Presenters on the Road

A comprehensive workshop focused on positive and preventative classroom management skills and techniques.  By seeing the potential for problems and by knowing your students well, you will have the opportunity to reestablish your behavioural expectations reasonably and promptly.  This is an opportunity to assist in identifying the source of the problems, to separate them from behavior and come to a timely resolution.

The revised elementary Science and Technology curriculum (2008) is to be implemented with a Science, Technology, Society and Environment (STSE) lens.  The STSE movement implores students (and teachers) to take ACTION on issues of societal and environmental concern.   It is not enough to learn investigative skills and science content, students need to combine this knowledge to take action and evoke change.

Access to a computer lab is strongly recommended in order to make this workshop most interactive and relevant to classroom practice.  Teachers will benefit from ideas to put the new policy framework Acting Today, Shaping Tomorrow and the Ministry Environmental Education Scope and Sequence document into PRACTICE.

During this workshop, the following content will be covered:  how to successfully collect data, analyze it and use it to plan effectively in order to meet student needs, how to use descriptive feedback to help motivate all learners and meet the needs of all our students, how to design summative assessments that motivate students and meet the learning expectations that have been set by the curriculum.

As technology advances and the needs of our students change, so to should our instructional tools.  This course will examine the characteristic of the 21st Century Learner and focus on demonstrating how easily technology can be integrated into various areas of the curriculum in order to motivate and engage students along with maximize their learning.  We will explore technology resources that support authentic student centered learning, share projects and rubrics that have been created according to the expectations of the curriculum and work collaboratively to plan activities that can be used in our classrooms.  You will walk away with numerous ideas and practical projects that work with students.

Bucket drumming is a unique, affordable, and enjoyable way to teach musical rhythm.  It can be incorporated into the curriculum, or taught as an extracurricular activity.  The workshop will introduce the basic techniques of bucket drumming.  As well, participants will be given the opportunity to learn and perform compositions that have been written specifically for bucket drumming.  An information package will be distributed, outlining the costs of the materials and where they may be obtained.

Assessment is a tricky and confusing area for teachers and appears to be constantly changing.  This half or full day workshop is aimed at teachers in grades 1 – 8, and will equip you with the confidence to plan with assessment in mind.  Get tips, tricks, and tools to make your classroom run like a well-oiled machine!

Using Math Talk to Help Students Learn and examine how these strategies can be used to support student thinking while playing math games.  Participants will explore how “just right games: can support students’ acquisition of facts and understanding of numbers.  In grade specific groups, participants will play games designed to support the development of strategies and big ideas most typically appropriate for the grade level. Find out what your students know and have fun with it.

Participants will learn to make a number of books that can be used to publish student work and encourage students to write, celebrate their learning or prepare for Young Authors Weeks.  Participants will take home book samples and instructions.  We will use materials that are readily available and inexpensive.  Materials fee - $5/ participant.

Are you a junior division teacher who has an interest in exploring mathematics through manipulatives and hands-on learning activities?  If so, then this workshop is for you!  During this full day workshop, we will focus on Number Sense and Numeration and will touch on Measurement, Geometry, Patterning and Algebra, and Data Management and Probability.  Participants will engage in teacher made, student tested activities that teach mathematical concepts through exploration and the use of manipulatives.  Student work samples will be displayed for participants to see.

This fast paced, hands-on goal-oriented session, introduces a variety of media, for the budget-conscious classroom.  Art On A Shoestring is a workshop that may be adapted to challenge both students and teachers alike.  The workshop is dynamic, interactive, and fun for all.  A variety of key elements of art, such as drawing, shading, patterning, and manipulation of materials are investigated and used to create personal masterpieces.

If you are interested in learning more about Special Education and the learning disabled student, this workshop is for you.  During the first half of the workshop we will review the connection between the IPRC paperwork, the IEP and the report card.   We will also look more in depth at the IET and discuss effective ways of preparing and implementing the IEP.  The second half of the workshop will be dedicated to LD students, assistive technology (SEA), and provincial demonstration schools.

