After end of Alberta teachers’ strike, some worry about academic setbacks and dropouts

After the Alberta government abruptly put an end to the teachers’ strike, instructors and students are back in their classrooms Wednesday for the first time in more than three weeks.

The return to school has students concerned about academic setbacks, and teachers worried that some students who were struggling before the strike may not return at all.

Throughout the strike, Grade 12 student Barlas Salimbay was anxious about what this time away from school means for university applications. Many universities opened applications on Oct. 1, and he wants to apply as early as possible.

“I haven’t gotten a single grade back for two of my classes, which makes doing university admissions, quite frankly, not impossible but very, very confusing,” said Salimbay.

He expects it will take a while for his teachers to catch up on marking.

High school students across the province are planning to walk out of classes on Thursday to protest the province’s back-to-work legislation, which imposes a collective agreement and invokes the notwithstanding clause to shield it from court challenges for the duration of the four-year deal.

As much as he wants to support teachers, Salimbay said he’ll likely opt out.

“We’re so far behind. We cannot afford to lose more [class time],” he said.

Back-to-work order ‘silenced’ Alberta teachers: union

High school science and math teacher Bhu Chana said the next few weeks will be an adjustment for all.

“Reintegrating students back into class is going to be challenging, and obviously all that learning that has been missed is going to be a challenge as well,” said Chana.

Cynthia Prasow, an associate professor of teaching at the University of Calgary’s Werklund School of Education, said she’s confident teachers will be able to get students up to speed, but it won’t be easy.

“It is going to take a little extra work; it might take more time. Obviously, something has to give somewhere. …. But I believe it can be done,” said Prasow.

What’s most important at this stage, she said, is that students re-establish their routines at home and in the classroom.

Siobhan Kellar is worried some students who were already struggling in school before the strike may decide not to come back at all.

Kellar is a high school English teacher at St. Anne Academic Centre in Calgary, which welcomes students who have already attended high school for three years and need extra time to graduate or upgrade their marks. She works with many students who are at risk of dropping out or, as she calls it, “early leaving.” She said absenteeism is a big problem at the school.

A learning disruption like a three-week-long strike will affect various populations differently, she said.

“I worry that students may have been put in a position where they are taking on caregiving responsibilities for their younger siblings,” said Kellar, who added some of her students already leave class early to pick up their siblings or don’t show up when their siblings are sick.

With the uncertainty around when students would come back to school, Kellar said it’s possible some students picked up a job or now work full time to support their families.

“It’s really hard as a young person to resist more immediate temptations. We know that from brain research, right? Where the incentive to have money right away might be harder to resist than it would be for a grown adult,” said Kellar.

When it comes to bringing students back, Kellar said sometimes all it takes is to reach out and, if they’re behind, let them know there are ways to catch up. That’s what she wants other teachers to know if they find some of their students didn’t return.

“If a student is missed, let the student know that they’re missed. Find a way to communicate to them that their absence is not a freedom to you,” she said.

In a statement to CBC News, the Calgary Board of Education said it knows the labour action impacted everyone differently and schools have a variety of resources to support students with attendance concerns.

The Calgary Catholic School District said it will reach out to students if they don’t return to class.