Story and the Landscapes of Learning Story and the Landscapes of Learning Story and the Landscapes BCTELAof Learning PROVINCIAL CONFERENCE iStock StoryOctober and 23, 2015 the Matthew McNair Secondary Story and the Landscapes9500 No 4 Road of LearningRichmond, BC Landscapes of Learning 8:30 am – 3:15 pm

Story and the Story and the Landscapes of Learning brings together educators who are committed to teaching practices that Landscapes respect and engage diverse learners. This year we feature sessions focusing on inquiry, diverse texts, of Learning indigenous perspectives, the new curriculum and stories of place and learning. Story and the Teachers’ Federation Featuring: Landscapes Richard Wagamese, David J. Smith, Faye Brownlie, Sharon Jeroski, Leyton Schnellert, Carl Leggo, Dale Richmond Teachers’ of Learning Allender and many more! Association Story and the

Richmond School Landscapes BC Teachers of English Language Arts District 38 —anof afliate Learning of the BC Teachers’ Federation (BCTF) and the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) | www.bctela.ca B RITISH COLUMB IA T EAC HERS OF E NGLISH L ANGUAGE A RTS

Friday Morning Keynote 8:30 AM–9:45 AM Richard Wagamese

Richard Wagamese Working as a professional writer His novel, , arrived in Grades K-12 since 1979 he’s been a newspaper February 2012. It was the Peoples’ columnist and reporter, radio and Choice winner in the national Canada Richard Wagamese television broadcaster and producer, Reads competition. In 2013 he is one of Canada’s documentary producer and the published a new novel; Him Standing, foremost Native author of thirteen titles from major for Orca Press and a new literary authors and Canadian publishers. novel, Medicine Walk, with McClelland storytellers. & Stewart was published in April 2014.

Friday Morning Sessions 10:00 AM–12:00 PM

A1: Self and Story: Weaving A3: Geographic Literacy: A4: What is a Poem Good For? words from heart and place World-mindedness across the Words of advice from a poet Richard Wagamese curriculum Carl Leggo Grades K-7 David J. Smith Grades K-12 Grades K-7 A morning breakout session and What is a poem good for? This conversation with author, Richard This workshop will present ideas workshop emphasizes playing with Wagamese. and practical strategies for merging language. Carl is a grandfather to history, geography, and broad multi- four granddaughters who are leaning Richard Wagamese speaker bio: see cultural concerns into a balanced, into language. Together they are keynote above three-dimensional package. A variety learning about the ceaseless joys of of materials and cooperative learning music, images, emotions, and stories activities will be used, in which in poetry. A2: Reading Stories, Writing students, working in small groups, Stories: Thinking in action teach and learn from each other. Carl Leggo is a poet and professor at Faye Brownlie the University of British Columbia. His Grades K-7 David J. Smith is a classroom teacher books include: View from My Mother’s with over 25 years’ experience House; Come-By-Chance; Teaching Travel the story landscape with teaching Middle School English, to Wonder: Responding to Poetry in thinking-infused strategies that help all geography, and Social Studies. He is the Secondary Classroom; Sailing in a students read more thoughtfully and the author of 5 books presently used Concrete Boat: A Teacher’s Journey. write more passionately. Learn whole- in schools across the world: If the class reading strategies focusing on World Were A Village, If America Were response to literature (with read alouds A Village, This Child, Every Child, IF: A A5: Counter Narratives for and small group texts) and whole- Mind-Bending New Way of Looking at the Classroom class writing strategies to develop Big Ideas and Numbers, & Mapping The Dale Allender narrative (e.g. clustering). World By Heart. Grades 8-12

Faye is a long time BCTELA member, an This session explores the curricular avid reader, and well-known presenter. possibilities of counter narratives She is passionate about our collective based on work with this genre in responsibility to create readers who urban high schools. After this session, read and writers who write. participants will be able to explain