This interactive workshop promotes the use of math games for a variety of purposes:  focused observation and formative assessment of student reasoning, scaffolding and challenging students’ reasoning, promoting positive social interaction, promoting clear explanations of student reasoning and strategies, differentiated instruction, and practice for automaticity.  The workshop will include video clips of games in action in classrooms, hands-on experience with introducing, playing, and modifying games.  Participants will be given the materials and instructions required to make and use the games back in their classrooms.  Let the games begin!

In the intermediate classroom, issues of global education and social justice are issues important to the adolescent learner.  These concepts and issues related to equity, democracy, human rights, and global citizenship can be at the “core” of an intermediate teacher’s Language Arts and Social Studies programs.  In this interactive workshop, participants will engage in activities related to an Integrated Language Arts / Social Studies / Music unit, entitled “Rage Against the Machine”, which explores the protest song as a tool for social change.  Through this unit, students examine the history and issues that “drive” the marriage of “pop and protest”, as well as the power of musical protest in current music genres such as rap, grunge, and hip hop.  Workshop participants will share the myriad extensions this integrated unit inspires.

This course will integrate literacy skills such as inferring, questioning and determining importance, with math skills such as problem solving, guided, directed and independent strategies to create a balanced approach to teaching and learning.  You will be provided with time and materials to create math and literacy centres for your classroom based on appropriate, current children’s literature.  You will come away excited about how easily you can incorporate the same strategies in both your numeracy and literacy blocks.

PowerPoint, a data projector, and a laptop are just a few of the items that have advanced 21st century student learning in mathematics and numeracy.  This workshop will give you insight into how technology can bring your Math curriculum to life.  Turn your lessons and unit plans into authentic real time, real life format.  Find out how websites enhance the learning environment of your classroom.  Incorporate video streaming, audio (mp3), images into your curriculum on a daily basis.  This workshop will show you how understanding the components of the information highway today could alter the way you start teaching tomorrow.

Opening Your Eyes is an interactive workshop designed for the everyday teacher.  Through discussion, hands-on activities and interaction participants will have the opportunity to learn about many aspects of the world of Learning Disabilities, especially how they present in the classroom.  Opening Your Eyes, also, provides the participants with a collection of strategies, tips and ideas that are easily and quickly implemented into the classroom.  Topics discussed, include but at not limited to, learning disabilities, the testing and identification process, adaptive technologies, accommodations, modifications and “quick-and-dirty” tips.

Learn how to use singing in your classroom to engage the mind and body.  This participatory workshop is geared towards primary and junior teachers, and will introduce an eclectic variety of styles and methods of singing – easy start your day warm-ups, singing games, and simple songs with movement.  Even the most hesitant of singers will participate more freely when movement is involved.  Think of it as “QDS” Quality Daily Singing!  Learn how to select appropriate material for your grade levels, the elements of the developing singing voice, and how to assess the singing voice.  Come ready to ‘Sing, Move, and Groove’!

How to open your mouth without having to remove your foot!

Ever feel that conflict resolution stays at the conflict level and not resolution?  This interactive workshop takes a look at nine fundamental verbal skills that will enhance asking the right questions and using the right phrases to ensure resolution.  These skills are great for teacher/ student, professional/professional, and teacher/ parent discussions.  Collective Bargaining teams will love the practice!  It may even help you talk your way into the house at 2 am!  Mini scenarios using the skills are included in the workshop for practice.

From engaging introduction to an invitation for follow-up support, this workshop is designed for educators serious about preparing for a successful interview.  This sequentially delivered no holds barred session is loaded with proven take-home resources.

Topics include cover letter, resume, portfolio, supporters, Secrets of Teacher Success, Habits of Teacher Success, preparing for the interview, interview questions, a framework for answering interview questions and much more.

Make use of this learning opportunity by attending this fast paced, resource rich workshop.

This workshop is designed to support classroom teachers who teach music without the help of a specialist.  It will review basic concepts on music such as beat, tempo, rhythm, timbre, and form.  Teaching through games and activities reinforces and actualizes knowledge.  Following the Orff approach, this workshop will show how students can use their bodies to perform music through clapping, snapping, stomping and patsching (patting on legs). Students will transfer beat and rhythms to simple percussion instruments that will engage student’s concentration, listening, and group work skills.

