WE ARE teachers.TEACHING IS OUR

profession.

who we are...

WE ARE teachers.TEACHING IS OUR

profession.

MISSIONThe Alberta Teachers’Association, as theprofessional organization of teachers, promotes andadvances public education,safeguards standards ofprofessional practice andserves as the advocate forits members.

HISTORYWhen John WalkerBarnett – a teacher andformer member of theNational Union ofTeachers in England –immigrated to Alberta in

1917, he was shocked by the deplorable workingconditions for teachers, which included poorwages and wrongful dismissals. Through hisefforts, the Alberta Teachers’ Alliance wasestablished in 1918.

In 1935, the government passed the TeachingProfession Act, which gave the Alberta Teachers’Association (ATA) its legal foundation.

In 1936, the act was amended to requiremandatory ATA membership for all certificatedteachers employed by a public or separateschool board.

Over the next ten years, the governmentapproved legislation giving teachers a processfor appealing dismissals, a pension plan and theright to bargain collectively.

In 1942, Alberta’s first faculty of education wasestablished at the University of Alberta.

what we do...

WE ARE teachers.TEACHING IS OUR

profession.

TEACHER PROFESSIONALISMOne of the most important functions of theAlberta Teachers’ Association is to maintain thehigh regard the Alberta public has for teachers.This is done by upholding standards related toteacher education, practice and conduct.

Alberta’s teachers are among the best in theworld, and the ATA supports the highestprofessional standards. Teacher competency, asoutlined by the Teaching Quality Standard, isupheld by the Association’s Practice Reviewprocess. Standards of conduct prescribed by theCode of Professional Conduct are enforcedthrough the Association’s discipline process.

The ATA represents the interests of teachers onissues of teacher education and certificationthrough liaisons with Alberta Education andAlberta’s universities. It also operates, at arm’slength, the Teacher Qualifications Service (TQS),which is responsible for evaluating teachereducation for salary purposes.

ADVANCING TEACHING QUALITYThe ATA is the premier provider of teacherprofessional development in education in Alberta.Each year, the ATA organizes hundreds of

institutes and workshops; dozens of conferences,seminars and symposiums; and ten teachers’conventions that are planned and operated byregional boards and funded through ATA fees.

The Association’s 21 specialist councils foster theprofessional development (PD) of teachersinterested in common curriculum for specialtyareas. Through organizing annual conferences,producing publications, maintaining websites and offering regional workshops and seminars,specialist councils provide members withopportunities to share ideas and gather newinformation. One of the benefits of activemembership in the ATA is the opportunity to joinone specialist council each year at no cost.

Every year, the Association organizes and hosts a number of professional developmentopportunities, including annual conferences foradministrators and beginning teachers. With thehelp of teacher instructors and facilitators, theATA also supports school-based professionaldevelopment by coordinating numerousworkshops and events.

The ATA Library houses an extensive collection ofbooks, periodicals, videos and other resources tohelp teachers advance the quality of theirteaching practice.

ENSURING FAIR TEACHERCOMPENSATIONThe Alberta Teachers’ Association is thebargaining agent for all teachers employed bypublic, separate and francophone schooljurisdictions in the province, as well as for school-based administrators, and nearly allcentral-office-based teachers andadministrators. Salary, benefits and employmentconditions are negotiated by experienced andeffective Association bargainers, who ensurethat collective agreements are followed.

The ATA also represents the interests ofteachers on the boards of the Alberta SchoolEmployee Benefit Plan and the AlbertaTeachers’ Retirement Fund.

RESPONDING TO TEACHER CONCERNSAdvice is available from executive staff officers,who are well recognized for their expertise and knowledge. They can provide help onvirtually all issues related to professional life,including contracts, evaluation, medical issues,maternity, benefits, retirement andprofessional development.

The Association gives professional educational advice to members focused solelyon their interests.

Association staff is available to representindividual teachers in meetings or hearingsrelated to any employment-related issue,including disciplinary matters, transfers and terminations. If it is necessary, the ATA will obtain legal advice or assistance for its members.

Teachers are encouraged to call for assistancewhen employment-related issues arise. All calls are confidential, and courses of actionare left to the discretion of the member.

780-447-9400 in Edmonton 1-800-232-7208 from elsewhere in Alberta

advocacy

SPEAKING OUT FOR TEACHERSAs outlined in the Teaching Profession Act, theAlberta Teachers’ Association is the voice of theteaching profession in Alberta and advocates onbehalf of teachers and students.

To ensure that the profession speaks from aposition of knowledge and authority, the ATAconducts research on a variety of issues related toeducation, teaching and learning. Its advocacywork includes public relations and politicalengagement activities to promote publiceducation and the professional role of teachers.

To keep members informed and up to date onprofessional, legal and political issues, theAssociation produces many publications,including the ATA News, a biweekly newspaper,the ATA Magazine, a quarterly magazine, as wellas scholarly journals and educational researchmonographs. It also maintains an informativewebsite at www.teachers.ab.ca.

HOW WE FUNCTIONThe ATA is a democratic organization governed by teacher representatives elected from themembership. Teachers are organized into local associations (based on school jurisdictions)

whose executives are made up of active teachersfrom that local. Association policies and annualbudget are set at the Annual RepresentativeAssembly (ARA), which is attended byapproximately 450 teacher delegates selected by their local associations. ARA is held each May long weekend, and alternates betweenEdmonton and Calgary.

The Provincial Executive Council serves as theexecutive branch of the Association. It consists of fifteen district representatives and five tableofficers (the president, two vice-presidents, a past president and the executive secretary). The president, vice-presidents and districtrepresentatives are elected every two yearsthrough direct ballot of active and associate ATA members.

MAKE A DIFFERENCE –GET INVOLVEDThe well-being of the teaching profession is dependent on the hard work of nearly 3,000 teacher volunteers. The ATA is its members.

All ATA subgroups – locals, specialistcouncils and teachers’ conventionboards – are operated by teacherrepresentatives. The continued successof these groups requires the infusion ofnew ideas and the active involvement of members. Teachers interested incontributing to their professionalorganization can get involved bycontacting their school representative oremailing getinvolved@ata.ab.ca for more information.

The Association also needs consultants,instructors, facilitators and committeemembers. These positions give teachers the opportunity to share and developvaluable skills and knowledge in a numberof professional areas. Check the ATAwebsite (www.teachers.ab.ca) and the ATA News for information on how to apply.

WE ARE teachers.TEACHING IS OUR

profession.

www.teachers.ab.ca780-447-9400 in Edmonton 1-800-232-7208 from elsewhere in Alberta