October 24, 2024
KEY RESOURCES IN LANGLEY
- Clickable PDF to Key Resources in Langley
- Instructional Services Website: For all your district-vetted resources K-12! Check it out!
- Aboriginal Resources vetted by the District
- TCS Sites (TCS SS-grade 3, 4-8, Secondary): Key resources are still being placed in these Teams. If you need access to one of these Teams, please email dzurbuchenjonker@sd35.bc.ca
- District Learning Commons is a lending library of classroom and teaching resources available to all school staff in the Langley School District. All of our items are available to view and book online through the Insignia Library system. Find instructions, an area to check out new resources, request new resources and report lost or damages kits here: https://sway.office.com/qbfcZW739otNIwLe?ref=Link
We deliver and pick up all the items you request through district mail twice per week (check with your admin assistant to see which days your deliveries are on).
MENTORSHIP PROGRAM
Interested in Becoming a Mentor?
We are in great need of experienced teachers with five or more years in the profession to support and guide newer educators as they transition into their roles.
We have many brand-new or early career teachers looking for a mentor. We need mentors at all grade levels but especially primary (K-5) and middle (6-8).
Time Commitment as a mentor: Mentors need to commit to ONE 45-minute learning-focused conversation every 3-5 weeks. There are optional workshops, networking and learning sessions available.
https://langleyteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Mentor-Info-Sheet.pdf
New to the District or a New Role?
If you’re a newer teacher looking for mentorship, please fill out the Mentee Information Sheet here. Once completed, email it to teachermentorship@sd35.bc.ca to join our program!
Upcoming events:
Ongoing: Classroom Library Kits – let us know if you would like one! Fill your classroom library by borrowing books from us – Kits for K-2, 3-5, and 6-8 available!
Alternative Mentor Learning Session: Nov. 14th, 3:30-5pm, SBO– for those who could not attend Harrison
Mentorship Workshop: Rewiring Reading Routines – Nov. 19, 2024 3:30-4:40 @ Wix-Brown Elementary Mentors and Mentees Welcome | Flyer | Register
HONOURING TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION
UBC MOOC – Reconciliation Through Indigenous Education | More info
Enhance your understanding and knowledge of practices that advance reconciliation in the places where you live, learn, and work. This 6 week course will help you envision how Indigenous histories, perspectives, worldviews, and approaches to learning can be made part of the work done in classrooms, organizations, communities, and in everyday experiences in ways that are thoughtful and respectful. In this course, reconciliation emphasizes changing institutional structures, practices, and policies, as well as personal and professional ideologies to create environments that are committed to strengthening relationships with Indigenous peoples.
Early Learning Pro-D | UBC MOOC – Nurturing Childhoods Through Indigenous Ways of Knowing | More info
Explore teachings, strategies, and resources that guide the inclusion of Indigenous ways of knowing in early learning environments. This Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) is designed to empower and support educators, service providers and families to engage with Indigenous knowledges in early learning environments. The 6-8 week course offers a transformative learning experience, weaving together Indigenous worldviews and pedagogies with diverse perspectives. Co-created with community, educator and scholarly voices, this free, fully-online course is accessible to participants seeking to explore ways to enhance their practice and care environments through Indigenous ways of knowing. There are no admission prerequisites.
DISTRICT PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
To see our full calendar of offerings, visit www.thinklangley.com
We are having some technical difficulties with On-Demand learning, we are working with the site hosts to fix it as soon as possible. If you have registered for a session and receive an error saying that the workshop is sold out, please contact us at thinklangley@sd35.bc.ca , provide us with the session name and we will provide you with a direct link to the site.
Learning in the Primary Years: A Four Part Series | November 4, December 3 2024, and January 20 2025 I Register
Curious educators are invited to learn and think together about the newly released “Learning in the Primary Years” Ministry document with connections to playful practice. Register for one session or all, just select the appropriate pass during registration. Dinner will be provided to those who attend in person.
Connecting the Pieces: The Early Years Conference | October 25, 2024 I Register
Pre-Registration for the conference has closed. If you still wish to attend, you can on site at R.E. Mountain Secondary at 8:00am
Connecting the Pieces: Pre-K and Kindergarten Conference is our annual conference dedicated to professional development for kindergarten teachers and early childhood educators. Our workshop line-up includes local and internationally recognized experts selected to share their innovative and practical ideas for working with young learners.
