Classroom continuity is key, says a therapist as BC’s teacher shortage continues

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Has your child’s education been affected? With around 300 jobs still unfilled, many students have been left to deal first-hand with the effects as BC’s teacher shortage drags on.

That revolving door at the front of the classroom can impact learning.

“It can be inordinately difficult for children, particularly young children, when there is a lot of change and disruption. And we know that for children to be feel as though they can to focus and learn and process information, they need to feel emotionally safe,” says child and family therapist Michele Kambolis.

She says continuity is key when it comes to the emotional safety.

“And when caregivers are constantly changing, it’s very difficult for children to be able to manage as well emotionally — which then has a tremendous impact on their learning,” says Kambolis, who has been practicing in Vancouver for more than 15 years.


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Almost two months into the school year, the BC Teachers’ Federation (BCTF) admits there are still big challenges when it comes to filling those vacant positions across the province.

Kambolis says if your kids have had to face that revolving door at the front of the classroom, helping them understand what’s going on is essential.

“Children are highly-resilient. So if we just keep the lines of communication open and keep them well-informed as they go through this process of discovering who their next teacher might be, then they should be able to get through just fine.”

But while that’s true for many, she admits it may not apply to every student.

“For those children that are a little bit more vulnerable, if they have learning challenges or if they’re really young, it means a whole lot more attention and tuning in to how they’re doing generally,” says Kambolis.

“If your child is having headaches or tummy aches or sleep problems, that is a pretty good sign that this is affecting them to the degree that it warrants more attention.”

The BCTF has admitted this year is unusual, with ESL and special education teachers forced to fill on-call roles.

President Glen Hansman has referred to students as “collateral damage.”

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