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Page 22, Whltby Free Press, Wednesday, November 13, 1996 Survey shows, teachers' workload, The 34,000 members of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association are workring longer hours and digging deeper into their own pockets to pay for students' expenses as education budgets tighten, according to an independent survey. The study by Enviroriies Research Group Ltd. shows many teachers start workring before the school bell rings, and then continue through lunch and long after most of the krids have gone home. A.nd the teachers aren't just generous with their timne -- more and more they are spending some of their own money on the ids they teach. Ini conducting the survey, Environics staff questioned each of 1,002 randomly chosen members of the Ontario English Catholjc Teachers Association by telephone. The survey, conducted between Sept. 26 and Oct. 7, 1996, is accurate within three percentage points 19 times out of 20. The day starts early for Most teachers. Eighty-six per oent of respondents said they spend between one and five hours a week preparing lessons bef'ore morning clasmes. As well, 62 per cent spent from one to live hours a week on class preparation work at lunch time. And after school, 96 per cent said they spend one to three hours or more on preparation. Nor do most teachers have their weekends free. Ninety per cent of respondents said they devote one to three hours or more every weekend marking, preparing lessons and doing other work-related activities. Sixty-two Per cent of respondents said they are spending more of their own money on basic classroom supplies than they did two years, ago. (The mean expenditw.e is $356,' although 22 per cent of teachers reported spending more than $500 a year of their own money. This translates into more than $10 million from QEOTA members towards the education of the students in the province.) More than haîf said they used their own funds to buy books for students. Other items paid for by teachers include food, rewards for students, art supplies, paper and pens, and materials to decorate classrooms. When teachers were asked how much time they spent on professional reading and skIlls upgrading, 62 per cent estimated the time spent at one to three hours a week. And alinost 70 per cent of the teachers surveyed have taken workshops on weekday evenings, while two per cent have taken night school courses. 'This study reaffirms what we as a profession already know," said QECTA president Marilies Rettig. "Teachers in every classrom across this province are dedicated and committed to the children under their care. 'The level of dedication demonstrated by our .......O.r.t.... teachers. in.the.face .f attacks on th, the Harris remarkable.' However, incmregy effort to mai Eighty-three respondents1 Support for te, Ontario Education wi and 81 per cei less support ministry than Seventy-si respondents believed thî goverument' confidence ir spite of this, respondents they could themselvesbi~ other than a't Father Leo J. AustinLA One would neyer know winter was fast aproaching the way our Wildcats have been heating up the sports scene lately. The junior girls' basketball teamn participated in a tournament at Paul Dwyer. Although they lost a close game to Brother Andre, 51- 50, the team- struck back with a 43-13 victory over St. Roberts which placed them in the consolation final. A well fouglit game against Midland ended in defeat, 41- 30. Gillian Guest had 44 points and was namned most valuable player of the entire tournamnent. On the senior courts, the team put in an amazing effort at a Toronto invitational tournament and proved victoriaus over Bracebridge 87-43 and Oakwood 54-48. This led them to the championship game against North Toronto where they once again conquered the court with a winning score of 87-71. Tania Chappell was named an aîl- star after scoring an astonishing 105 points over the three games. She was named CFTO-TV's high echool athiete of the week. The senior boys' hockey team lost a well played battle to Dwyer, 6-4. For Wildcats Justin Fortier had two goals and an assist, Colin Neubauer a goal and Steve Matthews a goal and an assist. Mark Hugel, Brad Harrison, Brady Blakely and Sean Crandies al contributed assists. All Wildcats are proud of our two OFSAA cross country runners, ]Ryan McHale and Matt Godfrey. McHale ran injured and placed lGth out of 230 runners, while Godfrey, in bis firat OFSAA race, placed 63rd out of 233 runners. I LOSSA action, the senior boys' soccer team lost to Courtice 2-0 in semi-final play. The team completed a great season with a record of eight wins, four losses and three draws. Hfighlights of the season included