P.E.I. Teachers' Federation president hoping to add rural perspective to role
'I do believe it is important for all of the province to feel connected'
After teaching for 25 years, O'Leary's Aldene Smallman will now take on a new role as president of the P.E.I. Teachers' Federation.
She's been involved in the organization for 14 years as a teacher and decided now was the right time to take on the new position.
"I guess through my involvement with the federation it has inspired me to be in this role. I enjoy working with teachers, I enjoy hearing their stories," Smallman said.
Having worked in O'Leary for most of her teaching career Smallman said she brings a "rural perspective" to the role.
"I do believe it is important for all of the province to feel connected no matter where we are and doing our best to make sure that our students are receiving the best possible experiences with education," she said.
Working with past president
The former president of the organization, Bethany MacLeod, has moved into the role of deputy minister of education.
Smallman has worked with MacLeod for a number of years and said MacLeod has a "vast array of experience" in the education field.
Hearing those stories and maybe not being able to fix them right away is definitely going to be a challenge.— Aldene Smallman
"I am very much looking forward to collaborating with all of our counterparts. It's a very positive experience and the government has definitely been showing a keen interest to make sure education is actively engaging," she said.
Smallman isn't worried about a minority government because of all the stress that has been put on collaboration.
"I think it is important that that message is out there and I know that we all want the best for the education system," Smallman said.
Challenges
Some of the challenges Smallman said the federation has to face include classroom composition.
Smallman said classrooms on P.E.I. are very complex and she hears stories everyday of what teachers are dealing with in the classroom.
"I think for me hearing those stories and maybe not being able to fix them right away is definitely going to be a challenge for me. I am going to do the best that I can in terms of getting out there and listening," she said.
Added staff
The King government promised 74 new front-line educator positions for this fall in the latest budget which is "definitely a big help," Smallman said.
32 teachers were added and 42 educational assistants and that will help with some classroom composition issues, she said.
There have been concerns over the past few years over the lack of substitute teachers as well.
"We are definitely advocating and making sure that issue is made well aware," Smallman said.
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With files from Mainstreet P.E.I.