For Adrianna Robertson, learning looks a little different during the ongoing Alberta teachers’ strike.
But speaking to Global News, she says she’s always felt a little bit different than her peers.
“I tend to get more antsy when I sit for too long, but I’m getting better with that.”
Robertson, who is in the eighth grade, lives with several challenges, including ADHD, Sensory Processing Disorder and anxiety.
Because of that —and similar challenges faced by her younger brother — the family made a change this fall and switched to homeschooling.
However, they’re still impacted by the labour action that’s disrupted classroom learning for more than 700,000 Alberta students.
“Kids fall behind, and a lot of times they don’t get recognized,” said Lana Robertson, Adrianna’s mother.
On Friday, the province announced more help, strengthening the Parent Payment Plan, which promises to compensate parents with kids aged 12 and under with $30 for each instructional day missed due to the strike.
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Now, children 12 and under, who currently have a Family Support for Children with Disability agreement will be able to receive an extra $30 each day.
Additionally, children 13 and over with those same agreements will be eligible for the full $60 per school day.
Families have said the money would make a difference but that they were also hoping for more support beyond payments.
And while the Robertson’s say they would be able to take advantage of the financial break, Lana says they won’t.
“Even if I were to partake in any of the funding, would they actually be learning?”
Robertson says she believes better solutions are out there and holds out hope for human resources that can help kids like hers continue their development.
School support workers, who aren’t on strike and work with kids like the Robertsons, say they wish they could do more, but the labour action is preventing them from helping.
“It’s about the interaction, it’s about the stability,” said Christina Dingman, president of Unifor Local 1990. “They need to be in school and we miss them dearly.”
Dingman says the union would be open to working with the employer, the Calgary Catholic School District (CCSD), on creative solutions during the strike.
The CCSD says Education assistants are continuing to fulfil duties that don’t require the supervision of a teacher.
“Under normal circumstances, EAs report to and provide services under the direct supervision of a teacher as outlined in their contracts, and therefore their typical student support work cannot proceed at this time,” the district said in a statement to Global News.
The Calgary Board of Education also responded in a statement:
“Education assistants play an important role in the classroom working at the direction of the teacher. They are not able to provide instruction or assume responsibility for students on their own,” the statement said, adding there are no plans to bring students back to the classroom at this time.
With the halls still mostly empty across Alberta schools, the workers say they shoulder the load of that absence, too.
In recent days, they’ve been able to check in with families of the students they work with.
“It’s not the same, but we still want to offer whatever level of support we can,” said Danny Diaz, a school wellness worker.
The Robertson’s say situations like this show it’s sometimes hard to completely understand a family like theirs.
Hoping for more support in an unprecedented, uncertain time — that could have a life-long impact.
“My kids… they are beautiful, wonderful people,” Lana said, “I’m proud to be their mom.”
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