SEATCA / SWATCA 2022 - Southern Alberta Teachers' Convention: Full Schedule

Thanks for another great year of convention!

HOW TO ACCESS RECORDINGS

Recordings will be uploaded to SCHED by Sunday at midnight. (Sorry for the delay. It’s taking more time to edit the session recordings than anticipated.)
Log In using the link in the top right of your browser window.
Click on the title to open the session details window then click on the green "Play Recording" button to open the video.
Keynote videos are password protected. Check your email for the password.
Recordings will be available until March 30, 2022 at 11:59 pm.

FILL OUT EVALUATIONS TO WIN PRIZES!!!
To be entered in random draws to win hundreds of dollars in prizes including $500 Visa gift cards from Morgex:

Submit session feedback - Click on the sessions you attended at this year’s convention and fill out the simple smilie face and comment box feedback form. Session feedback closes on Sunday at 11:59 pm.
Complete the annual post-convention survey - This survey closes on March 11 at 11:59 pm.

Thanks again to Morgex Insurance for providing the Zoom licenses for all Alberta teachers’ conventions. There’s still time to enter to win 1 of 2 cash prizes worth $15,000 to help you explore Canada from Coast to Coast. Click here for more information.

9:00am MST

What's New in Books? (For K–Gr 5)

Join the UofL Bookstore ladies as they book talk new and upcoming titles that will get you and your students excited about reading! Do you have that nagging feeling that hidden out there somewhere is a book or two that just must get into the hands of your young readers? Well, who better than to help you mine those hidden gems than Becky Colbeck and Kari Tanaka from the University of Lethbridge Bookstore! With over 30 years of trade book experience between them, Becky and Kari not only know what's hot, but what should be, in the K-5 market. Their book talks will include new releases and books for every reading ability, including a few that haven't even hit store shelves yet! This session will be jam packed with information but, don't worry, you will leave with a comprehensive list of all of the titles that were book talked and then some. Plus, it will be fun! Like speed dating, but with books!

Speakers

Becky Colbeck

Asst Manager-Retail, University of Lethbridge Bookstore

Kari & Becky have a combined 60+ years of experience in the bookstore world! They work with schools and libraries across Alberta. They are passionate about children’s books and read a TON of books. They will be sharing their list of favourites today. Kari & Becky are also passionate... Read More →

Kari Tanaka

Kari has been actively involved in promoting literacy in schools and in her community for almost 30 years! She is passionate about books and has become a trusted resource for educators, parents, caregivers, and children, assisting them in book selections that inspire a love of reading... Read More →

Thursday February 24, 2022 9:00am - 10:00am MST
Link Expired

Language Arts & Literacy, K-Gr 3, Gr 4-6

10:15am MST

ASMR: It May Be Weird, But It Is Also Literacy

The ASMR video, a visual form of technologically-mediated sound performance, heightens the sonic elements of often-arbitrary phenomena (including language and random objects), and in so doing, playfully challenges traditional notions of use and usefulness. This session will describe how the practice and production of ASMR embodies a form of literacy exceeding our human capacity for representational structure and meaning, and what this challenge implies for contemporary classroom life.

Speakers

David Lewkowich

Comics and Language Arts, University of Alberta

David Lewkowich is an Associate Professor in the Department of Secondary Education at the University of Alberta, with a research background in literacy education, reading experience, psychoanalytic theory, and comics literature.

Thursday February 24, 2022 10:15am - 11:15am MST
Link Expired

Educational Research, Gr 7-9, Gr 10-12 | Art, Gr 7-9, Gr 10-12 | Language Arts & Literacy, Gr 7-9, Gr 10-12

10:15am MST

The Science of Reading

We live in a time where technology provides us with significant insights into how the brain learns to read. This, paired with years of reading research, allows us to address the alarming drop in reading scores we are seeing across North America. This workshop introduces educators to the Science of Reading, and a sampling of strategies that can be used to support reading instruction and intervention in the classroom and small group setting. The presentation takes participants through the Big 5 of reading (Comprehension, Phonemic Awareness, Fluency, Phonics and Vocabulary) and how the implementation of instruction in these 5 areas contributes to a comprehensive, research-based reading program.