2 C ULTIVATING PASSIONATE L EARNERS B RITISH COLUMB IA T EAC HERS OF E NGLISH L ANGUAGE A RTS the concept of counter-narrative and competencies, this workshop shows manager for Rocking the Page. counter storytelling as an expressive how students can use images, and analytical tool in critical race written/oral language, and digital Morgan Taylor is a professional web theory, and identify texts for the media to holistically tell the story of writer with a zeal for biking. He classroom. who they are as individuals and as regularly contributes to theradavist. members of a community. com and was one of the professional Dale Allender, Ph.D. is an Assistant writers featured in Rocking the Page. Professor of Language and Literacy Jen Nixon is passionate about at California State University inspiring middle school students to Terry Taylor, an English teacher for 30 Sacramento. Dale is also the director think critically about the world and years, feeds her passions for creating for the nine Annenberg Foundations to fnd and follow their passions. powerful student learning by seeking multimedia productions for literacy Following her own passions artists as partners. She is thrilled teachers. has led her to work on human to lead learning in SD 10 as the rights in Southeast Asia, develop superintendent of schools. curriculum (global education and A6: Making Connections photojournalism) and complete her Through Diverse Texts: Masters in Language and Literacy A9: Language and Landscapes: Walking through inquiry in (critical literacy). Jen has taught Teens exploring place and secondary English classes Humanities and other subjects in the memory Pamela Smith & Denise Ferreira Sooke School District for 10 years. Glen Thielmann Grades: 9-12 Grades: 9-12 Jon Carr is interested in how place- This session will describe how based education can help drive In this talk & share session, various students can engage in developing learning by involving the self, the student projects from Gr. 9-12 classes essential questions, in order to family, the community, the land, will be shared, that relate to student facilitate deeper learning of text, self, and ancestors. Over the past 4 years, identity and direct experiences with and humanity. We will use children’s he has worked as an advocate for special places, historical fction, cultural books as a starting point, discussing Indigenous learners and their families landscapes, environmental and how the structure can be used to by developing curriculum, supporting geographic themes in fantasy literature. develop student learning and sharing students, and engaging communities. student projects that illustrate their Glen has taught a bit of everything on understanding through inquiry. the Humanities side of the ledger in A8: Rocking the Page! A virtual Prince George high schools. His work Pamela Smith loves engaging with writers festival, where writing with students and educators focuses students through the process of knows no bounds on experiential, technological, analysis and inquiry. She is passionate Terry Taylor, Richelle Johnston inquiry-based, and narrative tools for about using diverse texts to reach & Morgan Taylor exploring learner identity. new understandings with her Grades 4-12 students. Pamela teaches Secondary A10: Story Drama: Using English in Burnaby. Seven professional authors read in asynchronous videos and drama to explore and share synchronous online workshops, our stories A7: Our Stories, Our inspiring creativity. Students fnd Laura Lancaster & Dale Jarvis Worldview: How our stories joy writing poetry, stories and web Grades 4-7 shape who we are and how content in seven classrooms and we think three school districts. The presenters will share their Jon Carr & Jen Nixon experience with Story Drama — Grades 5-9 Richelle Johnson teaches English/ using drama structures to engage art/drama at Lucerne School in New all students in exploring essential This workshop will highlight a Denver. Last year she pioneered meanings in story and ourselves. cross-curricular inquiry unit aimed at online literature circles using Facebok Using The Decision: A story drama challenging students to think deeply to teach about digital citizenship structure, created by Kristin Mimick about identity and their place in the with the theme of “identity.” Richelle and friends (2013) and based on the world. Drawing on the curricular served as the talented project text Secret of the Dance by Andrea