Middle School Literacy Conference | October 25, 2024 I Register
Pre-Registration for the conference has closed. If you still wish to attend you can on site at Yorkson Creek at 7:30am
Come join your Middle School colleagues from around the District as we gather together to discuss best literacy classroom practices, resources, supports and intervention strategies for middle school learners! Literacy is the responsibility of everyone in a Middle School setting, but teaching literacy is also hard work. Let’s work together to explore how we do that together and what that looks like in our Middle School in Langley.
How to Become a Better Writing Teacher: Supporting Engagement, Composition, and Quality in Students | Oct 28, 2024, Nov 25, 2024, Jan 27, 2025, & Feb 10, 2025 I Register
Join Matt Glover in this incredible Zoom series hosted by the Provincial Outreach Program for the Early Years.
EXTERNAL PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
Network of Inquiry and Indigenous Education (NOIEE) | Deadline Dec 16, 2024 | Submit Inquiry Plan
For those BC Schools participating in a NOIIE Inquiry Project this year, Inquiry Submission forms are now open for acceptance. Additionally, you are invited to our first Learning Burst of the school year, scheduled for November 5th, where two BC schools will share their experiences and insights using the Spiral of Inquiry around Indigenous Education. To foster community and collaboration, Angela Stott and Rosa Fazio are hosting Inquiry Coffee Chats, a series of informal gatherings designed to encourage dialogue and idea-sharing among educators.
Teaching the Holocaust – Micro-Certificate for teachers | More info
The Continuing Studies Department at UVIC is offering a unique, 8-week online course for in-service and pre-service teachers to help prepare them to integrate Holocaust Education into their classroom with this now being mandated by the provincial government starting in 2025-2026. The course runs from January 13 to March 7, 2025, but interested learners also have the option to attend an in-person, one-day professional development workshop on Professional Development days. This workshop is designed to complement the online course and offers additional learning opportunities from leading experts in Holocaust education. The first session will occur on Friday, October 25, 2024 and the second will take place in Spring 2025 at the University of Victoria campus. Please see under October 25 Pro-D Day events above for more information on this event. For more information on the 8-week virtual course, please see the “More info” link above.
What’s the Story? Supporting Inquiry through Heritage Fairs | Canada’s History | Register
This online professional development series for history and social studies teachers is designed to provide teachers with tools and strategies for helping students undertake an inquiry project – including selecting meaningful topics, designing strong inquiry questions, and locating and analyzing relevant evidence. Teachers will also learn how to assess inquiry projects effectively. The series will feature four, 90-minute sessions from October–December. The series will be hosted online, via Zoom and is also available in French. The first fifty (50) paid participants will receive a Heritage Fair classroom kit, which includes print copies of What’s the Story? — a youth publication to support inquiry — classroom posters, and access to digital resources. Participants will also have access to any recordings, presentations, and resources shared during the series.
UBC MEd in Literacy Education – Applications Open | More info
The Masters of Education in Literacy Education is a new graduate program for working professionals. Applications for the next intake of the UBC Master of Education in Literacy Education program have opened! This fully online graduate program will support educators engagement in self-inquiry and critical reflection on current literacy practices, spanning from early childhood to adult education.
LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR STAFF/STUDENTS/CLASSES
STEM Global Leadership Program | More info
STEM Canada is a federally registered not for profit program, operating in communities across Canada in partnership with Microsoft, Google volunteers and many post secondary institutions worldwide to provide STEM programming to students enrolled in public, private, catholic and/or home school. Our mission and focus is to help each child achieve academic excellence, master self-learning skills, and develop equal character while fostering self-discipline, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills in a STEM-based learning environment. Students enrolled in the leadership program will be exposed to unique national and international STEM opportunities by way of mentorship from STEM professionals, scholarships, peer interactions, training, and workshops. Our aim is to prepare children for future technological changes and innovations, where resources are not easily accessible in order for students to become globally competitive.
