Thursday morning session info
Please note that we have a Pool System for Thursday morning only. We are giving the teachers of NETCA more choice over their professional development. We have three Opening Keynote Speakers scheduled for Thursday morning.
The three Opening Keynote Speakers will present two sessions back to back. Teachers from Pool A may choose from any of the three Opening Keynote Speakers from 9:00 a.m. until 10:10 a.m. Teachers from Pool B will be in regular sessions during this time and not attending one of the three Opening Keynote Speakers. From 10:45 a.m. until 11:55 a.m. teachers from Pool B will be in one of the Opening Keynote Speakers and Pool A will be in the regular sessions scheduled from 10:45 a.m. until 11:55 a.m. Hopefully you are not too confused. Please ask your Convention Representative if you need more clarification!
Pool A - Opening Keynote 9:00 – 10:10 Pool B – Opening Keynote 10:45 – 11:55
Aspen View Lakeland Catholic
Fort Vermilion Northland
Greater St. Paul Northern Lights
THURSDAY, February 17th, 2011
Opening Address / Pool A / 9:00 a.m. to 10:10 a.m.Opening Address / Pool B / 10:45 a.m. to 11:55 a.m.
Small Group Session / Pool B / 9:00 a.m. to 10:10 a.m.
Small Group Session / Pool A / 10:45 a.m. to 11:55 a.m.
First Afternoon Session / All Delegates / 1:30 p.m. to 2:40 p.m.
Second Afternoon Session / All Delegates / 2:55 p.m. to 4:05 p.m.
Half-Day Afternoon Workshops / All Delegates / 1:30 p.m. to 4:05 p.m.
FRIDAY, February 18th, 2011
Morning – First Session / All Delegates / 9:00 a.m. to 10:10 a.m.Morning – Second Session / All Delegates / 10:40 a.m. to 11:50 a.m.
Morning - Half-Day Workshops / All Delegates / 9:00 a.m. to 11:50 a.m.
Closing Keynote Address / All Delegates / 1:00 p.m. to 2:15 p.m.
Three Opening Keynote Presenters
9:00 a.m. to 10:10 a.m. - Group A
Aspen View, Fort Vermilion, Greater St. Paul
10:45 a.m. to 11:55 a.m. – Group B
Lakeland Catholic, Northland, Northern Lights
Worksheets Don’t Grow Dendrites
If students don’t learn the way we teach them, then we must teach them the way they learn. Experience 20 brain compatible strategies that maximize understanding and memory. Use music, metaphor and movement to increase academic achievement for all students. Explore research that shows why these strategies are preferable to others. Ensure that brains retain key concepts, not only for tests, but for life! This Opening Keynote session repeats at 10:45.
Marcia is currently an educational consultant and has taught over 250,000 administrators, teachers, parents, and business and community leaders throughout the world. She is the author of the following five best-sellers: (1) Worksheets Don’t Grow Dendrites: 20 Instructional Strategies that Engage the Brain; (2) Sit & Get Won’t Grow Dendrites: 20 Professional Learning Strategies that Engage the Adult Brain; (3) Reading and Language Arts Worksheets Don’t Grow Dendrites: 20 Literacy Strategies that Engage the Brain; (4) Shouting Won’t Grow Dendrites: 20 Techniques for Managing a Brain-compatible Classroom; and her latest, Mathematics Worksheets Don’t Grow Dendrites: 20 Numeracy Strategies That Engage the Brain. Participants in her workshops refer to them as the best ones they have ever experienced since Marcia uses the 20 strategies outlined in her books to actively engage her audiences.
Speaker: Dr. Marcia Tate
Room: Palisades
1st Chairperson: Cindy Kotelko, Greater St. Paul Local
2nd Chairperson: Julie Chorney, Lakeland Catholic Local
When Schools Work Well!
Great Schools – schools where students are learning and where teachers love their work – share similar attributes. At least that is what Jim Parson’s research says. As Jim notes, “All the great schools in our study did the same things differently.” Jim’s presentation will share those “same things – the findings of recent research of instructional leadership at some of Alberta’s best schools. As part of this talk, Jim will outline and discuss the five best practices of highly-effective schools, with suggestions about how these can be implemented more widely. This Opening Keynote session repeats at 10:45.heir jobs." We need people who will pull together to get the job done." -Brenda Robinson
Jim Parsons received both a B.A. and an M.A. from the University of Kentucky. His Ph.D. was from The University of Texas, 1976, with a major in All Level - General Curriculum and areas of specialty in Social Studies, Literature, and Reading.
