Loading…
CLICK HERE TO VIEW JASON SCHILLING OPENING REMARKS

Welcome to CATCA 2025! We are excited to see you soon but here are a few reminders...

1. Adding a session to your schedule does not guarantee your attendance. Room capacities are in effect and sessions will be accessed on a physical first come, first served basis on the day of the event. Alternatively, If you are ’Waitlisted", this only means that there are a number of interested delegates beyond the capacity limits for this session - get there early to secure your seat!

2. As we attempt to make CATCA 2025 as amazing as possible, there may be changes made to the schedule up until the day before - Please check your schedule for any time or venue changes or possible cancellations.

3. Please check session description for possible fees associated with materials for some of the art sessions. These will be paid directly to the presenter.

4. Do remember that there might be sessions not at our main venue, do look carefully where the session is at.

5.GooseChase will be searchable on the website or app - search for: CATCA 2025 Convention.. If requested, the GooseChase join code is: Z8NFL6

A floor plan showing the rooms in RDP that we’re using for convention is available here.

All pre-recording videos will be up until May 31st.

or to bookmark your favorites and sync them to your phone or calendar.
Type: Language Arts (TQS 3) clear filter
Thursday, February 20
 

9:00am MST

The ‘Not So Happily Ever After’ Storytelling Workshop
Thursday February 20, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am MST
This workshop takes attendees on a magical journey through the origins of classic fairy tales, showing how storytelling principles as told through the lens of centuries old tales can inform modern writing techniques. Before two Grimm brothers compiled a collection of 'happily ever after' fairy tales, there existed the 'not so happy ever after' fairy tales. This interactive session is designed to empower teachers to inspire students through purely silly fun with a dark twist and a singular writing lesson: all stories must teach a lesson.
Speakers
avatar for Andrew Buckley

Andrew Buckley

Author/Speaker/Creator
Today, he’s a traditional and self-published novelist of rather silly, yet enjoyable speculative fiction for all ages, a comic book writer, screenwriter, podcaster, creator, and speaker. For over 20 years, he’s worked in the dreaded world of marketing as a content creator, copywriter... Read More →
Thursday February 20, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am MST
RDP Room 2501

9:00am MST

Play On Words - Box Cars Literacy Games for Elementary
Thursday February 20, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am MST
Brains learn best through PLAY! Come prepared to play elementary literacy games that incorporate literacy dice, letter tiles and word decks. Game and strategies are easy to differentiate to meet the needs of all students including regular, ELL and special ed. Games will focus on: learning the alphabet and its' sounds, word patterns and rhyme, spelling simple CVC words, vocabulary boosters, vowels and blends. These games can be used whole class, small group or in centers, and can be adapted for intervention and assessment. Ideas are easily transferred to home practice and family literacy games nights. Handout will contain gameboards, ready to use Monday a.m. This is a fast paced, hands-on session!

NOTE T PROGRAM CHAIR: We need a table set up for this session, lots of manipulatives.
Speakers
avatar for John Felling

John Felling

presenter, Box Cars And One Eyed Jacks
The workshops and seminars John Felling presents are engaging, informative, fun, and hands-on. In his workshops, teachers learn a variety of games and activities (new ones every year), closely tied to provincial curriculum standards. The games and activities presented integrate easily... Read More →
Thursday February 20, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am MST
RDP Room 2303

10:20am MST

From Concept to Script - Screenwriting Workshop
Thursday February 20, 2025 10:20am - 11:20am MST
Speakers
avatar for Andrew Buckley

Andrew Buckley

Author/Speaker/Creator
Today, he’s a traditional and self-published novelist of rather silly, yet enjoyable speculative fiction for all ages, a comic book writer, screenwriter, podcaster, creator, and speaker. For over 20 years, he’s worked in the dreaded world of marketing as a content creator, copywriter... Read More →
Thursday February 20, 2025 10:20am - 11:20am MST
RDP Room 2501

10:20am MST

Writing that Stirs the Heart
Thursday February 20, 2025 10:20am - 11:20am MST
Participants will learn how to use creative writing in two important ways. First, as an introspective, self-care tool to mend, strengthen and restore joy to the writer’s heart. See how words can foster a renewed sense of peace, passion, and purpose. Secondly, how to craft stronger writing, tell captivating stories, and communicate powerfully to move the hearts of readers. Writing styles of focus include: free writing, memoir, poetry, and fiction.



Learning Objectives:
Literacy
Health and wellness
Cross curricular learning


Participants should come prepared to write alongside presenter and award-winning author and artist Alexis Marie Chute. She will teach participants how to approach any artistic endeavor with mindfulness and freedom.