Speakers

Heather Willms

District Reading Support Teacher/VIU Instructor

Heather Willms, B.A., B.Ed., M.A.Ed., is the District Reading Support Teacher for Comox Valley Schools and an instructor at Vancouver Island University. Her work includes mentoring, modeling, and supporting both teachers and students in grades K‑7. Heather has twenty-three years... Read More →

Thursday February 24, 2022 10:15am - 11:15am MST
Link Expired

Language Arts & Literacy, K-Gr 3, Gr 4-6, Gr 7-9

11:30am MST

Show & Tell: Creating Access Using Artifacts

Kindergarten gets it - artifacts from our lives and experiences hold our values, identities, and stories. So how do we bring this time-honoured elementary practice into a high school classroom, and what happens when we do?

In this session, we will explore the use of semiosis in the high school classroom, and the ways artifacts can create and hold space for and work with learners’ skills at their level. Learn processes that you can use on Monday morning to enhance the visibility of your students’ ideas and support their academic learning alongside their social and emotional development. Visual and oral presentation scaffolding and skills build fluency and understanding to improve written, recorded, or performed end products, while preparing your students for 21st century communication and work.

Speakers

Liz Harrison

Teacher

Liz Harrison is in her tenth teaching year and still finding joy in her students and classroom post-Covid. She is working on a Master of Education in Canadian Literacies degree and taking courses in graphic design and interactive media. Liz believes multimodality in English classrooms... Read More →

Thursday February 24, 2022 11:30am - 12:30pm MST
Link Expired

Curriculum & Pedagogy, Gr 7-9, Gr 10-12 | Language Arts & Literacy, Gr 7-9, Gr 10-12 | Inclusive Education, Gr 7-9, Gr 10-12

11:30am MST

6 Winning Reading Strategies

In this fast-paced session, Heather will guide participants through 6 powerful strategies that will support reading instruction for emergent readers and those struggling in their reading journey. Strategies are drawn from the Big 5 of reading instruction (Comprehension, Phonemic Awareness, Phonics, Vocabulary and Fluency) and align with research-based reading instruction (SOR). Participants will have the opportunity to engage with several of the strategies in the session and leave with a list of resources to explore.

Speakers

Heather Willms

District Reading Support Teacher/VIU Instructor

Thursday February 24, 2022 11:30am - 12:30pm MST
Link Expired

Language Arts & Literacy, K-Gr 3, Gr 4-6

11:30am MST

Graphic Novels for Young Readers 2021-2022

The main goal of this session is to introduce teachers to a variety of recently published graphic novels suitable for younger readers, with the hope that such texts may find their way into classrooms, whether as part of the official curriculum or on the shelves of classroom libraries. Graphic novels will be organized according to thematic categories, such as: Fantasy and the Supernatural, Friendship and Romantic Relationships, Indigenous Stories, and Memoir and Non-Fiction.

Speakers

David Lewkowich

Comics and Language Arts, University of Alberta

Thursday February 24, 2022 11:30am - 12:30pm MST
Link Expired

Language Arts & Literacy, Gr 7-9, Gr 10-12

1:00pm MST

Poetry In Voice: Canada's National Recitation Competition is Coming to Alberta!

In 2010, Poetry In Voice created a recitation contest for senior high school students. Since then, we've developed the best online resources for teaching poetry in grades 6 through 12. Like thousands of other teachers across Canada, you’ll find that PIV is exactly what you need to get your students fired up about reading, reciting, and writing poetry. Even more exciting for Alberta teachers, we will be launching our provincial version of the competition in the 2022-23 school year. In this session you will find out how to get your students involved in the competition at the classroom, school, city, provincial, and national levels through our individual and team competitions.

