PDTCA 2025

“If you’ve met one person with Autism, you’ve met one person with autism” – Dr. Stephen Shore.

Session attendees will gain a better general understanding of autism and neurodiversity through a neuro-affirming, strengths-based lens. We will provide fast facts about autism and neurodiversity, and discuss how these differences can show up in educational environments like the classroom. This foundational information will then guide us into discussing some key realistic and attainable strategies that support all students.

We will use an audience engagement tool called Slido, so participants will need access to a device (smartphone, laptop, etc.)

Atelier pour les enseignants des écoles francophones et d'immersion française
Vous vous demandez pourquoi vos élèves ne progressent pas aussi rapidement que vous le souhaiteriez en lecture ? Vous aimeriez améliorer leur compréhension de la lecture ? Les résultats en écriture de vos élèves ne répondent pas à vos attentes ? Est-ce que la maîtrise de la langue orale par vos élèves pourrait être liée à ces résultats ?

Dans cet atelier, vous découvrirez l'importance de développer la langue orale chez vos élèves et comment le faire efficacement en classe. Vous repartirez avec des ressources concrètes et des idées pratiques que vous pourrez mettre en œuvre dès le lendemain dans vos salles de classe. Ne manquez pas cette opportunité d'améliorer les compétences de vos élèves en lecture et en écriture grâce à un renforcement de leur langue orale !

English description

Workshop for Francophone education teacher, FI teachers and administrators of FI programs

Are you wondering why your students are not progressing as quickly as you'd like in reading? Do you want to enhance their reading comprehension? Are your students' writing results falling short of your expectations? Could your students' mastery of oral language be linked to these outcomes?

In this workshop, you will discover the importance of developing oral language skills in your students and how to do so effectively in the classroom. You will leave with tangible resources and practical ideas that you can implement as soon as the next day in your classrooms. Don't miss this opportunity to improve your students' reading and writing skills through strengthening their oral language abilities!

This seven-course meal provides all the nutrition necessary for students young and old to grow strong and healthy algebraic brains. This sensible approach helps all students understand algebra by taming concepts such as variable, substitution, algebraic properties, equation solving, and systems of equations. This activity has been tested and proven by hundreds of teachers in diverse classroom environments.

Join this essential session tailored for school administrators, where we delve into effective strategies for overcoming burnout and fostering a culture of healthy leadership. Discover how to lead with renewed passion and purpose, creating an environment where admin, teachers and students thrive. This session will provide you with practical tools to support your staff, enhance student success, and sustain your energy and clarity in leadership. Don't miss this opportunity to rejuvenate your approach and make a lasting impact on your school community.

Use the FREE Alberta Tomorrow platform to explore Alberta’s glaciers and watersheds through videos, interviews, 360 Tours and lesson plans on glacier loss, Climate Change, ice core analysis, isotopes analysis, persistent chemicals, glacier features, water quality, and more. Use the Climate Change Scenarios to explore 3 different future climate change scenarios and the impact they may have on the landscape, environmental, social and economic factors. View temperature and precipitation maps and experiment with management practices to see how they can impact our C02 emissions in the future.

Conservation agriculture represents a crucial approach to sustainable farming, particularly in response to local climate and weather dynamics. Explore the principles and practices of conservation agriculture, emphasizing its adaptive strategies in the face of environmental challenges such as droughts, floods, fires, windstorms, and more. By minimizing soil disturbance, maintaining soil cover, optimizing water use, and employing sustainable harvesting techniques like crop rotation and companion planting, conservation agriculture not only enhances agricultural resilience but also supports stable plant and animal populations over time. Attendees will gain practical insights and resources to effectively incorporate conservation agriculture into their teaching, preparing students to become future leaders in sustainable agriculture and environmental stewardship. By equipping educators with the tools to integrate these principles into their classroom. This session will empower educators with practical knowledge and resources to integrate conservation agriculture concepts into their teaching, thereby cultivating a generation of informed students about agriculture.

War is a complex and emotionally difficult subject to cover deeply and effectively in class, but it can be done in a caring, engaging, and inspiring manner that promotes enduring lessons learned.

During this Canadian military history education session hosted by Valour Canada, attendees will observe different strategies and tactics teachers can employ in their classroom to increase student buy-in and more effectively educate about Canada's military history. Pedagogically speaking, the audience will see how hands-on, experiential learning (using scenarios presented to the students) can be used to elicit deeper critical thought from participating students. Methods for integrating discussion about positive citizenship will also be explored during this session.

At least two of the following activities will be demonstrated for the audience: The Sinking of Llandovery Castle (WW1; Gr. 4 and up), The Battle of Vimy Ridge (WW1; Gr. 4 and up), and D-Day: Operation Neptune (WW2; Gr. 8 and up). All resources referenced during this presentation are freely available online.

This poster display, created by pre-service teachers from the Werklund School of Education at the University of Calgary will provide opportunities for both conference delegates and pre-service teachers to engage in a professional dialogue around current trends and issues in education. This session will be of interest to current professionals to view examinations on relevant issues that offer an opportunity to re-conceptualize teaching and learning as a collaborative, interdisciplinary practice focusing on real world problems and issues that impact students in schools.

