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Image Credit: http://www.classroomconnection.ca/mymoney.html Financial literacy is a "buzz" term that educators are hearing more and more. That's because knowing about debt, credit, and managing one's own money are skills that students are not receiving instruction on. If students are not learning these concepts at home or school, where are they supposed to learn them? Teachers need to find new and meaningful ways to integrate these concepts into their lessons.
Lucky for us, the Toronto Star has created activity books focused on financial literacy for both elementary and secondary students! You can find these downloadable, and printable documents at the link below: http://www.classroomconnection.ca/mymoney.html Also, follow "classroom connection" from the Toronto Star on Twitter for more resources! @starclassroom Image Credit: http://www.metrokelan.com/oc-content/uploads/124/13064.jpg A big shout-out to all Permanent, LTO, and Occasional teachers on World Teachers' Day! You have the power to make a difference in the lives of many - do not take this power lightly. Take every opportunity as a learning/teaching opportunity. Enjoy the benefit of seeing the world through the eyes your students - they are the reason why you pursued this job in the first place. They are the reason that the long nights of lesson planning, the early morning supply calls, and the job insecurity are worth it! The students infuse a curiosity, happiness, and passion for life into teaching that is not present in any other job. "Teachers who love teaching, teach children to love learning"
- Robert John Meehan Image Credit: http://www.bitpad.com/.a/6a00d834202e5653ef0120a4fc28d8970b-pi Fellow Occasional Teachers: I was made aware of something amazing tonight and I felt as though I just had to share it with everyone; yell it from the rooftops, as they say.
I discovered this amazing piece of information at the bottom of an email that I receive every few weeks from one of the school boards that I work for. A dedicated woman at the board (bless her heart) sends out an email to all Occasional Teachers with a list of professional development opportunities being offered within the board for the month. Usually I scroll through, get excited about one or two sessions, and then promptly forget to pay the fee, or decide that I don't want to drive to a school on a weekend. However, tonight I scrolled to the bottom of the email and found something that I could really get excited about! A series of webinars offered by the Ontario Teachers' Federation that are.... wait for it.... COMPLETELY FREE!! NO MORE getting excited about a session and then worrying about the cost of it - FREE. NO MORE getting excited about a session, and then having to commit to driving to a far away school on a weekend - they are webinars, so you can participate from the comfort of your own home on a boring old weeknight! This time, I could just stay excited! So I promptly signed up for no less than fifteen sessions. Oopps! After spending seven years paying for lectures (some of which I enjoyed and some of which I did not), I can finally choose lectures that I am interested in... for free! (Have I emphasized that enough?). The webinars are called OTF Connects. OTF Connects is dedicated to helping teachers from around the province connect, learn from, and collaborate with one another. For all of you Occasional Teachers who have been craving some professional development, but were not sure how to find it... Enjoy, and spread the word! The link to the website is below: http://www.otffeo.on.ca/en/learning/otf-connects/sessions/ What people think September looks like for Occasional Teachers VS. what September actually looks like... Image Credit: http://irishpost.co.uk/number-of-irish-teachers-flocking-to-britain-doubles/ This picture is a representation of the struggle that every Occasional Teacher (OT) faces during the month of September. After a two month holiday, permanent teachers are keen to get back to their classrooms, and get to know their students. This means that no permanent teachers are booking days off for sick leave, professional development etc. In turn, no OTs are called in to work. September is a drought for OT's...but it doesn't have to be.
When I moved to Ottawa at the beginning of 2016 I left an Occasional Teaching position in Toronto where I had made valuable connections, and had experience as a Long Term Teacher. In this profession, switching boards is viewed as professional suicide: you have to re-interview with a new board, your seniority is lost, and there is no guarantee that you will be hired - even with prior experience. Needless to say, many teachers do whatever it takes to avoid this. Teachers choose a school board right out of Teacher's College and devote years to volunteering, making connections, and designing applications for this board. My partner's career means that I will work for many different school boards in my career. It is inevitable that we will travel for his job, and this means that I have to be more creative about how I approach my teaching career. I am learning to broaden my views about how I can work as an educator. Being an educator does not mean that I can only work as an occasional teacher with a school board. I can explore teaching through avenues such as early learning, tutoring, and professional development. This is something that all OTs should consider, especially in the drought month of September. If you have the September OT blues, here are a few suggestions to help you get back to work:
September does not have to be a drought month for OTs. There are many opportunities available that will add to your resume, and can help you to develop your skills as a teacher. If you are contemplating a move to a new area, don't let it scare you! There are many valuable experiences out there for teachers, you just have to be willing to veer a little off of the beaten path. |
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