There are plenty of in-service learning opportunities happening for our staff in May!  I am pleased to share with you some of the workshops that our staff attend to continue to enhance their instructional practice.

Printmaking Workshop – creating etchings with master print maker Peter Braune

Tribes – The Importance of a Safe and Caring Culture, focuses on developing a positive school culture that promotes human growth and learning.

Tiered Instruction for English Language Learners – Teachers differentiate lessons using vocabulary and questioning techniques.

Social Media – Training of selected secondary students to work with elementary students in the area of social media

Changing Results for Young Readers – Ministry of Education initiative designed to support Kindergarten through Grade 3 readers.

Also in May…

Primary Days of Music – Features vocal performances by students in grades K – 3

Collegial Conference Sharing – School teams who participated in Collegial Conference projects this year are invited to attend this session to celebrate and share their work with others.

Claire Warden

I’m pleased to announce that Claire Warden, an internationally recognized education consultant, author and founder of Nature Kindergartens in Scotland, will be visiting the North Vancouver School District on Thursday, April 18th. For part of her visit, Claire will meet with staff and students at several of our schools and tour Outdoor School. In the evening, Claire will deliver a presentation at the Education Services Centre on experiential learning in early childhood education, and the motivational opportunities that can be drawn from nature.

Claire’s presentation is geared towards Kindergarten and Grade 1 teachers, StrongStart Facilitators, ELF providers, and early learning assistants and community partners.

http://www.claire-warden.com

The Designs 2013 series, which wrapped up on February 26th, was a great success in terms of deepening teachers’ understanding of innovative, Project-Based Learning (PBL) models of curriculum design and instruction.  Teachers who attended the series were pleased to be able to learn how to implement PBL in their classroom, and how to revise their lesson planning through a process called ‘Project Tuning’.

Above all, the Designs 2013 series provided our teachers with an opportunity for meaningful collegial sharing, dialogue, and professional growth.  Our teachers are dedicated to applying these ‘new lessons’ for the benefit of our students!

Family Literacy Day across Canada is officially January 27^th but Susan Danieli, teacher-librarian at Lynn Valley Elementary, was busy planning an entire week’s worth of activities! This year’s theme “15 Minutes of Fun” was incorporated in the students’ art project for the week – a bookmark showcasing an activity they plan to do with their families at home. In addition, students and staff at the school have been participating in Stop Drop and Read: 2 times per day at the sound of the bell, everyone must stop what they are doing, pick up their book, and read.

As a guest reader at Lynn Valley, I was honoured to be invited along with members of the fire department, our police liaison office, and various other community members to read to classes this week.

Reading to a Grade 3 Class at Lynn Valley School

Family Literacy Week at Lynn Valley Elementary wrapped up with a school-wide assembly on Friday where Student Council organized a fundraiser to support Team Finn Cancer Pyjama Day.

Susan Danieli reading a bedtime story at the assembly

At Queen Mary, at the conclusion of Family Literacy Week, I was pleased to read to Mr. Beckmann’s kindergarten class. It’s a pleasure to be able to share good stories with the children!

Dr. Stuart Shanker addressing district staff at the Curriculum Implementation Day at Carson Graham

On Friday, January 18th, teachers, administrators, support staff, parents, and community partners were invited to attend two Curriculum Implementation Day keynote sessions with Dr. Stuart Shanker, a distinguished research professor at York University and Canada’s leading expert on the topic of Self-Regulation.   Self-Regulation is defined as the ability to monitor and modify emotions, to focus or shift attention, to control impulses, and to tolerate frustration or delay gratification.

Through his presentation of research, clinical studies, and engaging anecdotes, Dr. Shanker reminded us all of the important role we play as educators in helping students of all ages develop self-regulation.  The support of parents was also identified as crucial to the success of children in our classrooms and schools.

To learn more about Dr. Shanker’s work and the Canadian Self-Regulation Initiative (CSRI), please refer to the following site: www.self-regulation.ca

courtesy of Stéphanie Weller, Facilitatrice des progammes français, Centre des Services Éducatifs

District French Immersion/FSL Facilitator, Learning Services

After only a short couple of months as the district French Facilitator, it quickly became apparent that our teachers wanted and needed support to help refresh FSL program delivery in their classrooms.   I contacted and met with Wendy Carr, nationally renowned Core French expert and coordinator of the French Teacher Education program at UBC, who happily agreed to help us kick off a series of four workshops designed for all FSL teachers, beginners or seasoned pros, fluent or tentative users of French.

Wendy Carr

Wendy Carr

We had 30 teachers attend Wendy’s workshop which focused on how to engage learners, scaffold learning, and develop oral language through literacy, the new FSL curriculum, and strategies for action-oriented teaching.  She was very receptive to our teachers’ concerns and needs, and provided them all with several new FSL resources, some of which she has co-authored, and practical teaching strategies that they could implement immediately in their classrooms.

Workshop participants

Teachers felt empowered and left with a positive attitude and new ideas to try in their classrooms.

And of course, a French hip-hop song and dance always helps end things a high note.

“This was the best workshop that I have been to in years!”

– Laurie Clausen, Teacher at Capilano Elementary

À bientôt,

Stéphanie Weller