- Future Students
- Current Students
- Programs
- Programs of Study
- Undergraduate Studies
- Bachelor of General Studies
- Bachelor of Education as a Second Degree
- Minors
- Counselling and Human Development Minor
- Curriculum and Instruction Minor
- Early Learning Minor
- Educational Psychology Minor
- Learning and Developmental Disabilities Minor
- Social Justice in Education Minor
- Elementary Generalist Minor
- Environmental Education Minor
- French Education Minor
- Physical and Health Education Minor
- Secondary Mathematics Education Minor
- Secondary Teaching Minor
- Certificates
- Courses
- Teacher Education
- Professional Diplomas
- Graduate Studies
- Masters Programs
- MA, MEd in Arts Education
- MA, MEd in Counselling Psychology
- MEd in Curriculum & Instruction: Children鈥檚 and Young Adult Literature
- MEd in Curriculum & Instruction: Contemplative Inquiry & Approaches in Education
- MEd in Curriculum & Instruction: Ecological Education
- MA, MEd in Curriculum & Instruction: Educational Theory and Practice
- M.脡d. dans Curriculum & Instruction: Enseigner et apprendre en fran莽ais: plurilinguismes, francophonies et 茅ducation
- MA, MEd in Curriculum & Instruction: Equity Studies in Education
- MEd in Curriculum & Instruction: Imagination in Teaching, Schooling and Place
- MEd in Curriculum & Instruction: Innovations in Mathematics Education
- MA, MEd dans Curriculum & Instruction: l'茅ducation en fran莽ais en contextes de diversit茅 (campus de 丁香园AV)
- MEd in Curriculum & Instruction: Place- and Nature-Based Experiential Learning
- MEd in Curriculum & Instruction: Post-Secondary (VCC)
- MEd in Curriculum & Instruction: Science Education and Communication
- MEd in Educational Leadership: Post-Secondary (Surrey)
- MEd in Educational Leadership: Imaginative K-12 Leadership (Surrey)
- MEd in Educational Practice
- MEd in Educational Practice: Indigenous Pedagogy and Indigenous Inquiry
- MEd in Educational Practice: Practitioner Inquiry
- MA, MEd in Educational Psychology
- MEd in Teaching Languages in Global Contexts
- MA, MEd in Educational Technology & Learning Design
- MSc, MEd in Secondary Mathematics Education
- MA, MEd in Teaching English as an Additional Language
- Doctoral Programs
- EdD in Educational Leadership: Leading for Educational Change in the Yukon
- PhD in Arts Education
- PhD in Educational Psychology
- PhD in Educational Technology & Learning Design
- PhD in Educational Theory and Practice: Curriculum and Pedagogy Stream
- PhD in Educational Theory and Practice: Philosophy of Education Stream
- PhD in Languages, Cultures and Literacies
- PhD en langues, cultures et litt茅raties (en fran莽ais)
- PhD in Mathematics Education
- Areas of Study
- Program Comparision
- Masters Programs
- Programs in French
- Faculty & Research
- Indigeneity
- Community
- About
- News & Events
- Support Us
- Instructor & Staff Resources
- Work With Us
- Contact
News
Shaping Communities for Positive Change: An Educator’s Perspective
Every year, Surrey Now-Leader honours what it calls the city鈥檚 鈥�,鈥� individuals who do not seek recognition but continue giving back to the community. The 2023 Teacher of the Year award winner is Education alumnus Rick Kumar, who shared his journey, challenges, and aspirations in recent conversations with the Faculty of Education.鈥���
鈥淐are drives our work, but our feelings about an issue are what put gas in the car,鈥� says Rick, who is an English First Peoples Teacher at Tweedsmuir Secondary, where he also sponsors the school鈥檚 Debate, Model United Nations, and Anime Clubs.鈥�
鈥淚 want my students to flourish, and I promised myself I would do everything in my power to advocate for them. After all, why are we in education if not to guide them into the future,鈥� he adds.
Connections begin with conversations 鈥� the listening and the care, which help students find what truly inspires them, and teachers have an opportunity to become both mentors and role models. Rick himself certainly walks the talk -- in addition to numerous school commitments, he also sits on the Executive of B.C. Teachers Federation (), and helps in homeless shelters through Options Community Services.
