Connecting the Pieces 2018 by Think Langley

BROOKSWOOD SECONDARY SCHOOL

Connecting the Pieces

Your Learning Journey Starts Here New to Connecting the Pieces? Looking for a refresher on pre-registration? Our simple, step-by-step guide will provide you with the knowledge you need to make the most of your pro-d day. If you have any questions or concerns, email thinklangley@sd35.bc.ca. 1. Discover your perfect fit by consulting the convenient workshop timetable on pages XXX and browsing our more detailed descriptions throughout the booklet. Learn more about the content and the facilitators to decide on the workshops best suited to your learning goals. Workshops are listed according to the schedule, not topic, so you will have to do a little exploring to find the right sessions for you. We’ve made this easier by including subject icons at the bottom of each workshop description. 2. Note the workshops that interest you for each session. Use the session planning form on page XX to keep track. 3. Register online at thinklangley.com. Not only is online registration more convenient, it also ensures that your registration is processed instantly so that you make it into your preferred workshops. Registration includes a catered lunch and costs $50 for SD35 employees and $150 for other participants. If you work in the Langley School District, you can sign in using your employee number as username and your regular email password. If you are an out-of-district educator, you can create an account by following the “Sign up here” link. Once you log in, find the Connecting the Pieces conference under the calendar or workshops tab. Click “Register” and follow the on-screen prompts to complete payment and select your workshop sessions. Remember, the registration deadline is Friday, October 12 at 4:30 PM. 4. Connect with your fellow educators. Tweet about the conference using the hashtag #connect18 to share your experience and knowledge with other participants. You can also follow @thinklangley and tweet using the hashtag #think35 year-round for pro-d resources, news, and updates on additional professional learning opportunities in Langley.

October 18, 2018

Sue Jackson

Scholastic Canada

Special Presentation

Sue is an enthusiastic and inspirational speaker, author, consultant, and educator who has extensive experience working in literacy education, inquiry based learning, and early years’ pedagogy. Throughout her extensive career in education, Sue was a K to 8 classroom teacher, a division leader, and a learning coordinator for the Thames Valley DSB, specializing in early years and literacy. Additionally, Sue was an AQ instructor for the University of Western Ontario. She has written many educational publications such as the teaching resources for Scholastic Education’s Literacy Place for the Early Years, Moving Up with Literacy Place, Stepping Up with Literacy Place, Info Tales, and most recently Take Action. Presently, as Scholastic Education’s National Literacy Consultant, Sue provides professional development for teachers, administrators, and school districts across Canada. Within B.C., Sue has enjoyed working with educators in districts such as Chilliwack, Surrey, Vernon, Vancouver, Richmond, Coquitlam, Greater Victoria, and Abbotsford. Sue is a passionate advocate for empowering teachers and students and is able to ground pedagogy in authentic and practical classroom applications.

How Do You Assess Inquiry in Kindergarten? Young learners can grow and develop as inquiry thinkers and investigators in classrooms where teachers view much of what their students are doing and saying through an assessment lens. Attend this dynamic workshop to explore a range of assessment ‘practices’ that can easily be woven into an inquiry journey. We’ll begin by examining the curricular competencies of the B.C. curriculum and use these essential inquiry abilities as a framework to help notice, name, improve, and communicate the inquiry thinking and processes of young learners. Other topics include: gathering a balance of evidence of learning, making learning visible to children, and identifying next steps and opportunities for learning.

This session is offered in A

Connecting the Pieces

Sue Jackson

Scholastic Canada

Special Presentation

From Play to Project Children’s curiosity and wonderings, along with their play and explorations, can spark an interest that raises questions for investigation. Attentive teachers act on this interest and facilitate learning through the project approach. Projects enable young learners to go deeper into topics and integrate knowledge and skills in meaningful ways. Attend this workshop to examine how early-years teachers help immerse students in projects that extend and challenge children’s learning and thinking. Learn how to plan for projects, set up the classroom for investigation, and document project-based inquiry.

This session is offered in B

Writing Rocks in Kindergarten! Learning to write is daunting to many young children, but there are a number of high-yield strategies you can use to help children develop both the skill and will to write. In this session, educators will explore topics such as learning to honour children’s attempts at writing with an asset-based lens, exploring the concept of nudging versus pushing young writers, assisting children to “read like a writer,” conducting mini-lessons to model and provide examples of various writing genres, and embedding writing in playful experiences. Educators will leave with a collection of mentor texts and a variety of strategies to support young children in their writing development.

This session is offered in C

October 18, 2018

A ABC’s in the Outdoors Marlee St. Pierre Langley SD35 Have you been curious to try Wild Wednesdays or Forest Fridays with your class? Worried about how you’ll structure your day and add meaningful learning around all that distraction? Come and get some inspiration and ideas for how you can include literacy learning outdoors. You’ll come away with some active phonemic awareness games, a story walk book list, and more practical tips for teaching in nature’s classroom.

Marlee enjoys teaching outdoors and believes in the positive effects of nature and play on child development. She can even show you some ways to sneak literacy and numeracy into all that unstructured play. Marlee teaches kindergarten in the outdoor program at Fort Langley Elementary.

8:00 AM 10:00 AM Legend Literacy Math Play Wellness Community French Art

This session is also offered in B

Experiential Learning

Connecting the Pieces

ABC’s of Phonological Awareness

Kathy worked in the Langley School District for 35 years. Most of her teaching was working with primary students. The last four years she worked as the District Literacy teacher for K through 7. Currently, Kathy is working as a Faculty Mentor with the University of the Fraser Valley.

Amanda Leach Langley SD35 Are you new to teaching or want more information about how to support your students’ phonological awareness? Join us and learn what the difference is between phonological and phonemic awareness. We will explore why it is so important for all our students’ literacy development. You will walk away with how, when and where to teach phonological awareness in your primary classroom starting tomorrow.

