Latest news with #KarenBrown
CTV News
12-08-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
Ontario elementary teachers' union to make smaller class sizes its top issue when bargaining talks begin
A classroom at an elementary school in Toronto pictured on Jan. 9, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young The union representing Ontario's English elementary teachers is vowing to make class sizes its top issue during collective bargaining talks. The Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO) said the issue emerged as the top priority following a survey of its 84,000 members. Speaking to CTV News Toronto on Tuesday morning, ETFO President Karen Brown said while the issue of class sizes has been ongoing for years, it's reached a 'critical mass.' 'We're saying that the government needs to invest in public education, and they need to look at reducing class size. Reduction in class size is one way to address some of the violence that we're seeing in schools. Reduction in class size means more one-to-one attention for our students,' she said. 'And we also know with the reduction in class size, it means an opportunity for the educators to focus on our most vulnerable students.' The current collective bargaining agreement is set to expire on Aug. 31, 2026. According to ETFO, there are no caps on class size for Grades 4 to 8, which are funded to support 24 students. The union said it has resulted in large class sizes, often with 30+ students of varying needs, prompting them to call on the Ministry of Education to impose a cap of 24 for those grades and 26 in kindergarten. Brown does not expect that the issue will be resolved in one round of bargaining but hopes that it'll prompt the government to begin forming a long-term strategy to address it. 'We know that, as I said before, more one-to-one attention with the students provides better outcomes,' she said. 'I think we're all in agreement. We want to see students succeed, and this is one thing that we can do. It's not going to solve all the issues, but it's a start.' ETFO announced it launched a public bargaining campaign—'smaller classes, BIG DIFFERENCE'—to bring awareness to the issue. 'We've been pushing this, and our members are saying it's time. It's time that smaller class sizes make a real difference,' Brown said. 'We know that when students are able to focus and have that additional adult to secure, to support and guide their learning, we see those outcomes. When students don't have that attention, they're struggling on their own to meet those needs.' During her opening remarks at the union's annual meeting at the Sheraton Centre Hotel in downtown Toronto on Monday, Brown informed members that the campaign will be on billboards, in movie theatres and social media. Brown shared that she has spoken with Education Minister Paul Calandra twice in July and that he committed to going on school visits with her in the fall. 'I think we can hopefully try to build ongoing communications with this minister. And I'm hoping it's not just talk, that he really wants to be a partner, working together with ETFO as a stakeholder in public education to make a difference for our educators and the students in this province,' she said. ETFO represents 80,000 teachers and occasional teachers as well as 3,500 early childhood educators, education support personnel and professional support personnel.
Hamilton Spectator
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Ontario is pausing its curriculum overhaul. Here's what that will mean for students
Ontario's surprise decision to postpone curriculum changes — including mandatory instruction on the Holodomor, the Holocaust and Black Canadian history, as well as an overhaul of kindergarten — has drawn disappointment from advocates, but teachers' unions say it gives educators much-needed time to prepare meaningful lessons. 'This provides a valuable opportunity to get it right,' said Martha Hradowy, president of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation, said of the one-year delay. She noted the timing of the announcement was not ideal and created 'some uncertainty,' but the pause 'allows for better planning, clearer communication and more comprehensive professional development.' The elementary teachers union also received no advance notice. 'We were surprised — pleasantly so,' said ETFO president Karen Brown. 'We're not opposed to a revised and updated curriculum; educators want that, and they want what's best for their students. But they need time to prepare. I'm glad (the ministry) is listening.' Both Hradowy and Brown said in the absence of any concrete guidelines from the government, teachers had been expressing concerns they would not be ready under the original timeline. Curriculum changes set to take effect this fall were introduced more than a year and a half ago. The province planned to revise Grade 10 history to include enhanced mandatory instruction on the Holodomor , the Holocaust, and Black Canadian histories and to add financial literacy to Grade 10 math. Kindergarten's play-based approach , introduced in 2010, was to be revamped in favour of a 'back-to-basics' focus on reading, writing and math. But last Friday, tacked on to the end of a news conference about the province taking over four school boards due to alleged financial mismanagement, Education Minister Paul Calandra announced curriculum changes would be shelved for a year. He said the delay would allow time to develop 'a more central, consistent' approach and give teachers the opportunity to properly prepare. 'Students cannot afford to wait,' Josh Landau, director of Ontario government relations at the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, told the Star. 