鈥淟ike any good-hearted individual, I like sleep, but I love making a difference more,鈥� he remarks. And for those who also want to enact positive change, Rick has some suggestions.
For Educators:
1. Community-Based Learning Projects:
Example: Collaborate with local organizations on projects like environmental initiatives, addressing community needs while providing students with practical experiences. A seed library in front of a school, or a school garden give purpose and an opportunity to learn to students.
2. Parent and Community Involvement:
Example: Organize regular meetings involving parents and community members to foster shared responsibility and understanding in shaping the educational experience.
3. Mentorship Programs:
Example: Establish mentorship programs connecting experienced educators with students, providing guidance for academic and personal development.
4. Advocacy for Resources:
Example: Advocate for increased funding in underserved areas, ensuring equitable access to quality education. Fundraising and other food drives, tech drives, and other ways of generating resources are great ways to support those who don鈥檛 have.
For Individuals Seeking Positive Impact:
1. Listen and Learn:
Example: Attend community forums, like town hall meetings, to understand unique needs and concerns. Build off what you hear and make the community a better place.
2. Collaborate with Local Businesses:
Example: Partner with local businesses to create opportunities such as internships, fostering practical benefits and strengthening community ties.
3. Support Local Initiatives:
Example: Volunteer for existing projects like food drives, ensuring seamless integration into ongoing community efforts.
4. Empower Youth Voices:
Example: Establish platforms like youth councils to empower the next generation in shaping the community's future.
5. Environmental Stewardship:
Example: Initiate local clean-up events or sustainable practices, enhancing the community aesthetically and promoting a sense of pride and responsibility.
As a racialized teacher, he firmly believes that students must see themselves reflected in their studies. Rick has leveraged his recent recognition as Teacher of the Year to advocate for policies that address systemic issues affecting certain student populations.鈥��
鈥淭his honour inspires me to continue pushing for inclusivity, diversity, and equity within the education system, recognizing the profound impact representation can have on students from diverse backgrounds,鈥� he says.
He describes his own education journey in the 2017 Professional Development Program and BEd as one of the toughest challenges he has ever faced, replete with systemic racism and painful isolation.鈥� This鈥痺as juxtaposed against an enriching experience he had as part of the International Teacher Education Module (ITEM) whilst teaching in India and immersing in Tibetan culture and community.鈥疪ick鈥檚 health suffered, and he even had to take a break from the program.鈥�
鈥淒uring the next iteration of my long practicum, I worked hard, gave up my relationships and friendships, and even with the death of a very close mentor of mine I still persevered,鈥� Rick shares. 鈥湺∠阍癆V鈥檚 programs taught me what kind of teacher I wanted to be, and who I didn鈥檛 want to be like,鈥� he adds.
In what he describes as a 鈥渕eta turn of events,鈥� Rick had an opportunity to meet with Janice St. Helene, Director of Professional Programs in the Faculty of Education, and use what had been a deeply painful part of his life as an opportunity for advocacy.鈥��
Rick and Janice discussed the obligation teacher preparation programs have to create safe and inclusive spaces and reviewed the specific commitments 丁香园AV Teacher Education has made and must continue to make to support the success and well-being of its diverse student population. This includes mandatory training for faculty associates and program coordinators in equity, diversity, and inclusion, regular program and curriculum reviews, as well as ensuring students are fully aware of resources to support their success and wellness during their journey to teaching.鈥��淲e share the same goal, to create a system that helps develop strong teachers,鈥� he says, "ultimately to support the province鈥檚 students better."
Rick sees his recent award not only as an affirmation that the work he is doing is reflective of community needs but also as a recognition for other 鈥渦nsung heroes.鈥�
鈥淭his win isn鈥檛 for me, it鈥檚 a pat on the back and 鈥渁 cozy sweater hug鈥� for every Surrey teacher who has changed a student鈥檚 life for the better鈥� and especially for those who will continue to do it even when their name doesn鈥檛 appear on an award. My deepest thank you, Surrey teachers,鈥� he concludes. 鈥��