NCTCA 2025

Have you noticed something changing between early middle school and later secondary school grades? After years of observing the shift in classroom dynamics, I took intentional action to support learners who struggle to ‘sit still and get to work’. Many students struggle with the behaviors academic streaming implies and seemingly requires, but it doesn’t have to be like this: teachers can implement practices that create dynamic engagement and rely on, instead of fight against, those creative, boisterous, and enthusiastic energies! In this session, I’ll share strategies and project exemplars that have changed the classroom dynamics of my 20 and 30 –1 classes by working to support, instead of struggle with, the need students have to move, speak, and learn in ways that are not strictly or silently textual. I’ll share approaches and plans that showcase the benefits of energetic, dynamic learners through interactive, experiential, situation, and multimodal process and product forms. Walk away from this session with new ways to support learners who struggle with static coursework by prioritizing conversational, hands-on learning. Your students will begin to see their capabilities and learning superpowers: no longer ‘villains’ who just can’t sit still, but rather heroes of and in their own learning.

YOU NEED TO PURCHASE AN EVENTBRITE TICKET TO ATTEND THIS SESSION.
Purchase your Eventbrite ticket here!
Price: $7.00
Capacity: 40
***Please be aware: anyone who has marked this session on their schedule without purchasing an Eventbrite ticket will be removed.***

There will always be foods we love and foods we do not enjoy, but how we talk about them is a valuable skill. Being able to articulate and explain our palates can help us get away from saying things like “that is gross”, “weird”, or “disgusting”, especially when we look at food from a cultural perspective. In this session, we will work on our tasting skills with a guided tasting activity of three different cultural foods to build our capacity for directing student language. Participants will need to have an open mind and be willing to try new things!

This session combines a collaborative workshop with an assignment asking students to look at ordinary objects to build a better understanding of the Holocaust. What can we learn from a shoe? A pair of glasses? A doll? Participants will walk away with the basis of a great lesson that can be adapted to a number of different subjects beyond the Holocaust.

Propaganda! If there is one thing that most adults would agree on here in early 2025, it’s this: Never before in world history has propaganda been more ubiquitous and well-designed . . . in fact, the tools of the trade are now so advanced that increasing numbers of thoughtful people are beginning to wonder how much they really ‘know’ and how much of the past they accurately understood. And if that’s the case for adults, how can we expect students to be competent at thinking critically about what they observe, hear, or read? During this Canadian military history education session, attendees will observe how Canadian war posters from the First and Second World Wars can be used in their classroom to educate about propaganda, engage critical thinking, and further develop digital literacy skills. All resources referenced during this presentation are downloadable free-of-charge at ValourCanada.ca

YOU NEED TO PURCHASE AN EVENTBRITE TICKET TO ATTEND THIS SESSION. Purchase your Eventbrite ticket here! Price: $161.00 Capacity: 9 ***Please be aware: anyone who has marked this session on their schedule without purchasing an Eventbrite ticket will be removed.*** This session will be held in Edmonton (91st and 51Ave). We offer a fun and constructive Ribbon Skirt making class. In this class we have a short video from the owner, explaining how the ribbon Skirt has deep roots and meaning to his family. Sharing the traditions and knowledge is our way of keeping it alive. We walk you through the whole process and you get to go home with a part of our history and the knowledge to spread your teachings onto others. This class is meant for individuals with little or no sewing experience to learn how to make a box style ribbon skirt with 4 ribbons and pockets. Sewing machines, thread, and all materials will be provided. You will be able to pick from any fabrics we carry on our salesfloor at the time of your class. You will be able to pick 4 colours of ribbon. Students may elect to add additional ribbon or select printed ribbon for an upcharge on the day of the class. The box style ribbon skirt is made from two rectangular pieces of fabric. Students will cut their fabric to size and follow along with an in-person instructor, and video steps to help guide the process. They will learn how to make a box style ribbon skirt with pockets from start to finish. Students who aren't able to finish their skirts during the class may elect to take their skirts home to finish, or return to the 49 Dzine Academy workspace during scheduled "maker hours" to finish. Box Style skirts are best for individuals who prefer more room in the hip area when seated. As such, they have a lot of gathering in the hip area.