A number of the staff and Banded Peak School regularly use the outdoors as a space to engage students and enrich learning. Join a group of our Grade 1-8 teachers in a day of sharing and collaboration with respect to the outdoors. Our full day session will be comprised of smaller sessions aimed at different age levels, but will be applicable to all educators interested in using the outdoors as a place to teach and learn.
Ever wanted to inspire your students by bringing the curriculum to life? This session will show how we created an outdoor garden and learning area at Banded Peak School in Bragg Creek. The learning space, which we call ‘Growing Learners’, includes six raised garden beds with pollinator houses and three huge log picnic tables. We will show you how you can meet various curricular strands by creating an outdoor gardening area, while teaching, learning, and growing outdoors. We will outline how we were applied for and won grants for funding and how we have continued to further develop the space each year. Although this project was a grade 1-2 initiative at Banded Peak School, any grade level could create an outdoor classroom such as this. We look forward to sharing this enriching project with you!
Join us for an active and insightful session on the power of Outdoor Education. Our team of Grade 3/4 educators will share their innovative approach to integrating all curricular strands, while using the outdoors as the classroom. This will include hands-on learning, approaches to physical education and wellness, practical implementation, and reflective practices. Let us show you how a week in the outdoors can enrich students’ academic understanding and overall well-being. Come prepared to spend the day outside! This session is ideal for educators looking to innovate their teaching practices and foster a deeper connection between students and the natural world. The Outdoor Leadership program has been a fundamental part of the grade 7/8 years at Banded Peak School for nearly a decade. Join us for some fun activities outside that you can use to engage your students and start an outdoor leadership program.
This session will be held at Banded Peak School, 230257 Highway 22, Bragg Creek, AB and has a session fee of $10.50. ​Pre-Registration Link​​​

Alberta Parks has teamed up with the Calgary Regional Consortium for the second year to offer multiple outdoor, land-based sessions that will inspire your teaching and support personal wellness. This year, three sessions are available at the Fish Creek Environmental Learning Centre, located at 13931 Woodpath Road, SW Calgary. Please note, teachers are encouraged to car pool as parking is limited. The sessions are offered twice (morning and afternoon) as described below:
1. Take the New K-6 Science Curriculum Outside (am and pm)
2. Exploring Literacy and Numeracy Outdoors: A Multisensory Adventure for Grades K-2 (am) / Gr 3-6 (pm)
3. Nature’s Path to Wellness – for you and your students.

Did you join us last year? Come again - there will be new ideas included! Space is limited and pre-registration is required. Simply chose two sessions (morning and afternoon) from the options below.

Morning Sessions (9:00-11:30 am)
Please choose 1 session (Maximum 25/session)
Session 1: Take the New K-6 Science Curriculum Outside
Session 2: Exploring Literacy and Numeracy Outdoors: A Multisensory Adventure for Grades K-2
Session 3: Nature’s Path to Wellness – for you and your students.

Afternoon Sessions (12:30 -3:00 pm)
Please choose 1 session (Maximum 25/session)
Session 1: Take the New K-6 Science Curriculum Outside
Session 2: Exploring Literacy and Numeracy Outdoors: A Multisensory Adventure for Grades 3-6
Session 3: Nature’s Path to Wellness – for you and your students.

Session Descriptions:
Session1: Take the New K-6 Science Curriculum Outside
Did you know that the word “land” shows up 845 times in a search on the new LearnAlberta website of all subjects within the Kindergarten to Grade 6 curriculum? It’s true! What better way to learn about and from the land than to spend a day of professional learning being inspired and activated at the Fish Creek Learning Center! This half day session will be offered in the morning from 9:00 – 11:30 and a REPEAT session will take place from 1:00 – 3:30 pm. While at the Fish Creek Environmental Learning Centre, we will help answer your curriculum questions through engaging learning experiences that bring the learning to life. We’ll overview the new science curriculum and highlight possible learning outcomes you can take outside for each Organizing Idea. We will explore simple and practical ideas to help you get out of the classroom while promoting physical and mental wellness benefits for your students. Along the way, we’ll also consider opportunities to integrate other subjects like ELAL, Math and Visual Arts to make your outdoor learning experience more engaging, efficient and effective. If you’d like to help your students be more connected to the natural world this school year, then this session is for you.

Objectives for this Session:
• Honor the land on which we are learning and the Indigenous peoples who have cared for the land
• Develop a strong understanding of the K-6 Science Curriculum and consider ways to take the learning outdoors in meaningful, manageable ways
• Share stories and build community to connect us to the land
• Explore, walk and talk about pedagogy, learning outcomes and concepts that bolster our science confidence
• Play some outdoor games that connect to curricular objectives

Session 2 (am): Exploring Literacy and Numeracy Outdoors: A Multisensory Adventure for Grades K-2
Join us for an inspiring journey into the outdoors, where literacy and numeracy come alive under the open sky! In this engaging workshop, we will equip kindergarten through grade 2 teachers with strategies and practical ideas to integrate literacy and numeracy with the curriculum into an outdoor learning environment. Come prepared to be active and involved in the experiences.

Session 2 (pm): Exploring Literacy and Numeracy Outdoors: A Multisensory Adventure for Grades 3-6

Join us for an inspiring journey into the outdoors, where literacy and numeracy come alive under the open sky! In this engaging workshop, we will equip grade 3 through grade 6 teachers with strategies and practical ideas to integrate literacy and numeracy with the curriculum into an outdoor learning environment. Come prepared to be active and involved in the experiences.

Session Highlights:

1. Nature's Classroom: Discover how the great outdoors can become your classroom as we explore the benefits of taking learning beyond the four walls. We will discuss the impact of outdoor learning on student engagement, creativity, and overall well-being.
2. Literacy in the Wild: Dive into strategies for fostering literacy skills outside, including nature-based storytelling, journaling, and vocabulary development. We'll show you how to utilize the natural world to inspire a love for reading and writing.
3. Math in Motion: Explore the endless mathematical possibilities in the outdoor setting. From counting natural objects to solving problems, we'll explore math concepts through hands-on activities that make numbers and shapes truly come alive.

Session 3: Nature’s Path to Wellness- for you and your students
Alberta’s Provincial Park System and the land provides a natural space to rejuvenate and to fuel your teaching practice. This session is dedicated to fostering personal wellness through nature-based activities, which you can also implement with your students to create a balanced, healthy learning environment. During this session, you'll explore:
• Sensory Exploration: Engage in exercises that heighten awareness of your surroundings through all five senses, enhancing mindfulness and presence.
• Reflective Practices: Participate in activities like nature journaling, guided meditation, and quiet contemplation to support mental well-being and emotional balance.
• Interactive Games: Participate in games that foster teamwork, communication, and stress relief, which can be easily adapted for classroom use.
• Storytelling: Experience the use of storytelling to connect more deeply with nature and promote mindfulness, creativity, and reflection.
Immerse yourself in these activities to rejuvenate your own well-being and gather tools to foster a wellness-centered learning environment.

