Alberta's early-career teachers facing significant challenges

Alberta's early-career teachers are vital to the profession, fostering growth not only in students but also in their communities. They infuse schools across the province with innovative ideas and fresh perspectives. The Teaching Profession Act outlines the Alberta Teachers' Association's (ATA’s) responsibilities in this area, including promoting teaching excellence among those new to the profession, supporting teacher preparation and certification programs, and advancing professional growth across the career of a teacher.

Entering the teaching profession has always presented unique challenges. However, in today's context of large class sizes, increased complexity and underfunding, these challenges have only intensified. Recognizing the limited research on early-career teaching, the ATA, in partnership with Thelma Gunn of the University of Lethbridge as coprincipal investigator, initiated a groundbreaking longitudinal study of early-career teachers. This research now has over five years of survey data, both before and after the pandemic. It delves into the lived experiences of Alberta's early-career teachers, highlighting their voices and the obstacles they face, and proposes strategies to help them flourish in their roles.

Understanding the complex Alberta context

The 2024 research underscores a backdrop of increasing workload and declining job satisfaction for beginning teachers. These challenges, which the entire profession is enduring, are compounded by classroom complexities, rising misinformation and disinformation about the teaching profession, literacy and numeracy testing that teachers see as low value, curriculum that is developmentally inappropriate, and communities where K–12 education is becoming increasingly politicized and polarized. New teachers often describe feeling overwhelmed as they navigate growing bureaucratic demands, coordination of student behaviour and engagement, and their own mental health.

The survey results reveal critical gaps in the education system with respect to demographics, mentorship, preparedness and inclusion.

The ATA’s research identifies five essential strategies to help early-career teachers not only survive but also thrive in their professional journeys.

1. Mentorship (formal or informal)

Beginning teachers repeatedly emphasize the need for meaningful mentorship. 

“New teachers need a mentor who is in their school,” one participant noted, “someone who will actually check up on them at least once a week.” 

Effective mentorship fosters a sense of belonging and professional growth, yet 79 per cent of respondents report the absence of a formal mentor in their schools. 

2. Workload and administrative supports

Teachers consistently report the overwhelming nature of bureaucratic and administrative tasks. Reducing unnecessary paperwork, especially in relation to growing literacy and numeracy testing, along with removing “red-tape” administrative duties that are unnecessary may significantly improve teachers’ ability to focus on teaching.

3. Classroom management and behaviour supports

Managing classroom behaviour remains a significant challenge for many new teachers. Professional development tailored to practical behaviour management strategies (rather than abstract theories) can equip teachers to build positive and effective learning environments. Teachers also request targeted resources to support diverse learners and inclusive education.

4. Mental health and well-being

The research highlights a crisis in teacher well-being, not unlike the three in four across the profession who have moderate to extreme concerns about teacher mental health. Unrealistic class sizes, unsupported student needs and the inability to disconnect from work have led to widespread burnout. Supporting teacher well-being through mental health resources, manageable workloads and policies that protect personal time is essential if we are to keep this next generation of teachers thriving within the profession. 

5. Employment supports, guidance and relevant professional growth

Teachers frequently report confusion about navigating their professional responsibilities, from understanding contracts to planning for retirement. The ATA is looking at this with the intention of creating more accessible resources and opportunities focused on practical guidance that will empower new teachers to confidently manage their careers.

A shared responsibility

Helping early-career teachers feel effective in their work requires collective action. Schools, government bodies and the ATA must all work together to implement these strategies as informed by the research findings. Veteran teachers, most especially, have a crucial role to play as mentors and advocates, creating cultures of deep collaboration and responsive in-school support(s). Through a deliberate and coordinated effort, we can build a public education system where early-career teachers don’t just survive to the end of the week or month but flourish throughout their careers to become mentors themselves one day.  

ATA research

The early years of practice

% of early-career teachers who ...

Demographics

Mentorship

Prepardness