The government is continuing to use curriculum as a political battleground and has labeled the Alberta Teachers’ Association and anyone else who speaks out as the enemy, said Jacquie Skytt, an ATA curriculum expert and the latest recipient of the organization’s honorary membership award.
Skytt made her comments while accepting the award at this year’s Annual Representative Assembly.
“Sadly, education policy in Alberta has been co-opted by politics, and it is now the battleground of politicians who will tell lies, attack teachers, and some even bully students to gain the attention of voters,” Skytt said.
Skytt joined ATA staff in 1996 as an executive staff officer in the Professional Development program area. She rose to the position of assistant executive secretary before retiring in 2013. Despite her retirement, she remained heavily involved in several projects. Her most recent contribution was analyzing data the ATA gathered from teachers on the new curriculum. Skytt said this was one of the most difficult projects she’s ever done.
“I analyzed the survey data and read all the thousands of comments submitted by teachers,” Skytt said.
“I was emotionally drained from reading these comments because the teacher respondents poured out their hearts and they were so desperate to improve the draft curriculum for their students.”
Skytt said she witnessed a far more collaborative working relationship between Alberta Education and the ATA when she was working with Alberta Education during the 1990 curriculum rewrite. Skytt recalled the deputy minister giving his staff clear instructions that the teachers are the professionals and shouldn’t be told how to teach. Skytt noted how the tone and approach have changed.
“Recently, we have seen intrusions by powerful organizations to try to influence how you teach,” she said. “As a profession, teachers are masters of their professional practice, and you must resist the efforts of people who want to dictate how to teach your students. This is our turf.” ❚
Jacquie Skytt accepts congratulations from past president Greg Jeffery after being introduced as a recipient of the ATA’s honorary membership award.
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