Speakers

Tyler B. Perry

Alberta Program Manager, Poetry

Tyler B. Perry is a Calgary poet, high school English teacher, and the Alberta Program Manager for Poetry In Voice, Canada's national poetry recitation competition. Tyler has been teaching secondary ELA since 2006. His most recent poetry collection, Plausible Wrong Answers, is a poetic... Read More →

Thursday February 24, 2022 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
Link Expired

Language Arts & Literacy, Gr 7-9, Gr 10-12

1:00pm MST

Responding to Visual Art in the Language Arts Classroom

This session will explore a variety of methods that teachers can use to engage their students effectively with visual art in the language arts classroom. We will consider viewing as a form of reading, and how responding to visual art can allow young people to develop skills required to navigate the multimodal realities of contemporary lived experience, both in and out of the classroom. We will also look to comics art as a particularly unpredictable and dynamic textual form.

Speakers

David Lewkowich

Comics and Language Arts, University of Alberta

Thursday February 24, 2022 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
Link Expired

Language Arts & Literacy, Gr 7-9, Gr 10-12

9:00am MST

Content-Area Writing: Writing to Learn, Learning to Write

What if a convention session could make it easier for you to help students succeed with writing in your content-area classroom? I’ve heard from many teachers who feel ill equipped in this area. “How can I help students who struggle with writing in my class? What are some effective strategies? Are there creative approaches that might be more engaging for my students?” This session was created as a direct response to these questions. We’ll look at the value of writing as a tool for increasing student engagement and learning. Most importantly, we’ll explore practical strategies to help all students succeed. Then you can just put your feet up and cruise through the rest of the year! Haha. JK–you’re a teacher! (But it’ll help, I promise.)

Speakers

Robin Pawlak

Children's Author

A language arts teacher for 31 years in Red Deer, Robin retired in 2016. He immediately set to work in pursuit of a lifelong dream, which was realized in 2018 with the publication of the first of two children’s novels. While he loves writing, he just couldn’t leave the world of... Read More →

Friday February 25, 2022 9:00am - 10:00am MST
Link Expired

Language Arts & Literacy, K-Gr 3, Gr 4-6, Gr 7-9, Gr 10-12

9:00am MST

What's New in Books? (For Gr 6–12)

Do you have that nagging feeling that hidden out there somewhere is a book or two that just must get into the hands of your young readers? Well, who better than to help you mine those hidden gems than Becky Colbeck and Kari Tanaka from the University of Lethbridge Bookstore! With over 30 years of trade book experience between them, Becky and Kari not only know what's hot, but what should be, in the 6-12 market. Their book talks will include new releases and books for every reading ability, including a few that haven't even hit store shelves yet! This session will be jam packed with information but, don't worry, you will leave with a comprehensive list of all of the titles that were book talked and then some. Plus, it will be fun! Like speed dating, but with books!

Speakers

Becky Colbeck

Asst Manager-Retail, University of Lethbridge Bookstore

Kari Tanaka

Friday February 25, 2022 9:00am - 10:00am MST
Link Expired

Language Arts & Literacy, Gr 4-6, Gr 7-9, Gr 10-12

10:15am MST

Mixed Media Visual Journals: Project Ideas, Media and Techniques – Part 1/3

In this set of three pre-recorded sessions, Mike will walk you through a number of mixed media project ideas. He will discuss media and substrates, tools and methods, composition and techniques for creating interesting and successful mixed media assignments. Stencils, transfers, resists, layering and collage are some of the techniques we will cover along with ideas for assignments that will engage your learners. These video sessions are created for a 'work-along' approach. Mike will set up the assignment and outline the process then he will show you how to demonstrate it for students. You can pause the video and work through the process so that you are confident in presenting these methods to students. Mike uses these mixed media assignments as one of the three major projects for Art 20 (3 credit) but you can adapt these ideas and techniques for students as young as about Grade 5 or use any one of them as a stand-alone Art project.

If you would like access to Michael's Google Drive folder filled with mixed media ideas, his production notes and more free resources, you can email him at: michaelgshain@gmail.com.

PART 1: BUILDING GROUNDS
The first of the three sessions will focus on:

discussing substrates and gesso
guiding students without being prescriptive
creating a vision for a variety of mixed media pieces
building grounds and layering ideas for students
stamping, acrylic layers, stencil techniques, gauze, resists, text as value and other techniques for creating layers
prepping grounds for transfers
collage elements and ephemera - curating, collecting and storing resources for students
discussion of composition principles and ideas to help students with elements and principles.

