me through email. DD went on one field trip since school started but we make up for lack of those by doing field trips outside of school and extracurricular activities.

Her education doesn't seem to be being effected by it at all so far.

[kapoohhh]

There has been no difference except for report cards..
I can email or go in and chat anytime I want. I find it has been better communication because of that. Lots of field trips as usual.
It is odd how some schools or teachers do not do this to.... it is allowed. The teachers and schools I have encourage it.

If they go into the second faze... my childs big trip will probably be cancelled

[sahmum]

We haven't been affected at all. I still have regular contact with the teachers, both in person and through email. Field trips are happening as usual. Teachers are still organizing the 'extras' like Science Venture and sports. As for reports cards, yes, we don't get them, but I talk to my kids, look at their work, and check in with their teachers, so I still know how they are doing. I find the 'back to work' legislation extremely inflamatory, as the teachers are at work, and they are working hard.

[stll3]

DS just started kindergarten this year, so I have nothing to compare to, but I do believe it is affecting me. I feel I have no relationship with the teacher. Our teacher does send out emails, but they are generic. I don't really have any idea how DS is doing. I really would have liked the parent-teacher meeting, and a detailed report card.

[chanterelle]

We're in kindergarten too, so I have nothing to compare it with, but really, I don't feel like the job action has affected us at all.

I can meet and chat informally with the teacher everyday (I do, pretty much), we have reminder books that get passed back & forth everyday (and written in), and I've had several meetings regarding everything from evaluations (in place of a report card) to addressing concerns. My son has enjoyed field trips, and the school admin seem really on top of addressing anything that the teachers are not able to do due to the job action. It seems to me that how the job action is being handled is very individual to the teacher / school / child / family.

I'm sad and disappointed that the gov't is legislating the teachers back. It is just another hammer blow to the bargaining process. With both sides knowing from the beginning (the minister talked about using legislation last year) that a bargain was unlikely to be reached, what incentive do they have to negotiate? I would love to see more mediation and binding arbitration, but since that means that the gov't would have to give up control (which they maintain by using legislation), I don't think we'll see that happening.

DH's union (BCAS Paramedics) are cautiously starting bargaining, but with what happened to them last time (they were legislated back while in the middle of voting on a negotiated proposal), I'm expecting them to be legislated back to work.

[dolce]

I'm choked that my gr11 does not have a written report card of his marks. I would like teachers to receive a raise though but I've been much happier this year for my child in an independent school. One of my kids lost their intramual sports because of the strike.

[sbenny]

In my opinion our children are being affected much more severely by what the government funding cuts are doing to education in our province than the job action itself. For example:

- Class composition and size affect the learning environment for everyone. The wide range of academic ability and behavioural issues in classrooms and the sheer amount of students per class has a daily affect on the learning environment. Because teachers are not provided with the specialty services needed to support the children who require more attention everyone suffers.

- Early intervention support is not adequate. Funding for the grade one Reading Recovery program at our school supports a maximum of eight participants. There are at least 14 children who desperately need this service this year.

- Learning Assistance programs are suffering. At our school those who are fortunate enough to qualify for support receive a measly twenty minute session twice a week.

- Counselling Services are almost non-existent. There is one elementary counsellor for all of School District 63. School staff try to find outside support for students that the school is unable to help but are met with long wait lists and costs that are, in some cases, prohibitive.

- There are no programs to support gifted children. High level learners are not being challenged to meet their full potential in the classroom because there are no programs or funding available.

- Parents are being relied on to fund essentials. Currently our Parent Advisory Council is attempting to raise over $25,000 to help pay for basics like text books, classroom technology, art and physical education programs and library books. Items that used to be covered by our tax dollars are now being paid for by chocolate and magazine sales.

I am willing to give up written report cards and no field trips if the teachers can make progress on ANY of these issues.

[TazDevil]

No, the job action hasn't affected my family. I received verbal report cards from my children's teachers and they were more complete than the written ones. I am in email contact with the teachers and have had absolutely NO issues at all.

