Local members attend ATA Summer Conference, share big takeaways and learning.
This past week, the Alberta Teachers Association held their annual summer conference at the Banff Centre. Attending the conference on behalf of Local 41 was Derek Resler (President), Kevin MacBeath (Local Political Engagement Officer, or LPEO), Danielle Gareau (Treasurer), Jeff Milner (Substitute Chair), Andy Tyslau (Local Communications Officer, or LCO) and Alan Riewe. Many different topics and themes were discussed in the courses, with many conversations around the possible upcoming job action by Alberta teachers.
Some of the big learnings or takeaways from each of the sessions were:
Local President’s Course (Derek): “Teachers want to be in class, and if parents are upset by a possible disruption of that, talk to your MLA. They have the power to keep kids in class”
Introduction to Bargaining (Kevin): “Preparation matters. I’m thankful for our Local TWC (Teacher Welfare Committee) and NSC (Negotiating Sub-Committee) members, and hopeful for greater participation of our members in surveys and other feedback, in hopes of ensuring the best local deal for our members.”
Introduction to Bargaining (Alan): “I learned about the intricacies and nuances to bargaining and how important it is to lean on the experience of others.”
Leadership Couse (Danielle): “I learned about compassionate leadership in education and its importance in creating learning environments where staff and students are supported, respected, and empowered to succeed.”
Diversity, Equity and Human Rights (DEHR) Course (Jeff): “My takeaway is learning to have a deeper awareness of ones privilege. Privilege isn’t just about the obvious advantages but also about everyday experiences that we might take for granted, like seeing ourselves represented in leadership, having our names pronounced correctly, or feeling comfortable to speak up in meetings without worrying about confirming stereotypes. Recognizing these advantages helps us to understand the challenges our colleagues might be facing.”
Local Communications Course (Andy): “My big takeaway this week was encouraging teachers to share messages about their context and story to parents, community, MLA’s and the broader audience. Focus on the story of your students, your classroom conditions, and how this impacts learning. Don’t get bogged down in the back and forth on details – bring it back to your story, and connecting it to real emotion and real impact.”
As a side note, Derek Resler is also a part of the Central Strike Action Committee (CSAC), which is comprised of local presidents. They provide a voice and local perspective to Provincial Executive Council (PEC) in relation to job action and strike. We are thrilled to have local representation on this committee!