Notorious 2025 | Hip Hop Dance Competition for Students in Grade 8-12 | More info
Students are invited to participate in the 13th annual hip hop dance competition in Richmond, BC. The registration deadline is January 10, 2025 and the event will take place on March 7, 2025. All participants must be attending the High School they are registered with. Junior Division is open to those in grade 8-10 and the Senior Division is open to those teams with any member in Grade 11-12. Maximum team size is 20 members. Please see all the details at the “More info” link above.
LEARNING RESOURCES
Veterans Week | Veterans.gc.ca | More info
Resources are available to help students learn more about Canada’s military history and those who have served in the cause of peace and freedom over the years. There are free bilingual materials for ages 5-18 which can be ordered at the link above.
Book Creator – Getting Started | More info
Book Creator is a versatile digital tool that empowers students to create and read multimodal digital books. It significantly boosts student engagement through story creation and multimedia design. Students can generate their own content by typing, drawing, or uploading self-made videos, audio files, and images, or they can curate multimedia resources from the Internet. This tool is also perfect for project-based learning activities, as it supports real-time collaboration, allowing multiple students to work together on a single book. While designing their own books offers the greatest educational benefits, students can also enhance their knowledge by reading multimodal books created by others. Book Creator is available for free to all teachers in the Langley School District. Check out the handy PDF guide at the link above on how to get started with Book Creator.
Culture and Society Resources through CURIO | More info
Explore the Culture and Society themes listed below to elevate lesson planning. Curio is a free resource to all teachers in the Langley School District. New to Curio? You can access the Curio resources using the instructions found at the link here.
- Civics | All Ages | More info
What are our political rights and obligations as Canadians? What exactly is the electoral process and how do we as individuals participate? Find out how civics impacts our culture and what changes still need to be made. - Social Justice | Elementary (Ages 8-11), Secondary | Video
There’s growing frustration over social media companies shadow-banning platforms. Do these companies have the right to police the politics you see online? - Social Justice | Elementary (ages 8-11), Secondary | Video
It’s hard to track down exactly where the term BIPOC came from. Some people say that’s useful. Others? Not so much. Learn more. - Culture | Secondary | Video
Alexander Armstrong meets internet stars helping to keep Korea on the global map, including a record-breaking ‘bulk-eater’ who joins Alexander for noodles. *For BBC Subscribers. - Religion | Elementary (ages 4-11) | Video
Rama and Sita is one of the main stories from Hinduism and is connected with Diwali – the annual festival of light held every autumn. *For BBC Subscribers. - Indigenous Culture | All Ages | Series
Check out these all new shorts from the popular indigenous culture series Telling Our Story. 11 First Peoples, 11 cultures, 11 languages: a multi-millennial presence whose story remains to be told.
TECH TIPS
Microsoft EDGE Browser
If you are not already doing so, we would highly recommend that all District Staff use the Microsoft EDGE browser as their default web browser. Microsoft EDGE is a Microsoft product that is provided to all Langley District staff as part of the Office 365 package that is part of our District system. As a result of it being a Microsoft product, it is therefore most compatible and easiest to use with all of the other Microsoft tools available for staff. It is also the safest and most secure browser to be using from a privacy and protection lens as well.
Microsoft Accessibility Tools
Microsoft has a number of excellent accessibility tools available to District staff that are built directly into most of the Microsoft and Office 365 products that District staff have access to and use on a daily basis. These tools are great for both staff use but many of them are also useful and helpful when working with students. Below is information including a video link and a PDF resource regarding the Immersive Reader tools available to staff through the EDGE browser. Please do note that some tools are only accessible depending on which version of office you are using and some online tools are only available through the Microsoft EDGE browser – see item above for more information on why you should be using EDGE!
MyBlueprint Supports | October Highlights
- Take Our Kids To Work Day | More info
On Wednesday, November 6, grade 9 students across Canada will participate in Take Our Kids to Work Day. This opportunity provides students with hands-on workplace experience and encourages future career exploration. For more information access our helpful activity package at the link above. - Sign up for a webinar | Register
The 30-minute webinar sessions are an effective way to learn how to use myBlueprint with students. The team of experts will provide helpful tips, best practices, and guided demonstrations with time for questions throughout.