Relating to the Land

Salo, Mervi. “Relating to the Land.” Keynote address at the Gracefield STEAM Conference, Toronto District School Board, Toronto, Ontario, February 21, 2024.

• This student-focused keynote invited participants to reflect on their relationships to land through Indigenous teachings, arts, and STEAM learning. Drawing on concepts such as the Dish With One Spoon wampum, Elder teachings, and student performance, the session connected science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics to responsibility, reciprocity, and care for the land.
  

Leadership and Indigenous Education

Salo, Mervi. “First Steps Towards Leadership and Indigenous Education.” Summer Orientation for Newly Promoted and Acting Administrators, Toronto District School Board, Japanese Cultural Centre, Toronto, Ontario, August 20, 2018.

• This presentation was delivered as part of a mandatory orientation for newly promoted and acting principals and vice-principals. It introduced school leaders to Indigenous education, reconciliation, and culturally safe, trauma-informed practices, grounding leadership responsibilities in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action and system-level expectations within the Toronto District School Board.

The Transformative Power of Arts Across Classrooms

Salo, Mervi. “The Transformative Power of Arts Across Classrooms: Including All Learners.” Keynote presentation at the ArtsSmart Conference, Halton District School Board, Burlington, Ontario, January 28, 2010.

• This keynote explored the role of arts education as a transformative, inclusive practice that supports diverse learners across classrooms. Delivered during the launch of Ontario’s revised Arts curriculum, the presentation highlighted arts education as a way of knowing that fosters engagement, equity, and meaningful learning for all students.

Exploring Meaning-Making in the Arts Curriculum

Salo, Mervi. “Embodied Narratives: Exploring Meaning-Making in the Arts Curriculum through Movement and Process Drama.” Paper presented at Momentum: Powered by Drama and Dance, Annual Conference of the Council of Dance and Drama Educators, Deerhurst Resort, Huntsville, Ontario, October 23, 2009.

• This presentation examined key revisions to Ontario’s Arts curriculum, including the separation of drama and dance into distinct strands and the introduction of creative and critical analysis processes. Focusing on process drama, dance as expression, and cultural context, the session highlighted embodied learning as a powerful approach to meaning-making in arts education.

CyberARTS and the Future of Education

Salo, Mervi. “Nurturing Innovation: CyberARTS and the Future of Education.” Keynote presentation at Don Mills Collegiate Institute, Toronto, Ontario, May 20, 2004.

• This keynote traced the history and development of the CyberARTS program, highlighting its role in fostering innovation, interdisciplinary learning, and student voice. The presentation examined how arts-based, technology-infused education models can shape future-ready learning environments and expand possibilities for creative and critical engagement in schools.