College demographics– A snapshot of our members

winter 2010
tm
THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE
OF THE BC COLLEGE OF TEACHERS
College
demographics–
A snapshot
of our members
Results of our survey on the Standards
Meet your College Council
Award-winning educator Donna Neilson
3
winter 2010
tm
contents
THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE
OF THE BC COLLEGE OF TEACHERS
features
tm
the college by the numbers
A look at the demographics of our current members
6
understanding the standards
The results of our member survey on the role of the
Standards in professional practice
11
meet your college council
Profiles of Council members
20
in focus: four decades in education
Donna Neilson reflects on the noblest of professions
in every issue
Letter from the Chair
3
Letter from the Registrar
4
Ask the College
16
Discipline case summaries
17
In brief
27
28
tm
The object of the College
It is the object of the College to establish, having regard
to the public interest, standards for the education, professional responsibility and competence of certificate holders
and applicants for certificates of qualification and, consistent
with that object, to encourage the professional interest of
certificate holders in those matters.
THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE
OF THE BC COLLEGE OF TEACHERS
Keep in touch
TC and other communications of the College are the means by
which the College informs its certificate holders about professional
regulation in BC. Certificate holders are responsible for reading
these communications to ensure they are aware of current standards
and other professional matters.
You may wish to receive TC by email. To subscribe, simply edit
your profile in the Certificate Holders Area at www.bcct.ca.
Readers’ questions and comments about TC are welcome and may
be submitted to [email protected].
tm
TC’s editorial policy
The College welcomes article submissions from members. Please
send a summary of your proposed article by email to: [email protected].
The editorial board will evaluate it for the best fit with TC’s editorial
lineup. We will advise you if there is space available in an upcoming
issue and suggest a word count for your article. We reserve the
right to edit your submission.
The British Columbia College of Teachers does not necessarily endorse
any product advertised in TC. The College takes no responsibility for
the content of ads, promises made or the quality/reliability of the
products or services offered in the advertising.
Please direct all advertising enquiries to:
Ronda Barzilay – t 250.707.0720
f 250.707.0716
toll-free 1.888.847.6632
[email protected]
www.rondabarzilay.com
Return undeliverable Canadian mail to:
BC College of Teachers
400 - 2025 West Broadway
Vancouver BC V6J 1Z6
t 604.731.8170
toll-free 1.800.555.3684
produced by Ronda Barzilay & Associates under the direction of the BC College of Teachers
editors Lynn Sully • Ward Stendahl – Inscript Inc.
Requests for permission to reprint an article may be
directed to: [email protected].
creative director Valery Mercer – Mind’s Eye Studio
photography Hamid Attie
printer Teldon Print Media
as per agreement Publication No. 40050835
ISSN 1915-5182
Copyright ©2010
BC College of Teachers
All rights reserved
www.bcct.ca
SW-COC-001681
Letter from the Chair
A letter from the Chair
I would like to thank my colleagues on the College Council for the confidence they have
expressed in me by electing me as Chair of the College for 2010-2011. I will do my best to
expedite the business of the College in an efficient and effective manner.
First, let me introduce myself. I was born and raised in Newfoundland, where I began my
teaching career. Then I moved to BC, where I have been a teacher for approximately 30 years.
A focus for the College this year will likely be the Agreement on Internal Trade and the
effect it has in its first full year of implementation as the standards for issuing teaching
certificates are aligned throughout the country. We appreciate the support provided by our
staff as we maintain the high standards required to receive a BC teaching certificate.
Finally, I expect another focus for this year will be the report of the fact-finder, who was
looking into the College’s operations with respect to its mandate. At the time of this writing,
we have not had an opportunity to study the report, so I may have to address this matter in
the next issue of TC.
mike trask
– chair
Enjoy Your Holidays
3
tc magazine
— winter 2010
The BC College of Teachers will be closed from Monday,
December 27, 2010 through Monday, January 3, 2011.
We will reopen on Tuesday, January 4, 2011. We wish
you a happy holiday season.
Letter from the Registrar
A letter from the Registrar
I recently visited my doctor for the annual checkup that I undergo every few years. On the waiting
room wall I noticed my doctor’s medical degree and his certificate attesting to his admission to and
membership in the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC, the medical profession’s counterpart to
the BC College of Teachers.
My Latin education started and ended in grade 8, so I was stymied in my attempt to translate the
wording. Nevertheless, much was conveyed to me, and any other patient who awaited an interaction
with the doctor, by the two framed documents.
Much can be conveyed by a professional certificate to a person seeking service from a member of a
self-regulating profession. There is assurance that the certificate holder has graduated from a sanctioned professional school, meets the standards of practice established by the profession and adheres
to standards of ethical conduct. There is a further assurance that the members of the profession police
themselves in the public interest and remediate or expel those who fail to meet both standards of
competence and conduct. In most professions, the certificate also communicates that the professional
maintains currency and is exercising professional judgment within the parameters of best practice.
Membership in a professional regulatory body, among other things, is designed to instill public confidence in the profession. A person can walk into the office or workplace of any licensed doctor, lawyer
or engineer, for example, and have confidence in that professional, an individual that he or she has never
met, based on the framed documents hanging on the wall.
Until recently, the only items hanging on my office walls were framed prints and paintings and a bulletin board. My teaching certificate resided in a filing cabinet along with my birth certificate, an expired
international driver’s licence, various transcripts and diplomas, and some old tax returns. I don’t recall
ever seeing teaching certificates on the walls of colleagues’ classrooms in the many schools where I have
worked and visited over the decades. Thinking about all that is conveyed by membership in a professional regulatory body, I extracted my teaching certificate from the filing cabinet and had it framed. It
will soon be hanging on the wall in my office.
tc magazine
— winter 2010
kit krieger
4
– registrar
Great News for BC
Kindergarten Teachers!
