Being an Occasional Teacher can be challenging. In this section you’ll find a variety of resources to assist you that are not specifically related to the curriculum. Here you’ll find information on everything from coping with stress to Employment Insurance.
A to Z of being an OT
Student’s violent outbursts justified teacher’s work refusal: A decision of the Ontario Labour Relations Board
This column outlines a decision made by the Ontario Labour Relations Board regarding a teacher’s work refusal in relation to a violent student, offering important context for the issue of the responsibility of administrators in responding to incidents with safety plans for educators.
**Note**
Ontario Regulation 857 that teachers “must ensure the safety of students in your care first. At no time is a teacher permitted to leave any students unsupervised or unattended when exercising a work refusal. Students must not be left unsupervised at any time” (Ministry of Labour, 2014). Guidelines for work refusal are found on the Ontario Ministry of Labour website https://www.ett.ca/work-refusal/
Teacher Well-Being
This website by OTF has various platforms including the importance of teachers’ mental health and well-being.
LGBTQ Rights in Your Workplace – Ensuring LGBTQ Member Rights in All School Workplaces
This resource outlines the need to create safe, inclusive, and respectful workplaces for LGBTQ members. It also provides information for LGBTQ members about the supports available from ETFO Professional Relations Services.
LGBTQ Rights in Your Workplace – Ensuring LGBTQ Member Rights in All School Workplaces
Workplace Violence, Workplace Harassment, and Serious Student Incidents
This must-read ETFO resource provides an overview for teachers about legal rights, responsibilities, and guidelines for educators and administrators regarding workplace violence, workplace harassment, and serious student incidents.
Workplace Violence, Workplace Harassment, and Serious Student Incidents
50 Tips, Tricks, and Ideas for Sub Plans
A virtual grab bag of ideas for career development, classroom management, and professionalism.
50 Tips, Tricks, and Ideas for Sub Plans
Cybertips for Teachers – Canadian Teachers’ Federation
This page provides recommendations for the use of social media, electronic communication, and cyberbullying in context of professional standards for educators. Resources are linked for further research.
Cybertips for Teachers – Canadian Teachers’ Federation
ETFO ID Union Number
Your ETFO ID number is listed on the front of your membership card beneath your name. If you have misplaced your membership card, contact the provincial office at 1-888-838-3836 during regular business hours (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) and ask for Member Records/Fees.
Update ETFO Member Information
Know Your Local Collective Agreement
The best thing a member can do to ensure that her or his negotiated rights are being upheld is to read, and ponder the implications of, the collective agreement. In practical terms, this is where the answers to many employment-related questions can typically be found, such as: What is the schedule for pay cheques? Do I have to do before school duty? What happens if the buses are cancelled? What is the process for requesting a leave? How much preparation time do I receive? If the grievance process is to be applied, what are time lines to observe? What should happen during my LTO list interview process?
Which local(s) are you a member of? Algoma Occasional Teacher Local, Avon Maitland Occasional Teacher Local, Bluewater Occasional Teacher Local, Durham Occasional Teacher Local, Grand Erie Occasional Teacher Local, Greater Essex County Occasional Teacher Local, Halton Occasional Teacher Local, Hamilton-Wentworth Occasional Teacher Local, Hastings & Prince Edward Occasional Teacher Local, Kawartha Pine Ridge Occasional Teacher Local, Keewatin-Patricia Occasional Teacher Local, Lakehead Occasional Teacher Local, Lambton Kent Occasional Teacher Local, Limestone Occasional Teacher Local, Near North Occasional Teacher Local, Niagara Occasional Teacher Local, Ontario North East Occasional Teacher Local, Ottawa Carleton Occasional Teacher Local, Peel Occasional Teacher Local, Rainbow Occasional Teacher Local, Rainy River District Occasional Teacher Local, Renfrew County Occasional Teacher Local, Simcoe County Occasional Teacher Local, Superior-Greenstone Occasional Teacher Local, Thames Valley Occasional Teacher Local, Toronto Occasional Teacher Local, Trillium Lakelands Occasional Teacher Local, Upper Canada Occasional Teacher Local, Upper Grand Occasional Teacher Local, Waterloo Occasional Teacher Local, York Region Occasional Teacher Local
The answers to many of your questions will depend on your local.
Know Your Local Collective Agreement
Mental Health
This article from the UK offers five simple steps to boost teachers’ mental health, recognizing the impact that workload has on teachers.
Racial Bias in Classroom
This is just a quick, informative, non-threatening article that may offers some OTs a window of perspective when teaching racialized students.