Jim has been a professor at the University of Alberta in Edmonton since 1976, and has taught courses in curriculum and instruction in secondary social studies, reading, general curriculum, writing and publishing in education, and research design.
Currently, Jim works with the Government of Alberta as the Director of the Alberta Initiative for School Improvement. Jim has taught at other Canadian and U.S. universities, including The University of New Brunswick, St. Bonaventure University, The University of Lethbridge, Royal Roads University, North American Baptist College and Seminary, Concordia Lutheran Seminary, among others. Jim has worked globally – including throughout Scotland, China, and New Zealand. He also worked throughout northern Scotland with the University of Aberdeen.
Jim has written more than 80 books – including a soon to be released book on Instructional Leadership in Alberta from a research project of highly-effective elementary schools.
Speaker: Dr. Jim Parsons
Room: Robson/Rundle
1st Chairperson: Teri Zimmerman, Aspen View Local
2nd Chairperson: Donna Wesley, Aspen View Local
Cyberbullying: An Emerging Threat to the Always-on Generation
Cyberbullying has become a concern with the increasing use of technology by youth. Bill Belsey will address the issue of Cyberbullying and ways to decrease it. Bill Belsey is a father, a multiple award-winning teacher and founder of Bullying.org Canada. He is the creator of www.bulling.org, the world’s most visited and referenced Website about bullying. Mr. Belsey conceived of Canada’s annual National Bullying Awareness Week www.bullyawarenessweek.org and www.bullyingcourse.com, which offers Canada’s first online courses and Webinars about bullying and Cyberbullying for parents and educators. Often is credited with being the first person to introduce the term “Cyberbullying” and created, www.cyberbullying.ca the world’s first Website about this issue. During this session Bill will help educators understand how this issue is affecting our youth and what can be done about it. This session will repeat at 10:45.
Mr. Belsey is a winner of the Prime Minister's Award for Teaching Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Technology. Mr. Belsey was named as a Fellow of the World Technology Network in the Education category at a gala event at San Francisco’s City Hall. His print interviews have appeared in Parenting Magazine, the Globe and Mail, and the Christian Science Monitor. He has appeared numerous times on the CTV and CBC National News. He has been a consultant to “The Dr. Phil Show” and ABC News 20/20 with Diane Sawyer and “Anderson Cooper 360” on CNN. In an interview with Mr. Belsey on CBC TV’s “The National”, Peter Mansbridge referred to www.bullying.org as “One of the best Web sites in the world for children”. Mr. Belsey has presented at many conferences across Canada and around the world.
Speaker: Bill Belsey
Room: Logan
1st Chairperson: Timothy Crabbe, Greater St. Paul Local
2nd Chairperson: April Koziol, Northern Lights Local
FIRST SMALL GROUP SESSIONS – Thursday morning
Pool B - Lakeland Catholic, Northland, Northern Lights
Pool A – delegates are in one of the opening keynote sessions
9:00 a.m. to 10:10 a.m.
SECOND SMALL GROUP SESSIONS – Thursday morning
Pool A – Aspen View, Fort Vermilion, Greater St. Paul
Pool B – delegates are in one of the opening keynote sessions
10:45 a.m. to 11:55 a.m.
SMART Board Introduction
This introductory session will focus on how SMART Boards and SMART Notebook software can be utilized to engage your students in their learning. Learn about the incredible resources in the Gallery Essentials, the interactive SMART notebook files you can download from SMART exchange and the interactive structures found in the Lesson Activity Tool Kit. This session repeats at 10:45.
Speaker: Robert Tymofichuk
Room: Emerald
1st Chairperson: Mike Rondeau, Greater St. Paul Local
2nd Chairperson: John Borges, Fort Vermilion Local
Current Issues in Education - President of the ATA
The president of the Alberta Teachers’ Association, Carol Henderson, will present a review of current issues in education. Issues that are likely to affect teachers and schools as a result of government decisions and actions will be discussed. This session repeats at 10:45.
Speaker: Carol Henderson
Room Amethyst
1st Chairperson: Randy Proskiw, District Representative NE
2nd Chairperson: Randy Proskiw, District Representative NE
Effective Assessment Practices for First Nations, Metis and Inuit Students
As with any group of students, great variations in how individual Frist Nations, Metis and Inuit students demonstrate their learning exists. There are, however, some common cultural traits that FNMI students often share. This workshop draws on current research to identity approaches to ensure that assessments for FNMI students truly represent their learning, that is fair and that considers their cultural differences. Specific ideas for culturally sensitive assessment will be provided. This session repeats at 10:45.
