Spring 2021

I gratefully welcome spring. I have never felt more appreciative of the bright, restorative newness of this season. This year has been one none of us will forget. The flexibility and grace that has been asked of teachers has been heavy. In the Spring 2020 newsletter, I said: “we are creating a sense of consistency and normalcy for our students. The care and attention we provide them with lifts them and their families up as they navigate these challenging times”. As we near the end of this unprecedented (anyone else sick of hearing that word?) school year, I hope you know that your presence and levity created an atmosphere where students feel relief and regularity during this pandemic.

I have continued to work with the BCTF and the Ministry of Education’s Health and Safety Working group over the winter. New regulations were put in place and the Ministry will release new informative graphic designs outlining the new guidelines. There are always many voices in the room during these meetings but I hope you felt comfort knowing that you were represented in these discussions. Conversations continue about what the regulations will look like as vaccinations become more prevalent and we, hopefully, see the frequency of infections reduced. I will do my best to continue to represent you as those plans are developed.

The THESA executive is in the middle of planning a second virtual conference for the October 22, 2021 professional development day. Our theme will be Growing Together. It will be set up similar to our 2020 conference. We have already booked some exciting presenters but if you have a personal connection with anyone you think home economics educators would be keen to hear from, please send me an email at psac47@bctf.ca. We hope to hope to have registration open before the end of the school year. You can find our “Save the Date” in this newsletter. We are crossing our fingers and toes that this will be the second and last conference that we are obligated to do virtually. With that said, please contact us if you want to host a THESA conference in your local or if you want to chat about what that would potentially entail. We would love to start putting the wheels in motion for the 2022 conference and beyond.

Speaking of gathering for professional development, the Canadian Symposium for Home Economics was held virtually this February. It was wonderful to “see'' many of you attend and present! This newsletter includes articles about THESA members’ feedback and I encourage you to check them out. I will share the published proceedings from the conference with you when they are complete.

I have appreciated all of the sharing that has been happening on our THESA Facebook group. I love how many of us have been able to connect, support, and inspire each other despite us not being about to physically “get together” this year.

My last note about professional development in this newsletter is about myself. I have been doing professional and personal development that connects to THESA’s commitment to anti-racism and decolonizing home economics. I joined a book club focused on anti-racism. We recently worked through the book Me and White Supremacy by Layla Saad. I am deconstructing, listening, and reflecting with the aim of dismantling white supremacy in my own practice and personal life. I can feel shifts in myself, my teaching practice, and my understanding of the world, especially as I try to process the despicable racist acts I have been hearing about recently. I encourage you to join me and take steps to address race issues in your lives and teaching practices. You can visit the BCTF’s Antiracism page https://bctf.ca/socialjustice.aspx?id=17632 to find resources provided by the BCTF’s Anti-racism action groups if you’re wondering where to start.

I hope the changing seasons provide you with some rejuvenation as we continue on through the final few months of this 20/21 school year.

Melissa Edstrom

THESA President

Joe TongApril 1, 2021Presidents Letter

Spring 2021

Disclaimer: External Teaching Resources

THESA is pleased to provide its members with access to various external teaching resources for professional development purposes. However, it is important to note the following:

Third-Party Content: The external teaching resources shared by THESA are created and owned by third parties. The association does not endorse, control, or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, or quality of the content.

Independent Evaluation: Members are encouraged to independently evaluate and verify the suitability of any external teaching resource for their specific needs and educational context before incorporating it into their teaching practices.

No Warranty: THESA makes no warranties, express or implied, regarding the fitness for a particular purpose, merchantability, or non-infringement of any external teaching resource shared with members.

Responsibility: The use of external teaching resources is at the discretion and responsibility of individual members. THESA shall not be held liable for any loss, damage, or inconvenience arising from the use of such resources.

Updating and Removal: THESA reserves the right to update, modify, or remove any external teaching resource from its shared materials at any time without prior notice.

External Links: Some resources may include links to external websites. THESA is not responsible for the content, security, or privacy practices of these external sites.

By accessing and using the external teaching resources provided by THESA, members acknowledge and agree to the terms outlined in this disclaimer. Members are advised to exercise their professional judgment and discretion when utilizing external teaching resources.

This disclaimer is subject to change, and members are encouraged to review it periodically for any updates.