Early Career Teachers` Handbook

Transcription

Early Career Teachers’
Handbook
2016 - 2017
Revised August 2016
The New Brunswick Teachers’ Association wishes to thank the following organizations for
sharing resources that contributed to this Early Career Teachers’ Handbook:
Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers’ Association
Nova Scotia Teachers Union
Ontario Secondary Schools Teachers’ Federation
Prince Edward Island Teachers’ Federation
Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation
British Columbia Teachers’ Federation
Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario
The following resource books provided inspiration and material:
Survival Strategies: Practical Tools for Educators
Abbleby, Lennon & Ramberan Singh
OSSTF, 1999
The Effective Teacher
Harry K. Wong Publications
Special thanks to NBTA Early Career Teacher Handbook committee members and POINT
representatives who devoted time, energy, enthusiasm, and expertise to this project:
Jocelyn Doucet
Angela Lardner
Derek Taggart
Sandra Tingley
Table of Contents
1)
NBTA’s POINT Program for Early Career Teachers.................................................................... 4
2)
Surviving the Early Days............................................................................................................. 5
a) Phases of Early Years of Teaching
b) Prior to the First Day
c) Getting Ready for the First Day
d) Classroom Preparation
e) Procedures to Rehearse with Students
f) The First Night
g) Plan, Plan, Plan
h)Activities
i) Advice from other Early Career Teachers
j) Emergency Lesson Plans
k) Resources and Links
3)
Organizational Strategies............................................................................................................ 13
a)Filing
b) Plan Books
c) Important Items to Document
d) Preparing for Supply Teachers
e) Templates for Lesson Planning
4)
School Support........................................................................................................................... 15
a)Administrators
b) Administrative Assistants
c)Colleagues
d) Education Support Services – Resource & Guidance
e) Custodial Staff
f) Educational Assistants
g) Educational Psychologists, Speech Therapists, and Itinerant Teachers
h) Supplementary Positions of Responsibility
i) Teacher Mentors
j)Librarians
5)
District Support.......................................................................................................................... 16
a)Superintendent
b)Payroll
c) Pupil Transportation
d) Human Resources
e) Human Resource Officers
f) Senior Education Officers (SEOs)
g) Directors of Curriculum and Instruction
h) Subject Coordinators
i) Mentors & Leads
j) Community Engagement Coordinators
k) Community School Coordinators
l) Facilities Manager
m) Information Technology
6)
Creating a Positive Learning Environment................................................................................ 19
a) A Well-Managed Classroom
b) Classroom Appearance
c) Practical Ideas
d) Student-Teacher Relationship
e) Safe and Caring Environment
f) Child Protection in New Brunswick
g) Points to Ponder
h) Resources and Links
7)
Discipline Strategies................................................................................................................... 24
a) Discipline: Top 10 List
b) Points to Ponder
c) Classroom Strategies
d) Resources and Links
8)
Becoming a Professional............................................................................................................ 28
a) You Are a Professional
b) Dress Code
c) You and Social Media
d) If Conflict Arises
e) Professional Conduct
f) Professional Growth
g)
h)
i)
j)
k)
l)
9)
PD Opportunities
Educational Improvement Grant Application & Guidelines
Certificate Information
Adding Work Experience to Increase Your Salary
Educational Leave
Resources and Links
Communicating With Parents..................................................................................................... 42
a) Phone Contacts
b) Other Forms of Communication
c) Conferences with Parents/Guardians
d) Report Cards
e) Writing Effective Student Reports
f) Points to Ponder
g) Sample Note to Home
10)Wellness...................................................................................................................................... 49
a) NBTA Counsellors
b) Wellness and the Early Career Teacher
c) Taking Care of Yourself
d) Recognizing Symptoms of Stress
e) Breathing for Relaxation
f) Wellness Strategies
g) Points to Ponder
11) NBTA: Your Professional Association....................................................................................... 59
a)Branches
b) Services and Benefits
c)Dues
d) Getting Involved
e) NBTA Governing Bodies
f) Association Affiliation
g) Contact Information
h) Supply Teachers in the NBTA and NBTF
i) Professional Recognition Awards
j) NBTA Professional Awards, Scholarships and Grants
12) NBTA Credit Union Limited...................................................................................................... 68
a) What is the NBTA Credit Union?
b) What are the benefits of joining?
c) What are shares?
d) What does ownership mean to you?
e) Accessibility Outside of Fredericton
f) Financial Products and Services
13) NBTF: Your Union..................................................................................................................... 70
a) Services and Benefits
b) Dues
c) Contact Information
14) NBTF Group Insurance.............................................................................................................. 72
a) Enrolment
b) Other Coverage
c) Opting Out
d) First “B” Contract
e) Teachers with Previous Contracts
f) Deductions
g) Application Form
15) Collecting a Salary..................................................................................................................... 74
a) Getting Paid
b) The Pay stub
c) Teachers’ Pension Plan
16) Legal Rights and Responsibilities.............................................................................................. 78
a) Legal Issues
b) Liability/Negligence
c) Contractual Issues
d) Legal Assistance
e) Resources and Links
f) Education Act
17) Frequently Asked Questions....................................................................................................... 83
Welcome to the Teaching Profession
POINT
Funding
As an early career teacher, the NBTA offers support
specific to your needs and interests. POINT stands for the
Professional Orientation and Induction of New Teachers.
POINT is not a “pre-packaged” program but rather is the
banner name for any activity or event that NBTA funds in
support of early career teachers. Each NBTA branch (check
the map in the section entitled NBTA: Your Professional
Association to find out about your branch) has a POINT
liaison who takes the lead in organizing a branch welcome
event/contact as well as follow up contact mid-year. The
NBTA recognizes the importance of supporting early
career teachers as they develop their professional identity
and POINT is simply one means of offering this support
service.
This funding may support first year teachers with resources,
supply teacher time, welcoming and rejuvenating meetings,
or any other idea supporting early career teachers. The
funding is provided to Branches in the Fall of each year.
Who Qualifies?
New teachers who possess a first-time contract and are
included on the list provided to NBTA by the district
coordinator are qualified for the POINT initiatives including
the welcome event/contact and follow-up contact.
Each of the 27 NBTA Branches receive funds to cover
the expenses of activities and resources for early career
teachers. Currently, each branch receives a flat rate per
director plus a “per head” amount for each new teacher on
district list.
Contact Information for my POINT
Rep:
Name:
School:
Email:
My suggestions for spending the POINT funding:
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Early Career Teachers’ Handbook
Surviving the Early Days
Phases of First Year Teaching
(Moir, 1990)
+
Attitudes Towards Teaching
ANTICIPATION
ANTICIPATION
SURVIVAL
REFLECTION
REJUVENATION
DISILLUSIONMENT
-
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
Anticipation
occurs before the new member actually joins the organization and involves a feeling of excitement
Survival
occurs as the new member begins teaching and experiences problems and situations not previously anticipated
Disillusionment
occurs as the new member experiences concern about
competence and commitment
Rejuvenation
occurs as the new member experiences an acceptance of
the realities of teaching and begins to feel a sense of accomplishment
Reflection
occurs as the new member reflects over the accomplishments of the past and experiences renewed anticipation
For more information, visit Ellen Moir’s “New Teacher Center” website at:
www.newteachercenter.org/blog/phases-first-year-teaching
JUN
JUL
Prior to the First Day
1. Ask your principal for curriculum guides or refer to
the Department of Education and Early Childhood
Development website at www.gnb.ca/0000/educators-e.
asp. Make sure you visit websites for school, district
and department (http://portal.nbed.nb.ca).
2. Ask your principal, SPR, or Teacher Mentor about the
policy and procedures regarding:
• your teaching schedule, class lists, enrolment/parent
information forms, field trips, fire drills, map of the
school with fire exits, homework, list of student
lockers, locks, library resources for students/teachers,
student transportation
• role of EA in classroom
• staff parking, student evaluation,
•student fees, student supervision duties, supply
teachers, registration procedures, accident reports,
use of library, labs, etc., reporting discipline issues,
administration of medication, and referrals for
guidance, resource, or psychologists, signing out
technology,
• student medical information
3. Assign information areas in classroom for displaying:
•announcements, schedules and timetables, school
arrival and dismissal times school assemblies,
•school handbook, security school-wide rules, lock
down, fire drill procedures,
• staff meetings, opening day, opening exercises, paper
and other supplies,
• photocopies, calendar and current events, different
subjects,
• student work
4. Prepare your classroom in these ways:
• duplicate materials needed for the first few days,
have a receipt book ready if money is to be collected,
make a checklist for forms which need to be returned,
make signs for the room,
•organize your daily plan book to include learner
outcomes, plan a textbook distribution record, plan
the first day in detail,prepare an outline for the first
week, prepare class list and post copy,
• prepare the classroom arrangements and seating plan,
put your name outside the classroom door with a
class list,
• set up learning centres
keeping and examples of student work, staff bulletins
and memos, supply teachers, students with medical
problems, students with PLPs/IEPs, students needing
resource help with outside agencies
6. Get to know your students through the following
activities:
• find out which students are receiving special help,
prepare an inventory to find out student interests,
prepare tentative groupings for instruction, read the
cumulative records for each student, review your
differentiated instruction techniques and inclusion
practices
7. Prepare a package to send home on the first day that
includes:
•a welcoming letter, forms required by the school,
supply list and costs; what the school provides
8. Assemble the following items:
•appropriate books for reading or reference use,
attendance materials, classroom supplies (art,
technology, manipulatives), supplementary teaching
materials, textbooks and accompanying materials
• find out where materials/supplies are available
9. Apply for an NBED account and for a school laptop:
• To obtain an NBED account, contact the Director of
Human Resources in your District.
• Once you have an NBED account, you can apply for
a teacher laptop (as long as you hold a B, D, or E
contract and are employed with at least a 0.5 FTE)
from the NBED portal.
• Log in at http://portal.nbed.nb.ca
• Find “Teacher Laptops” and click on “Apply Now”
(lower right corner of home page)
• Provide the following information:
First Name, Last Name, District, School, Certification
Number, Employee Number, Birth Date, Notebook
Language Preference, and Contract Type.
Register with the NBTA at www.nbta.ca. Click
on “2016-2017 Registration”. Having difficulties?
Contact Carlene Merrick at carlene.merrick@
nbta.ca
5. Prepare your files by setting up folders for:
• late and absent notes, parent correspondence, record
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The First Day
The following suggestions can help you to have an excellent first day. Start the school year off with your best foot
forward by being prepared, organized, and welcoming.
Procedures to rehearse
with students
• Passing in papers
Try to make your classroom a warm and inviting environment. You can decorate your classroom beforehand or
bring decorating materials so that you and your students
can do it together. Something as simple as a few selected
posters can make all the difference.
• Returning student work
• Prepare a welcoming note for students and have it waiting for them on their desks. (Say that you are looking
forward to your year together, or have a brain teaser or
mini puzzle to get attention!)
• Moving about the room
• Prepare an introductory note to be sent home to parents/
guardians telling them who you are and how they can
reach you. Indicate your enthusiasm in working with
their children and them.
• Establish respect within your classroom. Explain what
respect is to your students and make sure everyone (not
just the teacher) is respected in your classroom. Go
over examples of respect and how to value each other
throughout the year.
• As you prepare for your first “lesson”, consider an activity which will engage students and assist you in getting
to know them.
• Plan for students who complete assignments quickly or
who may require extra time.
• Effective classroom rules may be developed cooperatively. Ensure that students have opportunities to understand the rules, procedures and consequences.
• Have your syllabus or outline of possible units of focus.
Share with students what they will be learning this year.
• Prepare a list for yourself of all the important things you
want to say to them, including your own expectations for
quality of work and for some of the classroom routines
and procedures. Plan to rehearse these procedures.
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• Getting materials without disturbing others
• Handing out playground materials
• Going to the library and other key areas
• Heading of papers
• When students finish work early
• Returning to task after interruption
• When asking a question
• When a school-wide announcement is made
• Walking in the hall during class time
• Responding to a fire drill/evacuations/lockdown
• A crisis response to medical situation
• When visitors are in the classroom
• If the teacher is out of the classroom
• If teacher/student suddenly falls ill
• Saying “thank you”
• Washroom procedures
Reference: The First Days of School. Chapter 20
First Day Reflection
Review student names and scan inventories for points of
interest. Go over tomorrow’s tentative lesson plan and
make adjustments based on the feel of the class from the
first day . . . remember to exercise, talk to a supportive
friend, eat healthy food, and take some time to leave everything behind and enjoy some solitude.
Suggested First Week Activities
Who are you?
On a piece of paper (same size for everyone), name one
thing about yourself that you don’t think anyone else would
know about you. Teacher picks up the cards, shuffles them
and passes one card to each student. Students must circulate the room and ask questions to everyone to try to find
out whose card they have. They must sit down only after
they find the person whose card they have and when someone else finds them and what they wrote.
Me card
Give students a rectangular piece of white paper. On it
they must write their name in the middle; upper right corner something they like; upper left corner something they
don’t like; bottom right can be favourite movie; bottom left
corner is favourite singer or actor. They stick it on their
shirt when finished. Time them 5 minutes and they must
mingle with everyone and talk about the upper right corner
and vice versa. Then you say “stop”; now talk to someone
or 2 or 3 different people and talk about the upper left corner, etc. Make sure you tell the students to say why they
don’t like a certain thing and why it’s their favourite movie.
Other First Week Activities
• People-hunt or bingo: Find out fun facts about each other. Students must get signatures from other students who
can answer the question listed on their game card
• Interview one person and introduce that person by name,
favourite subject, one thing we should know about him/
her, one thing he/she does not like, one thing he/she
likes.
• Student participation in rules, consequences, goals and
expectations.
• Play a name game (see examples included).
•Do a student inventory and an inventory on learning
styles (see examples included).
• Play “Jeopardy”, basing the questions/answers on things
you have covered the first week.
• Establish routines around equipment use by putting students into groups and assigning tasks to complete in a
cooperative manner around proper use of equipment.
• Have trivia or brain teasers they can complete.
Making your class a warm and welcoming environment is
important for all levels. Preparing for the first day may take
longer than preparing for other days in the year, but it is
very important to plan thoughtfully for the first day. Use
that first day to set the tone for the rest of the year. Establish yourself as their teacher, but also remember to let them
know you are a learner with them.
Famous pairs
Pass out cards with famous pairs (i.e., Miss Piggy and Kermit the Frog). The students must find their pair only by
asking questions. They cannot say who they are or who
they’re looking for.
Celebrity Game
Each student has a name of a famous person stuck to his/
her back and he/she doesn’t know who it is. The student
must go around and ask questions to each other to try to
figure out who he/she is. The questions can only be a “yes”
or “no” question and you can only answer a question with
“yes” or “no”.
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Everyone is different. We all have different things that we
are good at. In research it is said that we all belong to one
or more of the following multiple intelligences:
What are you good at?
Please check off every statement that is true to your personality: (Remember, there can be more than one). Circle
the word(s) that is your strongest point in each sentence if
necessary.
__I love reading, writing, telling stories.
__I love figuring things out logically, questioning, calculating, estimating.
__I love designing, drawing, visualizing and doodling.
__I love role playing, drama, dancing, athletics, building.
__I love to work with other people in groups, discussing
ideas, organizing, love to lead.
__ I like to think alone rather than share with others, meditating, daydreaming.
__I like classifying, animals, nature, gardening, pets.
For more activities, or emergency lesson
plans, check out
www.nbta.ca/Early_Career_Teachers
10
Interest Inventory: “A Bit About Me”
We need your help! Your teachers want to have the opportunity to get to know each of you. We want to
understand you better so we can help make this school year a positive one for each of you.
Hopefully, by your filling in this questionnaire, as honestly as possible, we will be able to meet our needs
and make this school year one that you will always remember. Please help us understand you better so
that our teacher/student relationship can be the best one possible. Thanks for your help.
My name is
My family consists of (don’t forget your pets!)
Some of my strengths are (something that I am good at)
Something that really bothers or annoys me is
Something that I really like is
Sports that I like to play
My favourite TV shows are
Something you should know about me so you can understand/know me better
Some activities that I am involved in (in or out of school)
My favourite school subject(s) is/are
because
The subject(s) I least enjoy is/are
because
Advice from other Early Career
Teachers
“Communicating and collaborating are extremely great
tools to help you begin your new journey, so ask for help if
when you need it.”
“It may take some time to find out what works best for you.
Try a few different methods out; you don’t have to stick
with one thing.”
“Real teaching is NOT student teaching. It’s a whole different ball game.”
Resources and Links
1. NSTU’s website section on Early Career:
www.nstu.ca
2. Harry Wong’s website:
www.effectiveteaching.com
3. Wong, H. Wong, R.T. (1998). The first days of school.
Mountain View, CA: Harry K. Wong Publications, Inc.
4. Curriculum documents online:
http://portal.nbed.nb.ca
“You don’t need to know it all, you have a team around
you with a vast amount of knowledge and skills, use them.”
“Be organized from the get-go, and not to leave anything
unknown. Use the help that is provided and don’t be afraid
to ask questions.”
“It’s all about how the kids feel at the end of each day, not
what you have taught them.”
“Ask the teachers in your school for help. No one expects
you to know it all right away.”
“Don’t worry about getting everything perfect your first
time around!! Take it day by day and do the best you can.”
“You are not working alone. Do not be afraid to go to your
colleagues for support and advice.”
“Keep a copy of the Contract (Collective Agreement) in
one place, and get familiar with it.”
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Organizational Strategies
Filing
You will notice that paperwork and electronic communications pile up easily and you will wonder what to do with
the stacks of papers on your desk and messages on your
computer. The best way to organize this information is to
have labeled files (paper or electronic) so you will know
where everything is being kept.
Suggested File Folders:
• information (seating plans, class lists, schedule, etc.)
• Long-term planning section
• Section to list assignment/test/examination results
• To do list
“The key is not to prioritize
your schedule,
but to schedule your priorities”
Stephen R. Covey, author of
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
• supply teacher
• professional development
• parent correspondence
• late and absent notes
• good teaching strategies and ideas
• staff bulletins and memos
• record keeping and examples of student work
• NBTA information
• discipline-related documentation
• school policies
Plan Books/Template
Always have your plan with you as it is a very important
and useful tool. Since your plan book/template is such a
useful item, you may want to design your own.
What to Consider:
• Daily plans
• Co-curricular activities
•Contacts/addresses
Important Items to Document:
You should always record any conversations you have
with parents. If you are having difficulty with a student,
it is best to record any interaction you have while dealing
with the situation. Keep track of conversations and methods you have tried to alleviate the problem. You should get
into the habit of recording everything. Whether it be accidents or incidents, it is best not to rely on your memory.
When asked by a parent/guardian or administration what
happened on a particular day, you should be able to easily
find the answers to any questions in your documentation.
Try to make a point of using forms for your record keeping. Supply teacher forms, parent/guardian conference
forms and phone logs are only a few documents you can
use that will help you keep all the necessary information in
an appropriate place. Your mentor or colleagues may have
developed forms you can use or adapt.
• Seating plan
•Timetable
• Special event calendar
• Reminder of meetings
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Preparing for Supply Teachers
Most teachers are in need of a supply teacher every now and
then. Sometimes the absence is planned and sometimes it
is not. Supply teachers have a very difficult job. First, they
are expected to cover a classroom full of often unknown
students. Second, they usually receive very short notice on
the days they are to work. Finally, supply teachers often
have very little information and direction provided to them.
Having a pre-organized binder to leave for every supply
day will save you time and effort for last-minute absences,
and leave your supply teacher more prepared. Some information you may want to include:
• Class lists with seating plan (s)
• Class list with contact names and numbers
• Daily and weekly timetable
• Bell schedule
• Class norms, expectations and responsibilities
• Map of school, including fire exits and other important
school locations (computer lab, staff room, photocopier
room etc…)
• Supervision schedule and expectations
• Information about student with special behaviors/ health
needs (medications, routines etc…)
• Emergency lessons for each class that can be used be a
supply teacher who may not be specialized in your content area.
• Any other notes that may be helpful for the supply teacher to know about your class or school.
As well, click here for ready-made handouts to leave for
your supply teacher.
Lesson Planning
Click here to download templates for unit planning and lesson planning. These templates may help you focus on curriculum outcomes as you plan your lessons.
Your district may have lesson and unit plan templates that
should be used. Check with your district’s Director of Curriculum and Instruction for more information.
14
School Support
One of the many advantages of working as a teacher is the
opportunity to have control over your own job (teaching
in your classroom), while at the same time being an integral part of a supportive team. As a supply or new teacher,
however, we often aren’t even aware of all the support that
is outside of the classroom. If you are just getting to know
your school community, take the time to find out about the
following individuals who can support you and your teaching:
Administrators
The principal and the vice-principal are important parts
of your support network. Don’t wait for them to ask how
things are going — let them know. When it’s comfortable
for you, invite the administrators into your classroom.
Show an interest in their work so that you can gain a broader understanding of school operations.
My administrator(s) is/are:
cuss ways you can work together to keep your classroom a
pleasant place for you and your students.
My custodial staff is/are:
Educational Support Workers
Many schools assign teachers to work with other teachers
who have children with special needs in their classrooms,
or to work with students to help plan their career paths or
help with student wellness. These include Resource teachers who can help you design appropriate lessons and may
also operate programs for particular students in or outside
of the classroom. Guidance teachers are great sources for
providing strategies to help you deal with difficult students.
They would also have information on addiction services
and school psychologists, and are able to make referrals if
that is needed for a student. Together with administrators,
Educational Support Workers form a “Student Services
Team” at your school to continually be informed of the
needs within the school.
My educational support worker(s) is/are:
Administrative Assistants
The school administrative assistant is an important link between you and the administration, and he/she is often the
first contact parents have with the school. Learn about the
administrative assistant’s responsibilities and what services might be available to you. Requests made of you by the
school administrative assistant are frequently for information required by the principal. Respond promptly.
