Professional Development Day – February 2021

I had the opportunity to participate in School District 73’s Professional Development Day on February 5th, 2021. Due to Covid-19, this opportunity occurred on Zoom and we listened to presentations by Kevin Lamoureux on Education, Reconciliation, and Trauma and Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond’s report on Addressing Racism.

Play is the Way Workshop- December 2019

Play is the Way is a practical methodology for teaching social & emotional skills using a unique program of physically interactive games that both require and develop personal and social competencies.  All Play is the Way workshops have a strong connection to Aboriginal Education. Each workshop has a focus on traditional stories and Truth and Reconciliation. In British Columbia this workshop fully meets the requirement for the ministerial order around Indigenous Professional Development.  I am personally so excited to use my new knowledge and skills in the classroom!  This was an incredible learning opportunity for me as it was taught in a hands-on way that is discussed in our course work at TRU, but I haven’t had much opportunity to experience in real life yet.  This 5 hour workshop incorporated all the core competencies which was amazing because I hadn’t yet seen them taught so directly.  The Indigenous content and connection was so strong and incorporated so seamlessly, it really motivated and inspired me to use everything I learned at this workshop in my future lessons and unit plans.

Secwepemctsín Language Workshop – November 2019

Ted Gottfriedson, Language and Culture Department Manager for Tk’emlups te Secwépemc, taught the basics of the Secwepemc language in an hour long workshop at the local library.  It was very informative for me, since I am both new the the area and to the culture and language of the Secwepemc people.  Ted handed out an alphabet chart with the many sounds in the Secwepemc language, and went over every sound with examples and stories.  This was a wonderful learning opportunity to see how a local Indigenous person taught about their language and culture.  There was significant learning about cultural differences in teaching and learning in our courses at TRU, so it was very helpful to experience the difference firsthand, as well as learn some Secwepemctsín words, phrases, and stories!

Mindful Communication – January 2016

I took this 3-day workshop because I wanted to improve my communication with myself and with others.  Susan Chapman was the teacher (and author of the Mindful Communication book), and she focused on the practice of nonjudgmental awareness, which can help us communicate more effectively and meaningfully with others in our personal and professional lives.  This workshop has helped me in so many ways since 2016, and I have since incorporated many of her teachings into my everyday life.  I believe this workshop has inspired and motivated me to become a better communicator and this will help me immensely as I move towards a teaching career.  Communication with students, parents/families, principals, support staff and volunteers, and other teachers are so important in the teaching profession, and I feel confident and ready for this aspect of the profession.

The Way of Council – January 2013

Some of my more memorable experiences have been the certificate training I received, particularly this one.  The Way of Council training was an exploration of open, heartfelt expression and attentive listening of both gateways to deeper communication, as well as intercultural understanding and the non-violent exploration of conflict through the demonstration and teaching of a myriad of forms of council.  I learned how to respectfully hold the ancient council practice of sitting in a circle and how to respectfully and mindfully host and participate in this ceremony of discussion.  By matching an intention of open heartedness with full and authentic speaking, we can move toward the possibility of true community where every voice is heard, which is so important in the classroom!  The ultimate goal of this workshop was to create direct experience of many forms of council for use in the classroom, in school meetings, in the family, and in the community and begin to acquire the basic skills needed to call a council.