Early-career Alberta teachers Looking ahead
Phil McRae
Associate Coordinator, Research, ATA
EACH YEAR, the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) surveys early-career teachers (those within their first five years of practice). In June 2025, more than 700 teachers shared their experiences, high- lighting issues of mentorship, classroom practice, well-being and inclusion in Alberta schools. Many survey respondents showed resilience and deep commitment to stu- dents yet reported high stress and burnout tied to heavy workloads, limited support and the demands of inclusive education. Informal mentorship was common, but formal structures were rare, raising concerns about sustainability and reten- tion. Even so, most early-career teachers expressed a strong sense of purpose, grounded in their connections with stu- dents and a drive to grow professionally. KEY 2025 FINDINGS The study highlighted several critical themes shaping early-career experiences. • Mentorship and support: Seventy-eight per cent of early-career teachers reported no access to a formal mentor, with 62 per cent relying on a trusted colleague for support. • Well-being and retention: Over 65 per cent reported frequent emotional exhaustion, and many considered leaving the profession or transferring schools. • Inclusion challenges: About 40 per cent felt current inclusive practices were ineffective due to class sizes, student safety concerns, lack of educational assistants and insufficient specialist support.
behaviour with inconsistent or absent consequences • Loss of prep time and unsustainable work intensification, compounding stress • Insufficient mentorship and unclear leadership support, leaving many new teachers isolated • Underfunded classrooms, curriculum shifts and new policies (including book bans) introduced without resources or time LOOKING AHEAD: 2025–2030 LONGITUDINAL STUDY To better prepare for emerging and future challenges as identified in the annual survey, the ATA is expanding an ongoing longitudinal study, which is following one cohort of more than 100 beginning teachers over five years, from self-efficacy to include broader structural forces and emerging areas of impact. These new forces/areas include the financial burden of postsecondary educa- tion (now being cited in other Canadian research as a potential “stranded public asset”); housing affordability in Alberta; the integration of artificial intelligence and other technologies into teaching and learning; and systemic factors contributing to stress and burnout beyond work inten- sification issues, such as social siloing and professional isolation, where new teachers are rarely mixing with others of different socioeconomic status. Additionally, the impacts of extreme weather (fires, floods, storms, winds and cold snaps) and broader sustained climate change on Alberta teacher and student well-being will be tracked over the five- year longitudinal study. ATA
DECLINING TEACHER SELF- EFFICACY (2022–2025)
A growing number of early-career teachers described their work as “un- sustainable,” “unsafe” or “drowning,” reflecting an erosion of confidence in their ability to teach effectively. This decline in self-efficacy—teachers’ belief in their capacity to engage students, manage classrooms and adapt to diverse needs—has been steady across four years of ATA research. High self-efficacy is linked to re- silience, student success and effective practice. Its decline contributes to stress, burnout and attrition. The main concerns identified in 2025 were the following: 1. Classroom management: Teachers increasingly felt unsafe and powerless. 2. Differentiated instruction in inclusive settings: Complex, diverse classrooms left teachers feeling overwhelmed and distressed. 3. Student engagement and motivation: Aggression and behavioural issues undermined teachers’ ability to in- spire learning. 4. Collaboration with families and special- ists: Teachers felt increasingly unable to partner effectively to meet student needs. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS The decline in teacher self-efficacy is tied to a combination of systemic and class- room challenges: • Larger, more complex classes without sufficient educational assistants or specialist support • Disruptive and aggressive student
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THE ALBERTA TEACHERS’ ASSOCIATION
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