Meet The Team
Empowered Learners understands the pivotal role of Executive Function (EF) skills in learning. We assess the student's EF skills to determine their strengths, then collaborate with students to develop learning strategies they can use in school and everyday life.
MY TEACHING PHILOSOPHY
Social-Emotional Learning is at the heart of my teaching practice. Creating a safe, warm learning environment is essential for students to take risks and develop a sense of agency over their learning.
Welcome to Empowered Learners. A unique approach to student learning.
My name is Lisa Black. I have a BSc in Ecology, a BEd in Secondary Science and an MEd in Human Development Learning and Culture. Much of my research focused on Social-Emotional Learning, Self-Regulated Learning and Executive Functioning. I was especially interested in finding connections between them and how enhancing one skill could improve students’ learning of the other skills.
Throughout my career and while raising my three children, I recognized the need to explicitly teach EF skills and how low executive functioning hinders academic learning, self efficacy and social-emotional well-being. For students to become critical thinkers and rational problem solvers, they must be proficient self-regulated learners. I am a specialized teacher, offering one-on-one support for students to hone their Executive Function skills, develop study strategies and facilitate self-regulated learning during large projects. My primary focus is adolescents aged 11-21.
Tio is our friendly, 8 year old labradoodle. She is an excellent listener, unless, of course, she sees a squirrel! Her superpower is that she has a calming, disarming effect on people, allowing students to be more open and willing to adopt new learning strategies.
I want to acknowledge the Coast Salish Nations of Musqueam, Tsleil-Waututh and Skwxwú7mesh on whose traditional, unceded territory I reside, learn and work.
I would also like to acknowledge the Nations of Lhtako Dene, Nazko, Lhoosk’uz Dene and Esdilagh on whose traditional, unceded territory I come from.
I grew up where two rivers meet, and I now live on the shore of the Pacific Ocean. I started thinking about the significance of these bodies of water to the Nations who live there and researched what water means to indigenous cultures. Here is a quote from the Assembly of First Nations that spoke to me as a parent and educator.
HONOURING WATER
“The sacred water element teaches us that we can have great strength to transform even the tallest mountain while being soft, pliable, and flexible.”
ANGELA TURNER