From: Jean Cameron Sent: Thursday, February 16, 2017 8:09 PM To: Office of the Legislative Counsel Subject: Law Amendments Bill 75 The following is my statement to the Law Amendments Committee regarding Bill 75.1 had hoped to make this presentation in person, however weather conditions prevented this. Good afternoon and thank you for allowing me to make my opinions known. Iam a teacher, a speech language pathologist, a parent and a Nova Scotian. I have been in the field of education for 40 years and come from a family of all educators. As I tell my own children, I have been in school for all but 5 years of my life. Although semi retired, I have worked in more than 35 schools, along side of hundreds of teachers and thousands of students. For the past several years, I have the privilege of substituting in classrooms and as a Learning Support teacher. This allows me to speak on current learning conditions in the schools. As a speech language pathologist, I have had extensive experience working with students with a wide variety of needs and learning profiles. Iwas also a Reading Recovery teacher working on emerging literacy skills. With all the enhanced information on best learning practice, technology, and curriculum you would expect that our students to be excelling in all areas. Sadly,this is not the case. Extra assistance in literacy, math, speech and language and behavioural programming is at an all time high. Specialists in these areas have long waiting lists for assessment and even longer lists to provide direct service to students. With the governments promise to provide inclusive education for all students, teachers are faced with overwhelming numbers of students requiring adaptations and individualized programs. The specialists to assist teachers to make sure these students are successful are not available and teachers are left to try to just make sure students are safe and feel valued , let alone deliver quality education. The government has written a recipe for teachers to complete but taken away all ofthe ingredients . Recently, I was a substitute in a split grade one-two classroom. There were 25 students in the class, with 3 students diagnosed with Autism Spectrum disorder and one with ADHD. There was also that wide range of academic levels. Trying to deliver any kind of program and maintain some semblance of order was exhausting for all concerned. At a later date, the teacher shared that most days she has no extra teacher assistance help and occasionally gets a half hour of support. I have worked with kids with challenges throughout my career, but at the end of that day Iwas frustrated, discouraged and upset about the difficulty to provide these kids with the supportive education they deserve. This teacher faces that every day. Take this situation and multiple it by what every teacher faces daily. Add on to this frustrated parents, who want the best for their children, and can only challenge teachers to provide it. Isee children who see themselves as losers, have stopped trying and have low self esteem in elementary. They love the teacher and the teacher lovesthem but the imposed system guarantees failure. This bill, which will bring an imposed contract, comes with another committee at a great cost. The last thing we need is another committee. You have heard today and in the past weeks, teachers clearly state how to improve teaching and learning conditions. True caps on classrooms, appropriate support from specialists and teaching assistants, not allowing 4 year olds into primary, attendance policy that will be enforced, refusal of a no fail policy, reduction of meaningless assessments, reduction of meaningless data entry. The list is extensive and many are no cost items and some would actually reduce cost. Teachers cannot survive a system that is going to study work and learning conditions again.
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From: Jean CameronSent: Thursday, February 16, 2017 8:09 PMTo: Office of the Legislative CounselSubject: Law Amendments Bill 75
The following is my statement tothe Law Amendments Committee regarding Bill 75.1 had hoped to make thispresentation in person, however weather conditions prevented this.
Good afternoon and thank you for allowing me to make my opinions known. Iam ateacher, aspeech languagepathologist, aparent and a Nova Scotian. Ihave been in the field of education for 40 years and come from afamily ofall educators. As Itell my own children, Ihave been in school for all but 5years ofmy life.
Although semi retired, Ihave worked in more than 35 schools, along side of hundreds ofteachers and thousands ofstudents. For the past several years, Ihave the privilege of substituting in classrooms and as a Learning Supportteacher. This allows me to speak on current learning conditions in the schools. As aspeech language pathologist, Ihave had extensive experience working with students with a wide variety of needs and learning profiles. Iwas also aReading Recovery teacher working on emerging literacy skills.
With all the enhanced information on best learning practice, technology, and curriculum you would expect that ourstudents to be excelling in all areas. Sadly,this is not the case. Extra assistance in literacy, math, speech and languageand behavioural programming is at an all time high. Specialists in these areas have long waiting lists for assessmentand even longer lists to provide direct service to students. With the governments promise to provide inclusiveeducation for all students, teachers are faced with overwhelming numbers of students requiring adaptations andindividualized programs. The specialists to assist teachers to make sure these students are successful are notavailable and teachers are left to try to just make sure students are safe and feel valued , let alone deliver qualityeducation. The government has written a recipe for teachers to complete but taken away all ofthe ingredients .
Recently, Iwas a substitute in a split grade one-two classroom. There were 25 students in the class, with 3studentsdiagnosed with Autism Spectrum disorder and one with ADHD. There was also that wide range of academic levels.Trying to deliver any kind of program and maintain some semblance oforder was exhausting for all concerned. At alater date, the teacher shared that most days she has no extra teacher assistance help and occasionally gets a halfhour of support. Ihave worked with kids with challenges throughout my career, but at the end of that day Iwasfrustrated, discouraged and upset about the difficulty to provide these kids with thesupportive education theydeserve. This teacher faces that every day.
Take this situation and multiple it by what every teacher faces daily. Add on to this frustrated parents, who want thebest for theirchildren, and can only challenge teachers to provide it. Isee children who see themselves as losers, havestopped trying and have low self esteem in elementary. They love the teacher and the teacher loves them but theimposed system guarantees failure.
This bill, which will bring an imposed contract, comes with another committee at a greatcost. The last thing we needis another committee. You have heard today and in the past weeks, teachers clearly state how to improve teachingand learning conditions. True caps on classrooms, appropriate support from specialists and teaching assistants, notallowing 4 yearolds into primary, attendance policy that will be enforced, refusal of a nofail policy, reduction ofmeaningless assessments, reduction of meaningless data entry. The list is extensive and many are no cost items andsome would actually reduce cost. Teachers cannot survive a system that is going to study work and learningconditions again.
Next, Iwould like to briefly address the loss of the service award. The loss of the indexed pension has had a hugeimpact on retirees. It also came with a promise of the continued service award. It seems to me very bizarre thatteachers would be held responsible for balancing a budget for the province. Those of you listening or reading this arenot being asked to make this sacrifice for your equivalent of the service award. How can you support this happeningto teachers?
Finally, I must speak on the fair collective bargaining. With this bill, the Premier is unlawfully taking awaythis right.This will be challenged and valuable resources wasted that could be used for our children. When you vote, please dothe intelligent and mindful act and vote no for Bill 75.
Do not let your personal legacy for the educational future of our students be one that disrespects students, parentsand educators.
Respectfully,
Jean Cameron, MEd, MSLP, RR-C, SLP - C
Sent from my iPad
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