The public education system in Canada is at a crossroads. While curriculum and assessment standards continue to evolve, so too does the role of the people delivering them—teachers. Today’s educators are expected to be more than academic instructors. They are emotional support systems, social skill developers, behaviour managers, trauma responders, and, in some cases, even basic care providers. Yet while the expectations placed on teachers continue to grow, the resources, support, and budgets to match those demands often do not.
A 2024 article in the Toronto Star shared the perspective of a longtime Ontario teacher who now dreads returning to the classroom, citing an overwhelming mental health crisis among students, increasing behavioural issues, and a serious lack of time and support to effectively manage it all (source). This is not a localized issue. CBC reports reveal a national trend of teacher shortages, burned-out educators leaving the profession, and schools struggling to maintain stability in the classroom (CBC Report 1, CBC Report 2).
When teachers are being stretched beyond their scope—tasked with meeting both the educational and socio-emotional needs of every child without the proper tools—it’s not just educators who suffer. There is a ripple effect:
Students lose access to meaningful learning experiences when teachers lack the time or bandwidth to go beyond the basics.
Families become more frustrated and anxious, watching their children fall behind academically or socially.
The workforce of tomorrow becomes less prepared, entering adulthood without critical soft skills, resilience, or problem-solving abilities.
Mental health concerns rise, not just in youth, but in the professionals tasked with supporting them.
Where Nonprofits and Charities Can Step In
This is where organizations like Build a Biz Kids are stepping in. While their mission focuses on empowering youth through real-world, hands-on experiences, their impact supports teachers and classrooms just as much as it does students.
Build a Biz Kids designs every program to be as accessible and supportive as possible, regardless of a school’s location or budget. Whether a school is in an affluent district or facing systemic underfunding, they recognize that many classrooms rely on photocopiers instead of printers and may not have access to the latest technology. Their materials and lesson plans are built with these realities in mind.
Programs like Kids Course Creator and their suite of digital literacy and entrepreneurship experiences are not designed to replace teachers—they’re built to support them. Many educators may not have formal backgrounds in financial literacy, e-commerce, or digital business, and they shouldn’t have to. Build a Biz Kids provides the tools, training, and ready-made resources that allow teachers to bring these concepts into the classroom with confidence.
Just as importantly, Build a Biz Kids aligns with the belief that the role of a teacher should evolve. The days of educators being the “gatekeepers of knowledge” are behind us. Today’s students need facilitators—individuals who can ask questions, rather than giving answers; who can guide students to finding their own solutions, their own information, and ultimately forming their own opinions and answers. This means helping them develop the skills that go far beyond a textbook: resilience, emotional regulation, collaboration, and confidence.
“We see teachers as integral partners to our mission,” says Leah Coss, CEO of Build a Biz Kids.
“They are skilled, passionate, and work closely with their students every day. The more we can support teachers, the greater the support they can provide to their students so they can grow up to be happy, successful and fulfilled individuals able to contribute to their communities in a meaningful way.”
Building a Better Future, Together
Canada’s teachers are doing an extraordinary job under immense pressure. But they shouldn’t have to do it alone. If we want to prepare students for a future of rapid change, global competition, and unprecedented complexity, we must support the people guiding them through it.
If you’re a teacher looking for supportive curriculum, tools, and resources to bring future-ready education into your classroom—while also supporting your students’ mental health development from grades 2–9—explore the links below:
