VANCOUVER – Eric Hamber secondary school teachers used a professional-development day to play games such as ping-pong, bocce and foosball at a recent retreat in the Fraser Valley.
The agenda for the Monday retreat, obtained by The Vancouver Sun, outlined activities that resembled more a fun-filled day at camp than a serious skills-development session.
The B.C. Teachers’ Federation acknowledged the agenda did not meet its guidelines on professional development, which state that time set aside for development should help teachers grow professionally.
The principal and other administrators at Eric Hamber had also planned to attend the retreat. They did not attend only because of the teachers’ job action, which started earlier this month as part of a labour dispute.
The retreat at Timberline Ranch in Maple Ridge included some time for “cooperative teambuilding,” but the bulk of time Monday was set aside for activities that included ping-pong, air hockey, foosball, archery, bocce, shuffleboard, Frisbee golf, volleyball, basketball and the Frisbee game Ultimate.
Other suggestions included playing games like Pictionary or Scattergories, learning to play the Chinese tile game mah-jong, going for a hay ride or a trail walk, or relaxing and chatting at a campfire. “Or someone could bring a guitar,” said the professional-development day agenda, referring to the campfire activity.
In describing the opportunity to take a hay ride, the agenda said: “Pile onto the wagon and take a leisurely ride around the grounds of Timberline.”
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B.C. Teachers’ Federation president Susan Lambert said Tuesday the games were not acceptable professional-development activities.
Even though there was consideration of using the retreat to encourage the large Eric Hamber school staff to get to know each other and develop collegial relationships, she said, it didn’t justify the use of the games. “I think it was regrettable it happened,” said Lambert, who spoke to teachers at Eric Hamber after she learned about the retreat.
The BCTF was apprised of the retreat by the Vancouver Secondary Teachers’ Association after The Vancouver Sun attempted to contact teachers who taught at Eric Hamber, located near Queen Elizabeth Park in Vancouver.
Lambert said she would hold more detailed discussions with teachers at Eric Hamber about how the retreat was planned and to prevent it from happening again.
Eric Hamber principal Dianne Good sidestepped the question of whether the games were legitimate professional development.
“Hopefully there was some discussion around education and not just playing games together,” Good said Wednesday.
She said she found out about the planned games when the agenda went out so people could sign up.
Good acknowledged administration was part of the planning committee that established the idea of a team-building exercise, but said teachers planned the activities.
Nevertheless, she acknowledged the administration would have attended the retreat if not for the job action, which includes teachers refusing to meet with administration.
Vancouver school board administrators declined to comment on whether the Eric Hamber retreat was legitimate professional development.
Typically, professional-development days are planned by a committee of teachers and school administration, although the province can also be involved.
There are five days set aside a year for professional development, the cost of which is shared between teachers and school districts. Neither Good nor Lambert knew the cost of the Eric Hamber retreat.
Vancouver Secondary Teachers’ Association president Debbie Pawluk said the retreat and use of games was not a normal type of professional-development activity for Eric Hamber or other schools in the Vancouver area.
She pointed to a slate of planned professional development activities in October, which include conferences on topics such as mental health, technology, aboriginal education and dance.
The teachers’ association website has a list of 22 professional-development ideas. They include suggestions such as attending a conference, reviewing professional readings, participating in curriculum development and mentoring a beginning teacher.
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