The Learning Through the Arts™

International Teacher Institute

Toronto, OntarioMay 22 - 24, 2009

The Art of Literacy

Kathleen Gould Lundy

Larry Swartz

Bob Barton

Cathy MiyataAnd many more engaging presenters!

Learning Through the Arts Schedule

Friday, May 22nd8:00am Registration9:00am Welcome session World music percussionists Terri Segal and Wagner Petrilli kick off the sessions with a bang.9:45am Break10:00am-12:00 Session 112:00pm Lunch1:00-4:15pm Session 2 (including 15 minute break)6:00pm Evening Cabaret and Art Exhibit Enjoy an evening of the arts as LTTA artists exhibit their art work and perform. Cash bar.

Saturday, May 23rd9:00am Keynote Speaker - Kathleen Lundy9:45am Break10:00am-12:00 Session 312:00pm Lunch1:00-4:15pm Session 4 (including 15 minute break)5:00pm Optional: Night on the Town See box to the right.

Sunday, May 24th9:00-11:00am Session 511:00-11:30am Closing Session

NIGHT ON THE TOWN!Join us as we explore some of Toronto’s exciting cultural offerings.

5:00 Bus from The TELUS Centre to downtown5:30 Tapas-style dinner at Milagro restaurant www.milagrorestaurant.com7:30 Tickets to the Mirvish Production of The Sound of Music www.soundofmusictoronto.com10:00 Bus back to the TELUS Centre

The NIGHT ON THE TOWN package is $190 and includes transportation, food and tickets to the Sound of Music. Purchase the package when you register online.

The Art of Literacy is the 9th annual conference for Learning Through the Arts (LTTA). During September of 2008, LTTA, along with the rest of The Royal Conservatory, moved into our new home at the stunning TELUS Centre for Performance and Learning in downtown Toronto. Due to this exceptional new venue, this International Teacher Institute is taking on a much larger scale, with higher profi le speakers and workshop facilitators and a greater number of expected attendees.

The Art of Literacy conference boasts some of today’s leaders in literacy, including Saturday morning keynote speaker Kathleen Gould Lundy. Ms. Lundy will also facilitate a workshop, as will Larry Swartz, Bob Barton, Cathy Miyata, Skid Crease, Paula Wing and Ellen Jaffe. Other popular facilitators include Laurie Pye, Terri Segal, John Scully, Rick Monaco, Jennifer Johnson, Natalie Kauffman and many more renowned artist-educators.

Registrants to The Art of Literacy will enjoy a choice of more than 30 hands-on workshops, including a variety of art forms and addressing a range of literacy instructional strategies. Participants will discover storytelling, drama, music, photography, visual arts techniques and much much more. Literacy across the curriculum will be addressed including reading, writing, media literacy, oral communication and ecological literacy.

Previous attendees at LTTA institutes include:Teachers - early childhood to secondarySchool administratorsSuperintendentsLiteracy specialistsArts consultantsTeacher candidatesMasters degree candidatesArtistsNational and international audiences

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Learning Through the Arts™

A Leader in Teacher Professional DevelopmentSince 1994, Learning Through the Arts has established itself as a leader in school transformation and teacher professional development. With in-school programs reaching more than 100,000 students worldwide, a national teacher institute series and online teacher professional development, LTTA is making integrated learning a reality for school communities everywhere.

“Great workshop! Thought provoking! You’ve definitely changed my approach

to teaching after 17 years!”-LTTA institute participant

A1 - Meet the Explorers Through DanceDanceLevels: junior and intermediate

Incorporating poetry with motion, this workshop will focus on delving into the personal lives of explorers to create movement inspired by words.

Paula Skimin brings years of study to her craft as a dancer, choreographer, teacher and the Artistic Director of the Toronto based tap dance company Turn on the Tap. She has studied with world-class New York based tap dancers and has self-produced many productions. Many of Ms. Skimin’s productions contain original musical

compositions that are a collective between the dancer and the musician. Paula is a sought after solo performer and choreographer in Canada and the US. Paula is currently teaching for The Royal Conservatory’s Learning Through the Arts program and has been on faculty at Sheridan College in Oakville since 2000 in the Musical Theatre Program.

