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| Early Bird (Until April 21) | $90 |
| Regular Admission (After April 21) | $100 |
| Departmental Discount (Party of 3+) | $80 |
| Student Teacher Discount | $25 |
Don’t miss out on UNLOCKED/ DÉMYSTIFIÉ, a conference designed to inspire and empower teachers. Be one of the first 150 registrants and receive a free copy of Valley of the Birdtail.
Register now to secure your spot and claim your exclusive gift!
Valley of the Birdtail is a heart-rending true story about racism and reconciliation, written by Andrew Stobo Sniderman & Douglas Sanderson (Amo Binashii)
Divided by a beautiful valley and 150 years of racism, the town of Rossburn and the Waywayseecappo Indian reserve have been neighbours nearly as long as Canada has been a country. Their story reflects much of what has gone wrong in relations between Indigenous Peoples and non-Indigenous Canadians. It also offers, in the end, an uncommon measure of hope.
Valley of the Birdtail is about how two communities became separate and unequal—and what it means for the rest of us. In Rossburn, once settled by Ukrainian immigrants who fled poverty and persecution, family income is near the national average and more than a third of adults have graduated from university. In Waywayseecappo, the average family lives below the national poverty line and less than a third of adults have graduated from high school, with many haunted by their time in residential schools.
This book follows multiple generations of two families, one white and one Indigenous, and weaves their lives into the larger story of Canada. It is a story of villains and heroes, irony and idealism, racism and reconciliation. Valley of the Birdtail has the ambition to change the way we think about our past and show a path to a better future.
Thank you to the Wilson College of Leadership and Civic Engagement at McMaster University for their generous donation of 150 copies of Valley of the Birdtail.
| 7:30-9:00 Continental Breakfast and Registration |
| 9:00-9:15 Welcome and Presidential Address Sarah Murdoch (President of OHASSTA) |
| 9:15-9:45 Keynote Presentation Andrew Stobo Sniderman & Douglas Sanderson (Amo Binashii) Keynote sponsored by:  |
| 9:45-10:30 Panel Discussion Moderator: Jan Haskings (Past President of OHASSTA) Panelists: Allison Parsons (DPCDSB) Rose LeMay (CEO of Indigenous Reconciliation Group) Kim Buitenhuis (Queen’s University) Sandra LaPointe (The/La Collaborative) |
| 10:35-11:00 Break and Exhibitor Display |
Session 1 (11:05 – 11:55)
| Civic Engagement: Inspiring Youth Activism and Agency through History Moderator: Kristina R. Llewellyn (McMaster University) Panelists: Heather McGregor (Social Studies & History Education in the Anthropocene Network; Faculty of Education, Queen’s University), Maria Vamvalis (The Critical Thinking Consortium), Usha James (The Critical Thinking Consortium), Mallory Davies (Department of History, University of Waterloo) and Paul Zanazanian (McGill University) |
| Bridging Classrooms and Campuses: How The/La Collaborative Inquiry Platform Expands Learning in Social Studies (FR) Marie-Hélène B-Hardy (The/La Collaborative)  |
| Talking Tariffs and Trade: Current Events in the Social Sciences Classroom Zoe Flatman & Jan Haskings (OHASSTA) |
| Bringing STEM to History: Innovative Strategies for 21st century classrooms Christina Iorio (YCDSB) |
| Finding Refuge in Canada during the Holocaust Anne Marguet (Musee de l’Holocauste Montreal)  |
Lunch (11:55-12:10)
Networking Lunch & Exhibitor Display (12:10-13:10)
Session 2 (13:10 – 14:00)
| Polarizing Issues: Teaching about War and Commemoration Moderator: Penney Clark (University of British Columbia) Panelists: Lindsay Gibson (Department of Curriculum & Pedagogy, UBC), Alan Sears (Faculty of Education, University of New Brunswick), Jennifer Tupper (Faculty of Education, University of Alberta), and Catherine Duquette (Département des sciences de l’éducation, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi). |
| Délimitation des circonscriptions électorales: perspectives d’équité et de justice (FR) Camille Blanchard-Seguin (Elections Canada)  |
| Teaching Black Canadian History: Affirming Identity and Empowering Student Voice Doreen Bonsu (HCDSB) |
| Building Thinking Classrooms in Social Sciences & Humanities Michael Woodrow (YCDSB) |
| Why Peace Museum? Engaging Students Through Museum Learning Flora Chong (Asia Pacific Peace Museum) |
