ATA Magazine THE ALBERTA TEACHERS’ ASSOCIATION Fall 2025
Climate change demands bold action. Education must play a role.
DIVERSITY How (and why) to bring social and emotional learning into your classroom PAGE 16
IN PROFILE Former principal finds free- dom in return to the classroom
MOST MEMORABLE LESSON The most enduring lessons happen beyond the classroom
PAGE 48
PAGE 56
Your Wellness Companion Support that comes when you call.
Contents
Feature
Fall 2025 / Vol. 106/ No.1
Feature 18 Help Wanted Outlook 4 Letters 5
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HELP WANTED Climate change demands bold action. Education must play a role.
From the President Mot du résident Then and Now Looking Abroad
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10 Unsung Hero
Bulletin Board 3
Editor's Notebook Note de la rédactrice
12 Wellness 14 Technology 16 Diversity 32 Research Insights 48 In Profile
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Learning Commons 38 From the Bookshelves 40 Kid Lit 43 In Focus En point de mire Teacher to Teacher 54 In My Humble Opinion 55 Teacher Hacks 56 Most Memorable Lesson
UNSUNG HERO Remembering Lillian Osborne: trailblazing pioneer teacher
RESEARCH INSIGHTS AI strategies for the teaching of writing
KID LIT Books that became movies can be classroom favourites
The Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP) is included in your ASEBP benefits. Register before you need it. asebp.ca/efap
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ATA Magazine Fall 2025
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Contributors
EDITOR’S NOTEBOOK NOTE DE LA RÉDACTRICE
ATA Magazine Fall 2025 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Elissa Corsi | elissa.corsi@ata.ab.ca MANAGING EDITOR Cory Hare | cory.hare@ata.ab.ca CREATIVE DIRECTOR Erin Solano | erin.solano@ata.ab.ca ASSOCIATE EDITOR Lindsay Yakimyshyn ART DIRECTION AND DESIGN Alexa Guse Bianca Ho Michael Parillas COPY EDITOR Sandra Bit SECTION EDITOR Shelley Svidal FRENCH EDITORS David Martin, Régine Toal ADVERTISING Trevor Battye Advertising Sales trevor@tbasales.ca The ATA Magazine is published three times a year and is distributed to more than 35,000 members. Articles, commentary and editorial material represent the views of the authors and do not necessarily reflect ATA policy. Acceptance of an advertisement does not imply ATA endorsement. © 2025 by The Alberta Teachers’ Association. Unauthorized use or duplication without prior approval is strictly prohibited. The Alberta Teachers’ Association 11010 142 Street Edmonton, AB T5N 2R1 Telephone: 780-447-9400 Toll Free in Alberta: 1-800-232-7208 Website: www.teachers.ab.ca TABLE OFFICERS President Jason Schilling Vice-Presidents Greg Carabine Allison McCaffrey Past President Greg Jeffery Executive Secretary Dennis Theobald Associate Executive DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVES Calgary City Kevin Kempt, Kent Kinsman, Alicia Taylor South Central Rockies Wade Westworth Central Brenton Baum Central East Murray Lalonde Central North Rick Kremp Central South Brice Unland Central Prairie Sky Janet Westworth Edmonton McMurray Carmen Glossop, Chandra Hildebrand, Jay Procktor North West Rhonda Kelly South East Heather McCaig South West Katherine Pritchard Secretaries Elissa Corsi Robert Mazzotta
WRITER
ARTIST
PHOTOGRAPHER
Elissa Corsi
ALEX CHEN | pp. 10 and 11 Alex Chen is an award-winning illustrator based in Toronto. She earned her bachelor of illustration degree from Sheridan College, and her work has been recognized internationally by organizations including 3x3, WIA and RGD. She finds inspiration in everyday life, transforming simple moments into delightful illustrations that radiate positivity and warmth. See more of her work at alexshed.com or @alexchen_art on Instagram. CARLYN VOLUME-SMITH | p. 12 Carlyn Volume-Smith is the chief stakeholder relations officer at the Alberta School Employee Benefit Plan (ASEBP), as well as a licensed clinical pharma- cist with a bachelor of science degree in pharmacy, a master of science degree in health promotion and a Ph.D. in pharmaceutical sciences from the University of Alberta. Volume-Smith has been in the pharmaceutical policy and health benefit industries for more than two decades, managing complex scientific advisory processes and serving on several pan-Canadian committees in that time. CRYSTAL PUIM | cover, pp. 18–21 Crystal Puim is an Edmonton-based corporate photographer. A trusted industry partner with more than 20 years’ experience, she elevates brands with a pro- fessional, discerning eye. Fun fact: Crystal is a huge supporter of Alberta teachers and was once accepted into the education program at the University of Alberta only to later politely decline it to follow her photography path. Her company, Crystal Puim Photography (crystalphotos.ca), is a staple in Western Canada. ROBERT LEBLANC | pp. 32 and 33 Robert Jean LeBlanc is associate professor of ELA/literacy in the Faculty of Education at the University of Lethbridge. He received the 2024 ATA Educational Research Award. AMY STORNAIUOLO | pp. 32 and 33 Amy Stornaiuolo is a full professor in the Graduate School of Education at the University of Pennsylvania. COPPER LEAF PHOTOGRAPHY | pp. 48–50 and 52 Chasidy Kuffner is a photographer whose work is rooted in capturing authentic, heartfelt moments. Based near Brooks, Alberta, she’s a proud wife to her high school sweetheart, a busy mom of four and a devoted caffeine enthusiast. Her love for the arts was nurtured by her teacher Ms. Pool (now Mrs. Sturch), whose encour- agement inspired Chas in all aspects of life and into a career that truly fulfills her soul. LORI WHILLIER | p. 55 With 26 years of experience at Edmonton Public Schools, Lori Whillier currently serves as a consultant, providing K–12 visual art and dance support through professional learning, resource development and teacher mentorship. Her career has largely been spent as an elementary classroom teacher and primarily in Arts Core schools, allowing her to integrate her personal passion for the arts into her professional life.
