Letters to the Editor

Re: Poverty   and  Learning
(June 08)

Congratulations on your June 2008 issue of Voice,  Poverty and Learning. I applaud you for your efforts to ensure that our teachers across the province are aware, knowledgeable, engaged, and committed to supporting some of our most vulnerable students. Your efforts, coupled with those across the province at the local board level, are certain to have a positive impact  on our determination to close the achievement gap. At the Toronto District School Board, we are coupling demographic data with achievement data, in order to determine where focused intervention to improve student achievement is needed.  We look forward to sharing our experiences and improvements in this area with you – and learning from others across the province.

Gerry Connelly
Director of Education
Toronto District School Board

Re: Ten Years and It’s Back to the Classroom for This Teacher!
(October 08)

I was reading the October issue and looking at the photo of Vera Teschow on p. 27  getting her classroom ready for September. Unfortunately, she is using a table as a ladder – a very unsafe practice. The rest of your photos are great!

Angie  Mannella-Pisani
Health & Safety Representative
ETFO Niagara Local

Vera Teschow has a wonderful article offering a fresh view of the profession. Unfortunately it is illustrated with a photo of her wobbling on top of a desk presumably putting up decorations for the start of school. This is the most universal example of a dangerous practice  followed by teachers.  Those of us working in the health and safety area use it as an example at every training session.

Duncan Abbott
Vice-President,
ETFO Upper Canada Local
Co-Chair of the Upper Canada  District School Board Joint Health and Safety Committee

Her students are fortunate to have Vera Teschow as their teacher. Her enthusiasm for this next stage of her career  shines through in her writing! I have been retired for about nine years and I know that there have been many changes  since I left the classroom. (I have many friends still teaching.) During my 28.5-year career, I often wondered just HOW  some of my administrators – or consultants – would handle the daily routines, schedules,  and commitments that are part of actually being IN the classroom setting on a daily basis. Some  administrators, I think, would not accept the challenge that she has,  due to their age,  and also to not wanting to try something different at this stage of their lives. I do hope she will provide a followup article halfway through, or for sure at the end of the year.

Linda  Henderson
Tilbury  ON

Correction: Adam Peer is an ESL/ELD/ RISE  Facilitator with the Peel District School Board.
Incorrect information appeared in our last issue.