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Healing Through Self-Compassion and Micro-Resilience Strategies
Understanding who we are and how we can best take care of ourselves is one of the best ways to become our best selves and better support those we serve. In this session, we'll explore practical strategies for the four types of self-care, and discuss resilience strategies & activities that contribute to developing a strong foundation for healing. Join us and Mandy Froehlich in learning how to build strength through micro-resilience strategies.
Mandy Froehlich is an experienced Director of Innovation and Technology, technology integrator, and teacher, whose interest lies in reinvigorating and re-engaging teachers back into their profession, as well as exploring what’s needed to support teachers in their pursuit of innovative and divergent thinking and teaching. She consults internationally with districts and institutions in the effective use of technology to support great teaching, mental health support for educators, and how to create organizational change.
Expanding Language Skills for ELLs Using Flip
Are you looking to enhance your ELLs' language skills? In this session, we will discuss the importance of teaching expressive and receptive language skills to students. We will then explore how to use Flip to have students practice speaking and expressing themselves creatively. We will dive into specific topics, activity ideas, and prompts that can be done on Flip, as well as best practices for having your ELLs communicate effectively. Join us to explore this accessible tool for students to work on their language skills in an engaging way!
Addressing SEL Through Bulletin Boards
Bulletin boards can be powerful, eye-catching tools that communicate information and celebrate student learning. Have you ever thought about using them to help support students' social-emotional needs? Join us as we discover unique bulletin board ideas and best practices for creating boards that promote SEL, inclusiveness, and make a positive impact.
Tools to Support Digital Book Cover Creation
Students already know that an impressive cover can make a book stand out on the shelf. In this course, we will go over how you can challenge your students to be illustrators for the day by designing their own digital book covers. Join us as we take a deeper dive into the different programs that you can use, and the handy design tools within these websites!
Educator Mental Health and Why We Emotionally Disengage
We work in an emotion-filled profession where empathy and passion are our greatest asset. However, what happens when those feelings are challenged or taken away entirely? How does this happen, and what can we do about it? Join us and Mandy Froehlich as we explore the reasons why educators become emotionally disengaged in the teaching profession.
Mandy Froehlich is an experienced Director of Innovation and Technology, technology integrator, and teacher, whose interest lies in reinvigorating and re-engaging teachers back into their profession, as well as exploring what’s needed to support teachers in their pursuit of innovative and divergent thinking and teaching. She consults internationally with districts and institutions in the effective use of technology to support great teaching, mental health support for educators, and how to create organizational change.
Whether you are from the Northeast, the South, Midwest, or the West, there is a general set of standards for computer science (CS) education. We will explore those standards and make them relevant to all classrooms and grade levels. In this session, we will define computer science and explore why it is a necessary subject. We will also explore the impact of computer science in our schools and discuss how to design and implement successful CS education.
Apps to Support the Exceptional Education Setting
This app-centric course will cover a variety of skills and creation-based apps that are useful in any Exceptional Education classroom. In this session, we will not only cover the functionality of the apps, but also best practices to incorporate them effectively with students, like using iPads as a center for assessment or behavior management tool. This session will also reveal some of the best-kept accessibility secrets to help you reach all types of learners.
Supporting Mentor/Mentee Teacher Partnerships
Creating guidelines and having an open dialogue are two important factors to building a professional foundation between a mentor and mentee, strengthening the relationship. In this course, we will look at how you can build a partnership foundation and utilize technology to collaborate, schedule, and set goals for students.
Differentiating Instruction for ELLs Using Microsoft Visio
We all know that a picture is worth a thousand words. When teaching ELLs, providing visual aids is essential for their comprehension. Microsoft Visio, a diagramming program, can support this effort with its pre-made content such as templates, flowcharts, built-in shapes, and more. Join us as we explore how Microsoft Visio can be used to provide differentiated instruction for ELLs.
Blended Learning with Station Rotations
Station rotations can have many benefits, including differentiated instruction and the ability to teach small groups while other students are working independently. However, classroom management is key in order to keep all students engaged while you are working with a small group. Join us for this session where we will cover different digital tools and management tips for making the most out of station rotations.
Resources for Virtual Field Trips
Field trips can be incredibly enriching for students, but they are not always an option for teachers. In this course, we will explore how teachers can create interactive virtual field trips for students as well as how to use these trips to maximize student learning and engagement.
Understanding the NYS Computer Science and Digital Fluency Learning Standards
Computer science concepts are finding their way into every classroom at each grade level. That's where the new Computer Science and Digital Fluency Learning Standards come into play! If you haven’t had a chance to dive into the new NYS K-12 Computer Science and Digital Fluency Learning Standards, join us for this session as we unpack these standards and explore ideas and activities to integrate them into the classroom.
Using Microsoft Planner for Project-Based Learning
Keeping students organized during project-based learning activities can be a challenge, especially if students are given more flexibility in terms of their goals. Join us to learn about one of Microsoft's newer applications, Microsoft Planner. We'll show you all the ins and outs of using Microsoft Planner and how your students can utilize it for their next project-based learning experience.
Tools to Alleviate Back to School Anxiety
Educators are key players when it comes to helping students cope with back-to-school anxiety. Join us for this course as we explore techniques for educators to recognize the signs of student distress and how to guide them through anxiety. We'll show you ways to ensure your students thrive over the course of the academic school year. You may even find that some of these strategies can help you to address some of your own start-of-the-year anxieties too!
Making Accessible Print Documents
Even when we are creating documents that will be printed and handed out, there still needs to be a digitally accessible equivalent to ensure accessibility for all. In the course, you will learn why this is so important, and how to create accessible print documents.
Giving Valuable Feedback in the Math Classroom
Feedback is the key to helping your students feel more confident in their abilities! There is a lot of professional development out there about the “right way” to change these negative feelings in the classroom, but does this look different depending on the subject you teach? Join us for this course, where we will explore different ways to help students shift their mindsets to be able to grow and learn in your math classroom.
Level Up Google Classroom with Schoolytics
Google Classroom is great, but you’re ready to get more out of it! Join Google Classroom expert and author of “Stepping Up to Google Classroom,” Alice Keeler to explore ways to level up your Google Classroom experience. Teachers around the world use Schoolytics to better understand how their students are really performing on skills and standards, easily create progress reports, and share assignments with other teachers. Learn why Schoolytics is the tool that Google Classroom teachers have been wishing for!
Engaging Students in the Engineering Design Process
The engineering design process is used throughout STEM classes, as students can develop solutions to many types of problems. Join us to learn some quick and simple activities you can do with your class to engage them in the engineering design process! Whether students are already familiar with the EDP, or have no idea what it is, they can benefit from these quick challenges!
Using Google Drawings to Teach Elementary Science Concepts
Google Drawings is not just a tool for teachers, it can also be used for student learning. In this session, we will look at how to utilize Drawings to teach science concepts by using visuals. Students will be able to synthesize information and develop their own understandings rather than just memorizing facts.
Designing School Notices with Canva
Classroom or school-wide newsletters shouldn't be boring. Join us for this course to explore how you can keep parents, students, and staff up to date by using creative school newsletter templates available in Canva. With just a few clicks, we will dive into the steps for personalizing and publishing!
Storing Technology Safely Over the Summer
Ever encounter battery-related issues with your devices at the start of the school year? We know how frustrating it can feel when your technology won’t hold a charge or function the way it used to when you return back to school in the fall. Join us for this end of year session as we share recommended steps to prepare your technology for storage over the summer.
Designing Teacher Workshops to Support Teacher Growth
Professional learning should reflect the kind of learning we want to see for our students. Join us for this course as we share best practices for administrators to support teachers’ growth. We’ll explore strategies for engaging adult learners in training workshops and the impacts of different workshop approaches.
In today's session, we'll be learning all about digital journals. From benefits to important considerations, and even recommended tools, we'll give you all the information you need to get started with your students. Whether you're looking to switch over journal activities from pen and paper or want a unique activity to do with students, you've come to the right place!
Taking Learning Outside the Math Classrom
Are you looking for ways to increase student engagement in your math lessons? Teaching math outdoors offers endless possibilities to teach math from a real-world, creative, and hands-on learning perspective. In this course, we will transform traditional classroom math lessons that focus on topics such as symmetry, geometry, data collection, and measurement to outdoor learning opportunities that are sure to make math more meaningful and interesting to your students.
Celebrate Student Success Using 3D Design & Printing
As educators, we wear many hats. We are listeners, planners, data collectors, and above all: motivators. In order to motivate our students, we are constantly looking for ways to celebrate their achievements. In this session, we will share ideas for designing prizes and other celebratory items to commemorate your students’ accomplishments for homework completion, attendance, and so much more!