My administrative assistant(s) is/are:
Educational Assistants
Educational assistants are a strong link between teachers
and students with special needs. They are excellent sources
of insight into a student’s strengths, needs, and interests. If
they are present in the classroom, introduce yourself immediately, and discuss how they will be able to support you
and students in the class that day.
My educational assistant(s) is/are:
Colleagues
Never underestimate the value of discussing your work
with your fellow teachers. Your team members and colleagues have advice, resources, and experience to share.
Don’t be afraid to ask!
Custodial Staff
A good working relationship with the school custodian will
make life much easier for you. Ask the principal about the
custodian’s responsibilities. Introduce yourself and disSurviving the Early Days
Educational Psychologists, Speech Therapists,
and Itinerant Teachers
Your school district may employ or have access to educational psychologists, speech therapists, and itinerant teachers. You will need to know about students with whom they
have been working and about referral procedures.
My EP(s), ST(s), IT(s) is/are:
15
Librarians
A school librarian or teacher-librarian does more than look
after the collection of library materials. He/she can assist
you in co-operative planning and help you design researchbased projects and information-retrieval programs. Familiarize yourself with policies about using the resource centre, but also take advantage of the teacher-librarian’s ability
to help you develop resource-based learning strategies to
enhance instruction. Your teacher-librarian may also assist
you in ordering student and teacher resource materials.
My librarian(s) is/are:
SPRs (Supplementary Positions of
Responsibility)
also may be able to visit your classroom while you teach to
offer you pointers or ideas.
My SPR(s) is/are:
Teacher Mentors and Literacy Leads
Often traveling between schools, teacher mentors are direct
supports for teachers on specific subjects, depending on the
District. Districts have mentors in many areas including
Literacy, Math, Science, and Technology. Teacher Mentors
are happy to assist teachers by providing resources, or even
coming to the classroom to model a particular strategy, or
to provide support using a new resource.
My teacher mentor(s) and literacy lead(s) is/are:
Depending on the size of the school, some schools have
teachers assigned as head of a particular department or specialization in the school (for example, some schools have
had SPRs of Advisory, Math or other subject area, or Resource). They are excellent resources if you need an emergency lesson or support for a particular subject area. They
Who’s Who in Your District
New Brunswick currently has over 300 schools, over
100,000 students, almost 4000 non-education and support staff (including Custodians, Education Assistants, and
Therapists), and over 9300 teachers (including approximately 1500 supply teachers). These numbers are divided
into four Anglophone and three Francophone districts, each
staffed with supports in professional development, special
needs, classroom management, instruction, finance, counseling, and wellness (to name a few).
Teachers, especially in the early years, may find it challenging to know who to turn to for help outside of school.
Hopefully the following list will provide you with a helpful
guide of some of many helpful hands in our broader educational community. While it is by no means a complete
list, hopefully it will provide a glimpse of what the broader
educational community has to offer you.
YOUR DISTRICT
Superintendent
The Superintendent is responsible for all employees within
a district. The Superintendent (along with Senior Education Officers and/or Directors of Curriculum and Instruction) meets with NBTA branch directors, presidents, and
PD chairs two or more times a year to address teachers’
concerns, plan for Professional Development days, and
consider District initiatives. As an early career teacher,
contact your branch President or Director, or any of the
reps if you have any questions or concerns you would like
addressed.
My superintendent is:
Payroll
All teachers in New Brunswick are paid according to the
salary negotiated by the NBTF and Board of Management
16
(you can find the salary grid in the Collective Agreement
which is available on at www.nbtffenb.ca). All salaries
are paid by automatic deposit, and all teachers receive a
pay stub indicating earnings, deductions, and net pay. You
should note that the pay stub lists the dues deducted for
NBTF and NBTA (“NBTF dues” as listed on the pay stub),
and Group Insurance deductions, unless you have opted
out (for more information on opting out, contact Johnson
Insurance). If you are experiencing any difficulties with
your pay, or have any questions about your salary or pay
stub, contact your payroll clerks or supervisor located at
district office.
My payroll clerk(s) is/are:
Pupil Transportation
Every district has a Transportation Manager who is responsible for bus drivers, busses, and pupil transportation. For
regular questions regarding which bus a student should
be on, or times of arrival or departure, or if there are any
bus issues while you are on outside duty, speak with your
principal or administrative assistant first, or the Manager,
if they are unable to assist you. If you would like to book a
school bus for a co-curricular or extra-curricular trip, speak
with your administrator to find out about a “Trip Tracker”
form that may be completed, or contact the assistant manager at district office.
My transportation manager is:
Human Resources
The Director of Human Resources has responsibilities
regarding personnel, employee relations, labour management relations, and performance management. If you are
still looking for a contract position, continue to check the
district’s website for upcoming positions, as available external positions are posted in the website’s “Employment
Opportunities” section. Resumes and cover letters as well
as additional documentation (copies of transcripts, French
Language Proficiency Certificates, and Teaching Certificates) should be submitted to the Director of Human Resources (all the documentation you need to submit will
be specified in the advertisement posted on the district
website). The director then forwards the information of
qualified candidates to Senior Education Officers and Administrators for consideration of teaching positions. Also,
the Director of Human Resources oversees professional
growth plans. While school administrators (or their representatives like SPRs) work more directly with teachers
completing professional growth plans, the Director may
facilitate providing more support or resources from district
office if a teacher is in need of these.
My director of human resources is:
Human Resources Officers
Human Resources Officers are especially familiar to supply teachers as they work directly with them, helping them
complete applications, income tax forms, acquire NBED
email accounts, and providing orientations. Human Resources Officers also assist the Directors of Human Resources in regards to payroll services, pension, benefits,
maternity, and sick leaves.
My human resources officer is:
Director of Schools
Director of Schools have some of the responsibilities of
the former Senior Education Officers. However, there are
some major differences due to restructuring through amalgamation. Every district has more than one Education
Centre to oversee the operations of a section of the bigger district. Director of Schools operate these Education
Centres, and work closely with School Administrators in
their operations. As an early career teacher, you can direct
many of your questions about staffing to your Director of
Schools. For example, if you hold a D Contract, you may
contact your DS to determine the number of years of “seniority” you may have in consideration of a B Contract
(however, this may not apply in all districts). If you have
a B Contract, you may contact your DS to ask questions
about transfers to other schools within the district. On a
final note, in some districts, DSs provide district support
for the NBTA POINT program (Professional Orientation
and Induction of New Teachers).
My Director of Schools is:
Directors of Curriculum and Instruction
Directors of Curriculum and Instruction develop, monitor, and support the implementation of K-12 curricula, and
work with Subject Coordinators to meet this objective.
They also oversee much of the professional development
that occurs within districts, whether it be curriculum inservice days, district professional development days, or
even in collaborating with NBTA on some of their professional development days. In some districts, the Directors of
17
Curriculum and Instruction provide district support for the
NBTA POINT program.
My director or curriculum and instruction is:
Subject Coordinators, Mentors, and Leads
There are a number of Subject Coordinators within each
district, including Coordinators for Literacy, Numeracy,
and Technology. Coordinators oversee the collection of
resources, requests for assistance, and classroom visits
(by invitation) to help teachers in the various subject areas. Part of their responsibilities is to oversee mentors and
leads. Mentors work within the districts, visiting schools,
and providing support and resources for teachers. Leads are
usually attached to a particular school, providing resources
and support within that school. Teachers, seconded to the
District to provide these supports, fill these positions. They
are excellent sources for all teachers, and you are encouraged to contact the Subject Coordinator for more information (go to your district website for contact information).
My subject coordinator(s), mentor(s) and lead(s) is/are:
Community Engagement
Coordinators and Community School Coordinators
Based on a 2007 Department of Education initiative, some
schools in the province are designated as Community
Schools. The purpose is to establish a full-service school,
opened beyond regular hours to be utilized by the entire
community. The goal is to use the school and school community to enhance the health and well-being of children,
their families, and neighborhood residents. Community Engagement Coordinators facilitate the development of programming between designated schools and local agencies,
community groups, and other governmental departments
for the entire district, while Community School Coordinators work within specific communities. The work of the
Coordinators have led to breakfast, lunch, and after-school
programs, parent seminar series, in-school mentoring, and
field trips. If you’re working in a community school, speak
with your administrator if you would like to get involved,
or have another idea for your school.
Facilities Manager
The district’s Facilities Managers looks after the safety of
the staff and students in the district. They oversee the custodial services within schools as well as the maintenance
of the buildings. When teachers are on duty, and discover
hazardous materials, or unsafe playground equipment upon
reporting to the administration, it is the Facilities Manager
who oversees the removal or repair.
My facilities manager(s) is/are:
Information Technology
Technicians are responsible for a variety of tasks involving
information technology. If networks or servers are down,
contact IT. If Administrators’, Teachers’ or Students’ computers and laptops are not working, contact IT. In the particularly stressful period of elementary report cards, the IT
staff is ready to respond to urgent requests. Once you have
received an NBED account (a request made through your
Human Resources Officer), you can access the provincial
portal for educators (http://portal.nbed.nb.ca), where you
will be able to locate information on how to apply for a
laptop (if you have a teaching contract), and where you can
request help if you are experiencing problems with your
network, server, or laptop. If your laptop has stopped working completely, ask a co-worker to complete a help desk
request on your behalf.
My information technology contact(s) is/are:
My community engagement coordinator(s) and community school coordinator(s) is/are:
18
Creating a Positive Learning Environment
What Happens in a
Well-managed Classroom?
• Students are highly involved.
• Students know what is expected of them.
• There is little confusion, disruption, or time wasted.
• The climate is work-oriented, but relaxed.
• change the students’ seating arrangement on a regular
basis (e.g., a large circle, in groups of 4 or 5, in a chevron
pattern.
Practical Ideas
Here are a few practical ideas to maintain a positive learning environment:
• Read inspirational, age appropriate stories or poems.
• Provide a few minutes each day for humourous, fun, or
interesting stories.
• Enthusiasm is contagious – don’t try to teach without it!
Classroom Appearance
Before making any changes to the physical space, check
with your administrator about fire marshall requirements.
Within these parameters, create an engaging physical space
with one or more of the following suggestions:
• Check in/Check out
Start your week with check in/check out. This is a way
for students to share their accomplishments or frustrations. Ask your students if they have anything to check
in or check out. For example, the teacher could check in
and say, “Check in: I am having friends over for supper
tonight and I’m looking forward to spending time with
them ... check out.” Some students might check in by
saying “Check in: I have a big science test this week and
I’m stressed ... check out”. You never discuss the check
ins/check outs. It is simply a tool used to better know and
understand your students.
• posters relating to the concepts you are teaching
• a display of students’ work on your walls
• a personal inspiration wall where students display something that is personally important
• a “positive thought of the week” display on your wall
• “Hoorays of the Week”
Have a section on your wall dedicated to the “Hoorays of
the Week”. In groups of 4 or 5, the students are to write
their “hoorays” that happened to them during the week
(e.g., “Jon got a 93% on his math test”, or “Sarah scored
12 points in her basketball game”). Ask each group to write
the “hoorays” of each student in their group on a piece of
white paper using a marker and display them on your wall.
20
Student-Teacher Relationship
When Have You Crossed the Line?
There are certain boundaries that should not be crossed in
a student-teacher relationship. As a teacher, you need to
be aware and cautious of these “professional boundaries”.
Here is a list of things to keep in mind:
DO NOT:
•Have any inappropriate physical contact whatsoever
with students;
• Make comments to a student that are personal, intimidating, threatening, sarcastic, or demeaning;
• Try to be accepted as a peer or friend to students;
• Spend social time with a student or students after school
hours or in non-school related activities;
• Volunteer to drive a student or students home (unless you
have discussed this option with the parent/guardian);
• Exchange notes and/or gifts with a student or students;
Teaching Tips
• Share the talk time with your students.
• Have the attention of all students before you begin.
• Establish and maintain a classroom routine.
• Be in the classroom when the
students arrive.
• Be organized and prepared before each lesson.
• Try to use a quiet, friendly tone of voice.
• Get to know your students. Friendship may come in
time, but respect is what you insist on right from the
start.
• Try to be firm and fair.
• Focus on establishing consistent procedures for
classroom routines.
•Smile!
• Call a student or students at home on a regular basis;
• Invite a student or students to one’s own home;
• Show excessive interest in a particular student;
• Be alone with a student; (always leave your classroom
door open)
• Become angry and use physical contact to discipline a
student;
• Disclose inappropriate personal information to, or about,
a student or students;
• Voice personal opinions on topics such as politics and
religion that could be perceived as persuading others to
the teacher’s way of thinking;
• Express “off-colour” jokes or comments.
• Add students to Facebook or engage in non-professional
electronic communications with students.
Why is a safe and caring environment so
important?
Research on the brain has revealed that our brains are “programmed” to shut down when subjected to fear, stress and
anxiety. This “flight or fight” response prevents learning
from taking place.
Your classroom needs to be a place where students know
that they can make mistakes and not be subjected to ridicule or rejection. You need to ensure that everyone is treated with respect and that all students’ opinions and feelings
are important.
Discuss the importance of a safe learning environment,
involve the students in establishing the ground rules for
creating such a place, then insist on (and model) behaviour
that will make every member of the classroom feel valued.
21
Policy Statement
Reference
The mandatory reporting and intervention in suspected
child abuse and neglect situations is limited to children under the age of nineteen and to disabled children under the
age of nineteen.
Family Services Act
Procedures
Department of Education and Early Childhood Development Policy 701: Policy for the Protection of Pupils
http://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/departments/education.html
PL
Parental consent is not required for advising Child Protection Services of suspected abuse or neglect.
E
Reporting of children between sixteen and nineteen should
occur with their consent.
Child Victims of Abuse and Neglect Protocol NB (March
2005) – Form Page 132
http://www2.gnb.ca/content/dam/gnb/Departments/sd-ds/
pdf/Protection/Child/ChildAbuseProtocols05-e.pdf
1.All District employees shall familiarize themselves
with the guidelines on child abuse and neglect.
M
2. The adult suspecting abuse or neglect shall contact the
Child Protection Services Branch of Department of Social Development.
3. A report filed by telephone shall be followed by a dated
timely written report (see link below); a copy of which
must be kept in a secure file in the school. An accurate
record of details is necessary should the employee be
required to give evidence in court.
SA
4. The Principal shall refer to Policy 701 if the suspected
abuse/neglect occurs within the school.
5. The Principal shall ensure the security and safety of the
student from the alleged perpetrator.
6. The Principal or designate shall remain with the student
until the Social Worker arrives.
7. The Principal or designate shall contact the police to
take the child into secure care if the Social Worker cannot arrive before the end of the school day.
(used by permission)
22
Points to Ponder:
Resources and Links
• Trust your intuition and common sense.
1. EECD Policy 703 on Positive Learning and Working
Environment: http://portal.nbed.nb.ca Search Policy
703
• Enthusiasm for your subject matter is contagious.
• Observe your colleagues and learn from them.
• Laugh and forgive your mistakes.
• A sense of humour will carry you through most difficulties.
• Remember all the things that go well. Cherish your successes.
•“With-it-ness” comes from experience. Teachers who
have it are fully aware of what is happening in the classroom at all times through constant monitoring. You will
learn this skill, so relax and enjoy your teaching because
it is the best career you’ll ever love!
2. A Resource Guide for Educators Anti-Homophobia and
Anti-Heterosexism - Policy 598. NBTA publication
available on the NBTA website under Resources > LGBTQ
3. Porter-Aucoin Report on Inclusive Education (Strengthening Inclusion, Strengthening Schools)
4. Government response to the Porter-Aucoin Report:
www2.gnb.ca/content/dam/gnb/department
23
Discipline Strategies
Discipline: Top 10 List
• Be proactive – a well-planned, differentiated lesson is
your best discipline strategy.
• Listen – there is always more than one side to a story.
• Be fair and consistent – don’t change your rules from
day to day...even if you’re having a bad day!
• Explain why – don’t just say “because I said so!”
• Hold the students accountable – ask them what they will
do to make the situation better.
• Maintain high expectations – if you expect their best,
that’s what you will usually get!
• Be organized – but go with the flow!
• Kids can relate to rights – stress the following: “Don’t
interrupt others’ right to learn or my right to teach.”
• Acknowledge the needs of individual learners — an effective teacher is aware of learning styles, learning disabilities, etc., and adjusts classroom practices accordingly.
• Always be caring and respectful!
The task of a teacher is to help
students become their own teachers.
Points to Ponder:
1. There are no punishments, just consequences. You
act as a go-between or liaison, connecting students with
the consequences that they choose. Consequences are
simply for getting student attention, pointing out that a
different behaviour choice is possible. We can’t control
students – only get their attention and point out alternatives.
2. There will be times when you are not liked (hated,
even). This is inevitable. Since you can’t avoid it, you
might as well welcome it. Actually, allowing a student
the possibility of hating you can form a positive, nurturing bridge between the two of you. As you don’t react
to a student’s “bait”, the student feels more welcome,
safer, and more cooperative. Further, resisting kids’
opinions of you often leads to you being reactive, arguing with students in class, and generally creating the
worst case scenarios that you are trying to avoid in the
first place.
3. The charge transfer game. Why is it that sometimes
you go home at the end of the day feeling like closing the blinds and sitting in the dark? Kids dump their
charge on you if you take the bait by reacting when they
push your buttons. You go home exhausted, and they go
home ready for more.
4. You are the teacher. There are different styles of classroom management, and the most effective approach to
managing a class is democratic or “hands-joined” as
termed by Linda Albert. This approach means that you
collaborate with students on various components including rules and their consequences. It does not mean
that you are permissive with the students, but it does
mean that you should not be autocratic.”
5. Classes have no memory (though kids do). Successes
and failures are forgotten the next day.
6. All kids are different. Within your classroom, you will
have a wide range of learning styles and abilities. To
meet these needs, you will need to build structure and
variety into your lessons.
7. If you forgive yourself your imperfections, your students
will forgive you as well (at least when they are in the classroom). It’s not wrong to apologize or to say “I don’t know,”
as long as you mean it and it’s appropriate.
8. If you personally and genuinely care for your students, they’ll know and appreciate you, no matter what
classroom management techniques you use, no matter
what your teaching style.
25
Classroom Strategies
•Proximity
Continuing your lesson while you move about the room,
pausing near “trouble spots”, can let the students know
that even though they aren’t near the teacher’s desk, they
are still expected to demonstrate appropriate behaviour.
Getting “boxed in” behind your desk encourages misbehaviour in the far corners of the room.
•Pause
The continuous sound of “teacher talk” can provide students with a noise screen for their own conversations. An
occasional pause – just a few seconds of silence – can
bring an off-task student back in focus.
• Asking for a Response
Hearing your name can be an attention-getter, even if
you’re not paying attention. Working an off-task student’s name into a question can often bring the student
back into the lesson. Remembering the student’s dignity,
it would be appropriate to say the student’s name first, in
order to allow him/her to hear the question he/she is expected to answer. The purpose is to get the student back
into the lesson, not to embarrass him/her.
• Active Participation
Sometimes having the student respond to a question or become involved in an activity can eliminate the undesired
behaviour. Asking for a show of hands, having students
perform a physical activity, or having each student write a
quick answer to a question can make all students accountable for an immediate response. Research on the brain has
shown that both movement and student-talk can enhance
learning.
• Consistent Procedures
“The number one problem in the classroom is not discipline, it is the lack of procedures and routines.” (Harry
Wong)
It is vital that you establish the procedures for doing certain things in your classroom (announcements, end of
class, passing in tests, etc.) and have students practise
them until they become routine.
See the chapter on Surviving the Early Days for a list of suggested
procedures to practise with your students.
26
One Learns Approximately:
10% of what we read
20% of what we hear
30% of what we see
50% of what we both see and hear
70% of what we discuss with others
80% of what we experience personally
95% of what we teach to someone else
What if my students don’t like me?
There is a big difference between like and respect.
You will never have all of your students like you, so
live with it! On the other hand, it is important that
they respect you (and that most, not all, like you).
Students can “like” a teacher but not respect him/
her. Respect is a two-way street. You must earn the
respect from your students from day one. You do
this by showing the students that you are a fair and
consistent teacher, that you care about them and their
success, and that you will always listen to what they
have to say.
How do I handle a student calling me by my first
name?
Explain to them you wish to be referred to as Mrs./
Mr./Ms./Miss. Explain to them that it is simply a
question of respect. Students show respect to their
elders and this is one of those situations.
At what point is it okay to send a student to the
Principal’s office because of his/her behaviour or
attitude in class?
There are certain steps that need to be taken before
sending a student to the office for most forms of
misbehaviour. First, talk to the student individually
about the problem in a calm but firm way and ask for
his/her input on the situation. If after you have talked
with the student, the behaviour is still there, call
home and inform the parent/guardian of the situation
(ask for suggestions). If the problem still persists,
invite the student to a team meeting (if you work on
a team with other teachers who teach him/her), or
arrange a meeting with the student, an administrator,
and yourself to discuss the problem. However,
serious misconduct (as identified in your school’s
positive learning environment plan or discipline
code, may require an immediate intervention from an
administrator!
One particular student keeps giving me a hard
time. The student is always disruptive and doesn’t
show me any respect. The student claims I pick on
him/her. The other teachers don’t seem to have a
problem with that students. What do I do?
You will need to have a conference with the student
and emphasize that it is not the student that you
dislike but rather a specific behaviour. Try (as hard
as it may be) to focus on positive aspects of the
student (you are a natural leader; you are such a
strong math student; I always like your ideas). Try
to agree on a “fresh start”, then make an attempt to
provide positive feedback in the next weeks. You
still, however, need to hold the student accountable
for unacceptable behaviour.
How do I deal with a power struggle with a
student?
Ignore the student’s attempt to engage you in a
power struggle. Speak to the student individually
and describe the behaviour which you cannot accept.
Refer to the fact that your class has a right to learn
and you have a right to teach. Ask the student what
you can do to help him/her with this inappropriate
behaviour. If this does not work, communicate with
parents/guardians and draw up a further action plan.
Arrange for time-out from the classroom. Give the
student a warning, stress the consequences and follow
through.