Announcing New Literacy Place for the Early Years
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Oral Language Kit
4 Inquiry Units
Develop a classroom rich with oral language
Each Unit features an Inquiry Question and a Text-Type
opportunities and development
Writing Study
• 2 Wordless Books
• 1 Read Aloud; 2 large-format Shared Reading texts
(big book or poster) in print and digital, 6 small versions,
• 1 Shared Reading Big Book with rhymes, songs,
Audio CD; and Teaching Support
and chants (print and digital), 6 small versions, and
an Audio CD with music and fluent readings
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• Felt Puppets for dramatic story play
Solving Problems
• Large-format conversation cards
Let’s Be Friends
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(print and digital)
Caring for the World
• Detailed Teaching Support
Next year your students’ art could be flying
high in Canada’s capital at Major’s Hill Park.
Congratulations to the winners of the 2010 “Raise Your Voices”
Banner Contest and the hundreds of students who participated!
The National Capital Commission (NCC), in partnership with
Classroom Connections, is kicking off Year 2 of this exciting
cross-Canada contest and public art project .
Help your students have their voices heard by
creating an original banner design that brings
youth issues to the capital.
Go to www.canadascapital.gc.ca/bannercontest to get full details,
view last year's winners and download an easy-to-use lesson plan
for introducing the contest in your class.
5
tc magazine
— winter 2010
The contest is open to Grades 5–8 classes in
schools across Canada. The deadline for
entries is February 18, 2011.
The College by the numbers
Data collected by the College about its members can give us insight into the teaching
profession in BC. Given certain demographic trends – such as an aging workforce and
projected declining student enrolment until 2017 – College data can help education
partners in their efforts to predict our province’s current and future requirements for
teachers, principals, specialists and more.
feature: The College by the numbers
Current certificate holders
As of October 27, 2010, there were 75,374 valid BC College of Teachers certificate
holders. Just over 58,000 of these current certificate holders are practising educators, with the remainder comprised of non-practising educators and retirees.
In addition to the professional certificate, the College issues other certificates that
enable educators to teach in our schools. These include First Nations Language
Teacher’s Certificates (which are issued to individuals who do not have an education degree but who are qualified to teach First Nations languages) and Letters of
Permission (special permits that enable a district to hire [for one year only] those
who do not have a teaching certificate).
Few First Nations Language Teacher’s Certificates are issued: in 2009, 12 certificates were issued, compared to 62 in 2008, 7 in 2007, and 9 in 2005. The number
of Letters of Permission issued, however, is larger – 88 in 2006, 123 in 2007, 171 in
2008, and 111 in 2009.
New certificate holders
Where do members come from? Most new members are educated in our province’s
teacher education programs. As the graph below shows, the number of professional certificates issued to in-province applicants has hovered around 2,000
annually for the past five years, although there was a significant increase in 2007
with 2,204 professional certificates issued.
In addition, many educators move to British Columbia from other provinces and
other countries to teach in our schools. The number of professional certificates
issued to out-of-province educators peaked in 2007 with 886; in 2008 and 2009,
665 and 552 professional certificates were issued to out-of-province educators.
2500
2000
1500
1777
1827
2204
1971
1988
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
1000
500
— winter 2010
0
7
tc magazine
Number of professional certificates
issued to in-province applicants 
Certificate holders leaving BC
BC educators who wish to work in another province or country must apply for a teaching certificate in the new
jurisdiction. Part of that application process requires that the BC College of Teachers send a Statement of Professional Standing to the new jurisdiction to confirm the person’s status as a teacher in BC. When compared
with the number of professional certificates we issue to out-of-province applicants, data from the last five years
shows that more educators are moving to BC to teach than leaving the province to teach elsewhere.
Professional certificates issued to
out-of-province applicants vs Statements
of Professional Standing issued to
members leaving BC 
incoming educators
outgoing educators
1000
800
600
400
200
583 496
673 518
886 783
665 347
552 431
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
0
The gender balance
Much has been written about the gender imbalance in the education sector. College data certainly supports the
observation that female educators far outnumber males in our schools, and the ratio of male to female certificate
holders in BC has basically remained unchanged for the past five years. In 2009, women made up 71 percent of
all certificate holders.
As College members are not required to report where they are currently working, we don’t have data on the
gender balance in elementary, middle or secondary schools. A report by BC Work Futures based on census data
from 2006 confirms that women dominate as teachers of the younger grades, accounting for 83 percent of
kindergarten and elementary teachers. Women represent 52 percent of all secondary teachers and 48 percent
of school administrators.
Percentage of female and
male members of the College 
29%
tc magazine
— winter 2010
71%
8
Average age of College members
The average age of current College
members is 47. Although our data does
not enable us to ascertain demographics for specific positions, the most recent
statistics published by the BC Ministry of
Education show that baby boomers (those
between the ages of 45 and 60) account
for 46 percent of all public school teachers and 62 percent of administrators. For
comparison, baby boomers make up only
23 percent of BC’s population as a whole.
Looking ahead, there will be a wave of
retirements as the baby boomers leave the
profession. This may not lead to an increase
in hiring new teachers, however, given
that most school districts in the province
are experiencing declining enrolments.
A province-wide data collection project
Data collected by the College and other
tion sector. By exploring the demographic
profile of those working within education,
we can better understand the operational
consequences of declining or increasing
student enrolment, educational policies and
other variables.
Amgen Award for
Science Teaching
Excellence
(AASTE)
Applications for 2011 Awards
The Amgen Award for Science Teaching
Excellence (AASTE) recognizes and honours
extraordinary science teachers at the K-12 level in
British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec
who have demonstrated an outstanding ability to
inspire their students and who produce results in
science learning. A biotechnology pioneer since
1980, Amgen has a longstanding commitment to
science education and established the teacher
awards program to promote and encourage
science excellence in public and private schools
across the country.
Recipients of the Amgen Award for Science Teaching Excellence
each receive:
• An unrestricted cash award of $5,000CAD
• A restricted $5,000CAD cash grant to the recipient’s school for
science education purposes
Application forms will be available following November 1, 2010.
