Teachers are feeling less isolated this year, but stress levels remain high while classes grow more complex. Those are the findings of the ATA’s latest pulse survey.

Conducted in the fall of 2022, the latest in a series of pulse surveys that began in 2020 asked teachers and school leaders about their well-being, class size and conditions, class complexity, COVID-19 and more.

Some of the results from the most recent survey include:

• more than 90 per cent of teachers report feeling exhausted by the end of each day;
• nearly 40 per cent of teachers report having class sizes between 30 and 40 students, with the average size being in the mid-30s;
• the majority of teachers report spending their own personal funds to acquire resources to help with teaching the new curriculum.

ATA president Jason Schilling said the responses reinforce a growing body of data showing that Alberta teachers and school leaders are experiencing unsustainable levels of stress.

“This is taking a huge emotional toll,” he said, “which is why it’s critical that we keep putting pressure on our elected officials to properly fund public education.”
The survey results represent responses received from more than 800 teachers and school leaders.

Other findings are summarized below.

Class size and conditions of professional practice

% of school leaders reporting class size increases in their schools 73
% of teachers reporting increases in their class sizes 65
% of respondents reporting an increase in diagnostic testing across grade levels 60
% of respondents reporting a decrease in supports for students with exceptionalities 57

Complexity

% of school leaders who reported an increase in the complexity of their student populations 88
% of teachers who reported an increase in the complexity of their classrooms 86

 Effects of COVID-19

% of teachers who reported that students in their classrooms are struggling with learning 86
% of teachers who reported students having gaps in their understanding of curriculum 84

 

Cory Hare

About

Cory Hare is the managing editor of The Learning Team.