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Spalding & Alfred Scow, participants She studied at UBC, where she Current department head and will be guided through the design, received a doctorate in measurement member of the Van Tech English format, and activities that explore and research methodology. and ELL department since 1998, the story, and ultimately, a decision Denise Clark has been a part of afecting aboriginal cultural Ben Pare is currently the K-12 Literacy the curriculum and competency connectedness and identities. This Program Consultant in the Burnaby development team for ELA 10-12 experience leads into literature circles school district and previously was and personal responsibility and with a social justice theme. a Department Head of English and awareness, we well as inquiry ELL. He has enjoyed working on facilitator for the VSB. Denise Dale is a grade 4 & 5 teacher and curriculum writing projects such as teachers AP English Literature and vice-principal in SD63 (Saanich). Laura the development of the Performance Composition 12, and English 9 and is a district Curriculum Coordinator Standards for Reading, the Critical is past executive and presenter in SD62 (Sooke). Dale and Laura love Thinking Core Competency, and for BCTELA. Denise has an M.A. in to collaborate and learn together the new English Language Arts Language and Literacy Education, around anything to do with engaging curriculum. a B.A in Secondary English and a Friday Afternoon Sessions 1:15–3:15 PM kids with books. They are members of B.A. in English Literature all from the a research study group exploring the Susan McLean has been an English University of British Columbia. possibilities for ELA teachers and their teacher for many years and has been students as they refect on issues teaching using literature circles for of equity and cultural diference the past ffteen. During this time, she A12: Topic Choice and Inquiry through reading and responding to has attended multiple workshops in Communications 11 and 12 postcolonial literary texts. on literature circles, assessment and Classes inquiry, both at local, provincial and Rachel Reynolds international levels, and presented at Grades: 9-12 A11: Transforming K-12 ELA the local level. Her education includes Curriculum a B. Ed., M Ed., Sp. Ed., ESL and FSL Topic Choice/Inquiry is an alternate Sharon Jeroski, Ben Pare, Susan training. She has also been deeply semester long instructional format McLean, Katrina Thomson, Jo Chrona, involved with the provincial English for English Communications students. Denise Clark, & guests April Lowe, PSA and is currently serving as its This strategy focuses on promoting MJ Medenwaldt, Lexa Pomfret, Janis president. success for previously disengaged Practor, Carly Roy & Danielle Caldwell students. Students are immersed in Grades K-12 Jo Chrona, part of the ELA K-9 and an area of interest while completing 10-12 curriculum development teams, the required provincial outcomes for Come hear about the most recent is currently the Curriculum Coordinator Communications 11 and 12. developments in our emerging for FNESC. In addition, she has worked K-12 ELA curriculum! We will share with school districts in the development Rachel has been a senior English some of the thinking behind the of the Positive Personal and Cultural teacher for the last nine years. new curriculum and any recent Identify and Social responsibility core During her Master’s of Educational developments. Participants will also competencies. Jo has taught Hum Leadership, she studied explore early classrooms examples of 8/9, Comm 11/12, Eng 12, and EFP 12. disengagement in writing. what the curriculum could look like in Jo is a member of the Kitsumkalum day-to-day practice. This session will Band of the Ts’msyen Nation. She is include lots of time to explore and ask of the Ganhada (Raven) Clan. A13: Connecting to place questions – some of which we may be through literature and text able to answer! Karina Thompson is currently Selina Metcalfe, Jonathan Dyck & department head of English and Michael Nielsen Sharon Jeroski is a researcher, writer, ELL at University Hill Secondary in Grades K-12 and speaker with special interest in the Vancouver School District. Her assessment and evaluation, English educational background includes a Join us for a collaborative inquiry language arts, and action research. B.A. and M.P.A and a M.Ed. as well into place-based learning and 21st Dr. Jeroski is currently directing as a diploma in teaching ESL. She is century education! How can we help development of BC Core Competency currently serving on the Ministry of students develop ecological literacy Profles and analyzing results of Education’s ELA 10-12 Curriculum within the framework of language Changing Results for Young Readers. development team. arts curriculum? Meet like-minded

4 C ULTIVATING PASSIONATE L EARNERS B RITISH COLUMB IA T EAC HERS OF E NGLISH L ANGUAGE A RTS educators, share your experiences, Teaching) facilitator for the BCTF. She M.Ed. in Ecological Education and and invigorate your practice! has a graduate degree in Ecological he is always looking for new ways Education and Diverse Learning to help his students become more Selina Metcalfe loves language and Environments, and was the Faculty connected to the places they inhabit loves landscape. She is extremely Associate for the SEEDs (Sustainability interested in how story, semantics Education in an Environment of Michael Nielsen is the Head Teacher and semiotics infuence our Diversity) module of PDP at SFU. of an Elementary School in Burnaby. environmental ethic. She is the He enjoys the challenge of guiding president of EEPSA, a Humanities Jonathan teaches English 12, Math lower intermediates in engaging and teacher and Department Head, 11 and Social Justice 12 at Langley becoming more empowered in their and a PQT (Program for Quality Education Centre, He completed his own learning.

