Day 1 Concurrent Sessions

Utilizing the Vodou framework is all about relational learning, exchanging knowledge through multiple ways of expression what is learnt, through writing, dance, music and interacting with elders and ancestors. Haiti has the lowest literacy in the West and struggles with structural disadvantages. As a Haitian school psychologist, an education research professor and a Vodou priestess/manbo, I am particularly interested in the historical, ancestral, spiritual connection to cognitive development. I utilize Vodou as a psycho-social framework to create education programs in Haiti and the US. This presentation will address the impetus to develop the Lakou Zanfan Vodou Camp, how the youth engaged, interacted, and responded to the curriculum. The term Lakou in Vodou means a community that is intergenerational and knowledge is built through a relational understanding/learning. The Lakou Zanfan (Communal Spaces of the Youth) used an intergenerational collaboration to create the curriculum which include the youth that is dialogic and grounded in collaborative spaces learning including ceremonial space, learning space, community space, family space and agricultural/farming space.

Dr. Charlene Desir, professor at Nova Southeastern University received her doctorate from Harvard University. Her research focus is on the spiritual and psycho-social acculturation of children in the US and Haiti. She founded T.E.N., Global and was president of the Haitian Studies Association. Presently she is the co-vice president of Kosanba, an academic association on Haitian Vodou. Dr. Desir has worked as a healer, spiritual advisor, school psychologist, school administrator and professor.

cdesir@nova.edu

This workshop invites participants to experience music as a relational learning opportunity to develop personal and professional skills.

Fernando Esteban Cervantes Baraldi MBA, born and raised in Mexico City. Professional Musician known as Feres El Tigre. Involved in multiple musical bands such as Noveno Piso and El Dorado. Founder of the arts forum El Depa de Coyo. Music teacher specialized in music production for kids. Producer and Marketing Director of Ñoñovisión YouTube channel. Host of the running shows Casi Interesante and Las Notas de Baraldi. Fercerbar@gmail.com

Tamara Richter London has always been interested in the different settings where learning takes place, either formal or informal. The search for different learning environments took her to explore educational settings in 6 different countries where she got a BA in Educational Science, an MA in Lifelong Learning: Policy and Management and she is currently finishing a Phd in Education, researching Relational School Management. tamrichlon@gmail.com

As a university professor I took a journey from my modern educators as role models to becoming collaborative and feeling comfortable generating a space for dialog that students had few opportunities to experience and provoking transformative knowledge co-creation. I believe students are already postmodern, collaborative and relational in many ways, we just have to discover it and enhance it.

Rene has a degree in psychology from Merida's Marist University and a master's degree in psychotherapy from Kanankil Institute, and has been a professor for over 15 years in different private Universities, teaching courses on psychology, humanities and English language. He describes himself as a collaborative teacher, influenced by social constructionist ideas where the relationship with students is key, and loves to co-construct possibilities for reflection, discussion and critical thinking. psicrenebuenfil@gmail.com

In this session we will explore the opportunities created by the COVID 19 pandemic to re-imagine what it means to create community in online spaces in ways we may not have imagined pre-pandemic. The presenter will share ideas that one School of Nursing embraced to maintain community and connection for students, faculty and alumni. Participants in this session will experiment with some of the online tools that facilitated our ability to remain connected while apart.

Dr. Sandra Davidson is Dean of the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Calgary. Her research/scholarship focuses on innovative and relational learning and relational leadership practices to foster inclusivity and organizational flourishing. As an educational leader and nurse, her passion is facilitating the development of nurses and healthcare providers to engage in relational healthcare practices and healthcare transformation. sjdavids@gmail.com

Flipping problems to possibilities and engaging in the practices of Appreciative Leadership (Whitney, Trosten-Bloom & Kae, 2010) is crucial to leadership learning. Stories from early childhood professionals and themes discovered by a team of co-researchers will precede a dialogue around appreciative leadership in the rapidly developing field of early childhood. Faculty and students will share how life-giving and essential this kind of partnership in learning and relational dialogue is to our own practice and leadership journeys.

