Branksome Hall
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IB Summer Workshops
August 20–22, 2025
Branksome Hall offers educators the opportunity to enhance their knowledge of the IB curriculum through engaging, high-quality workshops led by highly experienced, certified IB instructors. Participate in meaningful discussions, elevate your teaching career and become part of a network dedicated to fostering educational excellence.
Registration closes on Friday, August 15.
What We Offer
Primary Years Programme (PYP)
- Cat 1 - Building your IB programme: Primary years
- Cat 2 - Your exhibition
Middle Years Programme (MYP)
- Cat 3 - Creating Authentic Units (new enhancements)
Diploma Programme (DP)
- Cat 2 - Extended Essay (new curriculum)
- Cat 2 - Visual Arts (new curriculum)
Pre-Workshops AI EVENt
Location: Branksome Hall
Date: Tuesday, August 19, 2025
Time: 4:00–5:30 p.m.
Co-intelligence: The Power of Human-AI Teams in the Classroom
How can educators and students collaborate with AI to enhance learning, spark creativity and streamline everyday tasks?
Join us for a thought-provoking session exploring the concept of co-intelligence, where educators, students and artificial intelligence come together to unlock new possibilities in K–12 education, resulting in strong educator-student teams. Hosted by Megan McKellar, Associate Director of Curriculum Innovation at Branksome Hall. Learn practical strategies, explore real-world examples and gain insights into how AI can be a powerful partner in the classroom.
Our Campus
Located in the heart of Toronto, our 13-acre campus includes a gorgeous ravine woodlot with an outdoor classroom and a winding pathway. Our buildings include a mixture of heritage mansions and modern structures, all with leading-edge technology. The Athletics and Wellness Centre includes the dining hall with kitchen and rooftop terraces.
Explore Toronto
Immerse yourself in the world of IB education while exploring the vibrant city of Toronto this summer! Beyond the classroom, Toronto awaits with its world-class attractions, from the iconic CN Tower to the beautiful Art Gallery of Ontario. The workshops' unique blend of professional growth and urban adventure offers an unforgettable experience that will inspire both your teaching practice and your sense of wonder.
WHAT People are Saying
“I thought it was a great workshop. I am happy I made notes and will use them to implement improvements to my classroom this coming year. Thank you.”
PYP Category 2 - Evidencing Learning IB Workshops
“Our workshop leader did an excellent job of facilitating this workshop to ensure we felt ready to assess for TOK. The content in this workshop was mostly for the assessments, which was helpful to see where we want to go with the course when we teach it.”
DP Category 2 - Theory of Knowledge IB Workshops
“This workshop was great because the workshop leader used the same apps and platforms that all teachers use and can easily access. In the past, when the leaders just used the IB proprietary apps, it was hard to find the resources and to have online discussions. Using Padlet, Zoom, etc., was much smoother.”
IB Education, Category 3 - Learning Diversity and Inclusion IB Workshops
Choosing a Workshop
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Choose Category 1 workshops If you are new to the IB or if your situation is similar to any of the following:
- You are new to the faculty of a longstanding IB World School and have not taught in an IB programme previously.
- You are aware of the IB philosophy and programme structure but are not experienced in teaching or administering the IB.
- You are familiar with the IB subject guide (including assessment procedures, moderation) and would like greater confidence before teaching a course.
- You have inherited a course and would like a review before teaching it to suit your own style and expertise.
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Choose Category 2 workshops to develop your expertise in delivering an IB programme. You will have an opportunity to:
- Make connections between programme frameworks and classroom practice.
- Enhance your understanding of assessment in IB programmes.
- Discuss and analyze standards and practices.
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Choose Category 3 workshops to go more deeply into areas you enjoy and to deepen your understanding and mastery of a particular area or subject.
Note: Teachers and other school leaders who do not teach in an IB World School but wish to sample IB learning may choose to participate in many of our workshops. Please refer to the "Recommended for" information in each workshop description.
Choose Category 1 workshops If you are new to the IB or if your situation is similar to any of the following:
- You are new to the faculty of a longstanding IB World School and have not taught in an IB programme previously.
- You are aware of the IB philosophy and programme structure but are not experienced in teaching or administering the IB.
- You are familiar with the IB subject guide (including assessment procedures, moderation) and would like greater confidence before teaching a course.
- You have inherited a course and would like a review before teaching it to suit your own style and expertise.
Choose Category 2 workshops to develop your expertise in delivering an IB programme. You will have an opportunity to:
- Make connections between programme frameworks and classroom practice.
- Enhance your understanding of assessment in IB programmes.
- Discuss and analyze standards and practices.
Choose Category 3 workshops to go more deeply into areas you enjoy and to deepen your understanding and mastery of a particular area or subject.
Note: Teachers and other school leaders who do not teach in an IB World School but wish to sample IB learning may choose to participate in many of our workshops. Please refer to the "Recommended for" information in each workshop description.
