An Online Workshop Series for Students in Grades 8 through to Post-Secondary

This course will serve as an introduction to mindfulness for students are experiencing anxiety and stress. The six weeks will consist of psycho-education teachings, mindfulness-based practices, group conversations and optional home practices.

We will explore self-awareness and self-regulation as the cornerstones to learning how to manage stress in a healthy way. During the course we will learn to identify how the mind and body signals stress and also look at the neuroscience of stress.

This course will help students prepare for tests and exams and provide time to practice mindfulness-based techniques, which can be applied before and during stressful situations. By practicing mindfulness we can learn how to respond to a situation versus react to it on automatic pilot. This course will teach participants how to become awareness of thoughts, emotions and body sensations through the lens of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT).

We live in a world of overstimulation, busyness, constant connectivity, and information overload. This course will address what Rasmus Hougaard refers to as “National Attention Defi­cient Disorder”. Mindfulness-based techniques can be used to help increase levels of concentration and executive function, allowing students to approach academic requirements with greater ease. The workshop will be of special interest to high school students preparing for exams.

This workshop series is offered online, and students may access it in the comfort of their own home. Students will require a computer with audio and video (camera), and Internet access.

Date and Time:
Wednesdays from 7-8:30pm
May 6-June 10, 2015

Cost: $270 (includes all 6 sessions)

We are unable to make up missed sessions. Program fees are non-refundable.

About the Facilitator:

Sarah Kinsley BA (Hons.), BEd, MEd (Counselling Psych.)

Sarah Kinsley is a senior facilitator at Mindfulness Without Borders (MWB), a registered charitable organization that brings best practices in mindfulness and social-emotional learning to advance mental health and well-being in youth, their educators, school teams and health professionals. An experienced educator and child and family therapist, Sarah facilitates MWB councils with adults, youth and communities across Canada. At the University of Toronto, she coordinates the Embodied Mind stream in the Certi­ficate of Applied Mindfulness Meditation at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work. She leads related workshops there as well as at Royal Roads University in British Columbia. Sarah has extensive training in mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) including mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) and is a facilitator and therapist at The Centre for Mindfulness Studies in Toronto. She is a certifi­ed Yoga teacher and the author of “Yoga Therapy: Ancient therapy for Today’s Body, Mind and Spirit” a textbook chapter used in counselling programs throughout North America.

For further information, or to register for the workshop series:

Email: [email protected]
Phone: (416) 516-3379
Website: www.evokelearning.ca

')}

Our special 2 -part preparing for exams workshop is research based and will help students to create a customized study schedule and teach them strategies for effectively preparing for exams.

Common challenges when facing exams include:

Students will learn:

Develop your exam preparation skills, time management, and study skills, to help you improve your exam performance and learn how to manage test anxiety and stress.

Students are required to bring their school binders, text books, notes, class handouts, laptops (bring your own technology), PowerPoint handouts, and any other relevant materials they will need to have a solid understanding of for upcoming tests and exams, for every academic subject they are currently taking in school.  Students will also need a binder, lined paper with binder holes, and a set of dividers for every subject.  This is a very hands on workshop.

Location: Evoke Learning Toronto office, 1407 Yonge Street, suite 206

Workshop Dates and Times:

Part One: Prepare Yo’ Self: Assessing needs and creating your schedule
Saturday, May 9, 2015
12:30-2:30

Part Two: Study Well to Do Well: study and exam writing strategies
Saturday, May 16, 2015
12:30-2:30

For more information, please contact:
Evoke Learning Toronto
[email protected]
(416) 516-3379

')}

Effective Strategies and Tactics to Boost Reading Comprehension

To register for services, please select this link for TORONTO or this link for YORK REGION

Cognitive scientist Daniel Willingham writes that, “Reading is our link to the world around us—past, present, and future.” However, reading is a cultural invention—about 5,500 years old—that is not innate. Human brains are naturally wired to speak, but not to read and write. Reading is an acquired skill that needs to be taught.

Students who participate in this workshop will learn:

Students will leave the workshop series with tools and supports that provide them with a stronger motivation to read. They will understand why reading is so challenging and what they can do about it. Rather than needing to re-read school materials in preparation for tests and exams, participants will learn how to turn their annotated notes into effective study guides. Students will leave this workshop with enhanced metacognition and a deeper understanding of themselves as readers.

Dates and Times:
July 6–9, 2015
9:30–11:30 am, Grades 7–9
12:30–2:30 pm, Grades 10–post-secondary

To register for services, please select this link for TORONTO or this link for YORK REGION

For more information, please contact:

Evoke Learning York Region
[email protected]
(905) 853-7283

Evoke Learning Toronto
[email protected]
(416) 516-3379

')}

Academic Foundations: The Science of Student Success – a Two Part Workshop Series for High School Students (and Grade 8’s Transitioning into Grade 9 in Fall 2015).

