A group of future teachers from the School of Education at the University of Northern British Columbia are collaborating and networking with other student teachers from across Western Canada at a conference that begins today at Vancouver Island University in Nanaimo.

Besides learning from one another, Rayanna Dennill, David Landrey, Kyle Vandersteen, Chantel Wilkinson, Cjay Thun and Morgan Paulson are also presenting speakers at the Western Canadian Association for Student Teachers (WestCAST), a two-day conference for student teachers and teacher educators from B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

The UNBC teacher candidates, who will graduate in May with their Bachelor of Education degrees, had to submit their presentation proposals in October. They were accepted in December.

The title of Dennill, Landrey and Vandersteen’s 70-minute presentation is Do it Because It’s Right, Not Because It’s Easy, looks at increased collaboration between schools and university education departments based on experiences of UNBC teacher candidates in an in-school learning model.

Wilkinson is speaking for 35 minutes on using technology as a teaching tool and will propose a variety of strategies to incorporate technology in the classroom.

Paulson will lead a 35-minute workshop on the benefits of weaving Indigenous ways of knowing and how to become an Indigenous ally for students.

Thun will explore the positive impact drama has had on her developing practice as a student teacher and will explain how easy, accessible drama games allow core competencies and curricular content to come to life.

It’s the first time the students have attended the WestCAST conference.

Pictured above are, back row, from left: Chantel Wilkinson, Kyle Vandersteen and Rayanna Dennill. Front row, from left: Cjay Thun and Morgan Paulson. Missing is David Landrey.