Voices

Re: Helping all kids succeed
(December  2008)

As your national president, one of my roles is to speak out on issues that directly and indirectly affect educators. Here are some of them.

In years to come, pension  aficionados  will  identify  significant changes in the history of Ontario teachers’ pension plans.

If you are reading this, you probably have a job. But in Canada, for the 2,457,350 potential labour force participants with disabilities (ages  15  to  64),  employment  is  fraught  with  barriers and uncertainties.

For some time now, I have been examining my thoughts and actions as I recall my years in the classroom. I use the question, “What stories did I construct about a child or children that imposed limitations or opened up possibilities for their learning and achievement?”

Despite the growing awareness about its negative effects, cyberbullying continues to be all too common among elementary and secondary school students. Online forums are still rife with the potential for false allegations and degrading comments, and new school-based video clips recorded with cellphones are posted to YouTube every day.

ETFO has  been  much  in the  news  in the  past  several  months.  there have  been  dire warnings  of imminent  strikes,  looming deadlines, and other  seemingly  apocalyptic  scenarios.

In this issue of  the  magazine you  will find a  number  of  articles  about  how  teachers’ classroom  practice  can  improve  the  chances for educational success for children from low-income families.

ETFO’s campaign to Close the Gap is about standing up for fairness and equality for our students and  ourselves.