Speakers

Michael Shain

Mixed Media Visual Journals

Mike is coming up on 30 years of creativity teaching experience. He is an artist, speaker, adult creativity coach and art workshop leader. Currently Mike’s day-job is programing Art lessons for k-12 students in six schools (including online learning) for Palliser School Division... Read More →

Friday February 25, 2022 10:15am - 11:15am MST
Link Expired

Art, Gr 7-9, Gr 10-12 | Language Arts & Literacy, Gr 7-9, Gr 10-12

10:15am MST

Creative Writing to Cope with Stress and Build Resiliency

Learn creative ways to engage students struggling with anxiety and other mental health challenges, particularly during the pandemic, utilizing the empowering and healing capacities of writing. Creative writing exercises will be presented in both fiction and non-fiction as tools for personal reflection and betterment. Participants will leave equipped to apply the exercises in the compassionate support of students in their schools and communities.

Speakers

Jaclyn Chute

Registered Dietitian, Teach Nutrition by Dairy Farmers of Canada's Registered Dietitians

Jaclyn Chute (RD, M.Ed.) is part of Dairy Farmers of Canada’s Alberta Teach Nutrition team that works collaboratively with educators, teachers, and community stakeholders to create engaging and impactful nutrition resources from early learning in child care to grade 12. Teach Nutrition... Read More →

Friday February 25, 2022 10:15am - 11:15am MST
Link Expired

Health & Wellness, Gr 7-9, Gr 10-12 | Language Arts & Literacy, Gr 7-9, Gr 10-12 | Guidance & Student Support, Gr 7-9, Gr 10-12

10:15am MST

Creative Writer's Block

Learn activities to encourage creative writing, no matter what grade level, topic or time of year. Take part in writing cool phrases, interesting sentences, descriptive paragraphs and engaging stories. With only a board to write on you can trigger the imagination of every student to tell stories and share ideas in ways they never thought possible. Inspire young writers to survive the Arctic, battle pirates or explore the ocean all in one lesson. Whether you need a quick lesson or a week-long project, you’ll be able to take your whole class on the adventure.

Speakers

Darren Michalczuk

Math Facts Made Simple

Darren Michalczuk has been a teacher for more than twenty-five years and has taught everything from kindergarten to high school including music, homeroom and physical education. He has worked in rural Alberta schools to big city private schools in Queensland, Australia. He has coached... Read More →

Friday February 25, 2022 10:15am - 11:15am MST
Link Expired

Language Arts & Literacy, K-Gr 3, Gr 4-6

10:15am MST

How to Get Your Students Writing

You arrive at school filled with enthusiasm, ready to mold young minds. But then comes LA class. Story writing. “Woe is me!” you lament. “So many of my students hate writing. They just sit and stare at their papers! If only there was a former teacher who is now a writer who could help me.” Good news. There is! In this session, he will share all kinds of ideas that got his students unstuck and helped them develop their understanding of how stories are built. Participants will leave with at least half a dozen ideas for immediate use in their classrooms.

Speakers

Robin Pawlak

Children's Author

Friday February 25, 2022 10:15am - 11:15am MST
Link Expired

Language Arts & Literacy, K-Gr 3, Gr 4-6, Gr 7-9, Gr 10-12

10:15am MST

I Like Good Books and I Cannot Lie

Laurie will book talk more than 20 picture books (from popular to the unknown) and infuse the conversation around each one with strategies, activity ideas and writing templates for each one so that teachers can use them in their classrooms starting this Monday morning!