Amanda is the Langley School District Reading Recovery Teacher Leader. She has been a K-3 Teacher, Resource Teacher and Reading Recovery Teacher in the Langley School District for over 20 years. She is passionate about all students having success and positive growth in early literacy.

This session is also offered in B

Branching Out With Learning Kathy Nelson UFV Participants will see how taking their students outside onto the school grounds can enhance learning. math and English language arts activities will be presented incorporating all aspects of the curriculum along with Indigenous principles. A schoolyard tree can provide many opportunities for students to explore and learn about their environment. Children’s literature will also be used to engage in learning.

This session is also offered in B and C

Fine Arts and the 100 Languages Kristi Schwandt Surrey ECE Facilitator We will cover a variety of mediums, how to present them to a young audience, ways to scaffold their learning and child development with an art focus.This is an informative workshop on fine arts with a 100 languages, atelierista focus.

Studying Fine Arts upon high school graduation, Kristi had a multitude of different careers before finding the profession of ECE. Having teachers who were a part of the first Canadian Delegation to Reggio, she learned responsive curriculum inspired by Reggio Emilia and never looked back. She has been an ECE Facilitator for the City of Surrey providing training and support for preschool instructors and currently is creating more Training Modules for the City and designing and just finished remodeling City of Surrey preschool environments while continuing to inspire instructors in the 100 languages.

This session is only offered in A

October 18, 2018

Foundations of Printing Tamara Robinson Langley SD35 The workshop will present the developmental foundations for preprinting and printing skills. These include pencil grasp, sitting position, hand dominance and the formation of lines and shapes. We will also be presenting the program “Printing Like a Pro” which was developed by the OT’s at SunnyHill and UBC. It is simple, evidence based and importantly, FREE to download. There is a classroom based program as well as a home program. It does not require any particular equipment and fits well within the curriculum.

The Occupational Therapy Department at Learning Support Services provides consultative services to schools within the Langley School District. As part of our commitment to increase capacity for teachers and education assistants, we are pleased to be able to offer this workshop on enhancing fine motor skills, particularly printing skills, in Kindergarten students.

This session is also offered in B

Introduction to Singing Games Sandy Murray UFV This singing games workshop is for all, but especially for those who do not feel comfortable singing or think they can’t sing! Based on the SongWorks approach (SongWorks Educators’ Association) we will be actively involved in the playing of singing games. We will also explore how singing games can provide a rich context for social interaction, movement, language, thinking, listening, and music. Make music a natural part of your children’s day with these easy-to-sing, interactive, and playful singing games.

Sandy is a faculty mentor for UFV’s Teacher Education Program as well as a workshop facilitator for music in the elementary classroom. As a retired primary and intermediate classroom teacher, music educator, and district music helping teacher for the Abbotsford school district she has always put the singing and playing of singing games at the heart of her teaching.

This session is also offered in C.

Living the K Life: Make and Take Lisa Jamieson Surrey SD36 Kindergarten children love to play with letters, language, reading, and writing. They explore and engage in activities that activate their curiosity. Come along and explore the endless possibilities of engaging our youngest learners in a world filled with letters, language, and more. Not only will you make a variety of different games and engaging activities to take away, you’ll also receive a collection of other ideas to easily make on your own, All you will have to to is say “go” and watch as your students head off into the world of ABC’s

Lisa is a kindergarten specialist with extensive graduate working in early childhood education and parent education. She has presented to many audiences including teachers, parents, and provincial PAC groups. Lisa has been a teacher for over 25 years and is currently a principal in the Surrey School District.

This session is only offered in A

Connecting the Pieces

Living Libraries, PBL & Ally Work

La littératie et la maternelle (Part I)

Lorraine Goulet & Carman McKay

Janet Beattie

Langley SD35

How can you get your French Immersion kindergarten students speaking in French? How can you build their vocabularies while also teaching the revised curriculum? This workshop offers participants a month-by-month tool box of activities that build literacy skills and vocabularies simultaneously. This session is well-suited to teachers new to teaching French Immersion kindergarten or for those looking to add new activities to their teaching, as we will discuss literacy activities that span common themes in a kindergarten year. Participants will receive copies of chart poems, songs, little books and big book pages to take back to the classroom and use the next day! This session leads into La littératie et la Maternelle Part 2 in session B, though participants are not required to attend both.

Do you wonder how to connect children to nature and make learning more hands on and meaningful? Are you interested in Reconciliation, but not sure where to start? Do you believe that it is more important than ever to get our children connected to and interested in their environment? Then this workshop is for you! You will learn about the concept of living libraries as an arena for place based learning and how these can be used as a means of reconciliation through ally work. We will share the process of initial concept, finding funding and getting community and district support. You will see how we see how we transformed a sterile courtyard into a beautiful space that is rich in learning opportunities. During the presentation, you will create a vision board and leave with many ideas and practical steps to get you started on your own project.

Lorraine is a kindergarten teacher and visual arts specialist who enjoys spending time in Nature with her class. She is interested in connecting children to place through living libraries and Indigenous Ways of Knowing and Learning. Carman is a Matsqui Artist, Story Teller & Drummer as well as a presenter for SD35 Aboriginal Program. Carman has shared his skills on many special projects throughout the district and beyond. Both are advocates for ally work as a means toward ReconcialiAction. Funded by grants from ArtStarts and SD35, they worked closely together during the 2016/17 school year to transform a courtyard at DPCS into S’olh Temexw/ Sacred Land First Nations Living Library. It is now a beautiful space where children learn about and care for plants that are important to them and our local Indigenous Peoples. Carman and Lorraine are beginning work on a second courtyard at DPCS in the Fall of 2018.