Teaching Self-Regulation During Choice Time in Early Ed
As early as Kindergarten teachers can help students build independence, monitor their own behaviors and become self-directed learners. Self-regulation is a skill that begins in the early education classroom and can be acquired with proper support and guidance. In this course, we will explore strategies educators can use to help foster the development of self-regulation during "choice time" activities in the early ed classroom.
Using Google Forms to Drive Instructional Decision Making
Join us for this course to explore how Google Workspace can promote learning and support data-driven instruction (DDI). Google Forms is one of the many tools out there that can help you gauge students’ pre-existing knowledge, identify misconceptions, and so much more. In this course, we will explore how you can use the features within Forms to create engaging lesson activities for your students and promote student growth.
A classroom is not bound by four walls but instead is a place where learning is cultivated, led, inspired, motivated, built, and empowered (CLIMBE). Join educator and author, Dene Gainey as he demonstrates how learning can happen anywhere, whether individually, in groups, or as a whole-class discussion using Spaces, an innovative assessment and lesson delivery system. Part two in our series on Spaces, this webinar will dig deeper into the features, usability, and examples of how Spaces can be integrated into your classroom.
Learning happens in so many ways that are not always effectively demonstrated by a test. Learning is multi-modal! This webinar introduces you to Spaces, an innovative assessment and lesson delivery system that promotes, encourages, and inspires student learning in more ways than one. Join educator and author, Dene Gainey to learn about Spaces from set up to first use. As an educator, Dene makes it his mission to build bridges and fill gaps, not to mention motivate students to be “more.” In this session, we will discuss how to use Spaces to help students effectively learn and assess that learning - from project and problem-based learning to social-emotional benefits and portfolio building.
Using Google to Explore the Earth's Oceans
The ocean covers nearly 71% of Earth's total surface and comprises 96.5% of all of Earth's water supply. Maintaining a healthy ocean is critical to all living things and the wellbeing of the entire planet. Join us as we celebrate World Oceans Day and use Google Tools like Google Maps and Google Earth to explore Earth's oceans and learn more about this critical resource.
Best Practices for Digital Assessments
Are you looking to bring your assessments into the digital era? Join us in this session as we take a look at different digital platforms, best practices, and other tips to help you assess your students successfully using web based tools.
A Rube Goldberg Summer of Outdoor Fun
We’re heading into summer and there is no better place to take your Rube Goldberg Machine building than outdoors! Sandbox, water-play, planting, digging, and even playgrounds can be part of the kinetic fun! Join Jennifer George and friends as they discuss the joy Rube Goldberg and machine-building can bring to your summer programming.
Helping ELLs Make Connections to Literature Using Google Drawings
Working with English language learners and helping them to see text-to-self connections can be difficult. Join us to explore how you can use independent reading opportunites and Google Workspace's Drawings to help your ELL students identify with their own personality.
Tools to Encourage Dramatic Play in Early Ed
Dramatic play enables students to enhance communication skills, learn key concepts, and develop problem-solving strategies by taking on new roles, acting out real-life experiences, and even dressing up and using imaginative props. In this session, we will discuss the importance of dramatic play for students in the early education classroom. We will also discuss specific, cross-curricular dramatic play activities and suggested literature that you can explore with your students. Join us to learn strategies for setting up your classroom environment to create a space where dramatic play and creativity can soar!
Matt's Maker Space: Legacy Inspires STEAM Opportunities
Makerspaces foster student independence, exploration, and love of creation. Join Jennifer, Noelle, and Anne as they discuss the impact and legacy of Matt Conover, Noelle's son, who died in 2002 from non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, just before his 13th birthday. Matt's Maker Space, founded by Noelle, honors her son's love of engineering and fosters STEM creativity and arts education throughout Pennsylvania.
Developing Check-In Systems for Older Students
Developing age appropriate check-ins can be a challenge for educators working with older students. However, carefully crafted check-ins can bring middle and high school classes closer together. You may even find that they can help to improve students' well-being! Join us as we explore resources for designing morning, mid-day or afternoon check-in systems to monitor student behavior and assist you with planning the next steps for success with these students.
Tools to Support Center Rotations in the Special Ed Classroom
Are you looking to incorporate center rotations into your classroom? In this session, we will explore the benefits of using centers in your special education class, as well as strategies for getting organized, setting up your centers, and supporting students along the way as they dive into their center activities. We will discuss the importance of creating a schedule for center rotations as well as making sure that your centers are created to set your students up for success in order to meet their learning goals. We will also explore specific center activity ideas for you to try out with your students!
Using Jamboard to Support Writing Stations
Looking for ideas and graphic organizers to support your students thoughts during the writing process? Jamboard can be a great location for research, brainstorming, prewriting, and more. Join us to learn how your students can use Jamboard to organize their thoughts before writing an informative, argumentative, or narrative piece.
Turn Your Students' Love of RGM into a Career
Join Jennifer George and Brent Bushnell to discuss how to cultivate the next generation of inventors through joy and creativity. Brent is the Chairman and CoFounder of Two Bit Circus, which deploys STEAM-based programs focused on creativity and invention to inspire students around the world. Brent’s a Sir Edmund Hillary Fellow, a supporter of Clowns Without Borders and publishes on Twitter @brentbushnell; he and members of his team were part of the extraordinary build for OK-Go's viral Rube Goldberg music video for "This Too Shall Pass." Jennifer and Brent will lead an insightful talk about how kids who love building, tinkering, and problem solving can turn those interests into a career.
Special education can be an extremely fast-paced and rewarding job. Special educators are challenged to think and act quickly as well as be flexible enough to adapt to any situation. Having a set of tools ready to go at any time can be the difference between successful lessons and negative experiences. Join us for this course as we explore some great educator resources for autism spectrum disorder.
Interactive Storytelling with Jamboard
Jamboard is an interactive whiteboard that can be used for brainstorming, creating, and sharing information. In this session, we will discuss how to create storyboards and how to use the drawing and text features within Jamboard. Join us to discuss the importance of introducing storytelling skills at an early age. We will also explore specific examples and Jamboard templates that can be used for the story creation process.
Are you looking for a unique way to engage your students with social-emotional learning activities? Jamboard is the perfect tool for creating unique learning and self-reflection opportunities. In this session, we will explore the importance of integrating SEL into daily lessons for your early elementary students. We will also dive into specific activities and templates that can be created with Jamboard. Join us for some great ideas to help your students gain self-esteem and build confidence!
Using Book Creator to Create Digital Stories for ELLs
Digital storytelling is the perfect way to engage your English Language Learners. Join us for this session where we will review the power of digital storytelling and discuss the benefits of storytelling for your students. We will then dive into Book Creator, a website for creating digital books that incorporate drawings, narration, video, and so much more. We will explore how to get started with this digital tool and brainstorm ideas for your students to bring their stories to life. We will also explore digital story topics and examples that are sure to engage your English Language learners. Let’s get creative with this literacy tool to support our students with their reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills!
In this session, participants will learn how to create Rube Goldberg machines at home – or with items commonly found around the house. Joined by Jennifer George, we will preview the upcoming book: “25 Rube Goldberg Machines You Can Build at Home.” Guest speakers include Zach Umperovitch (builder), Tori Cameron (author).
Creating a Culture of Kindness in the Early Childhood Classroom
As educators, we know the importance of building a positive classroom community. A major part of bringing this practice to life is teaching our students the importance of kindness and treating one another with respect. In this session, we will review the value of creating a culture of kindness at an early age. We will dive into strategies, best practices, and activity ideas to get your students motivated to connect with one another in meaningful ways. We will also explore relevant children’s literature to spark powerful conversations about kindness both in and out of the classroom. Join us for some tips and tricks for fostering a culture of kindness!
Fight Photomath with Graspable Math
Are your students cheating on math problems by using apps like PhotoMath, Mathway, or other websites on their phones? This can be frustrating since it may be hard to determine what students actually know versus what they were able to solve with the assistance of their phones. Alice Keeler, math teacher and EdTech expert, will share with you the unique ways to use the tool, Graspable Math, to help students to develop procedural fluency. Make Graspable Math a part of your math classroom!
Project-Based Learning: Space Exploration with Google
Project-based learning, in conjuction with the productivity and collaboration tools available in Google Workspace, can support and enhance student outcomes. Learn how students can explore the world of space exploration within this structured, creative, and digital workspace. The key elements of project-based learning, such as sustained inquiry, critical thinking, authenticity, student voice and choice, collaboration, reflection, and revision are enhanced through the use of Google Workspace. Join us on a space quest using Google Workspace.