A2 - The Self PortraitPhotographyLevels: junior, intermediate and senior

How do we see ourselves and how do we represent ourselves to others? Self portraiture has been done by artists for hundreds of years. What makes a successful self portrait and what do we hope to communicate when we represent ourselves to others? Using symbols, icons, imagery, and photographic techniques, participants will explore the art of self representation through photography.

Natalie Kauffman has been creating art from as early as she could walk. Photography has been a passion, and a vocation since 1995. She teaches photography, visual art and media studies through LTTA and Harbourfront Centre. Natalie holds a BFA from Concordia University in Studio Art and Art History.

She has traveled extensively through North America and Europe, and has lived in Martha’s Vineyard, Boston, The Netherlands and Montana, all the time voraciously clicking the shutter and looking for the next photo op.

A3 - Alliteration in ActionDanceLevels: primary and junior

Learning core concepts in language is central to any effective educational experience. Join us for a fun, interactive experience in which we will use movement to reach all learners, to bring your classroom alive with dynamic word play. Teachers will have an opportunity to look at the concepts behind alliteration in a relaxed atmosphere through the eyes of a dance and theatre movement specialist.

Michelle Silagy has received several awards for her work in dance education and for her choreographic work which she makes with widely celebrated Canadian contemporary artists. As a LTTA artist-educator of 10 years, Silagy works in Toronto, across Canada and abroad as a creative movement specialist. Silagy is the 2008-2009

guest choreographer with award-winning theatre companies: Jumblies Theatre and Theatre Direct.

A4 - Rhythmic by Nature: Group DrummingMusicLevels: primary, junior and intermediate

Participants will engage in fun and cooperative rhythm-based activities, including an introduction to basic hand drumming techniques and music-making. Group drumming is an uplifting, energizing, and memorable experience where participants will experience fi rst hand the benefi ts of rhythm, sound, and creative expression. Discover exciting techniques to link these new tools to the literacy curriculum.

Terri Segal is an Expressive Arts Therapist, Facilitator, Educator who is dedicated to sharing the therapeutic benefi ts of creative expression through Group Drumming and Expressive Arts Workshops. For the past 10 years, Terri has studied and taught West African Drumming and World Percussion. She is a trained Expressive Arts Therapist

and Drum Circle Facilitator. Through her business Rhythmic by Nature, Terri facilitates Group Drumming Programs at schools, social service agencies, and for small and large businesses for the purpose of teambuilding, wellness, recreation, and education.

A5 - Literate DramaDramaLevels: primary, junior and intermediate

The focus of this workshop is to use drama to clearly understand how to pull the main themes, characters, settings and confl icts from the books you use in class. This is a fun and interactive workshop that will increase your comfort using drama with your students.

Robert Gontier is an actor, writer and arts educator. He is currently a member of The Royal Conservatory’s Learning Through the Arts program, the Canadian Opera Company and Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People. He has also taught at the National Ballet School of Canada and across Mexico. He is a graduate of Ryerson

University’s B.F.A Acting Program, George Brown College’s Dance Program and also attended NYU-Tisch School of the Arts in New York City for Musical Theatre.

A6 - Using Current Events to CreateCreative WritingLevels: junior, intermediate and senior

Using a newspaper article, we will discover the thought processes needed to create a new play within a group setting. The article will serve as a launching pad in which the whole group will create three dimensional characters. Participants will create the background history for each character, the setting, motivation and plot. The tools gained in this workshop will help you to help students in developing skills in other forms of writing such as English essays, monologues for drama, social studies, and history.

Michael Miller has been writing for and teaching young people for the past twenty years. His latest play for youth “Touch the Sky” was presented as part of LKTYP’s 2007/08 season. His current play for adults “Who fails?” is being presented as a part of the 2008/09

Cross Current Festival.

A7 - Characters Alive through Visual ArtVisual ArtsLevels: primary, junior and intermediate

Making the characters in a story come alive visually is sometimes a challenge. In this workshop we will fi nd easy ways to draw characters and use a variety of materials to enhance the story line.

