As Alberta public school teachers go on strike , their absence will be keenly felt by families across the province.

This is true in a purely practical sense, of course. But with this long-simmering labour dispute boiling over, it’s made me reflect on the deeper impact devoted educators can have.

Thinking back to my own time at school, I remember the unbelievable care and effort from a number of teachers for the benefit of my classmates and myself.

My Grade 6 teacher tailored lessons just for me when I wasn’t able to go with the rest of the class on an extended trip. She could just as easily have kept me at my desk so she could attend to mountains of paperwork.

Another elementary teacher used her after-school time to teach us the joys of live performance.

In high school, one English

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