Resources and Links
1. Albert, L. (1989). A teacher’s guide to cooperative discipline. U.S.A.: American Guidance Service, Inc.
2. Dr. Fred Jones (www.fredjones.com).
3. Morrish, R. (2004). With all due respect. Fonthill, ON:
Woodstream Publishing.
4. NSTU website section on Early Career (www.nstu.ca).
5. Discipline and Classroom Management (NBTA publication): available on the NBTA website.
6. Wong, H. & Wong, R.T. (1998). The first days of school.
Mountain View, CA: Harry K. Wong Publications, Inc.
Check out NSTU’s “Handbook for Early Career Teacers” on their website for more information on classroom
discipline:
www.nstu.ca/images/pklot/early%20career%202012%20
NEW%20web.pdf
27
Becoming a Professional
You Are a Professional
As a new teacher, you have entered a profession that has
been respected for generations. The role you play in society is a crucial one and you are perceived as a positive
influence and role model in the lives of the students you
teach.
As such, you need to think of yourself as a professional and
conduct yourself in a professional manner, 24/7.
Dress Code
While dress style has become more relaxed in most work
environments, it is important that your attire be neat and
clearly distinct from your students. A professional appearance will contribute to your status in the classroom and
school and will help students and parents/guardians view
you as the professional that you are.
You should discuss expectations for dress with your
principal or other colleagues.
Professional Conduct
The NBTA Code of Professional Conduct indicates the
high standards of behaviour expected from the members
of our profession.
As a new teacher, it is important that you familiarize yourself with this Code and at all times aspire to the highest
form of professional interactions.
You and Social Media
Think Before You Post
Safe Social Networking & Electronic
Communication for Teachers
Teachers employ an increasing amount of technology
to support the learning of their students. Every teacher
communicates through e-mail and thousands of our
members also access social media. The NBTA itself
utilizes Facebook and Twitter as additional modes to
communicate with members, the media and the public.
We do not discourage teachers from using social media.
Electronic communication and social media can be
effective and enjoyable tools for teachers, but they must be
used cautiously. Here are some simple suggestions to assist
you in keeping your experiences positive:
• Teachers are teachers 24 hours a day: With this comes
added responsibilities that others in the general public
do not assume. You may use social networking for
private/personal reasons, but your comments are public
and permanent. You cannot take off your teacher hat in
public comment.
• Use and Understand Privacy Settings, but...ALWAYS
consider that everything you write could become
public.
• Your relationship with students must be professional,
not private. Social media encourages casual dialogue
and relationships, but it is too easy to write something
that may be perceived as unprofessional or inappropriate.
The results could be very serious. Teachers should
communicate electronically with students only at
appropriate times, in a formal fashion, for professional
reasons, and through school-approved channels.
•Teachers should not be Facebook “friends” with
students. Serious concerns could arise relating to
Policies 701 (Pupil Protection), 311(Information and
Communication Technology Use) and the NBTA
Code of Professional Conduct (Ethics). Teachers can
be “friendly” with their students, but they cannot be
“friends” because they have been placed in a special
trust relationship and position of authority. Modes of
communication have changed, but the boundaries of
the teacher-student relationship have not. Teachers
should not give electronic advice to students about
29
their personal lives, but leave this to trained Guidance
personnel through their officially-endorsed channels.
•Notify parents/guardians if you are using social
media as a learning tool.
• Confidentiality: Events which happen within school
or with specific students should not be discussed in any
electronic fashion other than formally through proper
channels.
•E-mails: Use official work email addresses for any workrelated emails. These communications should be clear
(leaving no leeway for misinterpretation), concise, and
factual. What is stated in an e-mail is every bit as official
as a formal letter in hard copy, so similar care should be
exercised. Sensitive/challenging conversations should
take place in person or by phone. Access to e-mails
relating to students may be requested by parents under
the Right to Information Act.
30
•A Positive Image: The thousands of personal
interactions between teachers and individuals create the
overall positive view of the profession held by the vast
majority of the general public. Social media interactions
may have an even larger audience and potential to
reinforce the positive image of teachers. Teachers should
not have inappropriate materials (words or pictures) on
their accounts and should monitor what others might
post about them. Questionable items should be removed
as soon as possible.
•“Think before you post” Before pressing “send,”
“post” or “tweet” take an extra minute or two to review
what you have written.
If Conflict Arises
Introduction
If Disagreement Occurs
Millions of interactions occur each year in our school system.
Parents/guardians, teachers, students and others communicate
with each other, cooperatively make decisions, and generally
strive to improve the service to students.
It is possible in any system, like education, involving hundreds
of thousands of interactions daily that some contracts will lead to
misunderstandings or disagreements. When a misunderstanding
or disagreement occurs, it is essential for the well-being of
all concerned that the adults reach a resolution as quickly and
reasonably as possible. Since it is possible for any party to feel
offended in disputes, all must feel comfortable that they have a
process to bring the dispute to resolution. The end result must
always be a supportive and positive learning environment for all
in the school.
What are my Teacher-Teacher rights and
responsibilities?
(Source: NBTA Code of Professional Conduct)
Teachers endeavour to maintain public regard of their profession
by improving and maintaining favourable public relations,
to improve their professional competency and maintain an
awareness of changes in education and the world. They strive
to be supportive of other teachers and ensure that any criticism
of other teachers is judicious and proper. Teachers support the
NBTA and the NBTF in promoting the interests of teachers.
General Guidelines: To Resolve a Question,
Concern or Complaint?
It shall be unethical for a teacher to:
Talk or meet with the person directly involved.
a.seek a position except through professional means;
b.seek a position that is declared in dispute by the NBTF;
c.undermine the confidence of students or parents in other
teachers;
d.criticize a fellow teacher except (i) when demanded or
authorized by law or workplace policies: (ii) in response to
enquiries for factual information by the administrative staff, in
carrying out the normal course of their duty to the employer; or
(iii) where warranted to protect the interests of the profession;
e. submit a report either oral or written on a fellow teacher
without informing the teacher except as per 2(d)(i) or 2(d)(ii);
f.knowingly submit false or misleading reports on fellow
teachers;
g.seek to change NBTA policy except through the proper
channels of the NBTA (Local Branch, Board of Directors,
Executive, General Meeting);
h.recognize any individual or group except the NBTA and NBTF
as the official voice of teachers;
i. criticize the NBTA, its Directors, Executive or Administrative
Staff, except within the membership of the NBTA;
j.while holding a position of added responsibility, subscribe
to the dismissal of a teacher on grounds related to work
performance, without first attempting to help and counsel that
teacher by means of formative evaluation;
k.accept personal gifts which would not directly benefit the
school program from companies servicing the needs of schools
or student extracurricular activities;
l. use his/her position to profit from the sale of goods and services
to or for pupils in the teacher’s charge.
Discuss the issue using plain language. The goal of the discussion
is to problem solve together to find resolution. In some
situations, the teacher and/or school administrator involved may
wish to communicate with the NBTA/NBTF to seek advice and
guidance in the matter.
(Source: Policy 703: Positive Learning and Working
Environment)
If a conflict arises, the following guidelines could be used to
resolve the issue:
Department of Education’s Policy 703: Positive
Learning and Working Environment
School personnel and students have the right to work and learn
in an environment that is safe, productive and harassment free. As
partners in education, we all share an interest in teaching and
modelling positive behaviour.
• Every person is valued and treated with respect.
• Students have a sense of belonging and connection, feel
they are supported by school personnel, and have a positive
relationship with at least one adult in the school system.
• Parents, school personnel, district staff and the school
community understand that social skills, self-discipline,
empathy, compassion and ethics are learned throughout life.
For more information on this policy, please visit the Department
of Education’s website: http://www.gnb.ca/0000/policies.asp
(scroll down to Policy 703 and its applications)
Conclusion
The purpose of the school system is to provide students with
a learning environment in which each can succeed without
unnecessary disruption. Parents/guardians and teachers must
work together to create this learning environment for students.
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CODE OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT
of the New Brunswick Teachers’ Association
THE PLEDGE
We, the members of the New Brunswick Teachers’ Association
(NBTA), accepting the responsibility to practise our profession
according to the highest ethical standards, acknowledge our
responsibility to the teaching profession. We are prepared to
judge and to be judged by our colleagues according to the
provisions of the Code of Ethics (the “Code”).
PRINCIPLES
The Code is based on the following principles:
Teacher-Student
— Teachers shall regard as their first obligation the student’s
physical, social, moral and educational growth.
— Teachers have regard for the dignity, liberty and integrity of
students under their supervision and endeavour to convey to
students an understanding of their own worth.
— Teachers maintain high standards of professional
competence and endeavour to develop in their students an
appreciation for high standards of accomplishment.
— Teachers have regard for the safety of their students.
— Teachers recognize the special position of trust and
responsibility which they assume in their guidance of young
people.
Teacher-Teacher/Profession
— Teachers endeavour to maintain public regard of their
profession by improving and maintaining favourable public
relations.
— Teachers endeavour to improve their professional
competency and maintain an awareness of changes in
education and the world.
— Teachers strive to be supportive of other teachers and ensure
that any criticism of other teachers is judicious and proper.
— Teachers support NBTA and the New Brunswick Teachers’
Federation (NBTF) in promoting the interests of teachers.
Teacher-Employer
— Teachers respect the authority of the School District in the
management of schools.
— Teachers avoid all conflicts of interest that arise from, or that
might impair their employment.
(c) undermine the confidence of teachers or students in
other students;
(d) divulge other than through professional channels any
information of a personal or domestic nature concerning
pupils obtained in the course of his/her professional
duties;
(e) accept additional remuneration for tutoring a pupil in
any subjects in which the teacher is responsible for
giving classroom instruction to that pupil;
(f) knowingly disregard the safety of his/her pupils;
(g) fail to notify the Minister of Social Development, as
per the terms of the Family Services Act, where he or
she has information causing him or her to suspect that
a child has been abandoned, deserted, physically or
emotionally neglected, physically or sexually ill-treated,
or otherwise abused.
(h) fail to notify the Minister of Education where he or
she has information causing him or her to suspect that
a student has been physically or sexually ill-treated or
otherwise abused by an adult in the school system.
2.Teacher-Teacher/Profession
It shall be unethical for a teacher to
(a) seek a position except through professional means;
(b) seek a position that is declared in dispute by the NBTF;
(c) undermine the confidence of students or parents in other
teachers;
(d) criticize a fellow teacher except (i) when
demanded or authorized by law or workplace policies;
(ii) in response to enquiries for factual information
by the administrative staff, in carrying out the normal
course of their duty to the employer; or (iii) where
warranted to protect the interests of the profession;
CODE OF ETHICS
(e) submit a report either oral or written on a fellow teacher
without informing the teacher except as per 2(d)(i) or
2(d)(ii);
(a) treat pupils in a manner that is unjust or partial;
(f) knowingly submit false or misleading reports on fellow
teachers;
1.Teacher-Student
(b) exploit the privileged relationship between
teacher and pupil;
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(g) seek to change NBTA policy except through the
proper channels of the NBTA (Local Branch, Board of
Directors, Executive, General Meeting);
(h) recognize any individual or group except the NBTA and
the NBTF as the official voice of teachers;
(i) criticize the NBTA, its Directors, Executive or
Administrative Staff, except within the membership of
the NBTA;
(j) while holding a position of added responsibility,
subscribe to the dismissal of a teacher on grounds
related to work performance, without first attempting
to help and counsel that teacher by means of formative
evaluation;
(k) accept personal gifts which would not directly benefit
the school program, from companies servicing the needs
of schools or student extracurricular activities;
(l) use his/her position to profit from the sale of goods and
services to or for pupils in the teacher’s charge.
3.Teacher-Employer
(a) acting alone or as a member of a group, take unilateral
action with a School District, the Minister of Education,
or any government person or persons, or politician in
matters which is contrary to the position of the NBTA or
NBTF, or which may be prejudicial to fellow members;
(b) engage in activities which advance their personal
financial interest to the detriment of the employer during
the hours of instruction.
4. Conduct Unbecoming a Member of the Profession
It shall be unethical for a teacher, while acting in a
professional capacity or otherwise, to engage in misconduct
of a reprehensible and serious nature which, in the opinion
of the Professional Conduct and Standards Committee
(Provincial) (the “Provincial Committee”), discredits the
teaching profession or raises serious concerns as to the
teacher’s integrity.
5. Misconduct of a Criminal Nature
It shall be unethical for a teacher to conduct
himself/herself in such a way as to be convicted in a court
of competent jurisdiction of a criminal offense which, in
the opinion of the Provincial Committee, represents serious
misconduct which is relevant to the teacher’s suitability as a
member of the profession.
IMPLEMENTATION
Professional Conduct and Standards Committee
(Branch)
1. Each Branch shall appoint a Professional Conduct and
Standards Committee consisting of five members.
2. The function of the Committee shall be to investigate
ethics charges and, when it deems necessary, require that
the Provincial Committee conduct a hearing.
Professional Conduct and Standards Appeal Committee
(Regional) (the Complainant’s Appeal Committee)
1. There shall be Professional Conduct and Standards
Appeal Committees (Regional) consisting of three
members.
2. The President (Provincial) shall, in consultation with
the Executive, appoint the Professional Conduct and
Standards Appeal Committees and shall designate the
Chairpersons.
3. The function of the Committees shall be to hear appeals
from complainants in ethics charges in those cases where
the Branch Committee recommended that a hearing
not be held. The decision of the Complainant’s Appeal
Committee is final.
Professional Conduct and Standards Committee
(Provincial)
1. There shall be a Professional Conduct and Standards
Committee (Provincial) consisting of six members, one
of whom shall be selected from the public by the NBTA
Board of Directors.
2. The President (Provincial) shall, in consultation with
the Executive, appoint the members of the Professional
Conduct and Standards Committee and shall designate
the Chairperson.
3. The function of the Committee shall be to hear cases of
alleged unethical conduct that have been referred from
the Branch Committee.
4. A hearing conducted by the Provincial Committee shall
include the chairperson, the member selected from the
public, and three members of the committee.
WHO MAY BE CHARGED
(a) Any member of the NBTA
(b) Any person who was a member of the NBTA at the time
of the occurrence of the event(s) which could lead to a
proceeding under this Code, so long as not more than
two years have elapsed from the last date that the person
was a member of the NBTA.
PRELIMINARY PROCEDURE
1. Laying a Charge
(a) A member of the NBTA or the Association des
enseignantes et des enseignants francophones du
Nouveau-Brunswick (AEFNB), or an NBTA Branch, or
the NBTA Executive Committee may lodge in writing
an ethics charge against a teacher or teachers. The
charge must be signed by the person or persons laying
the charge.
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(b) The charge shall be based on alleged unethical conduct
and shall state specifically under which section of the
Code the charge is being laid.
(c) The charge shall be submitted in writing to: 1) the
Chairperson of the Professional Conduct and Standards
Committee (Branch) with copies of the charge to 2) the
respondent and 3) the NBTA Executive Director.
2. Stay of Proceedings in Extenuating Circumstances
(a) At any time from the receipt of the written notice of
complaint to the commencement of a hearing at the
provincial level, the Executive Director of the NBTA
has the authority to stay proceedings until the next
regularly scheduled meeting of the Provincial NBTA
Executive Committee. The Executive Committee
may then determine if the stay of proceedings should
continue. If the stay is continued, it will be reconsidered
at each subsequent meeting of the Executive Committee
until the stay is lifted.
(b) This procedure may be invoked in cases where either
the complainant or the respondent is required to appear
before, or is being investigated by the Employer or other
authority due to a potential breach of Department policy,
a provincial statute, or federal statute, including the
Criminal Code of Canada.
3. Function of Branch Committee
Except as noted in Stay of Proceedings (above), within
14 days of the receipt of the written charge, the Branch
Committee shall investigate and determine if a hearing by the
Professional Conduct and Standards Committee (Provincial)
is warranted. If, in the opinion of the Branch Committee, a
hearing is not warranted, then the matter is concluded subject
to the complainant’s right of appeal.
4. If Provincial Hearing NOT To Be Held
(a) If the Branch Committee determines that a hearing
should not be held, the complainant may, within 5 days
of notification of the decision of the Branch Committee,
register a notice of appeal with the Executive Director of
the NBTA.
(b) Except as noted in Stay of Proceedings, within 14 days
of the receipt of the notice of appeal, the Complainant’s
Appeal Committee shall investigate and determine if a
hearing by the Provincial Committee is warranted.
(c) The decision of the Appeal Committee is final.
5. If Provincial Hearing To Be Held
(a) Within a further 5 days, if the Branch Committee or
the Complainant’s Appeal Committee determines
that a hearing shall be held, the respondent and the
complainant shall be given due notice; and a copy
of the notice and all particulars related to the charge
shall be forwarded to the NBTA Executive Director
by the Chairperson of the Branch Committee or the
Complainant’s Appeal Committee.
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(b) Except as noted in Stay of Proceedings, the Executive
Director shall, within a further 5 days, forward all
particulars related to the charge to the Chairperson and
members of the Professional Conduct and Standards
Committee (Provincial).
(c) Except as noted in Stay of Proceedings, the Chairperson,
within a further 30 days, shall convene a hearing.
Procedure for Provincial Hearing
The Provincial Committee shall:
Notification of Hearing
(a) Direct the Executive Director to notify all parties
involved of the time and place of the hearing at least 20
days before the hearing is to be held.
Conduct of the Hearing
(b) Conduct the hearing with the complainant and the
respondent notified to be present. Should the respondent
fail to appear following due notice, the Committee
may nonetheless proceed. Each party shall have the
right to conduct its case either personally, by teacher
advocate, or by legal counsel, to file documents, to call
witnesses, to examine and cross-examine witnesses.
The Chairperson of the Provincial Committee shall
chair the hearing, assisted by legal counsel retained by
the Association, such legal counsel to act as advisor to
the Provincial Committee in all matters related to the
hearing. During the conduct of the hearing, the rules of
evidence related to civil action shall be applied by the
Committee. The burden of proof to be met shall be “on
the balance of probability”, not “beyond a reasonable
doubt” as in criminal actions.
Sanctions
(c) Determine whether or not the respondent is guilty of a
breach of the Code of Ethics and if guilty, apply one or
more of the following sanctions:
(i)a private reprimand
(ii) a public reprimand (without limiting the generality of this, it could take one of the following forms.)
a. notice to respondent and other interested parties,
or
b. notice to respondent, other interested parties and
appropriate school staff, or
c. notice to respondent, other interested parties, and
appropriate superintendent or
d. notice to respondent, other interested parties, and
published in an Association newsletter.
(iii) suspension of one or more of the following membership privileges:
a. educational improvement grants
b. interest-free loans
c. eligibility for Project Overseas
d. appointment to any NBTA delegations
e. participation on any NBTA Committees
(iv) recommend to the Minister of Education the
suspension or cancellation of the teacher’s certificate.
Notification of Decision of Committee
The Executive Director shall, within 10 days after the
completion of the hearing, notify both parties of the decision
of the Provincial Committee.
Expenses
(a) Travel, meals and accommodation expenses for the
complainant, or designate and the respondent, or
designate, will be borne by the NBTA in keeping with
current policy on expenses.
(b) The expenses of witnesses for the successful party may
be paid at the discretion of the Provincial Committee.
Respondent’s Rights Following Provincial Committee
Decision
A person found guilty of a breach of the Code may request
judicial review of the Provincial Committee’s decision from
the New Brunswick Court of Queen’s Bench.
RECONSIDERATION
At least one year following the decision of a Provincial
Committee, a teacher may request the Provincial Committee
convene for the purpose of reconsidering any sanction which
it imposed. Prior to holding a hearing of reconsideration,
the Provincial Committee may require security for costs
associated with the hearing in an amount to be determined
by the Board of Directors. Should the request for
reconsideration be successful costs may be returned to the
teacher.
DEFINITIONS
(a) Complainant(s): A member of either the NBTA or
the Association des enseignantes et des enseignants
francophones (AEFNB), or NBTA Branch or the NBTA
Executive who lays a charge under the Code.
(b) Respondent(s): The teacher or teachers against whom a
charge has been laid pursuant to the Code.
(c) Notice(s): For purposes of this Code means official
written notification by registered mail or personal
service.
(d) Days: For purposes of this Code means teaching days.
(e) Rules of Evidence and Procedure: means the receipt of
any relevant evidence whether admissable in a court of
law or not.
(f) Burden of Proof: On the balance of probability.
Professional Growth
Your career in teaching has just begun and stretches before
you with a myriad of professional growth opportunities.
During this first year, you will work to develop skills and
strategies for coping with the demanding world of teaching. “Professional Growth” may take a back seat to survival!
However, successful career teachers have discovered
that lifelong learning is not only essential to being a
good teacher, it is the ingredient that will keep your batteries recharged for the long haul.
Enhancing Professional Practice
Most New Brunswick school districts are involved with the
Frameworks for Enhancing Professional Practice (based
on the book by Charlotte Danielson).
You will need to familiarize yourself with the professional
growth model and become a “reflective practitioner”, that
is, a teacher who constantly examines his/her craft and
looks for ways to improve the teaching and learning in his/
her classroom.
What PD Opportunities Exist for New
Brunswick Teachers?
Annual COMPASS Conference
Early career teachers with up to five years of teaching are
encouraged to attend NBTA’s annual “COMPASS Conference”, held in early to mid-Fall, to provide early career
teachers with professional learning on a variety of topics
specific to new teachers, as well as sessions on services
provided by the NBTA, NBTF, Johnson Insurance, and
Credit Union. For more information, check the NBTA
website in September.
Council Days
On the first Friday in May, New Brunswick schools close so
that the province’s teachers can participate in the provincial
35
Elementary, Middle and High School Councils workshops.
These full-day professional development workshops offer
keynote speakers and divided sessions, often delivered by
colleagues who are prepared to show their expertise and
ideas. All teachers are encouraged to attend. As a new
teacher, you are urged to make Council Day a regular part
of your school year and your career.
My Council is ___________________________.
Council Day will be held on May _______ in
_____________________, NB.
Institutes
The provincial NBTA and the NBTA Elementary, Middle
Level and High School Councils will often organize institutes for teachers to improve their skills in a particular area.