Yvonne Simpson has worked in the Learning Through the Arts program since its inception in 1994. She is presently the Manager of the Greater Toronto area. Yvonne Simpson received her B.Sc. in Elementary Education from Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana, as well as her M.Sc. in Psychology and School

Administration, but has called Toronto her home for over 35 years. She holds Specialist‘s Certifi cates in Guidance and Visual Arts, and she has done extensive post-graduate work in music and gifted education. Yvonne has taught all elementary grades from Kindergarten to Grade 8 and following a long teaching career, was a consultant in Visual Arts for over a decade with the former North York Board of Education.

A8 - A Book on a StageDrama and Creative MovementLevels: primary, junior and intermediate

How many ways can you tell a story? In this session we will take a story, sequence the central moments, and then explore the different ways to retell our story through drama; incorporating tableau, creative movement, scene and character development with and without dialogue.

This is Sara Dickinson’s 10th year as an Artist Educator with Learning Through The Arts and the experience continues to be incredibly rewarding and inspiring. Sara has worked as a professional actor, singer and dancer in Stratford, Toronto, and Regional Theatres in Ontario, and she continues to work as a voice over artist.

Sara works with both Niagara and Toronto LTTA.

Friday Morning Sessions

B7 - Building a Media Literate GenerationMedia LiteracyLevels: Junior and up

Discover how to help students use digital media to express themselves and think critically about media literacy by creating their own media messages, all while exploring the many facets of media literacy. In this hands-on video making workshop, participants will create a 30 second television commercial exploring these important aspects of our culture.

John Scully received a degree in photography from Ryerson University and has worked as a visual artist, freelance editorial photographer and a teacher for more than fi fteen years. His artistic work combines both traditional and digital photographic techniques to put into visual terms his concerns about the environment

on a personal and global level. He teaches photography and digital imaging courses and workshops at a variety of schools across Toronto.

B2 - Dancing with Savvy SentencesDanceLevels: primary, junior and intermediate

Invent and shape sentences refl ecting a fond memory or cherished poem. Show your creative ideas through movement and dance.

Facilitated by Michelle SilagyRead Michelle’s biography on the previous page.

B4 - Soundscapes: Language of RhythmMusicLevels: primary, junior and intermediate

Participants will be guided through a series of creative play exercises involving drums, percussion, voice and movement. Then it all comes together, as participants are given the opportunity to put what they have just experienced into practice. Working in groups, each group will be supplied with a series of instruments, props and costumes which relate to a specifi c theme. After development and rehearsal time participants will bring their themes to life in performance.

Rick Monaco has been playing percussion and hand drums for more than 20 years. He has created soundscapes for many dance and theatre projects including The National Ballet of Canada and Cliffhanger’s Dora award winning production of Bluffers Moon.

B6 - Using Current Events to Create Creative WritingLevels: junior, intermediate and senior

Using a newspaper article, we will discover the thought processes needed to create a new play within a group setting. The article will serve as a launching pad in which the whole group will create three dimensional characters. Participants will create the background history for each character, the setting, motivation and plot. The tools gained in this workshop will help you to help students in developing skills in other forms of writing such as English essays, monologues for drama, social studies, and history.

Facilitated by Michael Miller Read Michael’s biography on the previous page.

B8 - Haida Ceremonial Button BlanketsVisual ArtsLevels: Junior and intermediate

For thousands of generations people have used cloth to tell their stories. Textiles have traditionally brought communities together and given a vehicle for self-expression, while at the same time providing comfort, beauty and connection to the past and each other. Come and explore the Haida worldview and tell your own story creating a traditional Haida Button Blanket.

Patricia Phelan has been a traditional backstrap weaver and textile artist for the past twenty years. She is a two-time recipient of the Toronto Guild of Spinners and Weaver’s Bursary and has received artist grants from the Ontario Arts Council to teach textile art in the Toronto District School Board. Patricia recently gave a

workshop at the World of Threads Festival at Sheridan College and at WASOON 2008 in North Bay. Besides teaching, Patricia specializes in custom made designs for private commissions and has exhibited her work at the Textile Museum of Canada.

