ARC-BC with Victoria Woelders: Accessible Resource Centre of B.C. Outreach Coordinator
Victoria Woelders’ presentation was such a great example of how teachers can practice Standard 5: Implementing effective planning, instruction, and assessment while creating inclusive and respectful environments. Through her work with the Accessible Resource Centre of B.C., Victoria showed how thoughtful planning, and creativity can remove barriers for students with diverse needs, ensuring everyone has a chance to succeed. One of the most impressive parts of her work is how she helps provide access to learning materials for students with disabilities. Whether it’s transforming textbooks into digital formats or collaborating with braille transcribers, she’s making sure that all students can engage with the curriculum. This is a perfect example of how thoughtful planning and collaboration can make a huge difference for learners. Her reminder that “accessibility isn’t about designing for the few but for all” really stuck with me because it’s such an important mindset to bring into the classroom. Victoria also shared some great tips on creating accessible digital documents, like using clear fonts, good color contrast, alt text for images, and meaningful hyperlinks. “These are simple but powerful ways to make learning resources more inclusive.” I could easily see myself applying these ideas in my classroom to make materials more accessible to my students. What really stood out, though, was how Victoria handled unexpected challenges. When tech issues popped up during her presentation, she pivoted effortlessly, keeping things engaging and professional. Her energy and creativity were inspiring, like using the Easter Egg Family Feud Taylor Swift Game, showed how you can keep the focus on student engagement even when things don’t go as planned. She also encouraged us to think about emerging tools like AI, reminding us to approach them thoughtfully and critically. Her ability to adapt, engage, and innovate was such a great example of how we can create effective, inclusive environments in our own practice. Victoria’s presentation left me inspired to bring more of this mindset into my own teaching.