If these institutes or workshops are held during school time
you will need to apply for release time through your school
or district. Weekend or summer programs will not require
this step.
Your NBTA News and the NBTA website www.nbta.ca are
your best sources for information about these professional
opportunities.
Accessing Funds for PD
Different types of grants are available to applicants depending on the planned professional development activity.
Grants are often available from more than one source. In
many cases, application should be made to more than one
source. If this is done, the applicant must indicate this on
each application form.
NBTA/Department of Education and Early Childhood
Development Educational Improvement Grant
Purpose: The activity for which the grant is requested must
be of a general professional nature or related in a significant manner to the teaching assignment of the applicant
(download a copy of the application form at www.nbta.ca).
A sample of this application form is shown below.
Amount: 50% of the activity costs to a maximum of $500.
No teacher may receive more than $1,000 in any three-year
period. For any conference for which more than 20 teachers apply, a dollar limit of $250 per applicant is applied.
NBTA Council Grant
Purpose: The activity for which the grant is requested
must be of a general professional nature or related in a significant manner to the teaching assignment of the applicant
(apply for this grant using the same form listed above - one
form applies for 2 possible grants).
Amount: The maximum grant is $400 and no more than
$400 in a three-year period.
Branch Grant
Individual NBTA Branches set their own guidelines and
criteria for their grants. Contact your Branch PD Chair for
an application form.
Contact Information for my Branch PD Chair:
Name: ___________________________________
School: __________________________________
Other Conferences
All teachers are encouraged to attend other conferences
and events that would support your lifelong learning and
help develop your teaching skills. Check out the NBTA
website www.nbta.ca for conference opportunities.
Email: ___________________________________
If you see advertised or hear of a conference that would be
of benefit to you, discuss it with your administrator. There
are often supply teacher days available for you to attend.
36
37
Educational Improvement Grant Guidelines
NBTA/Department of Education Provincial and/or NBTA Council Grants
Deadline for Receipt of Application: 5 weeks prior to opening day of activity.
1. Applications are to be considered at regular intervals and action taken reported to the NBTA Board of Directors
and the Professional Development Branch of the Department of Education.
2. a) The primary purpose of the activity for which the grant is requested must be teacher professional growth.
b) The activity may be of a general professional nature or related in a significant manner to the teaching
assignment of the applicant.
c) Event may take place within New Brunswick or outside the province, with the exception of school visitations
that are only eligible outside New Brunswick.
d) Funds will not be granted for student/class trips.
e) Documentation supporting details of the professional growth activity must accompany your initial
application.
f) Due to liability issues, endorsement of the Superintendent (out-of-province) or your school principal (inprovince) is required even during Christmas Break, March Break, Summer Break or any holidays.
g) University Courses, modules or courses used for credit/teacher certification purposes are not funded. Regularly
funded New Brunswick Department of Education initiatives are not eligible for grants. There is no Provincial
funding to attend CONTACT that is held each summer, but there is Council funding available for those
participants that meet with these Guidelines.
h) Completed application forms should be received by the Educational Improvement Grant Committee at least
5 weeks prior to the opening date of the activity. Applicants will be informed in advance of the Committee’s
decision.
i) Supply teacher costs will not be considered for funding.
j) Amount paid to applicants under any circumstances will not exceed approved expenses.
3. All applications conforming with Guideline 2 are to be eligible for consideration.
4. Teacher may apply for one (1) or both grants:
a) Provincial Grant maximum: $500.00/event based on 50% of the activity costs. No more than $1,000.00 in a
3 year period.
Note:
For any event for which 21 or more teachers apply, a dollar limit to a maximum of $250.00 per
applicant is to be allowed.
b) Council Grants maximum: $400.00/event. No more than $400.00 in a 3 year period.
Note 1: The 3 year period for Council Grants refers to all Councils. Teachers who change Councils will still
only be eligible for a total of $400.00 every 3 years.
Note 2: Councils reserve the right to limit grant amounts if 21 or more teachers apply for a single event.
5. a) The funds will be divided into two six-month allotments ((July to December and January to June). Any
carryover from the one term may be expended during the next term.
b) If all funds have been allocated for a term, subsequent applicants will be notified and no further grants will be
issued for that period.
6. a) Each successful applicant must submit an expense claim, receipts and an Activity Report Form before
payment of Grant is made. (Note: If you require receipts for another funding source, i.e. Branch PD Grants,
photocopies are acceptable.)
b) The Expense Claim and Activity Report Form must be submitted within six weeks following the date of the
activity.
7. Grants will not be made for activities scheduled on same day(s) as NBTA Councils.
September 21, 2015
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NBTA 2015/09/21 - 50
Long-Term Plans for
Professional Growth
these options, your teaching career will benefit from
healthy injections of new learning and enthusiasm. Consider the following:
Through the Department of Education and Early Childhood
Development, there are several online courses available
for teachers through distance, professional development
(PD) and face-to-face (F2F) options. Distance students
take courses with an online teacher, or Distance Facilitator,
as their instructor. PD courses are resources for teachers.
These courses give you access to content, activities, assessments and ideas you can incorporate in your classroom
teaching. Teachers who wish to use an online course with
their students can make use of a F2F course. In F2F, teachers and students are enrolled in a course. The teacher may
use as much of the material as they like, and are responsible for all instruction and marking. PD and F2F options
are great for any teacher teaching a course for the first time,
or who just wants supplementary material and ideas.
• university course work in areas of interest
A list of courses can be found on the course description
site: www.gnb.ca/0000/as/dl-e.asp. The course login site
is: https://nbvhs.nbed.nb.ca/.
To request enrollment in a PD course, contact the distance
facilitator attached to the course (see the course description
site). For F2F courses, see your school facilitator (Distance
Education) who can register the students via the Portal site.
There are many opportunities for professional renewal
throughout your career. By planning to pursue some of
• completing a Master’s Degree
• district leadership development program or New Brunswick Educational Leadership Academy
• a teacher exchange -- within Canada or abroad
(eligibility after 5 years’ experience)
• an educational leave (4 months, 6 months or 1 year of
study with 70% salary)
• salary deferral program
• choosing to change subject, grade, or level
• assuming a Supervisory Position of Responsibility (SPR)
or administrative position
The important thing is to recognize that planning for
change will keep you feeling positive and excited about
your work from year one until you retire!
39
Certificate Information
Ways to Acquire Certificate 6
With the recent changes in certification regulations, there
are now several approaches that teachers can take to acquire a Certificate 6.
• Masters of Education Degree: This is the traditional
route to a Certificate 6. By completing an approved
Masters of Education program from an approved university, a New Brunswick teacher can secure a Certificate 6.
The Office of Teacher Certification (OTC) must approve
the program (Yves King, Registrar for Teacher Certification, Department of Education).
Only M.Ed’s, with 36 credit hours of work or equivalent,
will be accepted. These include programs from both online and traditional programs, provided the institutions
are recognized by the OTC.
• Non-masters Certificate 6: This option can be completed several ways as well. A teacher may complete 30
credit hours of graduate level work all in the same subject discipline (a teachable area). For example, 30 credit
hours in the field of technology, all done at the graduate
level, will secure a Certificate 6. However, it is often really hard to find enough courses to satisfy this demand.
ber you count both your undergrad courses and the new
courses to equal the 6 courses needed for this minor...
if you only had 3 English courses undergrad you would
need to take 3 more. The total has to be 6). It’s a case of
being able to show that you are now more qualified to
teach something!
• Then you need a concentration of 3 courses (9 credit
hours) in ONE of these strands: Administration, Student
Services (i.e. Guidance or Special Ed.), Curriculum or
General Pedagogy (such as the Human Rights course at
St. Thomas University).
• The remaining courses can be any courses of your choice
(as long as they are 6000 level).
Basically, the one big rule is that any Education courses
(except Adult Education) at the 6000 (graduate) level
from any accredited university are eligible courses. (This
includes most Canadian universities... the American ones
vary and need to be checked by Yves King). This also includes on-line courses. What this does is allow teachers the
chance to check out what’s out there (best done by on-line
The other non-degree option is a bit more complex in its
requirements, but may actually be easier to access than
the 30 credit hours all in the same discipline. The details
below, with examples, may help teachers understand this
option.
A Teacher Will Need:
• 10 courses (30 credit hours) at the graduate level (6000
level). The courses may come from ANY combination
of universities (on-line, summer courses, etc) as long as
they are all at the graduate level.
• The courses must result in your getting an additional minor or upgrading a minor to a major. By this, you have to
look at your undergrad courses and identify a teachable
area where you have some coursework (let’s say you
have 4 undergrad courses in English on your transcript).
You would need to take 2 additional courses (making a
total of 6 courses or 18 credit hours) in English at the
6000 level or 6000 level Education courses related to
teaching English. This gives you a new minor! (Remem-
40
searches or sending for catalogues from universities). We
try to advertise what we know in the NBTA News but we
can never cover all the options... i.e. UPEI, MUN in Newfoundland, Mt. St. Vincents, St. FX, etc. as well as UNB
and STU. The latter are just venturing into the Graduate
level course offerings.
Let’s say you had the 3 history courses in your undergrad,
and you took 3 graduate level education courses related
to either history or social studies (as in the first example),
you would have the minor and have acquired 3 of your
required 10 courses. Now you need a ‘concentration’ of 3
more courses in either Student Services (Guidance, for example), Administration, Curriculum or General Pedagogy
(i.e. teaching strategies, the Human Rights course from
STU that’s advertised in NBTA News, etc). Pick an area
that interests you and would be useful. Again, these courses can come from ANY university source. The remaining 4
courses are entirely your choice, again as long as they are
6000 level.
In each case, you need to write or email Yves King and
have him approve the course before you take it. You start
by writing him and having him open a file on you. He records each course as you take it. Once you have all 10, you
fill out a form requesting a Certificate upgrade (available at
www.nbta.ca – Click on Certification) and he authorizes
your certificate upgrade.
It takes time and effort, but is well worth consideration. It
is an investment in your future. For many reasons, upgrading your certificate is a wise professional move.
Increase Your Salary: Apply for Your
Work Experience
New teachers should note that you may apply to have your
previous work experience evaluated for an increase on the
salary grid. Recognition may be given for work that is related to teaching upon application to the Office of Teacher
Certification at the Department of Education. Note that this
experience does not apply to your pension, but it will move
you up the salary grid.
The form you need is available from the NBTA website
www.nbta.ca. Click the certification button and download
the form called Application for Work Related Experience
for Salary Purposes. You could also submit a covering letter to ensure that the Registrar of Certification understands
the links between the previous work and your new career!
You should also contact your district office to ensure that
all supply teaching experience has been credited.
Remember: The deadline is October 31st to have the increase back dated to July 1st.
The next deadline is March 31st which will allow your increase to be backdated to January 1st.
year to provide for teachers to take up to one year of leave
for educational purposes.
Eligibility — A teacher is eligible to apply for leave when
employed as a teacher in New Brunswick for at least 5
years.
Purpose — A teacher may be granted a leave of one semester or one term or one full academic year for the purpose of enhancing qualifications, improving certification or
for professional growth.
Salary — A teacher granted educational leave receives
70% salary for the period of the leave.
Number of Leaves — The Educational Leave Committee
is normally able to provide about sixty (60) full and partial leaves each year out of approximately one hundred and
fifty (150) applications.
Criteria — Leaves are granted on the basis of the assessment of the following factors: program of studies; cost of
leave; geographic and grade level distribution; school and
district recommendations; number of years experience;
number of times applied; among others.
Resources and Links
1. Salary Deferral Program (NBTA publication available
at www.nbta.ca)
2. NLTA’s website providing information for new teachers on professional practice: www.nlta.nl.ca/files/documents/new_tchr_info/new_tchr_hndbk.pdf)
3. EECD Policy 701 (Policy for the Protection of Pupils)
located on the GNB website: www.gnb.ca/0000/pol/
e/701a.pdf4.
4. Danielson, C. (2007). Enhancing professional practice.
Alexandria, Virginia: ASCD.
Educational Leave
Article 37 of the Teachers’ Collective Agreement provides
for an Educational Leave Program. In accordance with this
Article, a certain amount of money must be set aside each
41
Communicating with Parents
Communication with Parents
Phone Contacts
The first important contact
Although the first week of school will be extremely busy,
you should find time to do one important thing which will
probably make all the difference in your future communications with parents and also in your future effectiveness as
a classroom manager. Make one phone call home to each
student in your homeroom during the first week. Depending on how many students you have in your class, you
could plan to make 3-6 phone calls per night. The contact
will be worthwhile and can be followed up every month
or two.This contact does two things: • it gives the parents/
guardians a clue to your approach to their child’s education; • it also sends a message to the child that you are
prepared to communicate to parents/guardians if the need
arises. Do not wait until Parent-Teacher Interviews to contact parents!
What to say when you call about a problem
1. Begin with a positive statement.
Your introductory statement will set the tone for the
conversation, so carefully phrase your remarks and start
by saying a positive thing you have noticed. The parent should be aware that you are concerned about his/
her child’s behaviour, therefore you should state that
you are “concerned”. Don’t start by saying you are not
pleased with the child’s behaviour.
2. Describe the specific behaviour that necessitated the
call.
Tell the parent in observable terms what the student did
or did not do. Describe the behaviour (such as hitting,
shouting, or refusing to participate) and the number of
times the problem has occurred. Rather than saying,
“Wayne treats others cruelly,” say “Wayne hit three students over the course of the day.”
3. Describe steps you have taken to solve the problem.
Let the parent know that you are not calling in lieu of
trying to solve the problem yourself. Explain specifically what you have done to address the problem. “Last
week I discussed the rule with him/her, and I had him/
her write down a commitment not to hit other students.
Today, I sent him/her to the principal’s office and later
spoke with the principal about how to help him/her address the problem.
4. Get information from the parent.
Ask for any information he or she can add that might
help solve the problem. Listen to what the parent has to
say to discover what may be troubling the student and
exacerbating the behaviour.
5. Present your solutions to the problem.
Prepare to tell the parent exactly what you will do and
what you would like the parent to do. Ask the parent to
let the child know that you called and that both you and
the parent feel concern about the problem.
6. Express confidence in your ability to address the
problem.
The parent may feel anxious and want to know that you
have the ability to work with the child to correct the
problem, just as a mother would want to know that a
pediatrician could make her child well. Rather than saying, “I don’t know how to handle this, but I’ll try,” say,
“Don’t worry. Other students have had this problem.
We can help Eric.”
7. Plan for follow-up contact.
Promise the parent that you will follow up on this conversation. Commit to follow-up contact. Say, “I will
contact you on Friday and let you know how things
went.” Document your conversation.
It is vital for new teachers to read the E-Communications Advice pamphlet created by the
NBTF. It can be found at www.nbtffenb.ca under the Publications tab.
43
Other Forms of Communication
Besides making phone calls, there are other ways to
communicate with parents/guardians:
• Letters home, or newsletters stating what your class is
doing in each subject area
• E-mail/Website (see NBTF Brochure: E-Communications)
• Certificates, commendations, etc.
• Parent/Guardian/Teacher night
• Open House
Parent Interviews
One of the most common interactions with parents/guardians is through parent/guardian/ teacher conference nights.
This will be an important face-to-face meeting for you. It
may be an informal social night to give parents/guardians
a chance to meet the teacher. Or, it may be a more formal
parent/guardian/ teacher conference and you will need to
be prepared.
Before conference time, you should have made contact
with the parents/guardians. Remember that what you say
should not come as a surprise to the parents/guardians. If
there is a problem, do not wait until conference time to
discuss the matter.
Here are some guidelines to help you prepare for the interview:
1. Before the Conference
• Be prepared. Make sure student’s files are up to date.
•Review the students’ previous academic history
(cumm. file).
• Ensure parents are previously aware of any major
areas of difficulty (academic or behavior) before the
conference.
• Due to time constraints during conference, make sure
you know what points you want to cover.
• Send out an interview conformation sheet
• Ensure privacy
• Greet the parents at the door with a smile.
• Arrange informal seating around a table.
• Have additional chairs outside the room for parent
who may need to wait to speak with you.
2. During the Conference
•Introduce yourself and have the student introduce
their parents.
44
• No matter how many issues you have to discuss, find
some positive comments to report.
• Maintain focus and stay on track
• Be clear and concise in your comments.
• Keep the parents involved by encouraging them to
share information about their child with you.
•With the child’s and parent’s help, develop some
goals until the next reporting period.
• End the meeting on a positive note
• Be mindful of the time
• If more time is needed, arrange a follow up meeting.
• Thank parents for coming
3. Follow up
• Keep your principal/ team updated with any concerns
that may have raised from the meeting
• Keep written documentation of the meeting and any
other communications with parents for future reference.
Student-Led Conferences
Besides having an interview with parents/guardians, teachers can also plan a “Student-Led” conference. This type of
conference includes the students and is led by the student,
rather than the teacher.
Research on authentic assessment refers to the importance
of student involvement, not only in setting assessment
strategies and analyzing their success, but also in reporting
to parents/guardians. The student is accountable for what
he/she has learned and shares his/her goals, successes and
next steps with parents/guardians.
Speak to your principal about what your school does during parent/teacher conference time. If you are involved in
doing student-led conferencing, make sure you inform parents/guardians on the process of student-led conferencing
and the purpose of this type of conference. Finally, don’t
forget to prepare your students for leading the conference!
Points to Ponder:
Conferences with parents/guardians
Remember to always do your best to appear comfortable
and relaxed. Below are some planning tips that you might
consider before, during and after the conference to make
sure that everybody gets the most out of it.
1. Before the Conference
• Before your first meeting with parents/guardians, review the academic record of the student.
• Be well prepared; collect dated samples of student work
completed throughout the term to show improvement
or decline in quality.
• Ensure privacy.
• Have appointments posted outside the door and keep
the schedule; parents/guardians needing additional conference time should be invited to come at a later date.
• Prepare a conference form for record-keeping to keep
the discussion focused and to be an aid for future conferences.
• Successful conferences deal with only a few issues because of time constraints; make sure you know what
points you want to cover.
Report Cards
2. During the Conference
• Greet the parents/guardians at the door.
• Be clear and concise in your comments; be an attentive
listener.
• Introduce yourself with a friendly voice, but keep opening comments to a minimum to allow for more discussion time.
• Keep the parents/guardians involved by encouraging
them to share pertinent information with you.
• Maintain the focus, and keep the discussion on track.
• No matter how many problems a student has, find some
positive things to report.
• With the parents’/guardians’ help, develop some goals
for the rest of the year.
Points to Ponder:
3. Concluding the Conference
• Check that the parents/guardians have a clear understanding of what was discussed.
• Highlight the conclusions and the agreed-upon actions.
• If needed, set another date for an interview.
• End as you began — on a positive note.
• Thank the parents/guardians and walk them to the door.
• Summarize the points covered, and add them to your
files.
4.Follow-up
• Be sure to follow up on any agreements you made at the
conference.
• After a few weeks, phone the parents/guardians with
a report of noticeable improvement or continued concerns.
• Keep your principal informed.
Reports serve several purposes:
Report cards are communication tools used to express a
student’s achievements of meeting their goals and outcomes.
They tell parents/guardians how well their children are
meeting the educational goals outlined by the curriculum.
They allow educators to modify education goals, re-teach
concepts that have not been grasped and allow for more
practise of skills and knowledge.
Communicating with parents
• Call home to recognize accomplishments! Don’t just
call if there is “bad news”. Celebrate accomplishments
by sharing with parents/guardians.
• Take photographs frequently and display them in an
area where they are easily viewed by parents, students
and visitors. Be sure to follow your school’s protocols
for photographing students.
• Write regular newsletters outlining topics of study and
important dates and announcements. You can even include pictures in your newsletters.
• Prepare carefully for conferences with parents/guardians.
• Invite your principal to join you for conferences that
might benefit from the presence of a third party.
• Send letters about incomplete homework (see next
page).
• Use the student agenda or homework book to write
brief notes to parents/guardians.
45
Comenius once wrote that his object
was to “to seek and find a method
by which the teachers teach less and
learners learn more.”
For more great tips on communicating with parents, check
out NLTA’s Handbook for Beginning Teachers on their
website at: https://www.nlta.nl.ca/files/documents/new_
tchr_info/new_tchr_hndbk.pdf
46
Date: __________________________
Dear Mom, Dad and/or Guardian,
This note is to inform you that _____________________________________ had incomplete homework today.
I sincerely hope that this note home will help encourage your child to complete homework on time from now on.
Daily homework and assignments are crucial to your child’s success this year and I believe that communication
between home and school is very important for your son/daughter’s success.
Thank you,
Subject: ____________________________________________________
Incomplete work: ______________________________________________________________
Signature of parent/guardian: _____________________________________
Date: __________________________
Dear Mom, Dad and/or Guardian,
This note is to inform you that _____________________________________ had incomplete homework today.
I sincerely hope that this note home will help encourage your child to complete homework on time from now on.
Daily homework and assignments are crucial to your child’s success this year and I believe that communication
between home and school is very important for your son/daughter’s success.
Thank you,
Subject: ____________________________________________________
Incomplete work: ______________________________________________________________
Signature of parent/guardian: _____________________________________
47
What do you do when a parent/guardian is
confrontational with you (in person or on the
phone)?
In a situation where you feel uneasy, it is always
best to remain calm. You should not feel obligated to
listen to verbal abuse. Calmly end the conversation
and suggest another time you could talk to discuss the
issue. Do not feel alone in a situation where you may
feel uncomfortable. Involve the principal or viceprincipal to assist you and to perhaps be a third party.
What do you do when a parent/guardian arrives
uninvited to your classroom and he/she wants to
discuss a concern or problem?
If a parent/guardian arrives while you are teaching,
you should suggest another time to meet. If the matter
is of an urgent nature and the parent/guardian needs
to speak to someone, invite your principal to address
the problem or to supervise your class.
Resources and Links
1. If Conflict Arises (NBTA publication): available on the
NBTA website > Resources > Documents
2. Shafer, S. (1997). Writing effective report card
comments. NY: Scholastic Inc.
