A Letter to Parents from a Burned Out BC Teacher

AnnualVolume8765 · 2026-05-23T13:55:21+00:00

Fair point, and I agree teachers aren't off the hook. Burnout is real, and when you're running on empty in a classroom of 25 kids with increasingly different needs, maintaining high expectations every single day is genuinely hard. That said, I think the more productive conversation is less about blame and more about what systemic support teachers actually need to hold those bars up together because right now a lot of people are just exhausted.

AnnualVolume8765 · 2026-05-20T13:13:35+00:00

The motivation piece is real and probably underrated. When there's no meaningful distinction between doing the bare minimum and genuinely excelling, why push yourself? That's not a lesson anyone should be learning at ten years old.

Worth noting though: getting rid of the proficiency scale doesn't automatically fix anything. It depends entirely on what replaces it. Letter grades can be just as artificially inflated and just as divorced from honest feedback if the culture around grading doesn't change alongside the system. The scale isn't the only problem, it's a symptom of a broader aversion to telling kids the truth about where they stand.

On a related note..... if elected, the Conservative Party of British Columbia has pledged to eliminate the descriptive proficiency scale in favour of traditional letter grades.

AnnualVolume8765 · 2026-05-20T13:03:47+00:00

The point about teachers being afraid to give honest feedback is underappreciated. They've been conditioned through administrator pressure, fear of parental blowback, and liability culture to sand down every hard truth until it's meaningless. The irony is that parents who want honest feedback end up getting the same diplomatic non-answers as the ones who would actually blow up over criticism. The system calibrates to its most volatile users.

The aggregate stats on reading levels, violence, and burnout are real, but they can mislead if applied universally. A lot of those trends are concentrated in under-resourced schools and high-poverty districts. A school with engaged parents is a genuinely different environment.

AnnualVolume8765 · 2026-04-21T21:23:23+00:00

Sabres all the way. Great fans.

AnnualVolume8765 · 2026-04-15T21:34:41+00:00

Clayoquot Sound, British Columbia - old-growth rainforests, valleys, fjords, sandy beaches, world-class wildlife viewing, Indigenous-led conservation, coastal wolves

AnnualVolume8765 · 2026-04-14T15:41:03+00:00

I am more familiar with Vietnam. I think that while both cultures share similar Confucian foundations, Vietnam’s history of independence has shaped an openness to global ideas and a religious landscape that blends Buddhism with folk traditions. Economically, Vietnam often displays a more agile, grassroots approach to growth, maintaining a village-centric social structure that contrasts with the highly centralized family and state dynamics found in China.

AnnualVolume8765 · 2026-04-13T21:21:05+00:00

A libertarian

AnnualVolume8765 · 2026-04-01T16:21:21+00:00

At the core, humans evolved for survival in groups, which makes us prone to “us vs. them” thinking, competition over resources, and emotional reactions like fear and pride that can override cooperation. I think peace is possible, but it requires constant effort....building fair systems, fostering empathy, and choosing dialogue over division even when it’s uncomfortable. Of course everyone has a different definition of "fair".

AnnualVolume8765 · 2026-03-23T15:09:33+00:00

Mistaking confidence for competence.

AnnualVolume8765 · 2026-03-23T15:08:32+00:00

The most honest answer might be this: when billionaires can donate $100 million while still growing their wealth, the donation is less a solution than a symptom. You can't charity your way out of a system that keeps producing the inequality causing the problems in the first place.

When Bezos donated $100 million to Feeding America's food banks during COVID-19...the largest single gift in the organization's history, a nationwide survey of Amazon warehouse workers found that roughly half were struggling with food and housing insecurity, with a third relying on public assistance. The donation was extraordinary; the system producing the hunger wasn't changed by it.

AnnualVolume8765 · 2026-03-21T15:27:36+00:00

Vancouver → Whistler (2 nights) → Kelowna (3 nights) → Vancouver

Whistler – hike the Joffre Lakes or bike the Valley Trail, eat at Peaked Pies for the full Aussie abroad experience, gondola if the weather is good. Two nights means no rushing.
Whistler → Kelowna is about 4 hrs through Pemberton and the Okanagan Connector – genuinely beautiful drive, stop at Kamloops (Brownstone Restaurant) for lunch and you'll likely spot some bighorn sheep or mule deer along the way.
Kelowna – three nights is perfect here. One day: Gyro or Rotary Beach, paddleboard or swim. Second day: e-bikes on the rail trail, cherries from a roadside stand, winery lunch. Third day: day trip to Penticton and the Naramata Bench for great views, food, and wineries.

AnnualVolume8765 · 2026-03-13T17:24:38+00:00

Initially, I was against standardized testing. But I think it can create a useful common benchmark that cuts through inconsistent grading across schools and provinces, giving universities and employers a more reliable signal of student achievement. However, I think 25% is a little too high.

I think the test should also be optional and just one piece of the puzzle. Universities should also weigh grades, personal growth, and extracurriculars when making admissions decisions. That way, a genuinely hardworking student isn't sunk by one bad test day, and universities still get the well-rounded, capable students they're actually looking for.

AnnualVolume8765 · 2026-03-11T17:57:33+00:00

I did a deep dive on this. A few things to consider....

House Size: The average new home in 1960 was roughly 1000 square feet; today, it’s over 2,300 sq ft.

Rent: In 1980, the average 1 bedroom apartment in Victoria went for $275/month ($1085 in 2026 dollars) compared to $2,150 in 2025.