This session is only offered in A

Abbotsford SD34

Janet (BA, BEd, MEd) is currently a French Immersion kindergarten teacher in Abbotsford. She has taught learning assistance, half-day kindergarten, grade one and grade two in French Immersion and loves integrating thematic units across the curriculum. She is known for being upbeat and organized and loves sharing ideas with other teachers so much that she was selected to attend the Teachers’ Institute in Ottawa in 2012.

This session is only offered in A

Nervous vs. Anxious Ted Leavitt Langley Youth & Family Services

October 18, 2018

The purpose of this workshop is to assist teachers and staff in increasing their own mental health literacy and also to increase their ability to pass this literacy on to the children and families with whom they work. Especially during younger grades, separation anxiety is a common struggle but teachers and parents sometimes struggle to know when it is developmentally appropriate or a sign of a large issue. This workshop will help professionals and parents to make that distinction along with navigating other questions that lay in these grey areas. Attendees will also take away some insights and strategies to communicate better with families and students about these issues.

Megan is a K-8 teacher at Mayne island school who is passionate about Reggio inspired practices and creating beautiful environments for all learners to learn. Fiona spent many happy years in the Langley School District as a teacher, faculty associate and as primary coordinator. Most recently, she has been co-teaching in a K-8 setting with her colleague Megan Cameron at Mayne Island school. Fiona is currently (mostly) retired but continues to be passionate about early literacy and working with young children and their families.

Ted is the Program Manager at Langley Youth and Family Services. He also runs a private practice, Connectivity Counselling. He specializes in impulse control problems, including ADHD, aggressive behavior, and addictive behavior, as well as anxiety. He is an experienced public speaker and mental health educator.

This session is also offered in C

Queer Competency Training Joel Harnest

Playing with Language & Story Fiona Morrison & Megan Cameron Gulf Islands SD64 In this session we will invite participants to explore Reggio inspired practices such as story workshop and story baskets. We will share examples from our K-3 classroom as well as from Strong Start/early learning contexts. Insights and reflections from our visit to Reggio Emilia and our professional development experience at Opal School will be presented. We will also show the process of how we transformed the learning environments for all our students at Mayne Island School. Please join us for conversation, collaboration and a focus on playful inquiry.

QMUNITY In this interactive workshop, participants will first build foundational knowledge around terminology, language, and some deeply held assumptions we might have about gender and sexuality. Participants will have opportunities to engage with one another, reflect on their own biases and perceptions, and begin to construct their allyship to help LGBTQ2S students and their families feel safe, dignified and valued in their schools. In addition to language and terminology, workshop participants will also explore relevant LGBTQ2S+ history, and generate ideas and tips on how to create more inclusive environments, support someone who is coming out, and how to interrupt homophobia or transphobia with students and other colleagues. Referrals, references, and additional reading materials will be provided for the research junkies who canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get enough documentaries, articles and videos! This session is a double block, taking place in session A and B.

Joel brings over 10 years of experience in group facilitation, adult education, curriculum design and public speaking to his role at QMUNITY as their Education & Training Coordinator. In this role, Joel

Connecting the Pieces facilitates over 100 workshops a year for service providers, educators and teachers to explore the complexity and potential of sexual and gender diversity. Joel recently completed a Certificate in Dialogue & Engagement from Simon Fraser University, enhancing his skill set to bring people together to have difficult conversations, create new knowledge and collectively and collaboratively address, complex issues.

This session is takes place in AB

Reconciliation and Indigenous Place

Shelley is the District Primary Teacher for the Langley School District. She is interested in early literacy and numeracy and has a passion for embedding the core competencies into everything she teaches.

This session is also offered in B

Kristin Webster UBC Child Care Services The current colonial structures that are heavily represented in our education systems, do not benefit our most vulnerable populations. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of First Nations histories, and how to engage in socio-political discourse and social justice issues with children. Presentation is done in the form of pedagogical narrations, some short video clips, and time for discussion and questions on the topic of reconciliation and social justice issues with children.

Kristin has been in the field of Early Childhood Education for almost 30 years. She has been a enior supervisor for UBC Child Care Services for 15 years, and works in a multi-age program there called Salal. Kristin has been passionate about Indigenous place and Reconciliation in the early years since 2013.

This session is only offered in A

Why Deep Connections Are So Important Sarah McCarthy VCC Vygotsky famously said, “it is through others we develop into ourselves.” Children need time and space to develop meaningful and deep connections in our care. All people want is to be seen and loved for who they truly are. We should offer opportunities for children to connect with their friends, educators, families, and local communities. Let’s get together and discuss ways to build deep connections in our programs. The Objectives of this course are to: discuss ways to create and support deep connections in our programs, reflect on why deep connections are so important, discuss ways to support relationships in our programs, learn different per-

October 18, 2018 spectives and how to “marvel” at challenging students, and discover ways to emotional connect heart-to-heart with your children.

Sarah created ECE Connect in 2016 with the idea of connecting early childhood educators together, and offering workshops that she feels are needed in the field. Sarah holds a Bachelor of Science in Education and training, a diploma in early childhood education and Montessori (012 years), and a certificate for children with special needs. She’s been in the educational for over 15 years. She currently manages a preschool and is an instructor at Vancouver Community College.

This session is also offered in A

Writing in Kindergarten Rapinder Rai Abbotsford SD34 Teaching writing in kindergarten is a fun and rewarding experience! Rapinder will show you writing in a fun, relaxed, play-based kindergarten classroom. Come and see practical tips on scaffolding these early writers from September to June through photographs and video clips with lessons and examples of students’ work. She will also share ideas to support early writing for English Language Learners (ELL). Gradually building up to a daily habit of writing can help children learn to look out for—and to look forward to—opportunities to draw and write from their daily experiences. See how wall-stories and parental support through Parents as Literacy Supporters (PALS) enhance kindergarten writing! Rapinder is a kindergarten and grade 5 Punjabi language teacher at Harry Sayers Elementary School in Abbotsford. She has also taught grade 4/5, half-day kindergarten and ELL. She has run PALS sessions with her kindergarten families since 2002. She has been a facilitator for Immigrant PALS

Punjabi since 2008, and developed The Punjabi Family Literacy Resource for PALS in Immigrant Communities with 2010 Legacies Now. Rapinder is the author of bilingual English and Punjabi children’s books published by HomeRoots Books. She has translated and adapted LEAP BC resources into Punjabi for Decoda Lit Solutions.