To learn more about Amgen and the award, visit
http://www.amgen.com/citizenship/aaste.html
— winter 2010
important information about the educa-
9
tc magazine
educational partners can provide us with
Education has changed.
Have you?
A new generation of learners needs
educators who are ready to respond
to the needs of the future, today.
In the Faculty of Education at the
University of Victoria our programs
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your goals.
An ongoing data collection project spearheaded by the BCPSEA (with support from
the Ministry of Education and school districts)
is giving educational partners a valuable
window into the sector as a whole. “In the
past, it was difficult to get a clear picture of
employment data from across the province,”
says Hilary Brown, Director of Data Analysis
& Planning at BCPSEA. “Each district collected its own data in its own way, making
it difficult to compare data on a district-
To learn about opportunities
for your future visit:
www.educ.uvic.ca/prospective
by-district basis. With this project, we are
collecting a standardized set of data from
each of the districts, anonymizing it and
storing it in one central location.”
In 2009, the Employment Data and Analysis
System (EDAS) started to collect quarterly
anonymized data about all employees in the
public education sector – from custodians
to teachers to superintendents. As Brown
points out, “EDAS is giving everyone involved in education a much more valid
and accurate resource to help us understand the implications of policy changes,
demographic shifts and financial issues.
Further, the EDAS data are giving school
districts and the province a much better
ability to engage in data-driven workforce
tc magazine
— winter 2010
planning and decision making.”
10
feature: Understanding the Standards: Our members respond
Understanding the Standards:
Our members respond
11
tc magazine
— winter 2010
Are educators aware of the
Standards? Do they feel confident
in their ability to meet them?
When do they refer to them in
their professional practice? Last
winter, we asked our members to
participate in a survey so that we
could gain a better understanding of the role Standards play in
helping educators do their jobs.
SAVE u
p to
%
50
Great Gifts for
Clever Kids
We received 1,350 responses to the survey,
representing a cross-section of teachers,
administrators and unemployed members
from across the province. A few highlights
of the survey are that:
In-class or at home, Chirp, chickaDEE and
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Each magazine is loaded with hands-on
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• While awareness of the Standards is
high, knowledge of them is not –
28 percent of respondents reported
being “not at all” or “not very”
knowledgeable about the Standards
• 25 percent of respondents do not feel
prepared to meet the Standards
• Just over half of respondents feel there
would be “some” or “a lot” of benefit
from learning more about the Standards
• 27 percent of respondents believe the
public should have a role in helping
Subscribe today at
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create and uphold the Standards, while
73 percent state that only members
of the profession should create and
uphold the Standards.
AGES 3 TO 6
AGES 6 TO 9
AGES 9 TO 13
The synopsis below provides additional detail
about these and other results of the survey.
2010_TC_Magazine_Ad_final.indd 1
10-11-30 4:36 PM
Awareness and knowledge of
the Standards
We wanted to assess members’ awareness
and knowledge of the Standards. While 94
percent of survey respondents indicated
that they are aware of the Standards, just
66 percent said they are knowledgeable about
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them. In all, some 28 percent of respondents
admitted to being aware but not knowledgeable about the Standards.
Within the sub-groups of teachers, administrative staff and unemployed members,
administrative staff were much more likely
to be both aware and knowledgeable about
the Standards, at 85 percent compared to 63
percent for teachers and 74 percent for unemployed members.
Interestingly, recently certified members
were no more likely to be aware of the Standards
tc magazine
— winter 2010
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than those certified before 2003.
feature: Understanding the Standards: Our members respond
Learning about the Standards
Where do educators learn about the Standards? Teacher education programs and TC magazine
were cited most often as the places where members encounter discussions about the
Standards, cited by 50 percent and 43 percent of survey respondents respectively. Other
sources included professional development activities and the College website.
Referring to and using the Standards
We asked survey respondents if they had ever:
• referred to the Standards in a professional development activity,
• made reference to the Standards,
• engaged in a discussion about the Standards,
• read about the Standards or
• used the Standards in their practice.
The numbers were evenly split between those who said they had and those who said
they hadn’t referred to the Standards in a professional development activity (47 percent
versus 46 percent). For the other scenarios presented, however, respondents were more
likely to say that they didn’t refer to or use the Standards. For example, when asked if
they had ever referred to or used the Standards in their practice, 51 percent of respondents somewhat or strongly disagreed, compared to only 27 percent who somewhat or
strongly agreed.
Impression of the Standards
Even though educators state that they don’t use or refer to the Standards on a regular
basis, responses showed that educators on the whole have a positive impression of them.
Survey participants were asked to state their agreement with the following statements
about the Standards (the numbers show the percentage of respondents who somewhat
or strongly agreed with each statement):
• They articulate professional responsibilities (86%)
• Teachers should be subject to discipline for serious breaches (86%)
• They reflect my values as a teacher (84%)
• They articulate professional knowledge (83%)
• They articulate the professional skills teachers should possess (81%)
• They should be used to set requirements to qualify for a teaching certificate
in BC (80%)
• They enhance the teaching profession (79%)
• They should be used by teachers in planning their professional growth (78%).
Prepared to meet the Standards
Survey respondents were asked how well their teacher education program prepared
them to meet the Standards. Over one-quarter (26%) said that the programs did not
prepare them.
Nevertheless, survey respondents feel confident in their ability to meet the Standards, with
13
tc magazine
— winter 2010
94 percent stating that they were somewhat or very confident in their ability to meet them.
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Standards and public confidence
Survey respondents were asked if they agreed or disagreed with a series of
statements; their answers are shown below (the numbers show the percentage
of respondents who somewhat or strongly agreed with each statement):
public (79%)
Learn about our programs
today …
• Teachers are held to a higher standard of conduct than the general
• Teachers should be held to a higher standard of conduct than the
general public (67%)
• The existence of Standards bolsters public confidence in the
teaching profession (57%)
• The current Standards are suitable for bolstering confidence in
the teaching profession among members of the public (55%).
