Teacher Stories 3/3

Dec 15, 20232 min read

Students and staff at École Mission Central Elementary celebrate Diwali

Diwali is one of the brightest and most significant festivals for many cultures across the Indian subcontinent...

Nov 20, 20233 min read

Surrey teacher is finalist in Global Teacher Prize

For many, the prospect of winning $1-million US might be an invitation to take a break and reflect on one’s accomplishments...

Nov 7, 20238 min read

The making of Melanin Magic: A case for BIPOC groups in schools

In the fall of 2017, Carmel Bennett, youth and family counsellor at Cedar Hill Middle School in Victoria, BC, noticed that many of her...

Nov 2, 20237 min read

Gulf Islands local profile: Nature, community, and the arts

The Gulf Islands make up a small corner of British Columbia’s undeniably beautiful coastline. With approximately 175 teachers working...

Nov 2, 20234 min read

We will remember them

My brother and I got the call from Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) in August: would we be willing to join a delegation that would go to...

Nov 2, 20234 min read

Carrying our learning forward: 10 years of the Project of Heart Canoe

For the last 10 years, the Project of Heart Canoe has been travelling around the province, visiting different schools, and bringing...

Nov 2, 20234 min read

Teaching climate justice through arts-based education

Last year, when the BCTF sent out a call for classes to submit student-designed posters for a climate justice poster contest, our school...

Nov 2, 20236 min read

School psychologists seek consistent opportunities and full scope of practice

BC’s school psychologists, many of whom are BCTF members, are coping with the stressors that have become an inherent part of BC’s...

Nov 2, 20234 min read

From burnt-out to fired-up! Strategies to reignite your passion for the classroom and life

Teaching can be one of the most fulfilling and rewarding professions out there, but it can also be incredibly challenging and stress...

Nov 2, 20234 min read

Shifting speech language pathology service delivery in schools

The role of a speech language pathologist (SLP) is to support students in accessing the curriculum by supporting their development of...

Sep 25, 20237 min read

Hope, perseverance, and success: Stories of adult education

Graduating high school is something I’ve always wanted to do. It wasn’t an easy decision to leave school when I was 14 years old...

Sep 25, 20235 min read

Antarctica: Bringing the world to your classroom

I stood on the bow of a ship, sailing across the Antarctic circle with tears of happiness slipping from my eyes.

Sep 25, 20238 min read

Creating change-makers through the authentic assessment of deliberative dialogue

They have taken over my class. My unit on climate change and its effects on displaced persons has been hijacked by Political Studies 12...

Sep 25, 20235 min read

My substance use to sobriety story

If I was asked four years ago to describe someone with substance issues, I would have proceeded to describe...

Sep 22, 20232 min read

The power of connection

From Kindergarten to Grade 12 students thrive in the classroom when they feel connected to the teacher and fellow students.

Aug 17, 20235 min read

Celebrating community identity

Until recently, I didn’t quite understand why creating a class-room community centred around equity mattered to me...

Aug 17, 20235 min read

Building belonging for Indigenous students

In my first class, on my first day in the Native Indian Teacher Education Program in 1995, the professor asked me, “Why do you...

Aug 16, 20233 min read

Beyond the calendar: Teaching holidays through themes for cultural understanding and empathy

Grouping holidays by themes can be a great way to teach about different cultural traditions...