Join me for an engaging session where I’ll share my journey growing up with trauma, familial instability, and emotional dysregulation, alongside undiagnosed ADHD. I often felt lost and disconnected from teachers who didn’t know how to connect with me, but a few caring educators truly made a difference by taking the time to understand me and recognize my potential. Today’s classrooms are filled with kids facing similar challenges, and if we’re going to have compassion for them, we also need to cultivate compassion for ourselves as educators. Together, we’ll explore how showing interest, recognizing strengths, and fostering a sense of belonging can make a real impact on our students’ lives.
Join us for a session on the power of non-traditional approaches to enhance student engagement, belonging, and motivation. Drawing from my personal experiences as a youth and now as someone who runs youth programming, I’ll share how skateboarding serves as a unique tool to connect with kids, especially those from diverse backgrounds—including those facing poverty and different cultural backgrounds—who may not find their place in traditional activities. We’ll highlight how skateboarding fosters community, resilience, and a sense of identity. Come and see how Cousins Skateboarding Community connects skateboarding to Indigenous culture and how we brought this connection to two local elementary schools for a full day of learning about culture, community, and our favorite sport!
In this session, teachers will learn the essential steps for planning and executing successful field trips that enhance student learning and engagement. From creating detailed itineraries and securing permissions to managing budgets, transportation, and parent involvement, participants will gain practical tools and strategies for organizing educational and meaningful trips. The session will also cover how to tie field trips into curriculum goals, manage student engagement during downtime, and explore local trip ideas such as visits to the Crowsnest Pass, the Skills Canada Competition, Jube School and local gems that one might not have previously considered for educational purposes.
I am a farm girl from Milk River, Alberta and I completed my education degree at the University of Alberta. I married a farmer from the Foremost area and we have three daughters. After a few stints in the Horizon School division, I started teaching at the Foremost School in January... Read More →
Preventing difficult behaviour: 10 Big Things (K-12 Focus) A brief summary of experiences and practices that I wish I had learned earlier, particularly focused on managing challenging behaviour. This is a more fun/sharing oriented session that encourages colleagues to reflect on their practice, to change the things that are critical and changeable, and to accept some dimensions that are ever-present in the business.
