The Alberta Teachers’ Association

The ATA’s ongoing pulse survey program continues to highlight areas in which Alberta students and teachers are feeling challenged.

Results of the most recent survey, released in December, show that 73 per cent of teachers are concerned about their students’ mental health and 62 per cent are “extremely concerned” about teacher mental health.

Other findings include

• 64 per cent of teachers feel that many of their students are struggling with learning;
• 75 per cent of Alberta classrooms have had students moved into quarantine and/or isolation due to COVID-19;
• one in three teachers has been quarantined and/or isolated due to COVID-19 infections or exposures;
• one in four school leaders has been quarantined and/or isolated due to COVID-19 infections or exposures;
• 77 per cent of Alberta school leaders indicated some level of discomfort with taking on contact tracing activities;
• half of Alberta school leaders have had to directly contact families in their communities due to COVID-19 exposures;
• 82 per cent of teachers state that student assessment practices are a challenge during the pandemic;
• nine in 10 teachers don’t think that Alberta schools will be ready to implement new programs of study in September 2021; and
• nine in 10 teachers have no confidence in Alberta Education’s new processes for curriculum development.

The Association’s pulse surveys, which began last fall, are 10-minute surveys intended to gather a quick pulse of the profession and measure the impact of school re-entry during the pandemic.

The surveys follow more than 1,500 teachers and principals and allow further insight into the complexities of teaching and learning conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic. The most recent survey took place in late November and the next one is planned for March. ❚