Break and Exhibitor Display (14:00-14:20)
Session 3 (14:20 – 15:10)
| Truth and Reconciliation: Decolonizing History Education Moderator: Sara Karn (McMaster University) Panelists: Jackson Pind (Chanie Wenjack School of Indigenous Studies, Trent University), Nicholas Ng-A-Fook (Faculty of Education, University of Ottawa; FooknConversation Podcast), Nyein Maya (Faculty of Education, University of Ottawa), and James Miles (Faculty of Education – Elementary Education, University of Alberta). |
| Trouver refuge au Canada durant l’Holocauste (FR) Anne Marguet (Musee de l’Holocauste Montreal) |
| From AI users to AI Thinkers: Helping Students Navigate AI’s power, risk and ethics Heidi Siwak (I-think) |
| Getting Off the Continent Sandi Vander Heyden (HDSB) |
| Opening the Door to 2SLGBTQI+ Hidden Histories: Canada’s LGBT Purge. Walter Cassidy (Canadian Museum of Human Rights) |
Closing Remarks & Door Prize (15:10-15:30)
Session 1 (11:05 – 11:55)
| Civic Engagement: Inspiring Youth Activism and Agency through History Moderator: Kristina R. Llewellyn (McMaster University) Panelists: Heather McGregor (Social Studies & History Education in the Anthropocene Network; Faculty of Education, Queen’s University), Maria Vamvalis (The Critical Thinking Consortium), Usha James (The Critical Thinking Consortium), Mallory Davies (Department of History, University of Waterloo) and Paul Zanazanian (McGill University) How can learning about the past inspire youth to take action on the most pressing issues of our time? This interactive, discussion-based session explores innovative pedagogical approaches to teaching about climate change and gender equity/inequity in ways that empower students to enact their civic responsibilities.  Sponsored by: |
| Bridging Classrooms and Campuses: How The/La Collaborative Inquiry Platform Expands Learning in Social Studies Marie-Hélène B-Hardy (The/La Collaborative) Social studies educators are tasked with helping students make sense of an increasingly complex world, but they cannot be experts in everything. The/La Collaborative Inquiry Platform bridges this gap by connecting K-12 educators with university scholars, enriching classroom learning. This session highlights four key benefits: (1) Bringing expert voices into classrooms to answer students’ challenging questions; (2) Using the latest research to create engaging lessons on emerging topics; (3) Expanding students’ perspectives on complex issues to foster critical thinking; and (4) Collaborating with experts to teach essential skills like evaluating sources and constructing arguments. Through real-world examples, we will show how this platform makes social studies more dynamic, relevant, and inquiry-driven—empowering students with knowledge that extends beyond textbooks!  Sponsored by:  |
| Talking Tariffs and Trade: Current Events in the Social Sciences Classroom Zoe Flatman & Jan Haskings (OHASSTA) Are you and your students having difficulty decoding current economics in the media? This workshop will help teachers help their students navigate the current economic topics related to tariffs and trade. Economics impacts political and historical decisions and helps students connect ideas past and present to their personal lives. Teachers will leave this workshop with a better understanding of current economic events, as well as resources to use with their students in the classroom.  |
| Bringing STEM to History: Innovative Strategies for 21st century classrooms Christina Iorio (YCDSB) Explore creative strategies for integrating STEM concepts and the Design Thinking Model into your history classroom, by fostering cross-disciplinary learning and historical thinking. This session will highlight innovative pedagogical approaches, including strategies and technology tools which will engage students in historical inquiry. Attendees will walk away with practical, hands-on strategies to integrate STEM into their classroom. |
| Finding Refuge in Canada during the Holocaust Anne Marguet (Musée de l’Holocauste Montreal) How to teach the Holocaust with historical empathy? During this workshop, participants will conduct a historical inquiry to discover how the anti-Jewish measures imposed by Nazi Germany had a direct impact on the Jewish family. They will then understand how the family was able to find refuge in Canada. Participants will begin by analyzing primary sources which belonged to the Cahn family. They will then place these primary sources into context to better understand the Holocaust and how Canada responded to Nazi persecution. At the end of the workshop, participants will have various resources to use in the classroom. Sponsored by: |