The writing styles presented—free writing, memoir, poetry, and fiction—will be discussed for their potential for personal expression, self-discovery, reflection, and as vehicles to share experiences with others and tell meaningful stories. Chute will introduce each style and outline how-to’s to ensure a positive writing experience. She will share how she used writing in her own personal journey, her struggle with depression, and the loss of her son, Zachary—as well as the breakthroughs that she experienced.

Target audience:
This workshop is for those looking for personal breakthrough, those with a story to share, and individuals responsible for facilitating creative writing with others.

3 Learning Objectives:
Describe how creativity, and specifically writing, can help them and others express themselves in a healthy and healing way, including left brain and right brain processes, for example.
Define writing styles, genres, techniques, and methods of implementation that empower writers to craft their words for optimal impact on their readers, prompting understanding, allowing new perspectives and engagement.
Identify which writing exercises are best suited for desired outcomes with the language to facilitate these creative explorations, including exercises and resource lists to support the writing.

Additional info relevant that will assist the reviewing of program:
This program provides a way for educators to replenish their own reserves, while also learning and exploring with storytelling formats that they may not have tried before. The education on how to share personal stories is an invaluable skill that can encourage and inspire communities. It places current tools in individuals and groups hands so that they can better themselves and their communities.

Behavioral outcomes, learning outcomes, instructional outcomes, and performance outcomes.
The opportunity to slow down and take time for personal and professional reflection in a safe and nurturing space.
The ability to discuss the biology behind creativity as an outlet for personal self-care and healing.
Ability to discuss the cultural relevance for creativity as a barrier-breaking community outreach tool.
A working knowledge of multiple writing styles and their creative characteristics.
Ability to describe these writing styles and how each can be used for personal expression, discovery, reflection, and transformation.
First-hand understanding of the exercises from trying them.
The ability to lead others through the writing exercises.
Speakers
avatar for Alexis Marie Chute

Alexis Marie Chute

Creative Director, Alexis Marie Productions Inc.
Alexis Marie Chute is an award-winning artist, photographer, filmmaker, gallery curator, and bestselling author. Her books include The 8th Island Trilogy (Above the Star, Below the Moon, Inside the Sun) and memoir Expecting Sunshine: A Journey of Grief, Healing and Pregnancy After... Read More →
Thursday February 20, 2025 10:20am - 11:20am MST
RDP Room 1600

1:00pm MST

Creating Thematic Book Clubs
Thursday February 20, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
This session will explore how to design and build thematic literature circles for any English class (10, 20, 30) in the -1 and -2 streams as well as in Grade 8 and 9. The focus will be on how to implement book clubs in the classroom in addition to weaving in personal response, creative, and critical writing. There will be a variety of creative projects and discussion tools showcased as well. Themes will include: new world orders, coming of age, survival, social justice, dystopian/apocalyptic, war and peace, personal adversity, magical realism. The session will center on practical methods of implementation, daily routines, and provide some suggestions for novel selections.
Speakers
avatar for Lauren Charanduk

Lauren Charanduk

Teacher
Lauren has taught English for over a decade in central Alberta, primarily teaching high school. She is currently on the specialist council for English Language Arts (ELAC) and has presented at their biannual conference.
Thursday February 20, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
RDP Room 1400 (MP Theatre)

1:00pm MST

Practicing Metissage for Compassion, Narrative Communication, & Community Building
Thursday February 20, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
Connecting with Indigenous Ways of Knowing and offering rich experiences in support of TQS 5 can be intimidating, especially for non-Indigenous teachers. While we cannot have first-hand knowledge of the hardships and celebrations of our Indigenous peoples, we are privileged to have the opportunity to impact hearts and minds in the spirit of reconciliation and continue to pursue practical methods of reconcili-ACTION in our classrooms. I’ll share my experience of developing a research project and unit plan for my 30-1 students, and the widely applicable learning, growth, and gold that was generated through our practices of metissage, or collaborative storytelling and narrative weaving. Students can to learn to see themselves and one another in fresh, exciting, vulnerable, and deeply impactful ways as they share their own narrative strands and braid their stories with the stories of others while making choices for their own comfort and safety. The incredible transformation power I witnessed unfold with my class during my research has led me to continue practicing processes reflective of metissage, and has continued to support both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students in remarkable and exciting ways. If you struggle with supporting kids as they seek out and navigate peer, friend, classmate, and community connections, implementing practices of metissage (from major to minor approaches) will allow you to hold space and support new depths of inter- and intra-personal understandings with your students and your classroom community as a whole through this beautiful narrative practice.
Speakers
avatar for Liz Harrison

