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KONI MACDONALD
THE FUTURE OF TEACHING AND LEARNING: THE PROFESSION’S VIEW
On Thursday, February 10, Education Minister Dave Hancock (left) and ATA President Carol Henderson (middle) talked with numerous teachers after their joint presentation at North Central Teachers’ Convention, including (right) Wetaskiwin ATA Local President Gary Hansen. Hancock will also join Henderson at the Calgary City, Greater Edmonton and Central East conventions.
The following is an abridged version of the speech given by Association President Carol Henderson, at the North Central Teachers’ Convention, held February 10.
There is a saying that the only constant in life is change. Recently this saying proved true in the life of our province when Premier Stelmach announced his intention to resign. Now the race for the leadership of the Progressive Conservatives (PC) is under way.
Although the ATA is a nonpartisan organization, we strongly encourage political engagement. I hope each one of you will take out a membership in a party of your choice and have a voice in the election of new party leaders.
Dave Hancock has announced that he is likely in his last few months as minister of education. Minister Hancock is no stranger to teachers, and he works tirelessly to promote his vision for transforming the education system in Alberta. He, like us, wants the best possible education for our children. If he leaves the ministry, he will be missed.
Teachers have told me that they are swamped. Classroom conditions have deteriorated, and that’s not good news for kids. Except in some very cosmetic and superficial ways, teachers are increasingly expected to meet more demands in more restricted ways than ever before, and are increasingly under intense scrutiny that is neither helpful nor useful.
Teachers are dealing with the disruptive effects of technology and responding to new expectations entailed by inclusion, curriculum change and accountability. There may be benefits to these initiatives, but there are also burdens. Teachers need time and control, two things that are in short supply in our schools. The ATA stands for transformation that gives teachers meaningful time with students, colleagues and parents, and believes in including all children only when the proper supports are in place.
The ATA is not some abstract thing. It is made up of teachers, many of whom volunteer to spend their own time putting on conventions and serving on specialist councils, in locals and on dozens of committees that advance the professional and union work of the Association, and some of whom act as your elected representatives on Provincial Executive Council.
So I ask you to support staff and Council in their work in the same way that they support you in yours. Our effectiveness depends upon maintaining a relationship of trust, particularly in difficult times.
Our organization has always been good at building partnerships. For example, the Canadian Teachers’ Federation (CTF) gets worldwide recognition for its work in developing countries. Many Alberta teachers participate in Project Overseas, just one part of the international program. Unfortunately, Harper’s Conservatives have decided to cut funding for CTF’s celebrated international education programs, a 50-year partnership that has helped Canadian teachers volunteer their time and expertise to improve education and learning in developing countries.
Last year we celebrated ten years of AISI (the Alberta Initiative for School Improvement). International education leaders say that there is nothing like it anywhere in the world. We are aware, though, that in some parts of the province, AISI is not working as well as it could. For one thing, AISI projects should not be confused with government accountability processes and provincial exam results. The ATA is one of the partners, and our goal is to help the AISI partners get it right. That means that AISI must be site based and teacher driven, so that the improvements and the data are meaningful.
Teachers have recognized that some students struggle with mental health problems—depression, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, to name a few. Our partnership with Canadian Mental Health has benefited both students and teachers. The Committee on the Well-Being of Children and Youth will hold its conference in Red Deer in the spring, and their focus will once again be on mental health.
There is one constant that we can rely on even in the most difficult times. It is something that saw us through the Klein cuts and enabled the mobilization of 23,000 teachers, when, left with no other option, we engaged in strike action across this province. It has allowed us to resist attempts to split our Association, to remove the board of reference and to strip collective agreements. It enabled us to convince government to take steps to ensure that our pension plan was fully funded and secure, an accomplishment that is even more important today, when we see public service pension plans under attack.
So what is this constant? It is our solidarity. Our willingness to stand together in defence of our profession and public education. Our solidarity helps us to safeguard the present and prepare for a vibrant future, and to say to our children, “This is the best profession. The moral purpose of our work is essential to society. Become a teacher. Be part of it.”
