Sessions

Teachers take on a timed twist on the classic "mystery box" format: given a surprise set of ingredients and a strict time limit, they must plan, problem-solve, and execute a dish under pressure. The exercise is built around structured constraints (limited time, limited ingredients, clear checkpoints) that teachers can take straight back to their classrooms to turn cooking lessons into hands-on lessons in time management, prioritization, and critical thinking, not just recipe-following. No professional kitchen required to replicate; the framework scales down easily to a classroom foods lab.

An introduction to digital fashion design and the evolving role of technology in fashion education and industry. Teachers explore the workflow from concept to digital garment, including digital visualization, basic 3D garment principles, and how digital tools support design development, iteration, presentation, and sustainability. The session equips educators with industry applications and terminology that can help prepare high-school students for technology-rich fashion programs.

Runs from 9:15 to 12:00, across Sessions 1 and 2.

A practical introduction to pattern drafting and technical fashion construction for secondary-school educators. Teachers learn how measurements, basic pattern shapes, seam allowance, grainline, notches, and pattern markings translate a design idea into a sewable garment. The session emphasizes simple drafting exercises and teaching methods that can be adapted for high-school fashion and home economics classrooms, while introducing the technical foundation students will encounter in fashion school.

Join us for an open and engaging conversation about teaching the skills that matter most. Explore ways to support student well-being, relationships, personal development, financial literacy, and community connections. Share practical strategies, meaningful classroom experiences, and ideas for preparing students for life beyond graduation.

An experiential training session that uses design challenges and collaborative games to teach the fashion design process. Teachers participate in timed ideation, styling, material exploration, teamwork, and creative problem-solving activities, then learn how to facilitate and assess similar challenges with high-school students. The goal is to build confidence, experimentation, collaboration, and design thinking rather than focus only on a finished product.

An introduction to fashion illustration designed to help teachers build students’ visual communication skills before entering fashion school. Teachers learn fashion figure proportions, garment placement, silhouette, basic fabric rendering, colour, and movement. The session includes accessible drawing exercises and a basic croquis.

Participants will engage directly with a curated selection of ingredients and spices using a "blind" sensory format — no visual cues, just touch and smell to identify and discuss what's in front of them. Facilitated alongside our Culinary Arts students and instructors, the session demonstrates a practical, engaging way to teach flavour profiling, ingredient literacy, and sensory evaluation — techniques teachers can adapt directly for their own classrooms.

A hands-on introduction to jewellery design for teachers who want to incorporate small-scale design projects into secondary-school art, and jewellery design. Participants explore the design process, basic tools, material considerations, safe working practices, and introductory construction techniques while developing a simple sample or prototype.

A creative jewellery-design workshop focused on accessible and unconventional materials rather than traditional precious metals. Teachers explore how found, recycled, textile-based, paper, plastic, or other alternative materials can be transformed through cutting, joining, layering, forming, and composition. The session emphasizes experimentation, sustainability, design thinking, and budget-conscious classroom projects that can introduce students to jewellery and accessory design before post-secondary study.

A hands-on exploration of surface design and textile manipulation for educators. Teachers investigate techniques such as marbling, Sashiko, and dimensional fabric development while learning how material behaviour influences design. The session connects experimentation to fashion-school expectations around textile knowledge, and creative development, and provides classroom-ready activities that can be taught with accessible materials.

An introduction to digital fashion design and the evolving role of technology in fashion education and industry. Teachers explore the workflow from concept to digital garment, including digital visualization, basic 3D garment principles, and how digital tools support design development, iteration, presentation, and sustainability. The session equips educators with industry applications and terminology that can help prepare high-school students for technology-rich fashion programs.

A fashion-industry literacy session that helps teachers explain the breadth of creative and business careers connected to fashion. Participants examine the fashion value chain and roles across design, product development, textiles, styling, merchandising, buying, marketing, communications, production, sustainability, technology, and entrepreneurship. Teachers leave with language, activities, and career-guidance tools to help students understand how their interests and skills can connect to post-secondary fashion education and industry pathways.

An experiential training session that uses design challenges and collaborative games to teach the fashion design process. Teachers participate in timed ideation, styling, material exploration, teamwork, and creative problem-solving activities, then learn how to facilitate and assess similar challenges with high-school students. The goal is to build confidence, experimentation, collaboration, and design thinking rather than focus only on a finished product.

An introduction to fashion illustration designed to help teachers build students’ visual communication skills before entering fashion school. Teachers learn fashion figure proportions, garment placement, silhouette, basic fabric rendering, colour, and movement. The session includes accessible drawing exercises and a basic croquis.

A practical introduction to styling as visual communication. Teachers learn how concept, silhouette, proportion, colour, layering, accessories, and garment coordination work together to communicate a fashion story. Through collaborative styling exercises, participants learn how to guide students from creative direction and moodboarding to building and presenting a complete look usign AI.

