For the professional development day on Friday, I attended the Classrooms to Communities conference. There was a group of us that got together in person to participate in the events which, I think, was a great way to attend this virtual conference. We were able to discuss our thoughts in person which is something we are all lacking this year because of the pandemic. I believe one of the most valuable things I learned from that day had nothing to do with the actual conference and everything to do with the importance of having a great support system around you as you go through the ups and downs of life.
I absolutely loved everything this conference focused on. The connections that were drawn to communities from all across the province were so neat to see, and the programs already in place that foster an even deeper connection in our students were great resources to draw on. My background being primarily focused on marine biology, I was excited to participate in the Ocean Literacy session. This session focused on how to get students to understand their connection to the ocean, whether they live on the coast or inland. I made a big connection to this idea because it was pretty much the exact idea of my inquiry project from last year. I loved seeing what programs are already in place that encourage students to recognize their place in the ocean cycles. It is something we, as people living on the planet, relying on the ocean to sustain life, need to be more aware of. The presenter for this session, Dr. David Zandvliet, is collaborating with the Canadian Ocean Literacy Coalition whose aim is to raise awareness of the importance of sustaining Canadian coastline (https://colcoalition.ca/).
Another session I listened to was Developing Salmon-Based Educational Programs in the Shuswap. This was another great session focused on sustaining ocean life. Actions have already been taken to try to bring back diminishing salmon populations. The people at the Adams River Salmon Society have assessed what is being done and have come up with new ideas for what to do better or more. Things like encouraging and facilitating education and conservation (https://www.salmonsociety.com/).
The conference as a whole got me to self-assess my impact on the community around me. I began to think more deeply about how I can bring more of my community into my future classroom.