B5 - Meet the Explorers Through DanceDanceLevels: junior and intermediate

Incorporating poetry with motion, this workshop will focus on delving into the personal lives of explorers to create movement inspired by words.

Facilitated by Paula SkiminRead Paula’s biography on the previous page.

Friday Afternoon Sessions

B3 - 52 Cards in a DeckVisual ArtsLevels: junior and up

In this workshop we will fashion 52 playing cards that signify a story, fable or myth. Each card will carry a power relative to story narrative. Watch your students use their creations to ‘play’ out the writing process.

Andrea Piller has maintained a ceramic studio since graduating from the Ontario College of Art and Design in 1983. Her work is primarily hand built sculptural vessels that are responses to the natural world. She has shown her work both nationally and internationally and has been the recipient of numerous art awards and grants.

B1 - Designing Literacy Boys Fall ForDrama, storytelling & creative writingLevels: primary, junior and intermediate

Explore a multitude of active strategies that engage boys physically and challenge them mentally. (And in case you are wondering - girls love it too).

Currently an instructor at Brock University, Cathy Miyata teaches Language, Children’s Literature and guides teacher-candidates through the complex yet exciting world of education as a Faculty Advisor. She is also an award-winning author, professional storyteller and

dramatist. Her fi rst YA novel will be released in the spring of 2009.

C1 - Choosing to go ElsewhereDramaLevels: all

In this drama workshop, participants will learn how to involve students in exploring social justice issues related to Lois Lowry’s brilliant novel The Giver.

Kathleen Gould Lundy is presently Co-ordinator of Destination Arts at York University, Toronto, Canada - a joint venture of the Faculty of Education and the Faculty of Fine Arts that undertakes to foster partnerships amongst artists, educators and the community. Her work with teacher candidates, elementary and

secondary teachers focuses on helping them understand and advocate for the crucial role that the arts and the imagination play in every student’s education. She has had extensive experience working in literacy, equity and drama education, fi rst as secondary school teacher, then as a drama consultant, Coordinator of the Language Study Centre at the Toronto Board of Education and as the District-wide Coordinator of Drama and Dance for the Toronto District School Board. Her new book, Teaching Fairly in an Unfair World, has recently been published by Pembroke Publishers (2008).

C4 - Drama and the Traditional BalladDrama, creative writing & storytellingLevels: all

In this session we will explore how drama can go beyond enactment to explore multiple viewpoints, expand the events of the story and animate the original text.

After a career in teaching and with the Ontario Ministry of Education, Bob Barton became a professional storyteller. He has been a feature storyteller at festivals across North America, England and Australia. Since 1969 he has published nineteen books for both children and teachers including The Little Book of

Northern Tales: The Bear Says North, and Telling Stories Your Way. He works as an artist in schools with Prologue to the Performing Arts, the Writer’s Union of Canada “Writers-in-the-schools” program, and Learning Through the Arts, The Royal Conservatory. Bob is also a course instructor with the Additional Qualifi cations course Dramatic Arts Intermediate Basic at Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto. In June 2007 he was presented with an Award of Excellence in Continuing Education by OISE – University of Toronto.

C3 - Images In MotionDanceLevels: primary and junior

Using the text and imagery from Leo Yerxa’s picture book Last Leaf First Snowfl ake to Fall, we will explore and compose short dance works. Experience and learn practical, yet artful warm-ups and dance development tools that you can bring back to your classroom.

Jen Johnson has taught, created and performed extensively throughout Toronto’s arts community and internationally. As well as being a Learning Through the Arts artist-educator, her teaching experience includes Creative Movement and Choreography for the Canadian Opera Company’s Outreach Programs, 5 Elements 4 Girls - a camp

which fosters self-esteem, and the Serbian Children’s Theatre. Movement instruction extends to The Humber College School of Comedy where she is in her 5th year as Physical Comedy Instructor as well as McMaster University’s Kinesiology and Theatre Departments. She also conducts workshops and provides coaching for professional dance and theatre companies.