Friday Afternoon Sessions 1:15–3:15 PM

B1: Self and Story: Weaving B2: Continuing the Story of B3: Geographic Literacy: words from heart and place Competencies and Curriculum: World-mindedness across the Don Blazevich & Belinda Chi Educating citizens curriculum Grades K-7 Sharon Jeroski & Ben Pare David J. Smith Grades 8-12 Grades: 5-9 Come and join two teachers as they take you through an interactive In this interactive, hands-on session, This workshop will present ideas writing session highlighting ideas participants will explore the explicit and practical strategies for merging that you can use with your students. role of the core competencies history, geography, and broad multi- You will see how to use the 5 senses, (Communication, Thinking, Personal cultural concerns into a balanced, similes and persuasive writing to and Social Competence) as students three-dimensional package. A variety explore poetry and creative writing. continue their development as of materials and cooperative learning You will also learn how your students’ educated citizens, with choice and activities will be used, in which work can be published and featured voice. We will work with drafts students, working in small groups, in BCTELA’s student writing journal, of the competency profles, view teach and learn from each other Voices Visible. illustrations of various levels of development, and learn from BC David J. Smith speaker bio: see A3 Belinda Chi teaches a Grade 4/5 teachers how they are focusing on class in Burnaby. The focus in her the competencies in their classrooms. classroom is building community B4: Playing with Text: The and fostering a positive learning Sharon Jeroski is a researcher, writer, power of SmartLearning to environment for her students to and speaker with special interest in engage and support young explore their writing. assessment and evaluation, English learners language arts, and action research. Erika Warkentin Don Blazevich teaches Grade 2 and Dr. Jeroski is currently directing Grades K-2 believes in developing the voices development of BC Core Competency of young writers. Through explicit Profles and analyzing results of Participants will experience how instruction and the gradual release Changing Results for Young Readers. the SmartLearning practices make it model, his students learn to express She studied at UBC, where she possible to playfully and meaningfully themselves through descriptive, received a doctorate in measurement incorporate metacognition and poetic devices. and research methodology. self-regulation into lessons designed to empower and extend the skills Ben Pare speaker bio: See A12 and competencies of our youngest learners. Participants will leave with print material to guide their personal applications.

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Erika is an early primary teacher in culture. Additionally, it will address Then participants attend round tables the New Westminster School district meeting diverse needs through where presenters share classroom and a SmartLearning Trainer. Erika diferentiated instruction, Aboriginal ideas and examples. Round table has taught in K-2 classrooms for more understandings, neuro-diverse topics include texts sets, culturally than 20 years and has a Masters of teaching strategies and social responsive teaching, inquiry, universal Education degree in Curriculum and justice topics. Finally, it will provide design for learning, visual literacy, Instruction. Erika has led learning engagement through student and literature circles. rounds and provided workshops for motivation, as well as structures teachers across BC and Alberta. and processes that promote active Leyton Schnellert is an Assistant learning. Participants will come Professor at UBCO. His research and away with all of the handouts, teaching focus on teacher inquiry, B5: New Curriculum, New Ideas criteria sheets and rubrics needed literacy and language learning, Sandra McTavish to successfully implement Literature middle years philosophy and Grades 8-12 Circles in their classrooms. methods, and inclusive education. He has been a middle, junior high, and Are you thinking about how to teach Susan McLean has been an English secondary school classroom teacher, the new grade 8-9 ELA curriculum, teacher for many years and has been and a learning resource teacher K–12. including incorporating teaching using literature circles for Leyton is a long-time member of the content? This interactive workshop the past ffteen. During this time, BCTELA Executive. provides you with engaging activities she has participated in multiple that can be used in any classroom. workshops on literature circles, Faye Brownlie speaker bio: See A2 Participants receive a package assessment and inquiry, both at local, including a complimentary book! provincial and international levels. Her education includes B. Ed., M Ed., B8:Curriculum for ALL: Including Sandra McTavish has worn many hats as well as Sp. Ed., ESL and FSL training. students with developmental over the years including teacher/ She has also been deeply involved disabilities in English language publisher/ author/ presenter. Sandra with the provincial English PSA and is arts has a passion for contemporary currently serving as its president. Shelley Moore & Kate Campbell Canadian literature especially First Grades 8-12 Nations authors. She has provided ELA workshops across Canada including B7: Middle Mosaic Using planning frameworks (e.g. BC, most recently in SD41 Burnaby. Faye Brownlie, Leyton Schnellert and UDL, UBD, DI, RTI), this workshop guests will describe the process of how Grades 4-9 B6: Imbedding Inquiry with a secondary collaborative team planned an integrated poetry/social Literature Circles This institute will help you develop justice unit, which responded to a Susan McLean your capacity to build students’ grade 10 English class with a variety Grades 4-12 capacity to engage with, honor and of learners and included students take up diverse perspectives and with developmental disabilities. This updated session incorporates literacies and make a diference in new ideas from inquiry, as well their world. Explore approaches Shelley Moore is a teacher consultant as current thinking on literacy that nurture students’ creativity, in the Richmond School District and assessment (including critical thinking, communication, as well as a private consultant assessment for, of and as learning, social responsibility and personal provincially and beyond. She is student ownership, peer and self- responsibility. Examples and ideas currently working on her PhD at the assessment). It will demonstrate from the It’s All About Thinking series University of British Columbia and how to build community through will be highlighted. her research is exploring how teacher efective collaboration, powerful needs can collaborate to make inquiry processes and an inclusive curriculum accessible and meaningful to students with developmental disabilities.

