Dr. Marg Iveson, Professor of English Lanugage Arts in Secondary Education at the University of Alberta initiated an innovative professional and collegial collaboration with teachers at McKernan School twenty-four years ago to offer additional, in-the-field, work experience to her Advanced Professional Term Students (APTs) before these young teachers-in-training entered into their final student teaching assignments. The three weeks spent at McKernan working with their professional colleagues in the field is invaluable to these new teachers in preparation for their assignments as student teachers and for their careers as professional educators after graduation.
The APTs work collaboratively with their classmates and with McKernan students in smaller groups than would exist in a regular student teaching assignment and with the help of McKernan teachers and administrators, they effectively and efficiently deliver programming already underway in the various classrooms to which they are assigned. They develop inventive approaches to curricular content and have opportunities to design and debrief lessons with both their own classmates and the professional teaching staff. They also are able to conference with each other, Dr. Iveson, and professional teachers about immediate day-to-day teaching concerns or ideas and about the profession as a career. These opportunities are priceless in the development of a new teacher's confidence and his or her perspective as a professional educator about to enter the field.
This year, 2013, Dr. Marg Iveson celebrates along with her McKernan colleagues the twenty-fourth year of this outstanding APT Student Teachers Training Outreach Program at McKernan School. This year also ends Dr. Iveson's involvement in this program and marks the last of her APT classes. Dr. Iveson will be more than missed as she moves onto other activities and commitments. Rather than marking the end of such a remarkable achievement, the APTs with the help of David Berezan and Susan Chaudoir, PhD candidates under Dr. Iveson's supervision, organized a celebration and presentation to take place at the annual, pot luck APT luncheon at McKernan School, January 31st, 2013.
The following presentation speeches were given at the luncheon:
Marg, on behalf of the APTs gathered here, your McKernan colleagues, David Berezan and myself, Susan Chaudoir, PhD Candidates under your supervision, I would like to congratulate you on the remarkable achievement of twenty-four years with the APT Student Teachers Training Program here at McKernan School and for so many years in the Department of Secondary Education at the University of Alberta in Teacher Education. You have provided highly professional and invaluable training and experience for hundreds of young teachers in Alberta who are either in the profession of teaching or about to enter the professional field. All of us here and those who have come here and gone would like to offer this gift as a small token of our appreciation.
The painting was done by Justine Nabaggala, a PhD Candidate in the Department of Secondary Education. Justine is from Uganda.
This cake is offered today by the current class of APTs, Winter Term, 2013, in thanks and appreciation for twenty-four years of collaboration, cooperation, and facilitation between Dr. Marg Iveson and McKernan teachers, administration and support staff in the education of young teachers new to the profession. Congratulations! Marg, will you do the honours and cut the cake.
That the event was kept under wraps, as it were, until the exact moment of the presentation made for a nice surprise for Dr. Iveson and the teamwork amongst the APTs, PhD candidates, and McKernan staff in this effort was extraordinary. Mary-Lou Cleveland, Principal of McKernan School, also made a presentation to Dr. Iveson in thanks and congratulations before the abundant and delicious pot luck lunch was enjoyed by all gathered.
Good fun in good company was had by all at this celebratory event. In closing, I would like to say on behalf of so many educators who have been inspired, supported and encouraged by Dr. Marg Iveson:
Thank you so much Marg and congratulations!
Full story with pictures here (PDF)
Photos: Susan Chaudoir, PhD Student, Department of Secondary Education