professional development
I attended the Intersections Conference held at the University of Victoria on October 21-22nd and I found it both inspiring and informative. The two workshops that I sat in on were great examples of how art educators can work in their communities to bring art work to life. It was very encouraging to see the different ways both teachers and community members want to interact more and I am very excited to begin building those relationships for myself. I would like to especially mention the Vancouver Biennale for providing such an interesting and accessible programs for art teachers. My eyes were really opened to the possibilities for community connections in art that I had not seen before.
I also found Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas’ key note very engaging and valuable. I felt very fortunate to sit in on both his and the Shols Tte Wilinew panel, as they gave further insight to the kind of role I will be playing as a future teacher and the kind of responsibilities I have in regards to integrating the First Peoples Principles of Knowing. As teachers, the social and political landscape we live in inevitably shapes the way we teach and I believe that although we exist in a world that is problematic and complex - it is also a time of huge opportunity to make a significant impact on the way students learn and interact with each other.
