Educators value the involvement and support of parents, guardians, families and communities in schools.

The following is a response from an email correspondence between myself and the parent of one of the students in my science 9 class who had been both away for a significant amount of time and was struggling. I spent a lot of my time developing plans with the parent to get the student both back to school and on track with the course work. It paid off in the end.

“Hi Simon!

 
You have just made my day! It was a tough one for all of us and somehow other parent name did manage to get him in for the test. And yes, he worked hard studying…I worked with him on it so much that heck, I could’ve passed! 
 
I’m so relieved to hear this and I cannot even begin to thank you for all your work! My gratitude escapes any verbiage so thank you!!! 
 
Looking forward to seeing his grade get up there and for him to get all caught up. Once we get him on an even playing field, I hope his anxiety settles down. 
 
Keep me posted!
 
Cheers,
 
Parent Name.”

 

 

 

 

 

During my formative practicum, I was positioned in a Mathematics 8 class at DP Todd Secondary School in Prince George, BC. The main priority of any educator should first and foremost be the success and safety of the students. This requires far more than something as simple as content delivery and it includes more than the teacher and student alone. Parents have a right to know who is teaching their children and building a positive and ongoing relationship with the parents can make the process of education more effective and smooth. Below is the Location Statement I wrote to introduce myself to the parents and class upon starting my practicum practice in this Math 8 classroom.

Location Statement:

Greetings,

I am pleased to introduce myself as Mr. Simon Harris. I am a teacher candidate from the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) and am grateful for my opportunity to be a part of the DP Todd community here in Mr. Schultz Math 8 classes. I was born and raised in Prince George where I attended my K-12 education in the Hart community. By growing and living in Prince George, I continue to learn what the North has to offer, including our many lakes, rivers, trails, forests, wildlife, camping, hunting, fishing, and people, which make up our communities.

Since high school, I have lived and adventured around the globe gaining experiences and relationships. Before returning to my northern roots, I completed a diploma in Acting from Vancouver Film School. I now continue my journey as a lifelong learner here in Prince George where I have completed a Bachelor of Science Honours in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at UNBC and have conducted research ranging from studying moose ecology to the physiology of obesity in mice. I have also spent several years working with students in most grades, subjects, and schools as an education assistant (EA) here in SD57. The values and passion that drew me towards the teaching profession comes from the experience I have working with young learners. I am looking forward to the teaching and learning to come!

Please feel free to reach out with any questions, concerns, inquiries, or just to say hello at sharris@sd57.bc.ca.

Sincerely,

Simon Harris