victories overLOSSA's two top ranked teams, Dunbarton and Dwyer, in league play. In late-breakting news, the junior boys' soccer team. won their second consecutive LOSSA gold on Thursday. The team, finished an undefeated season with an awesome record of 18 wins. *Look for scores and more details next week.ibokfi Austin's annual okfi will be held Nov. 18-21. Get some early Christmas shopping Out Of the way, and help Our resource centre at the same time. Austin Community Theatre is presenting our first Broadway musical, West Sie Sto#iY. TIs modernized version of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet is full of romance, suspense, comedy and tragedy. Along with great songs and lively dancing, West Sie Story also includes a talented cast inclucling Alex ]Rumnak, Erin Bird, Janelle Lalla, Pat Brown, Rosha Doiron and Audra Gray. Opening night is Nov. 27, and this not-to-be- missed show runs through to Nov. 30, with Performances added Dec. 4, 5 and 7. INckets are $7 for adults and $5 for atudents; caîl 666-2010 for more details. leir Profession by loud and clear that they fée government is abandoned by the Harris governrnent," Rettigf said. teachers feel "When the governmnent isolated in their adopte what amounts to an Mtain standards. official policy of hostility aPer cent of toward education, everyone said the level of in the province Buffers." Lachers frorn theb Rettig warned thatit will Mlnistry Of be increas'ingY difficult for ras "inadequate" teachers to continue to make nt said they get such sacrifices. Snow from the "Our schools and our a five years ago. teachers have always worked on- the aseumption that ix per cent of everyone in the education said they equation - inclucling Lat the Harris government - is acting in the "lias littie or no best interests of students. n teachers." lI'This survey proves that 73 per cent of teachers are more than declared that wiling to mnake Our schools not- imagine work. Thie bg question mark eing "anything now is whether the Harrs teacher." government is likewise erg are saying disposed."t 'k. Junior achievers ANDERSON CVI handed out awards took Grade 12 honours, Helen Lee to top junior studentS recently. From was the best in Grade 9 and Karen left, Becky Wingate was the top McKenzie in Grade 10. overal Grade il student; Crystal Au Photo by Mark Reesor4 Whltby Free Press Funding cuts brung student, teacher 'sufferinq' To the editors Open letter to Snobelen, Minister Education & Training John of We are Ontario parents, taxpayers and votera who are adamantly opposed to any further cuts in education spending in this province. You have chosen ta exercise your mandate ta eliminate, the provincial deficit and provide a tax cut by striking out at cbildren, teachers, schools, boards of education and trustees. We trust you will recal your Conservative Party's elecion promise that cuts in education would not affect the classroom - but they have. These massive cuts - coupled with those already endured for several years and your threats to reduce the boards' budgets by many more millions of dollars - mean that students are or soon will be: a using badly damaged and outdated textbooks and sharing them with others since full clasa sets are not available* *operating old computers (where they eist at all) with obsolete programis 0 worIng with antiquated science, technologicaî and family studies materials '0 playing in bands with decrepit musical equipment that cannot be fixed or replaced 0 sitting ini larger classrooms in deteriorating buildings that, cannot be repaired ,0 not participating on sports teams which have been cancelled due to lack of funds.' As well, your relentless attack' against Ontario's present education system has been instrumental in undennining the morale and good will of those educators who care about our children. In the Mlnistxy Of Education and Training's recent discussion paper, Exoeilenoe in Educatxan: Hig4h Sol Reformi, yo'ur introductory letter to parents states the following: * "Ontario's ... achools nuist change ta meet 'the present and futture needs of aur &tudet ... I am commzitted ta building a high-quality educat ionaystem ... that can adt new atSndarda around the workLu We want to believe that these words are sincere, but your actions speak louder. What you have done already to education budgets, morale and the classroom itself ina- Sad prelude to the catastrophe you are about to unleash. We find that our children and their teaciiers in Ontario's schools are suffering from your onslaught. Enougli is enougli. Perhaps we needa minister for education rather than one of ' education; obviously we need MPPs who cmr about their constituents' children.j Mfr. & Mmu W.T. WesUhed Whltby ý expens 1 eE que