Critical Literacy & Diversity:
What power do books hold? Through this workshop educators will discuss topics of social justice and diversity, considering how all children can feel represented. We will focus on understanding the importance of representation in children’s day to day lives and on the power books can hold. This involves looking at how books can uphold ideas of colonization, gender stereotypes, one type of family and white-centric voices. We will look at how the literacy we use can work towards anti-racist & anti-bias practice, as well as create a welcoming environment where all children are able to feel represented. Not limited to cultures, but also consideration of children with exceptionalities, various family structures, LGBTQ2S+, and looking outside of the gender binary & stereotypes. Focusing on the critical literacy theory, educators will have a chance to discover new authors and books that will help to diversify their bookshelves and develop skills that allow them to critically assess and choose books within their classroom.

Embracing Tensions in the classroom:
In educational settings we often encounter tough topics, topics such as death, divorce, global warming, racism, sexism, colonial histories, disability awareness, and LGBTQ2S+ topics. How do we respond when tensions around tough topics arise? This workshop addresses why it’s important to critically engage with children, how to have conversations with families, and ways to engage with tough topics. We will look at what it means to embrace the tensions in our educational settings and what can grow from engaging with said tensions. The goal of this workshop is that educators will leave feeling more confident in their abilities to engage with tensions and tough topics within their settings.