Classroom Management Ideas: Apps for Positive Reinforcement
Are you looking for unique ways to help reinforce positive behaviors in your students? In this course, we’ll take a look at a variety of different interactive apps that can help with classroom management. From token economies to badges and messages, you’ll learn a lot of great tools to put in your classroom toolkit.
Culturally Responsive Teaching: Promoting Student Reflection
Culturally responsive teaching enables us as educators to build the connection between academics and students' cultural backgrounds. The key is to provide our students with daily opportunities to reflect and share their voices. Join us in this session as we dive into activities and reflection opportunities that we can bring into our classroom to get our students thinking about and sharing history, traditions, and experiences of other cultures and groups. We will discuss guiding questions for reflection and conversation starters to promote a positive learning environment.
Using Emojis to Manage Classroom Routines and Activities
Who doesn’t love a good emoji? You may already be using emojis in some way in your classroom, but did you know that these little characters can be a great visual cue for students as they work through assignments? Join us as we share suggestions for incorporating emojis into your pre-existing assignments and explore how these fun characters can even help you to manage classroom routines!
Culturally Responsive Teaching: Gamification
Through culturally responsive teaching, we can provide opportunities for our students to be engaged in learning and to process content in a way that best suits their individual needs. In this session, we will explore how to use gamification to get our student's attention and to enrich their learning experiences. We will provide examples of games that will keep students engaged in learning and that promote conversation and friendly competition. Let's discuss the power of games and incorporation repetition, problem solving, and making connections.
Rube Goldberg Cartoon Contest: Putting the 'A' in STEAM!
Join Jennifer George as she leads a lively conversation with illustrators Abby Merrill and Ed Steckley as they describe and quite literally illustrate how to draw Rube Goldberg Machines. Once your students have mastered invention drawing, take learning to the next level with the Rube Goldberg Crazy Contraption Cartoon Contest. We will discuss how the contest can add the Art into STEAM learning and how your students can enter.
Project Based Learning for ELLs
Are you looking for engaging projects to do with your ELL students? In this course, we’ll show you how to implement PBL activities to promote critical thinking, communication, and collaboration with your ELL students. You will learn how to use various tools to promote the key elements of PBL such as research, collaboration, gathering and analyzing feedback, and presenting knowledge in the classroom.
Culturally Responsive Teaching: Google Tools
Culturally responsive teaching is at the forefront of education today. Come check out how you can use common Google tools that you are probably already using, (don't worry if you're not, it's ok, come anyway) to promote culturally responsive teaching and practices. Can't wait to see you there!
Technology to Support Your Calming Space
Creating a space for students to feel safe when they are feeling dysregulated can be essential in any educational setting. Come join us as we discuss different ideas for the use of technology in these types of environments. Together, we will explore different ideas to help students regulate, feel safe, and refocus their attention.
Creating Digital Scrapbooks to Honor Women's History
Are you looking for a unique lesson activity to teach your students about important women in history? Join us as we discuss the value of teaching your students about women’s history and how to integrate this topic into classroom discussions and projects. We will dive into how to create a digital scrapbook that highlights the accomplishments of famous women. We'll also review specific ideas to include in the scrapbook such as biographical data, photographs and images, a summary of the woman’s contributions, and more! Let’s create shareable and unique scrapbooks to learn about and honor women’s history!
Using a Pre-Existing Science Lesson to Go Further with Scratch
Are you already using Scratch in your classroom to explore coding with your students? You can continue to promote computational thinking, problem solving skills, and creative teaching by kicking it up a notch with Scratch. Join us as we explore how to create sprites and backdrops from "scratch" to take a pre-existing science lesson even further.
Introduction to Digital Storytelling
Are you interested in learning more about how to incorporate digital storytelling into your classroom? In this session, we will dive into an overview of digital storytelling as well as the benefits of using this activity in your classroom to encourage student creativity. We will discuss some ideas to get you started with digital storytelling and explore various platforms that students can use to plan and create. We will also share some best practices and things to consider when starting a digital storytelling project. Join us for some storytelling fun!
Using Google Workspace to Support Emerging Writers
Writing is an essential skill for every student, but it doesn't have to be frustrating. Join us as we explore how Google Workspace for Education can inspire your students to become independent writers. We will take a look at some ways you can use the Google applications to build great writing habits in your students.
Understanding the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
Innovations in science are happening at a rapid rate. Often driven by technology and human ingenuity, these advancements must be supported from the ground up in future working populations to sustain this growth. That's where the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) come in, as strong K-12 science standards can help to prepare students to be college and career ready in the 21st century. Join us to learn about the inner workings of the NGSS and how to read them in a way that can help you to frame engaging science activities.
Differentiation Tips for ELLs Using Lumio
Lumio is a digital tool for creating and editing lessons, activities, and assessments. But how can this tool be used to differentiate instruction? In this session, we will explore how Lumio can help you to address the diverse strengths and weaknesses of your students. We'll provide background information on differentiating instruction for your ELLs, along with resources to help you differentiate planning, instruction, management, and student assessment. Join us as we explore how to create additional supports for students to complete Lumio lessons and reach language objectives.
Administrator Track: Assessment & Student Data
Join us as we explore assessment tools and share best practices for assessments in the first course of our administrator track. Whether you are looking to enhance the formative or summative assessment taking place in your school, we are here to assist as you support your teachers in creating high validity data collection that will guide future instruction and promote student growth.
Using Seesaw to Support Your Project-Based Learning
Project-based learning (PBL) provides opportunities for students to gain knowledge and skills by exploring authentic, complex questions, problems, or challenges. There are many moving parts inherent to PBL that can become quite overwhelming for teachers and students. In this course, you will learn how Seesaw can support PBL in a variety of ways. Seesaw is a versatile digital portfolio, multimedia learning, and communication tool. Some options we will explore are how students and teachers can organize their work with folders, provide effective feedback to one another, monitor workflow, and use many multimodal tools to demonstrate their progress over time. Join us to learn how Seesaw can make your PBL manageable and successful.
Celebrate Black History with Game-Based Learning
Let’s celebrate Black History Month through game-based learning activities. In this course, we’ll cover fun and engaging activities using Blooket, Lumio, Quizlet, Nearpod, and Quizizz to help students learn about the important people, accomplishments, and events in the history of the African diaspora.
College and Career Readiness for Special Needs Students
As special education teachers, we are equally as responsible as our general education colleagues for addressing college and career readiness in our students. Lessons learned in grades K-12 will pave the way for our students, and we should strive to enable our students to show good decision making skills and transition smoothly to life after graduation. Join us for this session as we share strategies for helping students with special needs, and their parents, to identify a path that will lead to greater success in high school and beyond!
Digital Tools for Elementary Math
Are you looking for new ways to engage your students in math lessons? In this session, we will dive into the importance of providing your elementary students with digital math tools. We will explore resources available for teachers to model key math concepts for students. We will also discuss how students can use digital manipulatives, worksheets, and websites to take their math understanding to the next level. Join us as we explore how to incorporate digital tools into your teaching toolbox!
Making Self-Paced Learning Work for Younger Students
Self-paced learning has become a popular model to facilitate more student-led instruction. With the teacher moving into a guided role in this model, how can this work with younger students? In this session, we'll take a look at some platforms and best practice for making self-paced learning work successfully for some of our youngest learners.
Project-Based Learning (PBL) with Google
Join us as we explore how Google can improve the quality of your project-based learning activities. We'll cover how you can use Google Workspace for Education to create PBL activities that promote critical thinking, communication, and collaboration in your classroom. In this course, we'll focus on features that support research, gathering (and analyzing) feedback, and presenting knowledge in your classroom.
Using Nearpod for Brain Breaks
As educators, we know the value of brain breaks. They allow our students to recharge and get moving. Nearpod adds interactivity to our instruction and provides students with meaningful and engaging tools to keep them motivated. Join us as we discuss tools such as VR field trips, polling, collaboration features, and more for effective brain breaks.
Many of us have a word wall posted somewhere in our classroom to help our ELL students learn vocabulary. What if you could bring your word wall into the 21st century? Join us as we explore and create digital word walls! In this session, we'll show you everything you need to create digital word walls of your very own and highlight the benefits for your English language learners.
