Hit Pause with SAPDC

The Southern Alberta Professional Development Consortium, SAPDC, provides support and learning opportunities to all the school jurisdictions and their teachers south of Calgary to the US Border. Naturally, we look forward to listeners joining from around the world as we visit with presenters and educators from the region as well as across the world. We hope teachers everywhere will enjoy the strategies, concepts, lived experiences and supports as together we all work to ensure our students have the best learning opportunities available.

Last refreshed: July 22nd, 2025 at 7:11 PM ⓘ

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Episodes

Dr. Trisha Sotropa visits with Dr. Deborah Karrah Structured Literacy Expert and Reading Specialist

Dr. Trisha Sotropa of the Southern Alberta Professional Development Consortia (SAPDC) visits with Structured Literacy specialist and Certified Orton-Gillingham instructor, Dr. Deborah Karrah, about some of the early skills required for reading success, and the two upcoming series of sessions at SAPDC. Dr. Karrah is involved in work that supports both reading and writing remediation for children who have dyslexia and dysgraphia and has been collaborating with Harvard University in a research stud...

Sep 28, 2022•20 min•Season 3Ep. 1

From Freeze, Fight, Flight to Grounded, Calm and mindful, The Polyvagal Theory with Kent Hollingsworth

In this episode, Kent Hollingsworth, a Certified Solution-Focused Therapist, Behavior Consultant and Clinical Consultant to a number of school divisions, with a focus on supporting neurodevelopmental disabilities introduces us to another way to look at our nervous system and its impact on our sense of safety, and ability to respond to stress and triggers in our life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

Mar 09, 2022•53 min•Season 1Ep. 8

Reflections: A conversation with Associate Superintendent Amber Darroch

As Amber Darroch approaches retirement we share in a reflective conversation about mentors and mentoring, leadership, education and all its aspirations and challenges. Amber has provided excellent leadership, help initiate a Women in Leadership committee for the provincial association of school superintendents in Alberta and is a great example of grace and leadership. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 08, 2021•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 7

Cultures of Thinking in Support of Student Learning with Ron Ritchhart

Author and presenter Dr. Ron Ritchhart shares his thoughts on the importance of a culture of thinking supported by specific efforts to making thinking visible in the classroom conversations. A lifetime of research, writing and teaching have resulted in four books, Intellectual Character, Making Thinking Visible, Creating Cultures of Thinking and the 2020 release, The Power of Making Thinking Visible. Ron is a Senior Research Associate at Harvard's Project Zero. Following Dr. Ritchhart's work we ...

Oct 02, 2020•29 min•Season 1Ep. 6

Layne Pethick: Behavior and Autism Spectrum Disorders Conversation

A visit in early March 2020 following day 1 of Layne's two-day visit with educators in Lethbridge as we discuss supporting students, teachers, classmates and families on the very long and wide path of the Autism Spectrum. Layne offers a couple of book to check out - "Better Than Carrots or Sticks: Restorative Practices for Positive Classroom Management by Dominique Smith, Douglas Fisher and Nancy Frey. Albertan Jody Carrington's "Kids These Days" and Nathan Maynard's Hacking School Discipline: 9...

Mar 26, 2020•32 min•Season 1Ep. 5

Conceptual Understanding for Transfer: A conversation with Julie Stern & Rhae-Ann Holoien

Julie Stern and Rhae-Ann Holoien join Rick Gilson for a conversation around the lived experience in Grasslands Public Schools where Rhae-Ann is the Assistant Superintendent and Julie Stern, Author and presenter has been sharing her work around teaching for conceptual understanding and transfer with the teaching staff of Grasslands for the last two years. Recorded March 8, 2020 in Brooks, Alberta. Visit edtosavetheworld.com for more information on Julie Stern and www.grasslands.ab.ca for more inf...

Mar 11, 2020•49 min•Season 1Ep. 4

The Importance of Play in Early Childhood Education with David Sobolewski

I had the opportunity to visit with David Sobolewski after he'd spent two days visiting with Early Childhood Education teachers and leaders in our region exploring the advantages and importance of play in learning as well as in developing executive and social skills so critical to helping our pre-school and kindergarten students succeed as they move into the "graded" curriculum and school years. At the conclusion, as we always intend, I asked if there was anything he was reading that he'd recomm...

Feb 05, 2020•30 min•Season 1Ep. 3

A Conversation with Rachel French, co-author of Concept-Based Inquiry in Action

Rachel French shares some of her thoughts and experience supporting teachers with strategies that promote transferable understanding for students in a Concept-Based Inquiry model. Rachel recorded the visit following the first of a two-day training session with educators in Southern Alberta. Enjoy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 29, 2020•50 min•Season 1Ep. 2

Introduction to Hit Pause with SAPDC

A brief introduction to the Show outlining our objectives for the show and future episodes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 29, 2020•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1

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