Did you know that you can email the premier? Or any MLA or other head honcho? You politically-aware people can stop laughing at me - I didn't know this and I've generally been one of the people in my circle of friends who somewhat follows politics and all that stuff.
In my defense, why would I assume that I could email any of those people? I guess it's 2007 and it makes sense, but it's really not a form of communication that I thought was available to me to have a voice. Hee hee, I'm going to send Lorne Calvert dirty forwards!
Seriously though, I had a discussion with Sean tonight about money and stuff, and I realized that I spend a fair amount on things for my classroom and my students - out of my own pocket. This is something that most teachers do because that's just how it goes, but it's really not fair. Thinking about it, I'm actually being really frugal with my money and I could spend a LOT more than I do.
Is this really fair for beginning teachers? I don't think so. I'm trying to manage a classroom that didn't have a lot of kindergarten resources to begin with; there's no way that my part of the school budget would come close to being enough to fill my classroom with enough (and adequate) resources and materials. Have you ever been in a teacher's store? The stuff in there is bloody expensive. Yet there is a ton of pressure on me to plan super-creative crafts and activities, and if I didn't spend that money to do these activities parents would probably run me out of town.
In five years I'll be in a much better situation. I'll have a better collection of activities, games and resources that I won't have to worry about accumulating just to stay afloat. In the meantime though, I'll continue paying out of my own pocket but I won't be happy about it. I'm SO Canadian.
I'm also really Canadian because, going back to the whole emailing the government thing, I'm working on a letter to some of those people about this issue that affects almost every beginning teacher, especially elementary teachers. If you're a beginning teacher and you're experiencing this same thing, you should follow my lead and email some of these people. Email addresses can be found on the Government of Saskatchewan's website.
Monday, February 5, 2007
Whaddayaknow?!
Posted by Meg at 10:09 PM
Labels: classroom, government, work
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8 comments:
I'll make you into a raving left-looney sooner or later.....now how about getting some links going on this blog...gotta get my blog rating up and that only happens when people link me!
Yeah yeah, hold your horses. I'll be added to the Sask Blogroll on the 15th and I'll eventually make a list of blogs I read (all two of them).
I just heard back from my MP by email. He either ignored or didn't get 4/5 previous emails I'd sent over the years.
And I still haven't heard back from a letter I faxed to the Learning Minister, in December.
That's not very encouraging!! I honestly don't even expect a reply but at least I can have the satisfaction that I tried to do SOMETHING about my situation.
my what big fonts you have.....
Update your blog! GEESH.
Just so you know that as a teacher, we can write off some of the things that we purchase for our classroom. Things like pens, markers, erasers, even things like posters (as long as it is vague on the receipt) can be written off as business expenses.
Just keep those receipts from when you go and purchase those items. Then send the receipts in when you do your taxes.
Really!!! That's good to know! So am I going to look like an idiot sending a letter in now that I know this?
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