Liz Harrison

Teacher
Liz Harrison has been teaching high school students for over a decade, and works to hold space and time for students to become courageously vulnerable creators and authentic communicators. Liz completed a Master of Education in Canadian Literacies in 2024 and is in the second-last... Read More →
Thursday February 20, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
RDP Room 1328

1:00pm MST

The ‘Trick or Treat’ Horror Writing Workshop
Thursday February 20, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
It's time to get creepy! This genre-bending workshop will take attendees through the horrors of . . . well . . . writing a horror. Highlighting the psychology of fear, we'll explore common horror tropes in storytelling, the formula for building a chilling tale, and put together a complete story outline for a horror movie (featuring workshop attendees). This interactive session provides teachers with the necessary tools to plan and break a discussion-based story plan. Touching upon principles of storytelling and genre writing, with a horror-infused twist, this interactive workshop is not for the faint of heart!
Speakers
avatar for Andrew Buckley

Andrew Buckley

Author/Speaker/Creator
Today, he’s a traditional and self-published novelist of rather silly, yet enjoyable speculative fiction for all ages, a comic book writer, screenwriter, podcaster, creator, and speaker. For over 20 years, he’s worked in the dreaded world of marketing as a content creator, copywriter... Read More →
Thursday February 20, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
RDP Room 2501

1:00pm MST

Snowflakes and Stories: Embracing Winter's Narrative Tradition
Thursday February 20, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
Enter a realm where winter's embrace invites storytelling to flourish. Join us in exploring the profound significance of storytelling during the snowy season. Why do stories resonate when snow blankets the earth? Delve into the diverse forms of storytelling, discovering how each holds the power to captivate and educate.
Speakers
avatar for Phillip Campiou

Phillip Campiou

Elder, Driftpile Cree Nation
Phillip Campiou, a member of the Traditional Woodland Cree from Driftpile Cree Nation, Alberta, has made his home in the Onoway area. Growing up, Phillip's father instilled in him the principles of self-sufficiency and profound respect for Mother Earth and spiritual teachings. As... Read More →
Thursday February 20, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
RDP Room 1303

2:20pm MST

Unlocking Potential: Integrating Google Gemini for Effective Teaching
Thursday February 20, 2025 2:20pm - 3:20pm MST
In this session, educators will delve into the evolving landscape of educational technology with a focus on integrating Google Gemini into the classroom. Participants will gain hands-on experience with Gemini’s innovative digital tools designed to enhance student engagement and learning outcomes. This beginner to intermediate session will cover practical applications, including the integration of Gemini’s interactive platforms and digital resources into various curricula. We will also explore strategies for fostering digital literacy and critical thinking in students, ensuring ethical and effective use of technology in the classroom.
Speakers
avatar for Gilles Theriault

Gilles Theriault

Teacher, Red Deer Public School District
Gilles is teaching at École Lindsay Thurber Comp. H.S. in Red Deer. He provides workshops to educators. He has conducted professional development for over two decades. He's a Google Certified Trainer. He's also a recognized Adobe Train the Trainer and an Apple Teacher. Gilles is... Read More →
Thursday February 20, 2025 2:20pm - 3:20pm MST
RDP Room 2602

2:20pm MST

Artificial Intelligence - The Creative World of Our Robot Overlords
Thursday February 20, 2025 2:20pm - 3:20pm MST
AI has emerged as a tool that school-aged children have embraced, and consequently, has become a headache for teachers everywhere. This workshop offers an open discussion forum to teach the pros and cons of AI while laughing about how we’ll all eventually be replaced by talking toasters. Most importantly, it also provides useful tools and advice on how to use AI as a creative tool for writing projects.
Speakers
avatar for Andrew Buckley

Andrew Buckley

Author/Speaker/Creator
Today, he’s a traditional and self-published novelist of rather silly, yet enjoyable speculative fiction for all ages, a comic book writer, screenwriter, podcaster, creator, and speaker. For over 20 years, he’s worked in the dreaded world of marketing as a content creator, copywriter... Read More →
Thursday February 20, 2025 2:20pm - 3:20pm MST
RDP Room 2501
 