Visit
eplt.educ.ubc.ca/tc
Benefit from learning more about the Standards
The majority of respondents said that they might benefit from learning more
about the Standards, with 77 percent of administrative staff and 60 percent of
teachers reporting that they would benefit from additional learning opportunities. Only 15 percent of survey respondents felt that there would be no benefit
to learning more about the Standards.
Likelihood of participating in further learning about the Standards
Where are members most likely to learn more about the Standards? Articles
in TC magazine were the first choice, with 63 percent of respondents very or
somewhat likely to read the magazine to learn more. Staff development and
individual professional development activities were cited by 58 percent and 57
percent of respondents, and online learning activities and coursework were
other avenues for learning.
Responsibility for establishing and upholding the Standards
We asked respondents to identify who is responsible for establishing Standards
for the teaching profession in BC. Just over 80 percent identified the BC College
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tc magazine
— winter 2010
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14
of Teachers as holding this responsibility. The next most cited were the Ministry
of Education (64%), the BC Teachers’ Federation (59%), the employer (50%) and
colleagues (48%).
feature: Understanding the Standards: Our members respond
We then asked members to identify who is responsible for assigning consequences for educators who fail to adhere to the Standards.
Eighty-two percent of survey respondents identified the BC College of Teachers as the organization responsible. This was followed
by the employer (a school board or authority) (59%), the school administrator (38%), the BC Teachers’ Federation (35%) and the
Ministry of Education (30%).
Role of the public and the profession in creating and upholding the Standards
The final question presented survey respondents with two statements and asked them which statement they agreed with most. Only
27 percent agreed with the statement “The public should have a role in helping to create and uphold the Standards of the profession,” compared to 73 percent who agreed with the statement “Only members of the profession should have a role in creating and
upholding the Standards of the profession.”
What’s next?
The College Council will be reviewing the results of the survey, which was prepared in consultation with Ipsos Reid. Council may
then decide to conduct further research into the findings or take steps to address specific issues. We’ll keep you updated in
future articles.
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tc magazine
— winter 2010
OngOing infOrmatiOn sessiOns available.
See douglascollege.ca/info for dates and times.
Ask the College
Ask
the College
We’ve recently received inquiries from members about our new membership cards and the new Basic Certificate for teachers who hold
teaching certificates from other Canadian provinces or territories. We have also been asked how members can change their names in our
records because their marital status has changed. Read on for answers!
I’ve received my new plastic MemberCard. Why is the format different
and what services can I access with the card?
teaching certificate, teachers from other Canadian
These new cards are considerably more secure than the old cards and they
jurisdictions still need to apply to the BC College of
are completely recyclable. When yours expires, just cut it into pieces with
Teachers for certification if they want to practice in the
scissors and recycle it with the rest of your plastics. The College did in-
BC public school system. Many independent schools
vestigate eliminating the cards altogether due to increased use of online
also request their teachers to have our certificate.
services available on the College website to members and employers, but
Before we issue a certificate, we still require that all
there was a strong desire by both groups to maintain a card that would
teachers meet our standards for a fit and proper per-
serve to prove a member’s current status. You can, therefore, use the card
son, have teaching experience in the last 10 years and
to show proof of your membership in the College. You can also use it to
have language proficiency.
obtain any price reductions given to teachers, such as those at some book-
Upon implementation of the AIT in January 2010,
stores. Watch for more information on discounts from retailers available
the College began issuing a new certificate called the
with the card next year.
Basic Certificate. This certificate is issued to teachers
I have recently changed my name. How do I update my record in the
College database?
cation but who hold a certificate from another Canadian
You will need to send us a completed “Statement of Name Change” form. To
valid for teaching in public schools. We will not issue
access the form, click on “Forms & Publications” at the top of the screen.
The “Statement of Name Change” form is included with other forms in the
“Member Services” section.
If you are reverting to your birth name, please send us a completed
“Statement of Name Change” form.
If your name has changed because of marriage, please send us a completed “Statement of Name Change” form along with a copy of your marriage
certificate.
If your name has changed for other reasons, or if you would like to combine or hyphenate surnames, send us a completed “Statement of Name
Change” form as well as a legal name change document. Inquiries regarding
tc magazine
— winter 2010
legal name changes can be directed through the BC government’s Vital
16
As all teachers practising in BC must have a BC
who do not meet BC’s academic standards for certifiprovince or territory that is current, unrestricted and
a Basic Certificate to someone who holds a certificate
that is suspended, has been cancelled, has expired, is
restricted or is invalid for any reason.
A Basic Certificate does not have an expiry date
and does not require the recipient to complete any
coursework, and it remains valid as long as the holder
maintains good professional standing as an educator
and keeps the certificate valid by paying the annual
membership fee. It is valid for teacher-on-call (substitute, supply, etc.), part-time and full-time teaching in
the BC kindergarten to grade 12 public school system.
Teachers who receive the College’s Basic Certificate
Statistics Agency.
have the option of upgrading to a Professional Certifi-
I have heard that because of the national Agreement on Internal Trade
the College is issuing a new category of certificate. Who does this new
certificate apply to?
fulfills BC’s academic standards for certification.
cate. To do so, they need to complete coursework that
On June 30, 2010, the College withdrew from the
Trade, Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement for
On October 29, 2009, the BC government passed Bill 11 requiring full labour
the Teaching Profession between Alberta and British
mobility between provinces and territories for all trades and professions,
Columbia (TILMA-ABC) in response to the national
including teaching. This legislation supports the national Agreement on
AIT. For more information about the AIT and the Basic
Internal Trade (AIT), which was approved in December 2008. The intent
Certificate, please see the “Becoming a Teacher” and
of the AIT is to enable people to practise their professions across Canada
the “Frequently Asked Questions” sections of our
without having to complete additional studies or exams.
website at www.bcct.ca.