This session has a participant fee of $10.50 for the day.
Pre-Registration Link

Excited about Thinking Classrooms but struggling with curriculum implementation? Don't worry! Join us for a session where we delve into methods for designing and deploying curricular tasks. While our primary focus will be on mathematics, we'll explore how these strategies can be applied across various content areas. Geared towards participants familiar with the fundamentals of Thinking Classrooms, this session offers actionable steps to propel your practice forward.

Students need to learn and grow the near-world skills of critical thinking, literacy, and questioning through their experiences in an online (asynchronous or otherwise) learning environment. In other words, we are nurturing students to actively read, write, think, and create while leveraging AI to support, enhance, and fuel all this. No science can tell us what the future will be, so it is vital to ensure students have foundational thinking and learning skills.

How? By moving learning beyond worksheets and paper-based assessments.

Would you trust a doctor who scored highly on a paper test but failed all levels of practical assessment? No.

Our students deserve to move into life after high school with more than ‘paper learning’; they need to understand how to critically think, collaborate, innovate, create, learn from, question, and leverage AI to future-proof themselves in an ever-evolving world.

As educators, it is critical to consider how diversity, inclusion, and equitable our practices are. But how can we ensure that a curricular focus lives alongside a social-justice approach? Join ACEE staff to learn about climate justice, and how to include multiple perspectives when teaching about the climate and environment.
Learning Outcomes:

Understand that Climate change is a human rights issue, not just a global and scientific one

Understand how positionality impacts how we view and understand global issues

Gain tools on how to approach topics with students from a justice perspective

Soumettriez-vous vos élèves à un examen sur les fonctions trigonométriques sans les avoir préalablement enseignées? Pourtant, c’est souvent ce que nous demandons aux élèves lorsque nous évaluons l’oral. Ils sont notés sur des critères qui n’ont pas été explicitement enseignés. Bien au contraire, il est souhaitable d’enseigner l’oral aux élèves avant de les évaluer ; par l'entremise d’ateliers formatifs par exemple et en leur permettant de réinvestir ces apprentissages lors de jeux qui favorisent la prise de parole. Ce sont des habiletés essentielles qui leur permettront de se démarquer dans leur environnement de travail. Aidez vos élèves rafiner leurs stratégies de communication en participant à cet atelier!

Christine Vokins is a Health Promotion Facilitator with the AHS Healthy Schools Team. She encourages school divisions to utilize Comprehensive School Health (CSH), an internationally recognized and effective approach for building healthy school communities. She has been in this role for the past 18 years and prior to that worked in the school system as a Family School Liaison. Christine resides in the rural area of Trochu with her husband, has two adult sons, and enjoys camping, golfing, and gardening.  

Nannette Gropp, is a Health Promotion Facilitator with the Healthy Schools team, Alberta Health Services (AHS). She supports school jurisdictions by using a Comprehensive School Health (CSH) approach for building healthy school communities by focusing on the core areas of positive mental health, healthy relationships, healthy eating, and active living. Nannette has worked for AHS in a variety of roles over the past 25 years, including more than 15 years supporting healthy school communities. She has previous experience in Community Development, First Nations Health Promotion, Diabetes Management and Prevention with additional training in facilitation and health coaching.

Join members of the executive of the Council for School Leadership as we attempt to cut through the noise and dive deep into issues that truly matter to Alberta Leaders. This conversation based session aims to engage in candid conversations and collaborative problem solving for today’s leaders. In this fast paced session we will showcase opportunities available to expand your leadership network and brainstorm new opportunities to support leaders in today’s ever changing context. Throughout this session we will have real conversations about some of the biggest challenges facing leaders today and work together to determine the best path forward. We invite you to join us as current and active leaders facilitate meaningful discussions to impact how we lead tomorrow.

PLEASE BRING TECHNOLOGY TO THIS SESSION!! Join us for an enriching session designed to revolutionize your teaching approach with cutting-edge technology. Drawing from 14 years of experience since graduating from the University of Alberta, we have found and curated time-saving techniques and harnessed the power of various websites to manage the demands of our profession. Expect hands-on exploration of these websites and resource sharing in smaller groups to encourage collaboration. Throughout this session, you'll have dedicated time to explore and experiment with these websites and share valuable resources. Participants will leave with practical tools and ideas ready to implement in their classrooms immediately.

We’ve all had those ADHD brains in our classroom who can’t motivate themselves to work without a significant fire under their butt. But we don’t have the time to stand over a child or the energy to intimidate them into finishing their work.

Stop taking away recess, begging or pleading, or sending work home (where it never gets finished anyway). Lean into what actually motivates the ADHD brain to complete tasks. We’ll discuss ways to work with the ADHD brain instead of fighting against it. You’ll empower kids to leverage the skills they do have without adding hours to your own workload.

Explore the foundations of environmental education tailored for high school students. Join the Alberta Council for Environmental Education in this workshop designed to equip teachers with the knowledge and resources to seamlessly incorporate environmental education into their high school science and social studies curriculum. Topics covered in the curriculum links include nature and place, Indigenous knowledge systems and perspectives, and climate change.

Bullying remains a pervasive issue, but traditional methods of intervention often fall short. In this presentation, we’ll:

Explore the root causes of bullying, delving into the thought processes behind it—whether it’s habituation or adaptation.
Critically assess three common anti-bullying strategies and their shortcomings.
Introduce the innovative Dissolve Strategy, which targets the intangible causes of bullying and how to repair the harm caused by bullying.
Outline a path toward genuine resolution by leveraging insights into brain function and unconscious confrontations.
Discuss the transformative Admit and Repair approach, showing how both victims and bullies can achieve growth and generativity, creating a future where everyone comes out ahead.

Join us to learn how to break the cycle and foster a healthier, more compassionate environment.