Friday, February 21
 

9:00am MST

Leveraging Magic School AI for Enhanced Learning
Friday February 21, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am MST
In this dynamic session, educators will delve into the evolving landscape of educational technology with a focus on integrating Magic School into the classroom. Participants will gain hands-on experience with Magic School innovative digital tools designed to enhance student engagement and learning outcomes. This beginner to intermediate session will cover practical applications, including the integration of Magic School interactive platforms and digital resources into various curricula. We will also explore strategies for fostering digital literacy and critical thinking in students, ensuring ethical and effective use of technology in the classroom.
Speakers
avatar for Gilles Theriault

Gilles Theriault

Teacher, Red Deer Public School District
Gilles is teaching at École Lindsay Thurber Comp. H.S. in Red Deer. He provides workshops to educators. He has conducted professional development for over two decades. He's a Google Certified Trainer. He's also a recognized Adobe Train the Trainer and an Apple Teacher. Gilles is... Read More →
Friday February 21, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am MST
RDP Room 2501

9:00am MST

Co-Authors of The Valley of the Birdtail
Friday February 21, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am MST
Why are outcomes for Indigenous students so unequal? Join authors Douglas Sanderson (Amo Binashii) and Andrew Stobo Sniderman for a discussion about their acclaimed book, Valley of the Birdtail: An Indian Reserve, a White Town, and the Road to Reconciliation. This book follows multiple generations of two families, one white and one Indigenous, and weaves their lives into the larger story of Canada. Valley of the Birdtail is about how two schools became separate and unequal—and what it means for the rest of us.
DO COME EARLY TO THE SESSION TO RECEIVE YOUR FREE COPY OF THE BOOK. 
Speakers
avatar for Andrew Stobo Sniderman

Andrew Stobo Sniderman

ANDREW STOBO SNIDERMAN is a writer, lawyer and Rhodes Scholar from Montreal. He has written for the New York Times, the Globe and Mail and Maclean’s. He has also argued before the Supreme Court of Canada, served as the human rights policy advisor to the Canadian minister of foreign... Read More →
avatar for Douglas Sanderson (Amo Binashii)

Douglas Sanderson (Amo Binashii)

DOUGLAS SANDERSON (AMO BINASHII) is Beaver Clan, from the Opaskwayak Cree Nation. He holds the Prichard Wilson Chair in Law and Public Policy at the University of Toronto, Faculty of Law. Professor Sanderson has served as senior Advisor to the government of Ontario, in the offices... Read More →
Friday February 21, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am MST
RDP MAIN STAGE/ AC117 (ARTS CENTRE)

9:00am MST

Novel Studies - How to do it well!
Friday February 21, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am MST
Do your students hate reading? Do they struggle to complete tasks/assignments due to lack of engagement? Please join us for engaging ways to teach novels that will have your students asking, “Are we going to read today?” We will be going through a variety of different novels for different grade levels/abilities, as well as different approaches to novels and reading, strategies to build literacy and comprehension skills, tasks to develop academic writing, the gathering of evidence, critical analysis of the text and creative hands on projects.
Speakers
avatar for Joanna Zakus

Joanna Zakus

Joanna has a BA History and a BEd Secondary Social Studies. She has been teaching primarily social studies and humanities for the last 20 years at the junior high level. Joanna currently is a teacher at a junior high school with the Calgary Board of Education. She focuses on interactive... Read More →
avatar for Nicholle Morrison

Nicholle Morrison

Teacher, Calgary Board of Ed.
Joanna has a BA History and a BEd Secondary Social Studies. She has been teaching primarily social studies and humanities for the last 18 years at the junior high level. Joanna currently is a teacher at a junior high school with the Calgary Board of Education. She focuses on interactive... Read More →
Friday February 21, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am MST
RDP Room 2303

9:00am MST

STEAM Read Alouds - Weaving Literacy Into Your STEAM Lessons
Friday February 21, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am MST
Come and see how you can enhance literacy skills in your STEAM (Science Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) classes. Teachers are storytellers, we weave together concepts with relatable stories to help make learning more exciting, but also more memorable. In this session, you will learn how to engage your students in active listening exercises while listening to a variety of stories about STEAM concepts. This will also include a focus on Indigenous Ways of Knowing and Being in STEAM as well as suggestions on a variety of authors and books to fit your curriculum. this session is for all grade levels, although more appropriate for Division 2-4.
Speakers
avatar for Amanda Green

Amanda Green

Teacher, Science Council
Amanda's spark for science ignited at an early age exploring nature with her family and grew into a flame for space exploration as she followed Canada's journey skyward. She teaches Junior High STEM classes in both English and French in Beaumont, Alberta. Alongside her colleague Julie... Read More →
Friday February 21, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am MST
RDP Room 2301