Looking to dive deeper into the history of our food landscape? As a foods teacher, one of the critical skills I look to build is a richer understanding of the food we eat, and the food system we participate in. In this session we will look at three ways(weekly routine, personal reflection, and larger project) to incorporate food exploration as a classroom activity. This session is geared towards senior high school foods classrooms, but teachers in social or junior high may find some of the activities useful as well!

This session will be presented by the ATA Fine Arts Council. Join us for an invigorating choreography workshop designed for dance, drama, and musical theatre teachers and beyond. Unlock the secrets of choreography and learn practical strategies to create movement sequences using fundamental dance concepts of musicality, interpretation, and creativity. These strategies are even transferrable to your students so they can create their own student choreography fostering greater engagement, deeper learning and empowering your students like never before! This class is created to demystify dance and help participants see that even the most complex dance stems from basic dance principles. Whether you're a seasoned dance teacher or a first-time mover, this workshop promises to ignite your creativity and transform your teaching approach.

Connecting with Indigenous Ways of Knowing and offering rich experiences in support of TQS 5 can be intimidating, especially for non-Indigenous teachers. While we cannot have first-hand knowledge of the hardships and celebrations of our Indigenous peoples, we are privileged to have the opportunity to impact hearts and minds in the spirit of reconciliation and continue to pursue practical methods of reconcili-ACTION in our classrooms. I’ll share my experience of developing a research project and unit plan for my 30-1 students, and the widely applicable learning, growth, and gold that was generated through our practices of metissage, or collaborative storytelling and narrative weaving. Students can to learn to see themselves and one another in fresh, exciting, vulnerable, and deeply impactful ways as they share their own narrative strands and braid their stories with the stories of others while making choices for their own comfort and safety. The incredible transformation power I witnessed unfold with my class during my research has led me to continue practicing processes reflective of metissage, and has continued to support both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students in remarkable and exciting ways. If you struggle with supporting kids as they seek out and navigate peer, friend, classmate, and community connections, implementing practices of metissage (from major to minor approaches) will allow you to hold space and support new depths of inter- and intra-personal understandings with your students and your classroom community as a whole through this beautiful narrative practice.

In this session participants will work through exploring the differences between Perpetrators, Collaborators, Bystanders, and Rescuers in relation to the Holocaust, by sifting through a number of identity and situational cards. From there, they will be introduced to 3 year old Barney Greenman. Participants will then utilize the same cards to identify who was responsible for Barney’s death. This activity is Monday morning ready for participants and is an incredibly effective way to have students engage with the acts of the Nazi regime through the lens of just one child.

Are you interested in competitive video games in schools? Do you coach or manage an eSports team? Come join the discussion about eSports competitions and scholarships (and careers), connect with other like-minded educators, and help build our provincial eSports network.

You are a great teacher! You engage your students in rich learning tasks, and your students are successfully learning. How do you make sure your assessments reflect the breadth of student learning, and that feedback to students, parents and school administration helps them make informed choices moving forward? Blueprinting assessments (and class time) can help you. This workshop will explore the ideas of intentionally addressing mandated curriculum outcomes and cognitive load through blueprinting. The facilitators, Jason Cooper and Laura Pankratz, have decades of classroom and assessment experience. Participants in this workshop will engage in discussion and exploration of what is currently working in Alberta classrooms.

Taking up controversy can be so engaging but becomes so much work when things slide off the rails! In our pluralistic, conflict-driven society, teachers must often hold space in our classrooms for challenging topics and examining multiple views. In the face of increasing unrest in our globalizing world, how can teachers create safety in which students can risk voicing ideas and exploring difficult topics without creating conflict? If critical, argumentative dynamics and writing are the focus, how can we strike a balance and create an environment without ideological blow-outs? In this follow-up session to the DLA Theory, we shift from introductions, intangible framing, and boundary establishment to practical hands-on pedagogical planning. I’ll offer a series of practical ways teachers can begin to or further implement the safety/ risk taking paradox and provide time and support for planning something “dangerous” for your own students. Bring a challenging text to work from OR draw from ideas and texts I’ll share to build a learning process or product that fits YOUR students, and encourages them to grow into practiced evaluators, communications, and push their comfort boundaries when they feel safe to do so. Holding space for this important work while feeling supported and confident with current research instead of on edge or at sea will bring you new confidence in building safe foundations from which to teach dangerously and allow your students to take new risks in their communication.

