TEACHERS AND EDUCATION WORKERS CELEBRATE EDUCATION IN ONTARIO

TORONTO, Sept. 13 /CNW/ - The Ontario Teachers' Federation and its Affiliates, AEFO, ETFO, OECTA and OSSTF, are all attending the Government of Ontario's conference, Building Blocks for Education being held today and tomorrow in Toronto.

"We see this event as a great opportunity to celebrate education in Ontario and talk about all there is to be proud of in all of our schools," said OTF President, Rian McLaughlin.  "Our teachers and education workers are highly trained professionals who are supported in their work.  Our teachers are actively recruited by other jurisdictions around the world."  She continued, "Principles of equity and student inclusion mean that our classrooms reflect the diversity of our province in every sense.  It is fundamental that we provide every student with equal opportunity to succeed and provide a range of educational instruction."

"Ontario's students, including francophone students who deal with the linguistic duality of Ontario,  consistently score among the top five jurisdictions on international tests such as the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA),"  President Benoit  Mercier, AEFO added.  "Our students follow a variety of post secondary educational paths and are welcomed at universities across the country and around the world."

"Education in Ontario is based on collaboration, not competition," said President James Ryan, OECTA. "Students are taught to work together in problem solving.  Teachers model this behaviour by working together  with their colleagues in their schools and in their boards.  This collaboration includes parents, students, teachers and government."   "Teacher federations and government collaborations has contributed to positive teacher professional learning."

President Sam Hammond, ETFO pointed out, "An essential practice in education in Ontario is to support and encourage, not to punish, to blame or to shame.  This practice applies to students, teachers and to the system as a whole.  We believe we have demonstrated this is a more effective route to improvement."

"Student success can only be attained in a safe and healthy environment,"  said President Ken Coran, OSSTF. "To create and sustain this environment, schools must be staffed with a well-trained professional education team that effectively deals with individual student needs and helps them realize their future aspirations."

Ontario's Federation leaders are also pleased to be  welcoming teacher union leaders from across Canada as well as from the National Education Association (NEA) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) in the U.S.  As union leaders, we are pleased to share the good work of our members in contributing to student success.

The Ontario Teachers' Federation is the advocate for the teaching profession in Ontario and for its 160,000 teachers.  OTF members are full-time, part-time and occasional teachers in all the publicly funded schools in the province—elementary, secondary, public, Catholic and francophone.

For further information:

Rian McLaughlin
President, OTF
[phone]

Benoit Mercier
President, AEFO
[phone]

Sam Hammond
President, ETFO
[phone]

James Ryan
President, OECTA
[phone]

Ken Coran
President, OSSTF 
[phone]