9:00am MST

ASL - Introduction / Beginner
Friday February 21, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am MST
This is a "hands on," beginner ASL course geared toward educators with little or no experience in ASL. We will start with the ABC's and take you to asking and answering questions, playing games, numbers, and more. You will have the benefit of two instructors, one Deaf and one Hearing, who together will take you through accurate signing as well as explain clearly the logic behind the signs. You will leave excited to practice and show off your ASL!
Speakers
AD

Andy Davies

Andy Davies has been a teacher (U of L BFA/B.Ed '09) of languages and art in Southern Alberta for 15 years. Andy has studied, worked in, and been active with ASL and the Deaf community for many years. Originally self-taught, he studied ASL at Grant MacEwan from 2000-2001. He has worked... Read More →
Friday February 21, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am MST
RDP Room 2602

9:00am MST

Using Assessment to Improve Teaching
Friday February 21, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am MST
Assessments take many forms, from qualitative observations to assignments and tests. All of these are opportunities for feedback not just for students, but also for teachers. So how can you take advantage of that, and improve what you’re doing in your classroom, without adding a bunch more work to your life? This workshop will explore how you can use the results from all types of assessments to improve your teaching. The facilitators, Jason Cooper and Laura Pankratz, have decades of classroom and assessment experience. Participants in this workshop will engage in discussion and exploration of what is currently working in Alberta classrooms.
Speakers
avatar for Jason Cooper

Jason Cooper

Onsite contact: Jason Coooper
Jason Cooper is the creator and owner of SmarterMarks, a tool that helps teachers and students do more with paper and online assessments. Before making the switch to supporting and developing SmarterMarks full-time, he worked as a high school science teacher in Calgary for 9 year... Read More →
avatar for Laura Pankratz

Laura Pankratz

Western Canada Teacher Network Coordinator, Perimeter Institute
Laura Pankratz is an educator with more than 30 years of working with students and teachers. One of her principles of education is the learning is messy. Her passion is finding the nugget of value in that mess and then helping the learner to build around it. Laura’s career included... Read More →
Friday February 21, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am MST
RDP Room 1437

10:20am MST

Transformative Teaching: Leveraging Digital Tools for Engaged Learning.
Friday February 21, 2025 10:20am - 11:20am MST
In this dynamic session, educators will delve into the artificial intelligence and its potential to transform teaching and learning. Participants will gain hands-on experience with innovative digital tools designed to enhance student engagement and learning outcomes. This intermediate/advanced session will cover practical applications, including the integration of LLM and digital resources into various curricula. We will also explore strategies for fostering digital literacy and critical thinking in students, ensuring ethical and effective use of technology in the classroom.
Speakers
avatar for Gilles Theriault

Gilles Theriault

Teacher, Red Deer Public School District
Gilles is teaching at École Lindsay Thurber Comp. H.S. in Red Deer. He provides workshops to educators. He has conducted professional development for over two decades. He's a Google Certified Trainer. He's also a recognized Adobe Train the Trainer and an Apple Teacher. Gilles is... Read More →
Friday February 21, 2025 10:20am - 11:20am MST
RDP Room 2501

10:20am MST

A Teenage Songwriter’s Journey: Helping people write songs as a means of personal expression
Friday February 21, 2025 10:20am - 11:20am MST
In 2021, Oakley set a goal to release an album before turning 16. He wrote songs and busked to fund the project. Over the next three years, he learned many lessons that he’s excited to share. His album, Auburn, was released in May 2024. Attend this session to learn how to use songwriting as a means of expression and language exploration with a young singer-songwriter. With simple frameworks, you’ll create a hook and start to craft a new song. No musical experience or talent is necessary. Oakley will complete some songs during the session. Through story, live music and collaborative writing, you’ll leave this session with an appreciation for the power of song and a process to start the journey with your students.