Beyond Seat Hours: Models to Encourage Action and Involvement in Professional Learning
Teachers are active learners. It’s part of the job and in their nature. Covid highlighted the great lengths educators go to find resources and better educate themselves so they can best serve their students. Self-directed, personalized learning -- which we say we want for students -- is sometimes overlooked in the professional learning space as there is a push for "seat hours." How do we change this rhetoric so teachers can spend less time sitting and more time doing? Join Michelle Blanchet from The Educator's Lab as she discusses what self-directed professional learning looks like for teachers and how your school might create a space and tools to support it.
Redesigning Holiday Packets Using Google Workspace
An extended break, such as a holiday break or summer vacation, can be a recipe for academic regression. In an attempt to prevent any possible regression, most teachers send students home with stapled holiday packets filled with academic activities. Join us as we share strategies and discuss the benefits of redesigning holiday packets using Google applications.
Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and 504 plans are instrumental tools in getting formal help for students in K-12 education with learning and attention issues. While they both focus on giving all students equal opportunities to learn, they are used for different reasons. IEPs are for special education and 504 plans are for physical access to learning. Join us as we go over these differences in depth and give you strategies to help you meet every student's needs according to their plans.
Lesson Planning for ELLs Using Google Docs
As educators, we know the importance of meeting the diverse needs of all of our students. In this session, we will explore strategies for supporting ELLs in our classroom. We will discuss specific lesson planning ideas using Google Docs such as using built-in tools like graphic organizers, image search, and templates. We will also share lesson plan examples that include tips for promoting the use of background knowledge as well as the development of academic language.
Making Your Token Economy Digital
Are you looking to incorporate a token economy into your classroom? A token economy is a Positive Behavioral Intervention and Support (PBIS) system used to quickly award points and recognize students for meeting goals. While the idea of giving a student a reward for reaching a goal hasn't changed, the structure of keeping track of these rewards and distributing them has. In this session, we will explore strategies for shifting from physical tokens to creating your own digital token economy. We will also dive into the benefits of tracking points, as well as ideas for prizes. Join us to learn more about transforming your token economy!
Using SMART Board to Support Literacy
Looking for more engaging literacy lessons? Well, look no further than your SMART Board. There are many features on the SMART Board that can bring your literacy lessons to the next level. You will learn how the SMART Board can foster comprehension, engagement, and collaboration among your students. Come explore how to use SMART Lab to quickly create literacy activities.
Project Based Learning with Microsoft
Let’s explore how Microsoft can improve the quality of your project-based learning activities and promote critical thinking, communication, and collaboration in your classroom. In this course, we'll cover how to use Microsoft’s free tools to promote the key elements of project-based learning (PBL), such as research, gathering & analyzing feedback, and presenting knowledge.
Using Google Forms for School Elections
Educators have come to recognize that Google Workspace for Education can transform traditional classroom activities, but did you ever think of using Google Forms to put a spin on your school elections? In this course, we will walk through the steps of how to use Google Forms to create a school election and explore how to incorporate text, images, and videos into election ballots!
Redesigning Exit Tickets Using Pear Deck
Exit tickets serve many purposes, like providing informal feedback to teachers, challenging students to apply what they've learned in a different capacity, or reviewing a day's material. Pear Deck is a powerful tool that can help engage your students in the assessment process and provide you with easy-to-access student data. Join us to learn about some inventive ways to elevate your traditional paper exit tickets into something vibrant and engaging using Pear Deck!
Game-based learning is an area of education that has been getting a lot of attention recently. Games are a powerful tool to engage learners and can help you in your efforts to develop the comprehension and communicative skills of your ELLs. Join us as we share tips and tricks for gamifying a variety of content while meeting curricular goals.
In our Intro to Podcasting course, we will take a look at some valuable resources for successful podcasting techniques in the classroom. Learn about useful educational podcasts that students and teachers can follow, along with the best practices and benefits of using podcasting for instruction and content creation.
Assistive Technology (AT) Resources
Teaching students with physical, cognitive, or learning disabilities can be a demanding but rewarding job. Teachers need to think about all possible adjustments and supports that will help these students in the school (and post-school) environment. Having a set of tools ready to go at any time can be the difference between successful lessons and negative experiences. Join us as we explore some great resources for working with students who require assistive technology!
A morning meeting that goes over the calendar and class schedule has always been a staple in primary classrooms as a way to set the tone for the day. What if you could incorporate technology into your morning meetings? How about leveraging them as a way to engage students and bolster your classroom community, even when students can’t be present in the physical classroom? Join us as we explore how to use Lumio to transform your morning meeting activities!
Creating Student-Driven Instruction with Lumio
The more technology advances, the more independent today's learners can become! Lumio, formerly known as SMART Learning Suite Online, enables learners to take control of their learning in a multitude of ways. Contributing to workspace activities, accessing lessons outside of class, and manipulating individual handouts are just some levels of ownership students can take. Join us as we walk through what's possible when students can access lessons from anywhere, at any time, and on any device!
Engaging Activities to Build Classroom Culture
As educators, we know the importance of creating a positive classroom environment right from the start of the school year. As we re-enter the classroom, our goal is to build meaningful relationships and provide our students with a sense of safety and security. In this session, we will explore specific team building activities as well as opportunities for discussion and collaboration. We will also provide tips for creating a positive classroom culture and discuss ideas for building rapport with our students. Let’s start off our year with positivity and classroom community!
Strategies for Reducing Test Anxiety
Students are often nervous and anxious about upcoming tests. Join our Curriculum Specialists as we take a look at some strategies your students can use to help reduce test anxiety and how you as the teacher can help.
Body, Mind and Zen: Mindfulness Activities for Students
Do you find your students drifting away to dreamland or struggling with impulsive behaviors? Come join us as we explore the science behind mindfulness and some activities using technology that can assist your students with their practice of mindfulness. Can't wait to Zen with you!
Looking for ways to change up instruction or assessment in your classroom? QR codes can be the answer! QR codes are a valuable tool for monitoring student understanding or to switch up how you showcase student work in a more interactive way. Join us as we share resources for inviting QR codes into your classroom to create more engaging assessments, interactive bulletin boards, and more!
Literacy Apps for Early Education
With the many educational apps available, and your limited time to research, how do you know which ones are going to benefit your students the most? During this course you will learn some helpful guidelines on how to choose quality literacy apps for early education. We will then take a closer look at apps that support early literacy skills such as Epic, Dela Kids, and Starfall Learning to Read. Join us to explore features like differentiation tools, personalized learning, data collection, and more.
Re-Adjusting to the Classroom: Strategies for ELLs
Teachers everywhere will rejoice when they can return to a "normal" classroom. The return to learn is near, but so many new challenges will be presented. For example, how will we best meet the needs of our ELL students? Unlike previous school years, where our ELL students benefited from daily immersion in the English language, they may have only received bits and pieces of English while learning remotely. How can we acclimate our ELL students as they re-adjust to in-person learning? Join us to learn some strategies to best support our ELLs as they re-adjust to the classroom.
Social and Emotional Learning with Storyboards
Do you have a student who frequently gets frustrated with what seems like simple tasks and isn't sure how to act in general social situations? Join us as we take a look at creating and implementing storyboards in your classroom. Storyboards help students develop skills to combat difficulties throughout the day while incorporating different components of social and emotional learning techniques in a safe environment.
Evaluating ELA Lessons Using PICRAT and SAMR
Are you looking for unique lesson ideas that incorporate technology? In this session, we'll explore an ELA lesson and share tips for selecting a technology tool that is going to help you transform your lesson. We'll dive into the PICRAT and SAMR models for technology integration to help you assign a level to the tools you are considering. We'll also use these guidelines to evaluate technology integration. With this new knowledge, you will be able to evaluate your own lessons and ensure that you are creating valuable learning tasks and activities for your students.
Evaluating Science Lessons Using PICRAT and SAMR
Are you looking for unique lesson ideas that incorporate technology? In this session, we'll explore a science lesson and share tips for selecting a technology tool that is going to help you transform the lesson. We'll dive into the PICRAT and SAMR models for technology integration to help you assign a level to the tools you are considering. We'll also use these guidelines to evaluate technology integration. With this new knowledge, you will be able to evaluate your own lessons and ensure that you are creating valuable learning tasks and activities for your students.
Creating Schedules for Students with Special Needs
It's the beginning of the school year! We want to start our students off on the right foot, but how do we ensure that they get the best possible start? For many students, organization and having a schedule to follow can mean a more focused and productive day. In this course, we will take a look at how to create, distribute, and keep schedules for special needs students. We will go over tools, tips, and tricks for creating and maintaining consistency to help you and your students start the school year right.