Lori Ryan is Clinical Associate Professor and Co-director of the Buell Early Childhood Leadership Program at the University of Colorado Denver School of Education and Human Development. Lori 's teaching, coaching and action research is collaborative as it works to center student and community voice through dialogic processes, inclusive practices and shared learning. Lori.Ryan@ucdenver.edu

Wendy Allen is the community-based Co-Director of the Buell Early Childhood Leadership Program at Clayton Early Learning in partnership with University of Colorado Denver’s School of Education and Human Development. Wendy has been engaged with the project since 2006 through a variety of leadership roles. Through both her teaching and parenting experiences, she embraces asset-based community engaged leadership practices and relational experiences of learning with her students and colleagues. wallen@claytonearlylearning.org

Susana Ramirez is the Quality Assurance Manager for Adams County Head Start. Susana has worked in the non-profit sector her entire career, fulfilling several roles, all supporting families with young children living in poverty. Susana has experience in program development, organizational systems, and strategic planning. She has served in leadership positions for forty years. As a leader, she values fostering a sense of community. sramirez@adcogov.org

Vani Tangella is the Racial Equity Specialist at the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment. Vani has experience in the areas of collaborative practice as a national and state-level consultant supporting communities with strategic initiatives focused on equity and inclusion in public health, early childhood, child protection, and court systems. Vani is a collaborative leader who readily understands complex systems, translates across sectors, and seeks to advance race equity. vani.tangella@state.co.us

The culture of most schools is "quit playing and get to work." People are expected to conform, act "normal," and not be "emotional" - or they will get into trouble. Based on my experience as a psychologist, school founder, teacher, consultant and performance activist, I will give you examples and tools to transform schools and classrooms into spaces where people dare to take risks, break out of their roles, and do new things together.

Esben Wilstrup (Copenhagen, Denmark) is a Danish school psychologist turned school builder and performance activist. During 2015-2020, he co-founded and co-led www.Efterskolen-Epos.dk - a boarding school where students ages 15-18 study towards their final national exams through play, co-creation and exploration. He now works to promote the power of play, community and development as a freelance consultant, educator and performance activist with the East Side Institute. esbenwi@gmail.com

In this session participants will have the opportunity to learn how Artsbridge works to help teens develop relational resilience, learn constructive communication skills and creative thinking through the arts and transformational dialogue in a three-week intensive summer program.

Deb Nathan is a licensed art therapist and psychotherapist. She has a private practice in Salem, MA, is the founder and director of Artsbridge, Inc, and is adjunct faculty in the Counseling and Expressive Therapies Graduate Program at Lesley University. Deb holds a Master’s Degree in Expressive Therapies from Lesley University and is currently a doctoral candidate at the University of Twente. debnathan@mac.com

In this showcase, we introduce current Japanese educational practices and discuss their significance and challenges. The topics we cover range from early childhood education, special needs education for children requiring daily medical care, and correspondence high school education. All of them, however, focus on practices that connect support for the individual and learning in the group.

Tomoko Hashimoto-Higashimura is an Associate Professor at Kyoto University of Education and trains teachers in Early Childhood Education and Care. She has conducted field studies in several different settings such as a preschool for children with special needs, a support school for senior high school dropouts, nursery schools and kindergartens. She is a Taos institute associate. higa@kyokyo-u.ac.jp

Terumi Sameshima is assistant professor of Faculty of Health Science, Department of Nursing at Kyoto Koka Women’s University in Japan. Her specialty is thought of “diverse society” based on the standpoint of Medical, Nursing and Social Science. Her majors are Group Dynamics and Nursing Science and she is specifically interested in the relationship of practice and theory. sameteru@gmail.com

Tokujiro Ninomiya has been a social studies teacher at public high schools for 37 years. He is interested in dialogue-based teaching and has been involved in philosophical dialogue and collaborative learning called “Manabi-ai.” He is also the organizer of Hacking Academy, which is a learning space on the internet based on social constructionism idea. tnino38@gmail.com

Matsuka Koga is a professor of early childhood education at Kyoto University of Education. Her research focuses on the professionalism of childcare providers, with a particular interest in the physical and situational aspects of expertise. She has also provided many on-the-job training programs for childcare providers. koga@kyokyo-u.ac.jp

In this session I will share my experience as an experiential classroom educator. We will talk about the power of experiential learning as a relational tool for students, the elements and process of experiential learning and how it can be used in a classroom learning environment, why it is a powerful way to build the relational capacity of students, how experiential learning promotes education as relating, and practical ways to begin experiential learning in your classroom today.