C2 - Dancing LiteracyDanceLevels: all

Dance your way through the art of literacy! This workshop will focus on using dance and creative movement to delve into the language of folk tales. Elements of dance and choreography will be emphasized through this exploration. No previous dance experience required!

Sandra Joanovic is originally from Grimsby, Ontario and is a recent honours graduate of Ryerson University’s BFA Dance Program where she had the privilege of training and working with Nadia Potts, Vicki St. Denys, Karen Duplisea and Allen Kaeja. A member of ProArteDanza of Toronto for its 2007 season, Ms. Joanovic is an independent

dance artist in Toronto and has worked with Robert Glumbek, D.A. Hoskins, David Connolly, Lacey Smith, and Hit and Run Productions. In addition to her performing endeavors, Sandra has been an artist educator with Learning Through the Arts since 2007.

C5 - In the Rhythm: Music, Movement and Rhythm in Creative WritingCreative WritingLevels: junior and intermediate

We explore music, movement and rhythm as inspiration and instigation for creative writing using the West African epic story Sunjata as our spark.

Paula Wing is an accomplished writer and translator for children as well as being in demand as a teacher and workshop facilitator. She is an Associate Artist at Soulpepper Theatre Company, where she runs many youth programs. She is also the director of Tarragon

Theatre’s Young Playwrights Unit. Her most recent play in Toronto is POBBY AND DINGAN, on stage at the Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People in the Spring of 2009.

C6 - Installation Art & LiteracyVisual ArtsLevels: all

Literacy is defi ned as “possession of education” in particular the ability to read & write. In this workshop we will utilize installation art as a tool for K-12 teachers in aiding their students to discover, own & share the quality of their learning.

Catherine Mellinger is a freelance mixed media artist, creativity coach (through her company mellanGe, registered with the Creativity Coaching Association) and arts facilitator who is currently studying Inter-Modal Expressive Arts Therapy at ISIS Canada. She has been an artist with Living Through the Arts and Learning Through

the Arts since 2008. Catherine is the co-creator and co-facilitator of the Octopus Project in partnership with Toronto photographer Melanie Gordon, with whom she is currently conceptualizing an installation as an independent project for Nuit Blanche 2009.

C7 - A Treasure Map…to Creative WritingClay and collageLevels: junior, intermediate and senior

Create a map for successful story writing using visual art. Participants will use collage and clay modeling to learn how students can construct a game board for themed story writing maps.

Laurie Pye is a multimedia artist who brings many forms of artistic expression to her students. Although formally educated at Mohawk College -Stoney Creek campus, in fi ne plastics, she combines her love of clay with many other interests such as writing, painting, carving pumpkins, sewing, cartooning and gardening. Her

pottery studio, located on a working 75-acre farm, helps bring her love of nature to her art.

C8 - Soundscapes: Language of RhythmMusicLevels: junior and intermediate

Participants will be guided through a series of creative play exercises involving drums, percussion, voice and movement. Then it all comes together, as participants are given the opportunity to put what they have just experienced into practice. Working in groups, each group will be supplied with a series of instruments, props and costumes which relate to a specifi c theme. After development and rehearsal time participants will bring their themes to life in performance.

Facilitated by Rick MonacoRead Rick’s biography on the previous page.

Saturday Morning Sessions

D3 - Creatively Exploring Critical UnderstandingsDrama, storytelling, creative writingLevels: primary, junior and intermediate

Actively explore the lens of critical literacy/understandings using children’s literature that touches on riveting social issues. Be prepared to engage in a variety of high yield strategies that your students will love.

Facilitated by Cathy MiyataRead Cathy’s biography on the Friday Afternoon Session page.

D4 - Poetry Sound Scoring in GarageBandMedia LiteracyLevel: junior

In this workshop teachers will be introduced to the concept of media literacy and how it can play a part in young people’s lives. Teachers will be taken through an introduction to the GarageBand software, and get hands-on experience creating a narrative and sound score for a poem.

