MSSTA (Manitoba Social Sciences Teachers’ Association) MTS PD Day
“Active and Responsible Democratic Citizenship”
On Friday October 24th, MSSTA held our annual MTS PD event at Chief Peguis Middle School in Winnipeg. Over 300 educators from across the province took part in over 50 concurrent sessions delivered by teachers, non-profit organizations and experts on a variety of topics related to teaching all levels of Social Sciences courses. Additionally, over 40 organizations provided displays to help educators engage and support students in the Social Sciences.
MSSTA’s Fall 2025 PD Day was dedicated to the theme of citizenship and democracy. These foundational elements of social studies education are increasingly under threat as they continue to be challenged and undermined by political, economic, environmental, technological, and social changes. Citizenship education is a core component of the provincial K-12 social studies curriculum in Manitoba. Given our current context, it is imperative that we provide opportunities for our students to engage meaningfully with these concepts so they are better prepared to recognize and engage with them outside of the classroom. Creating this space, however, requires that we consider how we navigate complex conversations around democracy, enact democratic practices in our own classrooms, and encourage students to interrogate what it means to be a “good” citizen. Further, how can we support students in examining democracy and citizenship thoughtfully and critically? We recognize that many teachers may be grappling with how to approach these conversations and negotiate the tensions inherent in this essential work, particularly against the backdrop of rising polarization. This event offered space for educators to deepen their understanding of these complex challenges, share their uncertainties and insecurities, and spend time reflecting alongside their peers. Our keynote speaker for the event was multi-award winning journalist, author and broadcaster and former Winnipegger Carol Off. As a veteran CBC journalist and longtime host of “As It Happens”, Carol has spent her career reporting on the very forces shaping and challenging democracy and citizenship today.
