Summer 2006 - The member magazine of the Elementary Teachers

YOUR FEDERATIONA ROUNDUP OF FEDERATION NEWSGlobal action weekConnecting with new teachersETFO regularly provides conferences and workshopsfor beginning teachers, that is teachers intheir first five years. In April 70 teachers attendedConnect 2006 in Sudbury. It was presented byETFO in partnership with the Rainbow TeacherLocal, the Rainbow Occasional Teacher Localand the Rainbow District School Board. Workshopsincluded presentations on techniques forclassroom management, core French teachingstrategies, software licensed by the Ministry ofEducation, and daily physical education.Summer of HopeThe challenge issued bythe Simcoe CountyTeacher local (see Spring06 issue of Voice) hasbeen taken up by threelocals. Grand Erie,Upper Grand and YorkRegion teacher locals have voted to supportLieutenant Governor James Bartleman’sAboriginal literacy program. As well the YorkRegion Local challenged its school board tomake a matching donation, which the boarddid, bringing the total donation from YorkRegion to $5,000. For more information onthe camps go to lt.gov.on.ca.Correction: In the January federal election Maret Sadem-Thompson ran for the NDP in Oshawa-Whitby, the second timeshe has done so. We inadvertently left her name off the list ofETFO members who ran for office in that election.More than 100 million children around the world don’t have a chanceto go to school. The United Nations estimates that to give every childan elementary education, the world would need 15 million additionalteachers. Global Action Week April 24–30 draws attention to the lack ofeducational opportunities for children around the world. It is a projectof the Campaign for Global Education, Education International, and theCanadian Teachers’ Federation. As part of the campaign, federation leaders,including ETFO President Emily Noble, spoke with Canadian members ofparliament and senators to alert them to the needs of children and teachersaround the world.Michelle Muir – Champion poetETFO member Michelle Muir (aka Nuff Said) isthe winner of CBC Radio’s Canada-wide PoetryFace-Off Competition 2006. Muir has been ateacher with the Peel District School Board forthe last 12 years and currently teaches grade 4in Mississauga. Her goal is to promote literacy,cultural awareness, and empowerment throughspoken word. Michelle’s company “Nuff Said,”provides shows put on by Michelle’s storytellingalter ego “Auntie Michie.” Michelle has performedon professional and non-professional stages in Toronto and NewYork. She is currently writing and working to compile her poetry andchildren’s stories. She has also lectured on numerous occasions at YorkUniversity and the University of Toronto.8 etfo voice SUMMER 2006