Info Page

Researchers, parents, school council members, teachers, and school board and ministry staff come together at our conference. This year, we will be exploring the role of public education in creating a better world. From early childhood education through post-secondary, how can we ensure that today"s public education system is meeting the needs of all students and preparing them for an uncertain future?

Agenda

9:30 - 10:45 Keynote Speaker - Maggie MacDonnell, 2017 Global Teacher Prize winner

1:15 - 2:30 Panel - Changing the way we think about equity: The public education system is one of the best places to address social inequity and improve social mobility. Can we change students" trajectories by shifting our focus from old definitions of equity to new thinking based on students" rights to an education that includes all of the components vital for long-term success?
Speakers:
Renu Mandhane, Chief Commissioner, Ontario Human Rights Commission
Elizabeth McIsaac, Executive Director, Maytree Foundation
Cyril Cromwell, Learning and Development Manager, Youth Research & Evaluation eXchange

6:00 - 9:00 Post-conference networking dinner at The Bedford Academy (Dinner is not included in the registration fee, see link for menu prices)

Hotel Information

There are two options for hotels (please note the difference in price and location):

The Kimpton St. George (280 Bloor Street West, Toronto, M5S 1V8) is a very short walk from the conference venue, and the room rate is $263.00.
In order to get the conference rate, you must book your room before October 10, using this link.

The Chelsea Hotel (33 Gerrard Street West, Toronto, M5G 1Z4) is further away, so you will need to drive or take public transit, and the room rate is $189.00.
To book by phone, call 416-585-8569, and let them know you are booking with People for Education.
To book online, use this link to receive the group rate.

Please see the workshop choices below and pick one morning session and one afternoon session BEFORE you hit the register button!

MORNING SESSIONS

Early childhood education plays a significant role in supporting students" growth in areas such as physical health and well-being, social competence, emotional maturity, language and cognitive development, and communications skills and general knowledge. However, as young people move up through the education system, we pay less attention to these skills and competencies, even though they continue to be vital long into adolescence and adulthood. Find out more about the role of early childhood education, and why the competencies identified in the Early Development Instrument need to be a focus for all students.

Indigenous education focuses on the balance between the physical, spiritual, intellectual, and emotional. In this session, the always-engaging Dr. Pamela Rose Toulouse will lead a lively discussion to explore how these four aspects align with key learning in areas such as health, citizenship, creativity, and social-emotional learning, how they could be incorporated into learning skills on report cards, and how we could be using Indigenous teachings to support well-being throughout our schools.

How can we make the school a welcoming environment for all families? How can school councils and parent leaders help to create an engaged community? In this session, learn how a parent leader in Toronto and a school in BC have used innovative approaches to engage their school communities and build connections beyond the school walls.

Students" mental health has an impact on both their education and their long-term success. Parents, educators, and the Ministry of Education have recognized that schools play a central role in supporting student mental wellbeing. In this interactive session, find out more about what schools and school boards are doing to promote mental health and wellbeing for students and staff.

Even before they go to high school, students are expected to have some idea of what they want to do in terms of post-secondary education. This session will provide a new perspective on post-secondary education and training: why it is important, who is going, how we can ensure that all students can access the education they need, and what happens once they get into a chosen post-secondary program.

AFTERNOON SESSIONS

We all talk about setting goals and supporting success for students - it is the focus of our public education system. But what does success look like for the next generation? Is education more than just a pathway to a particular career? What are young people"s hopes and goals for the future? Find out what success means for Canada"s next generation from the experts - the next generation themselves!

How do we translate the learning that happens in classrooms onto a report card? What do parents want to know? How can schools communicate what, why, and how students are learning? In this session, participants will learn about assessment, including some new approaches that BC is using. Then, you will work with an expert facilitator, whose approach is "both fun and highly interactive, putting you in the driver"s seat", to design a new report card for the 21st century.

How do we talk about race without being racist? What is implicit bias and what can we do about it? How can we have what are sometimes uncomfortable conversations about race? This thought-provoking and challenging discussion will explore issues of race and equity, and their impact on public education and society.

