The Podclass

Elizabeth and Jamie speak with Nancy Luyckfassel, Professional Development Coordinator at the Alberta Teachers Association, about teacher well-being. They look at the ways that systems and institutions can support teachers, through avenues like professional development, issues advocacy, and more.

Additional Resources:

• The 2021 Workplace Friendship & Happiness Survey: Wildgoose USA. We Are Wildgoose. (2021, July 19). Retrieved April 4, 2023, from https://wearewildgoose.com/usa/news/workplace-friendship-and-happiness-survey/
• Alberta Teachers Association Library
• CliftonStrengths (StrengthsFinder Assessment)
• VIA Character Strengths
• Aguilar, E., & Cohen, L. (2022). The Pd Book: 7 Habits That Transform Professional Development. Jossey-Bass.
• Alberta Teachers Association Specialist Councils
• Alberta Teachers Association Locals
• Alberta Teachers Association Educational Trust webpage (includes information on grants, awards, and scholarships including ATA Specialist Council Conference Grants, Dr. BT Keeler Continuing Education Bursaries, and other educational bursaries and grants)
• John Mazurek Memorial - Morgex Insurance Scholarship webpage
• Nadine M Thomas Graduate Research Bursary webpage
• Alberta Teachers Association Doctoral Fellowships in Education webpage

Jamie speaks with Tom Wong, a learning leader for the Unique Pathways program with the Calgary Board of Education, about the best ways to support students in acute crises. They dive into ways that relationships with students, parents, and other teachers are integral to creating environments where students are supported.

Elizabeth speaks with Natalie Costa from Alberta Health Services and Sarah Balla from Elk Island Catholic Schools about taking a weight-neutral approach to physical education classes. They cover a host of topics from fitness testing to nutrition, school sports to swim classes, and more.

Additional Resources:

• Canada's Food Guide
• Mills, A., & Osborn, B. (2013). Shapesville. Gurze Books. (publisher link)
• Geisel, T. S. (2011). The Sneetches and other stories by Dr. Seuss. Random House. (publisher link)
• Howe, J., & Cecil, R. (2013). Brontorina. Candlewick Press. (publisher link)

Elizabeth talks with Dr. Michelle Kilborn, assistant professor of teaching from the University of Calgary, about ways to build lesson plans where well-being is embedded. They discuss ideas that contribute positively to students' and collective classroom well-being, including active, dynamic and creative learning activities.

Additional Resources:

• Dweck, C. (2006). Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. Random House.
• Greene, M. (1971). Curriculum and consciousness. In D. Flinders & S. Thornton (Eds.) The curriculum studies reader (2004, pp. 135–148). New York, NY: Falmer.
• Greene, M. (1978). Landscapes of Learning. New York, NY: Teachers College Press
• Greene, M. (1984). How do we think about our craft? Teachers College Record, 86(1), 55–67.
• Hart, M. A. (1999). Seeking mino-pimatasiwin (the good life): An Aboriginal approach to social work practice. Native Social Work Journal, 2(1), 91–112.
• Hart, M. A. (2008). Critical reflections on an aboriginal approach to helping. In M. Gray, J. Coates, & M. Yellow Bird (Eds.), Indigenous social work around the world: Towards cultur­ally relevant education and practice (pp. 59–70). Burlington, VT: Ashgate.
• Kabat-Zinn, J. (1990). Full catastrophe living. New York, NY: Random House.
• Kabat-Zinn, J. (1994). Wherever you go, there you are. New York, NY: Hyperion.
• Kilborn, M. (2016). A Curriculum of Wellness: Reconceptualizing Physical Education. New York: Peter Lang 
• Kilborn, M. & Hertlein, K. (2018). A wellness approach to physical education. In J. Barrett & C. Scaini (Eds), Quality Health and Physical Education: Pedagogical Practices and Considerations for Canadian Elementary School Teachers. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
• Pinar, W., & Grumet, M. (1976). Toward a poor curriculum. Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt.
• Pinar, W. (2004). What is curriculum theory? Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
• Welwood, J. (1992). Ordinary magic: Everyday life as a spiritual path. Boston, MA: Shambhala.

Jamie is joined by Daley Laing from the ARC Foundation to discuss ways to make classrooms equitable for all genders. They dive into the SOGI 123 framework, as well as look at concrete strategies for creating inclusive class environments.

Additional resources:

• The ARC Foundation
• SOGI 123 Website
• SOGI-inclusive Book List
• Schrefer, E. (2022). Queer Ducks (and Other Animals): The Natural World of Animal Sexuality. Harper Collins Publishers.
• Skipping Stone
• ATA Safe Space poster
• Gender Inclusive Biology

Elizabeth is joined by Adam Pratt, an elementary school teacher and health and wellness consultant with Ever Active Schools, to discuss the new Alberta physical education and wellness curriculum. They discuss ideas and methods for implementing any curriculum, and ideas for cross-curricular connections in physical education and other classes.

Additional resources:

• Alberta Physical Education and Wellness curriculum
• Ever Active Schools (EAS) Youtube
• Alberta Health Services (AHS) Teaching Sexual Health resources
• Canada's Food Guide 
• P.E. Pratt Youtube
• PhysEdGames Youtube
• HPEC
• GEOEC
• Cooperative Games from The Physical Educator
• ATA Library: Outdoor Classroom Design resources

Jamie chats with GEOEC president and junior high teacher Court Rustemeyer about the long-lasting impacts of outdoor education, and how getting outside doesn't just benefit students, but teachers as well! Starting small at the beginning of the school year can set the stage for a successful year in nature.