Sara Segar has been in experiential education for 14 years. She started her career at an experiential high school in Minnesota where she stayed for 10 years. Sara was recognized as alternative educator of the year in 2013 by the Minnesota Association of Alternative Programs (MAAP). In 2016 she left the classroom to be home with her two young kids. Around the same time she launched Experiential Learning Depot, a company started to inspire and guide educators through experiential learning. experientiallearningdepot@gmail.com

In this workshop, Steven will lead participants through an examination of the history of mental health treatment and the use of poetry as a therapeutic modality. Steven will invite participants to consider the legacy of mental health treatment and to critically examine the ways in which poetry can dismantle that legacy. Participants will familiarize themselves with creative writing techniques as a means of empowering individuals and subverting historic mental health narratives.

Steven T. Licardi, LMSW is an Autistic social worker, spoken word poet, actor, and performance activist working at the intersections of art and social policy. He (usually) travels internationally using the power of spoken word to create empathic dialogue around, to confront the realities of, and to assist communities in dismantling the stigma surrounding mental health and mental illness. More of his work can be found here: www.thesvenbo.com. licardist@gmail.com

In this session the nniMethodology of systemic dialogue will be introduced as a tool to facilitate:

- diversity of feeling, thought and expression on subject matter

- greater emotional intelligence

- the cultivation of a systems lens to topics and subjects for all students

- the inclusion of marginalised voices on any topic of study

- a step towards decolonizing curricula when budgets and time constraints are real

Jonelle Naudé heads the international nniDialogue Institute, a global NGO that designs and facilitates systemic transformation processes and spreads transformational dialogue on community, national and global level. Jonelle holds academic master's degrees in Psychology and in Comparative Politics (Political Economy). She is a senior member of faculty of the Coaches Training Institute, enjoys working with complexity and empowering the first waves of change towards ever greater system awareness. jonelle@nnidialogueinstitute.com

This presentation explores the "Breaking the Silence" project, a collaborative research endeavour co-delivered by States of Mind social enterprise, The Institute of Education and student leaders. It will explore the impact of school on young people’s mental health, well-being and identity as well as the current state of the education system and whether it fulfils students' needs. They also look at collaborative change and how we can improve upon a flawed system.

Christevie, Reegan and Tumi are student leaders/volunteers from States of Mind an organisation advocating for new ways of thinking about Mental Health. The three students participated in the “Breaking the Silence” project, a collaborative research endeavour co-delivered by States of Mind social enterprise, The Institute of Education and student leaders. It is a youth led research project exploring students’ views about mental health, identity and personal development in education.

Christevie Ngoma is a 19-year-old student, studying Philosophy, Politics and Economics at The University of Manchester. Since the age of 15 she has been avid volunteer passionate about youth crime, police relations and mental health. She has been presented to police officers, teachers, students, and councilors in her community to spread awareness on the concerns young people face in and outside of school. She hopes to enter Sustainable Finance and Politics in the future after studying. christevie_ngoma@yahoo.co.uk

Mary Tumi Ogundamisi is a first year undergraduate student studying psychology and linguistics at Oxford university. Social policy, educational reform and revitalising our mental health systems are all things which lay close to her heart and she hopes to conduct research in the future that can guide policy and make a change for the better. She love cats, Sherlock Holmes and travelling. Her current academic interests include cognition, cross cultural linguistics and neuroscience. mary.ogundamisi@st-hildas.ox.ac.uk

Reegan Mason is 19 years old and studying Psychology at university. She has been working with States of Mind for around 2 and a half years helping lead a student centered project in looking at how to better the UK education system, and has an interest in working with children in the future. reeganmason2002@gmail.com

Come learn about Positive Education, an innovative field combining the science of Positive Psychology with the science of learning to help make well-being visible in the classroom and school community. We all know that students perform better academically when they feel like the best version of themselves. Educators who focus on incorporating research based well-being practices in the classroom reap the benefits of an engaged, productive, and thriving classroom and school community. Come learn key Positive Education practices and principles to help students and educators thrive. Topics we will explore include: the PERMA model, injecting positive emotions into the classroom, focusing on character strengths, and cultivating high quality connections and positive relationships.

