Supporting Educators' Professional Learning: The Work of Canadian Teacher Organizations

• In Event: The Dreams, Possibilities, and Necessity of Educators' Professional Learning in North America

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of this article is to explore the work of teacher organizations (also known as teacher unions) in supporting the development of high-quality learning experiences for their members. Adopting what Johnson (2004) refers to as the “possibilities perspective” of teacher organizations, the paper positions Canadian teacher organizations as an integral component in teacher professional learning; developing and implementing a host of collaborative teacher-led learning initiatives, often in collaboration with other educational stakeholders, and securing the right of access to professional learning through the collective bargaining process.

Methods and Data Sources: This paper draws on data collected as part of the larger study of professional learning in Canada, with a focus on relevant data across sources around the work of Canadian teacher organizations with respect to professional learning. This included an analysis of provisions for professional learning within collective agreement documents from across the country, a scan of jurisdictional level websites and online catalogues for evidence of professional learning opportunities, as well as interview and survey data gathered as part of the data collection process for the larger study also served to inform the paper.

Results: Canadian teacher organizations place a priority focus on supporting member engagement in a variety of high-quality learning and leadership experiences, including guaranteed professional learning funding secured though the collective bargaining process for the majority of teachers. Moreover, professional learning within Canadian teacher organizations is often teacher-led, respectful of teacher time and expertise, and has a strong focus on teachers’ learning from and with their colleagues; elements which the literature identifies as features of high-quality professional learning. These accomplishments have been aided by a long-standing support for public education, which is a highly-valued element of Canadian culture (CEA, 2007; Hart & Kempf, 2015). Moreover, with over 95% of Canadian students attending public schools, there is little in the way of non-unionized teaching in Canada. Hence, teacher organizations in Canada have carved out an important role for themselves, not only in traditional issues of collective bargaining, but also around professional learning, which they position as being an important part of their mandate. Recognizing the capacity of these organizations, most governments in Canada’ have worked with teacher organizations around professional learning, even when they have not agreed over other issues. That being said, considering data from the larger study, the advocacy work of Canadian teachers and teachers’ federations around issues of equity of access and teacher autonomy in directing their own learning remain as an area of continued importance.

Significance: This article challenges the faction of literature that paints teacher organizations as keepers of the status quo and fills a gap in the literature around the work of teacher organizations to positively impact educational change and support the continued growth and development of their members. Moreover, the findings constitute an opening of a conversation regarding the work of teacher organizations as professional learning providers that, ideally, will deepen the space for further collaborations between teacher organizations and other educational stakeholders.

Authors

• Pamela Janie Osmond-Johnson, University of Regina

• Carol Campbell, University of Toronto - OISE

• Brenton Cyriel Faubert, University of Western Ontario