Resources:

• Global Environmental and Outdoor Education Council (GEOEC)
• Outdoor Learning Quickdraw
• Charades Relay
• GEOEC Five Minute Field Trips (Volume 1, Volume 2)
• Inside Education Outdoor Explorers

Jamie talks with Lauren Alston, PhD candidate and former provincial GSA coordinator, about Gay-Straight Alliances (GSA's) and how they benefit school communities as a whole, contribute to student leadership skills, and how teachers can support GSA's in their own school communities.

Resources:

• altView Foundation
• Fyrefly in Schools Program
• Alberta GSA Network
• Alberta GSA Network Facebook Page
• Alberta Education Act
• Fetner, T., & Elafros, A. (2015). The GSA difference: LGBTQ and ally experiences in high schools with and without gay-straight alliances. Social Sciences, 4(3), 563–581. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci4030563
• Li, G., Wu, A. D., Marshall, S. K., Watson, R. J., Adjei, J. K., Park, M., & Saewyc, E. M.
• (2019). Investigating site-level longitudinal effects of population health interventions: Gay- Straight Alliances and school safety. 7(December 2018). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmph.2019.100350
• Marx, R. A., & Kettrey, H. H. (2016). Gay-straight alliances are associated with lower levels of school-based victimization of LGBTQ+ youth: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 45(7), 1269–1282. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-016- 0501-7
• Poteat, V. P., Godfrey, E. B., Brion-Meisels, G., & Calzo, J. P. (2020). Development of youth advocacy and sociopolitical efficacy as dimensions of critical consciousness within gender- sexuality alliances. Developmental Psychology, 56(6), 1207–1219. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0000927
• Poteat, V. P., Rivers, I., & Vecho, O. (2020). Membership experiences in gender-sexuality alliances (gsas) predict increased hope and attenuate the effects of victimization. Journal of School Psychology, 79, 16–30. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsp.2020.02.001
• St. John, A., Travers, R., Munro, L., Liboro, R., Schneider, M., & Greig, C. L. (2014). The success of gay-straight alliances in Waterloo region, Ontario: A confluence of political and social factors. Journal of LGBT Youth, 11(2), 150–170.
• https://doi.org/10.1080/19361653.2014.878564
• Toomey, R. B., Ryan, C., Diaz, R. M., & Russell, S. T. (2011). High school gay-straight
• alliances (gsas) and young adult well-being: An examination of gsa presence, participation, and perceived effectiveness. Applied Developmental Science, 15(4), 175–185. https://doi.org/10.1080/10888691.2011.607378
• Email Lauren Alston

Jamie guides us through conversations about how well-being can be brought to life, set against the backdrop of Shaping the Future - an annual conference that focuses on wellness in school and community settings. Hear from a number of Ever Active Schools team members, teachers, health promoters, and students about well-being and the different ways it can look to each person.

Additional Resources:

• Shaping the Future
• Storey, K.E., Montemurro, G., Flynn, J., Schwartz, M., Wright, E., Osler, J., Veugelers, P.J., Roberts, E. (2016). Essential conditions for the implementation of comprehensive school health to achieve changes in school culture and improvements in health behaviours of students. BMC Public Health 16(1):1133. doi: 10.1186/s12889-016-3787-1.

Note: This episode is the second part of Jamie's conversation with Dr. Karlee Fellner. We strongly recommend listening to part 1 of this conversation first as some of the ideas discussed are linked to the earlier conversation (listen to part 1 here).

Jamie continues his conversation with Dr. Karlee Fellner about the intersections of culture, spirituality and well-being. They discuss the idea that everyone has the medicine they need to live a good life, and the role that the arts play in wellness for both children and adults.

Additional Resources:

• maskihkiy wellness
• Fellner, K. D. (2016). Returning to our medicines : decolonizing and indigenizing mental health services to better serve Indigenous communities in urban spaces (T). University of British Columbia. Retrieved from https://open.library.ubc.ca/collections/ubctheses/24/items/1.0228859
• Fellner, K. D. (2019). Iskotew & crow: Reigniting narratives of Indigenous survivance & trauma wisdom in the classroom. In S. Carr-Stewart & J. Ottmann (Eds.), Knowing the Past, Facing the Future: Indigenous education in Canada (pp. 143-170). Vancouver, BC: UBC Press.
• Iskotew & crow: video of Dr. Karlee Fellner telling the story of Iskotew & crow and recommendations for classroom teachers
• St. Pierre, S. M. (2018). Impressions and Experiences of Blackfoot Artists Involved in a Community-Led Art Intervention for Student Wellness and Educational Engagement (Unpublished master's thesis). University of Calgary, Calgary, AB. doi:10.11575/PRISM/33137 
• Van Bavel, M. S. (2018). Art as Cultural Practice: Voices of Kainai Nation Educators on Students’ School Engagement and Wellness following a Community-led Art Workshop (Unpublished master's thesis). University of Calgary, Calgary, AB. doi:10.11575/PRISM/33141
• https://www.instagram.com/miyotehiskwew.art/
• https://linktr.ee/miyotehiskwew