48
Looking After Yourself: Teacher Wellness
NBTA Counsellors
Wellness and the Early Career Teacher
NBTA has been actively promoting teacher wellness programs and has established a network of resource people for
schools and districts. However, there are times when an individual may need some confidential advice or assistance.
NBTA has teacher counselling services to assist.
As you develop your personal wellness plan,
reflect on these questions:
• What are the significant changes to my identity that this
new job has brought to my life?
Carmen Meehan, Coordinator
District South (634-2901, 1-800-563-3938)
carmen.meehan@teacherwellness.ca
• In what ways has my new job affected my support network? What familiar support systems are missing? How
might I create new support systems?
Michael LeBlanc
District West (462-0208, 1-800-561-1727)
michael.leblanc@teacherwellness.ca
• What aspects of my environment feel completely new
for me? In what ways does this environment feel familiar?
Lisa Calhoun
Districts North & East (855-5243, 1-888-763-5050)
lisa.calhoun@teacherwellness.ca
• What are some of the significant changes in my life as I
begin my new career?
Local Wellness Representatives
Within every District, there are Wellness Facilitators assigned to each Education Centre and there are Wellness
Representatives in each school. Your Wellness Facilitators
and Reps organize activities within the school to promote
Wellness.
Check with your administrator to find out who is your
school’s Wellness Rep, or check out the Teacher Wellness
website: www.teacherwellness.ca
Contact Information for my Wellness Rep:
Name: ____________________________________
Email: ____________________________________
• How might I better understand the stress that I feel?
What do I need to know about stress?
• What are some of the things I can do to prevent feeling
overwhelmed?
Taking Care of Yourself
Wellness is often something we consider when we get sick
or face a crisis. Then we can hardly wait until we are well
again. Our wellness depends on our lifestyle and not only
how we cope with the physical demands we put on ourselves, but also the emotional demands.
First-year teachers are going through a transition from being
a student to being a professional teacher. Transitional phases
are sometimes difficult and painful. You may be away from
family and long-time friends for the first time. There may be
an awareness that your expectations and what you are able
to do are different. You may also be overwhelmed with your
workload and, therefore, work late into the night, on weekends, and at lunch and recess, to the point where your own
personal wellness begins to suffer.
The first years of teaching are filled with high expectations,
excitement, anticipation and lots of change! You are facing
a challenge that all first-year teachers face — striking a balance. The balance is between:
Personal Life and Work Life
Your work can consume you. There is so much to do and
learn. Personal life often suffers in the first year of teach-
50
ing. Exercise is forgotten and there is no time to meet
new friends, let alone join them for activities outside of
school. Taking time to relax every day and exercise both
relieves stress and makes your transition easier. It keeps
you healthy. Exercise and meeting friends will maintain
your energy levels.
Emotional Life and Professional Life
It’s okay to be emotional. You may have a variety of emotions and it’s important to stay “connected” or “present”
with what’s really going on. Experience it fully and act
accordingly. Everyone had a first year. Laugh at yourself
and enjoy your talents even when others do not. Recognize
your emotions. You can express them appropriately rather
than at times when “they just come out”. You will need to
decide if you can live with the difference between your
dream of what teaching would be and your discovery of
what it really is. Will a career in teaching meet your intellectual and emotional needs?
Perfectionism and Surviving
To have the perfect lesson and the perfect class where all
students are working up to their potential all the time is impossible. Realize that there are students in your classroom
with so many personal and home problems that no matter
how your lessons are planned or what you do, they are not
going to do any work. Do not take this personally. It does
not mean you are not being a good teacher. Look for the
help of more experienced teachers and your principal when
you need their support or ideas.
A teacher needs to contain the demands and set priorities.
It takes too much energy to be perfect all the time. No one
else expects a first-year teacher to be perfect. Survival of
the first year depends on letting go of thinking you have to
be able to do it all, all of the time.
your detriment. This sets up resentment and eventually
leads to problems in relationships. If you worry about everyone else’s needs, you will not have any time to meet
your own needs.
Saying Yes and Saying No
It is all right to say no to too may extracurricular activities
or assignments. First-year teachers often think they have to
do everything that is asked of them and do it well. There
are just so many hours in a day and you have just so much
energy. If it is too much for you, say so. It does not help
anyone for you to be so stretched that you either cannot do
anything well or you are not getting the sleep you need.
Our tendency is to direct stress management toward the
symptoms rather than make changes in the source. If you
are having symptoms of too much stress, look at where
you are out of balance. If you cannot figure out how to
get in balance, get support from friends and staff members.
Know who your local NBTA counsellor is and feel free to
call the NBTA Counselling Services. Remember next year
to reach out to first-year teachers.
Asking for Help and Doing It All Yourself
You are a trained teacher with new ideas and information.
Situations or concerns may come up that you do not know
how to handle. Ask others and ask early. It is not a sign of
incompetence to ask questions. Other people have experience in areas that we may not have. Asking early may save
a lot of grief and a lot of time. Ask for support. Be honest
about how it hurts or how excited you are about your new
project.
Helping Others and Helping Yourself
Are you someone who is always there to help others even
if it takes time away from what you want or need to do?
There is nothing wrong with helping others unless it is to
51
Recognizing Symptoms of Stress
Thinking about your stress . . .
Some researchers describe stress-related symptoms by using categories or stages. “Stage One” symptoms are common to most people, and usually don’t indicate a cause for
concern. “Stage Three” symptoms, on the other hand, indicate a need for professional intervention in stress management.
Beginning teachers might respond stressfully to these situations:
• personal or family difficulties
• unrealistic expectations of performance
• evaluation by an administrator
• classroom management
• loneliness or isolation
• time pressures
• communication with parents
• difficult colleagues
• planning for students with exceptional needs.
Stage One
• you eat and drink very quickly, often “on the fly”.
• you feel under pressure for time.
• you feel as though you are being driven.
Stage Two
• you experience an alteration in sleep patterns, often
waking after several hours of sleep.
• you may become increasingly irritable.
• your memory may fail.
• you react very strongly to difficulties.
• you develop physical symptoms including indigestion
and headache.
• you may feel anxious or depressed.
Stage Three
• you may feel faint.
• you develop more physical symptoms, possibly including chest pain.
• you have difficulty making decisions.
• you catch every “bug” that is going around.
• you experience loss of memory and find it difficult to
concentrate.
• you find it difficult to experience laughter, joy and excitement.
• you feel tearful frequently.
(Adopted from Dunham, 1992)
Stress might mean ...
•exhaustion
• conflict
•pressure
•powerlessness
•anger
•nervousness
•anxiety
•withdrawal
52
Consider writing about some of the situations that make
you feel stressful . . .
Some Rules of Stress Management
1. Learn how stress affects you. Understand the symptoms of stress as you feel them.
2. Visualize your stress as a state of imbalance or as a
kind of contest or game.
3. Decide who the opposition is and what your worries/
challenges really are.
4. Reduce the “opponent’s” strength as much as possible.
For example, are there tasks that you need to excuse
yourself from? Can you enlist support to strengthen
your “team”?
5. Increase your strength physically, emotionally.
6. Lighten the backpack of negative emotions.
7. Make use of all available resources. Take advantage
of your support systems (family, spouse, friends, and
colleagues).
8. Guarantee yourself some “time-outs” when they will
be most helpful.
9. Use the physical symptoms of stress as a gauge to determine if the strategies that you are using are effective.
10.Create a personalized wellness plan that involves
commitments to fun, relaxation and exercise. Consider ways to incorporate social opportunities into your
plan.
(Adapted from Rainham, 1997)
Stress and gender . . .
Women and men may respond differently to stressful situations. Men may feel expectations to “fix” problems, to be
invulnerable, to be “successful” and financially independent. They may also feel that it is important that they appear to have all emotions “under control”. Women may
feel responsible for the emotional reactions of colleagues,
students, and family, and tend to feel that something that
has gone poorly is “their fault”. Many women find it difficult to separate their responsibilities at school from their
responsibilities at home and for relationships.
“No one told me that other beginners
had these problems. I was planning to
quit because I thought that I was a
bad teacher.”
– Brock and Grady, 1997, p. 13
Points to Ponder:
• Set boundaries and learn to say no.
• Prioritize your time and get organized.
• Take care of yourself — follow a proper diet and exercise regularly. Find a friend or companion who will accompany you on walks or in a game of basketball in the
school gym.
• Check your lifestyle habits — strike a balance between
being a workaholic and a slacker.
• Challenge your teaching philosophy and your belief system — these should constantly be evolving.
• Laugh a lot.
•Simplify your life — organize your home and work
spaces. Make do with less.
•Talk to someone when you feel stress - a colleague,
friend, family member, someone from the NBTA’s counselling service, or even a pet. Learn to accept and trust
the support from these people.
• Learn to use a journal and write your story. Talk things
out on paper several times a week.
• Look for social and intellectual diversity. Look for opportunities to make friends with non-teachers. Create or
develop interests in areas that aren’t connected directly
with teaching.
• Look for opportunities to be childlike (not childish!) by
participating in playful activities. Perhaps staff meeting days could become “ugly tie” days. Read the comics and your horoscope instead of the business section.
Buy yourself that candy you used to eat when you were
a teenager. Make faces in the mirror. Use your imagination. Color. Daydream.
• Take breaks, even short ones, throughout the day. Aim
for maximum pleasure from a five or ten-minute break.
Go outside during your lunch break for a quick walk.
• Learn to laugh at yourself. When you trip and end up
with one foot in the wastebasket or teach a whole class
with your zipper down, make up a witty response. Students will appreciate that you have a sense of humour
about yourself.
• Take time to do what you like to do best once you get
home.
• Be sure to get enough sleep. Nothing contributes to a
rough day like exhaustion or illness.
• Use relaxation techniques such as meditation, yoga, tai
chi, diaphragmatic breathing, listening to music, aerobics, visualization techniques, etc. In a stressful moment,
visualizing a sanctuary or secure place can be calming.
• Make and maintain a prioritized “to do” list and a calendar/planner. Carry them with you at all times. Plan the
work and work the plan!
53
• Aim for realistic goals. Don’t expect your performance
to be as skilled as your experienced colleagues. Try
not to compare yourself to other teachers. Just do the
best you can. Every teacher has his or her own personal
strengths.
• Try to leave your personal stresses at home and your
work stresses at school.
• Consider the landscape of your classroom. Try to create an atmosphere that is comfortable for you as well
as for your students. Many teachers enjoy having music
available to listen to during work times before and after
school. Sometimes adding a collection of photographs
or mementoes can make your workspace feel more welcoming. Plants, cushions, or your favourite lamp can all
contribute to a warmer work environment for you.
• Start a file to collect notes of encouragement and thanks
that you receive from parents and colleagues. Include
any records of your successes and then read them when
times get rough.
Now feel free to add some points of your own:
Sometimes challenges or issues make us feel strong
and capable, and so they don’t tend to feel stressful.
What are some of the things that I can do to prevent feeling overwhelmed?
Your response to the changes that you are experiencing can significantly influence the texture of your first
years of teaching. If you are careful to understand and
respond to your own needs as well as to the needs of
your students, you will feel greater satisfaction with
these early years. Planning for your own needs can
take the form of a “wellness plan” that deliberately
incorporates exercise, social interactions and pleasure
into your life.
As you create your wellness plan, you may find the
following sections helpful. Consider how you might
incorporate the self-care checklist, the rules of stress
management, and the tips on handling stress into your
plan.
•
•
•
“The Greeks had a saying that a man will remain young just as long as he (sic) plays. The
spirit of the play is the spirit of childhood.
The teacher who has forgotten how to play
seems old in spirit and is so thoroughly out
of sympathy with the child life that she (sic)
cannot speak the language in which the child
is thinking and acting.”
– Curtis, 1918, p. 9
54
How can I better understand the stress that I feel?
Teachers sometimes use the word “stress” to describe
a variety of feelings or situations. It is helpful to think
of stress as a kind of contest: in other words, stress
results when you are facing an issue or challenge that
seems to be greater or more powerful than you are. If
you think of stress as a contest or imbalance, then you
can look for new attitudes or behaviours that can help
you regain the balance.
When I arrived at my new school, my extracurricular activities were already picked out for me. I’m
worried about being able to keep up with teaching
and carrying out my extracurricular tasks. What
should I do?
Sometimes extracurricular planning takes place before
a new teacher arrives, and some teachers may have
their activities designated for them. If this is the case
for you, and you are uncomfortable with the assignment that has been set up, be sure to speak to your
principal about your concerns. Helping you establish your classroom skills should be every principal’s
priority; be sure that you have the time you need to
accomplish that. Remember that extracurricular activities are voluntary in nature, but they add a rich dimension to students’ lives. Working with students in
clubs and sports allows you to establish relationships
that enrich your classroom interactions. Try to negotiate an arrangement that meets your needs.
I’m feeling swamped and kind of out of control, but
I’m afraid to talk to anyone about it. What should
I do?
There are times when all teachers feel swamped and
out of control. To some extent, this is hard to avoid.
As a beginner, however, you may feel more stressed
than an experienced teacher. Go back to the section on
wellness and reflect on how you might plan to manage
the pressing tasks one at a time. Ask colleagues to
help you through a rough week. It is very important to
remember that all beginning teachers have “swamped”
times; this is typical, and it will get better.
Resources to Remember
Use resources from the NBTA library.
• Time Management for Teachers: Practical Techniques
and Skills that Give You More Time to Teach. Cathy
Collings, West Nyack, NJ: Parker Publishing, 1987.
This handbook contains information on time management strategies such as avoiding overcommitment, dealing with procrastination, eliminating time-wasters and
creative problem solving.
• The Courage to Teach: Exploring the Inner Landscape
of a Teacher’s Life. Parker. J. Palmer, San Francisco, CA:
Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1998.
“This book is for teachers who have good days and bad
... it is for teachers who refuse to harden their hearts, because they love learners, learning and the teaching life”
(Palmer, 1998)
• Calvin and Hobbes: The Days are Just Packed. Gary
Watterson, Kansas City, MO: Andrews and McMeel,
1996.
Any volume of Calvin and Hobbes’ adventures are sure
to present school life in a way that can lighten your spirit
and help to put things into a new perspective.
• No-gimmick Guide to Managing Stress: Effective Options for Every Lifestyle. Joseph Neidhardt, Malcolm
Weinstein and Robert Conry. North Vancouver, BC: Self
Counsel Press, 1990.
This book contains discussions that help people understand the nature of stress. Most of the resource is committed to learning strategies, techniques and skills that
will assist in minimizing personal stress and its physical
manifestations.
Breathing for Relaxation
• as you inhale, let your stomach swell out, then let it sink
down as you exhale. Imagine your stomach as a balloon
that inflates as you inhale.
• on the exhale, see if you can let all the air out and allow
your chest to sag downward. This may help your neck
and shoulder muscles to relax.
• practise breathing slowly, smoothly and regularly. The
smoothness and regularity of breathing can be more beneficial than breathing deeply.
• imagine waves or another rhythmical image and match
your breathing to that image. Focus on letting the breath
out slowly and completely.
• counting as you breathe may help you to keep a regular,
rhythmic pattern. You may want to inhale to a slow count
of four, hold your breath for two, and exhale for a slow
count of four.
55
Wellness Strategies
How to Stay in Teaching (When You Really Feel Like Crying)
Exhaustion and frustration threaten many
teachers’ careers. One veteran teacher shares
seven lessons for renewal.
According to statisticians, on the first day of my eighth
year of teaching, I substantially increased my odds of remaining in the ranks for a lifetime – or until age 62, whichever comes first. It is the second major cut I’ve survived,
because many new teachers leave the profession after their
first year. However, there are seven lessons I wish that I
had learned earlier.
Lesson One: Get a Massage
My first and most lasting complaint about teaching is that
the high school schedule does not allow enough time for
reflection. These are not the halls of academia. Ivy doesn’t
have time to grow on the U.S. high school – perhaps because it simply can’t find something standing still long
enough on which to attach. Society’s penchant for moving
ever faster is mirrored here. We all seem to have forgotten
that slowness is natural: Witness the earth turning on its
axis, the progression from birth to retirement, the time it
takes a student to walk from locker to class.
Teaching beats on both body and soul in ways that most
people do not fathom. Our day involves incessant standing, walking, squatting, and kneeling. Students may feel
bored and idle; educators are anything but. Consider also
the emotional exhaustion that comes from comforting kids
in trouble, kids with trigger tempers, and parents without
hope. Consider the effort it takes to create out of whole
Jennifer J. Bradford
cloth a lesson that will meet the needs and desires of everyone – students, parents, administrators, national critics. It
is no wonder that we need the adult’s equivalent of pulling
out the nap rug: massage.
Massage (or meditation or yoga) is a necessity in the act
of self-centering. Anger and frustration dissolve, focus returns, and the world slows down.
And, in a profession as isolating as teaching, where adult
contact is far too infrequent, one cannot underestimate the
value of the “laying on of hands.”
Lesson Two: Exercise
Education is a physically demanding profession. A strong
will and a strong intellect are not enough; we need a strong
body to support them.
For most of my teaching life I have exercised in spurts.
Engaging in constant afternoon napping one week and running 25 miles the next have not been uncommon for me –
nor has hitting the couch again the week after that.
Just recently I have figured out the obvious lesson that doing a little exercise consistently is better for the body and
spirit than going whole hog twice a year. My dog Moses
and I are currently enjoying our best running streak ever –
and we owe it all to refusing to go farther than two miles,
three times a week for at least the first month. And I’ve had
nary a sick day since the streak began.
Do what you can – just do it regularly.
Lesson Three: Get a Dog (and some perspective)
OK – it doesn’t have to be a dog. It could be a child, a
llama, a horse – anything that depends upon your daily,
undivided attention to thrive.
My husband and I have had a 20-pound tiger cat for five
56
years, but since Ty never seemed to mind what time I got
home, I routinely stayed at school for evening meetings.
Our dog Moses, though, is a 3-year-old yellow Labrador
who lives for the moment when “Mommy’s home!”
Initially, his presence required some adjustment: How can I
prepare a discussion on The Grapes of Wrath when he pulls
my pant leg? How can I grade this paper when he whines to
play? How can I have a life for myself if I can’t even find
time to play with him? The progression from question to
question was quite natural and surprisingly quick.
A very wise colleague once observed that teaching is like
housework: It fills all the time you allow it to fill. If you do
not place some limits on how many rooms you clean, you
quickly find yourself scrubbing everything from attic to
basement. And others will soon come to expect that you’ll
continually “add on” to your list of chores.
Plants can be replaced (or least in my house); cats can get
by on their own; but as a character in The Truth About Cats
and Dogs points out, dogs do not relish time alone. They
do not look forward to long, quiet afternoons with a good
book. They need people. They give their people’s lives perspective.
Lesson Four: People Who Say “I wish I’d gone
into teaching” rarely mean it
They usually just blurt out this line sometime in July or
over Veteran’s Day weekend. I have heard hundreds of
folks — from close friends to complete strangers — utter
that thought. Why? Sometimes, they sense the great satisfaction that comes from having taught, having changed
someone. More often, they have no clue how much time
the job entails. A colleague of mine and his wife, an elementary school teacher, calculated their “overtime” one
year. Actual vacation time: two weeks.
Most people don’t buy that though, so I try this response:
“It is a wonderful profession. You should enter it. In fact,
there’s a great teacher education program at the university
right here in town — you can matriculate as a part-timer
and get certified.”
If you can’t beat ‘em, ask them to join you.
Lesson Five: Don’t Expect Outsiders to Understand
It’s important to note from the outset that “outsiders” are
not just the always-vote-no-any-budget-prop neighbours
we’ve all met. Numbered in this unexclusive club may be
your family, school board members, administrators, and
even teachers from other departments.
All teachers do not have the same job. The maxim that a
good teacher can teach anything may be true, but it does
not mean that all assignments make equal demands on
teachers. Surround yourself with other people who recognize that an English teacher has tremendous amounts of
reading and writing to do, that an unappreciated quantity
of preparation goes into a chemistry lab, that teaching 30
sixth graders to navigate a pommel horse is no easy bargain.
Every person who has ever taught anywhere feels qualified to comment on how the business of educating ought to
be done. Most are wrong. When they inevitably say something inane, share it with a colleague. Laugh at them. Suggest that they do student teaching in your area. Do what
you can to show them the light, but don’t let them keep you
from the people you’re really supposed to teach: the kids.
Lesson Six: Realize that the Average Building has More Than One Faculty Member for
a Reason
One December, exhausted, fried, under-appreciated and
ready to quit, I sought the advice of our district’s most beloved and influential teacher. He told me many things that
day, but the most memorable was that a single teacher cannot expect herself/himself to reach all the children in the
building — or even all the students on her class roster.
“You reach Judy,” he said to me, “and I reach Sam, and
Jane reaches James, and among all of us, hopefully, we get
every kid.”
57
Most administrators won’t tell you this, but it’s true. If it
truly takes a whole village to raise a single child, why expect yourself to be the saving grace for 150?
Resources and Links
Lesson Seven: Vacation Means Vacate
2. Collings, C. (1987). Time management for teachers:
Practical techniques and skills that give you more time
to teach. NJ: Parker Publishing.
Recharge. Recharge. Recharge. Teachers rely so much on
vacations as opportunities to get caught up that when the
vacations finally arrive, teachers become mired in guilt for
what they are unable to get done. Go to the copy room
Monday morning after a week’s break and you’ll hear a
common refrain: “Last night was just like the first day of
school all over again, filled with nightmares. Am I prepared? Will it go OK?”
So many opportunities and distractions fill our breaks —
the house that hasn’t been properly cleaned in months, the
books that you’ve been pushing aside, the body that really needs to rest, your own children. Don’t set unrealistic
expectations for our vacation. Teachers work harder than
most of our students (a sad fact but nonetheless true); we
need these breaks. Do as much as possible before leaving.