Session 2 (13:10 – 14:00)
| Polarizing Issues: Teaching about War and Commemoration Moderator: Penney Clark (University of British Columbia) Panelists: Lindsay Gibson (Department of Curriculum & Pedagogy, UBC), Alan Sears (Faculty of Education, University of New Brunswick), Jennifer Tupper (Faculty of Education, University of Alberta), and Catherine Duquette (Département des sciences de l’éducation, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi). What challenges arise while navigating contentious, difficult, and emotional topics in the history classroom? This interactive, discussion-based session explores innovative pedagogical approaches to teaching about war and conflict, commemoration, and redress for historical harms in ways that challenge dominant narratives, promote critical thinking, and engage diverse perspectives. Sponsored by: |
| Délimitation des circonscriptions électorales: perspectives d’équité et de justice (FR) Camille Blanchard-Seguin (Elections Canada) Qu’est-ce qui rend la délimitation des circonscriptions électorales juste? Voilà la question d’enquête posée dans la ressource pédagogique Cartographie des circonscriptions électorales. Dans cet atelier, les membres du personnel se mettront à la place de leurs élèves pour tracer des limites de circonscriptions justes dans un pays imaginaire. Ensemble, ils tiendront compte de différentes perspectives et concepts de justice, d’équité et d’égalité. Cet atelier présentera un modèle pratique de l’apprentissage par l’enquête, tout en montrant comment utiliser les matériaux gratuits d’Élections Canada dans des classes de citoyenneté, politique, droit, géographie, ainsi que dans des cours de sciences sociales comme Équité, diversité et justice sociale. Sponsored by: |
| Teaching Black Canadian History: Affirming Identity and Empowering Student Voice Doreen Bonsu (HCDSB) In this session teachers will explore strategies for integrating Black Canadian history into the curriculum in ways that are meaningful, engaging, and responsive to student needs. Grounded in an anti-oppressive and decolonial approach, this workshop will equip educators with the tools to foster critical consciousness, challenge dominant narratives, and celebrate Black excellence in their classrooms. Teachers will leave with a number of resources to help support their learning. Key topics include Early Black Canadian History, Cultural Contributions and Heritage, Community Resilience and Empowerment. |
| Building Thinking Classrooms in Social Sciences & Humanities Michael Woodrow (YCDSB) Looking to try a new teaching strategy? This interactive workshop will introduce Canadian and World Studies teachers to Peter Liljedahl’s Building Thinking Classrooms approach. Explore practical, student-centered methods that promote inquiry, problem-solving, and engagement across courses in our discipline. Through hands-on activities, participants will experience these strategies firsthand—just as students would. Walk away with concrete ideas to create dynamic learning environments that foster deeper thinking and meaningful participation. Whether you’re new to this approach or looking to refine your practice, this session will challenge and inspire your teaching. |
| Why Peace Museum? Engaging Students Through Museum Learning Flora Chong (Asia Pacific Peace Museum) Elaine Law (Senior Education Museum Associate, ALPHA Education & Asia Pacific Peace Museum) How do we teach history that doesn’t just inform but ignite curiosity, critical thinking, and a commitment to peacebuilding? World War II in Asia is overlooked, despite its profound and lasting impact on East and Southeast Asian communities—and beyond. Using examples from the Asia Pacific Peace Museum (APPM), this session demonstrates how peace museums engage students in historical inquiry, fostering understanding of war, memory, and reconciliation. Additionally, it provides educators with inquiry-based strategies which engage students to explore overlooked histories, the connections between past conflicts and contemporary struggles for peace, and taking actions in shaping a more just world. |
Session 3 (14:20 – 15:10)