'In a time where antisemitism has risen to levels not seen in recent memory, there remains a troubling lack of understanding about the Holocaust, its impacts and the persistent dehumanization of Jews that reverberates even today.' Calling the delay a setback, Tiffany Ford, executive director of education non-profit P.E.A.C.H. , said 'these updates are crucial for providing Ontario students with a more inclusive and accurate understanding of history. While we understand the ministry is managing multiple priorities, we urge the government to uphold its commitment to these curriculum changes.' Debbie King, chair of the Black trustees' caucus at the Ontario Public School Boards' Association, said she was hopeful the pause would give teachers more support and time to prepare, but in the meantime 'educators should not fear reprisal or other potential consequences for supplementing or extending the existing curriculum with applicable content and materials in culturally responsive ways. 'Many school boards have already begun meaningful work in this area,' she added, 'but sustained and system-wide progress requires co-ordination, collaboration and commitment.' Roma Dzerowicz, project manager of the Holodomor National Awareness Tour — a mobile classroom experience about the 1932–33 famine-genocide that killed millions in Ukraine — said she was shocked by last Friday's announcement. 'We are disappointed,' she said, adding she had been contacting school boards as late as last week about potential visits to dovetail with the enhanced curriculum. A Ukrainian Canadian Congress spokesperson noted there just wasn't enough time to prepare educators to teach 'complex and historically significant topics like the Holodomor, with which many might not be familiar.' Valentina Kuryliw, who serves as chair of the Holodomor Education Committee, added that while the delay was 'unfortunate,' it was 'prudent.' Brown said she understands the frustration voiced by advocates, but emphasized the importance of providing teachers with the proper training and tools: 'You do not want our members doing a disservice to the Black community because the teacher who's delivering the curriculum is fumbling through the knowledge. No one wants that.' The heads of both teachers unions are urging the ministry to release details of the new curriculum as soon as possible, and not wait another year. Brown said many questions remain — particularly about the revised kindergarten program and how young students will be assessed. Error! 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CBC
23-02-2025
- Politics
- CBC
What Ontario's major parties would do for the province's schools
While Trump's tariffs, housing and health care have received plenty of attention during the Ontario election campaign, educators say voters should pay more attention to where the major parties stand on the province's public school system. "Investing in a good education system is the foundation of any society. And we need a government that has a vision for that, a renewed vision for public education," said Karen Brown, president of the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario. Each major opposition party has made several education pledges, including increased funding. The NDP and Green Party have both pledged to add $1,500 in funding per elementary and secondary school student — the amount they say was cut from the education system under the PC government. The Liberals have promised an unspecified amount of per-student funding. In contrast, the Progressive Conservatives haven't released any details of its education plans. That's concerning for Brown at the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario "They have not rolled out an education platform, so we don't know where they're going and that should be a concern for Ontarians," she said. Public education not properly funded under PCs: union PC Leader Doug Ford was asked about his party's plans for education on the first day of his campaign, where he touted his incumbent government's record of funding education and hiring more school staff. "This government has put more into education than any government in the history of Ontario," he said. "We have great schools, brand new schools, and supporting our students. That's exactly what we're gonna do for education. We're gonna continue investing in education. That answer wasn't satisfying to Karen Littlewood, president of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation. Littlewood said under the PC's leadership, public education hasn't been properly funded, which has impacts across the system. "It has had a massive impact where directors, superintendents, school board associations, everybody is speaking out," she said. "It's not just a union thing. The students of the province are suffering because of these cuts." Food programs, building repairs also among parties' pledges Beyond increased funding, the parties' campaign promises have also touched on food programs, class sizes and school building repairs. Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles has promised to implement a province-wide school food program, while the Liberals under Bonnie Crombie have promised to quadruple funding for school food programs. The Liberals would also bring back a one-year teaching degree to get new teachers into the system. The Ontario Green Party under Mike Schreiner has committed to lowering class sizes and making sure rural families can afford child care. All three parties have also pledged to clear the province's school repair backlog. That could be a tough task given the price tag of $31.4 billion over 10 years, according to the province's fiscal watchdog.
