PDTCA 2025: Full Schedule

The PDTCA Board hopes you have an amazing Convention 2025!
Emergency Procedures Calgary Telus Convention Centre
Emergency Procedures Hyatt
Human Rights Statement
Land Acknowledgement

CALGARY TELUS CONVENTION CENTRE (CTCC) and HYATT - address

Adding the session to your Sched schedule does not mean you are pre-registered.
Pre-Registration will OPEN February 1, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. and CLOSE February 16, 2025 AT 8:00 p.m.

How to pre-register - Check the infographic For Pre-Registered sessions please use the pre-registration link in the session description.

Reason to Create a Profile in Sched
You do not need to create a profile and log in to see sessions in Sched. However, if you want to add yourself to a session to create a schedule or evaluate a session you must be logged in.

Convention at a Glance Link

Professional Responsibility
“On the two school days of your assigned teachers’ convention, you have a legal and professional responsibility to attend convention. If you are not able to make it safely to your assigned convention, however, your collective agreement may include impassable roads or inclement weather clauses that you can access. If your collective agreement does not include language specific to road conditions or weather, you may make use of the personal leave clauses of your agreement in most cases. Please be aware that using any of these types of leave may require you to pay substitute costs, forego a portion of your salary and benefits, or report to your school or another work location in your district. Refer to your collective agreement for more information. Should you require any additional information or if you need assistance interpreting your collective agreement, please contact Teacher Employment Services at 1-800-232-7208 or 780-447-9400.”
This information is also found on the Frequently Asked Questions page on the www.ataconventions.ca website. If you have any further questions regarding this, please contact Daniel.Maas@ata.ab.ca.

09:00 MST

Introducing Morphology: Empowering Readers & Writers Through Word Structure, Vocabulary, & Spelling

Thursday February 20, 2025 09:00 - 10:00 MST

Glen 201/202 - CTCC

The Alberta ELAL Curriculum has an explicit focus on morphology. Are you wondering what it is and how to teach it? This session will provide a foundational understanding of morphology and the many benefits of teaching it to students. Time will also be spent exploring the new Pearson resource: Bug Club Morphology to demonstrate how it can support your teaching in this area.

Speakers

Siobhan Murphy

Planning & Implementation Manager for Literacy, Pearson Canada

Siobhan Murphy is the Planning & Implementation Manager for Literacy at Pearson Canada. She has been in the field of education for over 20 years, including teaching at the elementary and junior high levels, as a district lead literacy teacher and a literacy consultant at the Edmonton... Read More →

Thursday February 20, 2025 09:00 - 10:00 MST
Glen 201/202 - CTCC

Language Arts (TQS 3), Div1 (Gr 1-3), Div2 (Gr 4-6)

Session has participant fee No
Level of content General overview for novice learners
Presentation Language English
Is Pre-registration required No

10:20 MST

Equitable Climate Justice in the Classroom

Thursday February 20, 2025 10:20 - 11:20 MST

Glen 201/202 - CTCC

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

Speakers

Amy Thompson

Alberta Council for Environmental Education

At ACEE, we believe that educating today’s youth is the key to creating a sustainable future for Alberta and beyond. Through our partnerships with teachers, education providers, parents, and students, we offer a range of programs and initiatives that help young people become aware... Read More →

Thursday February 20, 2025 10:20 - 11:20 MST
Glen 201/202 - CTCC

Diversity, Div1 (Gr 1-3), Div2 (Gr 4-6), Div3 (Gr 7-9), Div4 (Gr 10-12) | Equity & Human Rights (TQS/LQS 4), Div1 (Gr 1-3), Div2 (Gr 4-6), Div3 (Gr 7-9), Div4 (Gr 10-12)

Session has participant fee No
Level of content Intermediate content
Presentation Language English
Is Pre-registration required No

11:40 MST

Science on a Budget: Bringing the New K-6 Science Curriculum to Life Indoors and Outdoors!

Thursday February 20, 2025 11:40 - 12:40 MST

Glen 201/202 - CTCC

Join Inside Education for this dynamic interactive workshop for K-6 teachers where we will delve into the environmental science and natural resource components of the new Alberta Science Curriculum. We will share hands-on tools, tricks, and methods to use inexpensive classroom supplies for engaging educational experiences both inside your classroom and in your outdoor classroom space. Not only will we teach you some Monday-morning activities, we will also showcase our new no-cost outdoor-focused toolkit to help scaffold learning through the new Organizing Ideas. Three lucky teachers will walk away with their very own toolkit! Every teacher will leave feeling inspired and prepared with resources and activities to foster inquiry-based learning, critical thinking, and environmental stewardship skills within their classrooms.

Speakers

Braeden Elenko

Inside Education

Inside Education is an Alberta-based, environment and natural resource education charitable society. We have been supporting teachers and inspiring students to think critically about natural resource topics since 1985! With our full suite of no-cost teaching resources, youth summits... Read More →

Thursday February 20, 2025 11:40 - 12:40 MST
Glen 201/202 - CTCC

Environmental & Outdoor Education (TQS 3), ECE (Pre K-K), Div1 (Gr 1-3), Div2 (Gr 4-6)

Session has participant fee No
Level of content General overview for novice learners
Presentation Language English
Is Pre-registration required No

13:00 MST

Connecting the Dots - K - 4 Domino Math Games for Whole Class or Small Group Instruction

Thursday February 20, 2025 13:00 - 14:00 MST

Glen 201/202 - CTCC

Dominoes are one of our student's favorite math manipulatives and one of the easiest to find and implement into your math program. Games will cover the following concepts: counting, patterns, subitizing, basic operational fluency for +, - and x, place value, graphing, multi-digit operations and more. The handout will contain gameboards, journal masters for immediate use. Activities are easy to differentiate and can be used in whole class instruction, small groups or centers. Come and connect the dots and experience the powerful math connections sitting in a set of 28 dominoes!