Speakers

Laurie McIntosh

Teacher, @mrsmacskinders

Some of the best lessons are taught in the moments between literacy and numeracy. These golden moments based on kindness, connection, and community are the moments Laurie lives for. With compassion and thoughtfulness, Laurie has an incredible way of acknowledging the accomplishments... Read More →

Friday February 25, 2022 10:15am - 11:15am MST
Link Expired

Language Arts & Literacy, K-Gr 3

11:30am MST

Mixed Media Visual Journals: Project Ideas, Media and Techniques – Part 2/3

In this set of three pre-recorded sessions, Mike will walk you through a number of mixed media project ideas. He will discuss media and substrates, tools and methods, composition and techniques for creating interesting and successful mixed media assignments. Stencils, transfers, resists, layering and collage are some of the techniques we will cover along with ideas for assignments that will engage your learners. These video sessions are created for a 'work-along' approach. Mike will set up the assignment and outline the process then he will show you how to demonstrate it for students. You can pause the video and work through the process so that you are confident in presenting these methods to students. Mike uses these mixed media assignments as one of the three major projects for Art 20 (3 credit) but you can adapt these ideas and techniques for students as young as about Grade 5 or use any one of them as a stand-alone Art project.

If you would like access to Michael's Google Drive folder filled with mixed media ideas, his production notes and more free resources, you can email him at: michaelgshain@gmail.com.

PART 2: TRANSFER TECHNIQUES & LAYERING MIXED MEDIA
The second of the three sessions will focus on:

matte medium transfers
packing tape transfers
making stamps, and building up layers
discussion of various media and layering one media on another
drying times
removing matte medium transfers

Speakers

Michael Shain

Mixed Media Visual Journals

Friday February 25, 2022 11:30am - 12:30pm MST
Link Expired

Art, Gr 7-9, Gr 10-12 | Language Arts & Literacy, Gr 7-9, Gr 10-12

11:30am MST

Visual Journal Ideas for Kindergarten to Grade 6

In this session you will have the chance to explore and learn about a wide range of visual journal ideas. Many different mediums will be talked about and ways you can incorporate these art mediums in to your visual journals. You will have the chance to see pages that are science, art, language arts and social studies focused. Leave this session feeling inspired to create and have fun with your classroom visual journals.

Speakers

Jessica Lysak

Music Specialist, New Brighton School

Jessica has taught with the CBE for the past 17 years as a Music Specialist. Inquiry based learning, creative visual journals and Music and Movement is a huge passion for Jessica when she is creating lessons and projects for her music classes.

Friday February 25, 2022 11:30am - 12:30pm MST
Link Expired

Art, K-Gr 3, Gr 4-6 | Language Arts & Literacy, K-Gr 3, Gr 4-6

11:30am MST

Student-Centered Learning in the Arts and Humanities: From Arts-infused Shakespeare and Social Studies to Vocabulary Self Collection Strategy (VSS)

This session is one of three showcasing Professional Inquiry Projects recently completed by University of Lethbridge Intern Teachers during their secondary Internships. Rachel will share the Drama/ELA unit she implemented to help foster positive experiences around studying Shakespeare. Kamille (also representing her collaborator, Rayelle Joevenazzo) will provide examples of how the visual arts can enrich the exploration of specific themes in high school social studies. Jennifer will describe a research-based approach to vocabulary development that prioritized student interests. The presenters will share their process of identifying and responding to a specific need, implementing and refining various strategies with students, and reflecting on the results of their inquiry. Each project includes a website or other reference material, and you will leave the session with concrete resources you can adapt to your own context. The three projects (and all projects from the Bi-annual Professional Inquiry Project Symposium) are available at www.uleth.ca/education/celebrating_inquiry.

Speakers

Rachel Hanbury

All three presenters completed their PS III Internships from Sept.-Dec. 2021. In addition to teaching half time, University of Lethbridge Interns engage in a professional inquiry project. Many Interns choose to share their work at the bi-annual Professional Inquiry Project Symposium... Read More →

Jennifer Biglin

Kamille Svrta

Student

Friday February 25, 2022 11:30am - 12:30pm MST
Link Expired

11:30am MST

What Could Go Wrong? The Simple Question Your Students Can Build a Story Around

“I don’t know what to write.” Has that sentence ever been uttered in your classroom? When it comes to story writing, so many students get stuck right at the beginning. This session will show you how to walk your students through a process that will take them from STUCK to STORY. Not only will it get your writers unstuck, but it will teach them plot structure and character development at the same time. You’ll go through the process yourself, and leave with a complete teaching unit that you can use in your classroom on Monday. (Or Tuesday, if you prefer.)

