By William Crooks
Local Journalism Initiative
As World Teachers’ Day approaches on Oct. 5, the Syndicat de l’enseignement de l’Estrie (SEE-CSQ) is using the occasion to celebrate the profession while drawing attention to the pressing challenges facing educators.
David Raymond, president of the SEE-CSQ, said the day is an opportunity to shine a light on the crucial role teachers play in students’ lives. “It’s the moment for us to acknowledge all the excellent work done by these people who make a difference for our children who are at school,” he said, stressing that teachers help students progress not only academically but personally as well.
Celebrating teachers
World Teachers’ Day, created by UNESCO in 1994, is marked annually to recognize the contribution of educators. In Estrie, Raymond said the union encourages schools to take time for themselves, not just their students. “Very often, the teaching staff thinks of the students but forgets to think about themselves. So, we are giving them the opportunity to think about themselves and… organize a social and syndical meeting in order to talk about… their needs and their reality,” he explained.
To reinforce that message, the SEE-CSQ has launched a radio campaign with a more positive tone than the often-negative news about education. “Very often, I’m asked, as president of a union, to respond to bad news in education. But you have to remember that it remains a very, very beautiful profession,” Raymond said.
The press release issued jointly by SEE-CSQ and the Fédération des syndicats de l’enseignement (FSE-CSQ) called on Quebecers to thank teachers directly. “Investing in the teaching personnel and listening to their solutions is also investing in the learning conditions of students, and therefore in their future and that of Quebec society,” said FSE-CSQ president Richard Bergevin.
Challenges in the classroom
While the tone of World Teachers’ Day is celebratory, Raymond underlined significant issues teachers face daily. Chief among them is workload. “To allow teachers to do what they do best, which is to teach, is challenge number one,” he said. The integration of students with special needs into regular classes has outpaced the resources provided, leaving teachers stretched thin.
Another major concern is violence in schools. “We have seen an increase in the course of the last few years in acts of violence towards teachers, whether they are students who threaten, who bite, who throw objects,” Raymond noted. He warned that the situation is discouraging some teachers from staying in the profession.
A new province-wide protocol to address school violence was launched earlier this month, following an Estrie pilot project. Raymond welcomed the expansion. “By uniting our resources and our expertise, we were able to create a robust and practical tool that will benefit all school teams,” he said when the initiative was announced.
Looking ahead
Raymond stressed the need for predictability in school resources, noting that frequent cuts and reinstatements wear down morale. “All of that takes a lot of time and energy, and it’s demoralizing to always work with shifting budgetary contributions,” he said.
Despite the challenges, Raymond insisted that teaching remains a profession worth celebrating and protecting. “It’s not normal to see so many people leave the profession in the first five years,” he said. “But nevertheless, if we take care of the teachers, it remains that teaching is one of the most beautiful professions in the world.”
The SEE-CSQ represents more than 5,000 teachers across the Estrie region, from the Centres de services scolaires des Sommets, des Hauts-Cantons, and de la Région-de-Sherbrooke. With World Teachers’ Day set to be marked in schools across the province, Raymond hopes the public will take a moment to recognize the impact of those in the classroom — and the need to support them in the years ahead.