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Professional Growth 2024

Saskatchewan Arts Educator Conference - Meagan Kernaghan 

My attendance at the Saskatchewan Arts Educator Conference on Friday October 4th 2023 in Saskatoon Saskatchewan provided me with a wealth of information and resources to support my students and develop my teaching practice. The SAEA provided educators with opportunities to explore new arts making practices, engage with the language of teaching and critiquing art, and provided us with real tangible resources that we could use in our classrooms. My involvement with the SAEA and support from NATA in attending these events has been a continuous source of learning and development for me, I always come back to my classroom with many new things to engage and support my students grades 9 - 12. 

Saskatchewan Science Teacher’s Society SPARK Conference - Jaedyn MacNeill

Saskatchewan Science Teacher’s Society SPARK Conference – October 25th, 2024

This fall I attended the SPARK conference for the first time. This was a day packed with engaging and applicable activities that I feel confident I could implement in my own science classroom back in Buffalo Narrows. I started off with a presentation from Let’s Talk Science on the use of data and understanding bias in science classrooms. I was also able to try out some escape room activities, forensic science labs, and test the water from Buffalo Narrows with the help of the Safe Water Drinking Foundation’s water testing kits. This conference, and the opportunity to talk about science education with other science teachers, reminded me of my love for science classrooms and their ability to be a hands-on space. I was given a ton of resources to bring back with me, and a reminder that science is all around us when we look for it! I am excited to implement some of my new learnings and perspectives in my classroom.

Inviting Exploration of Treaty Outcomes Through Play in the Early Years - Mahaila Scott

I attended, “Inviting Exploration of Treaty Outcomes Through Play in the Early Years” facilitated by Karen Hadwen and Elder Sharon Meyer. The outcomes of the workshop were to examine treaty outcomes and their links to holistic inquiry and cross curricular connections, explore and create invitations to play as a potential vehicle for accessing treaty outcomes for early learners and critically review materials and resources for early learners when exploring treaty outcomes. Sharon Meyer began in prayer and facilitated a workshop on Cree Moss Bag teachings and explained the Cree teachings of development in children aged 2-7 years old.

All the First Nations resources at the Emma Stewart Resources Centre were displayed according to treaty outcomes and believe me, there is loads of resources! Teachers can request lending resources and request a mail order paid envelope to return items. Other resource links are North East School Division has a “Legends and Lessons” page with Sharon Meyer’s Cree teachings via video. The First Nations Education Steering Committee (ww.fnesc.ca) has a wealth of information on their site. The “Indigenous Education: The National Centre for Collaboration” (www.nccie.ca) also has Elder teachings and stories. When sharing oral stories from Elders it is important to say their name to “site” where you got your information from. I was grateful to attend such a profound workshop, highlighting a wealth of Indigenous led research and resources available for teachers.

First Aid/ CPR Training - Daryl Wolfe

In my Fist aid, CPR level C and AED training I learned the latest methods and procedures for administering first aid and CPR. We were instructed on issues such as burns, punctures, lacerations, unconscious victims, and diverse ways of assessing and handling situations. We did half a day on splinting and wrapping injuries as well as making slings and diverse ways of immobilizing limbs. The course also had a section for learning and understanding how an AED is operated. Where to place the pads on diverse sizes of people and how to properly administer the device.

Decolonizing Education - Mahaila Scott 

Fellow colleague Norma Bear and I attended the STF Professional Development workshop titled, “Understanding and Finding Our Way: Decolonizing Canadian Education” on November 17, 2023. in Saskatoon, SK at the STF building. The facilitator was Linda (I forget her last name) and she was quite knowledgeable on the subject matter, as it was a part of her Master’s program and her supervisor is Dr. Lorna St. Denis. All resources and the film are available on the STF website at the bottom of the page is under the subtitle “Education Today”, scroll down to see the link Understanding and Finding Our way.

All Canadians are responsible for reconciliation. Teachers have a unique opportunity to contribute by advocating for change to eliminate inequity and racism. Understanding and Finding Our Way – Decolonizing Canadian Education is a powerful film that exposes education inequities within public education in Canada. It challenges viewers to help decolonize education so that all students can succeed.

