eduTopia Articles of Interest for You

These are a few really interesting and relevant articles we came across in December 2022. Check them out by clicking on the title.  Enjoy.

25 Essential Middle School Reads From the Last Decade We asked educators in our community to share their favorite middle-grade books that were published in the last 10 years. Here are your top picks.

Why Schools Should Stop Adding and Adopt a ‘Subtraction Mindset’ When trying to solve problems, we rarely think of what to take away. As schools face new crises, is subtraction the secret weapon to getting them back on track?

Creating ELA Curriculum That’s Meaningful to Students A look at how high school English teachers can mix classic and contemporary texts to reflect the varied backgrounds and experiences of their students.

Incorporating Simple, Student-Designed Assessments These assessments increase student accountability and provide a way to personalize learning without a lot of extra time and effort.

Encouraging Students to Be Storytellers Students in kindergarten through second grade can develop the ability to share original stories, strengthening their literacy skills.

You know us. We were you and we still are you - Friends@NUO

Building Resilience and Effective Teaching Strategies

I enjoyed attending the Teacher Education Conference held at Niagara University. The week was jam-packed with fantastic guest speakers. Every session I participated in that week was very informative and helpful to my professional development as an aspiring educator. The workshops have been engaging and not only gave resources to the new educators but also gave us tools and knowledge on topics. Two workshops that stood out to me were Unpacking Resilience by Jennifer Johnson and Ten Strategies to Create a Collaborative Classroom Culture by Tony Ceelen, which gave me valuable insights and strategies as a new teacher. Reflecting on these workshops, I connected to the following OCT Ethical Standards for the Teaching Profession.

1. Commitment to Students and Student Learning: Members are dedicated in their care and commitment to students. They treat students equitably and with respect and are sensitive to factors that influence individual student learning. Members facilitate the development of students as contributing citizens of Canadian society.
2. Ongoing Professional Learning: Members recognize that a commitment to ongoing professional learning is integral to effective practice and to student learning. Professional practice and self-directed learning are informed by experience, research, collaboration, and knowledge.

One of the workshops close to my heart was Unpacking Resilience, a critical piece to work on as a new teacher. Learning about Resilience and bringing the right tools and resources into the classroom is vital to help nurture our students and allow students and educators to bounce back from stress, failure, challenges, and events that impact students and educators. In addition, when students have Resilience, they have a positive mindset and feel empowered, which is developed through experience. As a teacher, I aim to build on my Resilience and help students build on their Resilience to thrive. Walking away from the Unpacking Resilience seminar, I gained a deeper understanding of the importance of having a program like Captains & Poets, a Social Emotional Learning (SEL) program that students will take with them and work on throughout their lifetime. In the workshop, I found the learning meaningful; I learned how important it is to keep your heart and mind open and to find inner strength. In addition, I realized that to be resilient, we need to accept our reality first and understand how acceptance plays a crucial role in seeing things the way they are and finding ways to solve problems. As an educator, I will model gratitude and allow students to express it. I will foster Resilience in my classroom by using the books and resources in the workshop. I will ask my students to create a resilience shield or crest. I will never forget to leverage the captain and poet in them and model taking risks by supporting and empowering my future students and building on my Resilience as a teacher.

The second workshop I attended was Ten Strategies to Create a Collaborative Classroom Culture. I gained a deeper understanding of the importance of connecting with families and students from the first day. Tony mentioned that having a 3-minute conversation with the families and talking about their child after reviewing OSR was vital.

As an educator, getting to know your students, looking at their OSR, and learning about them are essential. Also, it's crucial to have reflective practice and not overlook the students who are strong in the classroom. This workshop was centered on cultivating a positive and safe classroom environment where educators promote moments of wonder and awe and provide students with various opportunities to express themselves through daily journals.

The most noteworthy takeaways from this workshop are to plan cross-curricular lessons that are engaging for students while meeting curriculum expectations across subjects and giving descriptive, specific, and prompt feedback. I have learned many valuable lessons from the workshop and look forward to bringing them into my classroom.                     

Here are some simple poem ideas that Tony shared with us in the workshop

I used to….. but now I ……

I wish ….. So…..

Resources for Educators:

https://captainsandpoets.com/Links to an external site.

