A mind-blowing tech revolution is bearing down on you as an educator. Open AI’s ChatGPT and a hundred variations of artificial intelligence are about to delight and terrify you as they claim space in your professional life. Even though AI apps and products might worry or upset you now, future you will use them as routinely as you now use Google. Kirsten Thompson, president of the Manitoba Association of Educational Technology Leaders (MAETL), is deep into ChatGPT. She says artificial intelligence can help write lesson plans and class newsletters, craft grant applications, prepare slide decks ..read more

Centring traditional Indigenous knowledge and science is the driving idea behind the Tipis and Telescopes event which was held in Winnipeg in May, and hosted nearly 160 students from Frontier, Louis Riel, St. James-Assiniboia and Seven Oaks School Divisions. The Tipis and Telescopes workshops were presented by local Elders and Knowledge Keepers including Winnipeg’s own “star guy” Elder Wilfred Buck who is an expert in Indigenous star-lore, as well as Dr. Juan-Carlos Chavez, a US-based researcher in Indigenous knowledge. “A big purpose of this event was to empower Indigenous kids with Indigenou ..read more

With anti-2SLGBTQI hate on the rise, and homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia remaining rampant in schools, it’s more important than ever that we all come together to create safe and inclusive schools for 2SLGBTQI students. Egale Canada’s new back-to-school resources have been developed to complement our existing Inclusive Schools initiatives that teachers across Canada have been using in their classrooms for decades. Egale’s national report, Still in Every Class in Every School, shows that 2SLGBTQI students continue to face unacceptable amounts of discrimination, harassment, and bullying. Th ..read more

Anticipation rises, and musicians create a cacophony of sounds as they tune their instruments. The lights dim, and I move to the edge of my seat. The conductor raises their baton. In one dramatic gesture, the magic of music fills the concert hall and transports me on an emotional journey: changes in melody, harmony, tempo, and dynamics keep my attention fixed, engaged, and captivated. Change in education could be described metaphorically as music, with many variations. Like music, change can evoke emotions, spark creativity, and require harmonious elements. Just as no musical experience is the ..read more

School leadership is challenging (understatement of the year), and as a former principal at R.D. Parker Collegiate in Thompson, Manitoba, I say so from experience. Both then and now I’m a fan of any resources and support I can get to help me be a great principal. And for me that’s where the Council of School Leaders (COSL) comes in. For me and many other school leaders across the province, COSL is a game-changer. And the best part: if you’re a principal or vice principal and a member of MTS, you’re already a member! This year we estimate that COSL has a provincial membership of approximately 1 ..read more

Music teacher Jewel Casselman is ending her illustrious 34-year career on an ultimate high note. Casselman was recently awarded the prestigious 2023 Juno MusiCounts award for Best Music Teacher in the country –a testament to her unwavering commitment to music education. Jewel Casselman, who teaches music at Lakewood School in Winnipeg, says the experience of winning the award has been surreal. ‘When they said “And the winner is…’ I was floored. I was not expecting it at all,” says Casselman, who plans on retiring after this school year. “What a way to wind up a career. I still wake up in the m ..read more

When you walk into the Red River Heritage Fair you’re greeted by the slogan ‘Because Canada is cool!’ and judging by the passionate projects in the room, the testament is heartfelt. The long-running fair just celebrated its 30th year this May, and its first year back after a 3-year pandemic hiatus. Over 100 students from across Manitoba joined their peers at the University of Winnipeg campus, to explore and celebrate Canada’s history. “It’s really fun being back,” says Joanna Dawson, Director of Programs at Canada’s History Society, a national charitable organization that supports heritage fai ..read more

“Equity, Diversity and Inclusion consultants Drs. Catherine McGregor and Grace Wong Sneddon were contracted in 2022 to dive deeply into how–and how well–MTS has provided access, voice and safety to all members and staff of the organization. The result is compelling. The data and recommendations that flow from them provide an unvarnished look into the very real challenges we face as well as the opportunities ahead, should we be bold and brave enough to grasp them. It is imperative that members and staff alike engage with these findings and continue the dialogue, as together we digest the inform ..read more

After 12 hours of passionate and articulate arguments from Manitoba educators, the government made important changes to Bill 35–The Education Administration Amendment Act, including the expressed right to representation during a hearing. What’s Next? More than 40 educators from across the province spoke at the bill’s standing committee hearing using personal–at times deeply painful examples to illustrate their numerous concerns with the legislation ranging from the broad definition of misconduct and the inclusion of competency in a misconduct framework to the lack of representation at hearings ..read more

As a child I was affected by multiple wars in Uganda, my country of origin. School interruptions and displacement from my home were the norm. I lost my childhood friendships, family members, home, school, community and familiar language. And I lost my social capital, which was a critical support to my social emotional wellbeing. Students fleeing from war and arriving in our classrooms may experience losses similar to mine. Once in Canada, loneliness, isolation, language deficits, different cultural practices, and in some cases different skin colors may isolate refugee youth and thus jeopardize ..read more