I was even told that my teacher would be setting up parent teacher meetings for any parents who wanted it.

However, I am VERY concerned about how the forced back to work legislation IS going to affect my children.

I cannot expect the teachers to continue with all the extracurricular volunteer activities after having their rights stripped.

I fully expect that all sports teams, art activities, drama activities, music activities, concerts, field trips, band trips, spring break trips, after school tutoring and anything else that takes place outside of school hours with teachers volunteering their time will be cancelled.

It is a sad day when there will be no more free fun activites for kids because of our Government's inability to negotiate.

[this beautiful bliss]

We have not been negatively affected by the job action whatsoever!

Our class has had 2 field trips this year, we receive a classroom newsletter once per week (sometimes once every two weeks) detailing all the goings on of the classroom and what they have been working on. Instead of Parent Teacher Interviews our school has been doing Open Houses where parents can come in with their child and see the classroom/their work and ask any questions. I received an impromptu interview last week ... my son's teacher pulled me into the staffroom after school and gave me a detailed rundown of his progress in addition to what I can do at home with him. Heck, I even have her on my Facebook so we are in touch daily Our school has had Movie Nights, a Christmas Concert, an after school 'Social Cart' (done by the PAC) and we are also putting on a Spring Fair.

[owensmum]

Well, my husband, myself and my son were to meet with his teacher today to discuss expectations over homework, as my son (in grade 4) has been driven to tears over the amount of homework sent home with deadlines on more than a few occasions,plus had some questions about how he is doing. However, because the teachers are working bell to bell it was cancelled. This meeting has been planned for at least 3 weeks. It is hard to talk to my son's teacher, he is away very often due to union meetings and doesn't email. I have spoken to him over the phone once briefly. We have also had about a 5 minutue conversation around nov? about how he was doing but that is it-no communication really which is really frustrating. The meeting about homework came about as wrote a letter to his teacher asking about expectations because my son has been in tears over projects, due dates, etc....and wanted to see what we can do to help him. Alot of the stress has been due to miscommunication between what the teacher sends home and my son's version of expectations. I was really hoping that we could clear up issues today so my son can relax more and enjoy his projects without worrying. My son has a tutor so was also hoping to find out what areas he needed more help on so I could discuss with his tutor.

So, yes for us, the strike has effected us and I really feel that this year is a waste, and will only result in more struggles next year in grade 5. For those of you who have a teacher willing to discuss your childs progress either in person or by email you are very lucky.

[anothermom]

Owensmom, I'm sorry to hear about your experience. It must be very hard on your son to not understand what he's expected to do.

I've noticed a complete lack of communication with my child's teacher, also. There has been no communication all year, and while he says parents are welcome to come in and discuss their child's progress, it's not really true. I've been in twice to check on her work, and both times he seemed very irritated by my interest. I don't intend to speak with him again, and I am basically considering this a lost year for my daughter.

It has made it hard for me to take a position on the strike, but all of my daughter's previous teachers have been wonderful people, and I would like to think they wouldn't let the job action interfere with their relationships with parents.

[StitchedUp]

Honestly, if I were in your shoes, anothermom, I wouldn't give up so easily. If no one addresses this problem, this teacher will just continue to treat parents this way, job action or not. I'd approach him again and if he seemed "very irritated" by me, I'd say, "Is something wrong? I thought you said parents were welcome to talk about their child's progress with you, but I don't feel very welcome right now. It's important to me to know how my child is doing, especially since we're not getting formal report cards. If meeting in person doesn't work for you, please suggest another way you can communicate with me."

[Nickal]

DD3 in kindergarden no effect
DD2 6th grade no effect
DD1 grade 11 is having trouble. She never had problems before but now she (and other kids in her class) are having a hard time. They are having trouble getting help before exams or with homework. I have gotten her a tutor a few times. She really did not like the strike,unlike my other two