| Truth and Reconciliation: Decolonizing History Education Moderator: Sara Karn (McMaster University) Panelists: Jackson Pind (Chanie Wenjack School of Indigenous Studies, Trent University), Nicholas Ng-A-Fook (Faculty of Education, University of Ottawa; FooknConversation Podcast), Nyein Maya (Faculty of Education, University of Ottawa), and James Miles (Faculty of Education – Elementary Education, University of Alberta). As we approach the 10th anniversary of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s final report, what challenges do teachers continue to face for decolonizing history education? This interactive, discussion-based session explores innovative pedagogical approaches to learning about and from Indigenous histories in ways that support a reckoning with Canada’s past and foster empathy and relationality in the present. Sponsored by: |
| Trouver refuge au Canada durant l’Holocauste (FR) Anne Marguet (Musée de l’Holocauste Montreal) Comment enseigner l’Holocauste en s’appuyant sur l’empathie historique? Au cours de cet atelier, les participant·es mèneront une enquête historique pour découvrir quelles répercussions les mesures antijuives nazies ont eues sur la vie d’une famille juive. Ils chercheront aussi à comprendre comment la famille a réussi à se réfugier au Canada. Les participant·es analyseront des sources primaires ayant appartenu à la famille Cahn, puis ils remettront ces sources primaires dans leur contexte pour mieux comprendre l’Holocauste et le rôle du Canada face aux persécutions nazies. À la fin de l’atelier, les participantes auront à disposition des ressources variées à utiliser en classe. Sponsored by: |
| From AI users to AI Thinkers: Helping Students Navigate AI’s power, risk and ethics Heidi Siwak (I-think) Are you struggling with student use of AI and unsure what to do about it? Are you wanting to integrate AI into your practice as an educator, but not sure where to begin? Are you concerned about how AI is changing education but not sure how to respond? This session, appropriate for teachers of all grades, will equip educators with essential knowledge to help students navigate the complexities of AI through the lens of critical thinking. Join Heidi as she shares insights and learning from I-Think’s Artificial Intelligence Challenge Kit, a hands-on and curriculum-connected resource for grades 6-12; that empowers students to think critically about AI—its possibilities, risks, and ethical implications. You’ll explore key concepts every student (and teacher) should know, from how AI actually works to bias, mis- and dis-information, common misconceptions, and AI’s real-world impact. |
| Getting Off the Continent Sandi Vander Heyden (HDSB) This session will explore the importance of broadening the lens through which we teach world history, particularly from 1500 to the present. It will address the need to move beyond a Eurocentric perspective and integrate a more inclusive, “East Meets West” approach. By incorporating diverse viewpoints and historical narratives from both Eastern and Western cultures, teachers can offer a richer, more global understanding of historical events. Participants will engage with hands-on materials and strategies designed to help them present world history in a way that emphasizes interconnectedness, cultural exchange, and the shared experiences of different regions. |
| Opening the Door to 2SLGBTQI+ Hidden Histories: Canada’s LGBT Purge Walter Cassidy (Canadian Museum of Human Rights) The systematic discrimination of 2SLGBTQI+ individuals from the 1950s to the 1990s has come to be called the LGBT Purge. The story of the Purge is complex, interwoven with many other movements and events spanning multiple decades. One of the many educational free online teacher resources offered by the Canadian Museum of Human Rights is Opening the Door to 2SLGBTQI+ Hidden Histories: Canada’s LGBT Purge. This free downloadable resource can be used in conjunction with the large touring exhibit, a smaller touring pop-up exhibit or on its own. The resource engages students in innovative methods through inquiry and hands on engagement |
Keynote Presenters
Andrew Stobo Sniderman & Douglas Sanderson (Amo Binashii)
Andrew Stobo Sniderman is a writer, lawyer, and Rhodes Scholar from Montreal. He has written for the New York Times, the Globe and Mail, and Maclean’s. He has also argued before the Supreme Court of Canada, served as the human rights policy advisor to the Canadian minister of foreign affairs, and worked for a judge of South Africa’s Constitutional Court.
