Staff at Dr. S. E. McDowell Elementary School held a demonstration before the school day this past Wednesday. Members of the Western Quebec Teachers’ Association, which is itself a part of Quebec Provincial Association of Teachers, the schools union demonstrate to draw attention to contract negotiation demands. Their demands are as follows:

Class composition:

The group of students to be taught has an immediate and direct impact on the teacher’s everyday experience and on the learning climate for all students.
Careful formation of groups.
Increase the amounts allocated for support of class composition in all sectors.
Add a temporary measure to counter the pandemic’s impact on academic success in disadvantaged areas.

Teacher workload:

Teachers are often bogged down in administrative tasks. Time must be given so that they can focus on their primary mission: teaching.
Increase the amount of time for which teachers decide on the work to be done in all sectors.
Reduce supervision time in order to have more time with the students.

Distance teaching and individualized teaching:

During the pandemic, distance teaching developed very quickly and this has created a certain number of problems.
In the youth sector, teaching must be dispensed in the presence of students.
Establish clear guidelines for distance teaching in all sectors.

Professional Autonomy:

Autonomy is a key pillar in asserting the value of the profession.
Allow teachers to have more control over their workload and their pedagogical days.

Remedial Teachers:

Increase the total number of remedial resources to support learning at the preschool and elementary school levels.

Adult Education:

No ratios exist for this sector. This has created some very unfortunate situations for both teachers and students.
Guarantee time in their workload for student follow-up.

Vocational Training:

Increase the number of hours that may be released to take Bachelor’s degree courses to help teachers become legally qualified.

Remuneration:

Galloping inflation combined with staff shortages provide ample justification for improving certain teacher-specific salary conditions.
An employer’s contribution to the group insurance plan.
Make corrections to the salary scale of teachers.

Attraction and retention:

We need to attract students to university teaching programs, and make it easier for new teachers to stay in the profession.
Reduce job insecurity.
Increase the number of mentor teachers.

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