Why Making Virtual Learning Permanent, Concerns Us -
Under the Ford Government's new proposal to amend the Education Act and make virtual learning permanent, Teachers will be expected to teach/work online from Board sites (no longer restricted by pandemic considerations) and perform regular supervision duties, attend staff meetings etc. as if they taught in person classes. During snow days, and when students have prolonged absences from school (vacations etc.) Teachers would be expected to provide virtual instruction. The option to attend virtual classrooms would be at the discretion of the parents.
The Health Perspective: A recent research report from Sick Kids Hospital states: "Full time remote learning is insufficient to meet the needs of Ontario children and youth..." The report goes on to say: "One concerning finding for the study team was the significant proportion of otherwise healthy school-age children who experienced deterioration in a number of mental health domains, including depression, anxiety, irritability and attention span." Medical experts agree that prolonged screen time is known to promote eye-fatigue, nearsightedness, isolation and even obesity.
The Equity Perspective: The pandemic has highlighted the inequalities amongst our student population with regards to their access to devices and reliable internet connectivity and so Boards purchased devices to loan out to students for the duration of the crisis. These disparities widen the gap that a fully funded public education system was designed to address - socioeconomic, regional and class distinctions. Remote learning disadvantages these students as well as English Language Learners and Special Education Students. Virtual learning was meant to be a temporary stop-gap measure and at the time, even the Minister of Education, Stephen Lecce acknowledged this.
The Cost Perspective: As school Boards struggle with stretched budgets due to the heavy demands of the pandemic, the government is adamant that it will not provide additional funding for virtual classes next school year. In factthe government has already down-loaded the cost of digital licencing fees to the School Boards. At this time, there has been no discussion of whether the proposal includes a role for specialized Teachers and Occasional Teachers.
The Programming Perspective: The government wants to allow third parties such as TVOntario/TVO to prescribe the software and instructional tools under this new proposal, thus eroding the flexibility of School Boards to make this call and further diminishing Teachers' professional judgement to best serve the needs of individual students. TVO would be also allowed to control course and content creation, and to establish ways of data collection and sharing.
In Conclusion: Generations of us have seen how students flourish in bricks and mortar schools. It is there that children develop their emotional skills as well as their mastery of the curriculum. From the beginning of Ford's tenure, this government has made it clear that it intends to redirect the funds that support public education, thus weakening our world class system. We cannot allow this to happen. The cost is too high for this generation and for those generations to come!
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Have you been hesitant to accept daily jobs or LTO positions for classes with visually impaired, low vision or blind students because you are unsure of what will be expected in the assignment? Have you considered this area as an eventual career path in teaching? The Thames Valley District School Board has 12 Vision Resources Teachers and over 250 low-vision and Braille-using students and they are seeking Occasional Teachers to fill these daily and LTO assignments as needed.
Here is a link from TVDSB to find out more about the role of a Vison Resource Teacher
Learn all about teaching the Expanded Core Curriculum assessment methods and more as you gain your qualification for teaching students with these vision needs. Currently Western University is the only university offiering a special 3 part AQ course and a certificate of Unified Braille Competence.
This course qualifies for the TVOT Professional Learning Development Fund/PLDF and the application form is available at www.etfotvot.com .
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Your T4 From TVDSB
Log into the Employee Portal for access to your 2020 T4 from TVDSB. For those who have called to ask about their contribution to Union dues, this information will be listed on the form in Box 44.
New Tax Credits for Home Office Costs
For more information click here Working from Home during Covid 19
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Your TVOT Local wishes everyone a lovely long weekend and reminds members that as a precautionary measure, the TVDSB suggests staff and students take home their devices and personal belongings, just in case we are suddenly directed to shift to remote learning.
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