Sarah Rosenblum serves as The Director of College Counseling and Positive Psychology Teacher at Xavier Educational Academy in Houston, Texas. Sarah earned her master's in Applied Positive Psychology from The University of Pennsylvania and she is passionate about helping students and educators thrive and cultivate well-being. She teaches Positive Psychology courses to educators, parents, and students of all ages. She has also worked in college admissions at Rice University and Marymount Manhattan. sarah@xavieracademy.org

Engaging youth is often challenging. Photovoice, a participatory action research method, can be a way to engage students by creating shared understandings and possibilities of action. It empowers people who are typically silent, promotes critical thinking and social emotional skills, and allows for collaboratively designing solutions. Applied in the classroom, students serve as co-leaders and co-teachers. Come learn and experience a creative and collaborative method of learning!

Psychologist and applied researcher focused on community development, Paloma Torres-Davila has worked with projects in Puerto Rico and abroad. Bringing in narrative and arts-based practices and methodologies, she works in multidisciplinary teams and with participatory methods in communities, schools, and other therapeutic settings. Projects aim to reduce violence, nurture resilience and thriving, and generate actions that build more equitable environments. paloma.sofia@gmail.com

Rosa Corrada-Rivera, holds a doctoral degree in Social-Cultural Anthropology from the University of Texas at Austin (2012). Recently, her research focus has been in public health, education, public policy analysis, and implementation of participatory methodologies, such as PhotoVoice and Storytelling for program development and evaluation. At the moment, she serves as a consultant to community-based organizations and works as a Project Director at a university-based scientific team that works on applied research. rcorrada@albizu.edu

Gabriela Irizarry-Porrata is currently pursuing a doctorate degree in Psychology in Research and Academia. She is a coinvestigator at the Third Mission Institute specializing in participatory research methods. She has experience in research and education in psychology. gabriela.irizarry3@gmail.com

Community Conversations: Relating, Connecting and Belonging... Inspired by the integrative community therapy (ICT) movement in Brazil, we will showcase a way to invite the members of the school community to participate in an open and public gathering. The community conversation format provides participants the opportunity to exchange worries, learning and aspirations that develop collective wisdom and foster a sense of community and belonging.

Sylvia London, M.A. LMFT, Founding member Grupo Campos Eliseos in Mexico City. Faculty Houston Galveston Institute, ICCP Board member, Taos Institute Associate. sylvialondon@yahoo.com

Irma Rodríguez J. M.A. Therapist, Supervisor, Faculty, Consultant and Community Therapist. Faculty at Grupo Campos Elíseos (GCE) in Mexico City. Co-director of the ICCP at GCE. Founder and Director of Centro de Atención a la Comunidad (CAC) Palo Solo, Mexico. Faculty Houston Galveston Institute, Taos Institute Associate, Member of the Mexican Association and Council of Marriage and Family Therapy. National and International Speaker. necarodj@gmail.com

We will share our efforts in intergenerational, life-long, relational, and transdisciplinary learning focusing on "wising up" and designing our future in a world full of wicked challenges that emerge from modernity. We will share learning environments with an embodied sense of place in community and nature, as well as digital spaces, all designed in service of transforming civilization to be more equitable, sustainable, resilient, and hopeful future full of joyful and purposeful learning.

Peter is a transdisciplinary Professor at Case Western Reserve and University of Toronto and founder of Intergenerational Schools. He is an intergenerative designer and activist whose fields include cognitive/brain health, integrated health care, intergenerational learning, interprofessional practice, deep bioethics, organizational aesthetics, narrative epistemology, transmedia performance arts, and play. peter.whitehouse@case.edu

We will introduce and explore the Essex County Learning Community, an ongoing network of school districts on Boston's North Shore that helps educators better meet the diverse assets and learning needs of its students, especially those who have been marginalized because of race, ability, income, language, and/or gender. Our theory of change is that, for students’ needs to be met, educators must shift mindsets and therefore need opportunities to be vulnerable and curious, without retribution.

