Sunday E Workshops 9:00 am - 10:30 am

Presented by   Jenna Spiers and  Bradley Spiers 

Type of Session:  Active Workshop (90 minutes) 

Target:     Elementary (Grades 4-8), Beginner or pre-service teachers, Experienced Arts Educators 

This workshop explores how AI technologies, such as ChatGPT, can serve as tools for examining genre theories in the classroom. AI’s results-driven nature offers students a unique opportunity to test their hypotheses on how different genres—like Romantic Comedy, Screwball Comedy, and Film Noir—shape dramatic works. By generating multiple variations of a single scene in different genres, students can critically analyze genre-defining elements and assess their effectiveness.

As a test case, this workshop will use the opening scene of Romeo and Juliet (“Do you bite your thumb at me, sir?”). In small groups, participants will learn to create and stage AI-assisted adaptations of this scene in various genres. By experiencing the same scene through the lens of different genres, participants will not only learn how to craft effective AI prompts for the drama classroom, but explore how genre shapes dramatic meaning and tone. Finally, the project concludes with a reflective component, prompting participants to consider AI’s possible role in the drama classroom, acknowledging its potential as a learning tool while considering the nuances of human creativity that AI cannot fully replicate.

 Delegates will leave this presentation with practical strategies for integrating AI into drama education, gaining hands-on experience in using AI-generated scripts as a pedagogical tool. They will learn how AI can be leveraged to explore genre conventions, enhance student engagement, and develop critical thinking skills in the drama classroom. Participants will also gain insight into the broader implications of AI in creative work, including ethical considerations and its impact on authorship. Additionally, they will receive curated resources, including sample AI-generated scripts, lesson plan templates, and recommendations for AI tools that can support drama instruction. By the end of the session, delegates will be equipped to implement AI-driven activities in their classrooms, fostering interdisciplinary connections between technology and the arts.  

Jenna Spiers is a teacher in the WRDSB, having taught recently at Howard Robertson Public School and St. Jacobs Public School. Prior to teaching in Canada, Jenna worked in theater education in the USA. Jenna was the Education Associate at the Children’s Theater of Madison (Wisconsin) for five years. Jenna has freelanced as a teaching artist, teaching drama in the United States at institutions such as the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools, Portland Stage Company (Maine), and the Shakespeare Theater of New Jersey among others. Jenna has presented twice at the American Alliance for Theater Education conference. Jenna has a Masters in Theater Education from Emerson College (Boston), a BA in Drama from Ithaca College (Ithaca, NY), and a BEd from Wilfrid Laurier University. Jenna is passionate about arts integration in education and using the arts as a means to stimulate communication and develop understanding. 

Bradley Spiers is an educator and researcher whose work bridges music history, theory, and artificial intelligence. He teaches in the Faculty of Music at Wilfrid Laurier University as a contract instructor while pursuing his Bachelor of Education in the Junior Intermediate division. He earned his Ph.D. in Music History and Theory from the University of Chicago in 2020, where he later served as a postdoctoral teaching fellow in the Music, History, and Media Arts and Design (MADD) departments. His research explores how evolving conceptions of AI have shaped artistic and musical thought since the Enlightenment. Prior to his doctoral studies, he earned an M.A. in Musicology from Tufts University and an Honours B.Mus from Wilfrid Laurier University. 

Presented by   Crystal Brennan-Yeo 

Type of Session:   Active Workshop (90 minutes) 

Target:  Drama Elementary (Grades 4-8)

This   workshop will take the art of magical string tricks to bring stories  to  life with the help of Artificial Intelligence. Teachers will learn  to  instruct the students on how to best prompt ChatGPT to write a  script,  based on characters, themes and string tricks created by the  class.  Participants will be provided a string to learn the different  formations  and how to have students incorporate vocal expression and  sound effects  into their finished stories. The project is mapped out in  a way that  includes students of all abilities. Differentiated  instruction and  assessment will be discussed. 

Rubrics   are provided where the students would be assessed on their   storytelling, vocal expression, collaborative group work, and their   ability to perform the string tricks while engaging their audience. The   teacher does not 'assess or evaluate' the script, but students could   write the story themselves instead of using ChatGPT. 

Educators   will be shown how to best organize a 'field trip', either in person,  or  virtually, to the primary grades for performance. 