How do you develop citizenship skills through the arts? Can you really be creative in a math class? What do health competencies have to do with social studies? There is sometimes a tendency to dismiss things like creativity or social-emotional competencies as "soft skills" that are not as important as content knowledge. But these so-called "soft skills" are increasingly recognized as essential for future success. Find out how they are teachable, learnable, can be integrated into any subject, and can be supported by parents at home.

Virtually every school in Ontario has students receiving special education support. People for Education"s survey findings show that an average of 17% of students per elementary school and 27% per secondary school receives special education support. These percentages have been trending upward since 2000. How can we ensure that schools are creating a rich learning environment and supporting success for all students, no matter what their learning needs?

Name	MAKING CONNECTIONS CONFERENCE 2018
Address	105 St George St, Toronto, ON M5S 3E6, Canada
Date	2018-11-10
Time	09:00:00
Category	xxx DELETE xxx
Description	Making Connections 2018 Saturday, November 10, 2018 Visit our conference page by clicking here. Researchers, parents, school council members, teachers, and school board and ministry staff come together at our conference. This year, we will be exploring the role of public education in creating a better world. From early childhood education through post-secondary, how can we ensure that today"s public education system is meeting the needs of all students and preparing them for an uncertain future? Agenda 8:15 - 9:00 Registration and introductions 9:00 - 9:30 Annie Kidder - welcoming remarks 9:30 - 10:45 Keynote Speaker - Maggie MacDonnell, 2017 Global Teacher Prize winner 11:00 - 12:15 Morning workshops (see below) 12:15 - 1:15 Lunch and Networking 1:15 - 2:30 Panel - Changing the way we think about equity: The public education system is one of the best places to address social inequity and improve social mobility. Can we change students" trajectories by shifting our focus from old definitions of equity to new thinking based on students" rights to an education that includes all of the components vital for long-term success? Speakers: Renu Mandhane, Chief Commissioner, Ontario Human Rights Commission Elizabeth McIsaac, Executive Director, Maytree Foundation Cyril Cromwell, Learning and Development Manager, Youth Research & Evaluation eXchange 2:45 - 4:00 Afternoon workshops (see below) 4:15 - 5:00 Closing plenary 5:00 - 6:00 Reception (Wine & Cheese/Cash bar) 6:00 - 9:00 Post-conference networking dinner at The Bedford Academy (Dinner is not included in the registration fee, see link for menu prices) Hotel Information There are two options for hotels (please note the difference in price and location): The Kimpton St. George (280 Bloor Street West, Toronto, M5S 1V8) is a very short walk from the conference venue, and the room rate is $263.00. In order to get the conference rate, you must book your room before October 10, using this link. The Chelsea Hotel (33 Gerrard Street West, Toronto, M5G 1Z4) is further away, so you will need to drive or take public transit, and the room rate is $189.00. To book by phone, call 416-585-8569, and let them know you are booking with People for Education. To book online, use this link to receive the group rate. Please see the workshop choices below and pick one morning session and one afternoon session BEFORE you hit the register button! MORNING SESSIONS AM1: Everything I need to know I learned in early childhood education Early childhood education plays a significant role in supporting students" growth in areas such as physical health and well-being, social competence, emotional maturity, language and cognitive development, and communications skills and general knowledge. However, as young people move up through the education system, we pay less attention to these skills and competencies, even though they continue to be vital long into adolescence and adulthood. Find out more about the role of early childhood education, and why the competencies identified in the Early Development Instrument need to be a focus for all students. Speakers: Lois Mahon, former president of the College of Early Childhood Educators Dr. Magdalena Janus, Offord Centre for Child Studies, co-developer of the EDI AM2: 15,000 years of well-being education! Indigenous education focuses on the balance between the physical, spiritual, intellectual, and emotional. In this session, the always-engaging Dr. Pamela Rose Toulouse will lead a lively discussion to explore how these four aspects align with key learning in areas such as health, citizenship, creativity, and social-emotional learning, how they could be incorporated into learning skills on report cards, and how we could be using Indigenous teachings to support well-being throughout our schools. Speaker: Dr. Pamela Rose Toulouse, Office of Academic and Indigenous Programs, Faculty of Education, Laurentian University AM3: Beyond the "usual suspects": connecting with hard-to-reach communities How can we make the school a welcoming environment for all families? How can school councils and parent leaders help to create an engaged