Government not listening to teachers

Our kids and grandkids need a good education. That requires a proper learning environment. Front-line classroom teachers are not receiving the help and assistance they deserve from the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development.

That is why our PC Caucus Members voted against Bill 148.

No one wants the school year disrupted. Yes, we are now confronted with the upheaval of a strike. It would be the first teachers strike in the province’s history.

What appears to be the problem or reasons why 70 per cent of our teachers rejected the government’s offer?

My caucus colleagues and I have spoken with numerous teachers across the province during the past few years. Teachers continue to tell us the same thing. The real issues stem from eroding classroom supports, coupled with continuous and increasing demands on teachers.

Basically, they are expected to do more with less. Every student is impacted by it.

Teachers attempt to meet the needs of students working significantly below grade level, students with serious behavior challenges, others suffering from depression and anxiety, ADHD students, students that require IPPs, gifted students, and other students with special needs.

If the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development is unwilling to provide the necessary support for the classroom teacher, it becomes very clear that this diminishes the opportunities for all students to achieve success.

Top-down initiatives, unending hours of paper work, meetings, committees, meeting student outcomes, reports, hours of data input represent some of their daily responsibilities.

Stephen McNeil would like everyone to believe that everything is great and the support reaches the front lines. It is absolutely impossible that he speaks to parents and teachers and still believes this.

The Liberals continue to publicize the fact that all classes from Primary to 2 are capped at 20 students. This is simply not true. In fact, I am aware of many classes in elementary schools across the province that exceed the cap.

Having 35-40 students in a high school math class significantly decreases the teacher’s ability to be effective. They often make do with what they have. Their jobs are not easy. However, despite their daily frustrations, they continue to attempt to maximize every student’s potential.

If classroom teachers were supported and provided the resources required to do their job, this would boost student learning and enhance teacher effectiveness significantly in their classroom. And that should be the real goal for any government.

In other words, put kids first, let teachers teach.

Hon. Pat Dunn, MLA, Pictou Centre PC Education and Early Childhood Development Critic