PLANNING PROFESSIONAL LEARNING FOR BC EDUCATORS IN 2025-2026
Learning Forward BC [LFBC] is a cross role, cross district professional learning network that works together collaboratively to support adult educators with the skills, strategies and resources that will lead to student engagement and success.
Learning Forward British Columbia is affiliated with the Learning Forward Professional Learning organization and their network of Provincial, State and International Affiliates. Our work provides a framework to implement quality Professional Learning through current global research, the Canadian Dimensions of quality Professional Learning and the Learning Forward Standards. This quality work is always driven by role, cultural and the educational context of the learners involved.
2025-2026 Professional Learning Calendar: Pre-register now, email audreyhj@shaw.ca to put your school or district on a pre-registration list.
All sessions are online unless as otherwise noted.
Special Note January 15, 2025 is in person in Nanaimo.
Pre-registration is available, email info@learningforwardb.ca for advanced registration.
January 15, 2026
Crafting Your Work for Wellbeing: Cultivating Flourishing Leadership in Schools
With Sabre Cherkowski, UBC Okanagan School of Education and Jessica Antosz
📍 In person at Nanaimo Golf Course
💲 $200 per person (includes dinner); groups of 4 or more $175 per person
Registration deadline December 1, 2025
YEAR AT A GLANCE:
REGISTRATION OPEN SEPTEMBER 1, 2025
For additional information email info@learningfoward BC.
Session times: 4:00–5:30 pm
Registration: learningforwardbc.ca
1. October 23, 2025
AI: The Important Things Teachers, Students, and Leaders Need to Be Thinking About – a two part series
With Cari Wilson
Session 1 – From Ethics to Efficiency – AI in the Classroom
In this session we will dive into what educators and students need to consider when using AI to support the teaching and learning in their classrooms.
- October 29, 2025
The Intersection of Human Flourishing and AI
With Rohan Arulpragasm, Chris Kennedy, and Rod Allen
Join Rod, Rohan and Chris for a lively discussion about the complex work of leading in a world where multiple and often competing priorities define our work.
- November 17, 2025
Book Club Session 1
“The Valley of the Birdtail: An Indian Reserve, A White Town, And the Road to Reconciliation” by Andrew Stobo Sniderman and Douglas Sanderson
Hosted by Trudean Andrews and Amelia Poitras, with a possible visit from the authors.
“Valley of the Birdtail” follows two generations of families, one from the Waywayseecappo Indian Reserve and the other from Rossburn, Manitoba and how they came together “ to create an uncommon measure of hope”.
- November 27, 2025
SD33 Chilliwack – One District’s Journey Toward Truth and Reconciliation – a two part series
Session 1 Lessons Learned
With Denise Augustine, David Manuel, Brenda Point, and Indigenous Student Voice and Agency team
Student, teachers and district and provincial leaders will examine the origins of this important work, the development of authentic Indigenous student voice and agency, and the challenges and opportunities along the way.
- January 15, 2026
Crafting Your Work for Wellbeing: Cultivating Flourishing Leadership in Schools
With Sabre Cherkowski, UBC Okanagan School of Education and Jessica Antosz
📍 In person at Nanaimo Golf Course
💲 $200 per person (includes dinner); groups of 4 or more $175 per person
Registration deadline December 1, 2025
Wellbeing in school matters for teachers, administrators, students, school and District staffs, Board of Trustees, and the school community members. From within our role, how can we create conditions to promote, encourage, and sustain well-being for self and others?
- February 9, 2026
Book Club Session 2: Is It Fair to Ask Students to Save the World?
Hosted by Trudean Andrews and Amelia Poitras
Michael Fullan in discussion with Rod Allen and Jal Mehta, talks about the present context and the steps in creating classrooms that look to students, reflecting what they care about. It is a timely discussion about leadership and student involvement in a changing world
- February 19, 2026
AI: The Important Things Teachers, Students, and Leaders Need to Be Thinking About – a two part series
With Cari Wilson
Session 2 – AI in Education – Revolution or Transformation?
AI has the power to impactfully change many of our institutions but how do we want to see this evolve? What decisions and tensions do we need to consider to ensure that we put students and learning at the forefront, while making sure that educators still feel relevant and included?
- April 30, 2026
SD33 Chilliwack – One District’s Journey Toward Truth and Reconciliation – a two part series
Session 2
With Denise Augustine, David Manuel, Brenda Point, and Dustin Louie (UBC)
Hear insights gained doing this work from staff, district and provincial leaders. Learn how academic research supports “relentless incremental” change.
May – TBD— Learning Forward BC Annual General Meeting
What we believe will make a difference for our students!
The Vision, Mission and Beliefs of Learning Forward are a foundation of our work in BC. Of particular note is the focus on Equity, which is the umbrella under which LFBC currently focuses its work.
Vision
Equity and excellence in teaching and learning.
Mission
Learning Forward builds the capacity of leaders to establish and sustain highly effective professional learning.
Beliefs
- Professional learning that improves educator effectiveness is fundamental to student learning.
- All educators have an obligation to improve their practice.
- More students achieve when educators assume collective responsibility for student learning.
- Successful leaders create and sustain a culture of learning.
- Effective school systems commit to continuous improvement for all adults and students.
Equity position statement
Learning Forward believes schools achieve their utmost potential when:
- Each student experiences relevant, culturally responsive, rigorous learning and benefits from the collective guidance and care of exceptional teachers and leaders;
- Each educator has access to high-quality professional learning so they can cultivate the strengths and address the needs of each student they serve; and
- Each leader advocates for and builds an education system that dismantles institutional racism and removes other barriers to students’ equitable access to learning.
This vision for equity in schools requires transformation at every level of the education system.
Working with the foundation of the Learning Forward vision, mission, and beliefs, the Mission of Learning Forward BC is “to provide opportunities for all educators to engage in quality professional learning that focuses on improving student engagement, learning and achievement in the province of British Columbia.”
Planning for, delivering, and supporting quality professional learning is guided by:
1. The Features of Professional Learning and Key Findings for The State of Educators’ Professional Learning in Canada Study [2016]:
- Quality Content
- Learning and Design Implementation, and
- Support and Sustainability
2. The Learning Forward revised Standards for Professional Learning [2020], which outline the characteristics of effective professional learning.
The Equity standard for professional learning anchors our work at LFBC.
Conditions for Success – Equity Expectations:
- Collective commitment to all
- Shifting beliefs
- Inclusive practices for support and development of diverse staff
- Dismantling structural inequities
Elements for Transformation – Equity Commitment:
- Naming inequities and changing practices
- Shifting beliefs
- Reflection on bias and privilege
To achieve a goal of transformation of an equitable learning system, LFBC is focusing its work in the 2021-2022 school year on:
Conditions for Success – Leadership:
- Facilitate vision
- Model and engage in learning
- Champion learning and equity
- Ensure alignment of learning
Elements for Transformation – Learning Designs:
- Collaboration
- Technology for professional learning
- Attending to knowledge, skills, beliefs and practices
- Evidence-based learning strategies
- Understanding about adult learners
- Learner agency/learner commitment
- Attending to diverse preferences/needs/levels
We invite you to engage with LFBC this year to maximize what has been learned from our ‘Covid experience.’ Student engagement continues to be scrutinized. Learning needs of many students were not addressed before and during Covid. What have we learned from the experience? What are we keeping, letting go of, and needing to explore? Consider the following:
- “How are you enhancing your current understanding of equity?”
- “How is it impacting your practice?”
- “How are you engaging your colleagues in what you are learning”
- “How are you interacting with students to gain insight into their perspectives?”
- “What changes are you making to address what students are telling us?”