Speakers

Jane Felling

Presenter, Box Cars And One-Eyed Jacks Inc

Jane is author of the award winning Box Cars and One-Eyed Jacks series of teacher resources - both for math and literacy. Jane has presented workshops across North America for over 30 years and has been a featured speaker at 100's of provincial, state, national and international conference... Read More →

Thursday February 20, 2025 13:00 - 14:00 MST
Glen 201/202 - CTCC

Mathematics (TQS 3), ECE (Pre K-K), Div1 (Gr 1-3)

Session has participant fee No
Level of content General overview for novice learners
Presentation Language English
Is Pre-registration required No

14:20 MST

PLAY ON WORDS - PRIMARY LITERACY GAMES FOR WHOLE CLASS, SMALL GROUP and ELL INSTRUCTION

Thursday February 20, 2025 14:20 - 15:20 MST

Glen 201/202 - CTCC

Science of reading reminds us that brains learn best through PLAY! Come prepared to play literacy games that incorporate the use of hands on manipulatives including: literacy dice, letter tiles, word decks and more that will help you teach and support learning in the novel ways that young brains learn best. Games and activities cover: letter recognition, rhyme, word families and patterns, vocabulary, spelling simple CVC words, work with vowels and blends. Handout will contain games, ideas to differentiate activities provided throughout. Games can be adapted for intervention, ELL and used for assessment.

Speakers

Jane Felling

Presenter, Box Cars And One-Eyed Jacks Inc

Thursday February 20, 2025 14:20 - 15:20 MST
Glen 201/202 - CTCC

Language Arts (TQS 3), ECE (Pre K-K), Div1 (Gr 1-3), Div2 (Gr 4-6)

Session has participant fee No
Level of content General overview for novice learners
Presentation Language English
Is Pre-registration required No

09:00 MST

POWER PLAY - EMPOWER YOUR PRIMARY STUDENTS WITH PLACE VALUE GAMES AND STRATEGIES

Friday February 21, 2025 09:00 - 10:00 MST

Glen 201/202 - CTCC

Place value is at the heart of our math curriculum and a deep understanding is necessary for success in all concepts taught. Come prepared to play our favorite place value games and learn strategies that help develop the following: playing with 10, composing/decomposing numbers, comparing PV to 100, 1000 up to 100 000's, using number lines to compare numbers and estimate sums and differences, early rounding strategies. Games will incorporate the use of dice, cards, place value dice, red solo cups and number lines. Handout will contain games, concept skill checklists for assessment and journal ideas. Games are easy to differentiate and use whole class or in small groups. This session is suitable for upper elementary teachers who feel their class needs review and practice with primary place value.

Speakers

Jane Felling

Presenter, Box Cars And One-Eyed Jacks Inc

Friday February 21, 2025 09:00 - 10:00 MST
Glen 201/202 - CTCC

Mathematics (TQS 3), Div1 (Gr 1-3), Div2 (Gr 4-6)

Session has participant fee No
Level of content General overview for novice learners
Presentation Language English
Is Pre-registration required No

10:20 MST

SHAKE UP YOUR OPERATIONAL FLUENCY - GAMES AND STRATEGIES FOR ADDITION AND EARLY MULTIPLICATION

Friday February 21, 2025 10:20 - 11:20 MST

Glen 201/202 - CTCC

Come prepared to shake, rattle and roll and learn our best games and activities for practicing addition and early multiplication. Dice are highly motivating and engaging to learners for focused practice, are easy to differentiate to meet the needs of all your students. Games and strategies will cover: doubles, make 10, count on and back, commutative and associative properties for both + and x, skip counting, square facts, using arrays. Handout will contain strategies, gameboards, concept skill checklists for assessment. Differentiation ideas will be shared throughout the play. This is a fast paced workshop with ideas that can be used first thing Monday!

Speakers

Jane Felling

Presenter, Box Cars And One-Eyed Jacks Inc

Friday February 21, 2025 10:20 - 11:20 MST
Glen 201/202 - CTCC

Mathematics (TQS 3), Div1 (Gr 1-3), Div2 (Gr 4-6)

Session has participant fee No
Level of content General overview for novice learners
Presentation Language English
Is Pre-registration required No

11:40 MST

Every Child Deserves a Team: Layering Meeting Structures to Support the Whole Child

Friday February 21, 2025 11:40 - 12:40 MST

Glen 201/202 - CTCC

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.

Speakers

Lorna Hewson

Lorna Hewson is an award-winning educator with leadership experience at the classroom, school, district and provincial levels. Lorna’s professional background has included coaching and mentoring teachers and leaders, effective assessment, curriculum implementation, and inclusive... Read More →

Friday February 21, 2025 11:40 - 12:40 MST
Glen 201/202 - CTCC

School Leadership (LQS 1-9), ECE (Pre K-K), Div1 (Gr 1-3), Div2 (Gr 4-6), Div3 (Gr 7-9), Div4 (Gr 10-12)

Session has participant fee No
Level of content Intermediate content
Presentation Language English
Is Pre-registration required No

13:00 MST

Stop Tiering Your Students! Establishing, Refining and Utilizing a Continuum of Supports

Friday February 21, 2025 13:00 - 14:00 MST

Glen 201/202 - CTCC

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.

Speakers

Lorna Hewson

Friday February 21, 2025 13:00 - 14:00 MST
Glen 201/202 - CTCC

School Leadership (LQS 1-9), ECE (Pre K-K), Div1 (Gr 1-3), Div2 (Gr 4-6), Div3 (Gr 7-9), Div4 (Gr 10-12)

Session has participant fee No
Level of content Intermediate content
Presentation Language English
Is Pre-registration required No