As an occasional teacher (OT), you are a master of adaptability and have an innate ability to cope with anything thrown your way.  Are you that same person in your financial life?  Most OT’s must master income fluctuations successfully.  We will review strategies for managing and protecting income, review money-saving ideas, learn about different investment tools, and get an overall better understanding of how to maximize your finances.  Whether you are fresh out of the faculty or fresh out of the classroom, there is a little something for everyone whatever career stage you are at.

How do we find meaningful ways to engage our learners?  How do we address different learning styles and interests within a large classroom?  Differentiated Instruction means addressing students’ different learning styles and creating different ways that students can access the curriculum.  Assessment of different learning styles begins with the creation of class profiles.  This workshop provides examples of differentiated instruction in action and practical ways to create class profiles to begin to differentiate instruction meeting the needs of individual learners. 

Are you a junior division teacher who has an interest in exploring mathematics through manipulatives and hands-on learning activities?  If so, then this workshop is for you!  During this full day workshop, we will focus on Number Sense and Numeration and will touch on Measurement, Geometry, Patterning and Algebra, and Data Management and Probability.  Participants will engage in teacher made, student tested activities that teach mathematical concepts through exploration and the use of manipulatives.  Student work samples will be displayed for participants to see.

This presentation is intended to enhance your understanding of learning disabilities in the classroom.  Simulations will be provided in order to feel the impact that a student with a Learning Disability profile may experience.  Specific strategies and supports will be discussed for the classroom including, accommodations, modifications, and enhancing self advocacy skills.  Class activities will include group work, individual reflection, and class discussion.  A variety of resources will be shared.

Engage your students in higher-level thinking about Music and Arts, and use critical questioning strategies that easily translate to Literacy in general!  This fun and engaging workshop will have you practicing the strategies you’ll take back to you classroom as you and your students interact with painting and music.  A great workshop, especially for non-Arts specialists.

Linking Literacy and Learning

This workshop will provide occasional teachers with background in effective literacy instruction.  The key areas of focus will be:  an overview of literacy instruction; comprehensive literacy; differentiated instruction; assessment and evaluation; and effective Literacy instructional strategies.

Teaching Mathematics:  What’s the Problem?

This workshop will provide occasional teachers with background in effective numeracy instruction.  The key areas of focus will be recent changes in mathematics instruction; “Walking the Talk” - trying a problem; teaching through problem solving, and the 3-part lesson.

Differentiated Instruction:  Addressing the “each” in Teaching

One of the more challenging aspects of occasional teaching involves meeting the needs of each learner when the OT doesn’t have the background that the classroom teacher may have to do so.  The key areas of focus for this workshop are: understanding the components of differentiation; experiencing viable strategies for differentiating instruction; and networking with colleagues and the sharing promising practices.

Using Math Talk to Help Students Learn and examine how these strategies can be used to support student thinking while playing math games.  Participants will explore how “just right games: can support students’ acquisition of facts and understanding of numbers.  In grade specific groups, participants will play games designed to support the development of strategies and big ideas most typically appropriate for the grade level. Find out what your students know and have fun with it

Music will come alive as we explore the Ministry’s revised Art-Music Curriculum with hands-on, practical ideas for implementation that you will be able to use in your classroom the next day!  We will examine the new critical and creative thinking skills and processes contained in the document and apply them through engaging activities while listening to, performing and creating music.  Integration possibilities will be highlighted through a wide variety of sources, e.g. rhymes, chants, songs, recordings, picture books.  All teachers are welcome, with or without prior experience in teaching Music!

Starting Up, Starting Over… Where to begin? Challenges and changes can be stressful but they present new opportunities for fun and creativity as well.   Discover what the experts say about the importance of happiness on the job and how to achieve it.  Plan your program to minimize stress and work to your strengths.

Find new ways to restore your energy, enthusiasm, and sense of humour in a thoughtful, fun-filled workshop.