This session is also offered in B and C

Jennie is the founder and director of Harmony Kids Yoga, bringing yoga and mindfulness to over seven thousand children to date, between the ages of one to 18 years in Lower Mainland public schools, preschools and day cares, as well as weekly group classes, private sessions for children with special needs and teachers workshops. Jennie Abbot is a Registered Yoga Teacher (CYA-RYT200), Registered Children’s Yoga Teacher (CYA-CYT), and is trained in Color Me Yoga for Children and Rainbow Kids Yoga for Children.

This session is only offered in A

Connecting the Pieces

B ABC’s in the Outdoors Marlee St. Pierre Langley SD35 Have you been curious to try Wild Wednesdays or Forest Fridays with your class? Worried about how you’ll structure your day and add meaningful learning around all that distraction? Come and get some inspiration and ideas for how you can include literacy learning outdoors. You’ll come away with some active phonemic awareness games, a story walk book list, and more practical tips for teaching in nature’s classroom.

10:20 AM 11:50 AM Legend Literacy Math Play Wellness Community French Art

This session is also offered in A

Experiential Learning

October 18, 2018

ABC’s of Phonological Awareness Amanda Leach

primary students. The last four years she worked as the District Literacy teacher for K through 7. Currently, Kathy is working as a Faculty Mentor with the University of the Fraser Valley.

This session is also offered in A and C

Langley SD35 Are you new to teaching or want more information about how to support your students’ phonological awareness? Join us and learn what the difference is between phonological and phonemic awareness. We will explore why it is so important for all our students’ literacy development. You will walk away with how, when and where to teach phonological awareness in your primary classroom starting tomorrow.

Beyond the Music Joney Poon Musical Expressions In the presentation, participants will be given hands on tools to use in their own classroom settings. Participants will learn some techniques on how to use music effectively to grow a child’s developmental skills, such as focusing, attention, listening, language and creative thinking. All this can be done with ease and is simply replicable and can be adapted to different settings. Some instruments will be used in class, however, all you need is your voice and body as you are your own instrument!

This session is also offered in A

Branching Out With Learning Kathy Nelson UFV Participants will see how taking their students outside onto the school grounds can enhance learning. Math and English Language Arts activities will be presented incorporating all aspects of the curriculum along with indigenous principles. A schoolyard tree can provide many opportunities for students to explore and learn about their environment. Children’s literature will also be used to engage in learning.

Kathy worked in the Langley School District for 35 years. Most of her teaching was working with

Joney is the owner of Musical Expressions. Her experience working with toddlers shows in the natural connection she develops with children while leading them in early childhood music programs based from her training in Music Therapy work and Neonatal Music Therapy work. Joney‘s formal education includes music, clinical psychology, clinical hypnotherapy as well as a Bachelors in Music Therapy. She runs a private Music Therapy practice and has worked with a wide range of clientele, including children with developmental disabilities, adults with brain injuries, trauma (PTSD), anxiety, depression, insomnia and seniors who have suffered a stroke or live with dementia or Alzheimer’s. Joney strongly believes the accessible benefits of music.

This session is also offered in C

Connecting the Pieces

Empowering Children Outdoors Katelynn Tekavc Langley Forest School Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be in a classroom without walls? What would happen if you decided to go against the grain and make your classroom the outdoors? Join us as we dive deeper into child centred, place-spaced learning. “Risky” play, environmental stewardship, empowering language, problem-solving and critical thinking are just a few concepts we will discuss. Be ready to go outside rain or shine and be prepared for hands-on exploration (raincoats, hoods and boots are a good idea). Katelynn is an Early Childhood, Infant, Toddler, Special Needs Educator. She works in a variety of early learning fields including the Langley School District but feels most inspired outdoors exploring and investigating together with young children.

This session is only offered in B

Foundations of Printing Tamara Robinson

This session is also offered in C

Community Resources & Loose Parts Kristi Schwandt Surrey ECE Facilitator Inspiring room makeovers don’t have to cost a fortune. With community connections and an understanding of the concept of loose parts the possibilities are endless. Of course if there is some money, there are many creative ways to make your dollar go further. In this workshop we will discuss using community resources and loose parts, inexpensive room changes with big impacts, and inspirational ideas to make environments more open ended.

Langley SD35 The workshop will present the developmental foundations for preprinting and printing skills. These include pencil grasp, sitting position, hand dominance and the formation of lines and shapes. We will also be presenting the program “Printing Like a Pro” which was developed by the OT’s at SunnyHill and UBC. It is simple, evidence based and importantly, FREE to download. There is a classroom based program as well as a home program. It does not require any particular equipment and fits well within the curriculum.