Brought to you by NishS@ NUO-491

Communicating Success

The conferences during the week at Niagara University were each highly informative and useful for candidates, they included a variety of resources, strategic teaching tools and effective components that will aid future teachers. Personally, I found the seminars on "Communicating for Success" and "Unpacking Resilience" to be the most beneficial to me. These conferences covered a number of crucial topics that, in my opinion, would be valuable to me as a future teacher. Both conferences provided us, prospective educators with useful information that we may use in our professions, and how to become more successful in certain areas in connection to these topics. Beginning with the "Communicating for Success" session, it covered crucial concepts that are critical for teacher success, such as how to build solid and fundamental communication and professional relationships with parents. I also believe that as a new teacher, this will be the biggest challenge for me to take on. 

I want to improve my ability to interact with parents more effectively in order for them to entrust me with their children's education and well-being in the classroom. Not to mention, having open lines of communication and a professional partnership with the parents which allows me to fully understand their child and personalize my instruction to meet their academic and emotional needs, which I believe is essential. This workshop outlined key ideas and steps I can take to assist me in doing so which I believe was quite resourceful.

The conference on "Unpacking Resilience" was quite educational and covered a variety of topics related to teachers' resiliency, strengths, and strategies for building on our optimism and commitment. The conference offered us helpful tools and recommendations that we can use to aid us with resilience, including understanding and implementing effective coping mechanisms, establishing personal priorities, preparing as we go, supporting our wellness, practicing mindfulness, and much more. Throughout this conference, it was discussed how important it is for prospective teachers to be proactive, open-minded, and practical. In order to adjust our thoughts and decisions and live a healthy and happy life, for instance, we might remind ourselves that the bad experiences only make us stronger, and embracing those healthy thoughts will stimulate wellness for us. This workshop also discussed the importance of accepting change and working out how to develop goals which can help our mental health and improve our resilience. I discovered that we may embrace our feelings during trying times and create a purpose that would help us overcome the tension or worry we may have. Also, I learned that seeking assistance can be vital for us, and that working towards my goals gradually will enable me to maintain my strength, attention, and contentment to the field. 

Nevertheless, I found both of these seminars to be exceptionally helpful, and I intend to apply everything I have learned in order to succeed as a teacher and be pleased that I made this career choice. The information provided me inspiration and a clear grasp of the proactive measures I can take and the crucial instruments I can implement in my classroom to help me manage with either my own challenges or the challenges my students are encountering, which I feel is incredibly significant. Being a teacher has its obstacles, and we must develop the resilience to rise above them. I think holding workshops of this kind may provide both new and seasoned teachers with tools and resources they can utilize to feel at ease. 

The in depth discussions, open-ended questions, and insightful strategies mentioned were exactly what we needed, and after these seminars, I feel more prepared, organized, and equipped for the profession.

Courtesy of Ninip@NUO-491

Ten Ways to Make Your Teaching More Effective and Rewarding

Teacher Conference Reflection

The standard that I chose to reflect on for this assignment in regards to the teacher conference is Commitment to Students and Student Learning: Members are dedicated in their care and commitment to students. They treat students equitably and with respect and are sensitive to factors that influence individual student learning. Members facilitate the development of students as contributing citizens of Canadian society.

The first workshop that connects with this standard and that really stood out to me was with Tony Ceelen called ‘Ten ways to make your teaching more effective and rewarding’. This workshop goes in depth on various strategies to help educators create a safe and supportive environment for their students. The strategies that were discussed allows educators to build a healthy dynamic with students and their parents. Some meaningful strategies that were mentioned in the presentation was having students write in a daily journal where they can write something about themselves that they would want their educator to know about. This gives educators the opportunity to get to know their students on a personal level because they feel that it is a safe outlet to express any thoughts, interest, or challenges they may be going through. To add, the educator can write responses back to the students in order to continue to develop positive relationships with the students. Another strategy that was mentioned was calling all parents on the first day of school to start the school year off on a positive note, due to the fact that parents tend to receive calls only when the teacher wants to report bad news about their child. One statement that stuck with me during this workshop was ‘Communicate with parents because you want to and because you like to, so that when you have to it will be easy’. With this mindset, parents will most likely be more understanding and easier to communicate with because they will most likely have more respect for the teacher and there will be a sense of trust as well.                  

