B.C. high school students finding required classes full: teachers’ association

Grade 12 students across B.C. are focusing on getting the credits they need to graduate this year, but some in busier districts have struggled to get into required classes — finding seats are full.

“We know that this happening due to a lack of space,” said Violette Baillargeon, 2nd vice president of the Surrey Teachers’ Association, where she says the problem is particularly bad.

“It’s really significant. If you took the students learning in portables [in Surrey] and made it into its own school district, it would be second biggest after Surrey.”

While Baillargeon could not give the exact number of students scrambling for required credits, she says the crunch is worse in more competitive courses.

“Kids sign up for a class they need for graduation — this happens to be most of the time in sciences and our science teachers are at a premium — and they have trouble accessing that class in person,” she told 1130 NewsRadio.

“Unfortunately, for post-secondary, kids really need those credits in order to get into university.”

The limits force some students to look at other options to secure needed courses.

“They end up having to either enroll in a hybrid class — which is sometimes in person and sometimes online — which is tough when you are doing lab science. Or, they need to sign up for it remotely, entirely online, which is also a really tough way to learn, especially a teenager.”

She says not all students are well-prepared for online learning.

“Some are self-starters and intrinsically motivated, but they tend to be the minority. Kids learn best in person, with a relationship built with the teacher where they can get in-the-moment feedback and corrections. Learning is a trial-and-error mechanism so we need our classrooms set up to allow for that that.”

Baillargeon suggests that difference can affect grades during a critical time for high school students looking beyond graduation to post-secondary studies.

“It’s been really frustrating for parents, especially when their kids are at a juncture that is so important.”

The solution, according to Baillargeon, is better funding from the province to create more classroom capacity in busy school districts.