Creating a Caring Community in a Primary Classroom
This workshop presents a framework for creating a classroom community which honours and supports all students by:
1. creating common understandings through norms and a classroom agreement,
2. introducing social justice, beginning with the significance of names, and
3. exploring equity through an examination of outside recess.
The first part of this workshop provides a basic explanation of the science and importance of felt safety, regulation and connection. It also presents the best practices of an inclusive classroom. The second part of this workshop looks at the actual lessons including a run-through of creating classroom norms and classroom agreements and an introduction to mindfulness.
Participants will receive access to four free downloadable lesson plans and supporting materials written by the facilitators, based on best practice, and designed for the BC curriculum.
Target Audience
1-3
Sessions
Presenters
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Practical Possibilities Educational Consulting
Julie Principe
Julie Principe has 36 years of experience in 4 British Columbia school districts as a Classroom Teacher, ELL Teacher, and Learning Support Teacher. She recently retired from Richmond as a District Resource Teacher on the Inclusion Support Team, providing in-service for LST, RT, Classroom Teachers and Support Staff. Julie presents with Jan at Provincial Conferences in BC and Alberta and coordinated a three-year BCTF Teacher Inquiry on self-regulation for LST and Classroom Teachers. Julie believes that developing an understanding of our social-emotional selves is fundamental to inclusion, and that inclusion helps grow equitable communities. She is a co-founder of Practical Possibilities Educational Consulting as well as supporting children, youth and families as an ADHD Coach. Currently, Julie and Jan are writing “reConnect, reCharge and Regulate: A Classroom Unit for Building an Inclusive Community” (Grades 1-2).
Practical Possibilities Educational Consulting was created by Jan and Julie to provide workshops and in-service to Districts, schools, and educators committed to supporting all students.
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Jan Palmer
Jan spent twenty years excitedly learning and working in the Special Education field as a Classroom Teacher, Resource Teacher, Consultant and Behaviour Analyst throughout British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Alberta, retiring from the BC Provincial Outreach Program for Autism and Related Disorders (POPARD) in 2020. Using the principles of Universal Design and Applied Behaviour Analysis combined with trauma-informed practices and compassion, she has helped to create positive, supportive classroom environments for students with learning challenges including ASD, ADHD, mental health issues and trauma . Jan has been speaking at conferences and workshops for more than a decade, sharing strategies on self-regulation and positive behaviour support. Jan passionately believes that all students deserve a good education. Practical Possibilities Educational Consulting was created by Jan and Julie to provide workshops and inservice to Districts, schools and educators committed to supporting all students.