Students are heading back to the classroom this week across Manitoba, but the return to school means lots of preparation for their teachers as well.
Manitoba Teachers’ Society (MTS) president Lillian Klausen said it’s a busy time for her organization’s 16,000-plus members.
“We know that starting up in September is a very exciting time, a very rewarding, very challenging time,” Klausen told Global Winnipeg.
“We always say that we wish (teachers) the best of luck starting up … and we’d like you to look out for one another so we can help answer everybody’s challenges as we start the new year.”
MTS has been around for more than a century, and Klausen said its members are consistently facing new challenges, especially when it comes to technology.
Last September marked the first time students were faced with a cell phone ban — something school staff also needed to navigate.
“Students had some habits that were formed, where we’re using our phones almost all the time, and so there’s a learning curve,” she said.
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“I think when we open up our classrooms to less of the handheld technology and more of the conversations and more of the communication, there’s definitely a benefit.”
Some high school students may still be allowed to use cellphones, she said, but it’s dependent on the individual teachers’ discretion and lesson plan.
Another technological challenge facing educators in 2025: the rise of artificial intelligence.
Klausen said teachers are having to balance the use of AI as a potential tool alongside the negatives that can accompany it.
“I think if it’s used properly, it can be an advantage,” she said, “(but) I know that’s not always the case.
“I know that we’re using AI to answer needs when we’re trying to replace learning and education, when it comes to students and the work that they do.
“So we need to keep an eye out on the types of AI that they’re using and how we can help support them.”
Klausen said it’s a matter of learning when and when not to use AI, as it continues to become integrated into our everyday lives.
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