Jane Feinberg is Founding Director of the Essex County Learning Community, which is run by her company, Full Frame Communications, a Boston-area consulting practice that supports mission-driven organizations in developing their communications, engagement, and leadership capacities for driving meaningful social change. Feinberg has worked in both staff and consulting roles in the non-profit, education, and public sectors. She is committed to relational, human-centered approaches to learning. janesfeinberg@gmail.com

Dr. Emily Wilson is a public health practitioner, consultant, trainer, researcher, and certified health education specialist (CHES). She has worked at the intersection of trauma, resilience, health, and learning for over 10 years. As Project Manager to the Essex County Learning Community, her portfolio includes professional development, design, communications, operations/logistics, development, and strategic planning. Dr. Wilson completed her Ph.D. at Simmons University and conducted her dissertation on trauma-informed teaching and learning methods in Massachusetts. ewilson@fullframecommunications.com

This session presents a series of interconnected explorations initiated by Michael Frost, an autistic man, artist, and activist, who in 2017 reached out hoping to secure help with routine dental visits he found traumatizing due to sensory issues he experienced. An expanding collaboration, informed by “creativity, caring, and curiosity” led to an amazing array of co-created beneficial practices. Presenters share their experience of responsively working and learning together, which has helped to shape and heal us all.

Pamela Brett-MacLean, an associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Alberta, completed her PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies (Arts and Health) at the University of British Columbia in 2007. Dr. Brett-MacLean is currently director of the Arts & Humanities in Health & Medicine (AHHM) program in the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry which supports a wide range of educational offerings and opportunities for community engagement. She is also a Taos Institute associate. pbrett@ualberta.ca

Michael Frost is an artist, respite caregiver, gardener, community advocate, and autistic person. Since 2017, Michael has been an active collaborator in the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry at the University of Alberta as an Arts & Humanities in Health & Medicine (AHHM) affiliate, MD Program patient mentor, and invited speaker and collaborator on research. sculptedphoto@gmail.com

Patrick von Hauff is a professional designer who works in health professions education at the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Alberta. As a professional and educator, Patrick is committed to design as a crucial and universal means of participation in society. vonhauff@ualberta.ca

Minn N. Yoon, PhD is an Associate Professor in the School of Dentistry at the University of Alberta. Her research focuses on oral health, including importance of social accountability in dentistry, interprofessional perceptions regarding oral health care, and translation of evidence-based practice at the frontline of care provision, including through arts-based approaches. minn.yoon@ualberta.ca

Savita Rani is a Brown, cis-het woman and first-generation immigrant settler in Canada. She is a daughter, partner, cousin and friend, and she is also a resident physician in Public Health and Preventive Medicine at University of Saskatchewan. Savita is the current Vice-President of the Canadian Association for Health Humanities. She has a special interest in incorporating experiences from arts, humanities and the outdoors into medical education as tools for teaching, learning and reflection. srani@ualberta.ca

Carol Hodgson, MSc, PhD is the J. Alan Gilbert Chair in Medical Education Research, IDEAS Office Director, and is an Associate Professor in Pediatrics. She received a MSc in biochemistry from UC Riverside and a PhD in Education at UCLA. Dr. Hodgson actively mentors numerous faculty members in the design and implementation of medical education research. Her research focuses in the areas of professionalism, cancer education, and training for better care of people with disabilities. carol.hodgson@ualberta.ca

Through sharing great poetry aloud in class, using the radical Shared Reading approach developed in the UK, students develop the potential to co-create a relational community through collaborative and appreciative dialogue. A teacher and two students will discuss the theory of Shared Reading, describe the co-created community, and present preliminary findings on undergraduate student experiences. Most important, with the gathered participants, we will practice Shared Reading, co-creating communities around two different poems, with results we can’t predict!

