Dear Editor:
I just finished reading the B.C. Education Plan the government has been advertising so vigorously recently. What is most striking is the call for "more emphasis on key competencies like self-reliance, critical thinking, inquiry, creativity, problem solving, innovation, teamwork and collaboration, cross-cultural understanding and technological literacy." If the minister and the premier took the time to do so, they would see that this is what the vast majority of teachers do (and more) every single day of the school year! Teachers continue to do this despite having more students in their classes and more students with special needs in their charge. In fact, it was this yet-to be-elected premier that imposed the illegal legislation that has led to deteriorating classroom conditions.
The government's plan purports to have five key elements: personalized learning, quality teaching and learning, flexibility and choice, high standards and learning empowered by technology. The best way to achieve personalized learning is to put limits on class sizes, so teachers have more time to get to know the needs, interests and capabilities of their students.
Quality teaching is already a hallmark of the B.C. education system. It has been achieved not only through the many professional development opportunities offered on designated Pro-D days but also through self-reflection, collaboration and mentorship within the schools. Already, if principals have concerns about the teaching practices of a staff member there are provisions in place to assess that teacher and put in place the remediation that may be required. For the majority of us, professional development happens on a daily basis.
Flexibility and choice for students are already part of the education system. Parents can choose to enroll their child in the public or private school of their choice. There are also many online and homeschooling learning opportunities for students who prefer those options.
What is worrisome to me as a teacher and a parent is the goal to provide "more flexibility to organize classes and other learning experiences." Past experience shows that this means adding additional students, including those with special needs, to classes and replacing special needs teachers with special needs teaching assistants.
The new legislation goes beyond this by ignoring seniority in the hiring of teachers. This is not about providing a higher quality learning experience for students; it is about hiring teachers with less classroom experience, placing them in classrooms with more kids, and saving a few bucks.
Meeting high standards is achieved by giving teachers the opportunity to understand their students better. Again, this is by and large a function of class size and composition and parental involvement.
Public schools can achieve the highest of standards if they get the funding they need and involve parents in a meaningful way.
All in all, the B.C. Education Plan places most of the blame on teachers for an underfunded system, seeks to save money at the expense of students' and teachers' classroom conditions, and erodes the value of public schools as a builder of community.
B.C. teachers are professionals and will continue to prepare students for the 21st century with or without the confidence of the Liberal government.
Rick McGowan, Burnaby
