Page Content
Reprinted from the ATA Magazine (November 1960, volume 41 number 3, pages 18 and 19)
Educational history was made in Alberta on Saturday 29 when the provisional executives of six specialist councils of The Alberta Teachers’ Association met to set in motion the machinery to organize councils in English, Modern Language, Science, Social Studies, Mathematics, and School Administration.
A.D.G. Yates, president of The Alberta Teachers’ Association, told the meeting that the Association considered the establishment of specialist councils a major breakthrough in its professional development work.
After a general session, during which the meeting was informed of the background, purposes, and proposed functions of specialist councils, each provisional executive met to consider arrangements for its inaugural meeting.
Plans for the establishment of specialist councils were begun nearly two years ago as a result of increasing pressure for the organization of special interest groups for professional educators. The Inservice Education Committee of the Department of Education, which includes representatives from the Department, the Faculty of Education, the Alberta School Trustees’ Association and The Alberta Teachers’ Association, early in 1959 recognized the need for specialist groups and inservice education seminars of one or two weeks’ duration. The faculty of Education Council discussed the same matter shortly thereafter. At about the same time, the Department of Extension of the University of Alberta offered to sponsor short refresher courses for teachers in certain subject areas. However, all of the spontaneous moves were held in abeyance pending the development of specialist councils as proposed by The Alberta Teachers’ Association.
Such special interest groups are consistent with the proposes of The Alberta Teachers’ Association as set forth in The Teaching Profession Act, namely,
The objects of the association shall be (a) to advance and promote the cause of education in the Province. (b) to raise the status of the teaching profession (i) by initiating and promoting research in methods…of teaching the various subjects of the curriculum…
It was, therefore, deemed desirable that such groups be sponsored, organized, and supported under the broad umbrella of the Association.
Early in 1959, the Executive Council of The Alberta Teachers’ Association appointed an ad hoc committee to investigate the possibility of specialist councils. This committee, composed of Miss E. W. Duff, T. F. Rieger, Dr S. C. T. Clarke and E. J. Ingram, met several times and drafted an executive resolution and model constitution. These were considered by the ATA Curriculum Committee and then referred to the Executive Council which endorsed in principle the statements which had been prepared and submitted a general resolution to the 1960 Annual General Meeting. Resolution C47/60 was carried unanimously by the AGM councilors.
BE IT RESOLVED, that the formation of specialist councils be approved for the purpose of improving practice in the various specialties.
At the next meeting of the Executive Council, the executive resolution on specialist councils was adopted, and during the summer of 1960, signatures for the English, Science, Social Studies, Mathematics, and School Administration Councils were secured. Shortly thereafter, signatures of the Modern Language Council were received. At the September meeting of the Executive Council, the formation of these councils was approved, the provisional executives were named, and the October 29 meeting was authorized.
The objectives of specialist councils are those of inservice education. As the years pass, even the best trained teacher tends to forget what he learned in university. Even if no forgetting occurred, with the passage of time new knowledge will accumulate in the teacher’s specialty. Specialist councils should help to keep the teacher up to date. In addition, they should serve to advance the latest thinking in the subject or specialty. As stated in the model constitution, the objective of specialist councils is “to improve practice in the specialty by increasing members’ knowledge and understanding of this specialty” . It is hoped that members of specialist councils will be the corps of individuals who will assist in curriculum construction and who will provide authoritative opinion on matters related to the specialty.
The purposes of specialist councils can be achieved by such activities as the annual conference, seminars, the conduct of studies and research, and the publishing of a newsletter, bulletin, or yearbook. In addition, the specialist council would further its objectives by sponsoring, organizing, and supporting regional councils for study and research. The inservice activities of specialist councils will probably be on a voluntary basis and members must be prepared to pay their own expenses when participating in these activities.
According to the Executive Council resolution governing the establishment of specialist councils, any 50 persons eligible for membership may apply to the Executive Council for the establishment of a council in their specialty. If the Executive Council approves the application, a provisional executive will be named to organize the council and to convene the first general conference. The Alberta Teachers’ Association will bear all costs involved in organizing the council and conducting the first conference.
After a specialist council is organized, it can expect assistance from The Alberta Teachers’ Association consisting of an annual grant of $100, the printing and distribution of its bulletin, the expenditures involved in securing a consultant or guest speaker for it annual conference, and such other assistance as may be decided from time to time by the Executive Council.
Since the October 29 meeting, applications have been received for the establishment of a Home Economics Council and an Industrial Arts Council. The provisional executives for these councils will be named at the December meeting of the Executive Council.
