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Provincial Executive Council recently approved a number of new administrative guidelines concerning the purpose of teachers’ conventions, convention programs and exhibits. The decisions begin the process of implementing recommendations from the Committee on Convention Review (CCR), which recently concluded a review process that began during the 2017/18 school year.
Council approved a statement of purpose of teachers’ conventions, which reaffirms the principle of devoting two teaching days each year for conventions, at which members may access a variety of professional development activities to improve and maintain their pedagogical and leadership competence.
Guidelines now clearly state that all convention sessions (including keynote presentations) should be clearly linked to the Teaching Quality Standard (TQS) and/or Leadership Quality Standard (LQS) or the Association’s mandated objectives and priorities. The content of the sessions must be consistent with Association policy, must reinforce the honour and dignity of the teaching profession, and must model the importance of high-quality, teacher-directed professional development.
Council also directed conventions to provide ample time and space for teachers to engage in a variety of meaningful learning and reflection activities that promote the development of both individual and collective efficacy.
Finally, the majority of convention exhibits must be education-related and relevant to the work and needs of teachers and school leaders. Health and wellness vendors must have products supported by school division benefit plans, and commercial vendors with little or no educational relevance will be phased out by 2024.
Check out the convention review website
A detailed breakdown of these new administrative guidelines has been uploaded to the Convention Review Implementation page at teachers.ab.ca under My ATA > Professional Development > Teachers’ Conventions. ❚
If you have any questions or comments about teachers’ conventions or convention implementation, please contact me at daniel.maas@ata.ab.ca.
