This year, like every year before, Victorian students and staff have shared in each other’s company. Emerging from remote learning into the first school year since 2019 without a state-wide lockdown, both young people and teachers have displayed incredible resilience, character, and leadership – supporting and thriving alongside one another within the classrooms and beyond. Indeed, we all shared similar challenges, but also seized the opportunities that lead to growth.
As we approach the end of 2022, we would like to acknowledge the struggles we’ve all faced but also the triumphs of partnership between students and educators. By including students in decision making schools have been able to provide support for academic achievement and mental health on even footing. This has included things like recognising times when academic success was being prioritised over mental health and wellbeing and re and co-design exam and assessment timetables.
Our work is far from over. Students and teachers are still working together improve things like consent education and electoral education, to increase connections between schools and local Indigenous communities, to make student mental health and wellbeing a core component of education.
Moving forward, we believe that profound and beneficial change can be reached through the enhancing of the partnership that is education. Our teachers are vital figures in providing us with a platform to voice our lived experience and to acknowledge the struggles that students have faced. We are told that education is important, but even more so, it is important that we do something with it.
To Victorian teachers, thank you. Thank you for your paramount work, the hours you spend towards providing us with the best experience in school, and your dedication to making a positive impact in our lives. In saying so, VicSRC hopes that you will continue to provide all students with a platform for student voice, and continue to identify us as the core of education, and the beneficiaries of your work. Your efforts are indispensable and we look forward to what is in store for 2023.