This   workshop is looking towards the future of teaching students when and   how to use AI in a responsible way, whilst still engaging with a fully   hands on approach to story drama.

 Participants will learn how to not only use AI themselves, but to   teach the students how to do so responsibly. In addition, they will all   receive strings and learn how to do the tricks. Digital rubrics and   lesson plans will be provided with instructions on how to facilitate  the  performances in other classes. They will also be given links to   'how-to' videos for the string tricks to reference if they forget them.   (Example: https://youtu.be/c4pPJrr3toI?si=HHNnF_BeVaQPA0-1)   

 Crystal is a dancer, a musician, an artist and thespian who   studied Drama in Education with I/S qualifications in Visual Arts and   Drama. Her career began as an Arts and English teacher to incarcerated   young offenders. She then explored the elementary classroom as a K-8   itinerant music teacher and presently teaches Gr.9-12 dramatic arts at   St. Anne's Catholic Secondary School. She studied and has instructed   step dancing, Irish, tap, and ballroom dance. When the pandemic hit,  she  spent two years at Blessed Carlo Acutis Virtual School teaching K-8   art, drama, dance, and music online. She is a volunteer clown and has   worked with the 'Dr. Clown' program in Windsor hospitals. Crystal has   been a storyteller in the classroom and beyond for the past 25 years  and  is excited to share her tips and tricks with other educators!   

 Presented by  Allen Kaeja 

Type of Session:  Active Workshop (90 minutes)

Target:   Dance - Secondary (9-12) 

Kaeja Elevations® uses inspiration from various dance, martial arts and sports techniques. Using momentum, anchoring, and the architectural structure of the body, students safely “take flight”! This immersive, hands-on workshop allows students to experience and experiment with force, work, and torque, and realize artistic applications of physics concepts.  

From our workshop presentation, delegates will learn and execute the basic mechanics of Kaeja Elevations, and watch more advanced variations of the technique. Through this exploration, they will learn how concepts in physics can be applied to mediums like dance, and how its practical application can allow for more dynamic and efficient movements. The workshop will provide an insight into physics outside of the classroom, and how Art and STEM intersect. 

The participants will receive both video demonstrations and written descriptions of the particular Elevations they learn.

 llen Kaeja (Choreographer, Film Director, Educator, MA YorkU)) is an internationally recognized and award-winning Choreographer and DanceFilm Director. The child of a refugee and Holocaust survivor, he has created over 30 years of Holocaust informed stage and film works. Co-Artistic Director of Kaeja d’Dance with Karen Kaeja, his Kaeja Elevation focused works have been featured in commercials, films and festivals around the world.  Karen and Allen received the DanceOntario Lifetime Achievement Award. The Kaeja’s are touring to the USA and Canada. Allen’s memoir “I Found My Dance in a Bomb Shelter” was recently published by DCD. Allen and Bruce Barton’s “I am the Child of…”, in collaboration with Ian Garrett, the first production in Canada to integrate Augmented Reality into a live stage show, inviting the audience to bring their devices into the theatre as part of the overall choreographic experience.  

Presented by   Amy Tepperman  

Type of Session: Active Workshop (90 minutes)

Target:   Elementary (Grades 1-4), Elementary (Grades 4-8) 

Make math come alive by exploring Patterns, Fractions, Geometry, Coding and more up on our feet Moving to Music! In this fun and interactive workshop, you'll discover how to engage students in a different way where our bodies and classroom community become the manipulatives. A perfect integration of the 5 Elements of Dance and various Math Concepts. Walk away with a new perspective and lots of ideas/activities you can use right away! 

Delegates will…

• Step outside the box and experience the positive impacts of integrating Dance and Math while building community and connecting with other likeminded educators.
• Learn hands on activities that they can use right away with their students exploring various concepts across the elementary math curriculum through dancing.
• Receive free resource material of the content covered in the session including video tutorials and music. 

 With a passion for sharing and creating holistic teaching practices that engage the entire self (body, brain and being) Amy is a dancer, educator, resource author and movement-based learning specialist working with over 900 schools and thousand of students and teachers across Canada since 2010.  She's proudly presented at industry leading conferences including The Ontario Physical Literacy Summit, Ontario Principals Conference, Ontario Math Educators and SXSW EDU. She was especially thrilled to share her ideas on the TEDx stage in 2017 and can't wait to join the other amazing presenters and educators at CODE 2025