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Column: School board thanks teachers on World Teachers’ Day

The decision to enter the teaching profession is not one that is taken lightly
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Candace Spilsbury is chair of the board of the Cowichan Valley School District. (Citizen file)

By Candace Spilsbury

On Oct. 5, communities around the world will mark World Teachers’ Day, and the board of education for the Cowichan Valley School District is adding its voice to the chorus of thanks and recognition so well-deserved by teachers across the district.

The decision to enter the teaching profession is not one that is taken lightly, and prospective teachers come to this work through an intense desire to help and nurture. The journey to the classroom for a new teacher is filled with deep learning and extraordinary training. In B.C. we are fortunate to have exceptional teachers, who are professionally trained in world-class institutions, that enter the educational system well prepared to help foster the skills and abilities students need to be prepared for a world they will create.

Teaching is more complex than ever. Our future lies in well-trained teachers who are charged with the responsibility of helping students develop the social and emotional skills that will guide them to success in their futures. So much more than passing on facts, teachers use their training and experience to help students continue to find the love in learning every day. Couple this with the co-development of shared values such as equity, inclusiveness, and relationships, students will leave the education system ready to exist in the world in ways we could never have imagined.

Families of all backgrounds and dynamics trust their children to staff throughout the district every day. From the steady help of support staff, to the consistent leadership of school administration, and into each classroom, it is heartening to see the incredible environments that students get to learn in. We see our compassionate learners coming together to contribute to their classrooms, schools, and larger community and witness the benefits this brings to everyone involved.

When we created ‘Beyond Education’, our Strategic Plan 2020 – 2024, with the community, the board asked every parent, student and staff member in the district what type of world they wanted to create. These hopes and dreams were carefully crafted into this plan, and now, that plan, and those hopes and dreams, are turned into reality in classrooms around the district by our teachers.

Please join the board of education for the Cowichan Valley School District in thanking and recognizing our professional teachers for their profound work and service to learners throughout the district. Happy World Teachers’ Day!

Candace Spilsbury is the chair of the Board of Education for the Cowichan Valley School District.