Have something prepared for your return (thereby reducing
the cold sweat, nightmare syndrome). Then get away and
relax. For at least this week, stop trying to turn a flawed
educational system into Oxford and Cambridge. You’ll be
much more likely to come back and have another crack at
it.
1. Teacher Wellness website:
www.teacherwellness.ca
3. Neidhardt, J., Weinstein, M., & Conry, R. (1990). Nogimmick guide to managing stress: Effective options
for every lifestyle. North Vancouver, BC: Self Counsel
Press.
4. Palmer, J. (1998). The courage to teach: Exploring the
inner landscape of a teacher’s life. CA: Jossey-Bass
Publishers.
5. Watterson, G. (1996). Calvin and Hobbes: The days are
just packed. Kansas City, MO: Andrews and McMeel.
Jennifer J. Bradford teaches journalism and 9th grade English at Newark High School in New York. She may be
reached at 6 Prospect St., Fairport, NY 14450.
58
NBTA: Your Professional Association
My Branch is:
Branch Secretary:
School Rep:
School:
Email:
Email:
Branch President:
Branch Treasurer:
School:
School:
Email:
Email:
Branch Vice-President:
Branch Director:
School:
School:
Email:
Email:
NBTA Branch Map
1536
1538
1542
Dalhousie
Campbellton
1454
No NBTA
Branches
Bathurst
No NBTA
Branches
Edmundston
1608
Grand Falls
Newcastle
1450
1431
1610
Chatham
Plaster Rock
Blackville
Perth-Andover
Rexton
1430
Florenceville
1429
Hartland
Stanley
Woodstock
1428
Doaktown
Boiestown
Fredericton
Nackawic
1640
1724
Bouctouche
0215
Chipman
Minto
Moncton
Petitcodiac
Sackville
Harvey
1809
Hillsborough
Oromocto
Sussex
McAdam
1827
0217
Hampton
Rothesay
Saint John
St. Stephen
1826
0214
St. George
0619
0618 0216
0820
1021 1725
1023
Grand Manan
Anglophone School District North
1022
Anglophone School District East
Anglophone School District South
Anglophone School District West
60
The New Brunswick Teachers’
Association (NBTA)
Services and Benefits
The NBTA is one of two professional Associations that form
the New Brunswick Teachers’ Federation (NBTF). The
Federation consists of 6200 (approx.) anglophone teachers
in the New Brunswick Teachers’ Association (NBTA) and
3000 (approx.) francophone teachers who belong to the
l’Association des enseignantes et des enseignants francophones du Nouveau-Brunswick (AFENB).
The NBTA and AEFNB are parallel professional Associations serving their members in all aspects related to their
profession. Teachers choose membership in one or the other
Association and monthly dues are deducted from their pay
cheques.
What do your dues pay for?
The $760 that full time members pay annually in professional dues (which are tax deductible) allows the NBTA/NBTF
to maintain full-time professional staff who oversee all legal
and contractual issues for teachers in the province. NBTA
staff members oversee services to teachers related to professional development, finance, pension, communications,
public relations, counselling and legal support.
How is the NBTA organized?
In order to effectively serve teachers, NBTA operates locally in 27 branches located across the province (see the
map on the previous page). Each branch has teacher representatives from every school attend meetings with a local
executive staff. The executive staff consists of a President,
Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Director, and Alternate
Director, all elected by their peers during the local NBTA
AGM held in May of each year. The executive and school
reps meet a number of times per year to discuss a variety
of issues, including retirement functions, teacher concerns,
bursaries, and NBTA initiatives. An NBTA Staff Officer is
also attached to each Branch to attend meetings and provide
support. Each branch also has a Professional Development
Chair who runs meetings with PD reps from every school
to organize PD activities throughout the year as well as to
providing funding for teacher PD opportunities. For any additional information about your branch, contact your school
reps or your Branch President. Also remember that you can
contact any of the NBTA staff officers for inquiries or advice
by email or phone (1-506-452-8921).
How can teachers be involved in the NBTA?
There are many opportunities for teachers to be part of your
professional association. Teachers can:
• become a School Rep — that is, the contact person in
your school for NBTA communication.
• become a member of your local Branch Executive, the
group of School Reps in your Branch who conducts
NBTA business for the Branch. Each Branch has a president, vice-president, treasurer, secretary and professional
development chair.
• become a delegate to the Annual General Meeting of the
NBTA. These delegates are elected at the branch level
and are the ultimate decision making body voting on all
issues that affect policy and direction for the teachers of
the province.
• become a member of the Board of Directors of the
NBTA. Directors are elected at each Branch to represent
the Branch at the three Board meetings held each year.
• run for office of the President of the NBTA, a two-year
full-time elected position. The teacher who holds this
elected position acts as official spokesperson for all New
Brunswick teachers, chairs all Board meetings and represents teachers on a variety of committees.
• serve on the Elementary, Middle or High School Councils. These three groups organize the annual provincial
Council Professional Development Day, as well as contributing to various PD and curriculum initiatives.
• become a committee member on one of more than fifteen NBTA committees including: Awards, Curriculum,
Equity in Education, In-School Administration, Finance,
Nominating, Pension, Professional Conduct and Standards, Professional Development, School Learning Environment, Teacher Education and Certification, Public
Relations and Communications, and Teacher/Learning
Conditions. Let your Branch Director or the NBTA President know you are interested. Applications are available
on the NBTA website.
61
Political Representation in NB Teacher Organizations
Local
2
School
Rep
2
2
2
School
Rep
2
School
Rep
5
Branch
Committees
4
NBTA
Branch
Rep
Council
3
3. Branch Officers – A group of local teachers, some
elected and others appointed, who undertake specific
roles to carry out branch business. They serve on the
Branch School Rep Council. Examples include NBTA
Branch President, Director, Treasurer and Secretary.
3
Branch
Treasurer
3
Branch
Director
6
Rep on
Provincial
NBTA
Board
Branch business, local
teacher issues
and concerns
2
School
Rep
The number of schools
in NBTA Branches
ranges from 1 to 31.
2
School
Rep
Professional
Development
Su
pp
Prof.
Conduct &
Standards
more...
2. School Reps – Each school has an NBTA School Rep.
His/her role is to represent teachers at Branch Rep
Council Meetings, and to act as a conduit of information between the NBTA and all members in his/her
school.
Branch
President
2
School
Rep
3
Branch
Vice
President
2
School
Rep
1.Branches – The NBTA is organized into 28 local
branches. Each is comprised of the teachers from the
schools in the branch. There are 1-31 schools in each
branch.
Branch
Secretary
School
Rep
School
Rep
3
Holds
or
ts
4. Branch Rep Council – This group meets 4-10 times
per year, depending upon local practice. Members
conduct branch business, discuss local issues and concerns, and make decisions in the interest of the teachers in the branch and/or of NB teachers as a whole.
5. Branch Committees - The Rep Council may establish
local committees such as Professional Conduct and
Standards, Professional Development, etc.
6. NBTA Director – These locally–elected branch officers are members of the NBTA Board of Directors. They bring local concerns to the provincial stage, provide direction to the Association, and report back to
teachers in their branches.
7. NBTA Staff – Six teachers who support, advise, and
report to NBTA political bodies (such as Branch Rep
Councils and the Board of Directors). They provide
information and advice to individual members as well,
and are employed by the NBTA.
7
NBTA
Staff
1 Each Branch (27 locals)
62
NBTA Governing Bodies
NBTA Annual
General Meeting
NBTA Executive Committee
5 Directors
Elects
Chooses Delegates to attend
NBTA Board of Directors
Branch General Meeting
A Director*
Elects
EACH BRANCH
Holds
Association Affiliation
Education International
Formed in 1993 by the merging of the International Federation of Free Teachers’ Unions (IFFTU)
and the World Confederation of Organizations of the Teaching Profession (WCOTP).
30,000,000 workers in Education
BRUSSELS
Canadian Teachers’ Federation
200,000 members
OTTAWA
New Brunswick Teachers’
Association
L’Association des
enseignantes et enseignants
du Nouveau-Brunswick
2900 members
FREDERICTON
6100 members
FREDERICTON
New Brunswick Teachers’ Federation
Fédération des Enseignants du NouveauBrunswick
63
Who Can I Contact for Information?
Your NBTA President, Guy Arseneault (2015 - 2017)
can be reached at 452-1721, or by email at
guy.arseneault@nbta.ca
NBTA Staff
Larry Jamieson (452-1721)
larry.jamieson@nbta.ca
Executive Director
Melinda Cook (452-1839)
melinda.cook@nbta.ca
Deputy Executive Director
Ardith Shirley (452-1740)
ardith.shirley@nbta.ca
Staff Officer
Blake Robichaud (452-1833)
blake.robichaud@nbta.ca
Staff Officer
Kimberley McKay(452-1757)
kim.mckay@nbta.ca
Staff Officer
Michael Ketchum (452-1722)
michael.ketchum@nbta.ca
Staff Officer
NBTA is on Facebook as
“New Brunswick Teachers’ Association.”
We’re also on Twitter as “NBTeachersAssn.”
Check us out at either location for the latest news
and tweets.
All the information you need at www.nbta.ca
64
Supply Teachers in the NBTA and NBTF
NBTF Membership and Dues
Professional Learning Opportunities
NBTF Group Insurance
The NBTA Professional Learning Opportunities Poster
provides an overview of some of the many learning opportunities
for members throughout the year. Look for this poster in schools,
the NBTA News, or on the NBTA website.
• All supply teachers become dues paying members of NBTF
beginning with their first day of work.
• Dues of $1.29 per day worked are deducted by the employer.
•The Federation provides all supply teachers with full
representation related to employment issues.
All supply teachers are eligible to access NBTF Group Insurance
as of their first day of work. Questions? Call NBTF Group
Insurance Administration: 1-888-851-5500
Claims: 1-800-442-4428
NBTA Membership and Dues
Casual Members – Certified Supply teachers (not on a local
permit)
• Enjoy membership rights including the right to vote, and to
receive legal assistance and advice.
• Dues of $2.62 per day worked are deducted by the employer
for a total dues deduction of $3.91.
Associate Members – Supply teachers who are on a local permit.
• Enjoy membership rights, except the right to vote, to hold
elected office, and receive legal assistance and advice.
• Dues of $60 per school year must be paid directly by the
individual to NBTA.
Professional Supports
As casual members, you are welcome to attend Branch meetings
as members of a Branch (local), which is determined by the
provincial NBTA. If you are a long-term supply, your branch
will be determined by your location of work. If you are a dayto-day supply, your branch will be determined by your place of
residence. If you are unsure, please contact your local Branch
President or NBTA (Carlene Merrick) for further information.
Keeping in Touch
A wealth of information is found on the NBTA and NBTF
websites.
Highlights on the NBTA site include a large resource section for
early career teachers, contact information for Branches and the
Code of Ethics. www.nbta.ca
Highlights on the NBTF site include a section for Supply Teachers
and the Collective Agreement. www.nbtffenb.ca
The NBTA newsletter, NBTA News, is published five times
each year and is posted on the NBTA website. Hard copies are
available by request. The NBTF also publishes several editions of
Focus and Focus Express on their website each year.
When you register with the NBTA, you will select membership
in the Elementary, Middle Level, or High School Council.
Councils provide their members with access to a number of
professional learning opportunities.
Compass Conference - as members, you are welcome to attend
this conference which is for early career teachers navigating the
professional world of education within the first five years of their
career.
As members, you are also welcome to attend learning opportunities
sponsored by your local Branch.
Funding support is available for professional learning
opportunities. Consult the NBTA website and/or contact your
Branch PL Chair for more information about provincial grants.
NBTA Staff
Guy Arseneault
NBTA President
guy.arseneault@nbta.ca
Larry Jamieson
Melinda Cook
Executive Director
larry.jamieson@nbta.ca
melinda.cook@nbta.ca
Ardith Shirley
ardith.shirley@nbta.ca
Michael Ketchum
michael.ketchum@nbta.ca
Kim McKay
kim.mckay@nbta.ca
Blake Robichaud
blake.robichaud@nbta.ca
General Inquiries
452-8921 or 1-888-679-7044
All Teachers are Members of:
NB Teachers’ Federation (NBTF)
www.nbtffenb.ca
• Represents all NB Teachers in matters related to the
Collective Agreement and employment
• Conducts negotiations
• Advises on Policy 701 and 311 investigations
Kerry Leopkey
Executive Director
kerry.leopkey@nbtffenb.ca
Caroline Foisy
Dep. Executive Director
caroline.foisy@nbtffenb.ca
Monique Caissie
Labour Relations Officer
monique.caissie@nbtffenb.ca
Nicole LeBlanc
nicole.leblanc@nbtffenb.ca
65
Professional Recognition Awards
Teachers in New Brunswick have access to a variety
of recognition awards. In addition, there are several
professional grant programs available through districts,
the NBTA locally and provincially, as well as the NBTA
Councils and the Department of Education.
The professional award programs may be divided into
three main categories:
• peer-nominated awards of merit or recognition
• awards for merit or recognition for which the individual
or a group of teachers apply
• awards and grants for research, study, or other
professional development activities.
Most of the programs are advertised through the school
principal or through the NBTA, in NBTA News, and/or the
NBTA website.
NBTA Professional Awards, Scholarships
& Grants
NBTA Centennial Award
The New Brunswick Teachers’ Association established the
NBTA Centennial Award in 1967 — Canada’s Centennial
Year. This award, the highest bestowed by the Association,
is awarded to recognize an individual who has made a
significant contribution to education in New Brunswick.
Nominations are made by NBTA branches and are received
in early April. The award is announced at the NBTA Annual
Retiring Teachers’ Luncheon.
Bell Aliant Award for Excellence in
Teaching
Bell Aliant provides an award for Excellence in Teaching.
This award is presented each year to an NBTA member
perceived by peers and the community as a teacher
who exhibits excellence in teaching through on-going
commitment to students and the profession. Valued at
$1000, the award is administered by the NBTA Centennial
Committee and follows procedures similar to those of the
Centennial Award.
66
Vince Sunderland Award for
Outstanding Educational Leadership
The Outstanding Educational Leadership Award, sponsored
by the Department of Education, is presented each year to
an NBTA member who is a principal or vice-principal, or
to an in-school administrative team who (a) demonstrate(s)
the qualities of a successful educational leader and foster(s)
a positive school climate characterized by community
involvement, a collegial atmosphere, a safe and inviting
learning environment.
The NBTA Branch Award of Excellence
The NBTA Branch Award for Excellence in Teaching is
bestowed by the local NBTA Branch to recognize a NBTA
member or group of members who has(have) made a
significant contribution to education through an ongoing
commitment to students. The award is sponsored by the
local branch of the New Brunswick Teachers’ Association.
Premier’s Award of Excellence in Education
The purpose is to recognize and honour dynamic teachers
who have displayed outstanding creativity, innovation and
dedication at the school, district and/or provincial level.
Professional Development Assistance Grants
The NBTA, Department of Education and Early Childhood
Development, and NBTA Councils offer a variety of sources
of funding for professional activities. Funds are accessed
by a common application which is administered through
the NBTA Staff Officer for Professional Development.
In addition, teachers may also access funds through their
local NBTA branch and/or the district PD coordinator.
Further details on these local grants may be obtained from
the NBTA school PD rep and/or the District Office.
These funds are usually used to assist teachers in travel and
related costs of conferences they may wish to attend.
NBTA Councils Awards of Recognition/Merit
Each of the NBTA Councils administers a “Teacher
Recognition Award(s)”. These awards are usually presented
at the May Council Day. Teachers are encouraged to
contact their specific council for further details, or seek
the information from the Council News section of NBTA
News or the NBTA website (under Councils).
The G. Forbes Elliot Award for Educational
Leadership
This competitive award is administered by the Education
Coordinator of UNBSJ. As the name implies, this
scholarship, valued at approximately $5,000, is awarded
to a teacher who is studying in the area of educational
leadership. Deadline for application is in February. For
further information, contact: The Education Coordinator,
P.O. Box 5050, Saint John, N.B. E2L 4L5.
Margaret Sophia (Fraser) Cox, Frank Hazen
Rouse, Belle McLeod Rouse Scholarships
Teachers in New Brunswick are eligible to apply for these
scholarships. Valued at $200 each and administered by
UNB Faculty of Education, these awards are targeted at
teachers continuing their education at UNB. For further
information, contact UNB Faculty of Education, Bag
Service 45333, Fredericton, N.B. E3B 6E3.
Prime Minister’s Awards for Teaching
Excellence in Science, Technology and
Mathematics
Governor General’s Award for Excellence in
Teaching Canadian History
This award is structured on a national and regional basis
and is administered by Canada’s National History Society.
Teachers may apply for consideration of specific projects.
Deadline for applications is April of each year. For further
information, contact: 1-800-861-1008, coedcomm@
globalserve.net
Each year NBTA News receives announcements of
numerous awards and scholarship programs open to
teachers in the province. Normally, these announcements
are carried on the back inside page of NBTA News.
While every measure is taken to ensure these awards are
legitimate, NBTA is not responsible for the administration
validity of these programs.
NBTA has, however, actively supported all the
specific programs listed above with confidence in their
administration and their appropriateness for consideration
by New Brunswick teachers.
Administered through Industry Canada, individual
teachers or groups of teachers are invited to auto-nominate
specific projects for consideration. Awards are made on a
provincial/regional basis, as well as at the national level.
For more information call the hotline (1-800-575-9200),
email: pmawards@ic.gc.ca
NBTA Centennial Award
67
NBTA Credit Union Limited
Begin your career on sound financial
footing.
What is NBTA Credit Union?
NBTA Credit Union is a full-service, province-wide,
financial cooperative owned entirely by its members. Started by teachers in 1971, we have served our members
from all corners of NB with sound financial advice, fair
rates, and unparalleled customer service. We have over
5000 members throughout the province.
What are the benefits of joining?
NBTA Credit Union is a financial provider that always puts
your needs first. We have helped thousands of teachers, and
their families, reach their financial goals since 1971. We
understand your needs like no other financial institution.
What are shares?
When you join, you purchase one $5.00 share. This
represents your ownership in our business. One share is all
that is required for life!
What does ownership mean to you?
Ownership means having a say in how we do business.
You’re invited to our Annual General Meeting each year
where you can have your voice heard. Since Credit Unions
focus on member satisfaction first, we are motivated to
help you reach your financial goals. Membership also
means that profits are returned to you at the end of the year
in our “Patronage Rebate.”
Accessability outside of Fredericton
NBTA Credit Union can provide access to your funds 24/7.
You can get full counter service at more than 135 Atlantic
Canadian Credit Union locations. You can also withdraw
cash from more than 1500 ATM’s across Canada including
Credit Union, HSBC, and National Bank ATMs without a
surcharge from either party.
We have a secure online banking service called
MemberDirect and mobile apps that are also available 24/7.
As well, you can speak with a Member Service Rep in our
office from 8:30am - 4:30pm Monday - Friday. Outside of
these hours, you can reach our call center for banking or
lost/stolen services.
Financial Management Products and
Services
We can provide the tools to build a sound financial
foundation.
• Chequing / Savings Accounts
(Canadian and US accounts available)
• Loan Products
Personal Line of Credit
Personal Loans - vehicles, home improvements,
vacation, etc.
Computer & RRSP Loans at prime rate
Demand Loans
Mortgages/Home Equity Lines
MasterCard
Equity line of Credit
Student line of Credit
•MasterCard
with Choice Rewards®
•MemberDirect
FREE on-line and mobile banking app
• TeleService
Free telephone banking
•MemberCard
Use the MemberCard banking card for direct payment
and ATM access. (24 hrs, 7 days a week, lost/stolen)
• Inter-Credit Union Service
Use other credit unions as your own - credit unions
provide professional, over the counter service throughout
Atlantic Canada with more than 150 locations to serve
you
•ATMs
NBTA Credit Union can provide access to your money
24 hours a day 7 days a week - full service is available
Let the professionals at NBTA Credit Union assist in streamlining your
money matters toward your financial well being.
68
at more than 135 Atlantic Canada locations and you can
withdraw cash at more than 1500 credit union ATMs
across Canada, National Bank, and HSBC ATMs
•Investments
Full range of investment options: Term Deposit
Certificates (commonly known as GICs), RRSPs,
RRIFs, RESPs as well as a full range of options
available through our Wealth Manager. The services of
our financial advisor are provided free of charge to all
members. Download the Ding-Free ATM Locator App.
Phone:
1-800-565-5626 or (506) 452-1724
Fax:
(506) 452-1732
Email:nbtacu@nbnet.nb.ca
Web:
www.nbtacu.nb.ca
650 Montgomery Street, P.O. Box 752
Fredericton, NB E3B 5R6
• Other Services
Cash (Canadian and US currency)
Money Orders (Canadian and US)
Certified Cheques
Travelers’ Cheques
Safety Deposit Boxes
Business Accounts
TFSA
Payroll Deduction
Hours of Business
9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Monday to Friday
Summer/Holiday Hours
9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Monday to Friday
Telephone Services
8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Monday to Friday
69
NBTF: Your Union
NBTF: Your Union
The New Brunswick Teachers’ Federation
Services and Benefits
The Federation represents all teachers in matters of working conditions and economic welfare. It represents its
approximately 9,000 members in the negotiation and application of the Collective Agreement with the Board of
Management. The application of the Collective Agreement
includes the presentation of grievances, and employeeemployer relations with the Board of Management, School
Districts, and the Department of Education. The Federation
is also responsible for pensions and teacher certification. In
addition, it provides its members with services in the areas of group insurance and employee assistance programs.
The Federation is a bilingual organization, and therefore,
all services are offered to members in the language of their
choice.
What do your dues pay for?
From the total dues ($760) that come out of your pay check,
$250 goes to the NBTF. This amount is divided into two
areas: $50 goes to the NBTF Negotiation Fund and $200
goes to the Operating Fund. The Negotiation Fund supports the negotiation and defence of the Collective Agreement (working conditions, benefits, and salary) while the
Operating Fund supports the office complex in Fredericton
which houses the NBTA Credit Union, teacher group insurance and Johnson Insurance offices, and NBTA/AEFNB/
NBTF professional and support staff.