Ciara Adams is a musician, multi-disciplinary performer and arts educator. After studying Opera at Queen’s University, Ciara trained as an actor a The Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She has written and facilitated arts education workshops with DRAMA +, bluemouth inc., Theatre Gargantua, Theatre Orangeville,

The Royal Shakespeare Company (UK), Northern Stage (UK), and LTTA. She has her own company, VOCABLE, with Canadian poet a.rawlings, which offers sound and movement workshops to professionals, artists, and she works professionally as an actor, singer, and music therapist.

D1 - Hero DancesDanceLevels: junior and intermediate

Immerse yourself in the exploration of poetry through dance skills and creation. This interactive workshop focuses on social justice themes by responding to the images and words in poems by and about child heroes. Through various warm ups, movement strategies and presentation tools, rediscover and build on your own self-expression and spontaneity.

Facilitated by Jen Johnson Read Jen’s biography on the previous page.

D2 - Going Graphic: Children’s Literature in Comic FormatDrama & Visual ArtsLevels: all

Explore children’s literature using the comic format. Practical strategies will be introduced to promote art and drama activities to help readers inspect words and pictures together.

Larry Swartz is an instructor in the Initial Teacher Education program, as well as principal of Dramatic Arts, additional qualifi cation courses at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto (OISE/UT). He has been a classroom teacher and

consultant for twenty fi ve years for the Peel District Board of Education. Larry is the author of the teacher reference books The New Dramathemes and Literacy Techniques, 2nd edition and The Poetry Experience and has co-written several major language arts resources, including 6 Bold Print Titles for classroom use. Good Books Matter, a resource guide for choosing and using children’s literature, co-authored with Shelley Stagg Peterson, is his most recent publication. Larry is a popular conference speaker throughout North America, his interests include using children’s literature to achieve expectations, reading response, the talk curriculum, drama and Anti-bullying.

D5 - Instant Play Creation: Scriptwriting in the ClassroomCreative WritingLevels: junior, intermediate and senior

From getting an idea to having a fi rst reading, this workshop will take you through the exciting process of collective creation with your students.

Facilitated by Paula Wing Read Paula’s biography on the previous page.

D7 - Active EcologyDrama and StorytellingLevels: primary, junior and intermediate

Environmental literacy is the outcome of the new LTTA Active Ecology Program. This workshop will focus on highlighting the key components of this issues-based program: sense of place, systems thinking, respect and responsibility and taking actions.

Skid Crease received his BA Honours English Specialist from U of T. He has been a classroom teacher where he specialized in out of classroom “quest” experiences with his students. He is the president of ecoNexus, environmental literacy consulting, and is currently working on outdoor and environmental education

programs for the Kortright Centre for Conservation. Skid has received several awards and is an internationally respected educator, author, storyteller, keynote speaker, workshop leader, and chair for global, environmental and outdoor education conferences.

D6 - Editing Visuals to Prose ScriptMedia LiteracyLevels: intermediate and senior

Using imovie, we will record a 30 second poem or script, fi nd pictures to go with the script and then edit the pictures to the text. We will also explore how music can be added to the fi nal product to make multimedia creations.

Paul Andrew is a bilingual director/editor in Video/Independent Film Production with over 20 years of experience. He has been teaching for over 15 years and is much in demand as a part-time instructor at Humber College. He also runs editing workshops for the Directors Guild of Canada and the Canadian Screen Training Centre. Paul has

a wide range of editing experience. Short documentaries for broadcast on Discovery Canada, corporate videos, roast videos, political promos, demo reels for directors and even chefs, all of those have been through his edit suite.

Saturday Afternoon Sessions

D8 - Installation Art & LiteracyVisual ArtsLevels: all

Literacy is defi ned as “possession of education” in particular the ability to read & write. In this workshop we will utilize installation art as a tool for K-12 teachers in aiding their students to discover, own & share the quality of their learning.

Facilitated by Catherine Mellinger Read Catherine’s biography on the previous page.

E3 - Storytelling through MovementDance & DramaLevels: all

The focus of this workshop is to create and develop techniques of storytelling that doesn’t use traditional text to get the message across. Learn how to create and tell a story using only your body!

Facilitated by Robert Gontier Read Robert’s biography on the Friday Morning Session page.

