Joy of Arts: Creating a Classroom Culture Rooted in Social Justice (with Coco Roberge)

Creating a Classroom Culture Rooted in Social Justice for Secondary Drama Specialists

In this workshop you will have the opportunity to engage in collaborative activities and to share creative ideas for your classroom from a Drama teacher's toolkit, rooted in social justice values; the facilitator hopes to inspire forward-thinking professional dialogue by establishing some key terminology and allowing participants to speak in draft. We're all learning, and perhaps unlearning, here; we are all working toward increased capacity, more cultural competency, and a more inclusive, equitable, student-centred classroom model. Note- taking will be encouraged. Participants will gain access to a Google Drive of resources. Materials presented are best suited for grade 8 and up. This session focuses on practical resources, pedagogical dialogue, and creative arts.

Time: 12:30 to 2:00 pm

Coco Roberge (she/her), works to build connections between diverse learners and leaders by offering an equitable, inclusive Performing Arts education on the traditional and unceded territories of the Kwikwetlem First Nation. She gets to teach Drama, Dance, Musical Theatre, and Performing Arts Leadership at River's Edge Theatre (Riverside Secondary), and she's really into collaboration rooted in social justice. Her students say that her superpowers are casting, choreography and community-building. Coco is an elected volunteer on the Association of BC Drama Educators (ABCDE) executive committee; this provincial specialist association plays a key role in advocating for all elective areas. Until 2020, Coco was also the Artistic Director of SHIFT Theatre, focused on spotlighting underrepresented stories onstage and relishing in new play development. She earned her BFA at UVic (Theatre in Education) and her MA at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts.

To learn more: myriverside.sd43.bc.ca

Joy of Arts Pro-D participants are all encourage to attend for the full day of learning:

9:00 - 9:10 - Welcome and Acknowledgement

9:10 - 10:00 - Virtual Keynote Victor Wooten in gym

10:00 - 10:15 - break (15 min)

10:15 - 11:45 - Break-out Session 1 (Session options for Music/Art/Dance/Drama with pre-registration)

11:45- 12:30 - lunch (45 min)

12:30 - 2:00 - Break-out Session 2 (Session options for Music/Art/Dance/Drama with pre-registration)

*Register separately for each session (including the keynote)