The Alberta Teachers’ Association

Reprinted from the ATA Magazine (October 1961, volume 42 number 2, pages 38–41)

A total of 44 educators, 27 teachers representing the Association’s ten specialist councils, five out-of-province guests, one guest from each of the Department of Education and the Faculty of Education, and ten members representing the Executive Council, gathered in the Banff School of Fine Arts, August 17–19, for the first seminar of the executives of specialist councils. The seminar was the outgrowth of an Executive Council decision in April, 1961 that one way to assists its specialist councils to get started on a healthy and successful life would be to bring them together for a family conference.

The seminar program was organized to meet three major objectives: to acquaint the executive members of specialist councils with the regulations and organization established by the Association for their operation; to provide for exchange of information and opinions between specialist councils and between Executive Council members and specialist councils; and to provide an opportunity for executives of each council to consider plans and programs for their own council.

The seminar was opened by ATA President John McDonald, who welcomed the delegates and guests and emphasized the Executive Council’s hope for their positive influence on the improvement of instruction in Alberta schools. Dr. E.W. Buxton, representative from the Faculty of Education, told the seminar delegates that the Faculty would do everything in its power to help the councils to organize and conduct successful programs. M.L. Watts, director of curriculum, bringing greetings from the Department of Education, commended the ATA’s leadership in this type of activity.

Following the opening preliminaries, R. Stonehocker, president of the Industrial Arts Council, presented inscribed gavels and sounding blocks, made by industrial arts teachers throughout the province, to the presidents of all councils represented.

Ernie Ingram, who has general responsibility for the specialist council program, spelled out the several basic principles which either are included in the regulations and model constitutions or specialist councils or are provided for in the working relationships between specialist councils and the Association, in order to maintain that proper balance between the overall welfare of the Association and the degree of autonomy necessary if specialist councils are to become effective instruments for professional development.

• Specialist councils are to be semi-autonomous organizations for the purpose of improving instruction, curriculum, and teacher competence.
• Membership is to include teachers from Grades I through XII so as to maintain the necessary unity in our profession and the desirable coordination of subject matter through the grades. Membership should also include all interested educators so as to coordinate the work of the Department of Education, the University of Alberta, and the Association.
• Specialist councils are to be left free to organize and conduct activities not inconsistent with their constitution and the policies of the Association.
• Guidance and help from, and liaison with the Association is to be exercised by the following procedures: representations to other bodies must be made through Association channels established for this purpose; amendments to the specialist council constitutions must be approved by the Executive Council of the Association; the Association will provide financial and other assistance to specialist councils; and it will name a representative to the executive of each council.
• Close liaison is required between specialist councils, and between the councils and other professional development activities of the Association.

A panel of “Professional Development Responsibilities of Teacher Organizations” was held on the evening of the second day. The panel, moderated by M.T. Sillito, consisted of: E.L. Arnett, general secretary of the Manitoba Teachers’ Society; J.W. Stewart, vice-president of the British Columbia Teachers’ Federation; G. Trapp, past president, Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation; T. Parker, executive secretary, Nova Scotia Teachers Union; and S.C.T. Clarke, ATA executive secretary. The panel discussed such questions as: to what extent do teachers have responsibility in initiating educational changes? do teacher trainees and teachers themselves have a realistic idea of what a good teacher is? and do teachers’ professional organizations have responsibility for teacher competence?

Discussion on whether specialist councils should be broad in nature and encompass all subject and grade levels in their various special areas, or whether they should confine themselves to the more limited subject matter fields, led to the consensus that specialist councils should take in all of the subject fields in their area and that they should attract and welcome as members teachers from Grades I through XII. Many delegates felt that there would be difficulty in attracting elementary teachers because of the connotation of the word “specialist.” Again, it was emphasized that the councils ought to develop programs and projects which would be of interest to teachers at all grade levels.

The problem of teachers who wish to join two or more specialist councils was considered at some length. It was the general consensus that there should be just one membership fee but that councils should be encouraged to sell their publications to non-members.

Most councils are planning their annual conferences during the two days following the Annual General Meeting, although some have plans for an annual conference at some other time during the year. It was agreed that specialist councils should not plan conferences which require teachers to be absent from their regular classroom duties nor which take place during the three days of the Annual General Meeting.

Liaison between specialist councils and the Association, especially in matters affecting curriculum change, was discussed at some length. The following guidelines have been approved by the Executive Council.

• Ideas which do not require a change in regulations should be sent through informal channels.
• When a change in regulation is involved, a specialist council should operate either through a local association where the idea can be channelled through the machinery established for curriculum resolutions, or directly through the ATA Curriculum Committee which, it if approves of the idea, will pass it on to the Executive Council. Depending upon the nature of the idea or resolution, the Executive Council can either take direct action or present the matter in the form of a resolution to the AGM. All specialist councils will be invited to send a representative to the January meeting of the ATA Curriculum Committee.

Procedures involved in the formation of regional councils were also considered by the seminar. It was agreed that all specialist councils had a responsibility to organize and assist regional councils. However, regional groups should not be organized unless there is sufficient interest at the regional level to warrant such action.

Evaluation of the seminar was enthusiastic. The delegates returned home inspired to develop a sound structure on which to build successful programs in the years ahead. The success of their efforts will depend upon the degree of cooperation they receive from all Alberta teachers.

Inaugural Conference of Mathematics Council

The 60 registered members attending the inaugural conference of the Mathematics Council of the Association from August 16 to 19 [1961] were inspired by Dr. J.H. Hlavaty’s three addresses. Dr. Hlavaty, head of the department of mathematics, DeWitt Clinton High School, New York, spoke on “Fifty Years of Curriculum Reform in Mathematics,” “What Mathematics is of Most Worth” and “Implementing Curriculum Proposals.” Dr. L.H. Cragg, vice-president of the University of Alberta; M.L. Watts, director of curriculum, Department of Education; and J.A. McDonald, ATA president, welcomed the members.

Other speakers at the conference were: N.M. Purvis, associate director of curriculum, “Curriculum Changes in Elementary Mathematics”; R.C. Jacka, associate professor of mathematics, University of Alberta, “Adequate Preparation in Mathematics for Students Entering University”; W.F. Coulson, assistant professor of secondary education, “Teacher Preparation in Mathematics”; L.W. Kunelius, inspector of high schools, Department of Education, “Curriculum Changes in High School Mathematics”; S.A. Lindstedt, associate professor of education, University of Alberta, Calgary, “The Impact of Modern Mathematics on the Curriculum in Schools.”

Mrs. Joyce Krysowaty of the University Elementary School, with a class of Grade III pupils, gave a demonstration lesson in elementary arithmetic and R.S. Julius, assistant professor of numerical analysis, took the group on a tour of the computer centre in the Mathematics-Physics Building.

The new executive consists of: John M. Cherniwchan of Sherwood Park, chairman; Eugene Sasylyk of Thorhild, vice-chairman; and Miss Olive Jagoe of Calgary, secretary-treasurer.

English Council Memberships Now Open

The English Council is concerned with the improvement of instruction at all levels. The Council does not exist solely for the so-called specialist. Its objects and program have relevance for teachers of English from the primary to the university levels.

Membership cards with attendant privileges in the Council may be procured from F.J. Ackerman, Treasurer, Box 1461, Stettler or J.D. McFetridge, Secretary, Barnett House, Edmonton.

Membership fee is $5 for the 1962 calendar year.