Today amidst all the trials and tribulations of the COVID-19 virus, B.C.’s school boards have decided to make things worse.
All parents are struggling with finances; shopping and trying to purchase necessities for their family; those who are still working are stressed finding daycare and those who are home are stressed finding money to pay bills, rents (mortgages), grocery bills (that climb daily) and all are worrying about their and their children’s health safety. Add to all this, the stress of social distancing; waiting for the government to understand that “emergency aid” should translate to “immediate aid”; and trying to deal with all the changes the virus has imposed on our lives the Ministry of Education has decided you don’t have enough on your plate and you will, in addition, become teachers!
No you don’t receive wages you just have to fit it into your work load and stress load.
Parents of elementary school students are needed to help their children educate through this trying time. Middle school parents must not only supervise their students, helping them to get onto the programs, but to ensure they understand and produce the work. High-school parents have more independent children, however, they are more vocal with their own opinions of the teaching system. Parents not only have to guide young adults to participate, they also have to help with the understanding of lessons. That means more computer searching, emails to teachers and having the skills necessary to pass the information on to their students.
If anyone could teach, then schools should be dis-banned and save taxpayers millions of dollars. If structure of classrooms are needed to teach then leave it until a time when the students can return to that environment. Let the teachers pick up what has been missed and needed for the next grade or course. Things that aren’t needed can be left out. So much education is repeated each year that this particular worry of missing the end of a grade is not necessary.
I don’t have the perfect solution but one thing I do know is that parents do not need this added stress!
Heather Hughes
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