Oakley’s Bio:
Oakley is a 16 year old, Calgary-born and raised singer-songwriter. He is a Grade 11 student who juggles school athletics, training for his black belt in mixed martial arts, his passion for the mountains, and his singing career. He recently released his first Album (Auburn) on all streaming platforms. His musical influences include Ella Fitzgerald, John Mayer, Ziggy Alberts, numerous world musicians, and everything in between. One of his goals is to inspire people to pick up a real instrument and start playing. He advocates doing something that takes courage over what is comfortable. He is also a connoisseur of grilled cheese and mac and cheese.
Speakers
avatar for Paul Marlett

Paul Marlett

Learning Leader, Calgary Board of Education
Paul is a purebred teacher and a maverick in education who focuses on innovation in the “art of teaching”. Having taught for over 2 decades in the classroom, the gym, and (approved) mountain tops from grades 1 to 12 in all subject matters, he has spent the last 10 years with the... Read More →
Friday February 21, 2025 10:20am - 11:20am MST
RDP Room 1500 (Cornerstone Restaurant)

10:20am MST

Writing for Social Studies (Div 3 and 4)
Friday February 21, 2025 10:20am - 11:20am MST
Are you struggling to develop your student’s academic social studies writing skills? This is the session for you! We will be focusing on paragraph structure building towards essay writing and interpreting sources and developing critical written responses leading to the source analysis. The scope and sequence from grade 7 to high school written tasks will be examined. We will be providing PowerPoint lessons, tasks, templates and exemplars for a variety of different grades and abilities.
Speakers
avatar for Joanna Zakus

Joanna Zakus

Joanna has a BA History and a BEd Secondary Social Studies. She has been teaching primarily social studies and humanities for the last 20 years at the junior high level. Joanna currently is a teacher at a junior high school with the Calgary Board of Education. She focuses on interactive... Read More →
Friday February 21, 2025 10:20am - 11:20am MST
RDP Room 2303

10:20am MST

ASL - Intermediate
Friday February 21, 2025 10:20am - 11:20am MST
This course is geared toward educators with some familiarity with ASL who would like to take it to the next level. After reviewing the basics, we will go deeper into the grammatical and syntactical structure of ASL, directional verbs, locational/spatial organization and narrative organization. Participants will leave this session able to tell a joke or story in ASL.
Speakers
AD

Andy Davies

Andy Davies has been a teacher (U of L BFA/B.Ed '09) of languages and art in Southern Alberta for 15 years. Andy has studied, worked in, and been active with ASL and the Deaf community for many years. Originally self-taught, he studied ASL at Grant MacEwan from 2000-2001. He has worked... Read More →
Friday February 21, 2025 10:20am - 11:20am MST
RDP Room 2602

10:20am MST

Getting Students to Welcome Assessments
Friday February 21, 2025 10:20am - 11:20am MST
We expect students to show up in our classes ready to learn, ready to incorporate new ideas into their canon of knowledge, skills and attitudes. But often students show up having been trained to perform on assignments, quizzes and tests for marks. There is a disconnect between these two expectations that can often lead to frustration for both teachers and students. This workshop will explore building a classroom culture that will have students valuing assessments as a measure of their learning rather than as a hoop to hop through. The facilitators, Jason Cooper and Laura Pankratz, have decades of classroom and assessment experience. Participants in this workshop will engage in discussion and exploration of what is currently working in Alberta classrooms.
Speakers
avatar for Jason Cooper

Jason Cooper

Onsite contact: Jason Coooper
Jason Cooper is the creator and owner of SmarterMarks, a tool that helps teachers and students do more with paper and online assessments. Before making the switch to supporting and developing SmarterMarks full-time, he worked as a high school science teacher in Calgary for 9 year... Read More →
avatar for Laura Pankratz

Laura Pankratz

Western Canada Teacher Network Coordinator, Perimeter Institute
Laura Pankratz is an educator with more than 30 years of working with students and teachers. One of her principles of education is the learning is messy. Her passion is finding the nugget of value in that mess and then helping the learner to build around it. Laura’s career included... Read More →
Friday February 21, 2025 10:20am - 11:20am MST
RDP Room 1437

11:40am MST

"Look Teacher... Come See My Amazing Wintercount!"
Friday February 21, 2025 11:40am - 12:40pm MST
Developing and applying foundational knowledge about First Nations, Metis, and Inuit for the benefit of students has been a new task challenging teachers in the classroom. In this session, Erin reviews a simple, effective and interesting project that makes these FNMI Connections for students, yet isn’t too complicated or time consuming and can be used across any subject area or grade level. Participants will have the opportunity to learn about what Wintercounts are, their value in the classroom and will engage in the Wintercount process first hand. Exemplars will be shared along with templates that are ready to use in classrooms on Monday morning. If you are a teacher that values inclusion, creativity and literacy, then this session is for you!
Speakers
EM

Erin Montgomery

Erin is an experienced Secondary Science Educator with 20 years of teaching experience within Elk Island Catholic Schools. She is currently on leave from EICS, and now serves as the Curriculum and Assessment Learning Coach for St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Schools, where she provides... Read More →
Friday February 21, 2025 11:40am - 12:40pm MST
RDP Room 1503