Teachers have been working to incorporate aspects of media literacy into the instructional program with very few supports.  This workshop identifies what is meant by the term critical media literacy and will assist teachers as they work to enhance these skills with their students.  The workshop focuses on the DVD ‘Addressing Violence in the Media’ that was released last year.  The workshop can be tailored to meet the needs of the audience and can focus on a JK – 8 overview, the primary resources, or the junior resources.

The way we write is changing! What hasn’t changed is the critical need for effective communication. In this workshop, teachers will learn strategies to improve written language and oral communication:  Specifically:

- What makes for great writing programs?  The five magic ingredients, are explored and discussed.

- “Authenticating Details”.  How the choice of the perfect details brings the page to life and can transform mediocre writing into potent and memorable prose.  Learn how to structure mini-lessons that bring your class’ writing to life.

- Two big issues every teacher faces:  teaching voice and assessing writing.

- Writing forms:  beyond the seven traits.

- Handouts with thoughts on writing that you can use immediately, booklists for “hooking” young writers, assessment tools.

At this session you’ll be guided through the process of creating a short film.  You’ll start the process by learning how to deconstruct public service announcements, followed by brainstorming ideas, scriptwriting, storyboarding, filming and editing a 30 to 60 second video PSA.  Deconstruction frameworks will be provided as well as short instructional video clips which explain some of the basics of filmmaking like “The Rule of Thirds” and “Three Types of Movie Shots”.  You’ll walk away from this session ready to take on a short film project with your students.

Differentiated instruction, home communication, manipulatives, technology, and literacy connections are all hot topics in mathematics education.  They are also tools of the numeracy trade.  In this full-day workshop, time will be devoted to exploring and developing teaching tools that support these primary numeracy hot topics. 

Participants in this course will stock their mathematics toolkits chock full of activities and strategies that will be immediately relevant to the primary classroom practice.  Join us for an active day of learning that will motivate you and your students mathematically!

This is a one day synthesis of the Hot Topics Summary Academy workshop.  In essence this is the best of the best!

Find new ways to engage your students by using technology in math class.  This workshop is suitable for all teachers from K – 8 and will investigate the technology available on the web and in classrooms that will engage students and promote further understanding of mathematics concepts. 

This workshop can be hands-on in a computer lab or a lecture type workshop, depending on audience needs.

Come and develop a deeper understanding of number relationships, so that you can help to foster a love of math in your students, while building their capacity to effectively problem solve. 

The workshop  outlines and addresses critical number relationships such as, part-part whole, spatial, anchoring numbers in 5 and 10 and the one and two more/less relationships. 

You will have an opportunity to make and take tools back to your classroom to use with your students.  You will also be provided with opportunities to use these tools, and explore some of the strategies that work well with them.

This learning session will provide a framework for integrating literature with the arts,drama and dance, music, and visual arts.  We will explore a variety of teaching and learning strategies in the arts and then connect them with literature.  Using this source, we will create a framework for classroom use.

*Participants are asked to bring their favourite novel, picture book or poem to this session.

Design a cross-curricular unit integrating dance and drama authentically.  Use differentiated instruction to engage students in higher level critical thinking while addressing multiple subject expectations through single tasks.  Teachers will learn drama strategies, dance strategies and design-down planning which will inform the small group planning of units based on the inquiry method.  Continuous mentoring and collaboration are key in this practical and productive workshop.  *

*Note:  Participants should come prepared with curriculum documents, picture books, laptops, if they choose, and other resources they may be able to use.  They should also have a theme or an inquiry question in mind for their unit of study e.g. environment – Why are the polar bears threatened? Or relationships – What makes a good relationship?

See the possibilities of shaping units of inquiry around children’s sense of wonder!  Discover how to engage students in the learning process by building on their natural curiosity about the world around them. 

Participants will learn how to use their students’ questions, ideas, and theories as drivers for learning while connecting to the curriculum in an integrated way.  Each participant will receive a copy of the new resource for teachers, Natural Curiosity:Building Children’s Understanding of the World through Environmental Inquiry.

See the possibilities of shaping units of inquiry around children’s sense of wonder!  Discover how to engage students in the learning process by building on their natural curiosity about the world around them. 