To register for services, please select this link for TORONTO or this link for YORK REGION

Part One – Preparing for Tests and Exams

Study skills are often referred to as the “hidden curriculum”.  Teachers often assume student know how to prepare for a test or exam, however many students lack these essential skills and approach the studying task haphazardly.  We tell students to make sure they study for the next upcoming test, but many just do not know where to start.  Our brains were designed for a school environment, which means that we need to know the science behind how our brain works in order to understand effective study strategies.  It also means that retaining information requires extra work on the part of the student.  Knowing just what this work needs to look like, and how to study for a test or exam, make a large difference to student success.

This workshop is designed for high school students (and those entering grade 9 in the fall) and demonstrates:

Students will receive a handout to take home that will help remind of what they learned.

Workshops Dates and Times:

Monday July 13 – Thursday July 16
10 am – 12 pm

OR

Monday August 17th – Thursday August 20th
10 am – 12 pm

To register for services, please select this link for TORONTO or this link for YORK REGION

')}

Academic Foundations: The Science of Student Success – a Two Part Workshop Series for High School Students (and Grade 8’s Transitioning into Grade 9 in Fall 2015).

To register for services, please select this link for TORONTO or this link for YORK REGION

Part Two – Note-taking and Preparing Notes that are Test and Exam Ready

This workshop is for students who have already registered for our first workshop; Preparing for Tests and Exams, and is an extension of what they need to know as a student to prepare effective study notes.  While students may have an understanding of how to study, they may not be using effective note-taking strategies.  Quite often students find themselves disorganized and without effective study notes to prepare for a test or exam.

This workshop is designed for high school students (and those entering grade 9 in the fall) and demonstrates:

Students are required to bring their school binders, text books, notes, class handouts, laptops (bring your own technology), PowerPoint handouts, and any other relevant materials they will need to have a solid understanding of for upcoming tests and exams, for every academic subject they are currently taking in school.  Students will also need a binder, lined paper with binder holes, and a set of dividers for every subject.  This is a very hands on workshop.

NOW is the right time to learn these important skills!

Workshops Dates and Times:

Monday July 13 – Thursday July 16
12:30 – 2:30 pm

OR

Monday August 17th – Thursday August 20th
12:30 pm – 2:30 pm

To register for services, please select this link for TORONTO or this link for YORK REGION

')}

In an era of information overload and testing mania, it might seem ironic that when it comes to teaching, less is more. But emerging research suggests that presenting selective information to students at their own pace and academic level is essential to helping them retain and recall information.

Cognitive load theory, which takes a scientific approach to the design of learning materials, identifies several steps in the learning process. Information about the world around us is filtered through our sensory memory and then moved into working memory, where it is either discarded or retained, and then passed into long-term memory, where it is organized into “schema” that can easily be retrieved. Schemas are scripts of information that guide our behaviours and our knowledge of the environment. Those that are retrieved repeatedly (such as how to ride a bike, brush our teeth, or read text) become automatic and allow us to live and work without the need for concentration.

It’s an efficient system, but it’s important to keep in mind that working memory is designed to hold only a discrete amount of information at one time—typically five to nine “chunks.” That’s why, for most students, simplicity is the key to moving information through working memory and into long-term storage. Children who have difficulty holding a significant number of concepts or facts in their mind at once simply cannot process the information effectively. How can teachers help?

By using multiple modes of instruction, educators can streamline the amount of information that students are juggling. Auditory and visual information are processed separately in working memory, and by employing both channels, teachers can deliver important information to students with a greater chance of retention. Because the brain is very good at processing information that exists in long-term memory, teachers should introduce ideas that create schema that the brain can reference when learning new and more difficult information. By first determining what concepts students already know (existing schema), educators can build on them more effectively.

Teachers can also lighten the brain’s cognitive load by breaking problems down into parts. For example, text and images should be presented sequentially instead of simultaneously to avoid information overload. Examples of completed or partially solved problems can also reduce the number of concepts introduced into working memory while still providing important practice strategies that help to build schemas. Streamlining audio and visual information can also be effective. By integrating labels into diagrams instead of adding them as a separate graphic, or eliminating extra noise like music or voices while lecturing, teachers can often reduce the cognitive load in the student’s working memory and help maintain their attention.

Resources:

Bilash, O. (January 2011). Cognitive Capacity and Cognitive Overload, www.educ.ualberta.ca

https://bestofbilash.ualberta.ca/dr.b%20bio.html

Cognitive Load Theory: Helping People Learn Effectively, Mindtools.com

http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/cognitive-load-theory.htm

Sweller, J. (1994). Cognitive Load Theory, Learning Difficulty, and Instructional Design, Learning and Instruction, 4, 295-312.

http://coral.ufsm.br/tielletcab/Apostilas/cognitive_load_theory_sweller.pdf

')}

A Summer Writing Workshop to Maximize Assistive Technology

To register for services, please select this link for TORONTO or this link for YORK REGION

Date and Time

July 20-23, 2015
10:00 am to noon
For Students entering Grades 9 – 12

Writing is possibly the most complex function we ask our brains to perform. Everyone struggles with writing in some way, and high school students find writing assignments to be one of the most difficult challenges of their academic careers.

