Recently I was asked by a former colleague of mine if I would be interested in presenting to his Social Context of Schooling course at the University of Lethbridge (U of L). I jumped at the chance, as I believe it is important for the ATA to work with preservice teacher programs across the province. After all, they are the future of the profession. Visiting the U of L is always fun for me since it’s where I received my undergraduate degrees, and those walls hold many fond memories. I even had that moment of feeling old when one student indicated he was once in my Grade 11 English class at Kate Andrews. A full circle moment indeed.
The students in the class asked thoughtful and inquisitive questions about the issues facing education today. The conversation ranged from funding to curriculum to artificial intelligence in schools to 2SLGBTQIA+ policies and the politics that surround education these days. This group of students had had one round of practicum experience and asked questions that really got to the heart of the issues they had experienced. Like many of us, they are concerned about public education and want to make a difference in the lives of young people. It was inspiring to be in that space, to witness and share their enthusiasm, if only for a few hours.
They also demonstrated the desire to engage authentically in learning and incorporate Indigenous ways and culture into their lessons and pedagogy. We even had a brief conversation about Kendrick Lamar’s stunning Super Bowl halftime performance and how important it is to incorporate what kids see in their lives into the classroom. Finally, as the clock ticked away the minutes, we talked about the importance of hope and how that intermingles with advocacy. As much as these students could see the issues in education, they also wanted to see the hope in education. This was a good opportunity to talk about the reasons why we all chose education as a career, how when times are tough, it is important to remember the reasons why we teach.
As I rolled out of the parking lot, it occurred to me that working with students — regardless of their age — will always put a smile on my face. And I can’t wait to see these students join our profession very soon. ❚
I welcome your comments. Contact me at jason.schilling@ata.ab.ca.