E5 - Visual Communication: The Art of PhotographyVisual ArtsLevels: intermediate and up

By exploring language, participants will create photographic images to communicate the meaning of certain words. When presenting those words we will examine how others “read” our visual language.

Facilitated by Natalie KauffmanRead Natalie’s biography on the Friday Morning Session page.

E6 - The Power of Personal Stories: How words help tell our heart’s truthCreative WritingLevels: all

Look closely and you’ll see this workshop title has 17 syllables – a classic haiku. This is an example in miniature of the workshop’s goals: how to help students use juicy, living, surprising words and the formal structure of language to express and share their own stories. Personal stories can come from students’ own lives, observation of others, and imaginative “knowing” – of animals, nature, even inanimate objects. Current research suggests this kind of writing helps students improve in other curriculum areas. Ellen Jaffe will share some classroom experiences, and together we will do writing exercises that combine “heart” and “art” in ways that are both playful and meaningful.

Ellen S. Jaffe is an award-winning author and poet: her young adult novel Feast of Lights received the Moonbeam children’s-book award for multi-cultural fi ction in 2007, and her “guidebook” to writing, Writing Your Way: Creating a Personal Journal, received an award from Arts Hamilton in 2002. She writes poetry,

fi ction, and plays for adults and young people. Ellen has been teaching writing to children and teens for 40 years, and more recently to adult communities, including those with special needs. She has received grants from the Ontario Arts Council, and has been working with Learning Through the Arts/Living Through the Arts since 2000. Her goals are to help each person fi nd his or her own voice, and to show how oral and written stories can help us express and share meaningful experiences, as well as play with words and imagination.

E1 - A Treasure Map…to Creative WritingClay and collageLevels: junior, intermediate and senior

Create a map for successful story writing using visual art. Participants will use collage and clay modeling to learn how students can construct a game board for themed story writing maps.

Facilitated by Laurie Pye Read Laurie’s biography on the Saturday Morning Session page.

E2 - Rhythmic by Nature: Group DrummingMusicLevels: all

Participants will engage in fun and cooperative rhythm-based activities, including an introduction to basic hand drumming techniques and music-making. Group drumming is an uplifting, energizing, and memorable experience where participants will experience fi rst hand the benefi ts of rhythm, sound, and creative expression. Discover exciting techniques to link these new tools to the literacy curriculum.

Facilitated by Terri SegalRead Terri’s biography on the Friday Morning Session page.

E4 - Meet the Explorers Through DanceDanceLevels: junior and intermediate

Incorporating poetry with motion, this workshop will focus on delving into the personal lives of explorers to create movement inspired by words.

Facilitated by Paula SkiminRead Paula’s biography on the Friday Morning Session page.

Sunday Morning Sessions

“Excellent and inspiring! I truly enjoyed the opportunity to explore

creative strategies and to reflect on my practice as an educator.”

-LTTA Institute Participant

Conference Information

LocationThe Royal Conservatory’s TELUS Centre for Performance and Learning is located at 273 Bloor Street West in the heart of Toronto. The building is between the Royal Ontario Museum and the University of Toronto’s Varsity Arena.

If you are coming by car, there is a Green P parking lot off of Bedford Road. From Bloor, go north on Bedford and it will be your fi rst right. There is another parking lot in the OISE building if you turn left onto Prince Arthur from Bedford.

If you are coming by subway, get off at St. George Station, Bedford Road exit, walk south and cross Bloor Street.

The TELUS building is wheelchair accessible.

AccommodationsIf you are coming from out of town, there are many great options for staying in the city. Here are three you might consider:

Trinity CollegeUniversity of Toronto Campus44 Devonshire Place, TorontoDormitory style bedrooms with one single bed, shared washrooms and kitchens.Rate: $43.65 per night.Email ltta@rcmusic.ca for an application form.

Holiday Inn280 Bloor Street West, Toronto416-968-0010Special rate: $134.99 per nightPlease say this is the special rate for “Learning Through the Arts at The Royal Conservatory.”

