WELCOME TO THE 2026 CALGARY BEGINNING TEACHERS’ CONFERENCE!
Teachers new to the profession are invited to attend the 2026 Beginning Teachers’ Conference, October 2-3, Best Western Premier Calgary Plaza Hotel & Conference Centre, Calgary. There is no registration fee. Space is limited; apply early.
School principals, school jurisdictions and local associations work together to provide substitute teacher coverage as per the collective agreement to facilitate the attendance of beginning teachers at the conference.Substitute teacher coverage must be organized and approved in advance. Please ensure you meet with your school principal to discuss release time and obtain the appropriate absence code to attend this conference.
Teachers in charter, federal and private schools must be associate members of the Association to be eligible to attend the Beginning Teachers Conference.
Sign up or log in to add sessions to your schedule and sync them to your phone or calendar.
Beginning teachers gain confidence when they have a small set of reliable, interleaved strategies that make the new Alberta social studies curriculum feel manageable instead of overwhelming. By embedding close reading, annotation, and vocabulary routines into everyday lessons, teachers can help students tackle complex sources, build disciplinary language, and think more critically, without dramatically increasing planning time. In this interactive session, participants will experience and adapt practical, low-prep literacy routines specifically tailored to Alberta's new social studies outcomes, with a focus on sustainability and teacher well-being. Educators will leave with ready-to-use templates, sample activities, and planning moves they can implement immediately, so they feel more confident, better organized, and less at risk of burnout as they launch their careers.
In this session, teachers will explore the structure, purpose, and practical use of science journals in the secondary science classroom. Designed to support Assessment for Learning practices and meaningful FNMI connections, these journals serve as both a guided home study resource and a portfolio of student learning that can be shared with parents and guardians during conferences. Session participants will view student exemplars and leave with practical tools to begin developing science journals for their own classrooms. Teachers will receive ready-to-use templates, handouts, strategies, and ideas that can be implemented immediately in diverse learning environments. While Science 9 and 10 examples will be featured, the resources and approaches shared can be adapted across a variety of secondary subject areas. If you value student organization, accountability, pride in learning, and strong study habits, this session is for you!
Secondary Science Teacher, Elk Island Catholic Schools
Erin is a veteran Secondary Science Teacher with Elk Island Catholic Schools in Sherwood Park, AB. She currently teaches Science 9 & 10 but has also taught Gr. 5-8 Science over her 20-year career. She holds a Master's Degree in Secondary Science Education in Assessment and Resource... Read More →
Friday October 2, 2026 12:30pm - 1:45pm MDT Plaza 4
Middle school teachers are unique in their ability to connect with students during a crucial period of growth. In this session, we'll draw on the Guide to Middle Years Education in Alberta to better understand the needs of young adolescents and how to respond to them in meaningful ways. You'll walk away with practical, ready-to-use strategies to strengthen relationships, make learning meanignful, and create a classroom environment where students thrive and teachers survive.
Marissa has been a middle years teacher for the last seventeen years with the Calgary Board of Education. She specializes in French Immersion Humanities and has taught many subjects as well as grades in the middle years. She is passionate about language learning and cross curricular... Read More →
Friday October 2, 2026 2:00pm - 3:15pm MDT Plaza 4
We’re thrilled to have you join us for this session where you’ll have the opportunity to meet and engage directly with your representatives. This is your moment to connect, ask questions and share insights.
Attendance and sign-in for Grant-In-Aid (GIA) to your local.