Participants will learn how to use their students’ questions, ideas, and theories as drivers for learning while connecting to the curriculum in an integrated way.  Each participant will receive a copy of the new resource for teachers, Natural Curiosity:Building Children’s Understanding of the World through Environmental Inquiry.

This workshop will introduce teachers to a variety of computer software that is both ministry-licensed and available for free download on the Internet that can be used in the classroom or computer lab. 

Teachers will also learn how to use specific websites and online resources to create units and lesson plans related to all curriculum subjects.  This workshop can be modified to meet participants’ needs.

WEB 2.0 tools are dynamic, easy to use programs run entirely over the internet – no software required!  This workshop will show you how to use a selection of these tools that best fit your classroom. 

All participants will have hands-on time with the selected tools and will create a product before they leave.  Topics includedare presentation, image editing, comic creation, and music creation.  Session content is flexible.  All presentations include ideas for incorporating the tools into your classroom based on participant needs.

Participants will experience the enjoyment of music through creative movement.  Come prepared to wiggle and giggle your way through a cornucopia of ideas, drawing on a variety of poems, songs and music that will inspire your students.  A variety of manipulatives will be used so wear comfortable clothing.  Great fun for all who attend!

In this workshop we will focus on how to create a play-based program.  You will learn how to set up your classroom to meet the needs of all your learners.  Learn about how to make the most of your circle activities while incorporating math, science, and a daily message to the children.  Wonderful ideas will be shared on how to change your dramatic centre.  Also, learn how to set up on orientation for parents to learn all about your play based program.  Your children will be excited about coming to school.

This learning session will provide a framework for integrating literature with the arts,drama and dance, music, and visual arts.  We will explore a variety of teaching and learning strategies in the arts and then connect them with literature.  Using this source, we will create a framework for classroom use.

*Participants are asked to bring their favourite novel, picture book or poem to this session.

This challenging, interactive, and provocative workshop has been designed to support teachers’ movement from curiosity to confidence in addressing issues of equity. 

Participants will engage with each other; their experienced facilitators; and current, relevant issues through a variety of activities that are stimulating, productive and transferable to the classroom.  Through accessible and engaging team-building activities, teachers will be motivated to shift and redefine relationships within their classrooms and school communities.

Participants will be introduced to social media tools such as twitter, Facebook, edmodo, blogs, and wikis and learn how to use these resources effectively for professional development and classroom Instructional use.  Participants will also learn the importance of digital citizenship discussions to promote responsible use of social media sites.

Based on a curriculum resource of the same name, and created with occasional teachers in mind, the STEP FORWARD WITH FRENCH presentation is designed to support occasional teachers on short term assignments in the FSL classroom. 

The background information in the resource, the brief guide to the French language, the easy-to-follow phonetic spelling and the seven sets of lesson plans on engaging, authentic and contemporary topics – plus strategies for differentiated instruction, classroom management, adaptations for ELL and French immersion students, and assessment and evaluation tools – will provide occasional teachers with the skills and confidence necessary to take on FSL assignments on a short term basis.

Applications of the resource used, STEP FORWARD WITH FRENCH can be adapted to SmartBoard technology.

STEP FORWARD WITH FRENCH is the 2010-2011 ETFO Curriculum Award winner.

The Flat Stanley Project is familiar to millions around the world.  Students become more engaged in reading and more motivated to write as they participate in this authentic literacy activity.  Join Dale Hubert, the creator of the Flat Stanley Project, to discuss new applications, success stories, and ways to use Flat Stanley in your classroom  Visit www.flatstanley.com to download Flat Stanleys and Flat Stellas and arrange exchanges for your students.

This workshop is intended for teachers who want to learn more about using a Smartboard.  We will start by looking at the necessary components of the Smartboard and some tips for trouble shooting when things go wrong.  Then we will look at SmartNotebook, the software that is used with the Smartboard.  There will be time to play with SmartNotebook and to learn some of the features embedded into the program.  At the end of the workshop, teachers will be confident in their ability to use a Smartboard and to use the software to plan engaging lessons for their students.