Don McCown is a Taos Institute Associate and earned his PhD through Tilburg University in the Taos Institute program. He is an Associate Professor of Health and Director of the Center for Contemplative Studies at West Chester University. He has published four books on clinical and educational applications of mindfulness. His current interests include Shared Reading, a social and medical intervention developed in the UK, which he has imported to the US. dmccown@wcupa.edu

Abigail Zimondi graduated from the West Chester University of Pennsylvania with a Master of Public Health degree and a Certificate in Applied Mindfulness. She also holds a certificate in Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services. Abigail first obtained a B.S. degree in Business Administration from York College, CUNY. During the last part of her MPH program, Abigail interned at the WCU Center for Contemplative Studies under the mentorship of Dr. McCown. az665521@wcupa.edu

In this session, Dr. Crombie will discuss the unexpected ways that anxiety shows up in the classroom. She will also challenge the attendees to consider the ways that anxiety is completely normal, a gift, and is often related to a student's greatest gifts. Finally she will present simple tools and techniques that can be incorporated into the curriculum to help kids who struggle (and statistics indicate that as many as 1/3 of our students struggle with anxiety.)

Dr. Tonya Crombie is the author of Stop Worrying About Your Anxious Child. She is a certified life coach who teaches parents and teachers how to help children who struggle with anxiety. Tonya has an MBA and doctorate in Industrial/Organizational psychology. However, in addition to being someone with letters behind her name, Tonya is the mom of two teenagers who have had their own struggles with anxiety. tonya@guidanceforthefuture.com

Depression, anxiety, trauma and school refusing describe 40% of students over the past seventeen months. After a year of remote learning, a traditional, top down, problem focused mindset, determined to fill in learning gaps will likely turn off our students and ruin any promise of academic recovery. Come learn the importance of a new mindset and how it can create an initial engagement that students and teachers will welcome, getting them ready to set their hopes toward success, again.

Linda Metcalf, M.Ed., PhD is the author of Counseling Toward Solutions (Routledge, 2021) Solution Focused Narrative Therapy (Springer) 2017 and ten other books. She created the Solution Focused Schools Unlimited podcast and Solution Focused Connection Webinar series, created in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. She has presented in the United States, Australia, Japan, Newfoundland, Germany, Scotland, England, Norway, Amsterdam, Singapore, UK, Canada, Thailand and more. lmetcalf62@gmail.com

When teachers, counselors, administrators, and students recognize relationship as central to education, they are able to join in growing vibrant, if not, beloved learning communities. In this session, Mimi Nguyen, the school counselor, and Maya Taylor, the site principal, participate with students in an appreciative inquiry conducted by Rolla E. Lewis designed to explore how students, parents, teachers, staff, counselors, and administrators grow relational space at Westlake Middle School in Oakland, CA.

Born in Saigon, Vietnam, Thuy Minh "Mimi" Nguyen immigrated to the United States when she was five years old. Mimi grew up in Oakland, Ca., and considers herself a product of Oakland. She attended Oakland public schools from elementary through high school. After receiving her MS degree in Counseling, Mimi returned to Oakland where she current works as a professional school counselor at Westlake Middle School in Oakland Unified School District. 8nguyen8@gmail.com

Maya Taylor grew up in Oakland, CA and attended Oakland public schools from elementary through high school. Maya went on to pursue higher education and upon completion of her Master's in Counseling returned to her hometown to became a school counselor but would soon transition to the world of Administration. She is in her 6th year at Westlake MS (2 years- Asst. Principal, 4 years- Principal). maya.taylor96@yahoo.com

Rolla E. Lewis, EdD, NCC, is professor emeritus in Educational Psychology at California State University, East Bay (CSUEB). An Associate of the Taos Institute, Dr. Lewis has published numerous chapters, articles, and poems in books, peer-reviewed journals, and other publications, such as Lewis, R. E., & Winkelman, P. (2017). Lifescaping Practices in School Communities: Implementing Action Research and Appreciative Inquiry. New York, NY: Routledge. He believes radical transformation. rolla.lewis@csueastbay.edu

Relating through NVR in a Secondary School in London

1. WHAT is Non-Violent Resistance (NVR)?

2. WHY NVR in School?

3. HOW was NVR applied in one London Secondary School?

Showcasing examples of NVR application, highlighting the principles and skills that people connected and experimented with collaboratively and in participation with others

4. Q & A

Elisabeth Heismann qualified and worked as secondary school teacher in Germany, then as a systemically trained therapist and supervisor in London, now co-director of a Non-Violent Resistance (NVR) training company, offering group facilitating and supervision training. She co-edited and co-authored two books on NVR and is currently co-editing a book about NVR in Education. heismanne@gmail.com

