PDTCA 2022

Born with Cerebral Palsy and suffering a stroke at the age of 11 has not deterred Cory Johnson from living life to the fullest. He uses his life experiences, inspiration, humour and education to overcome the barriers that others impose on him. Cory challenges each of us to live our lives to our full potential.

Syed Soharwardy takes us through a brief tour of a mosque highlighting the various customs and traditions associated with a mosque.

In this video Kari Shewkenek interviews Syed Soharwardy in a session he likes to refer to as Islam 101. During this interview he will be responding to some of the most commonly asked questions about Islam and Muslims. His hope is to help clear up stereotypes, mis-understandings and mis-communication about the Islamic world and beliefs and how things can and are being distorted by certain factions.

Indigenous males wearing braids is a long-standing cultural practice within plains Indigenous nations and is a symbol of connection to cultural and historical roots. The purpose of Braves Wear Braids is to support Indigenous youth in the efforts of carry on the cultural importance of wearing their hair in braids. We want to encourage, and embolden youth to wear their braids as a physical symbol of cultural strength and pride, and to take an active part in their own histories. We recognize the weight our youth carry by wearing braids, from bullying, to being called girls (de-masculinization), to the weight of trying to retain a significant part of your culture alone. We also recognize the pain many residential school survivors carry in regards to having their braids cut-off, and the shaming involved within that system that has been passed on inter-generationally.

In this session a video will be presented with interviews from Indigenous elders, a well-known Indigenous athlete, and men with braids who can speak to their own experiences of their struggles with keeping their braids, and some who were never taught the value of braids growing up, but who made a life changing decision to grow their braids out later in life. Although this video focuses on Indigenous culture, it is meant to be inclusive in hopes of bringing understanding to why Indigenous men and boys wear their hair in braids. Our aim is to end the bullying that surrounds this issue that can be intentional and unintentional through misunderstanding. We are strong believers in the idea that education is the bridge to understanding. Braves Wear Braids seeks to create understanding by educating people on the significance that braids carry, and how people can become allies to those with braids.

The second and third decades of the 21st-century could be remembered for many things – elections, disease, changes to the climate – but surely one of the most important changes underway in our moment is the movement towards equity, inclusivity, and diversity. Digital media has meant that the voices influencing popular consciousness, civic advocacy, public policy, and education have become more diverse and accessible. Securing rights for LGBTQ+ students, fighting anti-Black, anti-Asian, and anti-Indigenous racism – these are just some of the initiatives that students can see taking place.

In this context, educators have a responsibility to deliver curriculum within the broader context of inclusivity and diversity. Once again, digital platforms have been an essential tool to bring diverse and previously underrepresented voices into the classroom.

This seminar will consider three ways to infuse familiar approaches to curricular units with greater cultural responsivity and awareness using digital teaching tools.

“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” A British rhyme meant to help children stand up to bullying and intimidation. But is that really true? As adults, we know that words DO hurt and that the painful feeling lasts a long time. While words do hurt us, intimidation and bullying do not have to be verbal: the dismissive flick of the hand, the rolling of the eyes, the crossing of the arms on the chest, the “see through you” attitude. The “silent”, non-verbal bullying hurts more, especially when we try to figure out “what we did wrong”.
Based on the latest research in the fields of non-violent communication and emotional intelligence, as well as through case studies and situation analysis, Maria will give you the necessary tools to decipher and deal with the situations in a professional way. Through examples taken from her personal and professional life and by having an open, honest conversation, Maria will demonstrate how you, as a leader, as well as a team member, can promote a safe working environment where people are not afraid to give honest feedback, while you lead them mindfully.

As an emerging undergraduate researcher under the supervision of Dr. Tonya Callaghan (Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary), my research goal is to uncover how lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ+) youth have been particularly affected during the series of lockdowns and restrictions of COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic has left destruction in its wake, with effects on people that include job loss, decimation of the economy, and increased isolation and loneliness. One sector of society that is often underserved when discussing the ravages of COVID-19 is youth.

Canada’s youth have been greatly affected during this time, switching between online and in-person schooling, losing extra-curricular clubs, and missing out on most social events. A smaller and important subsection of youth who are particularly struggling are LGBTQ+ young adults. Historically, these adolescents already live on the margins of society, where homophobia and intolerance abound. The LGBTQ+ populace has had to fight for even basic human rights.

