Teachers’ unions are refusing to give homework to students while they will be on strike next week, which does not prevent some teachers from offering their tutoring services to parents to compensate for the lack of income.
“I’ll come work for you, that sounds like more fun!” »
Co-founder of the online tutoring service La 2e Class, Christine-Amélie Roberge says that she regularly meets teachers from the public network who are “tired of the network, [qui] find it difficult.”
The shortage? His company, which employs around forty teachers including 15 full-time, is not familiar with this.
“I have no shortage of teachers, surprisingly. There are many certified teachers, who have a position at school, who decide to take a sabbatical year and who ask us to come and work,” says M.me Roberge, who observes that the prospect of seeing schools closed worries many parents.
With a strike by public sector teachers looming next week, some are thinking of offering their services to parents who fear that their children will fall behind in their learning.
“With the arrival of the first bulletin as well as the strike, I am offering my private lesson services in secondary four history (ministerial test at the end of the year). With my training in special education, I can also offer my services in other subjects,” announces a teacher from Quebec on Facebook.
Like other colleagues, remedial teacher Sarali Beauséjour also intends to offer her services to parents in her region, Outaouais. As his union does not have a strike fund, another source of income will be welcome.
Be careful, she insists: she is not going to offer tutoring to students at the school where she teaches, which for her would be equivalent to crossing the strike picket lines.
There are many parents who ask teachers to give work to their students: we refuse. On the other hand, for tutoring, many of us are asked the question.
Sarali Beauséjour, remedial teacher
The president of the Federation of Education Unions (FSE), Josée Scalabrini, says that “at all times, there have been teachers who have done recovery outside of work with their employer”. “We can’t manage this,” she adds.
No homework for students, insist the unions
On Thursday, his union rejected the Minister of Education, Bernard Drainville, who suggested that teachers give work to students in anticipation of the start of a strike in a few days.
PHOTO EDOUARD PLANTE-FRÉCHETTE, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Bernard Drainville, Minister of Education
The Inter-Union Common Front will observe three days of strike on November 21, 22 and 23, while members of the Autonomous Education Federation (FAE) will be on an indefinite general strike from November 23. Schools will therefore be closed “for an indefinite period” from November 21.
“I hope that school principals, school service centers and teachers will actually give materials to children so that they can somewhat continue their learning,” responded Minister Bernard Drainville.
PHOTO PATRICK SANFAÇON, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Josée Scalabrini, president of the Federation of Education Unions
The minister should “reread the law which concerns a legal strike”, says Josée Scalabrini.
No, teachers don’t have to do even more. It is precisely because they are doing too much that we are in negotiations.
Josée Scalabrini, president of the Federation of Education Unions
The president of the FSE believes that the minister is trying to “blame” teachers.
“Ironic” situation
The Alliance of Professors of Montreal reacted just as strongly, describing the situation as “ironic”.
PHOTO SARAH MONGEAU-BIRKETT, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Catherine Beauvais-St-Pierre, president of the Alliance of Montreal Teachers
“We are on the eve of an unlimited general strike to improve our conditions because we find our task too heavy, there is a desertion from the profession and we have a minister who comes to add another layer by asking us to last minute to redo our planning so that the strike has a less significant effect,” said its president, Catherine Beauvais-St-Pierre.
On the FAE side, we believe that if the government had put “all its efforts into resolving this, we would not be here”. The 65,000 members of this union have held an unlimited general strike mandate since September.
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Mélanie Hubert, president of the Autonomous Education Federation
“We would like the minister to take care of unblocking what is happening at the negotiating tables, to review requests which will not lead to a satisfactory agreement, because there are many things on the table which will be difficult to resolve between now and December,” says its president, Mélanie Hubert.
More clients for private tutors?
If the conflict persists, will parents turn more to private tutoring services?
President of the Succès Scolaire company, Félix Morin says that this time of year is always busy, since report cards are given to students. He doesn’t see a marked increase in new customers yet.
It was this company that created the famous YouTube channel “La Classe de Marie-Ève”, which had a certain success with parents during the pandemic, when schools were closed.
“We had considered doing group workshops, for example on YouTube, but I felt that the strike would not last long enough for us to be able to put something online quickly and have an impact for the people. young people,” says Mr. Morin.
“We feel that there is a lot of concern on the part of parents,” he nevertheless said.
With the collaboration of Hugo Pilon-Larose, The Press