This session is also offered in B

October 18, 2018

Honouring the Authentic Needs of Children Sarah McCarthy VCC Children are citizens of the world. They are born competent and complete and it is our duty to honour and respect their individual needs. Children’s time today is more structured than it has ever been at any point in modern history. We need to ask: are we honouring a child’s authentic needs or are we honouring the needs of the society? There is no cookie-cutter formula for honouring the authentic needs of a child. It is an art that requires selfless intention and incredible heart. Objectives: • Discuss why we need to view the child as a citizen • Discover ways to value a child’s intrinsic truth, and nurture it to help them grow • Recognize the need to observe children and identify ways to facilitate meaningful, authentic, and engaging play • Review how we listen, honour, and celebrate children • Discuss how to be intentional with our planning and interactions

This session is also offered in C

Brandon is a graduate of the Langley School District, and is also a graduate of Kwantlen Polytechnic University in Anthropology and Visual Arts, and received his BFA from the prestigious Emily Carr University of Art and Design. Brandon continues his studies at the Justice Institute of BC and KPU in indigenous governance and CADD (Computer Aided Design). Brandon works for the Community Arts Council of Vancouver, Vancouver Schools, Surrey Schools, and in his home studio. Brandon’s life partner Melinda Bige whose ancestral homelands are from Lutsel’ke Dené territory in NWT is an accomplished Scholar, artist, and activist. They have a beautiful daughter named Jamie who was born in March of 2016. They are a force to be reckoned with.

This session is also offered in C

ABC’s in the Outdoors

Marlee St. Pierre

ABC’s of Phonological Awareness Amanda Leach

Branching Out With Learning Kathy Nelson

10:30 8:00 10:30 10:00 Nervous vs. Anxious Ted Leavitt

Playing with Language & Story Fiona Morrison & Megan Cameron

Queer Competency Training

ABC’s in the Outdoors

Marlee St. Pierre

ABC’s of Phonological Awareness Amanda Leach

Branching Out With Learning Kathy Nelson

Joel Harnest

Fine Arts and the 100 Languages Kristi Schwandt

Reconciliation and Indigenous Place Kristin Webster

Foundations of Printing Tamara Robinson

Write from the Start

Beyond the Music Joney Poon

Empowering Children Outdoors Katelynn Tekavc

Shelley Hegedus

Introduction to Singing Games Sandy Murray

Living the K Life: Make and Take Lisa Jamieson

Living Libraries, PBL & Ally Work

Lorraine Goulet & Carman McKay

La littératie et la maternelle (Part I) Janet Beattie

Why Deep Connections Are So Important Sarah McCarthy

Writing in Kindergarten Rapinder Rai

Yoga & Mindfulness 4 Self Regulation Jennie Abbot

Community Resources & Loose Parts Kristi Schwandt

Foundations of Printing Tamara Robinson

Honouring the Authentic Needs of Children Sarah McCarthy

Indigenous Art Ideas & Integration Brandon Gabriel

10:20 11:50 K’s Exploring Math Make & Take Lisa Jamieson

La littératie et la maternelle (part II) Janet Beattie

LGBT2Q+ Education in Elementary Brandon Yan & Gavin Somers

Wood Working for Kids Made Simple

Shelley Hegedus

Writing in Kindergarten Rapinder Rai

Yoga & Mindfulness 4 Self Regulation Jennie Abbot

2:20

Beyond the Music

Nervous vs. Anxious

Branching Out With Learning

Playing with Language & Story

Joney Poon

Kathy Nelson

Empowering Children Outdoors Katelynn Tekavc

Ted Leavitt

Fiona Morrison & Megan Cameron

Reconciliation and Indigenous Place Kristin Webster

Honouring the Authentic Needs of Children

Responsive Life Skills Trays

Sarah McCarthy

Kristi Schwandt

Indigenous Art Ideas & Integration

Running Records for Newbies!

Brandon Gabriel

Amanda Leach

Introduction to Singing Games

Spur Executive Function in Kindies

Sandy Murray

Rae Fong

K’s Exploring Math Make & Take

Wood Working for Kids Made Simple

Lisa Jamieson

Don Thomson

Les centres de littératie

Writing in Kindergarten

Don Thomson

Write from the Start

12:50

Janet Beattie

Rapinder Rai

LGBT2Q+ Education in Elementary Brandon Yan & Gavin Somers

Yoga & Mindfulness Jennie Abbot

Connecting the Pieces

K’s Exploring Math Make & Take Lisa Jamieson

curriculum including Curricular Competencies and Content. How do we teach our students as much as they are ready to learn in a pedagogically sound way, keep it play based, AND have them ready for Grade One? Come join in on the conversation, share your ideas, and leave feeling more organized to tackle the year ahead. This session is ideal for teachers new to teaching Kindergarten, and will not include Grade One curriculum planning.

Surrey SD36 Kindergarten children are natural explorers and love to engage in activities that activate their curiosity. Come along and explore the endless possibilities of engaging our youngest learners in a world filled with numbers, shapes, and more. You will not only make a variety of different games and engaging activities to take away with you but you will receive a collection of other ideas to easily make on your own, All you have to do is say “go” and watch as your students head off into the world of math. Please bring scissors, a glue stick and a stapler. Lisa is a kindergarten specialist with extensive graduate working in early childhood education and parent education. She has presented to many audiences including teachers, parents and provincial PAC groups. Lisa has been a teacher for over 25 years and is currently a principal in the Surrey School District.

This session is also offered in C

This session is only offered in B

LGBT2Q+ Education in Elementary Brandon Yan & Gavin Somers Out in Schools

La littératie et la maternelle (part II) Janet Beattie Abbotsford SD34 Teachers new to French Immersion Kindergarten often feel overwhelmed trying to figure out what to teach their students, when to teach it, and how! This workshop will build on the first session of “La litteratie et la maternelle” by sharing day plans, term plans and yearly overviews of the new

Regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, all young people are exposed to ideas about relationships and gender. Through parents, peers, and the media, they are taught what is acceptable, expected, and also what is undesirable. This session will show you how to use a combination of art, education, and dialogue to delve into the complexities of sexuality and gender in your classrooms. In particular, Out in Schools uses film as a powerful, transformative tool for change. Film allows people to see themselves reflected in ways that are complex and affirming and also gives those not represented on screen the opportunity to see the full spectrum of Two-Spirit, queer and trans lives in ways that are not bound by stereotypes, clichés, or caricatures. We’ll speak to terms and concepts, scenarios with students and parents, and provide you with curriculum examples and additional resources.

