Alberta Canada Workshop Series

April 29 at 3:30-4:30 pm. MDT

Learning Assistance and Resource Teachers are the bridge that connect and provide continuity in the various settings which make up the classroom. This workshop will provide practical ways to collaborate with Classroom Teachers to support students by building inclusive communities which emphasize the importance of diversity, equity and regulation as anchors for learning. Participants will be introduced to a variety of strategies that can be used in and outside of the classroom to provide a foundation for a safe, caring environment where learners can thrive.

Jan Palmer and Julie Principe

Jan Palmer and Julie Principe strive to help schools and educators support all students and create communities in which learners thrive. They have many years of experience in the classroom and as District Behaviour and Inclusion Teacher Consultants sharing their expertise in SEL, teaching regulation, and setting up inclusive school environments by nurturing student choice and participation. Julie and Jan’s realistic approach supports and empowers Classroom and Resource Teachers to create classroom communities where all learners feel safe, included, and engaged. Jan and Julie are currently finishing up a book called “reConnect, reCharge and Regulate: A Classroom Unit for Building an Inclusive Community”, which will be published soon.

Contact Julie and Jan: [email protected] and bring them to your school! practicalpossibilitiesconsulting.com  

May 13, 2022 at 3:30-4:30 pm. MDT

Because of ongoing challenges, they face, children with exceptionalities often develop self-defeating beliefs, convincing themselves that they have limited abilities and control, even in areas of relative strength. These beliefs may compound children's difficulties and further reduce their functioning. this presentation will discuss the strong relationships between attributions, self-concept, and performance, highlighting the negative impact of self-defeating belief systems, and discussing strategies that can move children away from "learned helplessness" and toward "learned hopefulness".

Dr. Shawn Crawford

Dr. Shawn Crawford is a Registered Psychologist in Alberta with over 30 years of experience in providing assessment, consultation and conseling services to children, youth, families and educators. His passions and expertise include the areas of learning, behaviorial, and attention difficulties in children, as well as attributions, learned helplessness and positive psychology.

June 17, 2022 at 3:30-4:30 pm. MDT

This session will focus on considerations and best practices when working with Indigenous students and families. It will include an overview of the implications and legacies of historical and current policies related to Indigenous peoples in Canada and how these inform the ways in which we should approach our relationships with Indigenous families. Suggested resources and practical examples to support educators will be shared and time for questions will be made.

Sarah Mead and Michele Findlay

Michelle Finley (she/her) is a Métis woman and K-12 public school educator who grew up on the unceded traditional territory of the Lhtako Dene (Quesnel, B.C.). After spending many years living in the interior of British Columbia, Michelle and her husband moved to Treaty 7 Territory (Calgary, AB)where they raise their two children. Michelle has a BA degree with majors in English Literature and Theatre from Thompson Rivers University, a BEd degree from the University of British Columbia and is currently completing a MEd from the Werklund School of Education at the University of Calgary. In her free time she serves as a Director for the non-profit The Moss Bag Project.

Sarah Meade (she/her) is an educator of mixed ancestry (Northern Irish & Mikmaw) currently residing in Mohkintsis (Calgary, Alberta). She grew up in Southern Ontario on the Treaty Lands and Territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishinabek, Huron-Wendat, Haudenosaunee, Ojibway/Chippewa, and Métis peoples. She has taught for over 15 years including on a remote fly-in Anishnaabe community, an independent school for youth- at risk in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia and for the last decade in the Calgary Board of Education. She is in her third year of the Doctor of Education program at the University of Calgary focusing on how practicing teachers are engaging in decolonizing education.

Sarah and Michelle currently work as Indigenous Education Specialists with the Calgary Board of Education.