Douglas Sanderson (Amo Binashii) is the Prichard Wilson Chair in Law and Public Policy at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law and has served as a senior policy advisor to Ontario’s attorney general and minister of Indigenous affairs. He is Swampy Cree, Beaver clan, of the Opaskwayak Cree Nation.
Panelists
Allison Parsons – DPCDSB
Allison Parsons is a dedicated educator, advocate, activist, and scholar with over 20 years of experience teaching English, Social Sciences, while serving as a Special Education Resource Teacher and student support educator at the secondary level with the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board. She is deeply committed to social justice and currently serves as the Vice President of Equity for the Dufferin-Peel Secondary Unit. In this role, she advocates for Indigenous, Black and equity-deserving educators and students at both the local and provincial levels.
Allison is most proud of her two daughters, ages 29 and 12, and her work in developing and delivering Black Voices in Literature and Equity and Social Justice courses, where she amplifies historically marginalized narratives and fosters critical conversations in the classroom. She is also a Master’s student at OISE in the Social Justice in Education program, further deepening her commitment to anti-racism, anti-oppression and educational equity.
Beyond the classroom, Allison is an AQ writer and instructor and has been an active member of the Diversity Advisory Board for OECTA, representing Black teachers in Catholic education. Her work is rooted in abolitionist teaching, inspired by scholars like Bettina Love, bell hooks, and James Baldwin. She is passionate about reimagining education within the Catholic system that value diversity, ensure equitable outcomes and strike for true inclusion for all students and their families.
Rose LeMay – CEO of Indigenous Reconciliation Group
Kim Buitenhuis – Queen’s University
Sandra LaPointe – The/La Collaborative
Session 1 Presenters
Kristina R. Llewellyn
Civic Engagement: Inspiring Youth Activism and Agency through History
The panel facilitator is Kristina R. Llewellyn, Professor of History and the Wilson College of Leadership and Civic Engagement at McMaster University. She is a long-standing member of the Ontario College of Teachers. Kristina researches and teaches in the areas of history, civics, and education, with a focus on oral history for the redress of historical harms through education. Her most recent co-edited book is Women, Gender, and History Education: Perspectives from Ontario and Quebec (Palgrave, 2024). Kristina is the Director of Digital Oral Histories for Reconciliation: The Nova Scotia Home for Colored Children and a co-lead of the Curriculum and Resources Cluster for Thinking Historically for Canada’s Future.
Panelists include Heather McGregor (Social Studies & History Education in the Anthropocene Network; Faculty of Education, Queen’s University), Maria Vamvalis (The Critical Thinking Consortium), Usha James (The Critical Thinking Consortium), Mallory Davies (Department of History, University of Waterloo) and Paul Zanazanian (McGill University)
Marie-Hélène B-Hardy (The/La Collaborative)
Bridging Classrooms and Campuses: How The/La Collaborative Inquiry Platform Expands Learning in Social Studies
Marie-Hélène B-Hardy is the Research and Training Manager at The/La Collaborative, an organization dedicated to expanding the reach of research beyond academia. In her role, she oversees Inquiry, a program fostering dynamic collaborations between university scholars and K-12 teachers. Through Inquiry, she helps bridge the gap between research and classroom practice, ensuring that social sciences, humanities, and arts education benefit from the latest academic insights. With a passion for knowledge-sharing and interdisciplinary learning, Marie-Hélène is committed to creating meaningful connections that enhance teaching and knowledge mobilization.
