More information coming soon.
“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” Ephesians 4:15-16 NIV
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Dr. Chris Mattatall is the University of Lethbridge Board of Governor’s Teaching Chair (2023-2025). He teaches undergraduate and graduate level courses in the Faculty of Education and conducts collaborative research in a number of schools in areas related to reading instruction, teacher efficacy and reading intervention. He also conducts research related to his Board of Governor’s Teaching Chair position which examines the characteristics of effective educators and how small adjustments to teaching practice can have significant impact in the classroom. Dr. Mattatall speaks nationally and internationally on topics related to the science of learning, how the brain learns and develops, motivation and engagement, and teaching and learning strategies that help to direct student attention, strengthen memory and build self-regulation
Chris and his wife, Gloria, have been married for 34 years, have three grown children and two adorable grand-daughters.. They also care for their lovable, playful and mischievous Bernadoodle named Winston.
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The 4 Pillars of Learning
Cognitive neuroscience has shown us that all human beings share the same basic cognitive architecture; and without an understanding of how the brain learns, instruction is blind (Sweller, 2017). Indeed, holding an understanding how the human brain learns is the key to teaching well. In this session we examine the four must-know principles, or pillars, of how the human brain takes in, processes, remembers and consolidates information; and equally important, what teachers need to know in order to ready the brain to learn. Holding an understanding to these four pillars will undoubtedly have an impact on how teachers plan their lessons, utilize homework and assessment, and structure their daily class time.
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Small Teaching Strategies to Enhance Memory, Attention and Engagement
In this session we explore practical and immediately applicable ways to address the 4 pillars of learning that we talked about in the first morning session. Through a selection of ‘small teachings’ (Lang, 2021) we examine ways to direct attention, enhance memory, prime students to learn in various ways, increase engagement and motivation, and ensure our classrooms address the needs of the developing student brain. This will take two sessions.
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Small Teaching Strategies (Part 2)
In this session we look specifically at student distraction and how teachers can mitigate this problem. We also talk a bit in this session about the developing teenage brain and how understanding of what teenagers need will enhance your own teaching and relationships with them. Additionally, this session aims to provide links to useful resources that you’ll find helpful in your daily teaching.
Collaborative Groups
This year’s convention will include collaborative group discussions which are guided by an educational leader. These sessions are designed to bring educators together in meaningful conversation and learning.
Delegates will first connect with their peers in their respective divisions, and then, depending on group size and grade-level specifics, branch into smaller groups for deeper, more focused dialogue.
Each team will begin by connecting with their core group members. From there, depending on group size and grade-level specifics, participants will have the opportunity to branch into smaller, more focused discussions. This structure ensures that everyone benefits from meaningful interaction, whether in larger collaborative groups or in more specialized conversations tailored to their teaching context.
Divisions
Primary Years (K-2)
Intermediate Years (3-5)
Middle Years (6-8)
High School (9-12)
ADST
Special Education
Counselling
Bible/Christian Perspective
PHE
Administrators
LOPs
This session is for LOP (Letter of Permission) teachers, and even new teachers, who would like to have some support with their teaching practice. This mentorship/coaching workshop will have some structure but will also be a time of Q and A and general support on anything from classroom management to report writing to understanding the BC curriculum. If enough are interested, monthly group zoom meetings may be started.
Opens: September 1, 2025
Deadline: Thursday, September 25, 2025
