A Time for Reflection (CTF Report)

The Canadian Teachers’ Federation provides a vast array of programs, services, and resources to educators in Canada and around the world. Our focus has always been on  teachers and how we can best help them meet the many needs of the children entrusted to their care. During my presidency the priorities of the CTF have served to guide me in my work both nationally and internationally. Now, as I conclude my presidency, I want to review these priorities and our accomplishments.

A national voice for teachers and public education

Presenting a strong collective voice for teachers at the national level helps to ensure continued funding for  public education, and I have been proud  to  add  my  voice  to  this  worthy  cause. Networking and direct contact with  parliamentarians contribute to the development of public policy on education and related social issues.

Working for fully funded public education

The CTF believes that publicly funded education, universally  accessible and inclusive, is a societal responsibility. Last year, the CTF, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, and the Fédération des syndicats de  l’enseignement undertook a national survey to  document  the  nature  and  extent  of commercial activity in Canadian public schools.

Commercialism in  Canadian  Schools:  Who’s Calling the Shots? illustrated the degree to which private  funding is  replacing or  supplementing public funding. The report – the first of its kind – garnered national media attention and revealed the startling  shortcomings of provincial/territorial government funding  for  public  education. (See Voice, Winter, Spring, and Summer 2006)

Supporting  authentic assessment

Promoting authentic assessment as part of the optimal conditions for learning continues to be a CTF priority. A 2004 CTF national poll indicated that  parents  preferred  authentic  teacher-made tests to standardized tests by a margin of two to one. In 2006, I debated the issue of “merit pay” for teachers, with a representative of the Fraser Institute on CTV Newsnet. I argued against the use of standardized testing results to determine a teacher’s “merit.”

Promoting diversity  and equity

CTF’s Services to Francophones program is centred on helping to build a strong publicly funded French-language  education system in minority settings throughout Canada and on supporting the francophone teachers. The program is also on the leading edge of research to help identify the best conditions for successful teaching and learning in a francophone environment. An in-depth study of early childhood care and education services led to the development of An Invitation to Success inFrench-Language Schools, a kit designed to help educators nurture successful francophone students.

The CTF has always been a strong advocate for social justice in the education system. Last year the federation  hosted a national conference on creating inclusive schools. This year’s  national conference examined the issue  of social justice and  the  possibility  of  giving our  schools  and teacher organizations a social justice focus and remaking them into sites for social action.

As I close this chapter of my career, I am sincere in saying that I have been proud to serve the teachers of  Canada as president of the CTF. The work of this organization is important and is  best  articulated  in  its  vision:  Every child in Canada will have access to a strong, high-quality, publicly fundededucation system equal to or better than any other education system in the world. This is what the CTF stands for and what it works towards, and as president, I am grateful to have had the opportunity to contribute toward reaching this goal.