Speaker: Patrick Loyer
Room Maligne
1st Chairperson: Jason MacDonald, Fort Vermilion Local
2nd Chairperson: Randy Chernipeski, Northland Local
Using SMART Response to Assess Reading Comprehension
2008 Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Teaching winner, and SMART Exemplary Educator, Milissa Gavel will speak on her experience integrating SMART products into her classroom, becoming a designated SMART Showcase School. This workshop will provide a brief introduction to the SMART Response System and model how it can transform student learning and increase engagement in the area of assessment. Participants will engage in a model lesson focused on collecting instantaneous data representing reading comprehension. Educators will observe ease of use and the impact of engagement. Participants will learn that reading assessments can be quick, interactive and enjoyable. This session repeats at 10:45.
Speaker: Milissa Gavel
Room: Morraine
1st Chairperson: Marina Powell, Lakeland Catholic Local
2nd Chairperson: Lenore Lemouche, Aspen View Local
Supporting Struggling Writers using Assistive Technology
Do you have students who struggle with writing? In this session, we will discuss how technology can be used to support students of all ages with the writing process. We will demonstrate how computer hardware and software, iPod touch/iPads, digital recorders and other common low tech technology can be used to support students who may have weak spelling skills, difficulty getting information down or who have difficulty using conventional writing tools (pen/paper). This session is applicable to all grade levels. This session repeats at 10:45.
Speaker: Bonnie-Lynn David/ Sharan de Waal
Room Banff
1st Chairperson: Rochelle Kendoussi, Northland Local
2nd Chairperson: Jodi Rebkowich, Northern Lights Local
Collaborating to Enhance Mathematics Performance
By working collaboratively, teachers and researchers are engaged in conducting research around Aboriginal student performance in mathematics. These presenters will share what they have learned, how they have learned about it, and the ways our learning have impacted our practices. Our professional colleagues, Dwayne Donald, Gladys Sternberg, and Florence Glanfield were recently awarded the 2009/10 ATA Educational Research Award and they are very excited to share their research about this topic. This session repeats at 10:45.
Speaker: Dr. Florence Glanfield (University of Alberta)
Room Jasper
1st Chairperson: Diane Hennig, Great St. Paul Local
2nd Chairperson: Marj Farris, Fort Vermilion Local
Educating for Democratic Citizenship in an Oil-Dependent Economy
This presentation will provide an overview of recent new events of oil sands, the public understanding of energy, followed by a critical assessment of the kinds of messages students and educators are receiving through professional development activities and curriculum currently being promoted in the K-12 school system. A hands-on activity that has been field tested by educators is then used to show how educators can successfully develop energy and environmental literacy programs that promote democratic citizen ship while simultaneously fulfilling components of the curriculum. This session repeats at 10:45.
Speaker: Andrew Hodgkins (University of Alberta)
Room: 2201/2203
1st Chairperson: TBA
2nd Chairperson: Tim Urlacher, Northern Lights Local
Box Cars - Dice and Dominoes (K- Gr. 3)
Come prepared to play math games that integrate the use of dominoes and dice. Some of our newest Box Cars ideas will focus on the operations, place value, number sense, problem solving and patterns. Reproducible game boards will be provided. This session repeats at 10:45.
Speaker: John Felling
Room: 2204/2206
1st Chairperson: Karen Kirby, Fort Vermilion Local
2nd Chairperson: Terra Lee Gratton, Greater St. Paul Local
Healthy Interactions – Alberta Teachers’ Association
Healthy Interactions is a communications and conflict-resolution program that the Alberta Teachers’ Association offers in collaboration with individual school jurisdictions. The program has been successfully implemented in a number of jurisdictions in the province. The Healthy interactions Program trains teachers in the communication and conflict-resolution skills they need to handle parental complaints and other concerns. Participants finish the program with increased confidence in dealing with concerns. This is a nine hour in-service training session that will take place all day on Thursday as well as Friday morning. Teachers who register for this session must commit to completing all of the training to receive a certificate. Pre-register with Myrna McLean at . This session runs all day Thursday and Friday morning!
Speaker: Dr. Wayne Harlton and Maureen Ference
Room: 2205
1st Chairperson: Albert Van Doomselaar, Fort Vermilion Local
Power to Play Makes Teaching Health Fun
Power to Play is a cross-curricular, Alberta approved resource for K-3 teachers. Join Brock Lee and Coco Lait on their superhero adventures. All teachers attending the session will receive all program materials free of charge. For a sneak peak at a workshop or to view program material visit about Power to Play please visit www.powertoplay.com. This session repeats at 10:45.