1. family and parenting
2. children

Professional Learning Days
2014-2015
May 15, 2015 9 00 -3 00
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING
Professional Learning is best when it is done in collaboration with colleagues. With all our PD Days together this year we were
able to organize some great options!
Date
South – Howe Sound Secondary
Friday,
May 15th
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Adrienne Gear: Reading Power - Nonfiction
Gallit Zvi: Genius Hour
Sean Smith: Play Is The Way
Mieke van Eerdt: Write Dance
SOUTH - Howe Sound Secondary
Adrienne Gear: Reading Power - Nonfiction
Reading Power is a reading comprehension approach which focuses students’ attention on their thinking, enabling them to
interact more meaningfully with the text. Based on research, Reading Power is a practical approach to comprehension being
implemented in many districts across the province. This session is an introduction to the key concepts of Reading Power,
including meta-cognition, common language and the gradual release instructional method. This is followed by an in-depth
look into two or three comprehension strategies for reading information texts. Choose from: Zoom In (to nonfiction features),
Determine Importance, Connect, Question/Infer, or Transform. Many lessons will be modeled, student samples shown and
recommended books are shared.
Gallit Zvi: Genius Hour (k-12)
Building computers. Designing experiments. Creating stop motion movies. Researching other countries. Baking and
decorating. Inventing new sports. Comparing art mediums. Filming documentaries. Starting a movement. What do all of
these have in common? They are projects that students designed themselves based on their personal interests, passions
and wonderings. How? With Genius Hour! Genius Hour empowers students to learn about the things that they want to learn
about! It is amazing what your students will come up with and how well you will get to know your students when you give
them this amazing hour each week!
During this presentation we will discuss the why and how of setting up Genius Hour. We will look at some of the best ways to
introduce Genius Hour to your students so that they are excited to get started on their own passion based inquiry projects.
Gallit Zvi has been implementing Genius Hour into her teaching for years now and has discovered that it is worth the effort
to introduce this new way of learning before jumping right in. Gallit will show you what types of videos, picture books and
brainstorming sessions work best so that your students will be excited to start their projects. She will also share some advice
on how you as their teacher can best support your learners during Genius Hour.
BIO: Gallit Zvi is an elementary school teacher in Surrey, BC with experience teaching grades 4-7. She is currently on leave
from her school district and is working as a Faculty Associate at SFU. In 2012 Gallit created the collaborative Genius Hour
wiki (geniushour.wikispaces.com) and started the monthly #GeniusHour chat on twitter and since then thousands of educators
around the world have learned about and have implemented Genius Hour in their classrooms.
SEE OVER
learning
networking
sharing
collaborating
planning
Professional Development Days 2014-2015 February 23, 2015
Sean Smith: PLAY IS THE WAY
Behaviour Education, Not Behaviour Management! We all need to feel a sense of control in our lives. Children need it as
much as adults. Without it we feel anxious, powerless and vulnerable. Does our teaching practice reflect this reality or are our
classrooms maintaining the educational tradition of, teacher is boss and students do as they are told?
PLAY IS THE WAY® is practical and hands-on. Not pencils-on! Suitable for teachers, principals, vice principals, counsellors
and educational assistants. This workshop is participatory, practical and give you a hands-on experience of the program. It is a
common sense way of interacting with children that educators can master quickly and use with confidence. It is a process that
children in mainstream education can understand and embrace irrespective of their academic capabilities.
This workshop is for teachers and support staff who have had some experience with the limitations of a carrot and stick
approach to education and have seen the damage it has done to the ability of students to manage themselves, relate to others
and fully participate and contribute to all areas of school life.
Mieke van Eerdt: Write Dance (Write dance is appropriate for children 5-9
Write Dance is a lively, innovative and above all fun approach that provides movement opportunities so children can develop
their handwriting skills. The unique aspect of the program is the use of music and dance. This combination of rhythmic and
then melodic pieces of music are chosen so the children can follow and learn specific movements to develop their physical
skills including, balance, coordination, flexibility, stamina and build confidence.
“More Write Dance” uses music, instructions and illustrations to help teachers guide children on how to refine and develop
their drawings to achieve fluent letter strings. Children’s individual expression, pace of learning and writing style are
recognised within this approach. It is apparent that children’s confidence, motivation and self-esteem can be seen to develop
because as Ragnhild says, “Everything in Write Dance is right”.
It links to the following aspects:
- Creative Development through imaginative play, music and dance
- Physical Development through movement using equipment and materials
- Communication, Language and Literacy through handwriting
- Personal Social and Emotional Development through increasing self-confidence and self-esteem
This exciting and innovative program benefits all children, and has also been found very helpful for children with special
education needs, from learning difficulties to dyspraxia.
The teacher training covers the following and include handouts:
1. Overview of Write Dance and the benefits
2. Introduction to the themes/music
3. Practical session (gross motor movements)
4. Practical sesson with crayons/chalks
5. How to set up a session
6. Write Dance extension activities for older children.
learning
networking
sharing
REGISTRATION
FOR MORE INFO
To register, please visit the SSTA
For more information, please
website for a link to our online
contact April Lowe,
registration page!
SSTA PD Chair:
collaborating
Phone: 604-892-3056
email: pd48@bctf.ca
planning