Social and Emotional Learning with Pear Deck
Pear Deck is a Google add-on that allows us to transform Google Slides presentations to enhance student engagement and lesson content. Social and emotional learning is an essential part of our daily instruction and it's necessary to provide opportunities for this type of learning throughout our instruction. In this session, we will explore the pre-made social and emotional learning templates available on Pear Deck, and discuss the benefits of check-ins throughout academic lessons. Join us for some unique, ready-to-go SEL lessons!
PD Design Elements: Engaging Teachers in Professional Learning
Good pedagogy is a critical component of learning -- regardless of age. If we want to design professional learning that is effective and makes an impact on student outcomes, we must ensure we’re engaging our adults in the same way we would any student. Presented by Michelle Blanchet, this module discusses the role of the facilitator in creating meaningful learning experiences for our educators. It includes some basic design elements that make for engaging professional learning so you can create greater impact for both teachers and students.
Michelle is an educator striving to improve how we treat, train, and value our teachers. After ten years of experience working with young people, she founded the Educators’ Lab, which supports teacher-driven solutions to educational challenges. Michelle earned a master’s in international relations from Instituto de Empresa in Madrid. She has taught social studies in Switzerland and the U.S. and has presented at numerous events, including SXSWedu and TEDxLausanne. Michelle is a part of the Global Shaper Community of the World Economic Forum. She has worked with organizations like PBS Education, the Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning, Ashoka, and the Center for Curriculum Redesign.
Using Screencastify to Introduce Class Routines
Every teacher knows the beginning of the year is the best time to establish routines to optimize learning and cut down on wasted time. Using Screencastify to record and introduce class routines will not only help detail important information that students can refer back to (such as submitting homework), but it's also a great resource for students entering your class mid-year. Join us for some tips and tricks for creating Screencastify videos!
Are you interested in switching up your in-person teaching style? Maybe it's time to try flipping your classroom! In this session you'll learn the many benefits of the flipped classroom, from offering more personalized support, to seeing students take ownership of their learning. You'll also discover some tips, tricks, and best practices to become successful as you try it out in your classroom.
Once technology is made available, what can educators and administrators do to make sure it is being used properly? That’s where the SAMR framework comes in. The SAMR model is a quality check for a technology tool that has been integrated into a lesson. After this session, participants will leave with a keener eye towards examining technology usage and learn how to use technology to enhance learning opportunities for students.
What can you do when you’re given technology but not quite sure where to start when it comes to plugging it into your preexisting lessons? TPACK is there to help teachers engage students with technology! This session will explore the TPACK framework as a model for successful technology integration. We’ll dive into the specifics of Technological, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge that are at the core of the TPACK model for technology integration.
There are a number of technology integration models out there that can give you a better idea of the value that technology is bringing to your instruction. In this session, we’ll dive into the PICRAT model and the two foundational questions that a teacher can ask about any technology used in their classroom.
Self-Assessment and Monitoring Confidence Levels Using Nearpod
Nearpod is a powerful tool for engaging your students in learning. Join us to discuss the benefits of using Nearpod for self-expression. We'll explore quick self-assessments and self-monitoring activities, discuss how to add assessment and critical thinking opportunities into our lessons, and walk you through the steps for including polling and open-ended questions to get students to reflect on the learning process.
Starting Off Your Year with Google
Google Workspace is a powerful suite of tools that can make the start of your school year easier, more organized, and more collaborative. Whether you're remote or in person, we've got you covered. In this course, we will go over the essentials of using Google tools to make sure that you and your students are starting off the school year on the right foot!
Getting the Most Out of the WAVE Extension
In this session, we will review how to conduct an accessibility test using the WAVE extension and then how to understand the results. This will allow you to find accessibility errors on your site that will need to be fixed.
Using Screencastify to Provide Special Ed Accommodations
Teachers now know a lot more about remote learning and have a pretty good idea of what works and what doesn't. However, you may still be struggling with figuring out how to make your assessments more reliable and accessible for your Special Education students. In this course, we'll cover how programs like Screencastify can help you provide Special Education accommodations — such as the “test-read” option — even when students are not learning in a face-to-face setting.
Manual Testing for Website Accessibility
Automated testing, although it is useful to check for website accessibility, actually only accounts for 30% of website accessibility issues. In this session, learn how to check for the other 70% of issues that prevent an accessible website. You will learn 4 easy manual tests to conduct yourself, 5 things to ensure your website has, and 6 things to avoid on your website.
Virtual Pen Pals for ELLs with Flip
Note: Flipgrid is now Flip! There have been many updates to the functions and look of the platform. In this session, you will notice some differences between the video and the current version of Flip. We are aware of this and are working on updating our courses to reflect these changes.
Flip (formerly Flipgrid) is an interactive web tool that is perfect for engaging your students in learning. In this session, we'll explore how we can use Flip to connect with other classrooms and students worldwide! We'll learn how GridPals can be used for finding pen pals at the appropriate grade level, and discuss the benefits of pen pals for ELLs to promote writing, speaking, and listening skills. We will also explore how to create unique topics for students to make connections, build conversation skills, and collaborate.
EdTech Essentials Part 3: Assessment and Goal Setting
Join educator, author, and speaker Monica Burns and the OTIS for educators team for part three of this three-part webinar series that will explore essential EdTech topics alongside actionable tips and favorite tools. Learn about the “value add” of using digital tools for assessment and collaboration with students. In this session, you’ll explore the tools and the strategies for checking for understanding and supporting students along with how to set professional goals and identify next steps for the upcoming school year.
10 Google Classroom Tips for a Student-Centered Classroom
Google Classroom is a game changer in how we teach, but only if we take advantage of what is now possible compared to what before was difficult-to-impossible. How can we leverage Google Classroom to give students more voice and choice? How can Google Classroom allow us to create more authentic learning experiences? Join Alice to discuss these challenges with a more student-centered approach and how Google Classroom can help.
Student Mental Health with GoGuardian
Understanding your students' mental health is critical for their education. GoGuardian can be a useful tool to help you understand how your students are doing by looking at student trends, observing digital behaviors, and connecting with students who may need more support. Join us to see how you can use the features of GoGuardian to check in on student wellbeing.
EdTech Essentials Part 2: Creation and Collaboration with Digital Tools
Join educator, author, and speaker Monica Burns and the OTIS for educators team for part two of this three-part webinar series that will explore essential EdTech topics alongside actionable tips and favorite tools. Learn strategies for supporting students as creators and how to design learning activities for movie making, ebook design, website building, podcasting, and more. In this session, you’ll explore how to support students as creators as they work together with their peers.
Digital Tools for Student Annotations
There are many online tools that can help your students annotate documents and files. In this course we will go over the value of teaching and growing annotation skills in your students. In addition, we will show you some useful tools that will not only help your students with their annotation, but also provide you with opportunities to provide feedback and corrections to grow your students' skills.
Effective Organization of Microsoft OneDrive
Let’s use Microsoft OneDrive to get organized! In this session, we'll walk you through strategies for uploading and organizing your files and review how to adjust your share settings to collaborate with your students and colleagues. We'll also cover some great ideas for enhancing your workflow and managing documents.
EdTech Essentials Part 1: Curating Resources and Expanding Classroom Walls
Join educator, author, and speaker Monica Burns and the OTIS for educators team for part one of this three-part webinar series that will explore essential EdTech topics alongside actionable tips and favorite tools. Learn about free and low-cost resources for student consumers that connect to reading, viewing, and listening experiences students have online. In this session, you’ll explore the tools and the strategies for curating content for students with an emphasis on expanding classroom walls with digital resources.
Cleaning Up Your Google Classroom to be Ready for Next Year
The best way to be ready for Fall is to clean up your Google Classroom now so you do not have to worry about it later. This session will provide you with practical tips on how to manage your current Google Classroom to help you be ready to use Google Classroom in the Fall, including tips for cleaning up Google Drive, saving your student work exemplars, and lessons learned for how to better structure Google Classroom for next year.
Reflecting on a Year of Remote Teaching
Teaching remotely has been a major adjustment for both educators and their students. From learning how to deal with a surprise appearance by the family dog, to effectively assessing your students, there have been many new things to learn. In this session, we'll reflect on the challenges and triumphs of teaching remotely during the 2020-2021 school year. Join us to discuss what worked and what didn't, and what you'd like to bring back to the classroom.
Utilizing Google Workspace for Summer Reading
Ready to transition your summer reading program to a more digitally-based process? In this course, we'll share tips on using different applications within Google Workspace (formerly G Suite for Education) to structure a summer reading program and push out materials. We'll also share book lists and reflection activities to keep students reading during the summer months and prevent that summer slide!
