Convention… that time of year when you get to see all your teacher friends… oops, wait… we’re still online. Not to worry, we know how to do this! Wake up, grab a coffee and a little bite to eat, get your tech setup, maybe check in on your kids to make sure they’re occupied and we’re off. Another virtual adventure. What will I learn today? Who will I see in the chat or participants list? Can I get into my sessions? So many questions, but we can do this, remember? It’s year 3. Let’s go!

We had an inspiring welcome from Chief Harley Chappell of the Semiahmoo First Nation who led us through the 4 aspects of being activity. I loved his response to his own wheel… “If that’s the wheel on your car, how’s your ride going?”

Our first keynote speaker Dr. Shauneen Pete led us through looking at culturally responsive pedagogy. Her I See I am project is one to try with your class no matter the grade.

You can learn more about her work in this book: Culturally Responsive Pedagogy: Working towards Decolonization, Indigeneity and Interculturalism by Fatima Pirbhai-Illich (Editor), Shauneen Pete (Editor), and Fran Martin (Editor).

Our second keynote speaker Sara Davidson spoke to us about engaging in Indigenous Storywork. You can visit her website: http://saraflorence.ca/

Did you know:

  1. We had approximately 4,000 teachers attend sessions throughout the day.
  2. We had about 140 workshops for elementary and high school teachers.
  3. Our top 5 most popular sessions (besides the keynote speakers) were:
  • How to Feel Happier, No Matter What’s Happening
  • Play on Words – Primary Literacy Games and Activities
  • Making Sense of Pensions & Group Benefits
  • Connecting the Dots – Elementary Domino Math Games
  • Compassion Fatigue, Burnout, and a Way forward for Teacher Well-Being

We hope you had an inspiring and informative convention this year. Thank you to all the dedicated members of the Convention Committee who put in a tremendous amount of work to put this together, including:

  • Erin Coleman – Professional Development Officer
  • Vanessa Broadworth – Convention Committee Chair
  • Karen Moon
  • Nota Spencer

Here’s to next year being in person and catching up with all your teacher friends. Don’t forget to fill out the survey you received from the STA Convention email (info@staconvention.ca).

See you in 2023!

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