While many students have the ability to create Pulitzer-worthy pieces, getting pen to paper can be somewhat of a challenge. Especially in youth, where inhibitions and insecurities are at an all-time high, putting ourselves out there creatively can be daunting. Using a series of prompts and games, however, this workshop will take some of the pressure off of the blank page. Giving students an “in” regardless of their abilities and interest, we will try some hands-on activities that will get the ink flowing from even your most reluctant writers!

Comment continuer à contribuer au développement langagier dans les classes au secondaire ? Pourquoi ne pas essayer une classe-jeu ? Venez découvrir comment une classe ludifiée, « gamification » en anglais, a des effets positifs sur plusieurs sphères de l’apprentissage du français. Dans cette session, Francis présentera les caractéristiques de sa classe ludifiée et vous partirez avec des ressources clés en main à intégrer dans votre classe.

Assessments take many forms, from qualitative observations to assignments and tests. All of these are opportunities for feedback not just for students, but also for teachers. So how can you take advantage of that, and improve what you’re doing in your classroom, without adding a bunch more work to your life? This workshop will explore how you can use the results from all types of assessments to improve your teaching. The facilitators, Jason Cooper and Laura Pankratz, have decades of classroom and assessment experience. Participants in this workshop will engage in discussion and exploration of what is currently working in Alberta classrooms.

Unlock the future of writing in your classroom with this innovative workshop. Imagine a space where AI isn't just a tool but a trusted writing partner, enhancing your students' creative processes without overshadowing their unique voices. In this session, you'll dive into cutting-edge activities that harness the power of AI resources like Chat GPT and AI imagery services. Together, we'll explore how these tools can sharpen descriptive language, generate rich literary devices, and expand our students’ knowledge and capabilities. Join in for a journey that combines technology and creativity, ensuring your students emerge as confident writers and thinkers in this technological era!

YOU NEED TO PURCHASE AN EVENTBRITE TICKET TO ATTEND THIS SESSION.
Purchase your Eventbrite ticket here!
Price: $12.00
Capacity: 30
***Please be aware: anyone who has marked this session on their schedule without purchasing an Eventbrite ticket will be removed.***

This experiential session will introduce participants to the works of three artists who created before, during and after the Holocaust. Participants will then be given time to create a piece of their own ‘in the style of…’ This is a lesson used as part of the Holocaust Studies program, and encourages participants to look at this atrocity through a different lens. Walking away from the session participants will have resources to bring a similar program into their classroom.

Michael Ng reflects on the wonderful resources provided from Chem13 News of how to incorporate Indigenous knowledge about the Northern lands, peoples and ways of life through the scientific lens of the Inuit. By connecting it back to TQS #4 & 5 and LQS #5, a collective study will explore the Three Sisters Garden of the Iroquois; soy sauce; PFOs; chert and the Ulu; Inuit medicinal remedies; the Northern Lights; acid-base plant chemistry; and elements of the Periodic Table. Reflections will look at where it can be incorporated into the Alberta curriculum for Science 10 and Chemistry 20 / 30.

In May, 1939 the St. Louis set sail from Hamburg, Germany. Her destination was Cuba, and her cargo was 937 Jewish immigrants. Each holding papers to legally enter Cuba upon arrival. What happened in the days following the ship's departure sets the stage for the war which had only just begun. Participants will move through a lesson from start to finish that they can take into their classroom on Monday morning. The sailing of the St. Louis is one of the answers to 'why didn't the Jews do anything?' In short, some did. This harrowing story of hope, loss, and desperation comes to life through video, diary, and apology. Participants will see this activity through to the summative assignment where they are tasked to create a representation of the points of view of each of the nations involved.

Popular from his last session on science wizardry, join Michael Ng once again as he shares more magic tricks but really science tricks into your science classes. Further incites on its illusions, misconceptions, and a bit of trickery to start your lectures and to get your children engaged in classrooms and remote learning.