11:40am MST

Using Data to Build Better Assessments
Friday February 21, 2025 11:40am - 12:40pm MST
So, you have just finished scoring your students’ tests. You have a bunch of data! What do you do with that data? This workshop will explore some key tools for interpreting assessment data and discuss how they can be used to build assessments that are fair, reflect a range of student understanding, and provide meaningful feedback to students. The facilitators, Jason Cooper and Laura Pankratz, have decades of classroom and assessment experience. Participants in this workshop will engage in discussion and exploration of what is currently working in Alberta classrooms.
Speakers
avatar for Jason Cooper

Jason Cooper

Onsite contact: Jason Coooper
Jason Cooper is the creator and owner of SmarterMarks, a tool that helps teachers and students do more with paper and online assessments. Before making the switch to supporting and developing SmarterMarks full-time, he worked as a high school science teacher in Calgary for 9 year... Read More →
avatar for Laura Pankratz

Laura Pankratz

Western Canada Teacher Network Coordinator, Perimeter Institute
Laura Pankratz is an educator with more than 30 years of working with students and teachers. One of her principles of education is the learning is messy. Her passion is finding the nugget of value in that mess and then helping the learner to build around it. Laura’s career included... Read More →
Friday February 21, 2025 11:40am - 12:40pm MST
RDP Room 1437

11:40am MST

Gr 9 - Engaging Projects
Friday February 21, 2025 11:40am - 12:40pm MST
Do you struggle engaging your students with the topics of government and economics? Want your students to think critically and build skills? This session will walk you through a variety of different tasks that can be interactive, develop critical thinking skills, work to apply knowledge and interpret a variety of sources. Tasks range from government simulations, YCJA scenarios and trials, cross curricular ELA texts/resources, economic simulations, videos to support learning, propaganda, etc.
Speakers
avatar for Joanna Zakus

Joanna Zakus

Joanna has a BA History and a BEd Secondary Social Studies. She has been teaching primarily social studies and humanities for the last 20 years at the junior high level. Joanna currently is a teacher at a junior high school with the Calgary Board of Education. She focuses on interactive... Read More →
Friday February 21, 2025 11:40am - 12:40pm MST
RDP Room 2303

1:00pm MST

ELA and SS - Engaging Tasks Connected to Conflict
Friday February 21, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
Want to bring conflict and military history to life in your classroom? Want your students to connect to different challenges associated with people's experiences with conflict? Want your students to think critically and build skills? We will be looking at a variety of different conflicts connected to the curriculum (EG: War of 1812, Conquest of the Americas, Remembrance Day, etc.) in social studies as well as a variety of different ELA texts that have conflict as a theme (EG: The Sniper, War Poetry, songs connected to war and peace, etc.). Students get to explore and understand situations where individuals are interacting with conflict and war and the consequences individually and for society. There are many connections to be made to other times in world history to allow students to critically think about the movement of peoples. You will walk away with the complete lessons, activities, projects and resources.
Speakers
avatar for Joanna Zakus

Joanna Zakus

Joanna has a BA History and a BEd Secondary Social Studies. She has been teaching primarily social studies and humanities for the last 20 years at the junior high level. Joanna currently is a teacher at a junior high school with the Calgary Board of Education. She focuses on interactive... Read More →
avatar for Nicholle Morrison

Nicholle Morrison

Teacher, Calgary Board of Ed.
Joanna has a BA History and a BEd Secondary Social Studies. She has been teaching primarily social studies and humanities for the last 18 years at the junior high level. Joanna currently is a teacher at a junior high school with the Calgary Board of Education. She focuses on interactive... Read More →
Friday February 21, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
RDP Room 2303

1:00pm MST

Vocabulary: How can I enhance the words my students know and use?
Friday February 21, 2025 1:00pm - 3:20pm MST
In this session, we will discuss the importance of vocabulary instruction, as well as strategies for integrating vocabulary instruction into lessons throughout the day. Attendees will be shown several different activities that are classroom ready and can be implemented immediately.
Speakers
SK

Shauna Koopmans

With a combined total of over 40 years of experience in K-12 education, we have experience teaching literacy to students in grades K-12. Laura is currently teaching grade 2 in Red Deer and Shauna is an instructor in the Bachelor of Education program at RDP.
Friday February 21, 2025 1:00pm - 3:20pm MST
RDP Room AC222 (Arts Centre)