Editor-in-Chief, ATA Magazine Rédactrice en chef de l’ ATA Magazine
Rooted in hope, rising to challenge
Enraciner l’espoir, relever les défis
EVERY NEW SCHOOL YEAR brings a mix of anticipation, resilience and reflection. Even as Septem- ber retreats further into the rearview mirror, we are still surrounded by reminders that these are uncertain times —economically, socially and politically. The education landscape is ever shifting, and with it, the pressures placed on teachers continue to grow. From curriculum changes and class size challenges to questions around funding and professional autonomy, there is no shortage of complexity facing classrooms across our province. And yet, here we are again—ready. There is something remarkable about teachers' ability to show up, year after year, with renewed pur- pose. Each new school year brings not only a return to routines but also the promise of new beginnings. It is a time of clean notebooks, sharpened pencils, fresh faces and the quiet optimism that comes with starting anew. In the face of uncertainty, hope is not naive—it is necessary. It is what allows us to see our students not only for who they are but for who they might become. It is what drives innovation, compassion and the courage to speak out when something isn’t working. And it is what unites us as a profession committed to public edu- cation as a cornerstone of democracy and equity. As we continue to settle into this school year, let us lean on each other. Let us celebrate small victories, ad- vocate for what matters and continue to find joy in the everyday moments that make this work meaningful. Your voice, your care and your commitment to students matter deeply, especially now. To a year of persistence, possibility and hope.
CHAQUE NOUVELLE ANNÉE SCOLAIRE s’accompagne d’un mélange d’anticipation, de résilience et de réflexion. Malgré septembre qui s’éloigne peu à peu dans le rétroviseur, les signes que nous vivons une période d’incertitude sur les plans économi- que, social et politique restent omniprésents. Le paysage éducatif est en constante évolution, et il en découle que les pressions exer- cées sur les enseignants ne cessent d’augmenter. De la refonte du curriculum aux défis liés aux classes trop nombreuses en passant par les enjeux du financement et de l’autonomie professionnelle, ce n’est pas la complexité qui fait défaut dans les salles de classe de notre province. Et pourtant, nous revoilà, prêts pour ce qui nous attend. Il y a quelque chose de remarquable dans la capacité des enseignants à se présenter, année après année, avec une motiva- tion renouvelée. Le début d’une nouvelle année scolaire signifie non seulement un retour à la routine, mais aussi la promesse d’un nouveau départ. C’est à ce moment que les cahiers sont propres, que les crayons sont bien taillés, que les têtes sont fraiches et que le renouveau est porté par un doux vent d’optimisme. Face à l’incertitude, l’espoir n’a rien de naïf : il s’agit d’un atout essentiel. C’est grâce à l’espoir que nous voyons en nos élèves tout ce qu’ils sont aujourd’hui, mais aussi ce qu’ils pourraient devenir. C’est l’espoir qui stimule l’innovation, qui inspire la compassion et qui donne le courage de prendre la parole lorsque quelque chose ne fonctionne pas. Enfin, c’est l’espoir qui nous unit en tant que profession engagée en faveur de l’éducation publique comme fondement de la démocratie et de l’équité. Alors que la routine de cette nouvelle année scolaire s’installe petit à petit, entraidons-nous. Célébrons les petites victoires, défendons ce qui est important et continuons à tirer de la joie des petits moments qui donnent un sens à notre travail au quotidien. Votre voix, votre bienveillance et votre engagement envers les élèves sont d’une importance profonde, surtout en ce moment. Que cette année en soit une de persévérance, de possibilités et d’espoir.
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ATA Magazine Fall 2025
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THE ALBERTA TEACHERS’ ASSOCIATION
Outlook
FROM THE PRESIDENT MOT DU PRÉSIDENT
Jason Schilling
Letters
President, ATA Président de l’ATA
W e’d like to hear from you! One of the ways we’d like to engage with teachers is by hearing from you regularly. In several locations throughout this magazine are sections calling for ideas and submissions from teachers. Please watch for these and send us your ideas. Also please send us • general feedback, • your thoughts on items that you particularly liked (or didn’t), • suggestions for future content • letters to the editor for possible publication. We really do want to hear from you. After all, this is your magazine. Email your feedback to Elissa Corsi, editor-in-chief, elissa.corsi@ata.ab.ca or Cory Hare, managing editor, cory.hare@ata.ab.ca. We want your feedback LETTERS TO THE EDITOR — GUIDELINES Word limit: 300 Please include • your first and last name, • basic information about your teaching assignment (i.e. school, grade, subject). All letters are subject to editing for length, clarity, punctuation, spelling and grammar.