Pull up a chair and join us for an informal conversation about what's cooking in our classrooms. Share successes, challenges, favourite labs, student engagement strategies, and creative ways to connect food literacy to health, sustainability, and careers. Whether you're a new teacher or a seasoned pro, come ready to swap ideas and spark inspiration.

Participants will engage directly with a curated selection of ingredients and spices using a "blind" sensory format — no visual cues, just touch and smell to identify and discuss what's in front of them. Facilitated alongside our Culinary Arts students and instructors, the session demonstrates a practical, engaging way to teach flavour profiling, ingredient literacy, and sensory evaluation — techniques teachers can adapt directly for their own classrooms.

A hands-on introduction to jewellery design for teachers who want to incorporate small-scale design projects into secondary-school art, and jewellery design. Participants explore the design process, basic tools, material considerations, safe working practices, and introductory construction techniques while developing a simple sample or prototype.

A creative jewellery-design workshop focused on accessible and unconventional materials rather than traditional precious metals. Teachers explore how found, recycled, textile-based, paper, plastic, or other alternative materials can be transformed through cutting, joining, layering, forming, and composition. The session emphasizes experimentation, sustainability, design thinking, and budget-conscious classroom projects that can introduce students to jewellery and accessory design before post-secondary study.

A hands-on exploration of surface design and textile manipulation for educators. Teachers investigate techniques such as marbling, Sashiko, and dimensional fabric development while learning how material behaviour influences design. The session connects experimentation to fashion-school expectations around textile knowledge, and creative development, and provides classroom-ready activities that can be taught with accessible materials.

Teachers take on a timed twist on the classic "mystery box" format: given a surprise set of ingredients and a strict time limit, they must plan, problem-solve, and execute a dish under pressure. The exercise is built around structured constraints (limited time, limited ingredients, clear checkpoints) that teachers can take straight back to their classrooms to turn cooking lessons into hands-on lessons in time management, prioritization, and critical thinking, not just recipe-following. No professional kitchen required to replicate; the framework scales down easily to a classroom foods lab.

An introduction to digital fashion design and the evolving role of technology in fashion education and industry. Teachers explore the workflow from concept to digital garment, including digital visualization, basic 3D garment principles, and how digital tools support design development, iteration, presentation, and sustainability. The session equips educators with industry applications and terminology that can help prepare high-school students for technology-rich fashion programs.

A fashion-industry literacy session that helps teachers explain the breadth of creative and business careers connected to fashion. Participants examine the fashion value chain and roles across design, product development, textiles, styling, merchandising, buying, marketing, communications, production, sustainability, technology, and entrepreneurship. Teachers leave with language, activities, and career-guidance tools to help students understand how their interests and skills can connect to post-secondary fashion education and industry pathways.

An experiential training session that uses design challenges and collaborative games to teach the fashion design process. Teachers participate in timed ideation, styling, material exploration, teamwork, and creative problem-solving activities, then learn how to facilitate and assess similar challenges with high-school students. The goal is to build confidence, experimentation, collaboration, and design thinking rather than focus only on a finished product.

An introduction to fashion illustration designed to help teachers build students’ visual communication skills before entering fashion school. Teachers learn fashion figure proportions, garment placement, silhouette, basic fabric rendering, colour, and movement. The session includes accessible drawing exercises and a basic croquis.

Join us for an open and engaging discussion about the topics shaping our classrooms today. From AI and technology, student engagement, and supporting diverse learners to curriculum updates, assessment, career education, and wellness, this session is driven by the interests and experiences of participants. Bring your questions, challenges, successes, and ideas as we learn from one another and explore what matters most in Home Economics education.

Participants will engage directly with a curated selection of ingredients and spices using a "blind" sensory format — no visual cues, just touch and smell to identify and discuss what's in front of them. Facilitated alongside our Culinary Arts students and instructors, the session demonstrates a practical, engaging way to teach flavour profiling, ingredient literacy, and sensory evaluation — techniques teachers can adapt directly for their own classrooms.

A hands-on introduction to jewellery design for teachers who want to incorporate small-scale design projects into secondary-school art, and jewellery design. Participants explore the design process, basic tools, material considerations, safe working practices, and introductory construction techniques while developing a simple sample or prototype.

A creative jewellery-design workshop focused on accessible and unconventional materials rather than traditional precious metals. Teachers explore how found, recycled, textile-based, paper, plastic, or other alternative materials can be transformed through cutting, joining, layering, forming, and composition. The session emphasizes experimentation, sustainability, design thinking, and budget-conscious classroom projects that can introduce students to jewellery and accessory design before post-secondary study.

A hands-on exploration of surface design and textile manipulation for educators. Teachers investigate techniques such as marbling, Sashiko, and dimensional fabric development while learning how material behaviour influences design. The session connects experimentation to fashion-school expectations around textile knowledge, and creative development, and provides classroom-ready activities that can be taught with accessible materials.