BC TEAL is proud to present our 2025 Annual Conference: Disruptive Educational Practices: Strategies for Transformation.
Educators shine in times of change to face unexpected challenges. This is when creativity flourishes by combining proven practices with fresh and innovative ideas. These times call for transformation which can be rooted in tradition or experience, or it can arise through unexplored approaches. The synthesis of old and new ideas drives meaningful progress. Join other insightful and creative educators as we flourish within the power of our community.
In times where technological advances have been dominating the debate about when teachers will be replaced by AI, it is essential that teachers reconnect with what makes English language professionals unique and irreplaceable. This presentation focuses on the impact of respectful discussions in teacher book clubs to benefit their own classrooms with increased empathy and creativity. Reading classical and contemporary literature – mostly fiction – has proved effective in boosting core human skills that are powerful in education. First, the presenter will define the scope of teacher development as the complex process that goes beyond training and techniques and helps teachers increase their understanding of situations they prepare to deal with. In an ever-changing world, the relevance of innovative approaches to teacher education also affects their classroom towards positive change. In this talk, the choice was to focus on accessing a range of fictional stories to make sense of the world teachers help their students navigate. Secondly, the audience will be invited to reflect upon the power of stories and diverse voices in developing teachers’ repertoire. The variety of narratives – local and global – adds a variety of perspectives and has proven to contribute to the development of critical thinking and empathy as readers connect with characters. Then, examples of conversations held in the book club meetings will be presented – from unconventional book choices to unpredictable discussion outcomes. The format of debates proposed in the book club meetings will exemplify how teachers involved participate in safe spaces and build understanding together. Finally, the presenter will share examples of how the book club discussions impacted the teachers’ classrooms and their local needs. Testimonials from teachers will be shared to show they sustained creativity and courage to try new approaches (including their perspective towards embracing AI with no fear) and help their students more effectively.
Marcela Cintra is a freelance teacher educator and frequently volunteers for teacher associations in the hope of contributing to a developing culture among language teachers.