The second workshop that connects with this standard was with Carol-Doyle Jones called ‘Traversing Texts’. In this workshop, we discussed how to teach difficult and sensitive topics to students using various read-alouds, novels, and poems. The books that were provided were based on a variety of universal concepts, such as kindness, sense of belonging, injustice, residential schools, etc. The books that we explored as a whole group enables students to engage in higher level thinking when reading and analyzing different perspectives, and they also help them to see the situation from a point of view outside of their own. Even though these topics can be challenging to teach young learners, using age-appropriate texts can make it easier for students to initiate conversation, which in turn can help students feel safe and secure as well as will allow them to feel comfortable to ask questions that they may have when they arise.     

            Overall, these workshops have given me new learnings that I will definitely be implementing in my own classroom as a future educator. I truly believe that with these new learning experiences, I will be abiding by this standard to ensure that I am continuously creating a secure and safe environment for my students where they feel respected and heard when in the classroom.    

Resources:

https://www.edutopia.org/discussion/11-rewards-being-teacherLinks to an external site. 

https://resilienteducator.com/classroom-resources/teaching-social-justice/Links to an external site.  

Courtesy of MeganS@NUO-491

Ongoing Professional Learning at NUO Conference 2023

The 2023 Teacher Education Conference at Niagara University was both informative and engaging as a teacher candidate. I believe that the information that I gained from attending the conference will support me in becoming an effective teacher while also providing me with the opportunity to speak with fellow colleagues, and gain new perspectives and insights in regard to their practicum experiences. This reflection will address the OCT standards of Commitment to Students and Student Learning as well as Ongoing Professional Learning. The two workshops that I will be discussing are Tony Ceelen’s Ten Strategies to Create a Collaborative Classroom Culture, and Theresa Penney’s Preparing for Interviews and Applying. 

 At the start of the conference week, I attended Tony Ceelen’s presentation on Ten Strategies to Create a Collaborative Classroom Culture. This presentation was a great way to start off the conference in my opinion, as Mr. Ceelen provided the TC with fantastic advice accompanied by his real life experiences. One of the main focuses of the presentation was getting to know our students and building a relationship with the students in the classroom as well as their parents or guardians. Mr. Ceelen described how when he was a classroom teacher, he would call each parent on the phone the first day of school and have a 2-3 minute conversation with the parent or guardian, introducing himself and letting the students parent or guardian know that he was happy to have their child in his class. He also told the TC that when he became a principal he would call one student’s parent or guardian a day and provide them with a “sunshine call” which helped him to build a positive relationship with the parents in the school community as he was proving to both his students and their families how much he cared. 

These stories really stuck out to me as a TC and inspired me to try and do something similar when I have a classroom of my own one day. Some other important components of Mr. Ceelen’s list included having a sense of humor, celebrating the talents and gifts that each student brings, having structure and organization in your classroom as well as remembering to see the best in each child. Mr. Ceelen ended the presentation by sharing how “When you see the best in each child and expect the best of them, seldom will they disappoint you!” This was a fantastic way to end the presentation and an even better way to begin the week of conferences. This presentation addresses the OCT standard of commitment to students and student learning as Mr. Ceelen demonstrated the various ways that he has supported and cared for the students that he has taught over the years and the ways that he has built relationships with those students and their families which was extremely inspiring. 

The last presentation that I attended at the conference was Theresa Penney’s Preparing for Interviews and Applying. This presentation reflects the OCT standard Ongoing Professional Learning. As TC we are now coming to the end of our time together at Niagara, as we will be graduating in a few short months. As we have learned throughout our time together, learning for teachers whether new or experienced, never ends. The presentation by Ms. Penney about preparation for the interview process was very informative and helpful as there were many great tips and advice provided by Ms. Penney as well as some examples of potential interview questions. The presentation discussed ways that TCs should represent themselves in an interview, a brief overview of questions as well as understanding that the interview process is not something to be fearful of – as we have come so far and we will soon be qualified to teach in Ontario. The importance of drawing on practicum experiences was also something that was mentioned, as these experiences  are critical components to mention during an interview. After speaking with other TCs, many found that this presentation was very helpful, as Ms. Penney was able to ease many of the worries that TCs had about the interview process and provide excellent advice and strategies to use before, during and after the interview process. 

Overall the 2023 Teacher Education Conference at Niagara University was wonderful and I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to attend conferences as they provided me with a great deal of information and knowledge that I plan to incorporate into my future teaching career. I wish I could have attended more of the available conferences as all of the topics that were being discussed sounded like they would really benefit TCs and our journeys in becoming successful educators.