The film was produced by Dr. Verna St. Denis, an internationally renowned scholar in anti-racist education. It was directed by award-winning filmmaker Alison Duke following appropriate protocols and under the guidance of Elder Mary Lee. The 32-minute film is divided into three parts.

There were teachers from across Saskatchewan, about twelve in total. The Discussion and facilitation guide Version B is available on their website along with a shorter Version A. We completed Version B.

We discussed and did activities related to the overarching themes: myths, truths, and hopes in education after watching the film. We explored our personal and professional experiences in the teaching profession. I highly recommend all teachers to attend this workshop soon, as it exposes how common narratives shape our worldviews and why it is important to challenge these normative ideologies.

In conclusion, how can we challenge ourselves to help support diversity in our classrooms? For myself, by creating safe spaces where we can support the unique identities of all our students; where all students are respected, valued, and honoured for who they are and where they come from. We support your being.

Building Thinking Classrooms - Greg Thomas

Peter Liljedhal’s workshop “Building Thinking Classrooms” was valuable professional development for a group of Northern Lights School Division teachers from several schools who are dedicated to improving math instruction. Over the two-day conference, we experienced many lessons taught by Peter after which we reflected from the perspective of being a student and what he was doing as a teacher. The workshops not only had math lessons, but ELA, Social Studies, and Science as well. We were given an opportunity to plan a lesson using the principles taught. We are organized as a Microsoft Team to continue to support each other as we change our teaching practices based on what we were taught. This was an excellent opportunity. Thank you to NLSD, Gordon Denny, and NATA for supporting this!

Fire Arms Safety - Sarah Aubichon

I attended the firearms course on Saturday January 27th and 28th. The course was 8 hours on the first day and the tests were on the Sunday. We covered the different kinds of non-restricted firearms that are the most common, the parts of the firearm, storing ammunition and firearms, transporting, and various other safety aspects. The class consisted of theory and hands on instruction.

I chose to take this course so that I can extend our Land Based Learning Opportunities to hunting small game.

Arts Ed. Conference - Meagan Kernaghan

The 2024 arts ed conference hosted in Saskatoon on Wednesday March 8th 2024 was an engaging and enriching opportunity to learn, explore, access resources, and connect with colleagues and program facilitators from across the province. There were sessions on using Indigenous fashion as a means of exploring arts making processes, sessions on how to effectively incorporate the practice of keeping a sketchbook into arts ed classes from k - 12, how to teach music as a classroom teacher who may not have access to a large variety of instruments or music resources, and how to encourage exploration and creation through drama. All the speakers and presenters were able to provide tangible resources and examples that I will be adding to my practice now and in the future. The conference also gave me the opportunity to connect with people who will be able to help facilitate new and engaging programming in our school, and who are interested in bringing  more arts programming north. This conference has rekindled my excitement for arts ed and helped to expand my horizons as to what is possible in an arts education classroom. 

1% Amazing Webinar - Ashley Squires

This PD was the 99% Human, 1% Amazing Webinar, and a bonus of a 1 hour "New Teacher, Big Impact" webinar. 

Daryl Williams Jr is a very engaging speaker, and so full of Charisma that you are engaged in moments! 

"Effective teaching isn't about ticking boxes or following a one-size-fits-all approach. It's about igniting a spark – in yourself and in your students." 

I really enjoyed this webinar. There is a large portion of the webinar devoted to asking yourself 4 questions to find what makes YOU a special Educator. What is the 'thing' that makes you different. He calls it finding your "Zone of Excellence" and once you can understand what you do that is special for you, what you bring into a classroom that no one else quite does. He uses this 'zone' idea to really help explain how to change your classroom culture to suit YOU so that you can bring your best self to your classroom and how playing to your strengths lessens burnout.  I particularly found it enlightening how he discusses how some of the things that you may hate the most about teaching might be because that program or thing is outside of your personal zone of excellence. And while understanding this doesn't stop the fact that you may still need to do this thing, understanding 'why' it 'bugs you' so much I personally found to be something that helped it bother me less than it used to! 

I encourage many people to check this out!