Meet Our Instructors
Christine Lederer PYP Cat 1 - Building your IB programme: Primary years
Christine is a now-retired-from-the-classroom teacher but has 28 years of K-8 teaching experience. She also worked as a Primary Years Programme Coordinator, Instructional Coach, and Learning Coach for 16 years. Christine has been a member of IBEN since 2010 and enjoys supporting PYP colleagues around North America as a school visitor, workshop leader and consultant. Christine is looking forward to learning alongside the workshop participants as we explore how we can continue to develop agentic life-long learners in our schools and communities.
Christine Lederer PYP Cat 1 - Building your IB programme: Primary years
Anna Pamel PYP Cat 2 - Your Exhibition
Anna Pamel is a retired grade 6 teacher from Granby, Quebec, Canada. She has been an IBEN trainer since 2005 and has given workshops around the US, Canada, Europe, Africa and Asia. Collaboration has had a huge impact in her PYP journey as it allowed for a respect for multiple perspectives coming together to reach a common goal. She has and still wears many hats; workshop leader and consultant. Anna is passionate about the IB and considers herself a
lifelong inquirer.
Anna Pamel PYP Cat 2 - Your Exhibition
Marie-France Bastien MYP Cat 3 - Building Authentic Units (New Enhancements)
Marie-France has been an MYP Language acquisition educator and MYP coordinator for more than 20 years. An IBEN member since 2018, she occupies different roles for the IB and works with IB educators across Canada and the United States. She is a passionate lifelong learner, having just started her Master’s in Education through the University of the People.
Marie-France Bastien MYP Cat 3 - Building Authentic Units (New Enhancements)
Elissa Morganti Banas DP Cat 2 - Extended Essay (New Curriculum)
Elissa (Elise) Banas, based in Buffalo, NY, is entering her 19th year at City Honors School, Buffalo's public honors magnet. There, she serves as the IB DP Coordinator, CAS Coordinator, EE Coordinator and TOK teacher. A member of IBEN since 2010, she has led over 100 face-to-face and online workshops. Her extensive roles also include Evaluation Leader, Programme Leader, Site Visitor, Consultant and Lead Educator for the IBWS Department.
Elissa Morganti Banas DP Cat 2 - Extended Essay (New Curriculum)
Sandy Stewart DP Cat 2 - Visual Arts (New Curriculum)
Sandy Stewart is from Nova Scotia, Canada. She has been teaching IB visual arts for 35 years, seeing the many changes the arts curriculum has gone through. Presently, she teaches at King’s Edgehill School, a small, private international school in Windsor, Nova Scotia (Canada). Sandy has been an IB examiner for 20 years and workshop leader for 15 years. Sandy is also an International Baccalaureate Curriculum reader. She helped bring in the IB Visual Arts programme to Toronto French School (1990), Rothesay Netherwood School (2004) and King’s Edgehill School (2014). Last year, she helped the IBDP visual arts team in sculpting the new 2027 curriculum.
Sandy Stewart DP Cat 2 - Visual Arts (New Curriculum)
Fees & Payment Policy
Registration Fee: $1,300.00 CAD (approximately $900.00 USD).
A portion of this fee is paid to the International Baccalaureate Organization for professional development support that allows us to make these workshops possible.
Acceptable payment methods:
Visa, MasterCard, cheque or wire transfer. To pay via wire transfer, please email conferences@branksome.on.ca for more information. Purchase orders are not accepted.
Other Policies
All registrations for Branksome Hall’s IB Summer Workshops are made through our online registration system.
A registration confirmation will be emailed to you once payment has been processed. Until you are confirmed in our system, your seat in the selected workshop is not guaranteed.
Late registration
A $50.00 late fee will be charged for all registrations received after Friday, August 15, 2025.
Once a workshop is full, we will waitlist participants on a first come, first served basis. Should space become available, waitlist requests will be processed in the order in which they were received.
Notification will be sent via email to the participant and IB Coordinator, where applicable, if an opening becomes available.
The participant or the IB Coordinator must accept this spot via written confirmation (email or fax) within four business days. If a confirmation is not received within four days, the offer becomes cancelled. Once written confirmation is received from the participant, all registration and cancellation policies are applicable.
Waitlist notifications sent out after the registration deadline are not subject to the $50.00 late fee.
Registration fees will be fully refunded, minus a $75.00 administration fee, for
cancellations received in writing before August 1, 2025.
A credit will be issued for cancellations received between July 1 and the workshop date. This credit will be valid for the next year’s workshop only. Your acceptance of the terms of this agreement shall be your acknowledgment of this policy. All cancellations will be processed after the workshop and refunds will be issued in the form of a cheque. Branksome Hall IB Summer Workshops reserves the right to cancel a workshop due to low enrolment or other unexpected circumstances that may arise. We will make every effort to keep participants informed of any changes, with as much advanced notice as
possible. Branksome Hall IB Summer Workshops will refund registrants the full
registration fee for cancelled workshops.
Please note: Branksome Hall IB Summer Workshops will not issue refunds for no shows or reimburse participant travel expenses*. Should a registrant fail to show for the workshop, or if the workshop should proceed but the registrant runs into transportation issues en route to the workshop, no refund or credit will be issued. We recommend registrants purchase a suitable travel insurance plan to safeguard the traveller from losses due to any unforeseen or sudden conditions or events.
