Last month, I was fortunate to attend two of the recent meetings of the BC Teachers’ Council (BCTC), held at the Vancouver Campus of Simon Fraser University. While I was aware of the BCTC, I had never attended a meeting, or paid close attention to the work of the Council. Like many, I might have blurred the work of the BCTC with that of the Commissioner for Teacher Regulation (TRB).
The world of public education is rich with acronyms and agencies, and as a busy Principal or Vice-Principal it is understandable that your focus is primarily on your school and district, rather than on the provincial scene. While we don't think too actively about regulatory and statutory bodies in our day-to-day practice, these agencies do have a direct and significant impact on our work. When the opportunity arises, it is important to add your voice and participate in the democratic process.
I will describe more fully the purpose and responsibilities of the BCTC later in this column, but would first like to put the current voting opportunity on your radar. Elections for the BCTC are held every three years, and many elected members of the current Council have reached their term limit. Elections are now underway, and information about the BCTC election was recently emailed to all BC certificate holders.
To participate in the election:
- you will need your BC certificate number (which begins with either ‘L’ or ‘J’ followed by six digits)
- If you do not know your certificate number, call Service BC: Vancouver 604-660-2421 or toll-free at 1-800-663-7867
- Log in to Your Account to ensure that your contact information is current. If you need help logging in or linking your BCeID, call 604-660-2355 in Vancouver or toll-free at 1-888-356-2741
Simply Voting Inc. has sent to certificate holders instructions on voting. Voting opened on March 6 and will close on March 20 at 4:30 pm PT. If you do not receive correspondence from Simply Voting Inc., please check your email spam or junk folder.
On behalf of the BCPVPA, we encourage all our members to actively participate in the election process for your region.
The BCTC has 18 members – some elected, and some appointed by the Minister of Education and Child Care – and this includes the appointed representative from the BCPVPA.
Under the Teachers Act, the BCTC is responsible for three key elements
- Setting standards for applicants and educators in BC, including education, competence, and professional conduct requirements
- Setting standards for post-secondary teacher education programs
- Reviewing and approving post-secondary teacher education programs
As we grapple with acute teacher workforce issues across the BC education system, the BCTC is responsible for establishing the standards and pathways for certification, the requirements that must be met before a person can be certified as a teacher in BC.
The BCTC is also responsible for setting the standards for BC post-secondary teacher education programs. In essence, the BCTC has the statutory authority to review and approve post-secondary teacher education programs. While universities design and deliver teacher education programs, the BCTC is the ultimate authority. The Teacher Education Program Approval Standards are meant to ensure that the design and delivery of the programs gives graduates the training they need to meet the Professional Standards for BC Educators and the Certification Standards.
The BCTC has to approve any changes to the existing programs. Simply adding seats to existing programs, as was recently suggested by a BC political leader, can be viewed as an oversimplification of how to tackle the current teacher shortage. Ultimately, the BCTC has a significant role in shaping how we address the current need for more professionals in our system, beyond recruitment.
The BCTC administers surveys to gather information related to the ongoing approval process for BC teacher education programs, and the review of the regulatory standards for the teaching profession. In 2021, the BCTC launched a survey of newly certified educators trained in BC to find out about their experience as they transitioned from their teacher education program into the teaching profession. With the collected data, the BCTC aims to guide future changes to the regulatory standards for the teaching profession.
The BCTC also offers insightful recommendations for improvements to the education community. I encourage members to review the recommendations for education partners.
For current educators in our system, the BCTC is also responsible for the
Professional Standards for BC Educators. These Standards guide and advance the work of educators in BC, and highlight the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values that define educators’ work. They serve to communicate the responsibilities that educators have in fostering public confidence in BC’s education system, and serve both as ideals to which educators aspire and expectations that can be reasonably held.
I encourage all members of our profession to review and understand the nine Standards that guide the work of professionals in our system. Failure to uphold the Standards could result in an investigation by the TRB.
The nine Standards are:
- Educators value the success of all students. Educators care for students and act in their best interests.
- Educators act ethically and maintain the integrity, credibility, and reputation of the profession.
- Educators understand and apply knowledge of student growth and development.
- Educators value the involvement and support of parents, guardians, families and communities in schools.
- Educators implement effective planning, instruction, assessment and reporting practices to create respectful, inclusive environments for student learning and development.
- Educators demonstrate a broad knowledge base and an understanding of areas they teach.
- Educators engage in professional learning.
- Educators contribute to the profession.
- Educators respect and value the history of First Nations, Inuit and Metis in Canada and the impact of the past on the present and the future. Educators contribute towards truth, reconciliation and healing. Educators foster a deeper understanding of ways of knowing and being, histories, and cultures of First Nations, Inuit and Metis.
For some, today is the last day before spring break, and the majority have one more week to go. Whether you are counting down the hours, or counting down the days, it is my hope that you all have a restful break pursuing whatever your heart desires.
Have a great weekend,