This easy-to-teach yet mathematically rich activity has been used in many classrooms to maximize mathematical understanding. Students develop incredible fluency with mental mathematics applied to fraction, decimal, and percent representations using this powerful strategy. Adaptations extend the lesson from arithmetic through algebra. A ready-for-Monday handout is available.

One of the leading questions in modern astrophysics is how do stars and planets form and evolve? As a discipline that is primarily driven by technology, the technological advances that we see all around us have been contributing to equally significant advances in our capabilities to observe the formation of stars and planets in the Universe.
I will review the physics of star and planet formation, provide a summary of the number and type of planets detected to date and discuss how our strategies have evolved in the search for Earth 2.0.

Have your students asked, “Why did Canada fight in Afghanistan?” They’re not alone. Most Canadians don’t fully understand Canada’s commitment to the war in Afghanistan. As chief of operations of a NATO joint operations centre in downtown Kabul, I dealt with many countries’ armies. Fighting a modern war within an alliance is complex, to say the least. Join me to find out about the geopolitics that didn’t make the news.

Assessment is pivotal to student learning, extending far beyond conventional tests and products. In this session, we'll emphasize its significance, exploring assessment in its broader context. We'll delve into the practical aspects of triangulation—employing diverse assessment methods to gain a holistic view of student progress. Furthermore, we'll equip participants with essential skills for curriculum mapping and share strategies to streamline the assessment process for teachers in grading and reporting while optimizing student learning. Join us for an engaging session that offers a fresh perspective on assessment professional development, promising valuable insights for all attendees.

Why (+Assessment in Building Thinking Classrooms)?
While this session is intended for all teachers, no matter their current practice and experience, it should be a keen interest to those currently engaging in Building Thinking Classrooms and wanting to improve their assessment practices.

In this double session Rita and Kari will start by introducing you to the world of Minecraft Education Edition. Even if you have taken a look at this resource in the past, the updates to the lesson library and pre-built worlds are worth taking a second look.

The first half of the presentation aims to introduce educators to MEE, a powerful tool for enhancing student engagement and learning across various subjects. Attendees will be given an overview of the platform’s features, benefits, and pre-built resources.

For the second half, participants will be encouraged to have installed the Minecraft Education software so that they can follow along with Rita and Kari as they explore and demonstrate specific lessons and how to integrate them into their classroom.

Understanding and engaging with difficult teens can be challenging, but it’s essential for fostering their growth. This presentation will:

Uncover why teens exhibit challenging behaviors, exploring the impacts of synaptic pruning.
Delve into the critical importance of communication, highlighting common pitfalls and learning health communication strategies.
Examine the nature of conflict and identify the five primary causes, equipping you with tools to recognize and address these issues.
Explore how to use simple tools such as weed killing, unconscious confrontations, communication guidelines and understanding uniqueness to dissolve conflicts and help you understand what motivates your student intrinsically.

Join us to gain practical insights and techniques to transform your interactions with teens, promoting a positive and supportive environment for their development.

Alberta Health Services health professionals will discuss vaping and nicotine pouch use amongst youth.

Participants will learn:
• Trends in and prevalence rates of e-cigarette use for school aged youth in Alberta
• Best practices for preventing nicotine use
• An overview on nicotine pouches
• Marketing tactics targeting youth
• Grade appropriate prevention education for schools
• A summary of available resources for students and teachers to prevent and reduce nicotine use by young people

Don't all science teachers wish we had a list at our fingertips of proven labs or demos, rather than always trying to come up with something on our own? Join in once again in collaboration with other Junior High and High School science teachers across the districts and a variety of classrooms and divisions to share your knowledge or expertise (or sheer lived-out experience) of what works and what doesn't work. Participants are asked to come prepared with a digital list of your favourite 'go to' demos and labs (including materials and procedures) for any Div 3 or 4 science class that you teach. The intention is to collaborate with one another and to leave with a great list of labs or demos that anyone can pull from, given the amount of time and/or resources you may have.

In this session we will explore discussion around creating and sharing boundaries and how this can improve our confidence, relationships, mental health and quality of life. We share common misconceptions around boundaries and share kind, clear strategies for both setting boundaries and receiving boundaries from others. We share the neuroscience behind Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to facilitate psychological flexibility, discuss the mind/body connection and then discuss how to communicate with the people in our lives both professionally and personally to bring back joy in our lives.

Come, sit down and strain your eyes with your peers as we learn basic painting techniques on 18 mm miniatures. These miniatures can be used in a plethora of board games and role playing games and are yours to take home afterwards.
This session has a participant fee of $5.25. ​Pre-Registration Link​​​

Scary pictures, silence, fear and loathing are the sex-ed of the past! Bring your classroom into the modern era through effective, inclusive, and comprehensive sexual health education. In today's digital age, students have unprecedented access to information at their fingertips, anytime and anywhere, so it’s crucial to be prepared to talk about sexting, pornography, and consent. We’ll showcase practical teaching strategies, valuable conversation tips, and curated resources to support today’s sex ed classroom. By the end of this session, you will feel more confident and prepared to meet students where they are and foster meaningful and inclusive discussions about sexual health.

Busy, overworked, and overwhelmed? Looking for better work-life balance so that you can have time for yourself again? Let's hack your brain through this experiential workshop to learn speed reading and other time management hacks that will put you back in the driver seat of your schedule.

Explore practical ways artificial intelligence (AI) enhances K-8 literacy education. Join me to discover how AI tools personalize learning, boost student interest, and make teaching easier. Discover user-friendly AI literacy tools that improve reading, writing, and language skills by adapting to each student's needs. Imagine receiving instant feedback on student work and using interactive programs that keep kids excited about learning. Consider how Ai might be used to engage ELL students. By attending, you will gain simple strategies to integrate AI into your lessons, making teaching more effective and engaging while also helping you make informed decisions based on student progress data. Don't miss this jam-packed session! I will show you how AI can revolutionize literacy teaching, creating a vibrant learning environment that inspires students to excel. We will be starting right away, and while a phone could potentially work, delegates may want to bring a device to more easily participate in a couple of activities.