3:20pm MST

Helping Students Navigate Academic Vocabulary Across Subject Areas
Friday February 21, 2025 3:20pm - Saturday May 31, 2025 11:30pm MDT
Students require specialized skills to be able to cope with the demands of disciplinary text. As students move up in secondary grades, the language of the texts they engage with becomes more specialized and precise, and the language more academic. Academic vocabulary (often referred to as Tier 2 Academic Words) is problematic for students to master, as academic vocabulary can take on dramatically different meanings depending on the usage. As the knowledge students engage with becomes more formalized and complex, so too do the patterns of language that construct that knowledge. This session will take a look at patterns of language and some of the problems with academic vocabulary. Teachers will come away with practical and useful tools that students can use to visualize, organize and structure their thinking to improve their reading, writing and communicating across all subject areas.
Speakers
avatar for Dr. Karena Hartson

Dr. Karena Hartson

Karena is a secondary literacy consultant who delivers high-level, high-energy professional learning sessions that help teachers leverage their own experiences to support student learning. Teachers attending her sessions will come away with tools and strategies that they can use immediately... Read More →
Friday February 21, 2025 3:20pm - Saturday May 31, 2025 11:30pm MDT
Recording

3:20pm MST

My Students Can’t Summarize! Please Help!
Friday February 21, 2025 3:20pm - Saturday May 31, 2025 11:30pm MDT
The ability to read and summarize a text is an essential skill. A good summary needs to do more than pick out the big ideas and simplify the text. A good summary helps students to identify and analyze key points in the text and then relate those points to the overall structure of the text. Teaching summarization that is linked to text-structure improves both the quality of the written summaries and students’ overall comprehension of the text. Join Dr. Hartson to explore this powerful method of summarizing text. You’ll walk away with examples, graphic organizers, and materials you can use in your class tomorrow.
Speakers
avatar for Dr. Karena Hartson

Dr. Karena Hartson

Karena is a secondary literacy consultant who delivers high-level, high-energy professional learning sessions that help teachers leverage their own experiences to support student learning. Teachers attending her sessions will come away with tools and strategies that they can use immediately... Read More →
Friday February 21, 2025 3:20pm - Saturday May 31, 2025 11:30pm MDT
Recording

3:20pm MST

PBL basics - how to develop a project based mindset
Friday February 21, 2025 3:20pm - Saturday May 31, 2025 11:30pm MDT
The real world doesn’t exist in silos so why do we expect our students to learn in them? Project Based Learning provides an opportunity to blur the lines between subject disciplines and allow students and teachers to collaborate on meaningful tasks, but how do we even begin? This session will provide guidance for different planning methods used to develop cross-curricular project based learning initiatives at the secondary level with science at their core.
Speakers
avatar for Julie Arsenault

Julie Arsenault

Science Lead Teacher, Science Council
After receiving her Bachelors and Masters degrees in Microbiology and Biotechnology, Julie entered the Faculty of Education at the University of Alberta to pursue her teaching career. She has been teaching with Edmonton Public Schools since 2002 and has developed a passion for incorporating... Read More →
Friday February 21, 2025 3:20pm - Saturday May 31, 2025 11:30pm MDT
Recording
 


Share Modal

Share this link via

Or copy link

Filter sessions
Apply filters to sessions.
  • Art (TQS 3)
  • Assessment (TQS 3)
  • Career & Technology Studies/Foundations (TQS 3)
  • Counselling & Student Support (TQS/LQS 4)
  • Curriculum & Pedagogy (TQS 3)
  • Diversity
  • Drama & Dance (TQS 3)
  • Educational Research (TQS/LQS 2)
  • English Additional Language [EAL/ESL](TQS/LQS 4)
  • Environmental & Outdoor Education (TQS 3)
  • Equity & Human Rights (TQS/LQS 4)
  • Fostering Effective Relationships (TQS/LQS 1)
  • French & International Languages (TQS 3)
  • Health and Wellness (TQS 3)
  • Inclusive Education (TQS/LQS 4)
  • Indigenous Education (TQS/LQS 5)
  • Keynotes and Special Events
  • Language Arts (TQS 3)
  • Learning Commons & Makerspaces (TQS 3)
  • Mathematics (TQS 3)
  • Music & Band (TQS 3)
  • Physical Education (TQS 3)
  • Professional Issues (TQS/LQS 6)
  • Reflection/Collaboration (TQS/LQS 2)
  • Religious & Moral Education (TQS 3)
  • School Leadership (LQS 1-9)
  • Science (TQS 3)
  • Social Studies (TQS 3)
  • Special Education (TQS 3)
  • Technology (TQS/LQS 2)