Zoe Flatman & Jan Haskings (OHASSTA)
Talking Tariffs and Trade: Current Events in the Social Science Classroom
Zoe Flatman has more than 30 years of experience teaching Civics, History, Economics and Social Sciences for the Toronto District School Board and is a member of the Ontario College of Teachers. She has worked in a variety of schools with diverse student communities across Toronto. She has been a curriculum writer for the Ontario Ministry of Education and is the recipient of several awards for teaching excellence.
Zoe is dedicated to building global citizens and integrating global competencies, sustainability and civic engagement into her classes across the curriculum
Christina Iorio (YCDSB)
Bringing STEM to History: Innovative Strategies for 21st century classrooms
Christina Iorio has been teaching for 21 years with the York Catholic District School Board and is currently the Department Head of Canadian & World Studies and Social Sciences at St. Augustine Catholic High School in Markham where she teaches as part of their STREAM-focused program. In this STREAM-focused program, students utilize the Design Thinking Process and the principles of STEM education to explore historical themes and apply historical thinking skills. Recently, Christina has expanded these innovative approaches to other areas, including Civics, fostering cross-disciplinary learning and critical thinking for students. She is active on Instagram (@therealmsiorio) where she shares her progressive approaches to teaching Canadian & World Studies and Social Science subjects.
Anne Marguet (Musee de l’Holocauste Montreal)
Finding Refuge in Canada during the Holocaust
Anne Marguet holds a master’s degree in history, specializing in the history of migration in the 20th century. She has taught Social Sciences and Ethics at Secondary and CEGEP levels, first in France and then in Quebec. Since 2019, she has held the position of Education Coordinator at the Montreal Holocaust Museum. In this role, she is involved in the design of various educational activities. She also trains the museum’s guides and mediators, as well as teachers.
Session 2 Presenters
Penney Clark (University of British Columbia)
History in Troubled Times Series
Polarizing Issues: Teaching about War and Commemoration
The panel facilitator is Penney Clark, a professor of history and social studies education in the Department of Curriculum and Pedagogy, UBC. In an earlier life she was an elementary teacher (Burnaby) and a social studies curriculum consultant (Edmonton). Penney’s co-authored Canada Revisited textbooks were authorized for grades 7 and 8 in Ontario. She is co-editor (with Roland Case) of the anthologies Learning to Inquire in History, Geography, and Social Studies: An Anthology for Secondary Teachers and Learning to Inquire in Social Studies: An Anthology for Elementary Teachers, which are used widely in Canadian teacher education programs. She is co-author (with Alan Sears) of The Arts and the Teaching of History: Historical F(r)ictions.
Panelists include Lindsay Gibson (Department of Curriculum & Pedagogy, UBC), Alan Sears (Faculty of Education, University of New Brunswick), Jennifer Tupper (Faculty of Education, University of Alberta), and Catherine Duquette (Département des sciences de l’éducation, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi).
Camille Blanchard-Seguin (Elections Canada)
Délimitation des circonscriptions électorales: perspectives d’équité et de justice
Camille Blanchard-Séguin est une agente de rayonnement dans l’équipe d’éducation civique d’Élections Canada. Elle détient une maitrise en éducation de l’Institut d’études pédagogiques de l’Ontario avec une spécialisation en Éducation, francophonies et diversité. Elle a plus de 10 ans d’expérience dans des programmes d’éducation publique et anime fréquemment des séances de perfectionnement professionnel.
Doreen Bonsu (HCDSB)
Teaching Black Canadian History: Affirming Identity and Empowering Student Voice
Doreen Bonsu is a proud Ghanaian-Canadian educator, experienced high school teacher, course writer, and workshop facilitator. She teaches high school students in Milton, Ontario, and recently completed her Master of Education in Social Justice Education at OISE, specializing in Educational Policy.