professional conduct
Discipline case summaries
discipline hearing sub-committee

Samuel James Van Ieperen was found guilty of conduct unbecoming a member of the BC College of Teachers. Mr. Van Ieperen
was employed as a secondary school teacher in September 2005 when the incidents took place. On September 27, 2005, he was
arrested and charged with one count of possession of child pornography, contrary to section 163.1(4) of the Criminal Code of
Canada. On March 13, 2009, the Supreme Court of British Columbia found that there was a Charter violation of Mr. Van Ieperen’s
rights under sections 8 and 10 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. As a result, the evidence discovered by police
on Mr. Van Ieperen’s computer was excluded as inadmissible and Mr. Van Ieperen was consequently acquitted of the criminal
charge against him. In December 2009, he entered into a Statement of Agreed Facts and Disposition (the “Agreement”) with the
College. In the Agreement, Mr. Van Ieperen did not expressly admit to having possessed child pornography or to conduct unbecoming a member of the College. However, he did not contest the facts as outlined in the Agreement and was not opposed
to a finding of conduct unbecoming a member for the purpose of the College proceedings. On March 31, 2010, the Hearing
Sub-Committee accepted the Agreement and further determined that Mr. Van Ieperen was guilty of possession of child pornography. On June 4, 2010, in accordance with section 22 of the Teaching Profession Act, the College Council adopted the Hearing
Sub-Committee’s recommendation and determined that Mr. Van Ieperen not be issued a certificate of qualification for an
indeterminate period and for a minimum of 10 years. Mr. Van Ieperen’s College certificate of qualification was cancelled in
November 2009 for non-payment of fees.
conduct review sub-committee

Grant Bruce Nyeste admitted to professional misconduct. In the 2005-2006 school year, he became involved in a personal and
sexual relationship with a female student. In March 2007, Mr. Nyeste was charged with three counts contrary to sections 153(1)
(a), 153(1)(b) and 271 of the Criminal Code of Canada. In January 2010, he pleaded guilty to the charges of sexual exploitation pursuant to section 153(1)(a) and (b) of the Criminal Code. The third count was stayed by Crown counsel. As a result of his criminal
conviction, Mr. Nyeste was sentenced to imprisonment in a provincial correctional centre for a term of six months on each count,
to be served concurrently, and he must comply thereafter with a probation order for two years upon his release. Additionally, the court
ordered that Mr. Nyeste provide a DNA sample and that there be a publication ban on the identity of the victim. On July 12, 2010,
the Conduct Review Sub-Committee accepted the Statement of Agreed Facts and Disposition and agreed that Mr. Nyeste not be
issued a College certificate of qualification for an indefinite period of time.
consent resolution agreements

Kenton Russell Green admitted to conduct unbecoming a member of the College. On December 31, 2008, Mr. Green attended
a New Year’s Eve social function at a friend’s home. During the course of the evening, Mr. Green consumed large quantities of
alcohol, much of which he brought himself, and became intoxicated. At approximately 3:00 a.m. on January 1, 2009, Mr. Green,
without invitation, entered the bedroom of his friend’s 15-year-old daughter. The two conversed for a while. When the girl indicated that she was tired and wanted to go to sleep, Mr. Green kissed her on the neck in a sexual manner. The girl pulled away.
As Mr. Green left the room, he blew a kiss towards her. Once he had gone, the girl closed and locked the door. Subsequently, Mr.
Green spent 40 minutes trying to re-enter the room before passing out from his intoxication in the hallway outside the girl’s
bedroom. On July 15, 2010, the Preliminary Investigation Sub-Committee (PISC) approved the Consent Resolution Agreement in
College Boundary Violations workshop and other conditions.
17
tc magazine
— winter 2010
which Mr. Green accepted a two-month suspension of his College certificate of qualification and an undertaking to complete the
2011 SPRING INSTITUTE
April

The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
offers B.C. teachers an exciting professional
development program at the Parliament
Buildings in our provincial capital.
consent resolution agreements
Learn about parliamentary democracy and
become champions of citizenship education.
You will return to your school with an
enhanced understanding of our political
system in B.C.
Sumner’s employment as the principal of an elementary school was
You will meet with the Speaker of the House,
MLAs, senior public officials, and have a
behind-the-scenes tour of your Parliament
Buildings. You will have plenty of
opportunities to collaborate and develop
new classroom activities!
vehicle that Mr. Sumner was driving was involved in an accident and
For further information and to apply on-line:
www.leg.bc.ca/bcti
Travel subsidies may be available for those
travelling great distances.
Christopher Keith Sumner admitted to professional misconduct and
conduct unbecoming a member of the College. In January 2009, Mr.
terminated for his receiving expense reimbursements without proper
documentary support and for his involvement in a motor vehicle accident while under the influence of alcohol. On October 9, 2008, the
overturned. Mr. Sumner and the three passengers left the scene. The
police had to track down all the occupants, including Mr. Sumner.
Mr. Sumner’s licence was suspended for 90 days, owing to his breathalyzer reading of 0.14. In November 2008, following an investigation
into the school’s accounting and financial practices, the school authority advised Mr. Sumner that a number of his expense reimbursement
payments were unsupported by documentation or proper explanation.
Mr. Sumner admitted that he had received funds from the school to
which he was not entitled and failed to take appropriate steps in a
timely way to ensure all payments to him were properly justified. On
June 2, 2010, PISC approved the Consent Resolution Agreement in
which Mr. Sumner accepted a one-month suspension of his College
certificate of qualification.
Wayne Raymond Yaskow admitted to professional misconduct. At
the conclusion of the 1982-1983 school year, Mr. Yaskow signed the
yearbook of a female student in his grade nine social studies class,
and gave her a note that said “for your eyes only.” In the note, he expressed his fondness for her. During the summer of 1983, the student
worked for Mr. Yaskow by preparing transparencies for the upcoming
school year and a relationship developed between them. The relationship progressed from holding hands and hugging to kissing and,
eventually, sexual intercourse. The student did not return to the same
school the next year, which had been decided before the two became
involved. The relationship between Mr. Yaskow and the student was
that of a boyfriend and girlfriend in love, and it continued for over
one year. On July 15, 2010, PISC approved the Consent Resolution
Agreement in which Mr. Yaskow agreed to relinquish his College certificate of qualification.