Students need our help to grasp climate change
Les élèves ont besoin de notre aide pour comprendre le changement climatique CES DERNIÈRES ANNÉES, nous avons été témoins de l’aggra vation des effets du changement climatique sur notre environnement et sur la population mondiale. L'été dernier, en Alberta, des incen dies de forêt ont contraint des milliers de personnes à quitter leur domicile. Des communautés entières ont même dû être évacuées, tandis que d'autres suffoquaient sous une épaisse fumée. Nos élèves et leur famille ont subi de plein fouet les effets du changement climatique, aussi l’éducation a un rôle à jouer pour les aider à mieux comprendre ce phénomène, que ce soit en exami nant les causes ou en développant des solutions innovantes pour y faire face. En début de carrière, j'ai eu la chance d'enseigner pendant quelque temps les sciences au premier cycle du secondaire. J’ai alors été surpris par l’engouement des élèves à vouloir approfondir leur connaissance du monde qui les entoure en s’aventurant au-delà des limites du curriculum en sciences. J’ai aussi compris au fil de mon enseignement qu’en leur fournissant les bons outils, ils développent leur créativité et osent penser hors des sentiers battus. De plus, lorsqu’ils réfléchissent à un problème, ils ne sont pas toujours limi tés aux mêmes contraintes et restrictions que les adultes. En tant que système éducatif, nous devons donc veiller à ce que nos élèves, quelle que soit leur année de scolarité, disposent des ressources nécessaires pour cultiver leur curiosité scientifique. Il faudrait aussi encourager les élèves à réfléchir au changement climatique en dehors de toute considération politique, car celle-ci peut créer un climat de peur et d’intimidation qui ne répond pas aux besoins de nos élèves ni ne les aide à trouver des réponses à leurs questions sur le monde qui les entoure. Nous devons les aider à y voir plus clair dès maintenant et dans l’avenir. En tant qu’enseignant, j’ai souvent constaté que la créativité et l'esprit de collaboration de mes élèves se manifestaient davantage lorsque je les aidais à comprendre les faits, puis que je m’éclipsais pour leur permettre de régler le problème eux-mêmes. Après tout, ce monde est aussi le leur.
IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS , we have seen an escalation in how climate change has impacted our environment and people around the world. This past summer in Alberta, wildfires displaced thou- sands of people as entire communities had to be evacuated while others struggled under a blanket of smoke. Our students and their families have been directly impacted by climate change; therefore, education has a role to help them make sense of it, from a basic understanding of the causes to new and creative ways to address the problem. Earlier in my career, I was fortunate to teach junior high science for a while. The students were always very curious to venture beyond the basics of the science curriculum and learn about the world around them. In my teaching, I have always found that, given the right tools, students are creative and outside-the-box thinkers. When thinking through a problem, they are not always bound by the same restraints and restrictions as adults. As an education system, we must ensure that our students in all grades have the resources that allow them to foster that scientific curiosity. Students should also be encouraged to explore the issue of climate change free of politics, which can create an atmosphere of fear and intimidation that does not serve our students’ needs or help them answer their questions about the world around them. We need to help them navigate it now and into the future. As a teacher, I often found the most creative, collab orative work my students did was when I helped them with the facts and then got out of their way as they “worked the problem.” After all, it’s their world too.
Alberta Magazine Awards The ATA Magazine took home several awards from the Alberta Magazine Awards on Sept. 25. The magazine earned first place in the Editorial Package category for its feature entitled “We Are Here!” Published in the fall of 2024, We Are Here! featured the lived stories of 2SLGBTQ+ teachers in the public education sphere. In the Illustration category, the magazine earned two awards, first place for its depic- tion of teacher Michael Koehler and second place for its rendition of teacher Tom Spila. The magazine also earned second place in the Service Journalism category and was short-listed for awards in the following categories: Alberta Story, Cover, Essay and Feature Design. “This recognition reinforces that the hard work and dedication shown by our staff and contributors is translating into a top quality magazine for members,” said editor-in-chief Elissa Corsi. Editor of the year Managing editor Cory Hare was named Editor of the Year for 2024-25 at the annual Alberta Magazine Awards. “Our team of designers and editors is second to none in this industry and any success I’ve had comes from being part of this group,” Hare said in accepting the award. The Alberta Magazine Awards are spon- sored by the Alberta Magazine Publishers Association.
Spring issue hits the mark To the editor and team: please accept my congratulations on the fantastic overall look, design and content of the spring 2025 issue of the ATA Magazine . It really brings the relevancy of the publication into focus with today’s youngest and newest teachers. I love it! - Donna Swiniarski, Former ATA Coordinator, Communications
Sign up for the ATA e Magazine.
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ATA Magazine Fall 2025
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THE ALBERTA TEACHERS’ ASSOCIATION
Then AND NOW
YOU DESERVE SOME EXTRA CREDIT.
April 1962
Archival issues of the ATA Magazine can be just as relevant now as they were when originally published, or they can remind us how far we’ve come. You decide. Check out these items from the April 1962 issue of the ATA Magazine , which examined, among other topics, how changes in education interact with societal shifts.
Changing times YEARS AGO 63
The biologist has had the prob- lem of bringing his laboratory work to life. In a biology class he always tells students that “biology is the study of life" and then spends nine months trying to prove it with a parade of dead, dried, preserved, embalmed, pickled, pressed, embedded and otherwise immobilized and distorted specimens. There is seldom the use of frogs that jump, fish that swim, flowers that smell, worms that wiggle, birds that fly or humans that think. [… But] learning is truly accurate only insofar as students have oppor- tunities for a true experience with the phenomenon or materials under study. — Paul DeHart Hurd, “Teaching Science in a Changing Society”
Education is like a capital investment; an educated people is more productive. In the cold war, both the economic and the military race depend upon scientific and technological advances. Our very survival may well depend on the level of education of our people. For all of these reasons, we regard education as of broader importance and concern than that of a unit of local government. Pot holes in the streets of a city are of local concern. Pot holes in the education of the youth of a city will, in the future, affect not only that city but, because of population mobility, the whole province and nation. —“A special feature: ATA Submis- sion Regarding Urban Counties”
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The changing and evolving function of the teacher will bring about a revolution in the archi- tectural design of the schools of the future. The interrelationship between the architect, trustee and teacher will become critical if new design is to keep pace with educational change. — J. D. McFetridge “School Design – Tool or Tyrant?”