Leveraging Google Remote Skills for Re-adjusting to the Classroom
Teachers everywhere will rejoice when they can return to a "normal" classroom. The return to learn is near, but what should this learning look like? If recent history has taught us anything, it's that the ways in which education can be delivered have fundamentally changed. In this session, we'll discuss how you can leverage Google skills learned used during remote learning when you return to the classroom.
Preventing Regression in Your Special Education Classroom
Some students are profoundly affected by lapses in instruction, such as over summer, winter, or spring breaks. In this course, we'll share some apps and games, as well as other online activities and support for parents to prevent regression and provide opportunities for their child to retain the skills they learned in a fun and positive way.
Wrapping Up Your Year with Google
Hang in there — summer is almost here! Join us as we take a look at how to close out the school year using Google. We'll focus on getting you ready for next school year now, so you can have more fun in the sun this summer. We'll show you how to organize your Google Drive, wrap up your digital gradebooks, and create a summer to-do list so you are ready to hit the ground running next year.
Interactive Portfolios with Google Sites
How can Google Sites be used to demonstrate student learning? In this course, we'll go over how students can put a creative digital spin on their portfolio by taking advantage of the different features within Google Sites. We'll cover introduction and table of content pages, the ability to upload “artifacts” of their learning, and even reflect on how their chosen artifacts demonstrate achievement of goals.
Are you looking for a new way to engage your students? In this session, we'll explore how we can use Nearpod to create a memorable project-based learning (PBL) experience. We'll discuss how to use Nearpod to add interactive tools to keep students motivated and walk you through the steps for adding videos, resources, and even collaboration tools to get students thinking!
Using Kami in Your Social Studies Classroom
Have you ever wondered how you can use Kami in the Social Studies classroom? Our Professional Development team has got you covered! In this course, we'll explore how to use the different tools within Kami to take pre-existing Social Studies activities to the next level and create interactive activities for your students.
Using Google Chrome's Read&Write Extension in the Special Ed Classroom
Google Chrome’s Read&Write extension is a downloadable software toolbar that helps students that require literacy support to create and access the same content as their peers. Join us as we explore how Read&Write provides a personalized learning experience for each student in your class and helps them to meet their full potential.
Using Newsela for Close Reading in Early Ed
Close reading is a strategy for taking a deep dive into texts in order to gain a greater understanding of the content provided. Newsela is the perfect tool for our early learners to practice close reading strategies at their appropriate reading levels. In this session, we will visit the Newsela website to search and sort by text level and type. We will also share close reading activities and ideas that your students can complete to enhance their reading skills. Join us for some close reading tips and tricks with a digital twist!
Growing Great Writers with Schoology
Writing is an essential skill for every student, but it doesn't have to be a chore. In this course, we will take a look at some ways you can use Schoology to build great writing habits in your students, as well as different types of writing skills.
Best Practices for Accessible Websites
There are many requirements of an accessible website. In this course, you will learn some best practices to ensure that your website is accessible. We will reinforce accessibility basics and help you post accessible information on your website.
Social and emotional learning (SEL) is a hot topic in education, and figuring out how to address students' needs while learning remotely has been a challenge. In this course, we'll take a look at some of the tools SMART already has built into their software, and how these tools can be used to engage students in positive social and emotional learning both in and out of the classroom.
Using Flip to Teach Current Events
Note: Flipgrid is now Flip! There have been many updates to the functions and look of the platform. In this session, you will notice some differences between the video and the current version of Flip. We are aware of this and are working on updating our courses to reflect these changes.
Flip (formerly Flipgrid) is a great tool for engaging your students through collaboration and discussion. In this session, we will explore how to use the resources available on Flip to teach students about current events. We will use the Discovery Library to search for and view ready-to-use and customizable lessons that will spark conversation. Join us as we share creative tips for students to research and share their ideas on current event topics.
Error Analysis in the Math Classroom Using Edpuzzle
Do you want to increase student participation in your math classroom? Are you looking for ways to get your students motivated and actually think through their answers? In this course, we'll show you how to engage students and make math fun again using the built-in questioning feature known as Edpuzzle!
Creating Workout Videos on Flip
Note: Flipgrid is now Flip! There have been many updates to the functions and look of the platform. In this session, you will notice some differences between the video and the current version of Flip. We are aware of this and are working on updating our courses to reflect these changes.
Are you looking for a unique way to incorporate physical education activities into your instruction? In this session, we will explore how we can use Flip (formerly Flipgrid) with our students to create and share workout videos. We will also discuss the importance of physical activity, living a healthy lifestyle, and unique Flip features and activity ideas.
Sight Word and Vocabulary Instruction Using Pear Deck
Building vocabulary is important for all students regardless of age or subject matter, and Pear Deck can help! In this course we will explore how to use Pear Deck to create and manage vocabulary lists, as well as how to effectively engage your students in vocabulary-based activities.
STEM and Remote Learning in Early Education
Join us as we take a look at STEAM in the early childhood classroom and how it can be done during distance learning. Walk away with some tips, tricks, and confidence to take on this new way of learning in a developmentally appropriate, interactive, and exciting way.
Cooperative Learning Opportunities Using Kami
Collaboration and cooperative learning activities can be tough to initiate in a virtual learning environment. But with the right tools, such as Kami, teachers and students can achieve more together! Join us as we explore how Kami provides the fundamentals needed to create an engaging and cooperative learning environment, serving as your digital pen and paper.
Using Technology to Support 3D Teaching and Learning
During this session, we will explore how technology can help support 1D to 3D learning, even in a hybrid environment. We'll take some time to review what exactly 3D learning is and how it's reflected in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). From there, we'll dive into various types of technology and how they can be used to support this type of learning, both in and out of the classroom.
Virtual 1:1 Check-Ins with Microsoft Teams
Checking in with your students is important whether you are taking a remote, hybrid, or traditional approach to teaching. In this course we will explore how to use Microsoft Teams to meet face-to-face with your students, share documents, and more!
Join us for a quick introduction to edtech planning 101. We'll dive into some considerations and recommendations for creating or improving upon a technology plan for your school or district. During this course, we'll also bring up some thought provoking questions to help you on your journey of creating and revising your plan.
Social media is an effective tool for opening up communication between teachers, students, and parents worldwide. Join us as we discuss the best practices for implementing popular social media networks into your classroom. We’ll also show you how to use Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest to grow your own education- focused network. Let’s explore how to communicate with our students and engage them in learning through social media!
Using Microsoft Teams for School PLCs
Just because teaching may look a little different right now, doesn’t mean that professional learning communities (PLCs) can’t continue! Join us as we explore how Microsoft Teams allows you to connect with others on your grade level or subject area while following a hybrid or remote learning model. We’ll also share how to use Microsoft Teams to build off one another’s ideas and how to easily share files and data with others in your PLC.
Digital Journal Activities for ELLs Using Google Slides
Join us as we share scaffolded activities to encourage journaling and allow ELLs to work at their own English language development level. We’ll also explore how to use Google Slides to encourage your ELLs to complete written accounts or photo entries that keep a record of their lives during this momentous time in history.
Dealing with Digital Distractions
Looking for ways to ensure that your students stay on task during digital instruction? Whether you are following a fully remote or hybrid learning model, the digital component to your instruction may be posing challenges with your classroom management. Join us as we provide guidelines on how to create monitoring systems that keep students engaged and limit non academic communication to optimize learning.
Web Resources for the Special Ed Classroom
How can we provide meaningful learning opportunities and develop key learning and life skills for our students with special needs? In this session, we will provide you with different web-based tools to satisfy a variety of needs. We'll discuss specific websites and virtual tools to get you started. We guarantee that you will leave this session with a variety of useful resources for differentiating lessons, creating scaffolds, increasing student social skills and more for you to implement in your instruction!
Manipulatives for Anywhere Learning
Manipulatives provide our students with unique learning experiences and lesson engagement. Whether you are in the classroom or working with students remotely, it is necessary to share meaningful resources with students. In this session, we will explore digital manipulatives as well as how we can use household objects to help students understand key concepts.
Building a Hybrid Learning Environment
Are you interested in learning more about hybrid learning? A hybrid learning model is a great way to provide traditional teaching methods while also providing remote learning opportunities. Join us as we explore this learning model and discuss online and face-to-face learning strategies. We will also cover tips and tricks for lesson planning and instructional strategies to bring to your students.