This 1-hour session will explore some of the practical ways in which Grades 7-10 teachers can model and scaffold for readers and writers the skills needed to more actively and meaningfully engage with texts of all kinds. Teachers will come away with tools and strategies that enable students to make visible to us the often-invisible process of comprehending, a process that can’t always be captured by a standardized multiple-choice assessment. Tannis will also provide a brief overview of Pearson’s new Literacy Success Assessment (Grades 7-10), a tool for gaining insights into how our students comprehend and communicate.

Join the Health and Physical Education Council of the ATA (HPEC) for an engaging session designed specifically for Physical Education teachers eager to explore innovative approaches to Phys Ed classes and health education. This session will provide practical knowledge and hands-on strategies that you can implement immediately in your classroom.
During this session, we will delve into essential topics such as physical literacy, emphasizing the significance of being active for life, and highlighting the crucial role of movement in overall well-being. Additionally, we will discuss the importance of fostering a sense of belonging and teamwork within physical education settings.
Get ready to leave this session feeling inspired, empowered, and ready to elevate your PE classes to new heights!

Maybe you’ve always known about your ADHD, or maybe you’ve just been diagnosed. Maybe you don’t even have a formal diagnosis yet—the fact remains that having ADHD is hard. Having ADHD as a teacher can be especially challenging.

Learn how to unlock your brain’s natural teaching superpowers and gather strategies to face your most common challenges (like the mounds of papers stacked on your desk).

I will share two successful projects that I have developed for the grade 8 science curriculum that students love. The first will be an extension of the Body Systems Unit which includes independent student prep work at home and 4-5 days of in class hands-on work. Students will be directed and work independently throughout this project, and the results are spectacular. The second project will take students through the process of water sampling techniques that engage students in some big picture thinking that promotes critical thinking based on scientific data they collect in the field. Both projects are engaging and are highlights of their science programs in grade eight.

In this session participants will work through exploring the differences between Perpetrators, Collaborators, Bystanders, and Rescuers in relation to the Holocaust, by sifting through a number of identity and situational cards. From there, they will be introduced to 3 year old Barney Greenman. Participants will then utilize the same cards to identify who was responsible for Barney’s death. This activity is Monday morning ready for participants and is an incredibly effective way to have students engage with the acts of the Nazi regime through the lens of just one child.

Are you a high-performing teacher feeling overwhelmed by the relentless demands of your professional and personal life? As a mother/parent, leader, and multitasker extraordinaire, it's easy to find yourself at the bottom of your own priority list, constantly striving to meet the needs of others while neglecting your own well-being.

In this transformative presentation, we address the all-too-common experience of high-performing women/parents who feel stretched thin, anxious, and perpetually behind. Drawing from real-world experiences and expert insights, I unveil the 6 essential keys to reclaiming ownership of your needs and your life, granting yourself guilt-free permission to rise to the top of your own to-do list.

Discover innovative ways to integrate Building Thinking Classrooms (BTC) strategies into your word study and vocabulary instruction in LA, Science and Social Studies. This hands-on session focuses on using word study like "Words Their Way" and other effective vocabulary study techniques to enhance content understanding.
What to Expect:

Word Study in Action: Explore BTC activities that make word study engaging and meaningful.
Vocabulary Deep Dive: Learn strategies to enrich vocabulary learning in Science and Social Studies.
Content Integration: Experience practical applications of BTC methods to boost student comprehension in content areas.

Learn how to maximize student understanding by applying evidence-based principles from the Science of Learning to your mathematics teaching. In this session we will investigate how to structure content during lessons and how to apply research-based principles of instruction. This includes:

- using a micro-scaffolding approach that builds upon student prior understanding and connects mathematics concepts;
- reducing cognitive load and creating a truly inclusive classroom;
- applying Rosenshine’s principles of instruction to ensure your teaching is impactful.

You will leave this session with a new understanding of evidence-based instruction and a variety of strategies to immediately apply in the classroom.

Students encounter the 100’s chart in the primary grades. Learn how to build upon their understanding of simple arithmetic to foster a deep understanding of algebraic skills. A seamless transition from arithmetic to algebra will have all students engaged in learning. Students will finish by creating their own algebra project based on the chart. A classroom-ready handout is available.

Are you a neuro-diverse music educator? Discover the hidden strengths within neuro-diverse educators and join in the conversation around transforming challenges into opportunities in this session. Join Sarah Seymour a self-proclaimed Neuro-Spicey music educator and together delve into why being neuro-diverse is a gift to both students and the teaching profession. Explore strategies to enhance executive functioning, organization, and sensory issues, while gaining valuable tools for planning and teaching. This session not only empowers educators to excel but provides insights that can benefit their students as well. Participants will depart with fresh ideas, suggested apps, and resources to bolster their teaching, and the invaluable chance to connect and exchange ideas with like-minded individuals. Embrace the chaos and thrive as a neuro-diverse music educator!

Link to Presentation Content
https://sites.google.com/rvschools.ab.ca/embracing-the-chaos/home

As high school coaches we have been entrusted with a big responsibility. Every sport has their own LTD but how can we marry the similarities and differences in a way that allows us to promote multi-sport athletes, enjoy successful seasons, and create situations where everyone wins. Us vs them is not a path forward. Lets be the solution to potential conflicts between school and club sports by working together and coming up with solutions that work for everyone.

Bring your friends, bring your work. Use this time to work with peers to calibrate your marking across subjects or grades.

Do you need some ideas on how to get assessments done effectively with timely feedback? Do you struggle with HOW LONG it takes to look at assignments? Then this session is for you. Work with your peers to calibrate assessments and learn strategies to work more effectively.

Performance assessments are authentic ways for students to demonstrate their abilities and can positively affect students’ attitudes toward the lab, their academic achievement, and upon the overall environment of the classroom. When used in conjunction with student self-assessment checklists performance assessments can also promote metacognitive activity. This session will present how to administer performance assessments of five basic lab skills and the benefits to the classroom that result.

