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Work-life balance of teachers is focus of study
The Situation for Alberta Teachers is the fourth report stemming from the 2011/12 National Study on Balancing Work and Caregiving in Canada, authored by work-life balance experts Linda Duxbury (Carleton University) and Christopher Higgins (University of Western Ontario). It compares the results from a sample of 2,462 Alberta teachers with national findings from 25,000 employed Canadians and highlights unique work-life challenges for Alberta teachers. The study found that teachers in Alberta exhibit high work overload, high work-family conflict and are significantly less likely to have any forms of workplace flexibility. The 2011/12 National Study on Balancing Work and Caregiving in Canada: The Situation for Alberta Teachers is available online at http://bit.ly/110iPDd.
Join a specialist council today—it’s free
As a benefit of ATA membership, active members are entitled to join one specialist council of their choice each year at no cost. Specialist councils are an integral part of the Association’s activities. Granting members automatic membership in a specialist council is an innovative step toward increasing professional development opportunities for educators throughout Alberta and a way to promote the professional expertise of teachers in curriculum and specialty areas. Regular membership is restricted to active members of the ATA and to associate members who are ineligible for active membership as specified in ATA bylaws. Regular members are entitled to all the benefits and services of council membership including the right to vote and hold office. For information on joining a specialist council, visit the ATA website (www.teachers.ab.ca) and click on For Members and then on Professional Development.
Cree language comes alive for young readers
Caylie Gnyra turned her native studies class project into a series of free electronic books for Cree language teachers across Alberta. What Colour Are Your Little Ducks?/Tân’sesinâkosiwak kisîsîpimisiwâwak is the title of Gnyra’s e-book that has inspired more e-books that are now available online free of charge at www.littlecreebooks.com. For more about Gnyra, visit http://bit.ly/ZXSaVJ.
Project report examines professional growth and leadership culture
In 2009, the Black Gold Regional Division No. 18 and the Alberta Teachers’ Association collaborated on a project focusing on the implementation of the Principal Quality Practice Guideline. This project had four goals: (1) encourage a leadership culture (2) develop policy for principal professional growth (3) pilot the framework for professional growth and (4) publish a final project report. Principal Professional Growth for Continuous Improvement: A Collaborative Model Project is the final report. To order a copy, e-mail distribution@ata.ab.ca.
A Guide to Alberta's 28th Legislature now available
A Guide to Alberta's 28th Legislature is the most comprehensive publication available on the operation of Alberta's legislature and government. The three-ring binder format allows for updates. To order a copy, e-mail distribution@ata.ab.ca.
Teachers contribute to The Sky was on Fire
The Sky was on Fire: Slave Lake's Story of Disaster, Exodus, and New Beginnings is a collection of stories, poems and photos about the May 2011 fire that changed the lives of Slave Lake’s residents. Townspeople not only experienced fear and danger, they witnessed the best of the human spirit. Soon after the fire, a group of people wrote a book about the fire and its aftermath. Two members of the group were Len and Nicola Ramsey, teachers in Slave Lake and regular contributors to the Moot Points column of the ATA News. Many stories and images came from teachers, support staff and students. The Sky was on Fire was published with the help of grants from the United Way, Alberta Culture and a donation from the ATA’s English Language Arts Specialist Council. The book can be ordered online at www.stagenorth.org or at Audrey's Books, in Edmonton, or at the Calgary Firefighters Museum, in Calgary.