Brought to you by AlexisP@NUO-491

NUO Conference was Top-Notch

The two workshops I have chosen to reflect on are Unpacking Resilience by Jennifer Johnson and Ten Strategies to Create a Collaborative Classroom Culture by Tony Ceelen.

The first workshop Unpacking Resilience, was close to my heart since I believe it's a critical piece to learn about Resilience to assist in nurturing our students and enable students and teachers to heal from stress, failure, challenges, and events; it is crucial to have the necessary tools and resources in the classroom. In addition, students who have acquired Resilience have a constructive outlook and a strong sense of agency due to their life experiences. As a teacher, I aim to strengthen my Resilience and assist my students in doing the same. After attending the Unpacking Resilience workshop, I realized how crucial it is to provide children with Social Emotional Learning (SEL) tools they can use for the rest of their lives, like Captains & Poets. I appreciated the workshop's lessons, especially the reminders to have an open mind and heart and to draw strength from within.

Furthermore, I learned that accepting one's reality is a prerequisite to Resilience and that understanding the importance of getting things as they are and seeking solutions to issues is essential. I want to be an instructor who encourages and facilitates students' expressions of thankfulness. The books and materials provided in training will help me promote a culture of Resilience in my classroom. My class is going to make a crest or shield representing perseverance. I will never forget to use my Resilience as a teacher to help my pupils find their inner captains and poets and to show them how to take calculated risks.  

Courtesy of Nish@NUO-491

NUO Teacher Education Conference - The Professional Learning Continues

The NUO Teachers' Conference was a great experience for the teacher candidates in attendance.  The workshops I attended were all informative and provided helpful information for teachers who are beginning their careers.  I can connect my learning to Standard 5. Ongoing Professional Learning:  Members recognize that a commitment to ongoing professional learning is integral to effective practice and to student learning. Professional practice and self-directed learning are informed by experience, research, collaboration and knowledge.  It is important that, as a teacher, I continue to learn and explore effective ways of teaching in order to help my students experience success. 

One of the workshops that I was really looking forward to attending was the Classroom Management:  Tips and Tools seminar by Tamara Stein.  This seminar discussed how to prevent classroom discipline issues and how to interrupt them when they happen.  Not only did Tamara speak of strategies to create a positive environment, such as proximity and positive reinforcement, she also discussed how student behaviours can signal that they are experiencing other issues, such as anxiety.  This underlines the importance of understanding your students to better understand their needs.  Classroom management is very important to me because I feel that this is one area that needs to be addressed before any meaningful learning can take place.  A positive classroom environment is paramount if students are to have the opportunity to experience rich learning.  It was helpful to see the presenter model some strategies during her presentation, helping me to understand what they look like in practice.  The presenter gave many useful tips and examples from her own experience which really made me think about how I would approach the different situations she spoke about.  

                                                                                   

The second workshop I attended was called Literature Circles/Centers in K- 6 Education: A Reflective Process.  It was an information session about what is involved in conducting literature circles in today's classroom.  It was presented by fellow teacher candidates who shared their experiences with literature circles in their practicums. 

                                                           

This particular workshop focussed on social justice.  This was interesting because I did a novel study with the book, Fatty Legs, in my current placement.  The format I used was as a whole class as opposed to small groups.  The format of literature circles presented in the seminar is something I would like to implement with my students.  I found it interesting that the presenters told about their experiences using literature circles in grade 1 and 2 classrooms. I would have never thought to use literature circles with such a young age group.  I like that the different types of activities used catered to the different needs and interests of the students in the class.  I was able to take away ideas and a list of resources to use with students when implementing literature circles.                 

The conference week at Niagara University in Ontario was a great experience for myself and, in speaking with other teacher candidates, it was very well received.  The speakers touched on important topics that I feel will be very important to have knowledge of as a future teacher.  I was pleasantly surprised at the variety of seminar topics and the different engaging formats they were delivered in.  I was disappointed that I couldn't attend more of the seminars!  After these seminars, I can honestly say that touching upon the different topics has motivated me to learn more about them through my own research.  I have made a list of the different resources highlighted in the seminars which I intend to explore further. As a result of this experience, I am inspired to be the best teacher I can be and, perhaps, be the inspiration and motivation for other educators one day.  

