The provincial government heard some frank perspectives on the challenges faced in the province’s schools and classrooms during a Teachers’ Think Tank in the capital city yesterday.

Among the prevailing themes was the mental health and wellness of teachers.

Education Minister Krista Lynn Howell and NLTA President Trent Langdon spoke with reporters following the day-long session.

Howell believes it was helpful to hear directly from teachers and administrators.

She describes the discussion as “very frank” and at times “very heavy.” “Those are the things that we’ll use to build a plan for better recruitment and retention, better working environments for our teachers, and subsequently, better learning environments for our students,” says Howell.

Teacher’s Union President Trent Langdon, who says the system has been hurting for some time, was pleased that teachers were able to tell their stories first-hand.

“It was very clear that there needs to be more human resources on the ground to support our teachers on the ground, and through that our students will be better served, so it was a very worthwhile event” says Langdon.