The evolution of professionalism - Centre for Policy Studies in ...

management trends in other Canadian provinces, and in other countries such as
the USA, the UK, New Zealand, and Australia (Collins 2000, 2). In 2000, the
Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of School Councils became affi liated with
the Canadian Home and School Federation.
School Council Chairs (who can be either parents or teachers, but not principals)
responding to a questionnaire generally expressed that their councils were working
well and that the support of the school principal and the school board was helpful.
In the Chairs’ view, the “lack of training” of members is the greatest single barrier to
council effectiveness (in these early years of the school council experience). Other
barriers included the “lack of clearly defi ned role” and the “diffi culty of getting
parents to serve” (p. 7), while inducing teachers to serve on council was much less
of a problem. The survey also showed that councils have had some diffi culty in
focusing on school and educational improvement as their main goal, as they tend to
get sidetracked by relatively minor issues.
Supporting Learning
In 2000, the Ministerial Panel on Educational Delivery in the Classroom
presented its report, Supporting Learning, which made 86 recommendations for
changes to the existing system. The NLTA had made a formal submission to the
Panel in December, 1999 (Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers’ Association,
2000), and were, in the end, pleased to see that Supporting Learning refl ected the
spirit of many of their recommendations.
The NLTA had lobbied for full educational services for all young people in the
province, early intervention for literacy and skill development, full resources to precede
the implementation of an outcomes-based curriculum, a streamlined schedule for
criterion-referenced testing, reform of tele-learning and distance learning, provision
of resources and personnel for a full and balanced curriculum (including specialized
programs), increased provision for remedial instruction and learning resources,
increased teacher allocations for schools with special needs, alternate settings and
support for disruptive students, and far greater professional development opportunities
for teachers at all stages of their careers. Regarding curriculum development and
assessment, the NLTA, echoing positions taken by the CTF elsewhere in Canada,
expressed “some concerns with any introduction of high stakes testing which becomes
mandatory and possibly forms part of a public accountability process” (Newfoundland
and Labrador Teachers’ Association 2000, 39).
The NLTA offered to work with the Department of Education to improve
“educational delivery in the classroom”, and expressed the hope that the
“challenging and tumultuous period in education” was now a thing of the past. The
NLTA also advocated increased funding, adequate support for teaching, and more
professional development opportunities for teachers (Newfoundland and Labrador
Teachers’ Association 2000, 41). For its part, the Department of Education reported
that “the majority of the 86 recommendations (had) been either fully implemented
or initiated” as of the school year 2001-02 (Gov. of Newfoundland and Labrador,
Dept. of Ed. 2002, 3).
176 Section 4: The Atlantic Region