CATCA 2025: Full Schedule

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

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 1503

Language Arts (TQS 3), Division 4 (Gr 10-12), Division 3 (Gr 7-9) | Drama & Dance (TQS 3), Division 4 (Gr 10-12), Division 3 (Gr 7-9) | English Additional Language [EAL/ESL](TQS/LQS 4), Division 4 (Gr 10-12), Division 3 (Gr 7-9)

10:20am MST

kiyokewin - Visiting with Community and Métis Education Resources

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

RDP Room 1503

kiyokewin is visiting in Michif. kiyokewin is a traditional way in which Métis people connect and shape community and relationships with each other, the land, water, plants, cosmos, and animals. In this session you will learn how kiyokewin can educators, students and community connect more deeply. Rupertsland Institute will share how many initiatives, resources and programs are created through kiyokewin. Explore how meeting the TQS and LQS standard of fostering, building and maintaining relationships is woven into authentic Métis resources.

Thursday February 20, 2025 10:20am - 11:20am MST
RDP Room 1503

Indigenous Education (TQS/LQS 5), Division 1 (Gr 1-3), Division 2 (Gr 4-6), Division 3 (Gr 7-9), Division 4 (Gr 10-12)

11:40am MST

Askîhk Kiskinohamâtowin Land-Based Learning

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

RDP Room 1503

Land-Based Learning is central to Métis ways of knowing and being. When we create relationships to the land, we have a responsibility to live in reciprocity by protecting and caring for the land and all that lives on it. Seeing the land as a relation is an important Métis worldview. Join Rupertsland Centre for Teaching and Learning in exploring what Land-Based Learning could look like in schools, what it is and resources to support this learning.

Thursday February 20, 2025 11:40am - 12:40pm MST
RDP Room 1503

Indigenous Education (TQS/LQS 5), Division 4 (Gr 10-12), Division 3 (Gr 7-9), Division 2 (Gr 4-6), Division 1 (Gr 1-3)

1:00pm MST

The ‘Trick or Treat’ Horror Writing Workshop

Thursday February 20, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST

RDP Room 1503

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

Andrew Buckley

Author/Speaker/Creator

Thursday February 20, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
RDP Room 1503

Language Arts (TQS 3), Division 3 (Gr 7-9), Division 4 (Gr 10-12) | English Additional Language [EAL/ESL](TQS/LQS 4), Division 3 (Gr 7-9), Division 4 (Gr 10-12)

2:20pm MST

Artificial Intelligence - The Creative World of Our Robot Overlords

Thursday February 20, 2025 2:20pm - 3:20pm MST

RDP Room 1503

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

Andrew Buckley

Author/Speaker/Creator

Thursday February 20, 2025 2:20pm - 3:20pm MST
RDP Room 1503

Technology (TQS/LQS 2), Division 4 (Gr 10-12), Division 3 (Gr 7-9) | Language Arts (TQS 3), Division 4 (Gr 10-12), Division 3 (Gr 7-9) | Educational Research (TQS/LQS 2), Division 4 (Gr 10-12), Division 3 (Gr 7-9) | English Additional Language [EAL/ESL](TQS/LQS 4), Division 4 (Gr 10-12), Division 3 (Gr 7-9)

9:00am MST

Nurturing Happiness

Friday February 21, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am MST

RDP Room 1503

Once you know the principles of lasting happiness you can apply these truths to everyday practices and teach them to your students. Discover how you and your students can nurture happiness when overwhelmed by the challenges of school and life. These happiness principles are based on anecdotal experiences and a plethora of positive psychology research. This session will illuminate helpful strategies for nurturing wellness, joy and lasting happiness. Come laugh, decompress, and learn some self-care.

Speakers

Danny Bateman

Instructor, Concordia University Edmonton

Danny is currently an instructor of pre-service teachers at Concordia University of Edmonton. As an experienced and esteemed public speaker, he delivers teaching strategies and inspiration using entertaining experiences and actionable content. He has delivered hundreds of successful... Read More →

Friday February 21, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am MST
RDP Room 1503

10:20am MST

Survival Tips for New Teachers

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

RDP Room 1503

Do you feel overwhelmed? How does a teacher keep up with lesson preparation, engaging and managing students, grading, progress reports, parent conferencing, meeting diverse learning needs, not to mention evaluations and dealing with school administration? How can one remain enthusiastic, happy, and well-balanced when overwhelmed by these responsibilities? This hopeful session introduces principles of survival in the classroom and a medley of practical strategies for coping with challenges. Come laugh, decompress, and learn some self-care. These tried-and-true, evidence-based tips will provide hope and make your job easier.

Speakers

Danny Bateman

Instructor, Concordia University Edmonton

Friday February 21, 2025 10:20am - 11:20am MST
RDP Room 1503

11:40am MST

"Look Teacher... Come See My Amazing Wintercount!"

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

RDP Room 1503

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

Erin Montgomery

Curriculum and Assessment Learning Coach, STAR Catholic Schools

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

Indigenous Education (TQS/LQS 5), Division 3 (Gr 7-9), Division 4 (Gr 10-12) | Science (TQS 3), Division 3 (Gr 7-9), Division 4 (Gr 10-12) | Assessment (TQS 3), Division 3 (Gr 7-9), Division 4 (Gr 10-12) | Language Arts (TQS 3), Division 3 (Gr 7-9), Division 4 (Gr 10-12)

1:00pm MST

"Look Mum... Come See My Awesome Science Journal!"

Friday February 21, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST

RDP Room 1503

In this session, teachers will learn about the structure, function and application of science journals that can be used in the Secondary Science classroom. Including resources that support Assessment For Learning practices and FNMI connections, these journals serve 2 large purposes. They are a "guided home study program" to supplement student classroom learning (especially useful for chronically absent students or student athletes), and they serve the larger purpose of becoming evidence of a student's learning for parents/guardians to be displayed during parent meetings or conferences. Exemplars of these journals will be shown as well as tips, ideas and templates for teachers to start to use them in their own classroom immediately with their own diverse learners. Science 9 and 10 journals will be specifically shown during this session but Science Journals can be implemented in any 7-12 classroom with the templates and resources shared in this session. If you are a teacher that values student hard work, dedication, organization, pride in work and good study habits, then this session is for you!

Speakers

Erin Montgomery

Curriculum and Assessment Learning Coach, STAR Catholic Schools

Friday February 21, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
RDP Room 1503

Science (TQS 3), Division 3 (Gr 7-9), Division 4 (Gr 10-12) | Assessment (TQS 3), Division 3 (Gr 7-9), Division 4 (Gr 10-12)