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ATA Magazine Fall 2025
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LOOKING ABROAD
main indicators of mental health: life satis- faction and adolescent suicide. Acknowledging that the two indi- cators paint only a broad picture of children's mental health, the report noted that it has been in decline for some time. Suicide trends were mixed: 43 per cent of countries, including Canada, reported improvement; 40 per cent saw worsening rates; and the remainder were stable. Life satisfaction proved more telling, with "the large majority of countries” reporting a drop in satisfaction between 2018 and 2022 (UNICEF 2025, 17). Factors associated with higher life satisfaction included regular physical activity, frequent conversations with parents or guardians and appropriate use of digital technology. In contrast, bully- ing, social isolation and limited parental contact correlated with lower satisfaction. Gender differences were notable: girls were less likely than boys to report high life satisfaction during the study period. UNICEF recommended improving access to mental health services such as counselling and social–emotional learn- ing, reducing the stigma associated with mental health, supporting families and expanding opportunities for meaningful activities that enhance children’s sense of belonging and well-being. PHYSICAL HEALTH Physical health was assessed using child mortality and obesity rates. Encouragingly, since 2020, child mortality in high-income countries has been halved, reaching just one death per 1,000 children. Most deaths now stem not from disease but from exter- nal causes such as accidents, violence or drowning. However, new challenges threaten children’s physical health. Climate change, pollution and increasingly sedentary life- styles are undermining gains from vaccines, medical advances and improved access to care. To address these issues, UNICEF called for structural reforms: affordable access to nutritious food, stricter pollution regulation, and national policies promoting healthy eating and physical activity. SKILLS The report evaluated skills using two indicators, academic skills and social skills. Academic performance was measured through PISA scores, which in 2022 showed “by far the biggest drop in test scores in the OECD-23 group of
countries…a decrease of 15 points in mathematics and 10 points in reading” (UNICEF 2025, 45). Interestingly, Canada maintained its relative position in the PISA rankings, placing sixth out of 42 countries. Potential explanations for the global decline included socioeconomic inequal- ity, disruptions caused by COVID-19 and the widespread adoption of digital technologies. Students cited social and psychological barriers as their greatest obstacles during lockdowns: lack of motivation, difficulty understanding as- signments and lack of access to learning support (UNICEF 2025, 48). Social skills, closely tied to learning outcomes, revealed further disparities. Boys were more confident in making friends, while girls and children from higher socioeconomic backgrounds demonstrated stronger empathy and emotional competencies. UNICEF recom- mended adopting a skills framework that ensures all children acquire foundational literacy, numeracy and social–emotional competencies as the basis for lifelong learning and critical thinking.
CONCLUSION The UNICEF report makes clear that while progress has been made in re- ducing child mortality in high-income countries, substantial challenges remain. Improving child well-being requires building communities where children feel they belong, equipping them to navigate a changing world and eliminating inequality. Achieving these goals demands sustained governmental commitment and financial investment. There is still much work to be done, and school systems and families have a large role to play. ATA References UNICEF Innocenti—Global Office of Research and Foresight. 2025. Innocenti Report Card 19: Child Well-Being in an Unpredictable World. Florence: UNICEF Innocenti. www. unicef.org/innocenti/media/11111/file/ UNICEF-Innocenti-Report-Card-19-Child- Wellbeing-Unpredictable-World-2025.pdf. Zafar, Amina. “Canada ranked 19th out of 36 countries in child well-being, UNICEF says.” CBC News , May 14, 2025. https://www.cbc.ca/news/ health/unicef-children-canada-1.7534521.
