Learning Opportunities

Autism Learning Series for Educators

Presented By

Dr. Shane Lynch , Amy Tatterton & Jodi Taylor

Series Sessions

Date	Time
Monday, January 16, 2023	4:00 PM - 5:15 PM
Monday, January 23, 2023	4:00 PM - 5:15 PM
Monday, January 30, 2023	4:00 PM - 5:15 PM

Location

Online

Grade Levels

K-3, Grades 4 - 6, Grades 7 - 9, Grades 10 - 12

Target Audience: All teachers, educational assistants, administrators, guidance counsellors and partners are encouraged to attend.

The Sinneave Family Foundation is an operating foundation based in Calgary, Alberta that aims to improve education, employment and housing outcomes for autistic youth and adults. They seek to reduce barriers and enhance opportunities for autistic youth and adults by identifying targeted areas of need, incubating innovative solutions, sharing promising practices, engaging community, and informing systems change.

Autism Learning Series for Educators

Session One: Autism in the Classroom

“If you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism” – Dr. Stephen Shore.

Session attendees will gain a better understanding of autism and neurodiversity through a progressive, strengths-based lens. We will tackle some common myths about autism and discuss how autism and neurodiversity can show up in an educational environments like the classroom. This information will then guide us into discussing some key realistic and attainable strategies that can be used to best support these students. Attendees are encouraged to come ready to participate in rich discussion and Q&A.

Session Two: The Iceberg of Autism and Neurodiversity

Did you know that autistic individuals have a higher prevalence of co-occurring medical conditions than their neurotypical peers? Session attendees will strengthen their existing knowledge of autistic and neurodiverse populations by learning about conditions that can accompany autism and their effect in the classroom environment. This information will then guide us into a discussion about the line between teaching and treatment. Attendees are encouraged to come ready to participate in rich discussion and Q&A.

Recommended (not mandatory) pre-requisite: Session One: Autism in the Classroom

Session Three: Autism: Spotlight on Potential

In the final session of the autism learning series for educators, we put the spotlight on the incredible potential of autistic and neurodiverse students when they are in learning environments that support their engagement and readiness for learning. By fostering an educational setting that highlights ability over deficit, autistic and neurodiverse students can thrive and go on to realize their full potential as they transition to adulthood. Attendees are encouraged to come ready to participate in rich discussion and Q&A.

Recommended (not mandatory) pre-requisite: Session One: Autism in the Classroom & Session Two: The Iceberg of Autism and Neurodiversity

Dr. Shane Lynch

is a Registered Psychologist and Director of Innovation and Evaluation for The Sinneave Family Foundation. He is responsible for the design, implementation, and evaluation of the programs and services offered to the community. Prior to coming to Sinneave, Shane was in clinical practice for over 20 years serving individuals, families, schools, and agencies as they supported individuals on the autism spectrum.

Amy Tatterton

is the Director of Learning and Connection for the Sinneave Family Foundation. She provides leadership to learning activities and community engagement initiatives that help Sinneave fulfill its mission of reducing barriers and enhancing opportunities for Autistic youth and adults. Amy holds a Master of Education in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of Calgary with a concentration in Educational Research. Amy is a born and raised Calgarian with personal and professional experience serving the disability community in a variety of environments including sport, post-secondary supports, pediatric behaviour intervention, early childhood learning management and now adulthood transition support.

Jodi Taylor

is an Inclusion Support Teacher at Foundations for the Future Charter Academy as well as a contract Designer of Professional Learning for Calgary Regional Consortium. She has been in the classroom at the middle school and high school levels for over 20 years, primarily as a Humanities teacher.

Jodi brings the belief to all the work she engages in that there is no one size fits all when it comes to learning. Supporting literacy and inclusive education, Jodi strives to:

Inspire a love of literacy for all students.
Embrace diversity in the learning profiles and personalities of the teachers she works with and the students they support.
Make collaborations with educators practical and classroom focused by inviting conversations that make thinking visible. This includes strategies that allow entry points and opportunities for growth for every learner.

Fee $0.00

Registration Notes

All session times are Mountain Time.

This series will be recorded and available to all registrants for 30 days after the session occurs.