NBTF: Your Union
Who can I contact for Information?
Your NBTA President, Guy Arseneault (2015-2017), is a
co-President of the NBTF and can be reached at 452-1721,
or by email at guy.arseneault@nbta.ca
For any inquiries regarding the Collective Agreement
(working conditions, benefits, and salary), contact one of
the staff of NBTF:
NBTF Staff
Kerry Leopkey
kerry.leopkey@nbtffenb.ca
Executive Director
Caroline Foisy
caroline.foisy@nbtffenb.ca
Monique Caissie
monique.caissie@nbtffenb.ca
Nicole LeBlanc
nicole.leblanc@nbtffenb.ca
They can also be reached by phone by calling the main
desk: (506) 452-8921.
Check out their website: www.nbtffenb.ca for additional
information, and to read their newsletter, Focus & Focus
Express.
71
Group Insurance
Enrollment
opt out of coverage is received within the 31 days, coverage
will be cancelled retroactive to the effective date and any
premiums deducted will be refunded.
Teachers who enter into a contract for the first time in New
Brunswick should be automatically enrolled and become
members of the life insurance plan (Option A) and are insured for $50,000. The $50,000 life insurance provides
$10,000 coverage on the spouse and $5,000 on each dependent child.
If the request to opt-out is not received within the thirty-one
(31) days of the first premium deduction, the insurance will
be cancelled effective the first day of the month following
receipt of request and premiums will be refunded in accordance with the cancellation date.
These teachers should also be enrolled automatically in the
health insurance plan (Option B). This plan provides coverage for hospitalization, prescription drugs, vision care, extended health, travel insurance, etc.
For teachers who sign their first “B” contract, there is a
maximum period of six months from the effective date of
their contract to apply for coverage, without being subject to
evidence of insurability, if they have not been automatically
enrolled.
A “new teacher” is a teacher who has not taught under a contract “B” in New Brunswick at any time since 1965.
These teachers should also be automatically enrolled in the
salary continuation insurance (Option C). This insurance, if
approved, will pay a tax-free monthly income if a teacher is
unable to work because of disability caused by sickness or
accident. The NBTF salary continuation plan pays 60% of
gross monthly income (which is close to the net take-home
pay). This is a very important benefit if you become disabled.
These teachers should also be automatically enrolled in the
basic critical illness in the amount of $10,000 member coverage only. However, coverage is available for spouse and
dependent children.
Teachers should check their pay stubs (Code 18), or contact
Johnson Incorporated to make sure that they have been automatically picked-up.
Teachers should note that the automatic enrollment does
not include dental insurance. In order to enroll in this plan,
teachers must complete an application form and coverage
will become effective the first day of the month following
receipt of the application form at Johnson Incorporated.
Other Coverage
New teachers should take note that although they are enrolled only in the life, health, salary continuation and basic
critical illness plans, there are other options including dental,
optional accidental death and dismemberment, optional critical illness and optional life insurance. An application form
can be obtained from Johnson Incorporated.
Teachers Who Sign Their 1st “B” Contract
Teachers with Previous Contracts
Teachers who have not been automatically enrolled for the
life, health, salary continuation and basic critical illness
plans under a previous contract, other than a “B” contract,
or have opted out and wish to have coverage, are required to
complete an application form. The request will not be subject to evidence of insurability. Coverage will be effective
the first of the month following receipt of the application
form at our office.
Deductions
New teachers should check their cheque stubs (Code 18)
to ensure that the premiums are being deducted. Otherwise
they should contact Johnson Incorporated as soon as possible so that the proper deductions can be made.
Brochure/Application Form
To obtain a brochure on the NBTF Group Insurance Plan or
an application form, please contact:
Johnson Incorporated
Administration Office
P.O. Box 1176 Fredericton, N.B. E3B 5C8
Tel: (506) 458-1981 Toll Free: 1-888-851-5500
Fax: (506) 458-1172
E-mail: nbtf@johnson.ca
Opting-Out
Those who are automatically enrolled and do not want to
receive the insurance described may opt out by forwarding a
letter by e-mail, fax or by mail to Johnson Inc. within thirtyone (31) days of the first premium deduction. If request to
72
NBTF: Your Union
73
Getting Paid
Teachers’ Pension Plan
You will finally begin receiving a salary, albeit not nearly
what your work is worth! All teachers in New Brunswick,
once under contract, are paid according to the salary negotiated by the NBTF. Refer to your Collective Agreement
Salary Grid for your appropriate step on the scale (This
is available in the NBTF Members Only website at www.
nbtffenb.ca).
As a teacher under contract in New Brunswick, you automatically become a member of the New Brunswick Teachers’ Pension Plan. It is important to check your Notice of
Deposit to make sure that these deductions are occurring.
This pension plan provides a benefit of 2% per year of service of your best consecutive 5-year salary average. The
pension plan also includes a survivor benefit, a disability provision, and the option to defer any pension benefit
earned. In addition the Teachers’ Pension Plan is indexed,
that is, the pension benefit receives a cost of living adjustment, to a maximum of 4.75% annually once the recipient
has deferred or begun to collect the benefits. For more
details on the pension plan, consult Michael Ketchum,
Teacher Welfare Services and Pension, or visit the NBTA
web site at www.nbta.ca.
Schedule D contract teachers are now paid over twelve
months as Schedule B contract teachers, as per Article 27.
If you supply taught before getting a contract position, be
sure to contact Johnson Insurance to ensure you have been
provided with the opportunity for all benefits.
All salaries are paid by Automatic Deposit. This means that
your “cheque” is automatically deposited in the account
which you have indicated to the Payroll Officer in your
District Office. This is the person to whom you should direct all questions about salary.
Don’t be Afraid to Ask
Your Human Resources personnel at your District Office
will be able to clear up any confusion with your pay. You
will work hard for it, call if you are in doubt.
Check out that “Cheque”
A sample payroll deposit notice is included for you to examine. Be sure to examine your pay notice carefully.
Code 17 —NBTF/NBTA dues (money well spent!).
Code 18 —Group Insurance should be shown, unless you
have opted out.
Code 02 —Teacher Pension plan.
You can also arrange to have direct deductions from the
NBTA Credit Union.
74
NOTICE OF DEPOSIT
TO / A:
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
11
12
13
15
16
18
19
23
24
25
26
27
28
30
31
32
34
35
39
40
41
42
43
45
46
47
01
Paie normale
Heures suppl. x 1.5
Heures suppl. x 1.0
Indemnité de condé
Prime de quart
Indem. Ing. Spéc. force motrice
Allocation de responsibilité
Paie co-scolaire
Paie parascolaire
Paie rétroactive
Divers (RCP, AE, impôt, pension)
Divers (RCP, AE, et impôt)
Paie aux indiens sans taxe
Congé sabbatique
Congé non payé
Indem. congé de pré-retraite
Paie des retraités
Indem. de rappel au travail
Taux de salaire de disponibilité
Paie de suppléance
Rajustement de salaire
Rajustement heures supple.
Rajustement divers (autres)
Traitement différé
Indem. congé (Chauff. autobus)
Quart fractionné
Allocation congé mater. payée
Remb. traitement différé
Intérèt salaire différé
Traitement diff. Année congé
Paie d’entraineur (Chauf. auto)
Congé mater. payé enseignants
CÉD Rénumération
Allow. Dépensee pour CÉD
Paie congé férié (1253)
Paie régulière empl. Surnum. 1253
SCHOOL DISTRICT NO.
00011111
NO. DU DISTRICT
SCOLAIRE
Statement of Earnings
and Deductions
Please Retain for your Records
EARNINGS
HRS/UNITS
RÉMUNÉRATION HRS/UNITES
AMOUNT
MONTANT
1111 11
TOTAL EARNINGS
TOTAL DÉ RÉMUNÉRATION
1111 11
EMP. NO.
001111111
NO. D’EMP.
Federal
T.D. 1
NBTF: Your Union
XXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
DEDUCTION CODES / CODES DE RETENUES
EARNING CODES / CODES DES GAINS
NAME
123 SCHOOL ST.
FREDERICTON
NB
E1B 2C3
Regular Pay
Overtime X 1.5
Overtime X 1.0
Vacation Pay - Other
Shift Premium
PE Increment
Responsibility Allowance
Co. Curricular Pay
Extra Curricular Pay
Retroactive
Misc. (CPP, EI, Tax & Pension
Misc. (CPP, EI, Tax)
Indians no tax reg. pay
Sabbatical Leave
On Leave Adjustment
Pre-Retirement Vacation Day
Pensioner’s Pay
Call back Pay
Stand-by-pay
Acting Pay
Salary Adjustment
Overtime Adjustment
Miscellaneous (All Oters)
Deferred Salary
Vacation Pay - Bus Drivers
Split Shift
Paid Maternity Leave Allowance
Refund of Deferred Salary
Deferred Salary Interest
Deferred Salary Leave Year
Coaching Pay (Bus Drivers)
Teachers Paid Maternity Leave
DEC Renumeration
Exp. Allowances for DEC
Holiday Pay 3% (casuals 1253)
Regualr pay 1253 casual employees
AVIS DE DÉPÔT
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION - LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS
MINISTÉRÉ DE L’EDUCATION - DISTRICTS SCOLAIRES
YEAR
1111
MONTH
11
DAY
11
ANNÉE
MOIS
JOUR
0011111111
THE AMOUNT SHOWN AS “NET PAY” HAS
BEEN DEPOSITED TO YOUR ACCOUNT
LE MONTANT INDIQUÉ “RÉMUNÉRATION
NETTE” A ÉTÉ DÉPOSÉ DANS VOTRÉ COMPTÉ
Canada Pension Paln
01
Régime de pension du Canada
Pension - All
02
Pensions - tous
EI (Employment Insurance)
03
A-E (Assurance-Emploi)
Income Tax
04
Impôt sur le revenu
NBUPPE Dues
09
Cotisations/SESPPNB
Pension Buy Back
10
Rachat de pension
Garnishes Income Tax
11
Saisle-arrêt impôt
Garnishes EI
12
Saisle-arrêt Assurance-Emploi
Union Dues
13
Cotisations syndicates
Health and Dental
14
Santé/Dentaire
Canada pay. savings / RRSP
15
Prog. Can. Epargne sal. / REER
Canada pay. savings / Bond
16
Prog. Can. Epargne sal. / Oblig.
NBTF Dues
17
Cotisations FENB
NBTF Gr. Ins.
18
Assurance collective FENB
Miscellaneous No. 4
19
Divers No. 4
Credit Union
20
Caisse Populaire
GWAVF
21FCAGW
Group RRSP
22
Rég. Engr. Epargne Ret. Coll.
United Way
23
Centraide
Donations
24Dons
Salary Overpayment
25
Salaire Trop Payé
Miscellaneous
26-27-28Divers
A. D. D.
29
D. M. A.
Financial Compaign
31
Campaigne financière
Group Life Ins. Empl. 100%
32
Rég. Assu-vie Coll. Empl/ 100%
Long-term Disability
33
Invalidité à long terme
Basic Group Life
34
Régl. Ass-vie Coll. Base
Group Life Ins. Suppl. Cov.
35
Rég. Ass-vie Coll. Suppl.
Group Life Ins. Dep. Cov.
36
Régl. Ass-vie Coll. Pers. Charge
Defined Pension Plan-Reg.
37
Régl. Pen. Cot. Déterminées
Defined Pension Plan-Vol.
38
Régl. Pen. Cot. Dét. Facultatif
LTD (1253 & 2745)
40
ILD (1253 & 2745)
NB Ed. Supervisor Dues
41
Cot. Surveillants Ed. NB
Union Dues 1253 (% perm. Empl.)
42
Col. Syn. 1253 (% Empl. Perm.)
Union Dues 1253 (Fix Casuals)
43
Col. Syn. 1253 (Surnum. Fix)
Union Dues 1253 (% Casuals)
44
Col. Syn. 1253 (% Surnum.)
Nbuppe Fee (Pay)
45
Sesppnb Cot.Assoc. (psy)
Nbuppe Fee (soe. Wor.)
46
Sesppnb Cot.Assoc. (trav.Soc.)
Nbuppe Fee (slp & A)
47
Sesppnb Cot.Assoc. (Ortho)
DATE
1111 11 11
État de la rémunération
et des retenues
A conserver pour vos dossiers
DÉDUCTIONS
RETENUES
YEAR TO DATE
TOTAUX ACCUMULES A DATE
01
111 11
03
11 11
EARNINGS
RÉMUNERATION
02
111 11
17
11 11
04
111 11
18
11 11
01
02
03
04
TOTAL DEDUCTIONS
TOTAL DES RÉTENUES
11111.00
1111 11
Provincial
T.D. 1
1111.00
1111
111
111
111
1111
11
11
11
11
11
NET PAY
****1111.11
RÉMUNÉRATION NETTE
75
New Brunswick Teachers’ Pension Plan
What is the New Brunswick Teachers’
Pension Plan?
• The primary purpose of the New Brunswick Teachers’
Pension Plan (the “NBTPP”) is to provide secure pensions to teachers upon retirement and until death (including subsequent benefits to their spouse and eligible
dependents as applicable) in respect of their service as
teachers.
• The NBTPP does not provide an absolute guarantee to
teachers; however because of the focused approach on
ensuring the security of benefits and the establishment
of a Reserve Fund, there is a high degree of certainty
that base benefits will be payable in the vast majority of
potential future economic scenarios.
• As a plan that focuses on providing secure benefits, all
future cost of living adjustments for current and future
retired teachers will be applied in accordance with the
Funding Policy. Other Ancillary Benefits under the
NBTPP will be provided as outlined in the NBTPP Plan
Document and to the extent that funds are available for
Effective Date
such benefits, as determined by the Board of Trustees
in accordance with applicable laws and the Funding
Policy.
• By design, the NBTPP is expected to be in a position
to provide cost of living adjustments (i.e., indexing)
of 100% of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) on salary
to active teachers, and of 75% of the Consumer Price
Index (CPI) on pension benefits to retired teachers and
deferred members (maximum CPI of 4.75% per year).
Base Benefit – means the amount of pension paid or payable to a teacher at any given time.
Ancillary Benefits – means benefits that are in addition to
the Base Benefit, such as cost of living adjustments.
Teachers
Employer
Below YMPE
Below YMPE
Above YMPE
July 1, 2014
8.5%
Above YMPE
July 1, 2015
9.0%
10.7%
11.5%
13.2%
July 1, 2016
9.5%
11.2%
11.5%
13.2%
July 1, 2017
10.0%
11.7%
11.5%
13.2%
July 1, 2018
10.0%
11.7%
11.5%
13.2%
July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2024
10.0%
11.7%
10.75%
12.45%
July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2029
10.0%
11.7%
10.0%
11.7%
July 1, 2029
9.25%
10.95%
9.25%
10.95%
10.2%
11.5%
13.2%
Teacher and employer contribution rates listed above may temporarily increase or decrease as outlined in the NBTPP’s Funding Policy.
* YMPE for 2014 = $52,500
Disclaimer Clause: This fact sheet is for information purposes only. No rights are conferred by this fact sheet. If there are any discrepancies between this fact
sheet and the official pension plan documents, the official pension plan documents will prevail. As a plan that focuses on providing secure benefits, none of
the benefits described herein are guaranteed and may be adjusted up or down in accordance with the NBTPP’s Funding Policy.
76
When do I become eligible to receive a benefit
under the plan?
You are eligible to receive a benefit under the NBTPP
upon the completion of two years of membership in the
NBTPP (includes any service under the Teachers’ Pension
Act).
Scenario
35 years of Pensionable
Service*
Age + Service Index
20 or more years of
Pensionable Service
Less than 20 years of
Pensionable Service
At what point can I retire?
There are various provisions under the NBTPP which may
allow you to retire with either a reduced or unreduced
pension (depending on your circumstances). An Early Retirement Reduction will be applied to the portion of your
pension that falls under a reduced pension scenario. For
details regarding how the pension would be calculated,
please refer to the “HOW IS MY PENSION CALCULATED” section of this document.
For Service earned
prior to July 1, 2014
For Service earned
on or after July 1, 2014
Unreduced Pension
Unreduced Pension
Earliest Unreduced:
Age+Service Index equal to at least 87
Earliest Reduced:
Earliest Unreduced:
Earliest Reduced:
Age+Service Index equal to at least 84*
*Teachers who have any pensionable service
prior to July 1, 2014 may retire with an
Earliest Unreduced — Age 60
Earliest Reduced — Age 55
Earliest Unreduced — 65
*A teacher cannot accrue more than 35 years of pensionable service.
Disclaimer Clause: This fact sheet is for information purposes only. No rights are conferred by this fact sheet. If there are any discrepancies between this fact
sheet and the official pension plan documents, the official pension plan documents will prevail. As a plan that focuses on providing secure benefits, none of
the benefits described herein are guaranteed and may be adjusted up or down in accordance with the NBTPP’s Funding Policy.
NBTF: Your Union
77
Legal Rights and Responsibilities
Legal Issues
It is a pleasure to provide some basic information on legal
issues for beginning teachers. It must be said that most
teachers go their entire careers without needing legal advice
or assistance. The goal of this section of your handbook is
to make you aware of some of the pitfalls and some of the
supports available when dealing with legal matters, not to
cause undue concern.
The brief segments that follow are intended to give a
quick reference for some of the situations you may face in
your career without making you overly concerned about
legalities. The best advice is approach your job with
common sense and seek advice when new situations arise.
Also remember the expression “A teacher is a teacher
24/7”. Regardless of your actions during or outside of
school hours, within a school building or out in public, you
are held to a high standard by the public, and by the courts.
Liability/Negligence
We often hear people talking about the potential in teaching
of facing a lawsuit. It is true that the potential is real,
but new teachers need to be aware that education-related
lawsuits are still relatively rare in this province. When
we consider the number of interactions between teachers
and students everyday, inside and outside classes, on field
trips, or on sports teams or other extracurricular events, it
is gratifying how smoothly things usually go. We want you
to be aware of some issues, but don’t get the idea that it is
because there are many actions against teachers --- there
are very few. Be aware, but don’t be frightened.
supervision, or who is not being “reasonably vigilant”, will
have a more difficult job of defending himself/herself if an
accident occurs.
Accidents in the Classroom
Students have been injured in class when a teacher is absent
and the courts have not often found against the teacher
because they have looked at such things as:
1. Was the purpose of the absence legitimate and of a
reasonable length of time?
2. Were students instructed as to expected behavior?
3. Was a teacher in close proximity asked to check on the
class intermittently?
If we can answer “yes” to questions such as these, then
judges have shown themselves to be quite understanding
of reasonable absence for urgent matters.
Field Trips and Extracurriculars
Many teachers believe that participation in extra-curricular
activities and field trips is as rewarding for the teacher/
coach/supervisor as it is for the students. Whether you see
major benefits in your participation will to a large extent
depend on your first experiences. We provide the following
guidelines/suggestions in the belief that as long as you are
prepared and prudent, your experiences will be positive.
Supervision
The courts have established a two-part test which can give
us a general idea of our responsibilities while on duty
supervising students. They are:
1. Was the teacher where he/she was supposed to be
during the supervision time?
2. Was the teacher on duty being reasonably vigilant? In
other words, was the teacher patrolling the assigned
area and alert to potential problems and intervening as
necessary.
Canadian courts accept that accidents can happen that
are the fault of no one, but a teacher who is absent from
•Permission
Although no one can sign away the rights of a child, it is
nevertheless advisable to get parents to sign permission
slips for field trips and extra-curricular activities. The
permission slip ensures that parents are aware of their
children’s activities and that they authorize participation in
the activity.
79
• Adult Supervision
Whenever possible, teams, drama clubs and students on
field trips should be accompanied by two adults and at least
one of the adults should be the same sex as the students
on the trip. However, the ratio of adults/supervisors to
students may vary according to the age of the students and
the activity. A field trip to a provincial park for eight year
olds, for example, will require more supervisors than a trip
to the local library for sixteen year olds.
you agree to teach diligently and in accordance with
the Education Act and Regulations, and the collective
agreement.
In this section we will cover some of the issues most often
raised by new teachers.
•Policies
The school, school district and province have very rigorous
policies related to student activity transport. Be familiar
with these policies and when in doubt seek advice from
your administration.
Injuries
Three important things to remember if someone is hurt
while you are responsible:
1. Keep notes and fill out whatever form your school/
district has for injury reports.
2. Report the incident to your principal or District Office
immediately.
3. If in doubt about what to do, call NBTA.
Personal Liability Protection Policy
The province of New Brunswick has a government
policy which provides for the defense of its employees or
volunteers in the school system. If you are sued as a result
of an injury to a pupil, the province will defend, negotiate,
settle and pay all damages and costs related to the lawsuit
provided you acted in “good faith” and “within the scope
of your employment”; and, you cooperate fully in your
defense.
The term “within the scope of employment” means any
activity related to your job which is sanctioned by your
employer. So it includes co and extracurricular activities
sponsored by the school. And the term “acted in good
faith” means that you have not intentionally put someone
at risk or committed a crime.
Contractual Issues
All teachers under contract in public schools in New
Brunswick are subject to the terms of the collective
agreement between the Province and the New Brunswick
Teachers’ Federation. By virtue of signing a contract,
80
“B” and “D” Contracts
• “Schedule B” contract is a continuing contract which
continues from school year to school year unless and until
the teacher resigns or is laid off or is terminated for cause.
• “Schedule D” – Replacement
A “Schedule D” contract is for a teacher employed to
replace another teacher on leave with or without pay.
a) for an assignment known to last at least one year.
b) for an assignment known to last at least three months
to replace a secondment, educational leave or deferred
salary leave.
c) on the first day of the seventh month of continuous
service...
A teacher on a “Schedule D” contract has all the privileges
and contractual rights of any other teacher, but the contract
is for a specified period of time, usually to the end of a
semester or year. Teachers, whose “Schedule D” ends
(who have worked for 6 months +1 day), have 18 months
of recall. Teachers must work (6 months + 1 day) to grieve
termination of contract.