Children at the crossroads UNICEF's report card on the conditions shaping young lives
Lisa Everitt
Executive Staff Officer, Research, ATA
IN MAY 2025, CBC JOURNALIST Amina Zafar reported that “Canada ranks 19th out of 36 countries in well-being of children and youth, behind other wealthy countries such as the Netherlands, Denmark and France, according to a new report from UNICEF [United Nations Children’s Fund].” (“Canada ranked 19th out of 36 countries in child well-being, UNICEF says.” CBC News , May 14, 2025.) The news report raised questions about why Canada lags in child well- being when it consistently ranks highly on other global indices, such as U.S. News and World Report’s Best Countries. The UNICEF report noted the current global context is reshaping childhood. In addition to "[the] 'three Cs' – COVID-19,
conflict, and climate – childhoods are be- ing transformed by the 'two Ds' – digital technology and demographic change" (UNICEF 2025, 1). The report emphasizes that wealthy countries, including Canada, must do more to create conditions that allow children to thrive as healthy, pro- ductive citizens. Titled Innocenti Report Card 19: Child Well-Being in an Unpredictable World, the report draws on health databases and international surveys such as the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). Covering the years 2018 to 2022, it examines children’s well-being across three dimensions: mental well-being, physical health and skills. Of the 43 countries identified in the
report (mostly members of the Organi- sation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the European Union), only 36 had complete data sets, which determined the final rankings. The report framed its findings through an ecological model of child well-being, underscoring the interconnected influences of family, community and broader societal factors. MENTAL HEALTH According to the World Health Organiza- tion, mental health is more than the absence of mental illness; it also includes "elements of happiness, life satisfaction and a sense of flourishing" (UNICEF 2025, 14). To capture this dimension, the report examined two
ATA Magazine Fall 2025
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THE ALBERTA TEACHERS’ ASSOCIATION
UNSUNG HERO
Lillian Osborne: Teacher–pioneer
Margaret Shane
Archivist, ATA
LILLIAN MARY OSBORNE gradu- ated from the Toronto Normal School in 1889 at the age of 19. That year, Osborne was appointed the first woman educator in a small prairie town of 400 known as Edmonton. She was paid $600 for the year. The town’s only schoolhouse, built in 1881, had added a second classroom and Osborne was hired to be the second teacher. In hindsight, a single woman trav- elling alone to a remote community without access to support or friends must have been seen as brave. In 1889, such a journey might have been considered a dangerous voyage into the unknown. In fact, the railroad was 13 years into the future, electricity would have to wait another three years and the newfangled telephone system was a novelty. Osborne would celebrate her 36th birthday before the province of Alberta was carved out of the old Northwest Territories. As a teacher, Osborne contributed to the social advancement of her rapidly expanding community. By the time Edmonton was incorporated as a city in 1904, the population had surged to 8,350. The year 1905 brought provincial status to her prairie home. Osborne taught through World War I and watched her male colleagues march to battle in Europe. From her classroom, Osborne read the news of Vimy Ridge (1917), lived through the Spanish In- fluenza epidemic (1918), learned of the Person’s Case (1929) and saw the stock market crash (1929). Through these tumultuous times, she maintained a
powerful and reassuring presence in the lives of her students and their families. As Edmonton grew, Osborne served at a succession of what where then new, mod- ern and sturdy brick schools, including McKay Avenue, Queen’s Avenue, Queen Alexandra, Delton and Glenora schools. In 1920, Osborne voluntarily joined the Alberta Teachers’ Alliance and undertook to achieve, together with her fellow educators, professional status for teachers—a goal she would, sadly, not live to see enshrined in the Teaching Profession Act of 1935. Lillian Mary Osborne died on November 3, 1929, having taught for 40 of her 60 years. In 1983, the City of Edmonton rec- ognized Lillian Mary Osborne for her contributions to education, and in 2009 Edmonton Public Schools named Lillian Osborne High School in her honour. Sources: A Century and Ten: The History of Edmonton Public Schools and articles and newspaper clippings acquired from the City of Edmonton Archives and Alberta Teachers’ Association Archives ⊲ Got an idea? Unsung Hero is a space dedicated to honouring ATA members past and present who have had nota- ble achievements, either in the ATA or in their private lives. If you know of a member whom you feel should be recognized, please contact section editor Lindsay Yakimyshyn at lindsay.yakimyshyn@ata.ab.ca.
Miss Lillian Mary Osborne (1869–1929) Edmonton Public Schools’ first female teacher Recipient of City of Edmonton’s Historical Board Recognition Award
ATA Magazine Fall 2025
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THE ALBERTA TEACHERS’ ASSOCIATION
Wellness
Wellness supports you can count on Understanding your Employee and Family Assistance Program benefits
RECOMMENDED RESOURCE
Carlyn Volume-Smith
AT THE ALBERTA SCHOOL Employee Benefit Plan (ASEBP), we know fall is a busy time of year for teachers. New routines, packed sched- ules and shifting responsibilities can make it difficult to prioritize mental health and well-being. When the de- mands of the classroom overlap with periods of change and uncertainty, it’s natural to feel stressed. Whether it’s navigating a new curriculum or manag- ing disruptions, the start of the school year can leave even experienced educa- tors feeling overwhelmed. If you have benefits through ASEBP, the Employee and Family Assistance Program is available to help. WHAT IS AN EMPLOYEE AND FAMILY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (EFAP)? An EFAP is a confidential, personalized program that helps you and your family navigate life’s challenges and achieve your goals. An EFAP provides access to profes- sional support through phone, video or in-person sessions. ASEBP-covered members and their dependents receive a yearly service allotment that includes the following: • Four hours each of individual counsel- ling and couples counselling • Four hours each of health, career and life transition coaching • Three hours of personalized nutrition support • Unlimited financial and legal advice The program also provides access to wellness resources, self-guided tools and specialized programs for nicotine and al- cohol addiction, children’s mental health, Indigenous mental health and more. Choose from a diverse network of care professionals and book a free 15-minute
consultation to ensure you find the right practitioner for your needs. Once all counselling hours are used, you can continue with your chosen mental health professional at a rate lower than the national average and submit your receipts to ASEBP for reimbursement through the psychology benefit under your extended health benefits or your health spending account. WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF AN EFAP? One of the most valued aspects of an EFAP is its flexibility. Access support in a way that fits your schedule and comfort level—whether it be a quick phone consultation during a break, a virtual counselling session after school or an in-person session with a local practitioner. Wherever you are in your career or stage of life, an EFAP has something to offer. New teachers can access career counselling designed to help them navigate change and prevent burnout in their first year. Those starting or growing their families can connect with fertility specialists, doulas, lactation consultants and sleep consultants. Teachers prepar- ing for retirement can benefit from life transition coaching and legal advice on managing wills and estate planning. An EFAP also provides unlimited access to financial advisors who can help with debt management, budgeting, taxes, retirement savings and more. ASEBP’s EFAP is completely con- fidential, so you can access support without fear of stigma or professional repercussions. TAKE CARE OF YOU THIS FALL Fall is an excellent time to embrace new opportunities and learn more about
Chief Stakeholder Relations Officer, ASEBP
Tech for Teacher Wellness: Strategies for a Healthy Life and Sustainable Career Meredith Masar Boullion Educators are overwhelmed, and the stress of unprecedented chal- lenges in education has caused many teachers to consider leav- ing the profession. Technology is often portrayed as part of the problem, with many believing that the best way to pursue wellness is to unplug and avoid digital tools altogether. Author Meredith Masar Boullion takes a different approach, showing that technol- ogy used wisely can promote wellness, rather than undermine it. Available through the ATA library
“
the supports available to you throughout the entire year. As you navigate the months ahead, remember that caring for yourself is just as important as caring for your students. LEARN MORE AND GET STARTED AT ASEBP.CA/ EFAP The Alberta School Employee Benefit Plan is an employee life and health trust providing com- prehensive benefits to Alberta’s publicly funded K–12 educa- tion sector. Coverage includes extended health, dental, vision, life insurance and disability support. ASEBP also offers health and wellness spending accounts, an employee and family assistance program and continued retiree benefits through the MyRetiree Plan. ATA
What’s your go-to wellness app?