Now in her tenth year of teaching, Doreen is passionate about incorporating culturally responsive and reflective pedagogy into her lessons, with a strong focus on centering Black narratives. She piloted an African Canadian History course in her school board, highlighting the histories and contributions of people of African descent to the Canadian landscape.
Recognized for her dedication to education, Doreen has received numerous awards and was recently selected as one of four international educators to participate in the Ghana International Schools Visiting International Educator Program.
Michael Woodrow (YCDSB)
Building Thinking Classrooms in Social Sciences & Humanities
With 20 years of teaching experience, Michael is passionate about learning, creativity, and pushing the boundaries of classroom instruction. For the past decade, he has served as the department head of Canadian and World Studies and Social Sciences and Humanities at Sacred Heart CHS in Newmarket, leading innovative approaches to teaching. Having taught overseas in an international setting—and with plans to do so again in September of 2026—Michael values diverse perspectives in education. Believing that teaching should be engaging, dynamic, and fun, he seeks new methods to challenge both students and themselves. Whether through problem-solving activities, interactive discussions, or fresh instructional strategies, he is committed to keeping learning exciting and meaningful
Flora Mei-Ling Chong & Elaine Law
Why Peace Museum? Engaging Students Through Museum Learning
Flora Mei-Ling Chong (Executive Director, ALPHA Education & Asia Pacific Peace Museum)
Flora serves as the Executive Director of ALPHA Education. She holds a master’s degree in Social Justice and Education from the University College London. Deeply moved by the stories of the war victims she encountered and has a strong belief in the power of education, Flora has been dedicating herself in fostering humanity and peace education in the context of WWII in Asia for the past 20 years. Since 2017, Flora has taken up the leading role in building the Asia Pacific Peace Museum (APPM) in Toronto, Ontario, the first one of its kind outside of Asia. The APPM carries a mandate to engage and inspire youth to rethink the significance of peace and their possible contribution to global peace.
Elaine Law (Senior Education Museum Associate, ALPHA Education & Asia Pacific Peace Museum)
Elaine Law is an educator specializing in history, peace education, and interdisciplinary learning. With over a decade of experience teaching in both New York City and Toronto, she has developed project-based, inquiry-driven curricula that engage students in critical thinking and historical literacy. Elaine holds a Master of Education in Educational Leadership and Policy from the University of Toronto and a Master of Arts in Teaching Social Studies from Columbia University. She has worked extensively in secondary and post-secondary education, including as a professor at George Brown College. Her work emphasizes the role of museums as dynamic learning spaces that foster active engagement with history. Through research, mentorship, and community-building initiatives, Elaine is committed to integrating experiential learning into social sciences and humanities education.
Session 3 Presenters
Sara Kam (McMaster University)
Truth and Reconciliation: Decolonizing History Education
The panel facilitator is Sara Karn, a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of History at McMaster University. Her research focuses on empathy, care, and emotion in history education, and she also conducts research on K-12 curriculum and resources for the Thinking Historically for Canada’s Future project. Sara is a certified K-12 teacher in Ontario and has taught social studies education and environmental/climate change education for pre- and in-service teachers at Wilfrid Laurier and Lakehead Universities. She led experiential learning programs in Europe for the Vimy Foundation and was a co-facilitator of the 2022-23 Virtual Historical Thinking Institute offered by Canada’s History.
Panelists include Jackson Pind (Chanie Wenjack School of Indigenous Studies, Trent University), Nicholas Ng-A-Fook (Faculty of Education, University of Ottawa; FooknConversation Podcast), Nyein Maya (Faculty of Education, University of Ottawa), and James Miles (Faculty of Education – Elementary Education, University of Alberta).
