BTC 2026 - Calgary: Full Schedule

WELCOME TO THE 2026 CALGARY BEGINNING TEACHERS’ CONFERENCE!

Teachers new to the profession are invited to attend the 2026 Beginning Teachers’ Conference, October 2-3, Best Western Premier Calgary Plaza Hotel & Conference Centre, Calgary. There is no registration fee. Space is limited; apply early.

School principals, school jurisdictions and local associations work together to provide substitute teacher coverage as per the collective agreement to facilitate the attendance of beginning teachers at the conference. Substitute teacher coverage must be organized and approved in advance. Please ensure you meet with your school principal to discuss release time and obtain the appropriate absence code to attend this conference.

Teachers in charter, federal and private schools must be associate members of the Association to be eligible to attend the Beginning Teachers Conference.

10:15am MDT

AI Tools to Amplify Your Professionalism and Save Time (K–12)

LIMITED

Friday October 2, 2026 10:15am - 11:30am MDT

Plaza 2

Limited Capacity seats available

Artificial Intelligence chatbots and tools are emerging as powerful supports for teachers and can generate lesson plans, teaching content, assessment materials, and more! With this potential also comes a professional responsibility to use these tools thoughtfully, ethically and critically. In this hands-on session, we will explore the professional use of AI tools which can help save you valuable time so you can focus more deeply on your students' needs. We will share a process for generating, evaluating, applying, and reflecting on the materials generated which keeps you in the drivers' seat as the designer of incredible learning experiences as professionals while at the same time allowing you to be more efficient in your daily work life. Ready to revolutionize your teaching? Join our workshop on AI tools that go beyond traditional lesson planning. Explore how generative AI can create personalized content, assessments, and more. We’ll guide you through a process that balances efficiency with creativity, ensuring you remain the architect of exceptional learning experiences. Plus, let’s delve into professional considerations—because AI is not just about algorithms; it’s about impact.

Speakers

Tiff Pino

Executive Staff Officer, Professional Development, The Alberta Teachers' Association

Tiff Pino (she/her) is an Executive Staff Officer of Professional Development for the Alberta Teachers' Association. With 20 years of experience as an educator in Edmonton Catholic Schools, she has taught a variety of subjects from grades 7-12 in traditional and outreach settings... Read More →

Friday October 2, 2026 10:15am - 11:30am MDT
Plaza 2

Hot Topics for Professionals, Division I, II, III and IV

12:30pm MDT

AI Tools to Make Teacher Life Easier (K-12)

LIMITED

Friday October 2, 2026 12:30pm - 1:45pm MDT

Plaza 2

Limited Capacity seats available

Keeping up with the latest AI tools can feel like a full-time job and the tools change quickly, but our purpose in using them as teachers hasn't changed. Are you wondering which one is worth using, which ones we should be using, and which ones are really just wrappers that don't offer much value? This session has you covered! Join Darren as he walks through all the best AI tools currently available for teachers and how you can use them! Increase your awesome and learn how AI infused tools can make your work easier, more effective, more engaging, and less stressful.

Speakers

Darren Maltais

Friday October 2, 2026 12:30pm - 1:45pm MDT
Plaza 2

Technology in the Classroom, Division I, II, III and IV

2:00pm MDT

Accessibility Tools to Help Differentiate for All Students (K-9)

LIMITED

Friday October 2, 2026 2:00pm - 3:15pm MDT

Plaza 2

Limited Capacity seats available

Assistive tools for students have never been better and they get more exciting all the time! There are several tools that ALL students can use on Chromebooks to help them become better readers, writers, and learners in general. There are also so many ways that teachers can create and use resources that can reach every student. This session will help you address the diverse needs you will encounter in your classroom. We will look at the built-in accessibility features of Chromebooks, tools in Google Classroom to help with reading some features of Read&Write, how to adapt texts, assessments, and activities and ,most importantly, how to engage every student in multiple ways including English Language Learners.

Speakers

Darren Maltais

Friday October 2, 2026 2:00pm - 3:15pm MDT
Plaza 2

English Language Arts; English Language Learners; Inclusion; Technology in the Classroom, Division I, II, III

9:00am MDT

20 Strategies You Can Use on Monday! (K-12)

LIMITED

Saturday October 3, 2026 9:00am - 10:15am MDT

Plaza 2

Limited Capacity seats available

Are you looking for no-prep and low-prep ways to engage your students? Join us for a dynamic session where we will explore 20 versatile no-prep and low-prep activities you can implement in any subject and grade level. Be ready to engage with interactive activities and explore practical applications for these strategies in your teaching context.

Speakers

Terra Kaliszuk

Executive Staff Officer, Professional Development, The Alberta Teachers' Association

Terra Kaliszuk is an Executive Staff Officer in the Professional Development program area of the Alberta Teachers' Association. She brings a passion for understanding and supporting the human journey of learning to all of her work. In her Association role, Terra leads the Association... Read More →

Saturday October 3, 2026 9:00am - 10:15am MDT
Plaza 2

Hot Topics for Professionals, Division I, II, III and IV

10:30am MDT

Improving Teaching and Learning through Professional Growth Plans (K-12)

LIMITED

Saturday October 3, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am MDT

Plaza 2

Limited Capacity seats available

This session will provide teachers with an opportunity to reflect on their understanding of provincial legislation, policy and other requirements related to teacher professional growth, promote awareness of the effective components of a professional growth plan, and share materials and tools that can be accessed to assist in the development of those plans. The session will also address the implications for teacher evaluation and permanent certification.

Speakers

Gail-Ann Wilson Mitchell

Saturday October 3, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am MDT
Plaza 2

Hot Topics for Professionals, Division I, II, III and IV

BTC 2026 - Calgary

10:15am MDT

Tiff Pino

12:30pm MDT

Darren Maltais

2:00pm MDT

Darren Maltais

9:00am MDT

Terra Kaliszuk

10:30am MDT

Gail-Ann Wilson Mitchell

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