Jane Prescott is a Counsellor, Counselling Supervisor and coordinates a Counselling and Well-being Service in a SE London secondary school for boys with a co-ed sixth form. She has coordinated NVR Parent Programmes in collaboration with another SE London secondary school. She has volunteered as a facilitator on NVR Parent Programmes with CAMHS for many years and has recently achieved a qualification as an NVR Supervisor. prescott_@hotmail.com

Jacqui Swaden is a parent, involved with NVR projects since 2014, school dinner assistant in a primary school, mother of two now adult children, NVR parent co-trainer for the school staff members and during the supervision of the three NVR school projects. jacswa17@gmail.com

Sarah March is a Senior Leader and Science teacher in an inner London secondary school. She has worked in this establishment for more than 14 years, dedicating her time to educating and coaching the young people in the area in a variety of different sports.

Carl Edwards is a behaviour practitioner in an inner London secondary school, working with teachers to support students with challenging behaviour. Carl is a dedicated sports coach in several different sports, including table tennis.

Amelia Aiken is a school leader with 13 years experience having held responsibilities for Inclusion, Whole School Mental Health and Wellbeing, Special Educational Needs and Behavior.

In 2017, the Faculty of Nursing implemented curricular changes in response to the TRC Calls to Action and the University Indigenous Strategy. Moved by what they were learning in class, students formed an Indigenous Initiatives leadership team to move the faculty forward in reconcili-action. In this session, we will consider ways to engage students in mobilizing change in an institution and beyond. Practical community-building strategies will be shared

Heather Bensler is a tenure-track instructor and global health lead in the Faculty of Nursing, University of Calgary. She is passionate about engaging students in community building, transformation related to Indigenous issues and refugee health in Canadian healthcare and society. heather.bensler@ucalgary.ca

Although residential schools in Canada have closed their doors, their legacy lingers in the halls of modern Indigenous schools as educators seek to reconcile both the past and present to work effectively with Indigenous students and families. Through storytelling and reflection, this presentation explores the collaboration between an Indigenous Elder, a White social worker, and a newly-appointed Principal with a common goal- to see their school become a place of community, relationship, and healing.

Abigail received her MSW from the University of Calgary, and has been working with Stoney Nakoda First Nation since 2017. She mostly uses Expressive Arts Therapy and Narrative Therapy in her work with students ages 5-12 and their families. Working collaboratively from a trauma-informed and anti-oppressive perspective is what gives Abigail the most joy, and she is honoured to know her incredible co-presenters. abigail.barth@stoneyeducation.ca

Aimee Dixon is the principal of Nakoda Elementary School in Morley, Alberta. She is Kainaakii and a member of the Bearspaw and Tsuutina First Nations. She is currently completing her Master’s of Education and Leadership from City University. Aimee is the first female Nation member to hold the position of principal- her vision is to create a school environment that is relationship-based, culturally relevant, and academically rigorous. aimee.dixon@stoneyeducation.ca

Tina Fox, Nakoda Elementary School- Stoney Education Authority, is a mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. In 1976 she was the first woman to serve on council for Stoney Nakoda First Nation, and at the age of 63 completed a degree in First Nations and Aboriginal Counselling from Brandon University, in Manitoba, Canada. Tina has received multiple awards for her work, including a Lifetime Achievement Award at the YWCA’s Women of Distinction Awards, and an Integrity Award presented by the Rotary Club. tina.fox@stoneyeducation.ca

The use of positive dialogue to identify strengths. create a co-constructed vision of a transformational future, build relational capacity amongst staff leading to the ability to enhance and build strengths-oriented relationships with students. This environment of positive relationships focused on a mutually desired future encouraged and enhanced innovative practices. The school went from shaky ground to being seen as an innovative leader in the school district.