Member CR-A06-10 admitted to professional misconduct. While on
tc magazine
— winter 2010
a temporary assignment in a grade two class, the Member verbally
18
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Sorry, you can
et
milk on CARESn
instructed two students to take their seats
for the beginning of the next class. When
they did not comply, and without further

warning, the Member approached the students from behind, placed a hand on the
back of each student’s neck, and using suf-
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ficient force to physically move the students, directed them to their seats. The
incident caused lasting emotional distress
to both students. The Member apologized
to the students and the class for the incident. On June 25, 2010, PISC approved
the Consent Resolution Agreement in
today!
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which the Member agreed to relinquish her
College certificate of qualification.
Member CR-A03-10. In April 2009, a school
district reported that Member CR-A03-10,
a secondary school social studies teach-
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19
tc magazine
which the Member agreed to relinquish
Meet your College Council
Mike Trask
Val Windsor
Dede DeRose
Carol Gibson
John Grain
Laurence Greeff
Charley King
Rod McDonald
Lynda Nicholson
Linda Reimer
Richard Walker
tc magazine
— winter 2010
Additional Council members include: Rebecca Blair, Patricia Dooley, Jim Gill,
Patricia Haslop, Michelle Marrelli, Rob Millard and Jack Miller.
20
Louise Burgart
Sandra Davie
As with other professional bodies,
the College is governed by a Council
of elected and appointed members.
Of the 20 Council members, 12 are
elected from the profession and 8
are appointed by government. The
Teaching Profession Act requires that
the Minister of Education appoint
three of the eight from among the
members of the College. The Council
undertakes its work in the public
interest and not in the interest of
individual members or groups within
the profession. Before taking office,
Council members must take and
sign a prescribed Oath of Office to
abide by the Teaching Profession Act
and act honestly and without bias
in the interests of the College. They
must be guided by the public interest
and not allow themselves to be put
in a position of conflict of interest.
Meet your College Council
The following individuals were either elected or appointed to sit on the current Council.
Mike Trask, Chair
Councillor Trask holds a BA, B.Ed. and a diploma in special education. An elementary and secondary school teacher
in School District 75, he has also taught in Newfoundland. He served on the local executive of the Mission Teachers’
Union and he is experienced in bargaining, professional development, personnel matters, grievances and arbitrations.
[Member/Elected Zone 6] Term start date: August 1, 2010. Term end date: July 31, 2013.
Val Windsor, Vice Chair
Councillor Windsor recently retired after a 40-year career in education, teaching grades three to seven at the
elementary level in both Vancouver and Delta. She holds a BA with a teaching certificate and a Post-Baccalaureate
Diploma in education. Active in the union, Ms. Windsor served Delta teachers as president for eight years, and she also
served on the BCTF Executive Committee for four years as a member at large. Ms. Windsor was appointed to the BCTF
Internal Mediation Service and will facilitate workshops as a BCTF Staff Rep trainer. She is currently a teacher-on-call
in Delta. [Member/Elected Zone 9] Term start date: August 1, 2009. Term end date: July 31, 2012.
Rebecca Blair
Councillor Blair has over 35 years of teaching experience in Williams Lake, Quesnel, Burns Lake and Creston at both
the elementary and secondary levels. She has also worked in adult and Aboriginal education and is currently president
of the Creston Valley Teachers’ Association. Ms. Blair completed an MA in Leadership from Gonzaga University in 2005.
[Member/Elected Zone 4] Term start date: August 1, 2010. Term end date: July 31, 2013.
Louise Burgart
Councillor Burgart is a former superintendent of schools for School District 91 (Nechako Lakes) and past president
of the BC School Superintendents Association. She has been a member of the College since 1988 and has 35 years of
experience as an educator in BC. [Member/Appointed] Term start date: August 1, 2008. Term end date: July 31, 2011.
Sandra Davie
Councillor Davie was active in the teaching profession for over 30 years, teaching in Prince George, serving on a
number of Ministry of Education committees as a teacher representative and chairing the Prince George English
Local Specialist Association for ten years. She is now retired from teaching. [Member/Elected Zone 2] Term start date:
August 1, 2009. Term end date: July 31, 2012.
Dede DeRose
Councillor DeRose, a principal and former teacher, is co-chair of the UBC First Nations Education Council, an advisor
to Thompson Rivers University and a member of the College. [Member/Appointed] Term start date: August 1, 2010.
21
tc magazine
— winter 2010
Term end date: July 31, 2012.
Patricia Dooley
Councillor Dooley retired in July 2010 as Superintendent of Schools in School District 8 (Kootenay Lake) after 35 years in
public education. During that time, she served as a teacher, vice-principal, acting principal, curriculum coordinator,
Director of Instruction, Regional Coordinator and Superintendent of Schools (in three districts). She has also done a
great deal of leadership consulting for numerous districts and has enjoyed time serving as Education Advisor to the Northern
Opportunities initiative targeted at secondary and college students. Ms. Dooley is a passionate advocate for quality public
education and the role of professional development to enhance both adult and student learning. [Member/Appointed]
Term start date: August 1, 2010. Term end date: July 31, 2013.
Carol Gibson
Councillor Gibson is a graduate of UBC who has worked for 30 years as an educator and administrator. She began her
career in elementary education with specializations in physical education and early childhood development. Following
graduate school, Ms. Gibson focused her career in post-secondary administration. She also worked as a policy and
budget analyst in the university sector and she continues to work on contracts and as a volunteer. Ms. Gibson is a trustee
on the Vancouver School Board. [Member/Appointed] Term start date: August 1, 2008. Term end date: July 31, 2011.
Jim Gill
Councillor Gill holds a BA and is a teacher-on-call for the Vancouver School Board. Semi-retired, he has 35 years’
experience teaching secondary social studies and English. He has served as president of the Vancouver Secondary
Teachers’ Association and was a teacher representative on various Vancouver School Board committees. [Member/
Elected Zone 10] Term start date: August 1, 2008. Term end date: July 31, 2011.
