Professional Boundaries - Part One

Adapted from ETFO PROVINCIAL - PROFESSIONAL RELATIONS SERVICES : 1-888-838-3836

WRITTEN COMMENTS:
DO:                                                                                       DON'T:
- ensure Principal sees notes sent to parents                          - write anything in haste that could be
   re: entire class/sensitive issues                                               misinterpreted
- utilize factual comments rather than                                     - threaten, use negatives
   interpretations/heresay                                                       - be tactless
- write notes when you are calm rather than                          - communicate in written form when a verbal        in the heat of the moment                                                     discussion would suffice  
- keep copies of all communications sent
- be wary of grammatical structures, spelling

VERBAL COMMENTS:
DO:                                                                                       DON'T:
- speak calmly                                                                       - swear
- use positive phrases                                                            - threaten
- remain professional                                                             - intimidate
- be non-judgmental                                                              - be sarcastic
- be non-racial                                                                      - use personal attack
- be reflective                                                                        - use the "past"
- restate and rephrase for understanding                                 - yell
- be polite and respectful                                                       - use slanderous language
- be receptive                                                                       - demean
- be open, honest, fair                                                           - trivialize
- think before you speak, take a deep breath                         - say things you will regret later
- empathize                                                                           - use "isms"

TOUCHING:
DO:                                                                                       DON'T:
- be trained in BMS where necessary                                    - touch a student if it can be avoided
- be age appropriate
- be aware of real/ perceived abuse
- make it appropriate for the safety of yourself, others
- reduce risks
- be sensitive to cultural diversity

GESTURES:
DO:                                                                                       DON'T:
- smile, nod, be positive                                                          - use mocking gestures - limp, crazy
- pat on shoulder (when not alone)                                          - use hitting motions; clench fists; mock
- offer consoling gestures (when not alone)                                 throttling
- offer congratulatory gestures                                                 - make obscene gestures  eg. The finger
  eg. handshake, high-five                                                        - use facial expressions eg. Duh? Hello?
                                                                                              - throw things eg. chalk

You Have Access to Two Days of Extra Work

The 2 designated PD Days negotiated for all elementary Occasional Teachers count for all purposes as days of work i.e., for purposes of Employment Insurance, Teachers' Pension, seniority and as 2 of the 5 days required to remain on the elementary OT List.  This year, the Board is hosting the first day,  June 9th.  This will not be an Althouse event and details will soon be announced.  The second day will be used for mandatory online training which must be completed by June 27th.  The WHMIS Review and the Offence Declaration components can be found in the Employee Portal under the Personal Information heading on the left hand side.  The mandatory on-line training modules can be found on the same page, on the right hand side under Staff Development and Training.  This year you are responsible for the following:

1.  WorkeAwareness (scroll down to bottom to find this)
2.  AODA Part 2 (lower down the list)
3.  WHMIS Review (under "Personal Information" in Employee Portal)
4.  Annual Offence Declaration (under "Personal Information" in Employee Portal)
5.  Anaphylaxis Awareness
6.  Driving in Inclement Weather
7.  Employee Accident Incident Review
8.  Attending a TVDSB Site
9.  Routine Practices
10. Module 2 - Handling a Violent Situation
11. Module 3 - Post Incident Review Documentation
12. Module 4 - Safe Schools and Employee Roles
13. Module 5 - Harassment
14. Module 7 - Management of Aggressive Behaviour
15. Module 8 - Domestic Violence
16. Module 10 - Working Late
17. Module 12 - Workplace Design
18. Module 13 - Recognizing and Coping with Aggressive Behaviour
19.  Think Before You Click

These are due by June 27, 2014.