Recall
Teachers with “Schedule B” contracts who are laid off must
be recalled in order of seniority as long as the teacher with
the most seniority can “satisfactorily fulfill” the position.
Teachers who had a “Schedule D” contract must be
considered for recall if a position comes open which
they can satisfactorily fulfill and for which no one else is
available on recall who has precedence over them.
Order of recall is:
• “Schedule B” on lay-off by seniority;
• “Schedule D” on recall --- not necessarily in order of
seniority. Some districts recall by seniority but they do
not have to.
Other Issues
Beginning Teachers receive a copy of the current collective
agreement so they may familiarize themselves with articles
related to:
• Class Size (Article 20)
• Group Insurance (Article 38)
• Rates of Pay (Schedule G)
• Seniority (Article 53)
• Compassionate Leaves (Article 32)
• Maternity Leaves (Article 33) and others.
• Website: www.nbtffenb.ca
Assistance with Contractural Issues
Any teacher who has a question or concern related to any
article in the collective agreement should communicate
with the Federation administration staff for guidance.
Legal Assistance
Although it is probable that you will go your entire career
without the need for legal advice or assistance, you should
know that legal assistance is available to you if the issue
relates to your work as a teacher.
When in Doubt . . .
Seek advice from your principal or School Rep., but don’t
be hesitant to contact NBTA/NBTF, and do not let anyone
tell you that you cannot call us. You have every right to
explore your options with us; as a matter of fact, if it is a
serious matter, almost everyone would advise you to call
us for advice.
Resources and Links
1. Education Act: http://bit.ly/11cr01T
2. EECD Policy 703 on Positive Learning and Working
Environment: http://portal.nbed.nb.ca Search Policy
703
3.Teachers’ Rights - Dealing with Harassment by
Students, Parents, and other Adults (NBTA publication):
available on the NBTA website.
4. EECD Policy 311 on Information and Communications
Technologies (ICT) Use: http://portal.nbed.nb.ca
Search Policy 311
Allegations of Misconduct or
Criminal Activity at Work
Call NBTA and indicate it is a legal matter. Your call will
be dealt with promptly.
Contract
If you have questions related to the collective agreement
you may ask your principal, your School Rep., your Branch
President or Director and/or your may call NBTF staff for
assistance.
Teachers of the past were skilled
in handling words. The teachers of the future must
be skilled in handling experiences.
— Edgar Dale
81
Education Act
ROLES OF PARENTS
13 (1) In support of the learning success of his or her child and the
learning environment at the school, a parent is expected to
(a) encourage his or her child to attend to assigned homework,
(b) communicate reasonably with school personnel employed
at the school his or her child attends as required in the best
interests of the child,
(c) cause his or her child to attend school as required by this
Act,
(d) ensure the basic needs of his or her child are met, and
(e) have due care for the conduct of his or her child at school
and while on the way to and from school.
13 (2) The parent of a pupil has a right to reasonable consultation
with the pupil’s teacher or the principal of the school the pupil
attends with respect to the education of the pupil.
13 (3) It is the responsibility of the parent of a pupil and of school
personnel to conduct themselves in a respectful manner and to
follow established procedures when involved in communications concerning the pupil.
DUTIES OF PUPILS
14 (1) It is the duty of a pupil to
(a) participate in learning opportunities to his or her potential,
(b) accept increasing responsibility for his or her learning as
he or she progresses through his or her schooling,
(c) attend to assigned homework,
(d) attend school regularly and punctually,
(e) contribute to a safe and positive learning environment,
(f) be responsible for his or her conduct at school and while
on the way to and from school,
(g) respect the rights of others, and
(h) comply with all school policies.
14 (2) It is the right of a pupil to be informed of his or her educational
progress on a regular basis.
DUTIES OF TEACHERS
27 (1) The duties of a teacher employed in a school include:
(a) implementing the prescribed curriculum,
(b) identifying and implementing learning and evaluation
strategies that foster a positive learning environment
aimed at helping each pupil achieve prescribed learning
outcomes,
(c) maintaining a deportment consistent with his or her position of trust and influence over young people,
(d) exemplifying and encouraging in each pupil the values of
truth, justice, compassion and respect for all persons,
(e) attending to the health and well-being of each pupil,
(f) maintaining his or her professional competence, and
(g) assisting in the development and implementation of the
school improvement plan and cooperating in the preparation of the school performance report.
22 (2) Where under subsection (1) a teacher attempts to exclude a person
from school property and that person refuses to immediately
leave the school property, that person commits an offence punishable under Part II of the Provincial Offences Procedure Act
as a category C offence.
22 (3) Where a person, in or on school property,
(a) uses threatening or abusive language, or
(b) speaks or acts in such a way as to impair the maintenance
of order and discipline in or on the school property, that
person commits an offence punishable under Part II of
the Provincial Offences Procedure Act as a category C
offence.
DUTIES OF PRINCIPALS
28 (1) The principal of a school
(a) is the educational leader and administrator of the school
and has overall responsibility for the school and for the
teachers and other school personnel employed at the
school, and
(b) is accountable to the superintendent of the school district
for the performance of the principal’s duties and the
overall educational progress of the pupils enrolled in the
school.
28 (2) The duties of a principal include
(a) preparing, in consultation with the school parent advisory
committee and the school personnel, a school improvement plan and coordinating its implementation,
(b) preparing, for parents of the pupils enrolled in the school,
an annual school performance report,
(c) ensuring that reasonable steps are taken to create and
maintain a safe, positive and effective learning environment,
(d) participating in the selection of school personnel for the
school,
(e) encouraging and facilitating the professional development
of teachers and other school personnel employed at the
school,
(f) evaluating the performance of teachers and other school
personnel employed at the school,
(g) being accountable and responsible for funds provided to
and raised for the school,
(h) ensuring that provincial, school district and school policies
are followed, and
(i) ensuring the establishment of and participating in the operation of a parent school support committee at the school.
27 (2) A teacher employed in a school is accountable to the superintendent of the school district through the principal of the school for
the performance of the teacher’s duties and the overall educational progress of the pupils under the teacher’s instruction.
IMPROPER CONDUCT
22 (1) Where a person creates or attempts to create a disturbance in
or on school property while being used for school purposes, a
teacher may exclude that person from the school property.
82
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ’s: Surviving the Early Days
1. What should I expect the first day of school
for teachers? (Admin Day)
You should check with your admin team to see what time
you should arrive, the dress for the day and your activities.
2.When can I leave the school after my students have gone?
by name and it is a big asset to your classroom management as well.
FAQ’s: School Support
1.I hear teachers talking about ESST. What
are they talking about?
Contractually, you are expected to stay 20 minutes after
the last bus leaves. Check with your admin team for other
situations.
This stands for Educational Support Services Team. It
consists of members of the school administration, guidance, resource and other invited parties. They meet to discuss academic, and behavioral and school concerns.
3.I have only been teaching a few days and
I’m exhausted. Is this normal?
2.A student comes to me with an issue. What
should I do?
Yes, everyone feels the same the first few days of teaching,
even the “seasoned” teachers. It’s important to look after
yourself. Drink lots of water, eat well and be well rested.
Chat with other teachers in the building-they’ll confirm
you’re normal.
4. I do not have my teacher notebook. How do
I get that?
Once you have your contract, you should log onto the
portal and scroll down to the right, look for the “Teachers
Laptops” and click on “Apply Now”. (You will need your
certificate number, your employee number) You can check
your status to see how the process is progressing.
5. Who do I call or contact if I’m sick?
If you feel comfortable talking with the student, then do
so. Document what is being discussed and tell the student
what you are doing. If you do not feel comfortable talking
with the student, you may want to tell them you will need
help with handling the issue and you will need to tell the
student you and the student needs to go to another teacher,
guidance counselor or principal to help out.
3. I have a question about the curriculum?
You can check with another teacher in your school who
teaches the same curriculum, or your administration. You
can check for documents on the portal or contact your literacy, numeracy, technology leads, mentors or Learning
Specialists at your Education Centre.
You should check with the admin team at your school the
first few days to find out what the protocol is for teacher
absenteeism at your place of work.
FAQ’s: Creating a Positive Learning Environment
6. I am feeling overwhelmed with the amount
of paperwork. How can I effectively deal
with it all?
1.I have noticed a lot of bullying and namecalling in my classroom. How do I stop it?
When dealing with paperwork, try the OHIO approach:
Only Handle it Once. Rather than letting paperwork accumulate, try to deal with it as you receive it. Try to file it,
respond to it, or dispose of it as soon as you can when it arrives in your hands! This will help you avoid the pile of paper on your desk or the list of messages on your computer.
7. What’s the best piece of advice you can give
me for the first days?
Make an effort to get to know you students’ names and use
them frequently. It means so much to a student to be called
84
Refer to the class and school rules. Remind the student or
students the importance of respect and that every student
has a right to be respected. Explain to them how respect is
important in the “real world” and how it is applied in real
life situations. Notify the parents/guardians of the situation.
Remember to start the conversation on a positive note and
then mention the concern. If the bullying does not stop, you
will need to seek intervention from your guidance counsellor and administration for further action. Most schools
have a “no bullying” policy implemented and methods of
intervention.
2. It seems to take my students too long to settle down at the beginning of class. What are
some strategies I can use?
Be sure to be well prepared for your lesson and be sure that
you’re ready to begin right away. Don’t begin your lesson
until you have the attention of the entire class. To get their
attention, establish a procedure you can use all year. For
example, stand in front of the class silently and look at the
students not paying attention until they do, turn the lights
off and on, raise your hand, etc. Once you have established
this procedure and the students know what to expect from
you, they’ll soon be paying more attention more quickly.
3.My class has quite a few health issues.
What do I need to know about administering medication?
The necessary procedures and protocols are described
in Policy 704 - Health Support Services. However, each
school will have its own internal routines for administering
the policy so it is best to contact your school administration
for further details.
4. I am very concerned about the behaviour of
a student in my classroom. It has changed
significantly and I am not sure what to do.
Who should I contact?
Contact someone in guidance and/or admin about your
concerns.
5.How do I create a classroom environment
that is inviting to my students?
Ask other teachers in your building for some advice and
take a look around at other classrooms and ask them why
they have set up their classroom the way that they have.
6. Can I paint my classroom?
The short answer is no. If you do want to have changes
made to the physical appearance of your classroom then
contact your administration.
7.I am hearing negative discussions about
students in the staff room and it is really
bothering me. What should I do?
Don’t engage in the discussion.
8. What if my students don’t like me?
There is a big difference between like and respect. You will
never have all of your students like you, so live with it! On
the other hand, it is important that they respect you (and
that most, not all, like you). Students can “like” a teacher
but not respect him/her. Respect is a two-way street. You
must earn the respect from your students from day one.
You do this by showing the students that you are a fair
and consistent teacher, that you care about them and their
success, and that you will always listen to what they have
to say.
9. How do I handle a student calling me by my
first name?
Explain to them you wish to be referred to as Mrs./Mr./
Ms./Miss. Explain to them that it is simply a question of
respect. Students show respect to their elders and this is
one of those situations.
10.At what point is it okay to send a student
to the Principal’s office because of his/her
behaviour or attitude in class?
There are certain steps that need to be taken before sending a student to the office for most forms of misbehaviour.
First, talk to the student individually about the problem in a
calm but firm way and ask for his/her input on the situation.
If after you have talked with the student, the behaviour is
still there, call home and inform the parent/guardian of the
situation (ask for suggestions). If the problem still persists,
invite the student to a team meeting (if you work on a team
with other teachers who teach him/her), or arrange a meeting with the student, an administrator, and yourself to discuss the problem. However, serious misconduct (as identified in your school’s positive learning environment plan
or discipline code, may require an immediate intervention
from an administrator!
11.One particular student keeps giving me a
hard time. The student is always disruptive and doesn’t show me any respect. The
student claims I pick on him/her. The other
teachers don’t seem to have a problem with
that students. What do I do?
You will need to have a conference with the student and
emphasize that it is not the student that you dislike but
rather a specific behaviour. Try (as hard as it may be) to
focus on positive aspects of the student (you are a natural leader; you are such a strong math student; I always
like your ideas). Try to agree on a “fresh start”, then make
an attempt to provide positive feedback in the next weeks.
You still, however, need to hold the student accountable for
unacceptable behaviour.
85
12.How do I deal with a power struggle with
a student?
Ignore the student’s attempt to engage you in a power
struggle. Speak to the student individually and describe
the behaviour which you cannot accept. Refer to the fact
that your class has a right to learn and you have a right to
teach. Ask the student what you can do to help him/her
with this inappropriate behaviour. If this does not work,
communicate with parents/guardians and draw up a further
action plan. Arrange for time-out from the classroom. Give
the student a warning, stress the consequences and follow
through.
FAQ’s: Discipline Strategies
1.Is there a really good short read on discipline strategies to use in the classroom?
“With All Due Respect” Morrish, R. (2000). With
all due respect. Fonthill: ON: Woodstream Publishing.
FAQ’s: Becoming a Professional
1.I’ve noticed that there are some unwritten
laws about where to sit for lunch, where
to park ... in general, how things happen
around the school. How do I know what I
should do and what I shouldn’t do?
stand what all these words mean. Are they
different? Which is special to me as a beginning teacher?
Different school districts use different vocabulary to communicate similar processes. As a beginning teacher, you
should expect that your director, superintendent or principal will be involved in a process of evaluation with you.
The purpose of evaluation is to make a judgment about an
individual teacher’s competency at a given time and in a
given situation. The purpose of supervision, on the other
hand, is to support teachers as they seek to improve their
instructional practices. In short, evaluation is used to judge
your performance, and supervision is used to support improvements. Your Professional Growth Portfolio should
become an important part of any discussion with your administration concerning your growth as a teacher.
3. I am having a personality conflict with a fellow staff member. I am concerned that this
conflict may become unprofessional. What
are our rights and responsibilities when it
comes to conflict with a colleague? p.30
4. How do I access funding if I want to go to a
workshop or conference? p.34-36
5. I want to pursue a Masters but I teach full
time. Is there anyway to take time off work
to do this? p.38-39
What you have noticed is an aspect of school culture, or
“the way we do things around here”. Understanding the
culture of a school is essential for a beginner, as it informs
new teachers about “norms” (accepted practices and behaviours) about dress, conduct, roles, etc. There may be
aspects of a school’s culture that make you feel uncomfortable (i.e., a “culture of complaint”). Be encouraged to differ
from the school culture when you feel that it compromises
your ideals. Be cautious and reflective about how you can
bring about change in a situation like this. As a beginner,
you may decide that the most important difference you can
make is to not participate, especially in “negative talk”.
6. I’m really nervous about the principal coming to observe me and evaluate me. How
can I prepare for this?
2.My principal talks about my supervision
and my evaluation. Other teachers talk
about their performance appraisals and
developmental supervision. I don’t under-
It is okay to have a Facebook Account as a teacher. It is
important to have your privacy settings limit who can see
your account, but keeping in mind that everything can become public, it is also important to remember that you are
a teacher 24/7 and should always weigh carefully what
86
Talk about being pro-active. Invite principal in before he/
she initiates it. Don’t shy away from feedback – get it from
a variety of sources – this is effective professional growth.
Check out these links for ideas. If you have the equipment,
video taping yourself teaching a class and afterward watching it is a great way to self-assess.
7. Is it okay for me to have a Facebook Account as a teacher?
you post. Teachers should not be “friends” with students
on Facebook, but should communicate with students in a
professional matter through appropriate channels.
FAQ’s: Communicating with Parents
1a) Is it okay to communicate with parents
through email?
b) I have a parent who repeatedly emails me.
What can I do about this?
Email is an effective tool for communicating information.
However, for most communicating regarding students,
communication should occur by telephone or face-to-face.
If a parent repeatedly emails, call the parent to address any
questions or concerns the parent indicated in the email. Advise the parent of online resources if they want continual
updates on marks, assignments, or homework, and ask
them to call instead of emailing if the reason is anything
other than factual information. If the emails continue, consult with your administrator. The administrator may want
to speak with the parent him or herself.
2. How often should I make contact with parents regarding their child’s progress?
The amount depends on how well the student is progressing. However, teachers should always attempt to call parents within the first couple weeks to introduce themselves
and to provide contact information. It is important for parents not to feel they are only contacted about behavioural
issues. There are many ways to maintain regular contact
with parents, including letters home, newsletters indicating what your class is doing in each subject area, emails,
websites or virtual classrooms, Parent Nights, and Open
Houses.
3. What do you do when a parent/guardian is
confrontational with you (in person or on
the phone)?
In a situation where you feel uneasy, it is always best to remain calm. You should not feel obligated to listen to verbal
abuse. Calmly end the conversation and suggest another
time you could talk to discuss the issue. Do not feel alone
in a situation where you may feel uncomfortable. Involve
the principal or vice-principal to assist you and to perhaps
be a third party.
4.What do you do when a parent/guardian
arrives uninvited to your classroom and he/
she wants to discuss a concern or problem?
If a parent/guardian arrives while you are teaching, you
should suggest another time to meet. If the matter is of an
urgent nature and the parent/guardian needs to speak to
someone, invite your principal to address the problem or to
supervise your class.
5. A parent wants to have a meeting with me,
but I’m concerned that the parent’s tone is
inappropriate.
If a teacher feels uncomfortable meeting with a parent, that
teacher should ask an administrator or other teacher to be
in the room with them. Ensure to follow the recommendations in the Handbook regarding Conferences with parents/
guardians to ensure you are best prepared for this meeting.
FAQ’s: Wellness
1. How can I better understand the stress that
I feel?
Teachers sometimes use the word “stress” to describe a variety of feelings or situations. It is helpful to think of stress
as a kind of contest: in other words, stress results when you
are facing an issue or challenge that seems to be greater
or more powerful than you are. If you think of stress as a
contest or imbalance, then you can look for new attitudes
or behaviours that can help you regain the balance. Sometimes challenges or issues make us feel strong and capable,
and so they don’t tend to feel stressful.
2. What are some of the things that I can do to
prevent feeling overwhelmed?
Your response to the changes that you are experiencing
can significantly influence the texture of your first years
of teaching. If you are careful to understand and respond
to your own needs as well as to the needs of your students,
you will feel greater satisfaction with these early years.
Planning for your own needs can take the form of a “wellness plan” that deliberately incorporates exercise, social
interactions and pleasure into your life. As you create your
wellness plan, you may find the following sections helpful.
Consider how you might incorporate the self-care checklist, the rules of stress management, and the tips on handling stress into your plan.
87
3.When I arrived at my new school, my extracurricular activities were already picked
out for me. I’m worried about being able to
keep up with teaching and carrying out my
extracurricular tasks. What should I do?
Sometimes extracurricular planning takes place before a
new teacher arrives, and some teachers may have their activities designated for them. If this is the case for you, and
you are uncomfortable with the assignment that has been
set up, be sure to speak to your principal about your concerns. Helping you establish your classroom skills should
be every principal’s priority; be sure that you have the time
you need to accomplish that. Remember that extracurricular activities are voluntary in nature, but they add a rich dimension to students’ lives. Working with students in clubs
and sports allows you to establish relationships that enrich
your classroom interactions. Try to negotiate an arrangement that meets your needs.
4. I’m feeling swamped and kind of out of control, but I’m afraid to talk to anyone about
it. What should I do?
There are times when all teachers feel swamped and out of
control. To some extent, this is hard to avoid. As a beginner,
however, you may feel more stressed than an experienced
teacher. Go back to the section on wellness and reflect on
how you might plan to manage the pressing tasks one at a
time. Ask colleagues to help you through a rough week. It
is very important to remember that all beginning teachers
have “swamped” times; this is typical, and it will get better.
FAQ’s: Group Insurance
1.How do I know whether I was automatically enrolled in the group insurance program?
If you have been automatically enrolled, you should see a
deduction amount under code 18 on your pay stub. If you
do, this means that you have been enrolled in the single
life, single health , basic critical illness and salary continuation plans. If you wish to add family coverage and/or
dental please contact Johnson Inc. If there is no deduction
in code 18, please contact Johnson Inc asap.
2.Are these plans mandatory or do I have a
choice to opt out of any or all of the plans?
None of the NBTF group insurance plans are mandatory
and you can opt-out at any time, subject to certain conditions if you wish to re-apply at a later date. Please contact
Johnson Inc for more information.
3.If I opt out, what happens if I wish to reapply at a later date?
To re-apply for coverage, you must be actively at work and
complete an application form and you may be subject to
medical evidence. Please contact Johnson Inc for more
complete details on how to re-apply.
4.My contract is done in June. What happens to my group insurance coverage?
Coverage can be continued during summer lay-off by paying your premiums through automatic bank deductions,
with the exception of the salary continuation plan, which
cancels until you are re-hired. Coverage and premiums resume and medical evidence is not required. Please contact
Johnson Inc to obtain all the necessary information on how
to proceed.
5. Do I really need Salary Continuation coverage? Is this the same as LTD?
They are the same thing and perhaps the most important
coverage of all your options. This option provides 60 % of
your gross monthly income if you cannot work because of
total disability from injury or disease. Please contact Johnson Inc for more information.
6.How do I obtain detailed information on
what is covered under the group insurance
plan?
You can contact Johnson Inc directly for inquiries and obtain a benefit booklet from them or visit www.johnson.ca
and visit the members only site. Once you have a user
name and password, you can access complete benefit descriptions, claims information, print personalized claim
forms and income tax letters from the site.
7.If I am enrolled in the Health plan, am I
covered for emergencies if I travel outside
the Province of NB?
Yes you are covered at 100% if you suffer an unexpected
illness or injury while travelling outside New Brunswick.
There are a few stipulations relating to pre-existing medical conditions and you should contact Johnson Inc for more
detailed information on travel insurance.
88
8.I don’t live in Fredericton and can’t visit
the claims office to obtain immediate reimbursement, is there a quicker way to be reimbursed for my claims?
Johnson Inc processes claims usually within four days of
receiving them in the mail. You can request that your reimbursement be automatically deposited into your bank
account by contacting them and providing a void cheque.
89

Early Career Teachers` Handbook

Transcription

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