CATCA 2025

Focusing on the art of concise and impactful writing, award-winning author Alexis Marie Chute delves into the importance of word-economy and its role in enhancing writing skills for students. Attendees will learn valuable techniques to convey powerful messages using minimal words, teaching students to refine their writing for maximum effect.
Topics covered:
Sentence structure
Imagery
Musicality
Editing and revision

Chute offers practical strategies to instill brevity, clarity, and precision in students' expression, enriching their communication abilities across various academic subjects. By embracing the concept of word-economy, educators can equip their students with a crucial tool that not only enhances writing but also encourages effective communication in the classroom and beyond.



Learning Objectives:
Literacy
Critical thinking
Resourcefulness

Why for teachers:
This session will delve into word economy, the musicality of words, and the power of concise communication. It is a session that will benefit all student writing.

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.

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.

Taking up controversy can be so engaging but becomes so much work when things slide off the rails! In our pluralistic, conflict-driven society, teachers must often hold space in our classrooms for challenging topics and examining multiple views. In the face of increasing unrest in our globalizing world, how can teachers create safety in which students can risk voicing ideas and exploring difficult topics without creating conflict? If critical, argumentative dynamics and writing are the focus, how can we strike a balance and create an environment without ideological blow-outs? In this follow-up session to the DLA Theory, we shift from introductions, intangible framing, and boundary establishment to practical hands-on pedagogical planning. I’ll offer a series of practical ways teachers can begin to or further implement the safety/ risk taking paradox and provide time and support for planning something “dangerous” for your own students. Bring a challenging text to work from OR draw from ideas and texts I’ll share to build a learning process or product that fits YOUR students, and encourages them to grow into practiced evaluators, communications, and push their comfort boundaries when they feel safe to do so. Holding space for this important work while feeling supported and confident with current research instead of on edge or at sea will bring you new confidence in building safe foundations from which to teach dangerously and allow your students to take new risks in their communication.

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.

Have you noticed something changing between early middle school and later secondary school grades? After years of observing the shift in classroom dynamics, I took intentional action to support learners who struggle to ‘sit still and get to work’. Many students struggle with the behaviors academic streaming implies and seemingly requires, but it doesn’t have to be like this: teachers can implement practices that create dynamic engagement and rely on, instead of fight against, those creative, boisterous, and enthusiastic energies! In this session, I’ll share strategies and project exemplars that have changed the classroom dynamics of my 20 and 30 –1 classes by working to support, instead of struggle with, the need students have to move, speak, and learn in ways that are not strictly or silently textual. I’ll share approaches and plans that showcase the benefits of energetic, dynamic learners through interactive, experiential, situation, and multimodal process and product forms. Walk away from this session with new ways to support learners who struggle with static coursework by prioritizing conversational, hands-on learning. Your students will begin to see their capabilities and learning superpowers: no longer ‘villains’ who just can’t sit still, but rather heroes of and in their own learning.

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.

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.

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.

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!

The new parts are in Bold.
In this session, educators will delve into the evolving landscape of educational technology with a focus on integrating LLMs - Large Language Models, like Google Gemini, Claude, Copilot, ... into the classroom. Participants will gain hands-on experience with LLMs' innovative digital tools designed to enhance student engagement and learning outcomes. This beginner to intermediate session will cover practical applications, including the integration of LLMs interactive platforms and digital resources into various curricula. We will also explore strategies for fostering digital literacy and critical thinking with students, ensuring ethical and effective use of technology in the classroom. This session will now cover the topic of AI "detectors" and plagiarism.

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

In this dynamic session, educators will delve into 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.

NEW: For ease of use in this session, bring a device that makes it easy to select text and copy/paste content from published Google Docs to your favorite AI.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.