Attendee/Workshop Substitution
Attendee substitutions may be requested up to two weeks before the workshop start date. Attendee substitutions are not finalized until you receive formal consent from Branksome Hall.
Workshop substitutions are subject to the availability of spots in the desired workshop. Workshop substitutions are not finalized until you receive formal consent from Branksome Hall.
*Arrangements for travel and all expenses are the sole responsibility of the participant.
All Branksome Hall IB Summer Workshops are 15 hours in length; it is required that participants attend the entire workshop. An electronic Certificate of Attendance will be emailed to each participant following the workshop, only if they have completed 15 hours total. If, after two weeks from the end of the workshop, you have not received your certificate, please email conferences@branksome.on.ca.
One replacement certificate can be issued free of charge up until one year after the workshop end date. Requests made after this date will incur a $20.00 administration fee.
Branksome Hall’s Sustainability Policy commits us to fostering environmental stewardship in our school. To this end, we are taking steps to minimize the amount of paper used in our IB Summer Workshops.
As such, we do not issue printed copies of workbooks to our workshop participants. Prior to the workshop, participants will be contacted by their workshop leader with instructions on how to access the workshop materials online.
Participants will be provided with Wi-Fi access when on campus and should plan to bring a device (laptop or tablet) to work on during your workshop.
Please note that Branksome Hall IB Summer Workshops is required to share your workshop registration data with The International Baccalaureate Organization. The IBO will not share your data with anyone else.
Travel
Branksome Hall is located at 10 Elm Avenue, Toronto, ON M4W 1N4, Canada.
Due to construction, there is limited parking on campus. For a list of nearby public parking lots, please click here.
TTC - Toronto Transit Commission: If you are taking the TTC, the closest stations are Bloor-Yonge Station and Sherbourne Station. If you exit from Bloor-Yonge Station, walk east on Bloor Street, and turn left on Mount Pleasant Road. If you exit on Sherbourne Station, walk north on Sherbourne Street and turn left on Elm Avenue. Our campus will be on your right-hand side.
If you are walking to us from Hilton Canopy Hotel, turn right as you exit the hotel and walk north on Sherbourne Street. Then turn left on Elm Avenue. Our campus will be on your right-hand side.
Directions
Accommodation Options
The Canopy by Hilton
The Canopy by Hilton Toronto Yorkville is the closest hotel to Branksome Hall. It is a 6-minute walk to campus.
For an exclusive discount code, please contact conferences@branksome.on.ca.
FAQs
- The title and category of the workshop you would like to register for. For full descriptions of workshops, please see the workshop catalogue on the IB’s website.
- Full name and email of the participant. Please provide an email which the participant can be contacted during the weeks leading up to the workshop. If our workshop dates fall under your district’s summer holiday, the participant may wish to provide their personal email.
- Full name and email of IB Coordinator. Please provide an email which the IB Coordinator can be contacted during the weeks leading up to the workshop. If our workshop dates fall under your district’s summer holiday, the coordinator may wish to provide their personal email.
- Payment Information.
All registrations for Branksome Hall’s IB summer workshops are made through our online registration system. A registration confirmation will be emailed to you once payment has been processed. Until you are confirmed in our system, your seat in the selected workshop is not guaranteed.
Late registration
A $50.00 late fee will be charged for all registrations received after the registration deadline.
Generally, IB Coordinators will register on behalf of teachers at their school because they have the payment information needed for registration.
Registration fees will be fully refunded, minus a $75.00 administration fee, for cancellations received in writing before the specified date. The administration fee applies regardless of if we have received payment. Please email conferences@branksome.on.ca to request a cancellation. For more information, please read about our policies on this page.
Attendee substitutions may be requested up to two weeks before the workshop start date. Attendee substitutions are not finalized until you receive formal consent from Branksome Hall.
Workshop substitutions are subject to the availability of spots in the desired workshop. Workshop substitutions are not finalized until you receive formal consent from Branksome Hall.
For payment details, please refer to our Payment Policy section above or contact conferences@branksome.on.ca.
Yes, if your desired workshop is full, you can join the waitlist. Participants are waitlisted on a first come, first served basis. Should space become available, waitlist requests will be processed in the order in which they were received. For more information, please refer to our Waitlist Policy above.
Contact Us
Heather has been devoted to education at Branksome since 2000, and is currently Head, Academics and Professional Learning and a Science teacher. Heather started at Branksome as an MYP and DP Science teacher in the Senior & Middle School for seven years and has since filled various positions, including Head of the Middle School and Head of Academics. She was also the IB Middle Years Programme Coordinator for eight years and has attended and led IB Curriculum and Leadership Workshops since 2001. She previously worked at TVOntario for four years and was a Science teacher and Department Head at St. George's School in Montreal. She holds both a Master of Science and Bachelor of Science (Honours) from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Education from McGill University. Heather’s daughter Saffi’19 is a graduate of Branksome.