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Kate Campbell is a secondary B11: Creating Place: A writing B12: Inspiring Minds: The resource teacher with a background workshop for teachers power of SmartLearning in art instruction. She has developed Pamela Richardson, Sara Davidson lesson sequences a balanced, art-based inclusion & Ashley Cail Tammy Renyard & Andrea Hart model of programming and support Grades K-12 Grades 3-12 for students with developmental disabilities in secondary schools This is a creative writing workshop Participants will experience how called ACCESS Learning. ACCESS for teachers focused on the themes SmartLearning lessons increase each strives to connect and the of story and place. When we nurture learner’s powers to learn and retain community, families, the school our own writing practice this helps us complex skills, competencies, and and staf to make a holistic and to inspire and motivate our students. understandings. Using an inquiry meaningful school experience for Join us for this time to create and approach, learners are immersed in students with the most complex share in a supported and fun text, and use layers of thinking tools needs. environment. and partner interactions to develop deep understandings. Participants B9: Reconciliation through Pamela Richardson is on faculty at will leave with print material to guide Royal Roads University in the School their personal applications. Story of Education and Technology. She is Jo-Anne Chrona the co-editor of English Practice and Heather Brown recently joined Grades K-7 loves nurturing spaces where poetry SD61, Greater Victoria, as a vice- fourishes. principal from a senior science Explore how story and literature can teaching position in SD6, Rocky be used to help children gain an age- Sara Florence Davidson is a PhD Mountain. Her intention is to appropriate understanding of the candidate in the Department of develop lessons that foster deep history of the relationship between Language and Literacy at the conceptual understanding that Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal University of British Columbia. She allows for sophisticated synthesis people over Canada’s history using has taught high school in the Yukon and application. Heather has led the First Nations Education Steering and rural British Columbia. She is co- workshops in senior and junior Committee’s (FNESC) new Indian editor of English Practice. science for middle and secondary Residential Schools and Reconciliation educators in B.C., and Alberta. Teacher Resource Guide. Ashley Cail is a recent graduate from the education program at UBC and Ingrid Fawcett is a vice principal in Jo-Anne Chrona speaker bio: See A11 has also completed a Masters of Arts the Greater Victoria School District. in English. She is a co-editor of English She has been a district learning B10: Eco-Literacy in the 21st Practice and is passionate about the coach, a K-12 classroom teacher, and Century beauty of literature. a sessional instructor at the University Jonathan Dyck of Victoria. Grades K-12 Tammy Renyard is a teaching Join us for a collaborative inquiry vice-principal in SD61. She is into place-based learning and 21st passionate about side-by-side century education! How can we help work with teachers, implementing students develop ecological literacy lessons designed to deeply engage within the framework of language learners in the learning process arts curriculum? Meet like-minded with lessons that guide learners educators, share your experiences, to develop powerful thinking and and invigorate your practice! understanding. Tammy has led workshops and classroom-based Jonathan Dyck speaker bio: see A13 learning rounds for middle and secondary educators in B.C., Alberta, the Yukon, and in the Northern Territories.

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C ULTIVATING PASSIONATE L EARNERS 7 Story and the Landscapes of Learning Conference BCTELA Provincial Conference at a glance October 23, 2015

Conference Sessions at Matthew McNair Secondary Friday, October 23, 2015 Conference Host Hotel 8:30 am–3:15 pm Sheraton Vancouver Airport Hotel 7551 Westminster Highway, Richmond, BC Opening morning speaker (604) 273-7878 Richard Wagamese Conference Host School Choose 2 of 25 two-hour sessions Matthew McNair Secondary with presenters from British 9500 No 4 Road, Richmond, BC Columbia and beyond. V7A 2Y9 www.bctela.ca Lunch provided.

FRIDAY, OCT 23 • Opening keynote speaker Morning • 2 hour break out sessions • Vendor booths • Vendor booths Lunch • Author signings • 2 hours break out sessions Afternoon • Vendor booths Evening • BCTELA Annual General Meeting

FEE SCHEDULE * BCTF members $200

Non BCTF members $250

Host district teachers #38 $150

TTOCs/ Teacher candidates $125

To register, go to www.bctela.ca. Registration closes October 15, 2015 at 4:30 pm.

* Conference fee includes a membership to British Columbia Y15-0010 Teachers of English & Language Arts (BCTELA) provincial September 2015 specialist association (PSA) iStock