The Alberta Teachers’ Association

“I just had a job to do so I went and did it.”

That’s how Fran Galbraith, principal of Jackson Heights Elementary School, in southeast Edmonton, responds when asked why she’s worked so hard to promote teaching and improve public education both in Alberta and overseas. But that self-deprecating comment doesn’t do justice to Galbraith’s service: over the years she’s served two terms as past president of the Alberta Teachers’ Association, three terms as vice-president, two terms as district representative for Edmonton, two terms on the Canadian Teachers’ Federation (CTF) board of directors, four terms as CTF vice-president, one term as a member of the CTF trust fund. And on top of that exhausting list, she’s served on many ATA and CTF committees, including Women in Education, Teacher Evaluation, Resolutions, Finance, the Well-Being of Children and Youth, and the Advisory Committee on Development.

No wonder Galbraith received a Special Recognition Award from CTF earlier this year. She’s been a builder of society her entire career.

Born and raised in Stratford, Ontario, Galbraith studied at the University of Toronto and the University of Alberta. She holds a BSc, a BEd and a M.Ed. But even before completing her formal education, she felt compelled to change the world for the better.

“When I read the newspapers, particularly news about education, I felt that I could change things. Maybe it was because my mother was always pushing me to take charge of stuff,” she jokes.

Galbraith spent her early years teaching a wide range of subjects at a number of Alberta elementary schools. She also participated in teacher exchanges early in her career: to Australia and to London, England.

Perhaps it’s only natural, then, that while working in the Edmonton Public school system Fran found herself volunteering for duty with both the ATA and CTF, and making multiple journeys to work with teachers in developing nations.  As part of the Project Overseas initiative, Galbraith monitored groups of teachers sent overseas to developing countries to offer training and professional development. More recently, as a CTF trustee, she’s monitored funds and outcomes of Project Overseas in the Caribbean. Along with the differences in weather between Canada and the Caribbean, she also noticed that accounting practices in developing nations can be a little looser than those adhered to in Canada.

“When I went to Grenada, one of our local contacts there handed me a shoebox full of receipts,” she says – that was the extent of their financial records at that time.

When asked which accomplishments she’s most proud of, Galbraith says two items spring to mind.

First, she’s pleased that ATA’s Public Education Works, which promotes the importance of public education as a crucial institution and an instrument of social progress, has been so successful.  Galbraith notes that according to Angus-Reid polling taken before the program started and after its introduction, Albertans’ perception of schools and teaching has improved significantly.

“Before Public Education Works, there used to be these comments – you know, about how teachers were essentially babysitters and that we had all summer off,” she says. “Thanks to all the people who worked so hard on that program, I think teachers are more valued now, and that really helps us focus on the job at hand – helping students learn.”

Galbraith is also glad to have played a role in attaining a new long-term contract between teachers and the government several years ago; the ensuring labour peace allowed Alberta’s teachers focus on teaching and learning.

Galbraith notes that teachers have been builders throughout history. But teachers alone can’t build a better world, she adds. 

“We all have to contribute,” she concludes. “You can’t leave everything to other people.”

Perhaps not. But as Galbraith’s mother observed, sometimes someone needs to “take charge of stuff.” How fortunate we’ve been to have had teachers like Fran Galbraith leading the way.