Headspace. My school division pays for this app for its employees, and I use the sleepcasts almost every night during the school year to turn my brain off so I can actually fall asleep. —Melanie Hunt-Girouard The Calm app is great for sleep stories. A couple of years ago, they gave lifetime access to their pro account for educators. —Crystal Brophy
Caring for yourself is just as important as caring for your students.
”
Getting off an app and walking and connecting with nature.
— Robin Senger
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THE ALBERTA TEACHERS’ ASSOCIATION
Technology
Plan like a pro with AI Staying in the driver’s seat
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) has quickly become part of the education conversation, but for many teachers, using AI can feel like driving on an unfamiliar road with sharp turns and hidden dangers. AI can be a powerful support, not a replacement, for profes- sional judgment. We can think of it like a high-performance car: the teacher is in the driver’s seat, deciding the route, the pace and the destination. With the right approach, AI can help you work more efficiently and with greater impact. NAVIGATING THE ROAD When beginning with a new curricu- lum, subject or grade level, AI can help teachers quickly build background know- ledge. It can clarify learning outcomes, highlight common misconceptions and suggest real-world connections across the curriculum. AI can also serve as a thinking partner, broadening perspec- tives by developing multiple viewpoints such as student, parent, academic or other important perspectives. In everyday planning, AI can help with brainstorming, organizing and refining ideas, giving teachers back valuable time to focus on instruction and students—things that drive their joy in the profession. SHIFTING GEARS AI becomes most effective when it helps teachers move from generic lesson materials to intentional lesson design. By identifying proven teaching, engagement and assessment practices to be included in the lesson design, teachers can prompt AI to generate activities that build these strategies into lessons from the start. This approach also applies to Alberta’s KUSP framework (knowledge, under- standing, skills/procedures). Teachers can ask AI to generate tasks that target specific key KUSP components. Rather than accepting a general lesson plan on a component, teachers can focus their prompting on what they know to be most important. AI can also support differen- tiation by suggesting tiered activities, scaffolds for English language learners, enrichment tasks and more.
Over the horizon Watch for upcoming ATA profess- ional development opportunities, including workshops/seminars, YouTube content and self-paced courses, where these ideas will be explored in greater depth. AI WORKSHOPS AVAILABLE AI Tools to Amplify Your Pro- fessionalism and Save Time Explore how generative AI can create personalized content, assessments and more. We’ll guide you through a process that balances efficiency with crea- tivity, ensuring you remain the architect of exceptional learning experiences. Plus, let’s delve into professional considerations— because AI is not just about algorithms; it’s about impact. Prompting for Teacher Success Learn how to craft effective prompts to get tailored, high-quality results including generating engaging lesson plans, creating differentiated instructional materials or brain- storming new pedagogical strategies. Perfect for beginners and seasoned tech users alike, this session will equip you with practical skills to use AI as a creative collab- orator and thinking partner. Using AI to Enhance Human Centred Work In this workshop, participants will explore strategies that leverage
AI to enhance communication and connection. We will explore the intersection of AI and our social and emotional world, professional considerations for leveraging AI tools for human-centered work and versatile strategies that work with a variety of AI tools.
Danny Maas
Acting Associate Coordinator, Professional Development, ATA
Visit this website for information about scheduling a workshop: https://
abteach.cc/PdAiWorkshops.
Questions may be directed to pdworkshops@ata.ab.ca.
“ AI becomes
Knowledge, understanding, skills/procedures (KUSP)
most effective when it helps teachers move from generic lesson materials to intentional lesson design."
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Beyond text, AI tools can create images, slides or activity ideas that save preparation time and spark creativity. They can even draft formative assessment items, rubrics and feedback prompts, which lighten the workload while keeping the teacher in control. At its best, AI acts as a co-planner, helping teachers bring clarity and efficiency to their work. AVOIDING PITFALLS Teachers should be aware of potential risks. Protecting student privacy is essen- tial. Identifiable student work, images or video should not be uploaded into AI tools without careful consideration of division policy and appropriate permis- sions. Accuracy and bias also matter. AI outputs must be reviewed and adapted to fit the right students in the right ways at the right times in our classrooms, and teachers are the best judges of that.
Open communication with adminis- trators, colleagues, parents and students about how AI is being used helps build understanding and trust. When used best, AI enhances profes- sional expertise and never replaces it. LOOKING AHEAD By using AI wisely, teachers can save time for what matters most: building relationships, providing feedback and encouraging creativity in the classroom. Teachers are in the driver’s seat. AI is here to support the journey. ATA
The preceding article is a condensed version of a new ATA resource that is in development entitled: Plan Like a Pro with AI: Staying in the Driver’s Seat , which is scheduled for release sometime this year.