Useful Resources:

https://self-reg.ca/educators/

https://www.teachthought.com/literacy/what-are-literature-circles/

https://noveleffect.com/learning-resources/

Brought to you by Roberta@NUO-491

Niagara Conference - A Valuable Experience

The Niagara University Teacher Conference was a fun and enlightening experience. I was particularly fascinated by two sessions I attended on parent-teacher relations and the importance of fostering a positive and productive partnership between educators and parents. These sessions were with Pat Tari and Luke Palozzi. Both speakers emphasized the importance of establishing effective communication channels and regularly updating students' progress, concerns, and challenges. This was particularly useful as maintaining a strong rapport with parents is critical to supporting student success.

Among the many valuable takeaways from the conference was the workshop with Dr. Carol Doyle-Jones, who showed how to integrate directed painting activities into classroom instruction. Initially, I had reservations about the practicality of such an activity in a non-art class. However, the workshop facilitator demonstrated how directed painting could reinforce critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity. In addition, I learned how this type of activity engages students and enhances their motor skills, visual-spatial awareness, and emotional expression.

One of the conference's highlights was networking and sharing ideas with other educators. I connected with colleagues from different cohorts and backgrounds and gained insights into their teaching methodologies, resources, and challenges. The informative breakout sessions provided a platform for in-depth discussions on classroom management and student motivation. One of the most important aspects of the conference was the sense of community and shared purpose that was evident among the participants. It was clear that everyone present was passionate about education and dedicated to helping students succeed. This atmosphere of collaboration and support was inspiring, and it reinforced my belief that teaching is not just a job, but a calling. As educators, we have the power to shape the future by guiding and inspiring the next generation. By attending conferences like this one, we can continue to learn and grow, and in turn, positively impact the lives of our students. I am grateful for the opportunity to have attended this conference and look forward to applying what I have learned in my classroom.

Overall, attending the teacher conference was a valuable experience that equipped me with new skills, perspectives, and resources. The insights gained from the parent-teacher relations and directed painting workshops will undoubtedly enrich my teaching and enhance my students' learning outcomes. Additionally, the networking opportunities were invaluable, and I look forward to attending future conferences to continue growing as an educator.

Courtesy of CarlaCA@NUO-491

Commitment to Students & Student Learning

Last week myself and other Niagara University students had the opportunity to engage in many different informational hands-on seminars. The standard that I will be relating this experience to is Standard 1: Commitment to Students and Student Learning: Members are dedicated in their care and commitment to students. They treat students equitably and with respect and are sensitive to factors that influence individual student learning. Members facilitate the development of students as contributing citizens of Canadian society. 

The first workshop that stood out to me was one led by registered social worker Gail Lalonde which was about mental health and school mental health programs. I really enjoyed this session as it outlined the programs and resources that are in place for students when it comes to mental health. Gail Ladlonde provided an excellent presentation and touched on the fact that most mental health conditions are not visible. Gail also explained that people with mental health challenges should not be treated differently as their mental health challenges do not define them. Through the presentation, I also learned that the ministry of health works in conjunction with the ministry of education. Along with that we were taught that every school board has their own mental health leader in their school which I was not aware of before this presentation. The learning was meaningful as Gail spoke about her own experiences in the field and related her own personal opinions on mental health with the information that she shared. Overall the session was very informative and meaningful. In my future placement I would apply what I learned about all the services available within the school. I now know that there are mental health professionals within the board that I can refer to for resources for my own students. 

The other seminar that I observed was the workshop led by Pat Tari on parent teacher relationships. In this presentation we learned a few tips about what to say during interviews especially when talking about parent relationships and scenarios. We also learned from Pat the importance of building strong relationships especially early on in the school year. We learned that it is also important to keep notes about everything you chat with parents about especially if theirs conflict. Community building is key and remembering that it's not yo'ur school but the community's school. We also learned about the importance of making sunshine calls and calling parents to talk about their child's good behavior not only their bad behavior. All of these tools that Pat taught us are ones that I will for sure take into my professional practice. 

Overall, the seminars that we attended were very informative and taught me many tools that I will be taking with me into my professional practice. 

Courtesy of Daniella@NUO-491

Parent Teacher Interviews and Trauma Informed Practice

Last week at Niagara University was extremely insightful and eye opening as I had the privilege of attending six teacher education conferences from well experienced and knowledgeable educators. These conferences were greatly informative and have helped me to grow as a primary/junior teacher candidate through receiving a vast majority of advice, support and useful resources. Listening to these experienced mentors has helped me feel calmer and confident about what will come my way in my first few years of teaching. These mentors have provided me with guidance, skills and knowledge that will be helpful for when I have my own classroom. All of the teacher education conference seminars that I attended connected to the OCT standard of: Ongoing Professional Learning.