October 18, 2018

Brandon (he/him/his) is the education director for Out on Screen. As an energetic community advocate, he has led the Out in Schools program since 2015. He has collaborated with the Ministry of Education, BC Teachers’ Federation, UBC Faculty of Education, and the ARC Foundation to address this immediate need to support LGBT2Q+ students through policies and practices that foster inclusive school environments. Gavin joined the Out in Schools team first as a facilitator in 2014. In supporting organizational growth, Gavin stepped into the Program Assistant role and is now excited to continue working with Out in Schools as the Program Coordinator. Passionate about the power of storytelling, Gavin is a writer, musician and artist.

This session is also offered in C

Write from the Start Shelley Hegedus Langley SD35 Let’s explore the earliest learners and the importance of writing early in the year. We will use hands on learning, oral language and mentor texts to help us develop a focus on writing that can meet the child where they are and move them forward in their learning. Shelley is the District Primary Teacher for the Langley School District. She is interested in early literacy and numeracy and has a passion for embedding the core competencies into everything she teaches.

This session is also offered in A

Wood Working for Kids Made Simple Don Thomson DonCol Nature Products Participants will be introduced to basic building techniques including tool use/safety. Class management ideas on how to run a successful “” Applied Designed”” unit in the classroom will be included. Various wood working projects will be presented with participants leaving the session with a completed project.

Don is a retired Langley teacher. Building birds houses and other wood working kits for kids, although a nearly full time “hobby”, often takes a backseat to fishing, travel, landscaping, environmental projects and grandkids.

This session is also offered in C

Connecting the Pieces

Rapinder is a kindergarten and grade 5 Punjabi language teacher at Harry Sayers Elementary School in Abbotsford. She has also taught grade 4/5, half-day kindergarten, and ELL. She has run PALS sessions with her kindergarten families since 2002. She has been a facilitator for Immigrant PALS Punjabi since 2008, and developed The Punjabi Family Literacy Resource for PALS in Immigrant Communities with 2010 Legacies Now. Rapinder is the author of bilingual English and Punjabi children’s books published by HomeRoots Books. She has translated and adapted LEAP BC resources into Punjabi for Decoda Lit Solutions.

This session is also offered in A and C

Yoga & Mindfulness 4 Self Regulation Jennie Abbot Harmony Kids Yoga Come join us in this exciting workshop offering hands-on activities to easily integrate yoga and mindfulness into your classroom setting. Children’s yoga helps to develop essential tools such as self-regulation, a stronger mind-body connection, and introduces skills that help children to find a sense of inner-calm. These yoga tools are gifts that can transform the lives of the children that receive them. Each participant receives the Harmony Kids Yoga Guide for Pre-K and Kindergarten Educators with exercises and applications for classroom use. Jennie is the founder and director of Harmony Kids Yoga, bringing yoga and mindfulness to over seven thousand children to date, between the ages of one to 18 years in Lower Mainland public schools, preschools and day cares, as well as weekly group classes, private sessions for children with special needs and teachers workshops. Jennie Abbot is a Registered Yoga Teacher (CYA-RYT200), Registered Children’s Yoga Teacher (CYA-CYT), and is trained

in Color Me Yoga for Children and Rainbow Kids Yoga for Children.

This session is also offered in A and C

October 18, 2018

C Beyond the Music Joney Poon

12:50 AM 2:20 AM Legend Literacy

Musical Expressions In the presentation, participants will be given hands on tools to use in their own classroom settings. Participants will learn some techniques on how to use music effectively to grow a child’s developmental skills, such as focusing, attention, listening, language and creative thinking. All this can be done with ease and is simply replicable and can be adapted to different settings. Some instruments will be used in class, however, all you need is your voice and body as you are your own instrument! Joney is the owner of Musical Expressions. Her experience working with toddlers shows in the natural connection she develops with children while leading them in early childhood music programs based from her training in Music Therapy work and Neonatal Music Therapy work. Joney‘s formal education includes music, clinical psychology, clinical hypnotherapy as well as a Bachelors in Music Therapy. She runs a private Music Therapy practice and has worked with a wide range of clientele, including children with developmental disabilities, adults with brain injuries, trauma (PTSD), anxiety, depression, insomnia and seniors who have suffered a stroke or live with dementia or Alzheimer’s. Joney strongly believes the accessible benefits of music.

This session is also offered in B

Math Play Wellness Computational

Community French Art Experiential

Connecting the Pieces

Branching Out With Learning

Katelynn is an Early Childhood, Infant, Toddler, Special Needs Educator. She works in a variety of early learning fields including the Langley School District but feels most inspired outdoors exploring and investigating together with young children.

Kathy Nelson UFV

This session is also offered in A and B

Participants will see how taking their students outside onto the school grounds can enhance learning. math and English language arts activities will be presented incorporating all aspects of the curriculum along with Indigenous principles. A schoolyard tree can provide many opportunities for students to explore and learn about their environment. Children’s literature will also be used to engage in learning.

Honouring the Authentic Needs of Children Sarah McCarthy VCC

This session is also offered in A and B

Children are citizens of the world. They are born competent and complete and it is our duty to honour and respect their individual needs. Children’s time today is more structured than it has ever been at any point in modern history. We need to ask: are we honouring a child’s authentic needs or are we honouring the needs of the society? There is no cookie-cutter formula for honouring the authentic needs of a child. It is an art that requires selfless intention and incredible heart. Objectives: • Discuss why we need to view the child as a citizen; • Discover ways to value a child’s intrinsic truth, and nurture it to help them grow; • Recognize the need to observe children and identify ways to facilitate meaningful, authentic, and engaging play; • Review how we listen, honour, and celebrate children; • Discuss how to be intentional with our planning.

