SEATCA / SWATCA 2022 - Southern Alberta Teachers' Convention

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!

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.

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.

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.)

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.  

“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.)

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.

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.

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.