Fewer students made it to classrooms yesterday during day two of the the B.C. teachers job action this week.
Only four elementary and three middle school students showed up to schools, according to School District 43.
Spokesperson Cheryl Quinton wouldn't speculate on the reason for the sharp drop. On Monday, 56 students showed up at schools, about half of them high school students.
One of the reasons for the drop could be the district's decision Monday to allow on-site private daycares to extend their hours to include the period from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. during the job action.
Today, the third day of job action is well under way with teachers across Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody continuing to demonstrate out front of their schools or on busy roads nearby.
Some are expected to attend a rally today at 2 p.m. at the Vancouver Art Gallery.
CLASS SIZES
Meanwhile, the BC Teachers Federation is continuing its campaign to raise awareness about Bill 22 with two press releases stating that the bill being discussed in the legislature will affect drama and music classes. The bill removes class size limits for Grades 4 to 12 if a principal and superintendent considers learning conditions appropriate.
However, the bill removes the requirement of the superintendent to publicize district class averages, which has been the case up until now.
According to the press release, drama classes with more than 30 students are supposed to have more than one teacher, a provision that works well.
"It is a good way to do it," says Colin Plant, president of the Association of BC Drama Educators. "The large class allows us to mount large-scale musicals that are elaborate and spectacular."
But to try and teach a class of 55 students alone, as in his case, would be "unfathomable."
In School District 43, however, only band and choir classes are allowed to have more than 30 students. But other classes in the higher grades often reach the maximum.
At a recent board of education meeting, SD43 shop teachers complained their class sizes were too large to adequately teach their subjects. The teachers said they would like to see middle school technology classes reduced to 24 students from about 30 and high school shop classes reduced to 20 students from 24, as recommended by the BC Technology Teachers' Association Best Practices Guide.
Typically, in elementary grades where classes sizes are firm, the district creates split classes to reach the required maximum.