John Grain
Councillor Grain holds a BA with a major in English from UBC. He retired from teaching in 2008 after serving in the BC
public education system for 33 years. He was the president of the Central Okanagan Teachers’ Association for four years,
and he is currently in his third term on the College Council. [Member/Elected Zone 5] Term start date: August 1, 2010.
Term end date: July 31, 2013.
Laurence Greeff
Councillor Greeff currently teaches at Langley Secondary School and has also taught in the Peace River North and
Cariboo-Chilcotin school districts. He is actively involved in the BCTF and the Langley Teachers’ Association (where
he served as president) and is helping develop the BCTF Advantage Program, a member-driven consumer benefits
program. He also sits on the executive of the New Westminster & District Labour Council. Mr. Greeff enjoys travel and
gardening, and he coached soccer for many years at the recreational and school level. [Member/Elected Zone 7]
tc magazine
— winter 2010
Term start date: August 1, 2009. Term end date: July 31, 2012.
22
Patricia Haslop
Councillor Haslop was the General Studies
Principal at the Vancouver Hebrew Academy from 2008 until her retirement in 2010.
Ms. Haslop holds a BA in psychology from
McGill University, a Dip.Ed. in elementary
education from UBC and an M.Ed. in curriculum studies from the University of Victoria.
She has taught in Montreal, Calgary and
on Vancouver Island, and she served as
an elementary school vice principal and
principal in the Sooke School District. In
1990 she joined the Sooke School District’s
central administration as a director of
instruction and in 1994 was named the assistant superintendent of schools. In 1998,
she joined the Surrey School District as
an assistant superintendent, responsible
for supervising elementary and secondary schools as well as choice programs/
schools, special education, Aboriginal education, and the selection of new principals
and vice principals. [Member/Appointed]
Term start date: August 1, 2010. Term end
date: July 31, 2012.
Charley King
Councillor King is a teacher in Coquitlam
with experience teaching at the elementary,
middle and secondary levels. He received
his BA from the University of the Fraser
Valley and holds a B.Ed. (Middle Years)
from UBC. [Member/Elected Zone 8] Term
start date: August 1, 2008. Term end date:
23
tc magazine
— winter 2010
July 31, 2011.
Michelle Marrelli
Councillor Marrelli has been actively involved in education for 22
years as a parent, chair of the District Parent Advisory Council and as a
trustee for School District 57. As chair of numerous district and board
committees, she was often called upon as an active mediator to ensure
Bringing agriculture
together with health
and education.
all concerns were heard in an open, honest and respectful manner.
Through BC Agriculture
in the Classroom programs and resources,
students can learn
about their food, their
environment, their
future.
and public perspectives. She is currently the education coordinator for
Ms. Marrelli worked for six years as a private consultant involved in
communication, mediation and regulatory issues from both private
the BC Construction Association – North. Ms. Marrelli has actively
sought out opportunities to support her local community by providing
opportunities to improve life chances for kids and adults alike. She
views raising her four children (as well as a few extras) as her most
important work to date – you will often find her surrounded by kids
of all ages. [Layperson/Appointed] Term start date: August 1, 2010.
Term end date: July 31, 2012.
Rod McDonald
Abbotsford Agriculture Centre
1767 Angus Campbell Road,
Abbotsford, BC V3G 2M3
phone: 604.556.3088 fax: 604.556.3030
website: www.aitc.ca/bc
Councillor McDonald has a BA in economics and an MA in administration and curriculum development. His first assignment was teaching
social studies and business education at Fort St. James Secondary
School, where he taught classes in most subject areas and grade
levels over 29 years. He left the school in 2005 to become president
of the Nechako Teachers’ Union and retired from that position in June
2009. [Member/Elected Zone 1] Term start date: August 1, 2008. Term
end date: July 31, 2011.
Rob Millard
Councillor Millard has been a teacher in British Columbia for over 25
years. He has taught in both the public and private school systems
Science Made
Fun!
and also taught in Japan for three years. He has held leadership positions during each stage of his teaching career, from staff chairperson
and department head to local president. He was born and raised in
Vancouver and received his B.Ed. from UBC. He currently lives and
Attention
K-7th Grade Teachers
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• Follow-up and assessment activities provided
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tc magazine
— winter 2010
ScienceMadeFunBC.net
works in West Vancouver. [Member/Elected Zone 11] Term start date:
August 1, 2010. Term end date: July 31, 2013.
Jack Miller
Councillor Miller is a member of the Faculty of Human, Social, and
Educational Development at Thompson Rivers University (TRU) in
Kamloops, with teaching responsibilities in the Bachelor of Education and Master of Education programs. His most recent appointment
was Dean of the School of Education and Acting Dean of the School
of Social Work and Human Service. Mr. Miller is currently an elected
member of the TRU Senate as well as the Head Coach of the TRU
Cross-Country Running Team. [Member/Appointed] Term start date:
August 1, 2010. Term end date: Open-ended.
24
BARKERVILLE HISTORIC TOWN
Lynda Nicholson
Councillor Nicholson has taught at the
elementary, secondary and district levels
during her 32-year career. She holds a
bachelor’s degree in physical education
from UBC and a master’s degree in arts
education from San Diego State University.
She has served as president of the North
Okanagan-Shuswap Teachers’ Association
and has represented teachers on many district committees. [Member/Elected Zone 3]
Term start date: August 1, 2008. Term end
B
School Programs
arkerville’s engaging and informative School Programs provide students
with opportunities to learn about the lives of BC’s pioneers in the 1870s.
On offer are Archaeology, Chinese School, Early Justice, Schoolhouse and
Wendle House Programs; Mining and Blacksmith Demonstrations; and
Barkerville and Chinatown Tours. Theatre Royal, Stagecoach Rides and
Gold Panning specials are also available.
