The Advisory Circle of Educators (ACOE) advises Elections Canada on best practices in the development of educational resources, future directions for its civic education program, and ways to ensure uptake by educators. In this series, we interview ACOE members to showcase their experience and expertise in civic education. Meet Tracey Salamondra.
Tracey has been an educator in Manitoba for 25 years, teaching high school Social Studies, Geography and Mathematics. In addition to teaching, she is currently completing her Master of Education in Curriculum and Pedagogy at Brandon University, focused on place-based education in rural places. With her teaching partner, Tracey received the Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2022. She combined her passions for travel and teacher collaboration on her teacher tours of Normandy, Germany and Ethiopia. Her desire to work with colleagues in her field also translated into membership on the divisional social justice committee and the National Teacher Advisory Board of the Canadian Museum of History on the creation of digital teacher resources. Tracey teaches in the rural community of Hartney, Manitoba, and operates a small family grain farm with her husband and three children.
Elections Canada: How do you see your role in civic education?
Tracey: I view myself as a bridge for my students, making connections between government systems and their daily lives. My role is to help students see how government decisions impact their daily experiences and provide opportunities for students to realize that their voices matter.
Elections Canada: Tell us about a memorable moment in civic education.
Tracey: Leading up to the 2021 federal election, my grade 10 Geography class researched the platforms of our local candidates. They wrote letters to the potential candidates describing a party strategy they supported and one they disagreed with. They were required to expand upon the reason for their positions. After the election, our member of Parliament responded to the students and expressed how impressed he was with their ideas and the thought put into their letters. Suddenly, civics was real, and the students felt they had a voice.
Elections Canada: Why did you choose to join ACOE?
Tracey: I have always been impressed by the quality and creativity of the Elections Canada resources. The team putting them together is top-notch, and they value the input of teachers in the field. It is a great privilege to work with other educators on resources that will be used by teachers across Canada.
Elections Canada: What have you enjoyed most about ACOE meetings?
Tracey: Working with colleagues from across the country is the best professional development opportunity. Everyone is supportive and brings a unique perspective to the work. As the only Social Studies teacher in my small school, I am so grateful to have the opportunity to work with these amazing colleagues.
Elections Canada: What recommendations do you have for educators who would like to improve their practice in civic education?
Tracey: The teacher support videos on the Elections and Democracy website are a perfect starting point. They provide a great overview of the activity and the resources. All of the resources are engaging for students and provide the teachers with additional support and extensions. My students have thoroughly enjoyed them!