Note: the following session would be presented in French specifically for the francophone association:

Plusieurs programmes d'études des sciences humaines au Canada intègrent un cadre conceptuel tiré des travaux de Peter Seixas et Tom Morton sur les 6 concepts de la pensée historique (https://histoirereperes.ca/les-six-concepts). En revanche, il n'existe aucun cadre conceptuel équivalent pour les cours de français langue première ou français langue seconde. Comment une approche conceptuelle pourrait-elle nous permettre de développer une vision beaucoup plus ambitieuse et optimiste de ce que les élèves peuvent faire, être et accomplir en apprenant le français? Cet atelier présentera un cadre de 6 approches à la langue, qui sont:

- historisante
-fondée sur le lieu
-fondée sur une compréhension des droits
-soulignant la production de sens comme l'effet d'une négociation consensuelle
-prônant la résilience communicative,
-ludique et célébratoire

À travers une série de récits et d'exemples concrets, l'atelier argumentera que l'intégration d'un tel cadre conceptuel nous permet non seulement de répondre à nos engagements en matière d'éducation autochtonisée, anti-raciste, anti-oppressive et SOGI-inclusif , mais également de créer une expérience d'apprentissage inspirante, voire émancipatrice, pour nos jeunes.

Join Vicki Perkins, Alberta Park’s Environmental Education Specialist for this full day snowshoeing session at Chester Lake in Kananaskis Country! This session is designed for teachers who want to deepen their understanding of snow science and winter safety while embracing their personal health and wellness. We’ll profile winter outdoor activities, stories, and resources that you can adapt to your specific learning environments. Our journey includes snowshoeing on and off trail covering a distance of 5 km with an elevation gain of 380 m. Please come prepared to be outside with warm winter clothing, winter boots, lunch and a thermos of hot beverage. Snowshoes required.
Location: Chester Lake Snowshoe trail, Peter Lougheed Provincial Park.

Transportation: Teachers are required to provide their own transportation. Please consider car pooling.

Directions
From Calgary head west on Hwy 1. Turn south on HWY 40 (by the Stoney Nakoda Casino). Continue south on Hwy 40 for approximately 45 min/51km to the winter highway closure in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park. Turn right onto Kananaskis Lakes Trail. Follow the KLT for 2 km until you reach the Smith Dorrien Trail junction (Hwy 742). Drive approximately 21 km north of this intersection. The parking lot is marked by a blue sign and will be on your right-hand side. We will meet you in the Chester Lake parking lot.
Note:
• there is no cell coverage at this location.
• Outhouse facilities are in the parking lot.
• Maps will be sent to registered participants.

This session has a participant fee of $10.50. ​Pre-Registration Link​​​

This session will be hosted at the West Bragg Creek Day Use Area. I will be sharing skills and management techniques to successfully have your students learn to XC ski with confidence. I will introduce techniques/drills to develop student confidence on the snow and progress to leading the group for a ski tour using existing groomed trails. Participants need to be prepared for outdoor activities. Cross country ski packages are available for rent for $25 donation to the Westmount School Outdoor Education program.

This session has a participant fee of $10.50. ​Pre-Registration Link​​​

Join Andrea Barnes, Alberta Park’s Environmental Education Specialist, for this full day session on snowshoes at Hogarth Lakes in Kananaskis Country! On this full day adventure, we’ll delve into the NEW K to 6 curriculum in a winter context. Through captivating stories, interactive games and hands on activities, Andrea will profile and engage you in a variety of unique and exciting ways to bring the new curriculum outdoors. Our trek will be flattish (89 m elevation), occasionally on and off trail, covering a distance of approximately 3 km. Please come prepared to be outside with warm winter clothing, winter boots, lunch and a thermos of hot beverage. Snowshoes required.
Location: Hogarth Lake Snowshoe trail, Peter Lougheed Provincial Park.

Transportation: Teachers are required to provide their own transportation. Please consider car pooling.

Directions
From Calgary head west on Hwy 1. Turn south on HWY 40 (by the Stoney Nakoda Casino). Continue south on Hwy 40 for approximately 45 min/51km to the winter highway closure in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park. Turn right onto Kananaskis Lakes Trail. Follow the KLT for 2 km until you reach the Smith Dorrien Trail junction (Hwy 742). Drive approximately 21 km north of this intersection. The parking lot is marked by a blue sign labeled Burstall and will be on your left-hand side. We will meet you in the Burstall Day Use parking lot. The Hogarth Lake snowshoe trail starts from this trailhead.
Note:
• there is no cell coverage at this location.
• Outhouse facilities are in the parking lot.
• Maps will be sent to registered participants.

This session has a participant fee of $10.50. ​Pre-Registration Link​​​

Collaborative workspace - work with peers or self to create Personalized, Meaningful, Curriculum Based Concise comments.
I will show you how to use the Power Teacher Comment bank to save time inputting comments and how to use the smart text features. Then you will have time to try out these features, as well as worktime to create comments specific to you.

 

This is a frequently requested and attended presentation.
Your home is one of the biggest financial decisions you will ever make.
If you have a new home in your future or a mortgage coming due in the next 18 months, join Maura, a Behavioural Cash Flow Specialist and Qualified Financial Planner.
Learn how to best prepare for a new mortgage or a mortgage renewal, including understanding your credit score and what Banks and financial institutions look for when approving a mortgage.
Learn the differences between banks and mortgage brokers.
Understand the overall cost of debt and how to make debt management decisions
Identify the heuristics, biases and emotions that can cloud your decision making abilities.
Learn the multistep process to making big financial decisions.
Learn why interest rates are not the only thing you should focus on
Workbook included
Q and A

Immerse yourself in an interactive session tailored for teachers looking to enhance their Language Arts and Literacy instruction with Building Thinking Classrooms (BTC) methodologies. Experience hands-on activities focusing on morphology, sentence writing, and story writing.
What to Expect:

Morphology Magic: Engage in BTC activities that deepen understanding of word structure and meaning.
Sentence Crafting: Learn innovative strategies for teaching sentence construction and variation.
Story Writing: Discover how to inspire creative and structured storytelling in your students.