Registration for these spring programs begins in October. To register and
for information, contact Judy Mooring at 1-888-994-3332 ext. 29 or email
[email protected]. You can also visit us at www.barkerville.ca. For
area information visit www.wellsbc.com or phone 1-877-451-9355.
date: July 31, 2011.
Linda Reimer
Councillor Reimer is a Coquitlam city councillor and is the former chair of the School
District 43 Parent Advisory Council. She
is a former banker with CIBC and is currently a part-time real estate assistant.
Ms. Reimer is a member of the Rotary Club
of Coquitlam, a member of the Westwood
Residents Community Association and chair
of the City Multicultural Advisory Committee. She also sits on the Northeast
Stewardship Committee and the Tri-Cities
Solutions Committee, an organization devoted to reducing poverty in the Tri-Cities.
Ms. Reimer graduated from SFU with a major in business and a minor in criminology
and is a Fellow of the Institute of Canadian Bankers. [Layperson/Appointed] Term
start date: August 1, 2010. Term end date:
July 31, 2013.
Richard Walker
Councillor Walker holds a bachelor’s and a
master’s degree. He is a classroom generalist
and music specialist in the Comox Valley
School District. Mr. Walker has served as
president of the Comox District Teachers’ Association and on several district and union
task forces/initiatives. He was a board member of the Courtenay Youth Music Centre
12] Term start date: August 1, 2009. Term
end date: July 31, 2012.
25
tc magazine
— winter 2010
and is a musician. [Member/Elected Zone
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THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE
OF THE BC COLLEGE OF TEACHERS
tm
in brief
bc college of teachers’ annual meeting
The BC College of Teachers will hold an annual meeting on Wednesday,
December 1, 2010 at 4:30 p.m. at its offices in Vancouver. College members in good standing are welcome to attend the meeting, which will
provide an overview of our activities from the period July 1, 2009 through
June 30, 2010.
bc school takes top spot in colourful fundraising initiative
Last year, more than 600,000 children from around the world participated
in World Kids Colouring Day. Sponsored by Staedtler, the event encourages children to create works of art that they then auction off, with the
proceeds used to support Save the Children’s campaign to provide education for children in war-conflicted countries. Students at Christian Life
Be Engaged
School in Fort St. John raised the most money of any school in Canada,
for which the school received a prize of $1500. To register your school for
the 2011 event, please visit www.world-kids-colouring-day.com.
Our programs will engage, amaze
and inspire your students.
educators receive the 2010 order of bc
Professional development
opportunities available.
Visit our new teacher
resource web page!
This year’s recipients of the Order of BC include two BC educators: College
member Pauline (Hilistis) Waterfall of Bella Bella, an educator focusing on adult learning opportunities for First Nations; and former College
member Christopher Duncan Rose of Kamloops, an educator focusing on
children with autism.
27
tc magazine
— winter 2010
604.659.3552
[email protected]
www.vanaqua.org
tm
in focus
We owe it to them to produce a quality product
every single day.”
Neilson’s desire to create authentic and relevant connections with individual students has
been supported by an ongoing commitment to
professional development. Intrigued by the chal-
Four Decades in Education
lenges posed by a highly gifted student in one of
“A highlight of my career is that I’ve never once been bored,” says Donna Neilson,
degree in curriculum and instruction. And she’s
a teacher with more than four decades of experience in the classroom. “It is
continually seeking ways to expand her skills as
quite something, really, to feel a building sense of excitement each day on my
an educator.
way to work.”
Her first teaching position in 1965 paid her $10 a day to intern alongside a
ration. Her master’s thesis on how collaborative
September she was put in charge of her first class: 42 grade four students,
learning environments motivate students and
with four more joining after Christmas.
increase achievement certainly applies to her own
Since then, Neilson has taught every grade and many subject areas, mostly
professional practice. “We really do learn from
in West Vancouver. Originally an elementary teacher, she has spent the latter
others. The collegial support and collaborative
half of her career primarily teaching high school English.
practices that come from sharing our binders, our
stage” and the focus was on delivering content, in contrast to today’s emphasis on student-centred, interactive and collaborative learning environments.
files and our ideas with other teachers is very enriching for all.”
Neilson is currently the ESL Coordinator for
the West Vancouver School District, a position
“Technology also gives today’s students a new type of literacy and access to
she’s held for six years. She says it’s been a very
a wealth of information,” she says. “This means it’s more important than ever
interesting challenge to do something different
to teach our students the process of learning and critical thinking, teaching
and gain a broader view of the many variables
them how to filter through all the easily accessible facts and information to
that influence front-line instruction.
identify what is relevant.”
— winter 2010
The relationships she’s formed with her col-
master teacher for the last two months of the school year. The following
She describes her initial years as a time when a teacher was the “sage on the
tc magazine
on gifted learning. She completed a master’s
leagues are also a source of learning and inspi-
Much has changed in the 45 years since Neilson entered the profession.
28
her classes, she signed up for courses at UBC
Winner of a 2005 Prime Minister’s Award for
Even with all of the changes, however, Neilson believes the basic tenets of
Teaching Excellence, Neilson offers sound advice
good teaching have not changed. Teachers must be prepared to meet students’
for those entering what she considers the no-
learning needs, employ effective strategies for learning, and implement fair
blest profession. “Be authentic – kids recognize
and consistent assessment practices. And above all, they need to set high
authenticity and they know when teachers care.
standards – for both their students and themselves.
Set high, but not impossible, standards. Above
“I was always very fortunate to have true renaissance teachers who demanded
all, remember that you’re not teaching a class,
the best. That’s certainly influenced the way I work and teach. As educators,
you’re teaching individuals with their own distinct
I believe we have the opportunity of a lifetime to teach and socialize students
personalities and challenges, and guiding them
to be the very best they can be. But to do that, we need to model best practices.
to be their best.”
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lessons to ice skating and The Peak of
Christmas celebration, Grouse Mountain
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adventures that will wow your students.
Email [email protected] or
call 604.980.9311 to book your adventure.
Publications Agreement No. 40050835
printed in canada
ISSN 1915-5182
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