One of the conferences that I really resonated with was Luke Palozzis seminar on Parent-teacher interviews. This is a topic that I feel I didn't gain much knowledge on throughout my two years in teachers' college. Parent-teacher interviews were always something I have felt nervous about, because you never truly know what it will be like until you experience it first-hand. There is no training provided for interviews, however, Palozzi provided us with tips, possible scenarios and do's and don'ts that were really insightful and useful as future teachers. Palozzi's seminar gave us tips on how to stay professional at all times, how to not fall behind and how to overcome specific struggles that could arise.

One thing that really resonated with me that Palozzi stated was "Parent teacher interviews are an opportunity to celebrate the child's success." This means that you should never go into an interview bashing the student, but rather this is a time where you show the parents the students progress. Another thing I took from this seminar was when Palozzi said that the sandwich method of saying something positive about the student, following with a negative comment and then ending with another positive, isn't a good method to use during interviews. Parent teacher interviews should never be the place where the students' challenges, whether it be behavior or learning, are first discussed. Palozzi emphasized the importance of discussing challenges right when they happen instead of waiting to bring it up at parent-teacher interviews.

Having a good relationship with parents is crucial, because when you do make a mistake whether it be a small mistake or a big mistake, there is a good enough relationship with the parents that it won't matter and there is no judgment. You never want to create a relationship with parents where they try to use every opportunity to call you out and get you in trouble. When conflicts or concerns arise, a good relationship with parents can make it easier to address the issue in a positive and constructive manner. When parents and teachers are working together and have a mutual respect for each other, they can work towards a solution that is in the best interest of the student. When teachers and parents have a positive and collaborative relationship, it can significantly contribute to the success of the student.

Furthermore, another thing I learnt in this seminar was that your body language from the moment the interview begins is extremely important during parent-teacher interviews as it sets the mood of how the interview is going to go. Palozzi gave us tips such as meeting the parent at the door, shaking their hand, pulling out their chair for them, and just being overly friendly and courteous. Parents can be nervous for interviews just as we are, and awkward silence is okay because it creates beautiful moments that might not have happened if we continued to fill the silence with meaningless conversation. It is essential to stay on track, not veer away from the student and keep the conversation professional at all times. Palozzi provided us with scenarios, in which some were shocking because I would have never expected possible scenarios to happen during a parent-teacher interview. Palozzi gave us tips on how to diffuse situations so they don't escalate, but he also said that when we are uncomfortable in a situation it is okay to walk out and go get help. After taking his seminar, I feel more prepared for when I have to experience my first parent-teacher interviews.

The second conference that I will reflect on is Jackie Eldridge's seminar on The importance of trauma informed practice. This workshop was extremely engaging and interactive as she had us participate in multiple discussions and activities throughout the seminar. It was useful and interesting listening to scenarios that some of my classmates had experienced in their placements and how they dealt with these situations. One thing I found super helpful was the goals of misbehavior, which included student's goals of attention, power, revenge and inadequacy. Then, we learnt about what that child needs in order to fulfill those goals, their behaviors that help us realize what their goals are and how we as teachers can positively respond to these goals.

Eldridge emphasized the importance of making all students feel included, safe, loved, smart and courageous enough to take risks. She taught me that by providing a safe and supportive learning environment, I can help students feel more secure and better able to learn. Another thing this seminar taught me was the importance of creating an equitable learning environment

that meets the needs of all students, regardless of their background or experiences. By recognizing the impact of trauma on students' learning, teachers can work to reduce disparities and promote greater equity in the classroom. This seminar has helped me gain a better understanding of the impact of trauma on students' academic, social and emotional development. By learning about the prevalence and impact of trauma, I can develop a more empathetic and supportive approach to teaching.

Overall, it was an amazing week at Niagara University attending the six conferences. It was informative and insightful and I left it feeling more confident and prepared for when I start teaching and am in my own classroom. All of the seminars that I attended connected to the OCT standard of Ongoing Professional Learning.

Resources

https://educationlibrary.org/maslows-hierarchy-of-needs-in-education/ https://heartsandmindsmatter.com/ 

IsabellaF@NUO-491