Youth occupy a special place in society where they are not quite adults and who are in the ongoing process of forming and reforming their identities. Although some youth are fortunate enough to live with supportive parents and/or siblings, the reality is that many do not. Watson et al. (2019) established that while family relations have improved over time between heterosexual youth and their parents, sexual minority youth are faring even worse than twenty years ago in areas such as connectedness and familial support. This is a shocking revelation. Furthermore, the instances of family violence related to LGBTQ+ youth often go unnoticed. Research suggests that among LGBTQ+ youth, only one-third experience parental acceptance, with an additional one-third experiencing parental rejection, and the final one-third not disclosing their LGBTQ+ identity until they are adults (Katz-Wise et al., 2015, as cited in Green et al., 2020). These young people frequently experience violence and abuse at home.

Unfortunately, a classic and prevalent form of abuse is the power parents can wield over their children by sending them to conversion therapy. Conversion therapy is a discredited practice whereby some agent attempts to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity (The Trevor Project, n.d.). Conversion therapy is most often delivered in the form of “talk therapy,” performed by professionals, faith-based organizations, or life coaches (Trevor Project, n.d.). Not only is conversion therapy ineffective, it is also extremely damaging to the mental health of the recipient. It was only nine months ago that the Government of Canada began to enact changes to legislation in order to end conversion therapy (Bill C6, 2021). The fact that this practice is still legal even now provides a context for the homophobic culture in which we live.

In March 2020, as a measure to contain the spread of COVID-19, shelter-in-place orders were enacted and many schools switched to an online delivery format. As a result of these changes, the realities of many LGBTQ+ youth became increasingly dire. In this presentation, I will share the research I have conducted in Canada and abroad using interpretive methodology, which consists of analyzing and interpreting texts such as peer-reviewed articles and public forums where issues such as isolation and violence were discussed by youth. In addition, I searched for and analyzed mainstream media accounts reporting on LGBTQ+ youths’ experiences of a lack of family support and loneliness. It should come as no surprise that LGBTQ+ youth are keenly feeling the effects of continued isolation.

In their survey of LGBTQ+ youth and adults in the United Kingdom, LGBT Hero (2020) found that young people were experiencing alarmingly high levels of loneliness: 67% of youth under 18 said they were lonely “very often” or “every day” (Key findings, second heading). Levels of anxiety were also extremely high. The same survey found that 50% of respondents felt anxious “every day” or “very often” (Anxiety subsection). Another alarming statistic is the number of young adults who experience housing insecurity because they are at risk of being kicked out of the family home. The LGBT Hero survey (2020) found that 12% of 18-24 year olds described feeling at risk for becoming homeless, the highest of any age group in the survey (Housing subsection).

In addition to the deleterious mental health consequences of COVID-19, LGBTQ+ youth are facing physical risks too. Researchers at the University of Toronto have identified that LGBTQ+ people are more likely to have immune-compromising medical conditions, rate themselves as ill, and are less likely to seek medical help when they need it (Osman, 2020). In the United Kingdom, a survey conducted by the organization OutLife reported that during the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly 40% of LGBTQ+ people have missed medical appointments, including 50% of trans people as compared to 35% of cis people (Outlife, 2020, as cited in Philips, 2021). Furthermore, LGBTQ+ people experience higher incidences of discrimination within medical settings (Lambda Legal, 2010, as cited in Green et al., 2020) and consequently may experience heightened anxiety if needing to access healthcare for COVID-19 related concerns (Green at al., 2020).

Prior to the pandemic, many LBGTQ+ youth were already struggling with their mental health and over this past year and a half, their vulnerability was exacerbated. Long-term mental health repercussions, long-term stress, and inability to express authentic identities are all potential outcomes for the young LGBTQ+ people living in a homophobic and transphobic culture. In fact, compared to their cisgender, heterosexual peers, sexual and gender minority (SGM) people are considerably more likely to experience depression, anxiety, and substance use issues, in addition to less social and family support (Ryan et al., 2010; Baams et al., 2018, as cited in Kamal et al., 2021).

Considering that teachers hold great power to prevent homophobia in schools, how can they act as allies to gender minority youth?

Given the dire situation that LGBTQ+ youth are facing during the pandemic, what can teachers do to help? How might teachers become allies in the struggle born by LGBTQ+ youth? Teachers hold great power to prevent homophobia in schools and they also hold great privilege to act as allies to SGM youth.