Mandatory Online training questions; ETFO's Building Better Schools

Mandatory Online Training 
As you already know, the Board has released the requirements for this year's mandatory online training.
We have received several questions from members regarding where to find the WHMIS Review and the Offence Declaration requirements in the Employee Portal.  They are found under the Personal Information heading on the left hand side.  The mandatory on-line training modules can be found on the same page, on the right hand side under Staff Development and Training.
This year you are responsible for the following:

1. Worker Awareness (scroll down to bottom to find this)
2. AODA Part 2 (lower down the list)
3. WHMIS Review (under "Personal Information" in Employee Portal)
4. Annual Offence Declaration (under "Personal Information" in Employee Portal)
5. Anaphylaxis Awareness
6. Driving in Inclement Weather
7. Employee Accident Incident Review
8. Attending a TVDSB Site
9. Routine Practices
10. Module 2 - Handling a Violent Situation
11. Module 3 - Post Incident Review Documentation
12. Module 4 - Safe Schools and Employee Roles
13. Module 5 - Harassment
14. Module 7 - Management of Aggressive Behaviour
15. Module 8 - Domestic Violence
16. Module 10 - Working Late
17. Module 12 - Workplace Design
18. Module 13 - Recognizing and Coping with Aggressive Behaviour
19. Think Before You Click

These are due by June 27, 2014.

Building Better Schools - ETFO's Agenda to Build a Better Learning Environment for all Students
Early this month, ETFO launched their education agenda and called for:
1) Smaller class sizes to enable Teachers to provide more individual attention to students
2) More meaningful and random student assessment rather than the narrowly focused EQAO tests
3) Greater access to specialist Teachers to ignite and sustain student's attention in the arts, technology etc.
4) More resources for special needs students such as more EAs, Speech and Language pathologists, physical resources etc.
5) Greater focus on inclusion and equal opportunities for students from families with lower incomes
6) A strong union to fight for safe, healthy schools that foster student engagement and academic success.
As President Sam Hammond said, "Some of ETFO's proposals will save money, some are cost-neutral, and some will cost more.  In anticipation of the next provincial election, our goal is to continue bringing to the fore issues that directly affect the education and lives of all students."

Spring General Meeting and Elections
Please save the date for our Annual Spring General Meeting which will take place on Wednesday, May 28th at the Best Western Lamplighter Inn.  Registration will be open via our website shortly.

Mandatory online training and additonal PD Opportunities

The Board has just released the requirements for this year's mandatory online training. Please print off a copy of the requirements and be sure to click submit after viewing each:

1. Worker Awareness 
2. AODA Part 2 training
3. WHMIS Review
4. Annual Offence Declaration
5. Anaphylaxis Awareness
6. Driving in Inclement Weather
7. Employee Accident Incident Review
8. Attending a TVDSB site
9. Routine Practices
10. Module 2 - Handling a Violent Situation
11. Module 3 - Post Incident Review Documentation
12. Module 4 - Safe schools and Employee Roles
13. Module 5 - Harassment
14. Module 7 - Management of Aggressive Behaviour
15. Module 8 - Domestic Violence
16. Module 10 - Working Late
17. Module 12 - Workplace Design
18. Module 13 - Recognizing an Coping with Aggressive Behaviour
19. Think Before You Click

A Technology for Teachers Conference offered by ETFO for women members is scheduled for May 30 (afternoon) to May 31, 2014,  in Toronto at the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario offices at 130 Isabella Street on the Friday and at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto, 252 Bloor Street West. on the Saturday. Network with colleagues, learn about exciting technology projects, and take part in hands-on workshops that explore Web 2.0 tools, iPad apps, SMART Boards, Google Drive, the connected Classroom, and more! The registration fee is $75.00 for conference materials, travel, meals, accommodation (as required), release time (half day), and dependent care, subject to ETFO Guidelines.
Registration deadline is April 22, 2014, 5 p.m.
Successful participants will be selected by a random draw and will be notified by e-mail, May 5, 2014.
Please go to www.etfo.ca for further information.

Your Local is just confirming details for an upcoming professional development event to be held next month. Check our website early next week to see what workshops are being offered and we hope to see you there.

As well, please save the date for our Annual Spring General Meeting scheduled for Wednesday, May 28, at the Best Western Lamplighter Inn.  Registration will be open in the next few days on our website: www.etfotvot.com.

      

Subsidy for Math Additional Qualifications; few spots for Thursday evening PD at Lamplighter Inn

 GREAT NEWS - OPPORTUNITY for MATH AQ SUBSIDY
Beginning in April, the Ministry of Education through the Ontario Teachers' Federation will offer $450 to Teachers who successfully complete a Math AQ. To find out if you are eligible click on this link http://www.otffeo.on.ca/en/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2014/03/math-aq-en.pdf
Email you application http://www.otffeo.on.ca/en/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2014/03/math-aq-application-en.pdf along with a valid transcript or transcript to mathsubsidy@otffeo.on.ca or fax to 416-966-5450. Check out the Math Subsidy page on the OTF site for further information.

