GETCA 2020

The importance of environmental sustainability and stewardship has evolved over the past twenty years. Social awareness has ignited an interest and sense of action in the students. Where does a teacher look for accurate and up to date information for students? This session will focus on Alberta curriculum resources and community supports that are in your region of Alberta. Successful lessons, projects and actions will be shared within the session. Become your students mentor and facilitate stewardship and environmental sustainability in your community.

As a child bride forced into marriage and subjected to years of abuse, Samra Zafar’s story shows how she moved from a place of hopelessness to a place of freedom — for both her and her daughters. As she shares her story of pain and despair, and then happiness and self-love, Zafar talks about the gift of adversity and how it helps us cultivate a deep gratitude for life. We have the power to let our experiences shape us into “bitter” or “better”. The choice is ours to make.

Anna Maria Tremonti has spent her career at the forefront of Canadian and world events. She sees the patterns in how our world is evolving, anticipates what will make an impact, resonate with humanity, and the resulting chain reactions that will shape our future. Customized to suit your audience and event, she’ll share her perspectives on the context of where we’ve come from, the relevance of our current era, and the direction she senses for our future to help you and your organization make connections. Key Takeaways: • How to find good quality information & resources you can trust. • The ways human interaction can be used to positively affect the future. • How to empower others to live differently & connect their own dots.

As a documentary filmmaker, Mike Downie has had the chance to hear many awesome, inspiring, and unique stories from his fellow Canadians. However, Canadians are a funny lot — they don’t like to boast, don’t like to toot their own horn. Sorry, but we need to drop that kind of modesty and for good reason — the world really needs our stories right now. Countries all over the world are falling prey to the politics of fear and ignorance but that trend hasn’t taken root here. Today, our national story is one of prosperity, diversity, and tolerance as a young, multicultural generation pushes our country to new heights.

To most of the world, Canada's Arctic remains a mysterious land of exotic animals, cold temperatures and often misunderstood Indigenous cultures. Robert Feagan separates the myth from reality. Born while his father, a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, was stationed in the small Northern community of Fort McPherson, he recounts his experiences growing up in an Indigenous culture, close encounters with polar bear and muskox, climate change, food security, residential school, wellness and much more. This presentation is enhanced by the large collection of museum quality artifacts attendees can experience up close, including a seven foot long narwhal tusk, muskox head, bead work, carvings, walrus skull and tusks, snow glasses and much more.

Regardless of the subject you teach, creating a narrative throughout your unit can help make it more memorable. Looking at the big picture, providing smooth transitions, building emotional connections, and incorporating themes are just a few ways you can spice up your teaching and allow students to latch onto your lessons. Whether you’re structuring a class, week, unit, or year, this session will encourage you to step back and craft your narrative with purpose. Appealing to the passionate teacher in all of us, this workshop is meant to give participants the space to slow down and think about the bigger impact they are having. While lesson planning and administrative tasks can have your hands full just keeping up, this workshop allows you the breath of air you need to reconnect with your greater passion, purpose, and drive.