Strength Based Social Emotional Learning
Do you have students with low self-esteem or difficult behaviors in your class? Do you find yourself focusing on the negative aspects of student behaviors? Join us to look at creating a positive reinforcement environment using strength-based social and emotional learning. We'll look at different techniques to help you start focusing on the positives in student behavior.
Non-Verbal Communication for Student Engagement
Whether you are conducting class remotely, in person, or hybrid, non-verbal communication skills can make a world of difference. Having a strong and consistent approach to non-verbal communication will help with both classroom management and student engagement. In this course, we'll discuss different strategies and resources you and your students can use to make communication efficient and effective!
Virtual Classroom Management with Zoom
Let's talk about engaging our students and managing a virtual classroom while using Zoom! In this session, we'll discuss best practices for setting up a Zoom meeting, and how to maintain organization while the meeting is in progress. We'll also learn unique ideas for visual polling to help maintain focus and engagement during instruction. Join us as we explore how to foster discussion and manage tasks in a virtual classroom.
Virtual Classroom Management with Google Meet
How can we engage our students and manage our virtual classrooms while using Google Meet? In this session, we'll discuss strategies for setting up a Google Meet and maintaining organization while running the meeting. We'll also learn unique ideas for visual polling in order to maintain focus and engagement during the session. Join us as we explore how to foster discussion and manage tasks in a virtual classroom!
Creating Virtual Calming Rooms
In times of stress, it is important to have outlets and coping strategies. This is often managed with calming techniques, mindfulness, and dedicated spaces for relaxation. What happens if your students are not physically present in school? In this course, we will go over how to offer social and emotional support and build emotional management skills in your students, whether you are teaching traditionally, hybrid, or remote. Digital calming spaces can be a great resource for students of all ages.
Expanding ELL Vocabulary Through STEM
Are you struggling to find the right tools to bridge the gap between STEM and ELL vocabulary? We know that teaching ELLs outside of the English classroom can be challenging, but communicating through STEM subjects can make it that much easier! In this session, we'll discuss strategies to increase acquisition of academic English language through STEM and NGSS across all grade levels. We will also learn how STEM literacy and English Language Learner literacy can be used productively together.
Addressing the Needs of ELLs During Remote Learning
Remote, hybrid, and blended learning models are changing the face of education. For ELLs, this can mean language attrition, less language production opportunities, and missing out on essential content. In this course, we will take a look at some of the issues remote learning poses and how to best serve ELL students who are learning remotely.
SEL in a Socially Distant Classroom
Social distancing can pose an extraordinary challenge for classroom teachers. For educators who regularly relied on group work and activities that got students moving around the room, the prospect of teaching students six feet apart can be quite daunting. Additionally, this experience will be challenging for students as well. In this course, we’ll discuss how to continue social and emotional learning despite these challenges, and cover some tips and strategies to continue group work while keeping your students motivated, focused, and safe.
Social and Emotional Learning for Re-adjusting to the Classroom
We all know this school year will look different from any year prior. For many students, this will mean a return, or perhaps even a partial return, to the classroom after months of learning remotely. In this course, join us as we discuss the challenges that students might face, and how we can best use social and emotional learning concepts to help students re-adjust to the classroom.
Using Google Meet to Record Screencasts and Daily Messages
During times of remote learning, how can we share important information with our classes? Google Meet allows us to create daily screencasts and messages! In this session, we’ll take you through the steps of setting up a Google Meet on a daily basis and go over some different strategies for recording screencasts. We will also explore how Google Meet can help students and parents stay up-to-date with assignments, announcements, and daily lessons.
Creating Quality IEP Goals with Remote Learning in Mind
Making changes, such as creating new annual IEP goals, becomes a little more complicated and the process may look different in remote learning situations. Join us as we share some strategies, such as using data collected remotely, to help you maintain the same quality in your IEP writing and ensure that your students are working towards appropriate and attainable goals for the next school year!
Whether you're in the classroom or at home, engaging learners in the primary grades is essential to developing strong skills. Help provide at-home activities and assignments, share news and events, and post resources for your K-2 students and their parents using Schoology. We'll share tips and tricks for getting you started. As well as some engaging activities and resources!
Social-Emotional Learning for New Teachers
Social-emotional learning is just as important for teachers as it is for students. What can we do to ensure that our mental health and well-being is supported, right from the start of the school year? In this session, we’ll learn the importance of social-emotional learning for educators as well as strategies for handling the stress and unknown of the new school year. We will also dive into specific resources that can help to support both you and your students. Let’s work together to create a positive mindset!
PBL in the Secondary Math Classroom
Everybody loves the idea of bringing Project-Based Learning to their classroom, but not every teacher knows how. In this course, we'll help out our middle and high school math teachers, giving some tips, tricks, and ideas on how to use Project-Based Learning.
Website Makeover Series: Powerful Images
In this series, learn how to make your school website engaging and accessible to all. This session will cover how to use powerful images to best represent your school. After engaging with this course, you'll know all of the tricks and tips to use when assessing and selecting images for your school website. Note: This course does NOT count toward the annual 3-hour accessibility requirement for NYC DOE webmasters.
Website Makeover Series: Human-Centered Design
In this series, learn how to make your school website engaging and accessible to all. Join this session to reimagine your school website with a focus on human-centered design. You'll learn what that means, why it's so important, and how to redesign your website so that it is easier for users to access.
Note: This course does NOT count toward the annual 3-hour accessibility requirement for NYC DOE webmasters.
Microsoft Teams and Kahoot! Integration
Have you heard the news? Microsoft teams and Kahoot! are now integrated! You can seamlessly host Kahoot! triva and review games with teachers or students right within your Microsoft Teams meeting. We'll walk you through how to get started using your Kahoot! account within Teams to increase engagement. Your virtual meetings will never be the same again!
Presentations must be accessible for all users. In order to ensure accessibility for individuals using assistive technology, extra measures need to be taken while building a presentation. In this session, we will discuss how to create accessible presentations that will allow all users, including those using assistive technology, to be able to access the content.
Website Makeover Series: Telling Your School's Story
In this series, learn how to make your school website engaging and accessible to all. In this course, we'll discuss how to use storytelling to make sure that anyone accessing your website will find the information they're looking for. We'll also talk about telling your school's story, and presenting your school in a positive light, through your website design. After taking this course, you'll be able to plan and redesign your website to best represent your school. Note: This course does NOT count toward the annual 3-hour accessibility requirement for NYC DOE webmasters.
Website Makeover Series: Assessing Your School's Website
In this series, learn how to make your school website engaging and accessible to all. In this course, you'll learn what to assess — and how to go about the assessment process — when evaluating your school website. By the end of this session you'll be ready and able to test and reflect on your school website, and have a clear sense of ways to make improvements. Note: This course does NOT count toward the annual 3-hour accessibility requirement for NYC DOE webmasters.
Using Raz-Kids in Your K-5 Classroom
Looking for a way to monitor your students’ at-home reading and ensure that they are selecting appropriately leveled books? Encouraging and monitoring reading can be a struggle, especially when we aren’t able to meet with students face-to-face. In this course, we’ll explore Raz-Kids, a leveled library of books that can be shared with your K-5 students, and all its features that will help you excite your students to read, progress monitor and so much more during times of remote learning or over the summer vacation!
Exploring Social-Emotional Learning Through Games
Looking for a unique way to teach social-emotional learning skills to your students? Games are the perfect way to get your students thinking and expressing themselves creatively! In this session, we’ll talk about the benefits of using games to teach your students a range of social-emotional concepts. We will then dive into specific games and lesson activities that can be shared with your students. Join us as we explore emotion management and social support games that can be done in the classroom or at home!
Introduction to Digital Accessibility
As the world becomes increasing digital, educators are using and creating more digital content. While digital content makes sharing information easier, it is also important to ensure that all individuals, including those with disabilities, will be able to easily receive and read this content. In this course, we will introduce digital accessibility, and discuss the importance of creating accessible content for all.
Are you interested in learning more about staying safe in the digital world? In this session, we’ll cover the basics of cybersecurity and strategies for teaching our students to stay protected while working on digital platforms. We will also explore the potential risks associated with working and interacting online. Join us as we discover security basics to protect our personal files and data from unauthorized access.
Effective Organization of Google Drive and Google Classroom
Let’s use Google Drive and Google Classroom to get organized! In this session, we’ll walk you through strategies for uploading and organizing your files. We will review how to adjust sharing settings and collaborate with your students and colleagues. We will also cover some great ideas for enhancing your workflow and managing documents with these easy to use platforms!