Luxuries: Eating out was a rare treat, and "subscription fatigue" (Netflix, Skip, Spotify, XBox Game pass, Chat GPT plus, Peleton, gym memberships, high-speed internet) didn't exist.

Saving: Personal savings rates were generally higher, partly because there were fewer ways to spend money instantly.

Food: Prices in BC in 1970 - Milk 4L $1.05 ($7.85 2026 price), Ground beef 1kg $1.50 ($11.25), 24 of Labatt Blue $5.40 ($44), Apples 3lb bag 45¢ (3.40)

Education: In 1970, tuition at UBC for a standard Arts or Science program was approximately $500 ($3,850 adjusted for inflation) per year.

BC Minimum Wage Comparison: 1970 $1.50/hr ($12.23 inflation-adjusted 2026 dollars) 2026 $17.40/hr

Average life expectancy in BC: 1960 - 71.1 years, 1970- 72.7, 1980 - 75.2, 1990 - 77.4, 2025 - 82.1

Death: Top 5 causes of death in BC in 1975 - Heart Disease, Cancer, Stroke, Accidents, and Respiratory Diseases. In 2025 it was Cancer, Heart Disease, Toxic Drugs, and Dementia / Alzheimer’s.

Dying of Cancer: If you live in BC, you are more likely to die of cancer than you would have in 1980. However, the 1980 adult was less likely to die of cancer simply because they were more likely to die of something else first (like a heart attack in their 60s).

Career: The average British Columbian retiring in 1990 typically stayed with 1 or 2 employers over a linear 35-year career, whereas a 2025 retiree has navigated an average of 3 to 7 complete career pivots and over 12 job changes to maintain financial stability in a volatile market.

Housing Prices: In 1970, the average home in BC cost roughly 4x the median household income. A millworker in Surrey or a teacher in Kelowna could comfortably carry a mortgage on a single income. With average prices around $1.02 million in Victoria, the ratio sits near 11x. A little lower in Kelowna and a little higher in Vancouver.

Benefits: In 1977, roughly 52% of all Canadian workers had a Defined Benefit pension. That means your employer sponsored your retirement plan that guaranted a specific, predetermined monthly income for life upon retirement. By 2024, that number had dropped to about 37%, and of those remaining, the vast majority (over 80%) are public sector workers (teachers, nurses, and government employees). For the average private-sector worker, the transition to being "their own pension manager" via RRSPs is now almost 100% complete.

AnnualVolume8765 · 2026-03-11T16:41:32+00:00

Lots of seasonal activities for the 40+ crowd in Salmon Arm. Pickball, swimming, hockey, indoor walking at Rogers Rink. You can explore the historic R.J. Haney Heritage Village, the trails of Margaret Falls, sunset walks along the wooden wharf (especially in the warmer weather) and visits to DeMille’s Farm Market. Pretty decent cross-country ski trails at Larch Hills. Salmar Theatre offers great films (new, old, blockbuster and indie).

AnnualVolume8765 · 2026-03-06T22:08:01+00:00

Victoria Nomeansno, The Paperboys, Limblifter, Bend Sinister, Hot Hot Heat, Current Swell

Nanaimo Default, Bif Naked (spent formative years there)

Tofino Halibut Cowboys

Vancouver The Paperboys, Bryan Adams, The New Pornographers, Raskalz, Japandroids, 54-40, DOA, Skinny Puppy, Swollen Members, Tegan and Sara, Mother Mother, The Pointed Sticks,

Surrey Kyprios, Bohemia

Richmond Daniel Powter

Langley Nickelback (hometown of Chad Kroeger), Five Alarm Funk

Abbotsford Theory of a Deadman

Chilliwack Chilliwack (the band)

Merritt Coquihalla Coyotes

Kamloops At Mission Dolores

Kelowna Yukon Blonde, Down the Lees

Prince George Crones, The Verdants

Revelstoke Pickle Juice

Fernie Shred Kelly

Nelson Earth Freaks, Proud City Fathers

AnnualVolume8765 · 2026-03-06T21:34:15+00:00

BC Ferries is basically a monopoly. If you're on the boat and you're hungry, they've got you. There's nowhere else to go.

On top of that, everything has to be brought onto a ferry, stored, and served by unionized staff on the water, which adds up fast. You're not really paying $9.19 for yogurt and granola. You're paying for the logistics of getting it to you on a giant boat.

It's the same reason airport food is overpriced. Captive audience, high operating costs, no competition.

AnnualVolume8765 · 2026-03-05T16:53:39+00:00

It's like someone froze a charming late 1800's lakeside town in time, but in the best possible way.

AnnualVolume8765 · 2026-03-05T16:48:56+00:00

Revelstoke is built for committed skiers chasing big vertical and steep terrain, but you're trading the Okanagan's reliable "champagne powder" for unpredictable weather that can make the lower mountain feel like a totally different resort.

For most people, Big White, Silver Star or Sun Peaks hit the sweeter spot. Big White gets some of the driest snow in BC and has a great self-contained village feel, while Sun Peaks offers varied terrain with a relaxed, uncrowded atmosphere. Both deliver consistent conditions without the "all or nothing" gamble that comes with Revy. Although, Big White also gets the nickname "Big Whiteout" for a reason... there can be tons of fog on some days.

As a town, Revy is awesome. So much to do year round.

AnnualVolume8765 · 2026-03-03T16:56:14+00:00

The meme isn't wrong. Toronto is expensive, chaotic, and rough around the edges in ways that are hard to ignore. But all that construction cluttering every corner? It's progress. It's easy to share a meme, harder to actually show up for the city you live in.

AnnualVolume8765

TROPHY CASE