Dr. Vince Carbino is principal of City of Angels Independent Study and Online School for the Los Angeles Unified School District for 7 years. It is the largest school of its type in the United States. Dr. Carbino is a 26-year educator specializing in students recovering from trauma. Dr. Carbino holds a doctorate in education, Master’s degrees in counseling and administration along with 2 teaching credentials and 4 authorizations. vince.carbino@lausd.net

Tenny Poole is a principal of the Corporation for Positive Change, founder and principal of the West Coast Center for Positive Change that focuses on unleashing individual and organizational potential. She is a consultant and trainer in the fields of positive change and positive leadership utilizing the methodology of Appreciative Inquiry and other strength-based methodologies. She is an experienced executive coach. tenny.poole@gmail.com

This will be a participatory session into the unknown… working in the primary grades.

Officiating Principal & Associate Professor, Human Development, University of Delhi. Fulbright Visiting Faculty at UPENN. Offers modules which integrate creative drama, meditation and mindfulness for elementary school children. Fulbright Postdoctoral Fellow at UPenn. Commonwealth Academic Staff Fellowship, UK. Shastri Indo Canadian Mobility Award, Canada. Research Award from University Grants Commission. Awarded Postdoctoral Fellowship by ICSSR. Conducted over 50 workshops, lectures globally. charrusharma@gmail.com

What are the practices and insights of teachers, students and parents in a school environment dedicated to making each student's experience a relational/collaborative learning process? A group of staff members and former students, will share their experiences through stories, videotapes, and conversations with participants.

Ilana Reisz, PhD, a former consultant working within organizations to promote relational practices, she led Collaborative Leadership classes at Xavier Academy as an elective for students. She continues to be involved in special projects at the school. Ilana@xavieracademy.org

Richard De La Cuadra is an innovative educator who takes a collaborative and personalized approach to education, changing the way students experience school. He has served as a teacher and administrative leader in a variety of schools. After watching students become frustrated and hopeless in traditional and rigid school settings, Richard set out to create a new education model where learning is student-centered, flexible, stimulating, and personalized. In 2007 he opened the doors to Xavier Educational Academy in Texas, for grades 5-12. Richard also serves on faculty at the Houston Galveston Institute. richard@xavieracademy.org

Josephine (Josie) Paul is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist – Supervisor in private practice and serves as Director of Mental Health & Counseling at Xavier Academy, in Houston, TX. In 2013, Josie began developing a school therapy program at Xavier that now includes four additional therapists and offers a wide range of services to students, staff, and their families. Josie is currently a PhD student in Social Health Sciences at Vrije Universiteit, Brussels in partnership with Taos Institute.Josie@josiepaul.com

Randy Goswick, is in his seventh year teaching math at Xavier. He has taught for a total of 19 years. All his previous experience had been in public schools. At Xavier, he loves the intimate setting and the small class sizes. He gets to know each student on a personal level and teach the whole student. He holds a BS in Mathematics and Actuarial Science and an MA in Mathematics Education from the University of Iowa. He has taught in Iowa, West Africa, Florida and Texas. randy@xavieracademy.org

Cooper Paul teaches World Geography, Government, AP Government, and Economics at Xavier Educational Academy. In addition to being a teacher, Cooper is a 2015 graduate of Xavier. Cooper hopes to cultivate her students’ understanding of history and civics in order to apply it to the modern world. In developing her curriculum, Cooper has placed a focus on learning content through skills and using collaboration as a means to foster divergent thinking skills. cooper@xavieracademy.org

The presenters will explore three essential questions:

1. How are empathy and compassion related to leaders' anti-racism work and collective well-being?

2. What does transformative and healing resistance look like for those who have experienced racial trauma? and

3. What would Critical Compassion Leadership bring to those experiencing racialized trauma?

Ardella Dailey is an Associate Professor and Chair of Educational Leadership at California State University, East Bay (CSUEB). Her social justice roles have included teacher, principal, superintendent, and school board member. She and Greg Jennings are founding members of the Lifescaping Project. Greg Jennings is a Professor and Chair of Educational Psychology at CSUEB, School Psychologist, and Licensed Psychologist. His mission is to train strength-based educators promoting well-being. Ardella.Dailey@csueastbay.edu

Greg Jennings is a Professor and Chair of Educational Psychology at California State University, East Bay, School Psychologist, and Licensed Psychologist. His mission is to train strength-based educators promoting collective well-being. greg.jennings@csueastbay.edu