AI Optimism: A Guide to Redefining Artificial Intelligence in Education Becky Keene Available through the ATA library
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Diversity
Inclusive Chronicles podcast
to navigate their learning experiences. For example, we do not assume that all students have the skills to navigate a group-work disagreement. Rather, we include explicit teaching of group-work skills as part of our instruction and model them from day to day. SEL is easier to bring into your classroom than you might think. While there are many proprietary (and costly) SEL programs out there, you don’t need a premade program to incorporate social and emotional skills into your teaching. Here are a few simple ways to weave SEL into what you’re already doing. 1. TEACH A MINILESSON Identify a social or emotional skill your students need to complete a learn- ing activity. Before the activity, teach a three-to-five minute minilesson on how the skill works and what it looks like or sounds like. • In math, demonstrate a coping strategy for calming test anxiety. • In physical education, discuss what it sounds like to communicate with teammates. • In science, create language for dealing with disagreements during a group project. • Before recess, discuss what it sounds like to compromise with a friend. 2. MODEL IT Students learn social and emotional skills by watching you. Share your own strategies for managing feeling overwhelmed, resolving conflicts or bouncing back from mistakes. Make a deliberate choice to use the social and emotional skills and strategies you teach your students. 3. CONNECT TO THE CURRICULUM • In language arts, discuss how a character’s feelings and thoughts influ- ence their actions. • In social studies, explore current events by focusing on perspective- taking skills. • In science, highlight persistence and empathy skills during experi- ments and group work. • Before recess, share that the group-work skill you just used during science can also work well for playing with friends. 4. CELEBRATE WINS Notice and name specific social and emotional successes: "I saw how you included your partner in today’s group-work task—great teamwork!" LIVING SEL An impactful approach to SEL is all about the people who lead and live the work. It’s not about choosing the “perfect” program or being the “perfect” human in front of our students. Rather, when we are human with our stu- dents, and pull the curtain back on our own feelings, thoughts and ways of managing emotions and relationships, we are living SEL. ATA
Kelsey Bagnall
Communications Officer, Council for Inclusive Education
The Inclusive Chronicles: Tips and Tricks for Inclusive Education in Alberta podcast, launched by the Council for Inclusive Education (CIE) in 2024, equips teachers across the province with tips and tools to create equitable learning environments. Since its debut, the Inclusive Chronicles podcast has been empowering teachers with actionable strategies, inspiring interviews and insightful professional development. This podcast helps to bridge the gap between theory and practice to help Alberta teachers foster inclusive classrooms and ensure every student thrives. Inclusive Chronicles is committed to collaboration and responsiveness, and actively seeks input from Alberta teachers to ensure their voices and needs are reflected in the content. Share your ideas for the podcast through the CIE’s website at www.cieducation.ca.
The transformative effect of SEL How (and why) to bring social and emotional learning into your classroom
BUILDING A PRODUCTIVE and resilient classroom community takes more than great lesson plans—it takes heart. That’s where social and emo- tional learning (SEL) comes in. WHAT IS SEL? SEL is a powerful, universal support tool for creating caring, safe and pro- ductive learning environments for our students. SEL focuses on five areas of social and emotional competence: 1. Self-awareness
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2. Self-management 3. Social awareness 4. Relationship skills 5. Responsible decision making
WHY SEL MATTERS Decades of research by organizations like the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning have shown that, when embedded in all subject areas and grade levels, SEL bolsters student learning, productive behaviour and personal growth by giving students the skills they need to manage emotions, connect with others and make future-focused decisions. All of this sets students up for success beyond our classroom walls. Further, teachers share that, in teaching a social or emotional skill to their students, they also experience social and emotional benefits from modeling the skill. BRINGING SEL INTO YOUR CLASSROOM Including SEL as part of our instructional approach involves focusing on teaching and modelling specific social and emotional skills students need
Terra Kaliszuk
Executive Staff Officer, Professional Development, ATA
Learning to Relearn: Supporting Iden- tity in a Culturally Affirming Classroom Kwame Sarfo-Mensah
Learn more about the benefits of SEL on the website for the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning, https://casel.org/
Available through the ATA library
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Feature
Climate change demands bold action. Education must play a role.
Cory Hare
The Paris Agreement* Humanity’s efforts to address climate change are centred around the 2015 Paris Agreement, a legally binding framework that compels nearly all nations to limit global temperature increase to well below 2°C—preferably 1.5°C—above preindustrial levels, with the goal to achieve net-zero emissions by mid-century. The treaty's temperature goals are based on the scientific consensus that warming beyond 2°C risks catastrophic climate impacts, and that 1.5°C is a much safer threshold.
THE WORLD NEEDS HELP. Teachers have a vital role to play in the global effort to address climate change by educating students and creating space for them to identify, understand and express their feelings about living on a rapidly changing planet. Being knowledgeable about the causes and consequences of climate change, as well as the world’s responses to it, can give teachers the confidence to handle challenging questions that may arise during class discussions. Such knowledge can also help teachers dispel misinformation as they help students navigate their feelings about the future. It’s also important for teachers to understand that it’s okay not to have all the answers while still feeling empowered to take the lead in exploring, together with students, this highly complex topic. Ȥ Adapted from An Educator’s Guide to Climate Emotions . Climate Psychology Alliance, North America.