Join our interactive session of our top 10 numeracy activities for the preschool and kindergarten classroom. These activities are easy to implement, cross-curricular, low-cost, and fun! And you will be able to use them in the classroom the next day.

“Be Brave Enough to Suck at Something New!”, This session will provide a space to explore innovative approaches to supporting and encouraging young musicians in their musical journey. Participants will gain insights into fostering a growth mindset and developing resilience in beginning first year band students, along with practical strategies, resources, and activities. By the end of the session, participants will be equipped with new perspectives and actionable ideas to enhance their teaching and empower their students to embrace challenges and grow from failure. Practice makes Progress!

The SHS Community Greenhouse is an amazing space located in Strathmore, AB. This space has been built as a collaboration between students and community members to drive conversations around more sustainable practices. This space has a large impact but is the product of little projects along the way. We will summarize some of our student projects, identify funding sources for your own projects, and share useful principles we have learned along the way.

In this session, participants will engage in practical discussions regarding classroom assessment using Rockyview Schools outcomes for Physics 20/30. Topics include: discussing challenges with this approach to assessment, providing possible solutions, and sharing strategies and resources with other teachers.

Come join a session where we will talk about the great opportunities that can come out of the CALM curriculum, the challenges of making it happen in a classroom, and some strategies that work.

Attention all colony teachers! Come join us as we unpack pedagogy, assessment practices, & curriculum planning for the multi-grade EAL environment. If you have something to share - please bring it along, we will have time to collaborate with our peers!

Come and see the session that was so popular last year we got in trouble for breaking fire code! This session will provide participants with a variety of strategies for managing the often onerous marking load of a humanities teacher in Jr. or Sr. High. The advice presented will move beyond generic time management and organization and focus on specific tips and pointers that can be easily incorporated into any teacher’s assessment practice. Information is based on lived classroom experience and will be presented in a light-hearted and down-to-earth manner.

Attendees will be offered medicine in the form of knowledge and cultural considerations when working alongside Indigenous students. This session will be guided by the lived experience of an Anishinaabe Registered Provisional Psychologist (School and Counselling). Art, humour, literature, and land-based teachings will be highlighted as an engagement tool; integrating decolonial/resurgent content into classrooms can be both subtle and approachable. In addition, this session will centre on culturally affirming assessment, academic and therapeutic intervention, and inclusive education practices to best support Indigenous learners. Special attention will be given to the topics of attachment, co-regulation, and the intersection between trauma and learning difficulties. This session is applicable for all school staff who work with a variety of ages and backgrounds.

Come join the Calgary Orff Chapter as we dive into fun and engaging activities that will foster student creativity in your music lessons! In this session, geared toward Division Two, participants will have the opportunity to explore music and movement through games, language and play. The Calgary Orff Chapter is a local non-profit, volunteer run organization dedicated to providing high quality professional development opportunities for music teachers.

Does it feel like you're talking about the same students over and over? Are you wanting to take your PLC's and RTI efforts to the next level? Do your team meetings lack the clarity and purpose you're looking for as a leader? In this session, Lorna will articulate, with multiple school samples and resources, the value of layering collaborative structures and processes within a school and how the introduction of a very intentional collaborative team meeting can work to respond to the needs of students collaboratively, while increasing the instructional capacity of everyone involved. In essence, schools reduce the number of meetings about students...by adding one more! By intentionally layering and connecting our PLC and RTI structures, we leverage and maximize the most powerful resource in any school for supporting the whole child - the teachers working within our building! Come learn what thousands of schools have learned about these purposeful collaborative structures and processes to ensure every student is supported by a team. Please ensure you have a device to access online materials through QR code or URL link.

In this session, we will share current findings on the importance of school belonging in relation to student academic success and personal well-being. Additionally, we will share how a value framework and strategies help school staff foster school belonging for all students.

BRAIN GAMES!
In this workshop, participants will have the opportunity to learn about brain and body functions through “brain games” that are designed to encourage understanding, create empathy and explore strategies related to successful interactions in the classroom with people of varying abilities .
Join Pam and Danna in an exploration of the brain , body and how their functioning leads to behaviors that are often difficult to understand. You will leave this workshop inspired to make a difference, excited to share your learnings with others and determined to be a creative responder!

“Return to the Falls” is a 1 Hour DocuDrama following the harrowing life story of Elder Betty Ross who held
the sacred teachings of her father like a torch helping her survive the residential school system. This movie
forges its own path as a hybrid of dramatic, cinematic reenactments of Betty’s childhood journey of
unimaginable hardships and euphoric moments of freedom combined with present day footage of Betty as
she returns to the falls for the first time in more than 70 years. This riveting and educational film was
created to reach audiences from Grade 5 - 12. Along with the film we will share some of the Teachers
Guide information to show how this new film is a must to help tell the story of our nations past. ***This
educational film is not graphic in any way and focuses more on how Betty's journey of light, forgiveness and
reconciliation can be embraced by all.

Creativity and innovative thinking are extraordinary skills that reflect successful learning in your classroom. Students that learn and possess these skills demonstrate better retention of information and, confidence in their application of knowledge beyond the curriculum and your classroom. This session will focus on how to ignite student curiosity and the innate human desire to learn. Fun, engaging and proven classroom examples will be shared throughout the session. Participants will receive multiple lesson examples, assessment rubrics and online (AI) resources ready to use in the classroom.

For teachers who wish to enter the world of musical theatre, or simply take their PE dance unit to the next level, this session will provide tools to build choreography for the beginner to the advanced dancers! Through purposeful movement driven by emotional intention, we can further connect students to a genuine performance and the power of creative expression. The goal beneath the choreo is truly to elevate student personal growth and confidence through self expression in safe and inclusive learning environments. Participants should be prepared and dressed to MOVE!