Speakers

Robin Pawlak

Children's Author

Friday February 25, 2022 11:30am - 12:30pm MST
Link Expired

Language Arts & Literacy, K-Gr 3, Gr 4-6, Gr 7-9, Gr 10-12

11:30am MST

Word Power: Helping Children Understand Words

Reading and writing can be challenging for some kids, especially when they are asked to learn the parts of speech. Start by teaching them simple definitions and checks, show them why it will make them better readers and writers then give them a chance to use these skills. They will learn which words they should change in a sentence, how the smallest ones can carry the biggest meaning and how to arrange them to make their writing exciting and interesting. Nouns, adverbs and prepositions will no longer be a random topic, but an integral part of language learning. Teach your students about the power of words.

Speakers

Darren Michalczuk

Math Facts Made Simple

Friday February 25, 2022 11:30am - 12:30pm MST
Link Expired

Language Arts & Literacy, K-Gr 3, Gr 4-6

1:00pm MST

Mixed Media Visual Journals: Project Ideas, Media and Techniques - Part 3/3

In this set of three pre-recorded sessions, Mike will walk you through a number of mixed media project ideas. He will discuss media and substrates, tools and methods, composition and techniques for creating interesting and successful mixed media assignments. Stencils, transfers, resists, layering and collage are some of the techniques we will cover along with ideas for assignments that will engage your learners. These video sessions are created for a 'work-along' approach. Mike will set up the assignment and outline the process then he will show you how to demonstrate it for students. You can pause the video and work through the process so that you are confident in presenting these methods to students. Mike uses these mixed media assignments as one of the three major projects for Art 20 (3 credit) but you can adapt these ideas and techniques for students as young as about Grade 5 or use any one of them as a stand-alone Art project.

If you would like access to Michael's Google Drive folder filled with mixed media ideas, his production notes and more free resources, you can email him at: michaelgshain@gmail.com.

PART 3: RESOLUTIONS
The last of the three sessions will focus on:

finding the stopping point
final layers and reviewing media on top of other media (sealing layers)
tracing paper layers, graphite layers and graphite transfers, fixative and sealing
composition and finding the stopping point
resolving the piece and engaging students in the discussion about the finished product

Speakers

Michael Shain

Mixed Media Visual Journals

Friday February 25, 2022 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
Link Expired

Art, Gr 7-9, Gr 10-12 | Language Arts & Literacy, Gr 7-9, Gr 10-12

1:00pm MST

Photography as a Tool for Developing Observational Skills and Self-Awareness

In an age of phone cameras and photo quantity over quality, an examination of Photography itself can be used to flip the script. Historical photographic practices will be examined for how they can slow us down from quick, thoughtless documentation to intentional, considered observation. Photo challenges are opportunities for mindful presence. The work of creating impactful and meaningful photos often begins well before picking up the camera. Explore ways to develop the skills of observation and awareness using the camera and photograph as the creative prompt.

Speakers

Jaclyn Chute

Registered Dietitian, Teach Nutrition by Dairy Farmers of Canada's Registered Dietitians

Friday February 25, 2022 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
Link Expired

Art, Gr 4-6, Gr 7-9, Gr 10-12 | Language Arts & Literacy, Gr 4-6, Gr 7-9, Gr 10-12 | Career & Technology Studies/Foundations, Gr 4-6, Gr 7-9, Gr 10-12

1:00pm MST

Writing 101

Do students write in your classes? Maybe you’re teaching language arts for the first time. Maybe you’ve taught it for a while, but feel a need to strengthen the writing component. Or maybe you don’t even teach L.A., but want to support students with their writing in your subject area. Whatever the case, this session will help by focusing on the basics of writing instruction. We’ll look at some of the significant challenges and lay out fundamental principles that will help you and your students succeed. You’ll leave with a solid foundation for an effective writing program along with some specific ideas you can implement immediately.

Speakers

Robin Pawlak

Children's Author

Friday February 25, 2022 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
Link Expired

Language Arts & Literacy, K-Gr 3, Gr 4-6, Gr 7-9, Gr 10-12