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A BC teacher, with a history of yelling at her students, has been suspended for two days and ordered to undergo counselling.

According to a Jan. 21 BC Commissioner for Teacher Regulation decision, elementary school teacher Alexandra Clare McLean yelled at her students on several occasions and made some pupils feel that they were disappointing her.

McLean was disciplined by the regulator for two separate incidents that took place in 2021 when she was a middle school teacher at an undisclosed school in School District No. 48, Sea to Sky.

The decision says the pupils were in a weight room and filming as part of an art class.

McLean had told them not to touch the gym equipment but a while later saw a student swinging a kettlebell.

"McLean responded by running into the room, yelling at the students and directing them back to the classroom. Students in the classroom perceived McLean as being angry," the decision says.

As she cleared up the gym equipment she kicked a balance board back to its storage place against a wall.

"One student reported feeling scared by McLean’s actions, and another reported feeling anxious," the decision reads.

It was the height of the COVID pandemic and one student in the weight room wasn't wearing their mask correctly. After the student ignored the request to put the mask on properly she grabbed it and pulled it over the pupil's mouth and nose.

When questioned by another student about the incident she "exclaimed loudly" to the student, "I didn’t touch you, why are you saying that?"

The students "perceived it" as "yelling", the decision says.

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The school put her on paid leave for three weeks but when she returned things didn't improve.

"McLean yelled at the students in her class," while teaching a Grade 7 art.

She would also take pencils and papers from students' hands "abruptly" and told a student, "I won’t let you leech off this group."

"McLean made negative comments to students about their class and some students reported feeling that they were disappointing her," the decision reads.

The school district suspended her for five weeks and she returned in September as an on-call teacher.

McLean has a history of yelling at pupils and in 2018 was suspended for two weeks without pay following allegations she made unnecessary physical contact and yelled at pupils in her elementary class.

In 2021, the school district issued her a formal letter about respectful workplace policy and creating an atmosphere of "emotional safety" for students. The letter asked her to follow the direction of her supervisor and make sure her actions contributed to the "wellness and dignity of students."

The decision says in 2014 and 2015 she was issued letters about her class conduct and in 2019, she took the course "Creating a Positive Learning Environment."

However, the regulator says the course doesn't appear to have had any impact on her.

McLean signed a consent agreement with the teaching regulator admitting to her conduct in 2021 and accepted a two-day suspension.

"McLean has engaged in a pattern of similar conduct and has been previously told by her employer that she needed to be mindful of the manner in which she interacts with her students," the regulator says in the decision.

In an unusual move, the BC Commissioner for Teacher Regulation also ordered McLean to undergo six counselling sessions with a focus on interpersonal communication and an awareness of how her actions are perceived by her students.

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