Evoke Learning has a unique approach to helping secondary school students write more effectively. Our Bring Your Own Technology program introduces the latest apps and programs for iPads, laptops, and other devices and shows students how to use them in our seven-step writing process.

During the four sessions, students will learn the best apps for brainstorming and mind mapping, outlining, drafting, reviewing, editing, revising, and polishing their work. Apps can be used on iPads, laptops, and even smartphones. There is no need for a quiet place, paper, or pen to get their ideas down on paper. They will end the week with a thorough understanding of the ways in which technology can make their writing process easier, faster, and more successful. We believe that every child can write. Our program capitalizes on the individual’s strengths by directing their challenges toward a technology solution for writing.

Our staff will help participants identify what constrains them in the writing process and suggest platforms and apps that can resolve their problem. Most of the apps and programs we utilize are already familiar to students; however, they are unfamiliar with how to use the technology to support writing specifically or for schoolwork in general. Our relaxed workshop environment encourages students to talk about where they feel most challenged and encourages them to use technology to problem-solve during future writing endeavours.

This workshop series is perfect for students who:

Students will end the four-day workshop with a resource toolkit that they can carry into the new school year. They will also receive a list of solutions for each stage of the writing process, all stored in a Dropbox folder that they can access at any time.

All materials are digital, so students need an email account, access to Dropbox, and a laptop or tablet to get the most out of these sessions. This workshop is appropriate for all learners who are familiar with basic iPad use and it will be especially useful to students who use technology in their schoolwork.

In addition, students will leave this workshop series with:

To register for services, please select this link for TORONTO or this link for YORK REGION

For more information, please contact:

Evoke Learning York Region
[email protected]
(905) 853-7283

Evoke Learning Toronto
[email protected]
(416) 516-3379

')}

Writing Skills Development for ALL Learners

To register for services, please select this link for TORONTO or this link for YORK REGION

Date and Time

July 27-30, 2015
9:00am -11:00am, Grades 7-9;
11:30 am – 1:30 pm, Grades 10-12

<

p

>Whether you love to write, or would rather avoid it, this workshop series is for you!

<

p

>Many famous authors (John Irving, Bernard Taylor, Fannie Flagg, F. Scott Fitzgerald) were exceptional learners. They are creative and intelligent individuals who developed their own strategies to help them put the stories in their heads down on paper.

<

p

>The purpose of this workshop series is to provide students with the skills and strategies to bring their stories to life and enhance their existing approaches to writing. Using group games, oral exercises, one-to-one support, and short written practice, students will create stories together. At the same time we will introduce the Evoke Learning seven-step writing process.

<

p

>Using a variety of fun, low pressure, and creative prompts, students will learn how to craft their story, whatever type or however long it may be. The skills and strategies taught during the workshop series can be extended into the classroom and applied to all forms of writing assignments.

<

p

>This workshop series is perfect for students who:

Students will achieve a written product that they can be proud of at every session. At the end of the workshop series, students will receive a set of strategy sheets that will assist them with their writing in the upcoming academic year.

In addition, students will leave this workshop series with:

To register for services, please select this link for TORONTO or this link for YORK REGION

For more information, please contact:

Evoke Learning York Region
[email protected] 
  (905) 853-7283

Evoke Learning Toronto
[email protected]
(416) 516-3379

')}

Plan and Write Papers that Reflect Your Knowledge

To register for services, please select this link for TORONTO or this link for YORK REGION

Date and Time

August 17-20, 2015
9 am – 11 am
Grades 9-12 students (four, two-hour sessions)

Essays. We know you dread them. Developing a thesis statement, crafting an outline, organizing what seem like random thoughts, annotating your work, and trying to sustain your attention all add up to the compulsion to log on and check out, but we’ve got you covered. Join us for this workshop series and learn to crush this critical skill and deliver the papers that reflect your intelligence.

At Evoke Learning, we make essay writing a step-by-step process. In these workshops you will learn essential organizing strategies for use with any size and type of essay assignment in a variety of settings including exams, on-demand essays, and longer term papers. We can also support your written requirements for university and college applications.

Essays are a way to demonstrate your understanding of a topic or argument in a concise, well-documented format. At Evoke Learning, we believe that everyone can write excellent essays, no matter how challenging the topic. Using our seven-step writing process, which takes our clients from brainstorming through polishing, we offer strategies for completing essay-style assignments with pride and success.

This series is helpful to students who will begin Grade 9 in the fall and for those students who have difficulty gathering and organizing their ideas. Students who have participated in the Evoke workshops “Bring Your Own Technology” and “There Is A Writer In Each of Us” will find that this session incorporates their use of technology (software and apps) and writing strategies.

This workshop series is perfect for students who:

Students will achieve a written product that they can be proud of at every session. At the end of the workshop series, students will receive a set of strategy sheets that will assist them with their writing in the upcoming academic year.

In addition, students will leave this workshop series with:

To register for services, please select this link for TORONTO or this link for YORK REGION

For more information, please contact:

Evoke Learning York Region
[email protected]
   (905) 853-7283

Evoke Learning Toronto
[email protected]
(416) 516-3379

')}