FEW SPOTS NOW AVAILABLE
We are looking forward to hosting over 90 members tomorrow evening at the Best Western Lamplighter Inn from 4:30 - 7:30 PM for our PD Event.  Workshops will begin after dinner.
Workshops for this event are:
Step Forward with French: created especially for Occasional Teachers to support OTs in short term assignments teaching French. The Step Forward with French resource was the 2010- 20122 ETFO Curriculum Award Winner.  The background information in the resource used will provide the occasional teachers with the skills and confidence necessary to take on daily FSL assignments.
Math Foldables:  This TVDSB focused workshop is designed to deepen math understanding using graphic organizers and paper folding in your math lessons and daily assignments.
Savvy Science for Grade 7/8: This workshop from ETFO Provincial focuses on inquiry which is a vital component of the intermediate science and technology program. Throughout the session participants will explore scientific method and inquiry models through hands-on participation in practical and engaging activities.  At the end of the session participants will receive access to a series of inquiry activities for each strand in the intermediate science and technology program.

Dinner is included for members of the TVDSB OT Local and will include Slow Roasted Top Sirloin of Beef au Jus and Oriental Vegetable Stir Fry With a Soya Sauce Glaze along with various Salads, breads and rolls and a Sweet Selection of Coffee, Tea and Soft Drinks.

There are a few spots available in each session due to last minute cancellations.  Please register on-line at www.etfotvot.com if you are interested in attending this PD Event but thought you had missed the registration deadline or call 519-641-3936 for assistance.






    

PD PD PD PD PD PD PD

Registration is open for our upcoming PD Event scheduled for Thursday, March 27th at Best Western Lamplighter Inn, 591 Wellington Road, in London from 4:30 - 7:30 PM with dinner included for members.
Scheduled workshop options are:

1:  Step Forward with French
2:  Math Foldables  (Registration is CLOSED for this session)
3:  Savvy Science for Grade 7/8

The deadline is March 25th at noon and registration is via our Local website: www.etfotvot.com. If you have not yet set up your account on the website, you will have to do that first in order to register. Please use your personal email address as it is inappropriate to use the Board's First Class email system for Union business.

As you are aware, all publicly funded elementary schools in Ontario will offer Full Day Kindergarten by September 2014.  The Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario is offering a professional opportunity in London for teachers wishing to obtain an additional qualification focused on Kindergarten. For more information please visit our website: www.etfotvot.com our ETFO's site: www.etfo-aq.ca. 

FDK classrooms present many new challenges since this is a new curriculum with collaborative roles. For ETFO's "Building and Maintaining Positive Professional Full Day Kindergarten Team Relationships", go to www.etfo.ca  then Advice for Members and you will find it under PRS Matters.

We are happy to remind you that we are offering the popular Book Rebate Program to our members.  This allows you to claim up to $25.00 for the purchase of a book related to your professional development needs.  Conditions and information on how to submit a claim along with the Book Rebate Form can be found on our website under Member Services and Useful Documents.

If you have an questions, concerns or require further information, please call our office: 519-641-3936 and we will be happy to assist you.

Upcoming PD Event

Save the date:  March 27, 2014 from 4:30 PM - 7:30 PM.
Your PD Committee is at hard at work arranging another PD event to take place at the Best Western Lamplighter Inn.  We are awaiting confirmation from the presenters and will open registration for the workshops upon receipt of this information.
Once again, registration will be completed via the ETFO - TVOT website, www.etfotvot.com .  If you have not yet set up your account on the website, you will need to do so to register. Please use your personal email address as it is inappropriate to use the Board's First Class email system for Union Business.
We are happy to let you know we are offering the Book Rebate Program to our members.  The Book Rebate Form can be found on our website under Member Services and Useful Documents.
If you have any questions or require any further information, please call our office, 519-641-3936, we will be happy to assist you.

At this time, your President, Terry Card and the Executive would like to wish you a safe and restful March Break.