Time: FULL DAY 9am -3pm Grades: K – Gr. 7
Presenter: Dr. Sarah Aiono, CEO & Co-Director of Longworth Education
Location: School Board Office
Limit: 100 participants
(Lunch provided) Hosted by Lisa Pedersen-Skene, District Principal Early Learning and Child Care
Abstract: The Power of Play – Reclaiming Joy, Connection, and Neuroaffirming Practice in a Post-COVID Classroom
–> REGISTRATION MS FORM LINK HERE
In the wake of COVID-19, our classrooms have become more complex, diverse, and emotionally charged than ever before. Educators are witnessing increasing dysregulation, anxiety, and behavioural challenges among students—and, all too often, the instinctive response is a return to traditional, compliance-based methods that prioritize control over connection. Yet what our learners, particularly our neurodiverse and trauma-affected students, truly need is the opposite. They need play.
This three-hour interactive workshop series invites educators to reimagine classroom practice through the lens of play pedagogy—an evidence-based, neuroaffirming, and trauma-informed approach that nurtures regulation, relationships, and resilience. Participants will explore why play is not a luxury or a reward, but a critical neurological and developmental need for all children, regardless of age or ability. Through discussion, research insights, and practical examples, we’ll unpack how play supports executive functioning, emotional safety, and authentic engagement in learning.
Importantly, this session distinguishes play pedagogy from unstructured “free-for-all” play. True play-based learning is intentional, relational, and grounded in educator attunement. It’s a practice that aligns with contemporary understandings of neurodiversity and mental health—and it offers a roadmap for meeting the increasingly diverse needs in our classrooms with compassion, creativity, and hope.
Now, more than ever, our students need safe, joyful, connected spaces to learn and grow.
Play is not the opposite of learning—it is the foundation of it. REGISTRATION LINK HERE
Dr Sarah Aiono is CEO & Co-Director of Longworth Education, an internationally recognised advocate for play-based pedagogy, teacher wellbeing and evidence-informed practice. With over 20 years teaching experience across diverse primary settings, she holds a Doctor of Education from Massey University and has developed innovative professional learning tools, including the P-BLOT™, to support teachers to embed meaningful play in classrooms. Sarah speaks globally on the intersections of play, nature, resilience and curriculum, and is committed to restoring joy and agency to teaching and learning.
Questions about this session please contact:
Lisa Pedersen-Skene,
District Principal Early Learning and Child Care
Lisa.Pedersen-Skene@sd71.bc.ca
-
February 17, 2026
8:30 am - 3:30 pm