Sarah created ECE Connect in 2016 with the idea of connecting early childhood educators together, and offering workshops that she feels are needed in the field. Sarah holds a Bachelor of Science in education and training, a diploma in early childhood education and Montessori (012 years), and a certificate for children with special needs. She’s been in the educational for over 15 years. She

October 18, 2018 currently manages a preschool and is an instructor at Vancouver Community College.

This session is also offered in B

Indigenous Art Ideas & Integration Brandon Gabriel Kwantlen First Nation Many teachers want to implement new provincial curricula aimed at addressing Indigenous knowledges into the classrooms, and many don’t feel equipped or understand the mechanisms that have brought present day education systems to their current state. Brandon will spend time breaking down these concepts and will also strategize about where to go next in your educator journeys. It’s not enough time to cover all topics or problems but it will definitely change the way you see yourselves as educators and will feel more empowered when you leave the room. Be prepared to do away with a product based learning outcome and enjoy working in a process based workshop. This workshop has been delivered in multiple school districts with all grade levels, and has also been brought into university classrooms by Brandon Gabriel and has recieved excellent reviews. Brandon is a graduate of the Langley School District, and is also a graduate of Kwantlen Polytechnic University in Anthropology and Visual Arts, and received his BFA from the prestigious Emily Carr University of Art and Design. Brandon continues his studies at the Justice Institute of BC and KPU in indigenous governance and CADD (Computer Aided Design). Brandon works for the Community Arts Council of Vancouver, Vancouver Schools, Surrey Schools, and in his home studio. Brandon’s life partner Melinda Bige whose ancestral homelands are from Lutsel’ke Dené territory in NWT is an accomplished Scholar, artist, and activist. They have a beautiful daughter named Jamie who was born in March of 2016. They are a force to be reckoned with.

Introduction to Singing Games Sandy Murray Langley SD35 This singing games workshop is for all, but especially for those who do not feel comfortable singing or think they can’t sing! Based on the SongWorks approach (SongWorks Educators’ Association) we will be actively involved in the playing of singing games. We will also explore how singing games can provide a rich context for social interaction, movement, language, thinking, listening, and music. Make music a natural part of your children’s day with these easyto-sing, interactive, and playful singing games.

This session is also offered in A

Connecting the Pieces

K’s Exploring Math Make & Take Lisa Jamieson Surrey SD36 Kindergarten children are natural explorers and love to engage in activities that activate their curiosity. Come along and explore the endless possibilities of engaging our youngest learners in a world filled with numbers, shapes, and more. You will not only make a variety of different games and engaging activities to take away with you but you will receive a collection of other ideas to easily make on your own, All you have to do is say “go” and watch as your students head off into the world of math. Please bring scissors, a glue stick and a stapler. Lisa is a kindergarten specialist with extensive graduate working in early childhood education and parent education. She has presented to many audiences including teachers, parents and provincial PAC groups. Lisa has been a teacher for over 25 years and is currently a principal in the Surrey School District.

This session is also offered in B

Les centres de littératie Janet Beattie Abbotsford SD34 Learn to organize literacy centres in your full-day kindergarten classroom that use your time efficiently while optimizing student learning. A variety of literacy centre ideas will be presented and blackline masters for some centres will be shared. Bring your ideas! This will be a great opportunity to share what works in your classroom with others and create a large master list of centres to rotate through during the school year.

This session is only offered in C

LGBT2Q+ Education in Elementary Brandon Yan & Gavin Somers Out in Schools Regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, all young people are exposed to ideas about relationships and gender. Through parents, peers, and the media, they are taught what is acceptable, expected, and also what is undesirable. This session will show you how to use a combination of art, education, and dialogue to delve into the complexities of sexuality and gender in your classrooms. In particular, Out in Schools uses film as a powerful, transformative tool for change. Film allows people to see themselves reflected in ways that are complex and affirming and also gives those not represented on screen the opportunity to see the full spectrum of Two-Spirit, queer and trans lives in ways that are not bound by stereotypes, clichés, or caricatures. We’ll speak to terms and concepts, scenarios with students and parents, and provide you with curriculum examples and additional resources. Brandon (he/him/his) is the education director for Out on Screen. As an energetic community advocate, he has led the Out in Schools program since 2015. He has collaborated with the Ministry of Education, BC Teachers’ Federation, UBC Facul-

October 18, 2018 ty of Education, and the ARC Foundation to address this immediate need to support LGBT2Q+ students through policies and practices that foster inclusive school environments. Gavin joined the Out in Schools team first as a facilitator in 2014. In supporting organizational growth, Gavin stepped into the Program Assistant role and is now excited to continue working with Out in Schools as the Program Coordinator. Passionate about the power of storytelling, Gavin is a writer, musician and artist.

This session is also offered in B

This session is also offered in A

Playing with Language & Story Fiona Morrison & Megan Cameron Gulf Islands SD64

Nervous vs. Anxious Ted Leavitt Langley Youth & Family Services The purpose of this workshop is to assist teachers and staff in increasing their own mental health literacy and also to increase their ability to pass this literacy on to the children and families with whom they work. Especially during younger grades, separation anxiety is a common struggle but teachers and parents sometimes struggle to know when it is developmentally appropriate or a sign of a large issue. This workshop will help professionals and parents to make that distinction along with navigating other questions that lay in these grey areas. Attendees will also take away some insights and strategies to communicate better with families and students about these issues.

