KEYNOTE SESSIONS—DR. LARA RAGPOT
Keynote speaker, Dr. Lara Ragpot, is a full professor and the dean of the School of Education at Trinity Western University (TWU), BC, Canada. She is a registered Educational Psychologist with the HPCSA and an appointed Research Fellow at the University of Johannesburg, in South Africa. She has published in the fields of social issues in education, childhood cognitive development, early mathematical cognition, and the interface of neuroscience, psychology, and pedagogy. The goal of her research activities is to facilitate optimal teaching and learning in both post-secondary and K-12 education.
Session One: The Complex Nature of Mental Health Challenges in the Classroom
Mental health challenges are at an all-time high in classrooms all over the globe. Canada is no exception. Students exhibit socio-emotional, and other mental health issues in a variety of behaviours, which cause a myriad of challenges in the teaching and learning environment. This session will explore the neuro-biological basis of a broad spectrum of classroom mental health challenges. Drawing from current research, participants will come to understand the complex nature of mental health which is influenced by innate, environmental, and contextual factors. Discussions will focus on enabling educators to know when, where, and how to support students toward purposeful learning, and joy filled experiences at school.Session Two: The Transformational Teacher—How to Maintain Balance in the Learning Environment
A teacher’s mental health affects the quality of teaching and learning in the classroom. As optimal mental health at work is influenced by the relationship between the individual and others, the nature of the work, and the work environment, these should all be considered to support teachers’ wellbeing. However, as more students enter classrooms with varied challenges, teachers find it increasingly stressful to self-regulate and maintain their homeostasis while supporting their learners. This session will investigate the ways in which teachers can work towards gauging their own mental health; discover ways to self-regulate and maintain balance in the classroom; and find a new sense of joy in their calling to be transformational in their encounters with students.
SUPER SESSIONS
Super sessions are similar to workshops, but larger in size and they focus on a general/broad topic that could be applicable to teachers in any grade range/subject. Each attendee will have the option to attend one super session during the morning from 10:20–11:35 am.
WORKSHOPS
Workshops are small group opportunities to explore practical strategies for a more specific grade range/subject focus. Each attendee will have the option to attend one workshop of their choice during the afternoon from 12:35–1:35 pm.
Classrooms for Africa
ACSIWC continues to support Classrooms for Africa by collecting an offering at our annual Teacher Conventions to support their ongoing projects. This year’s offerings will support the ACSIWC Teacher Training in Uganda project.
Click here to view the project promotional video.
Click here to submit an online donation to the Teacher Training project.
CONTACT US
Phone: 403.948.2332
Email: acsiwc_info@acsi.org
Ongoing, localized and personalized professional development is essential to the flourishing of teachers. ACSIWC provides structured events to help meet the development goals of Christian schools and their teachers. Each year we host Teacher Conventions which local committees help plan. These conventions feature both keynote presentations and workshops which are intended to match the professional goals of our schools. The distinctive element of each convention is the Christ-centered foundation of all learning experiences for teachers. Every educational topic is presented through the lens of the Biblical narrative. Conventions inform, equip and ultimately inspire.