Education Heroes
BC's Teachers
The BC Teachers Federation are a social justice union. BC's teachers accept and act on broad responsibility to be involved in the social development of the communities, province, and world in which they live. They are responsible for being and creating active citizens who work for the betterment of humanity. BCTF.ca
"One looks back with appreciation to the brilliant teachers, but with gratitude to those who touched our human feelings. The curriculum is so much necessary raw material, but a teacher's warmth is the vital element for the growing plant and for the soul of the child." Carl Jung
Supporting our school support workers
Daily work in BC’s public school system is supported by many people. Behind the success of every learner, is a team of support workers, the often unsung heroes of education in BC.
Who are they? Bus drivers who make sure students have safe means of travel to and from school. And the clerical workers who play a foundational role in keeping everything running smoothly. They’re the custodians and caretakers who ensure that our students have safe and clean facilities in which to learn and play. And the aboriginal support workers who ensure that every Indigenous student has the opportunity to flourish. They’re the education assistants who provide support when students need it most, and the Strong Start Early Childhood Educators who help guide our youngest students. They’re our library technicians, who ensure our students have access to the knowledge and tools they need. And the tradespeople and maintenance workers who keep our facilities operating smoothly so that everyone in BC’s school system can provide the best education possible. They are the ones who kept the system running during the immense challenges of the Covid 19 pandemic.
These people are the lifeblood of BC’s education system. They don’t just show up to work to do a job, they are dedicated to their schools and to their communities. But despite the vital role they play, they are among the most overworked, lowest paid, and under-resourced public sector workers in our province. They deserve recognition for their contributions.
A healthy public education system depends on the hard work of its people. When we support our support workers, the whole community benefits. BCschools.cupe.ca
Education Assistants (EA's)
Education Assistants are instrumental in schools and play a vital role in supporting equitable and inclusive classrooms. While our teachers teach students, education assistants support the student’s learning potential and well-being, and work alongside and under the guidance of the classroom teacher.
If EA's could work just 3 more hours each week, they would be eligible for health benefits. This would create greater job retention for existing EA's and help attract more EA's to want to work in our school district. Finding these additional hours is doable if we offered before and after school childcare in schools. Ensuring EA's feel more supported in their work is good for learners, good for teachers, good for everyone!