In this session we will invite participants to explore Reggio inspired practices such as story workshop and story baskets. We will share examples from our K-3 classroom as well as from Strong Start/early learning contexts. Insights and reflections from our visit to Reggio Emilia and our professional development experience at Opal School will be presented. We will also show the process of how we transformed the learning environments for all our students at Mayne Island School. Please join us for conversation, collaboration and a focus on playful inquiry. Megan is a K-8 teacher at Mayne island school who is passionate about Reggio inspired practices and creating beautiful environments for all learners to learn. Fiona spent many happy years in the Langley School District as a teacher, faculty associate and as primary coordinator. Most recently, she has been co-teaching in a K-8 setting with her colleague Megan Cameron at Mayne Island school. Fiona is currently (mostly) retired but continues to be passionate about early literacy and working with young children and their families.

This session is also offered in A

Connecting the Pieces

Reconciliation and Indigenous Place Kristin Webster UBC Child Care Services The current colonial structures that are heavily represented in our education systems, do not benefit our most vulnerable populations. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of First Nations histories, and how to engage in socio-political discourse and social justice issues with children. Presentation is done in the form of pedagogical narrations, some short video clips, and time for discussion and questions on the topic of reconciliation and social justice issues with children.

Studying Fine Arts upon high school graduation, Kristi had a multitude of different careers before finding the profession of ECE. Having teachers who were a part of the first Canadian Delegation to Reggio, she learned responsive curriculum inspired by Reggio Emilia and never looked back. She currently is an ECE Facilitator for the City of Surrey providing training and support for preschool instructors and just finished remodeling City of Surrey preschool environments while continuing to inspire instructors in the 100 languages.

This session is also only offered in C

Running Records for Newbies! Amanda Leach Langley SD35

This session is only offered in A

Responsive Life Skills Trays Kristi Schwandt City of Surrey Life skills are an integral part of development. Come be inspired by the unlimited ways you can use and present Life Skills Trays in a responsive environment; not only serving the children’s ‘skill development’ and core competencies but also their ever changing interests as well.

Running records are an excellent tool to identify patterns in reading behaviours. They capture what a child understands about the reading process. This session is designed for teachers who want to learn how to administer and score a running record. You will learn all the coding tricks to record your observations of what your student does while they read to you. This session is designed for those new to taking running records.

Amanda Leach is the Langley School District Reading Recovery Teacher Leader. She has been a K-3 Teacher, Resource Teacher and Reading Recovery Teacher in the Langley School District for over 20 years. She is passionate about all students having success and positive growth in Early Literacy.

This session is also only offered in C

October 18, 2018

Spur Executive Function in Kindies Rae Fong

houses and other wood working kits for kids, although a nearly full time “hobby”, often takes a backseat to fishing, travel, landscaping, environmental projects and grandkids.

This session is also offered in B

Centre for Child Development This workshop will introduce developmental ideas of executive function with a specific focus on ‘future thinking’ and practical strategies developed by Sarah Ward (SLP) & Kristen Jacobsen (SLP). As occupational therapists, Rae and Ross are interested in the connection between self-regulation and executive function development. Participants will learn practical, easy-to-implement strategies which they can use immediately in their kindergarten classes.

Writing in Kindergarten Rapinder Rai

Rae has worked as an occupational therapist for 17 years, 10 of which have been in Langley School District through the Centre for Child Development. Occupational therapists in the school district provide consultation to schools for K-12 students who have physical, accessibility, fine motor, self-regulation, and sensory processing challenges.

This session is only offered in C

Wood Working for Kids Made Simple Don Thomson DonCol Nature Products Participants will be introduced to basic building techniques including tool use/safety. Class management ideas on how to run a successful “Applied Designed” unit in the classroom will be included. Various wood working projects will be presented with participants leaving the session with a completed project.

Don is a retired Langley teacher. Building birds

Abbotsford SD34 Teaching writing in kindergarten is a fun and rewarding experience! Rapinder will show you writing in a fun, relaxed, play-based kindergarten classroom. Come and see practical tips on scaffolding these early writers from September to June through photographs and video clips with lessons and examples of students’ work. She will also share ideas to support early writing for English Language Learners (ELL). Gradually building up to a daily habit of writing can help children learn to look out for—and to look forward to—opportunities to draw and write from their daily experiences. See how wall-stories and parental support through Parents as Literacy Supporters (PALS) enhance kindergarten writing!

Rapinder is a kindergarten and grade five Punjabi language teacher at Harry Sayers Elementary School in Abbotsford. She has also taught grade 4/5, half-day kindergarten and ELL. She has run PALS sessions with her kindergarten families since 2002. She has been a facilitator for Immigrant PALS Punjabi since 2008, and developed The Punjabi Family Literacy Resource for PALS in Immigrant Communities with 2010 Legacies Now. Rapinder is the author of bilingual English and Punjabi children’s books published by HomeRoots Books. She has translated and adapted LEAP BC resources into Punjabi for Decoda Lit Solutions.

This session is also offered in A and B

Connecting the Pieces

Yoga & Mindfulness Jennie Abbot Harmony Kids Yoga Come join us in this exciting workshop offering hands-on activities to easily integrate yoga and mindfulness into your classroom setting. Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s yoga helps to develop essential tools such as self-regulation, a stronger mind-body connection, and introduces skills that help children to find a sense of inner-calm. These yoga tools are gifts that can transform the lives of the children that receive them. Each participant receives the Harmony Kids Yoga Guide for Pre-K and Kindergarten Educators with exercises and applications for classroom use. Jennie is the founder and director of Harmony Kids Yoga, bringing yoga and mindfulness to over seven thousand children to date, between the ages of one to 18 years in Lower Mainland public schools, preschools and day cares, as well as weekly group classes, private sessions for children with special needs and teachers workshops. Jennie Abbot is a Registered Yoga Teacher (CYA-RYT200), Registered Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Yoga Teacher (CYA-CYT), and is trained in Color Me Yoga for Children and Rainbow Kids Yoga for Children.

This session is also offered in A and B

October 18, 2018