We invite secondary school teachers in Toronto to join us November 19 for a professional development session and dinner event. If you teach subjects in the humanities such as English, Social Sciences, History or Philosophy, this session is for you. The content may also be of interest to teachers in other departments, school counselors, IB Coordinators and school librarians.
This workshop and discussion event will be facilitated by Dr. Neil Robertson (Professor of the Humanities, Director of the Foundation Year Program) and Emily McInnes (TDSB Secondary Teacher in English and Social Studies, Etobicoke School of the Arts, OCT, MT).
What you’ll learn:
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Strategies for motivating students to write academic essays without generative AI, and why it matters now more than ever
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King’s College as a case study: How a liberal arts university defends the academic essay and why
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Other assessment strategies to consider
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Academic integrity and preparedness for university
This event will include opportunities to discuss and share strategies with your colleagues. Dinner will be provided. Please RSVP to secure your spot.
About the facilitators:
Neil Robertson
Neil G. Robertson, BA (Vind), MA (Dal), PhD (Cantab), is an associate professor in the Foundation Year, Early Modern Studies and Contemporary Studies programs. Dr Robertson graduated from the University of King’s College in 1985 with a BA in Political Science. He went on to take an M.A. in Classics at Dalhousie University, and in 1995 completed his PhD at Cambridge in Social and Political Science. He is past director of the Foundation Year Program and is past director of the Early Modern Studies Program, which he helped to found. Dr Robertson was the King’s College dean of residence in 1989-1990 and has served as chair of faculty.
Emily McInnes
Emily has been teaching for over 10 years at Etobicoke School of the Arts, in both the English and Social Sciences departments, focusing on Philosophy, Law, and Understanding Contemporary First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Voices. Originally from Nova Scotia, she graduated from the University of King’s College before moving to Toronto to complete her Master of Teaching at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. She spent several years teaching in the private school system before joining the TDSB and ESA. Emily has led several staff workshops exploring the challenges and possibilities of AI in the classroom, with a particular focus on responsible use, practical applications, and the importance of developing critical thinking skills in an age of AI.