Join us for an engaging, hands-on session that explores how to use Building Thinking Classrooms (BTC) strategies to teach writing through picture books. Learn to leverage mentor texts to enhance your students' writing skills and creativity.

What to Expect:

Mentor Texts Magic: Discover how picture books can serve as powerful mentor texts for writing instruction.
BTC Writing Strategies: Engage in BTC activities that make writing lessons dynamic and effective.
Creative Application: Plan and create writing lessons that use picture books to inspire and guide student writing.

Some things aren't a big deal… you can get them wrong now, and yet still do well on everything else. But other things are so important that their loss means the learner is handicapped at learning new ideas. Sometimes, you can't let weak understandings slide. Enter the need for Intervention in Math. Based on the work of Marilyn Burns, Do The Math is a series of targeted interventions, aligned with a Mathematical Learning Progression, that leverages the power of Manipulatives, Models, Direct and Guided Instruction, along with the engaging power of games to help remediate and strengthen student performance where it counts... on the Big Ideas of Math. Use these ideas for Intervention, Remediation, or everyday Instruction to build strong learners that leverage strong mathematical foundations to tackle new situations.

Amplify the power of the first or last few minutes of your Math class. This session will showcase a variety of Math routines that are simple to implement and that encourage students to engage collaboratively or independently. Encourage different modes of thinking and long term learning as you spiral through the different strands of the curriculum on a regular basis. This session is intended to complement Math curriculum for grades 4 - 9.

Over the past number of years, with the growth of tiered response systems in schools, educational organizations have become proficient at tiering students for intensifying levels of support. When done well, it ensures a systematic approach to supporting a greater number of students and maximizing resources. When not done well, it can lead to higher levels of support becoming overwhelmed and resources stretched thin as more and more students are identified as requiring intensified supports. The great news is there is a better way that comes when you STOP tiering students! This session will provide an explanation of the paradigm shift from tiering students to tiering supports and share considerations when establishing, refining and utilizing a continuum of supports in schools and districts that has long standing impact for teachers and students.

Enhance scientific literacy using ExploreLearning Gizmos, the 2024 CODiE Award Winner for Best STEM Instructional Solution for Grades K-12! This session introduces the pedagogical approach of CER, claim-evidence-reasoning, to promote scientific understanding and discourse. Participate in a modelled lesson using online science simulations to experience firsthand the strengths of a CER approach. Teachers are encouraged to bring a device.

Apprendre à bien utiliser des tableurs vous aidera à transformer votre pratique professionnelle. Des outils comme Excel et Google Sheets vous permettent de mieux suivre des progrès d'élèves, de vous fournir de la rétroaction sur votre pratique pédagogique et simplifier l'analyse avec des tableaux de bord et des graphiques.

Dans cette session, Stéfane présentera 5 tableurs qu'il utilise dans sa pratique d'enseignement.

Simplifiez votre visionnement : meet.google.com/pvt-jmhd-qet

Tableurs :

1. Plan d’évaluation

2. Google Gradebook 

3. Feedback d’évaluation 

4. Profils de classe (instructions)

5. Index de ressources 

Raccourcis Google

What did I need to know about supporting Writing in Grade 2? Everything!



We begin with the question: How might I engage students through active learning that will inspire them to write? Is it possible?

This is an interactive workshop that uses stories, videos, songs and simple games to enhance your writing program and support cross -curricular writing activities. It includes ideas for sequencing games, drama and video in a writing program that grows enthusiasm for communicating!

In my presentation, I delve into the intertwining realms of care, spirituality, and teaching practices, illuminating the pivotal role of educators as caregivers. I invite you to join me on a journey to cultivate a nurturing learning environment where every student feels supported and valued.

We embark on this exploration by delving into the significance of spirituality in health and wellness, setting the stage for its integration into our educational approach. As we progress, I share insights into the essential skills and qualities of effective caregiving, enriched by the infusion of spirituality.

How does an animal’s adaptations affect their survival? What effect will this have on their ability to pass on their genetics and so affect their species biodiversity? How does the environment impact these adaptations? Come explore Wild Canada and learn about how animals adaptations and biodiversity are impacted by climate change. THIS SESSION IS OUTSIDE - please come dressed for the weather. 

This session will take place at Wilder Calgary Zoo - MEET AT KARSTEN DISCOVERY CENTRE ENTRANCE 
1300 Zoo Road NE, and has a participant fee of $10.50.
Pre-Registration Link

"Built around the K-9 Learning Progression developed at the U of A by Dr Lynne McGarvey, Pearson's Mathology is a one-stop, integrated resource that aims to transform the way students approach and engage with math, fostering a deeper appreciation and mastery of key concepts.

If you're tired of using restrictive resources that don't fit you or your class, or weary of spending your time searching online for those mix-and-match ideas, materials, and tools, join Gerry for a conversation about how Mathology's editable and adaptable instructional materials, planning and assessment tools, and pedagogical supports can simplify resource choices for today's Middle-School Teachers and Learners."

Cuisenaire rods are an exceptional visual and tactile tool to help students make sense of math. In the session we will show you the many ways they can be used in your classroom from kindergarten to grade 6 including understanding numbers 0-10, part-part whole thinking, basic facts, multiplication, fractions, area, and decimals.

Social media is an excellent professional development tool. Come to this session to learn some amazing new games that I discovered while following physical education teachers from across the globe. The games have been tried and tested with my own students (K-4, but can be adapted to higher grades) and have proven to be some of the new favorite games students are asking to play. Come prepared to be active during the session and walk away with activities you can use with your students next week.

Design a new environmental sustainable tourist destination, that engages public involvement, considers water and energy consumption, land use, and waste production, while covering content from grade 5-9 science curriculum. This is just one example of how to create new and engaging lessons that cross multiple concepts within your grade 5 - 9 science and social studies classes. that reinforce skill, knowledge and abilities through practical, meaningful projects. The projects are designed to draw from past experiences and knowledge, and ignite creative and practical approaches to connecting the science curriculum between grade levels and curricular topics.