5 key facts about climate change 1. It’s real. 2. It’s us. 3. It’s bad. 4. Scientists agree. 5. There’s hope. Ȥ An Educator’s Guide to Climate Emotions. Climate Psychology Alliance, North America.
Managing Editor, ATA Magazine
*Notes • Adopted by 195 parties at the UN Climate Change Confer- ence (COP21) in Paris, France in December 2015 • Entered into force on November 4, 2016 • Article 12 calls for signatories to “enhance climate change education.”
A record year 2024 1. was the hottest year on record (1.55°C higher than the preindustrial average), and 2. was the first year in which the global mean temperature was more than 1.5°C above the preindustrial average. Ȥ World Meteorological Organization
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Teachers and climate change education A Q&A with Canada’s foremost expert
DR. ELLEN FIELD is an assistant professor in the Faculty of Educa- tion at Lakehead University-Orillia, where she teaches climate change education and environmental education. Her research focuses on the policy and practice of climate change education. She is widely regarded as Canada’s foremost expert in climate change education in the K–12 sector. The ATA Magazine sat down with Dr. Field to discuss her research and her message for teachers and system leaders. (Responses have been edited for length and clarity.) Q. What role can schools and teachers play in addressing such a complex, global issue like climate change? A. The data has been clear on climate change for over 50 years. Have our systems changed accord- ingly? No. So we need to actually learn our way through it, and I think one of the ways that we can learn differently is by learning in schools that it’s okay to change our position based on the information we’re learning. So the classroom can be this very powerful intervention to build some of the capacities that we know the world needs more than ever. At the same time, young people are already hearing about cli- mate change in the news and
slowly shifts over time. But teachers don’t need to wait. They can integrate content and update their practices much faster, and our research shows that motivated teachers do and are teaching climate in subjects where there may not be direct curriculum links. Math, health and art are subjects where we find teachers bringing in climate content. Teachers also have tons of experience in terms of how to scaffold a lesson that’s appropriate for the students in their room based on the subject they’re teaching. I think we sometimes forget that teachers are very good at planning, very good at thinking about who the students in the room are and what their needs are, so often they just need a little bit of support or professional development to integrate it. Probably after six hours of support,
Action-oriented • Use teaching methods that are partici- patory and place-based. • Focus on collective action. Justice-focused • Link and strategize with other justice-related issues. • Address who benefits and who is most affected by our collective inaction. A. There are many climate change teach- ing resources available. Our research has shown that when it comes to teaching climate change, most teachers create their own lesson plans or pick aspects from already developed resources from environmental nonprofits. I think it is important to think about their subject, their students and their local experiences of climate change, and then look for climate activities that will align. See "Recommended Resources" on page 28. you could have a lot of teachers feeling a lot more confident. Q. Where can teachers turn for this type of support if it’s not available through their employer?
increasingly experiencing its effects in their daily lives. When schools fail to address climate change in substantive ways, it creates cognitive dissonance, sending the message that what students are living through doesn’t matter in their formal education. For schools to be responsive, they need to respond to climate change across multiple dimensions: integrating it into curriculum, updating school policies and practices, preparing for climate-related emergencies, and helping students understand both the urgency of the crisis and the pathways to action. This includes building skills for participating in low-carbon economies and build- ing resilient communities. Q. Here in Alberta, many teach- ers are in a situation where the students come from households that rely on fossil fuels for their livelihood. How can they address climate change in that type of setting? A. I think approaching it as an inquiry project and really focusing on an openness to learning. There needs to be an agreement among students that the learning is not going to fall into personal attacks, and that opinions can be ex- pressed, and the learning space is a place to really investigate and learn more about these topics that are
very political and very controversial at times. You don’t want to necessarily be positioning that this is the absolute way to see an issue. You can talk about the consensus of the science, but when it comes to implementa- tion of policy and projects, these are challenging things and you do have to weigh environmental, social and economic impacts. These are complex topics, so they need complex pedagogy and processes for students to be able to learn that complexity. As soon as we start to flatten it and say, well, we all have to be antipipeline or we all have to be propipeline, that’s problematic. So we need to cultivate that willingness to learn and also to learn from each other and to do more research and have flexibility in our position based on what we’re learning. Q. Teachers in the K–12 system are required to teach the curricu- lum that’s created by government. Given this constraint, what is your message to teachers who are con- cerned about climate change? A. Our curriculum is still quite dated, and I think we need to find whatever windows we can as teachers to be responsive to all of the ways that life in the 21st century is changing. It’s often through motivated teachers that this happens, and then policy
Scientific consensus “Human activities, principally through emissions of green- house gases, have unequivocally caused global warming …” “Global fossil fuel use will need to decline substantially by 2050 to limit warming to 2°C, and it must decline substantially by 2030 to limit warming to 1.5°C.”
Modelling shows that limiting warming to 1.5°C requires immediate, rapid reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
Learning dimensions of climate change education Cross-disciplinary research suggests climate change education should focus on the following learning dimensions. Cognitive • Teach the scientific consensus on climate change. • Foster critical-thinking skills and media literacy. Socio-emotional
More money is being invested in fossil fuel development than cli- mate adaptation and mitigation.
Reduction in greenhouse gas emissions on an individual behaviour’s basis will not result in humanity collectively keeping warming to 1.5 degrees. Instead, it requires government and cor- porate leadership.
• Incorporate socio-emotional con- siderations to overcome feelings of ecoanxiety, denial and inaction.
Ȥ Source: UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
Ȥ Source: Responding to Climate Change: A Primer for K–12 Education .
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