Anne Marguet (Musee de l’Holocauste Montreal)
Trouver refuge au Canada durant l’Holocauste
Anne Marguet possède une maîtrise en histoire, avec une spécialisation en histoire des migrations au 20è siècle. Professeure d’histoire au Secondaire et au Cégep, d’abord en France puis au Québec, elle occupe le poste de coordonnatrice Éducation au Musée de l’Holocauste Montréal depuis 2019. À ce titre, elle participe à la conception d’activités pédagogiques variées, à la formation des guides et des médiateur·trice·s du Musée, ainsi qu’à la formation des enseignantes.
Heidi Siwak (I-think)
From AI users to AI Thinkers: Helping Students Navigate AI’s power, risk and ethics
Heidi is an experienced Ontario educator and now Teacher Coach at I-Think, an education charity originating at the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto, that is focused on helping children and youth become optimistic and confident problem solvers. She leads I-Think’s work in Artificial Intelligence and is the architect of I-Think’s Artificial Intelligence Challenge Kit for gr 6-12 students where students engage in deep critical thinking about AI and use an empathy-based problem-solving process to imagine how AI might enhance the lives and possibilities of all students. She believes that student and teacher voices need to be front and center as AI tools are developed for education. She shares regularly what I-Think is learning about what students want from AI (and the people who make it) from the over 3000 students who have participated to date in the AI Challenge. Heidi is passionately committed to helping students, teachers, and school leaders develop essential skills to explore the main issues facing society and education systems in the development and application of AI. She is committed to responsible and ethical AI in education and exercising leadership skills to empower students and educators to navigate the multidisciplinary and practical reality of responsible AI and human rights.
Sandi Vander Heyden (HDSB)
Getting off the continent
As a dedicated educator with the Halton District School Board for 19 years, I have had the privilege of teaching history and social sciences to numerous students. My passion for these subjects led me to serve as a former executive member of the Ontario History and Social Sciences Teachers’ Association (OHASSTA). Early in my career, I participated in the Juno Beach Battlefield Tour, a profound experience that deepened my understanding of Canadian history. Today, I have the honour of teaching at Garth Webb Secondary School in Oakville, named after the founder of the Juno Beach Centre and D-Day veteran, Mr. Garth Webb. Beyond my professional life, I am a loving mom to Jack and Leah, and I reside in Burlington, Ontario, with my husband and our two German shepherds. I am committed to fostering a love for learning and community engagement in both my students and my children.
Walter Cassidy (Canadian Museum of Human Rights)
Opening the Door to 2SLGBTQI+ Hidden Histories: Canada’s LGBT Purge.
Walter Cassidy has been the educator in residence for the Canadian Museum for Human Rights for the past two years. He has been a Windsor educator for the past 25 years as well as a historian, and activist. He currently teaches a AQ course for University of Windsor: How to Teach LGBTQ Students for the last six years. He is the Chair of WERA (Windsor/Essex Rainbow Alliance) which preserves 2SLGBTQAI history in the Windsor/Essex County area as well as partnering with the city on creating permanent spaces and monuments for future generations to enjoy. He has recently been published on various local 2SLGBTQAI historical moments. He has curated an exhibit at the Chimczuk Museum and one at the Amherstburg Freedom. He also contributed to the Love in a Dangerous Time Exhibit, currently at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, which is the largest queer exhibit in Canadian history.
McMaster offers Summer Accommodations booking for guests looking to stay on campus between early May to mid-August. Please note these spaces are based on availability at time of booking. Rooms will be reserved on the 6th floor of Les Prince.
Les Prince Hall Summer Accommodation
- Single Room (1 twin bed) with private ensuite washroom – $92/night
- Double Room (2 twin beds, shared bedroom) with private ensuite washroom – $147/night
Parking
Conference guest parking is available in Lots G and H from May to August at discounted rates of $12/day on weekdays, and $8/day on weekends.
Guests will use HONK Mobile to register their vehicles using a special conference code (instructions provided prior to event start date).