Hotel Intercontinental220 Bloor Street West, Toronto416-960-5200Rate: $301+

Learning Through the Arts

Learning Through the Arts™ (LTTA), the groundbreaking program from The Royal Conservatory, has become the most extensive arts-based school initiative in the world. LTTA brings specially-trained artists into schools who, in partnership with great teachers, create lessons that make learning core curriculum exciting and relevant. For example, students are learning math through dance, history through storytelling and science through visual art.

LTTA offers schools a comprehensive implementation program that includes professional development, in-class facilitation, curriculum integration models, student assessment tools, program evaluation, and managerial expertise. Ongoing high-calibre professional development for teachers, artists, principals and administrators in LTTA schools is at the core of the program philosophy. For more information, visit our website at www.ltta.ca.

LTTA School ProgramsThe Core ProgramLiteracy, numeracy and other curricula come alive for students with the Learning Through the Arts Core Program. Students dance, sing, paint, sculpt, drum, act, write, move and create their way through these engaging and relevant lessons. LTTA artist-educators partner with teachers to create custom-made arts-integrated lessons.

Media Literacy ProgramLTTA media artists guide students and teachers through the challenging exploration of media using technology and media as tools for learning, engagement, expression and the development of critical thinking skills. Using digital technology and media arts, students become the creators and not just the consumers of media texts.

Media Arts ProjectStudents explore curriculum using digital technology and media as tools for learning, engagement and expression. Using multi-media presentations, video, digital photography, image manipulation and more, students are actively engaged in learning language arts, math, social studies and other core curricula.

Active EcologyThe LTTA Active Ecology Program increases environmental literacy among students through the creative expression of social studies and science curricula. Through the Active Ecology Program, LTTA raises awareness of locally relevant environmental issues among students, and empowers them to take action. For example, students might learn about climate change through movement, nonrenewable and renewable sources of energy through drama or sustainable development through drumming.

The LTTA Aboriginal ProgramEstablished in 2001, the LTTA Aboriginal Program has now evolved to a format where indigenous art forms provide the catalyst for inspiration for classroom units thereby preserving indigenous art traditions as well as enriching the curriculum. Students learn subjects like math, science, language arts, and Aboriginal culture and traditions through the arts. For example, grade four students created legend rocks that explore Aboriginal creation stories then used this activity as an entry point to the study of the environment. Students also created beadwork that incorporates a variety of striking geometric shapes, then used this as an entry point to the study of geometry.

ConocoPhillipsInvestors GroupLloyd Carr-Harris FoundationStratREAL FoundationThe Harold Crabtree FoundationThe Hope Charitable FoundationThe Winnipeg Foundation

LTTA GRATEFULLY ACKNOWLEDGES THE SUPPORT OF:

NATIONAL DONOR

The Matthews Family

ONTARIO LEAD DONORS

Elizabeth and Tony Comper

GOVERNMENT SUPPORT

ACTIVE ECOLOGY SUPPORTERS

MATH SPONSOR

TECHNOLOGY SPONSOR

YOUTH ACHIEVEMENT SPONSORSCIENCE SPONSOR

MEDIA LITERACY SPONSOR

ABORIGINAL SUPPORT

273 Bloor Street West Toronto, ON, M5S 1W2Tel: 416-408-2824 Fax: 416-408-3096

For more about Learning Through the Arts including information on our regional sites, academic research and sample lesson plans, please visit www.ltta.ca.

For French inquiries please visit www.apla.cc.

CHARITABLE REGISTRATION NUMBER107935413RR0001

Register Online Today!

www.regonline.com/artofl iteracy

$395 - Early Bird Registration. Deadline is February 27, 2009.$450 - Regular Price. Deadline is May 4, 2009.

If there is availability, single day registration ($250 per day) will open on March 30, 2009.

Registration includes all workshops and supplies. Lunches and coffee break refreshments will be provided. Please indicate any allergies when you register. Each registrant will receive an extensive handbook, as well as an attendee bag.

A $50 administration fee will be deducted for cancellations and no cancellations will be processed after May 4, 2009. Substitutions are permitted. Please contact 416-408-2824 ext. 460 or email ltta@rcmusic.ca for information on group discounts.