community? In this session, learn how a parent leader in Toronto and a school in BC have used innovative approaches to engage their school communities and build connections beyond the school walls. Speakers: Nazerah Shaikh, Parent Involvement Advisory Committee member, Toronto District School Board Kyla Winacott, Department Head, Academy of Indigenous Studies at Mount Boucherie Secondary School AM4: Let"s focus on mental health, not mental illness Students" mental health has an impact on both their education and their long-term success. Parents, educators, and the Ministry of Education have recognized that schools play a central role in supporting student mental wellbeing. In this interactive session, find out more about what schools and school boards are doing to promote mental health and wellbeing for students and staff. Speaker: Chris Preece, Mental Health and Wellbeing Lead, St. Clair Catholic District School Board AM5: Navigating post-secondary education Even before they go to high school, students are expected to have some idea of what they want to do in terms of post-secondary education. This session will provide a new perspective on post-secondary education and training: why it is important, who is going, how we can ensure that all students can access the education they need, and what happens once they get into a chosen post-secondary program. Speakers: Sean Reid, Vice President and Regional Director, Ontario, Progressive Contractors Association of Canada Fiona Deller, Senior Executive Director, Research and Policy, Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario Dr. Cathy Campbell, author of "Career Crafting the Decade After High School" AFTERNOON SESSIONS PM1: Defining Success: Views from the next generation We all talk about setting goals and supporting success for students - it is the focus of our public education system. But what does success look like for the next generation? Is education more than just a pathway to a particular career? What are young people"s hopes and goals for the future? Find out what success means for Canada"s next generation from the experts - the next generation themselves! Speakers: Representative from the Ontario Student Trustees Association Herleen Arora, member, People for Education"s NextGen Committee Gerri Lutaaya, member, People for Educations"s NextGen Committee Representative from Success Beyond Limits PM2: Inventing a new report card for the 21st century How do we translate the learning that happens in classrooms onto a report card? What do parents want to know? How can schools communicate what, why, and how students are learning? In this session, participants will learn about assessment, including some new approaches that BC is using. Then, you will work with an expert facilitator, whose approach is "both fun and highly interactive, putting you in the driver"s seat", to design a new report card for the 21st century. Facilitator: Liz Rykert, Meta Strategies Speakers: Teresa Downs, Superintendent, Gold Trail, Ashcroft BC PM3: Let"s talk about race How do we talk about race without being racist? What is implicit bias and what can we do about it? How can we have what are sometimes uncomfortable conversations about race? This thought-provoking and challenging discussion will explore issues of race and equity, and their impact on public education and society. Speakers: Naeem Siddiq, Ontario Principals" Council Mante Molepo, Parents for Diversity Representative from Ontario"s Equity Secretariat PM4: Integrating Global Competencies across the curriculum How do you develop citizenship skills through the arts? Can you really be creative in a math class? What do health competencies have to do with social studies? There is sometimes a tendency to dismiss things like creativity or social-emotional competencies as "soft skills" that are not as important as content knowledge. But these so-called "soft skills" are increasingly recognized as essential for future success. Find out how they are teachable, learnable, can be integrated into any subject, and can be supported by parents at home. Speakers: Judith Doan, Council of Drama and Dance Educators Dr. Mary Reid, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education Social Studies teacher PM5: Towards a new vision for special education Virtually every school in Ontario has students receiving special education support. People for Education"s survey findings show that an average of 17% of students per elementary school and 27% per secondary school receives special education support. These percentages have been trending upward since 2000. How can we ensure that schools are creating a rich learning environment and supporting success for all students, no matter what their learning needs? Speaker Louise Sirisko, Director of Education, York Region District School Board Kate Diakiw, Superintendent of Student Services, York Region District School Board Need more information? Call us at 416-534-0100 or email us at conference@peopleforeducation.ca ...
Coordinates	43.66534, -79.39837
Web address	https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/making-connections-conference-2018-tickets-2298757646

Making Connections 2018

Saturday, November 10, 2018

Agenda

Hotel Information

MORNING SESSIONS

AFTERNOON SESSIONS