Teachers are in the unique position of mentorship; all schools will have SGM children and it is crucial for their survival that teachers and administrators be educated in how to best support them. LGBTQ+ youth “who have one or more accepting adults are 40% less likely to attempt suicide” (The Trevor Project, 2019c, as cited in Green et al., 2020). There are clear measures that can be enacted to transform harmful situations in order to make LGBTQ+ youth feel accepted, valued, and less isolated.

Schools have the potential to be places of safety and connection for sexual minority youth. Sometimes, schools are the only spaces where youth can feel comfortable inhabiting their true identities. Schools must have a clear anti-bullying and harassment policy regarding LGBTQ+ treatment and they must ensure that teachers are familiar with these practices (GLSEN, n.d.). Much research supports the deliberate and conscientious application of inclusive curriculum. This includes identifying important LGBTQ+ people in history as well as using inclusive language when using examples in any school subject (GLSEN, n.d.). Moreover, the presence of Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) in schools has been linked to significantly lowering the risk for depression and increasing general mental well-being in participants (Toomey et al., 2011, as cited in Green et al., 2020). These extracurricular clubs are sites where youth can explore their identities while simultaneously exploring social justice issues and advocacy.

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Understanding race, racism, privilege and oppression requires concerted effort toward uncovering the daily hierarchies and power structures that surround our complex identities. For educators, promoting social justice is central to our daily work with students. Addressing specific issues such as privilege is difficult and uncomfortable for most people, for a variety of reasons. This workshop will help teachers explore these issues and provide them with ideas for student exercises and activities.

Nature supports wellness in many ways, but not all students have equitable access to nature. Mainstream outdoor education is inaccessible, exclusive, and expensive. It perpetuates systemic racism and emphasizes white issues, white environmental heroes, and western conceptualizations of nature. Racism and racial inequalities may make youth feel ignored, unwelcome, and unprepared in outdoor education.

Join CPAWS to learn how you can provide inclusive nature connection opportunities that support your students’ wellbeing. This session will guide your role as a teacher in responding to racial inequality in outdoor education by providing tools and resources that make a difference in the classroom. CPAWS will demonstrate how to take your favourite environmental lesson plans and apply cross-cultural guidelines to make your lessons more accessible for all your students!

This session will explore the LDC- Holocaust Studies developed in 2020 in collaboration between Foothills School Division and the Calgary Jewish Federation. As primary writer, Lindsay will walk teachers through the three levels of the course and share the experiences and resources used during the first year of implementation. Time will be spent on the curriculum of the LDC, hands-on resources and feedback, and group discussion.

The millions of women marching in protest around the globe the last few years, along with the Me Too movement and the whistle blowing on workplace harassment behaviours have blown the doors open on the gender equality discussion. But how do we prepare students for the upcoming shift away from a patriarchal system and into something equal and fair that hasn’t even been created yet? This presentation is an open-minded brainstorming session on gender parity and the new minefields everyone faces as we examine the complex issue of feminism in our modern world.

What can be learned about a moment in history from a small shoe? Attention grabbing, meaningful, and usable on Monday morning; this session takes a look at a simple shoe and leads participants through a series of questions where meaning is built until a full story begins to emerge. Developed by Paul Salmons and housed within the Centre for Holocaust Education at UCL, this is an incredible lesson that can be taught as it stands, or can be adapted to a number of historical events.

This workshop is designed to help school staff understand legislation and educational policy and discuss how to support sexual and gender minority students and staff in Alberta schools. Participants will explore strategies for creating inclusive schools while also reflecting on their own attitudes, beliefs and dispositions.

We all long for true connection with other people, but emotional vulnerability requires safety. How do teachers create and maintain spaces for students to converse respectfully and authentically? This session is about group dynamics in a shifting cultural landscape. We’ll cover setting expectations for group safety, why we need to be intentional about our emotional connections and what to do when a student behaves in a way that feels unsafe for others. Prepare to share stories, brainstorm ideas, and practice vulnerability in a safe space so you can craft new levels of empathy in your life and your classroom.

The Rick Hansen Foundation School Program (RHFSP) believes in the importance of teaching youth about equity, inclusion and empowering students to be difference makers – we hope you do too! Learn how the RHFSP can support you in confidently covering the topics of inclusion, accessibility and disability awareness with your class. Our program offers educational resources for youth in kindergarten to grade twelve on these important topics while meeting provincial curriculum outcomes. Our lessons are designed to be easily-implemented into current lesson planning, and are available in different formats to meet your class' needs. Join us for a resource-filled session and take advantage of our unique offerings available to you, such as our engaging and impactful Ambassador Presentations!