Creating Digital Time Capsules for Social-Emotional Learning
Digital time capsules are a creative way to engage our students in social-emotional learning. In this session, we will learn about a unique method for journaling as well as the benefits of writing on a digital platform. We will also explore multiple methods for creating time capsules as well as reflecting on the value of creating personal artifacts!
GeoGebra Tools for Math Practice
Interested in learning how GeoGebra can help increase math achievement in your class? In this course, we’ll explore the website and how it can help you introduce and provide opportunities for students to practice different math concepts including geometry, algebra, tables, and graphing.
Creating Role-Playing Interviews with Flip
Note: Flipgrid is now Flip! There have been many updates to the functions and look of the platform. In this session, you will notice some differences between the video and the current version of Flip. We are aware of this and are working on updating our courses to reflect these changes.
If you're looking for new ways to engage students, join us to explore how Flip (formerly Flipgrid) can be used for role-playing interviews! From book characters to influential scientists, mock interviews can be a great way for students to learn about any subject while building presentation skills and creative thinking abilities. In this course we'll look at some ways that role-playing can be used and how Flip can streamline the process.
Limiting Screen Time: Offline Activities to Continue Learning
Did you know that "screen time" is now an official word in the dictionary? Today's students are all too familiar with screen time, and with recent transitions to remote learning, teachers (and parents) are looking for learning alternatives that limit the time students are spending on devices. Join us as we share some tactile activity ideas and assignments that students can complete offline and submit digitally later on!
Things to Consider: Virtual Graduations
The end of the school year is filled with celebrations for our students, staff and community as important milestones after a year(s) of work culminates in graduation and moving up ceremonies. This session will review things to consider as you plan virtual celebrations for you students and staff. We will review practical examples as well as a provide a checklist of options as you decide the best course of action for hosting and organizing virtual celebrations in your school.
This session was run live for NYCDOE educators, some content is specific to NYCDOE, but all ideas are useful for any school or district.
Co-Teaching Remotely with Microsoft
Whether you're within the walls of the classroom or connecting with students and other educators remotely, Microsoft provides the tools you need to support classroom management and keep students engaged with high-quality instructional materials and activities. Microsoft has a number of education tools from Office 365 to Teams that can support co-teaching during remote instruction situations. Join us as we walk through some of the Microsoft tools to help support collaborative teaching during distance education.
Keeping Routines for Special Ed Students
As special educators, we know that schedules, sensory support, and close collaboration with parents and caregivers is crucial during home-based instruction situations. Join us as we share strategies for special education teachers to tailor instructional materials to meet each student’s needs and keep routines as consistent as possible in an alternate setting. We’ll share scheduling templates, suggestions for specialized coaching and instruction, and other digital resources to support behavioral and social needs to help keep students on task no matter the setting.
Video captioning is an essential component of digitally accessible videos. However, when captions are only offered in one language, this limits access for thousands of users. In this video, you will learn how to turn on translated subtitles, and how to create translated subtitles for your own videos.
Using Pear Deck for Google Slides
Join us as we walk you through the basics of Pear Deck. We'll start with how to install this add-on from the Google Workspace for Education Marketplace and then show you how to use it to transform your Google Slides presentations to increase student engagement and understanding of instructional material. We’ll also explore how you can use Pear Deck to create formative assessments that will engage every student in your class and give you a better understanding of which students are stuck, who’s ready for more, and what’s confusing them!
Writing for Effective Translation
New York City parents and families come from diverse backgrounds and sometimes, communicating with them effectively can be a challenge. It's essential for inclusive websites and communication systems to provide effective translations. This session will share tips for ensuring an accurate reading level, matching subjects, and appropriate relative pronouns depending on the platform.
Introduction to SMART Notebook
New to SMART Notebook? Curious to learn how it can help you take your teaching to the next level? Join us as we help you get started with the software. In this course, we’ll share a number of helpful techniques including how to take advantage of pre-made templates to create lessons with ease, how to import outside presentations and materials into your SMART Notebook, and how to link the files you create to the Internet to push out to your students!
Co-Teaching Remotely with Google
Google has a number of education tools from Classroom to Drive to Hangouts Meet, and everything else in Google Workspace for Education, to support co-teaching during remote instruction situations. In this course we’ll provide an overview of how to get started with distance learning including how to teach online using the Google Workspace for Education applications, and how to collaborate with co-teachers and service providers to provide high-quality learning opportunities for your students while teaching remotely.
As learning and instruction continue to be supplemented with multimedia, it's increasingly important to ensure that that media can be consumed by all communities. In this session we'll be discussing the use of videos online, the importance of captions, and how you can use them to enhance your content.
Inclusive websites must be written in plain, everyday language so users can easily find what they’re looking for, understand it, or even get a better translation of it from online accessibility tools. This workshop gives participants a number of ways to ensure that what they write meets these important goals.
Remote Learning: Social-Emotional Learning for Middle & High School
As if a transition to complete remote teaching isn’t challenging enough, as a Middle or High School educator, you are also probably worrying about your students. Your students most likely have a full understanding of what is going on and are looking for support as they adjust to this new reality, although they might not say so outright! Join us as we share some lesson ideas for social-emotional learning that you can incorporate into your remote teaching to help your students develop strong coping skills to adjust to this new reality.
Remote Learning: Social-Emotional Learning for Upper Elementary
As if a transition to complete remote teaching isn’t challenging enough, as an Upper Elementary educator, you're also probably worrying about your students. There may be some disagreement as to whether students at this age understand what is going on right now, and what led to this major shift in teaching style. However, we can agree that students in this age group are looking to the adults closest to them -- parents and teachers -- for support. Join us as we share some lesson ideas for social-emotional learning (SEL) that you can incorporate into your remote teaching to help your students develop strong coping skills to adjust to this new reality.
Remote Learning: Social-Emotional Learning for Primary Students
As a primary level educator, you are most likely used to incorporating social-emotional learning (SEL) into your lessons on a daily basis, since you're aware that students at this age need social and emotional support constantly. That job just became a little more challenging now that you are tasked with fostering students’ social-emotional skills when you aren’t able to be in class together. Join us as we share some lesson ideas for social-emotional learning that you can incorporate into your remote teaching to help your students develop strong coping skills to adjust to this new reality.
Formatting for Digital Accessibility
Digital accessibility requires accessible formating. In this session you'll learn how to format accessible documents as well as how to evaluate documents for proper accessibility formats.
Creating Meaningful Hyperlinks
Inclusive websites never use phrases like “click here” or “find out more” in their hyperlinks. Instead, they incorporate meaningful hyperlinks -- ones that tell users where they'll be going, why they are going there, and what they can do once they get there. This workshop gives participants a number of ways to ensure that they meet these three goals and create meaningful hyperlinks.
Administrative Strategies: Managing Staff as They Implement Remote Learning.
Join our Chief Learning Officer, Robert-Wayne Harris, and our Director of eLearning, Joseph Sanfilippo as they discuss strategies for managing a staff as they implement remote learning.
Using Common Assessment Data to Inform Instruction
Forming assessments that are clearly defined for all students can be a challenging task. In this session, you’ll learn the best practices for creating and using common assessment data. We’ll review the importance of discussing and analyzing questions and answers for more accurate data comparison. We’ll also cover formative and summative common assessments and the collaborative common assessment creation process.
Remote Learning: Administrator Strategies
Join our Chief Learning Officer, Robert-Wayne Harris, and our Director of eLearning, Joseph Sanfilippo, as they share administrative strategies for implementing Remote Learning in your school or district. With over 30 years of collective school administrative experience as Superintendents, Assistant Superintendents, and Directors of Technology, along with 20+ years of experience planning technology professional development and school improvement plans, Robert-Wayne and Joseph offer a variety of strategies as you transition your school and district to a distance learning model.
Remote Learning: Things to Consider
Join Joseph and Matt as they share tips and things to consider as you prepare for Remote Learning in your school or District.
It can be intimidating when you are faced with a full roster for your Special Education class which only means one thing: a full set of new IEPs. As national and state standards become more complex and challenging for our students, there is an ever growing need to create a quality IEP, including a well-written PLOP and aligned goals. Join us as we share guidelines to create an exemplary IEP!
Picture This: Teaching STEAM Through Fairy Tales
Fairy tales are perfect for connecting STEAM and literacy learning! Engage your students with hands-on engineering challenges that use the beloved classic fairy tales, as well as some modern ones.
Join us as we uncover resources to help create our own digital library! In this course we will go over the benefits of having a digital library in your classroom and discuss how to use programs such as, Google Play Books App, Apple Books, and Amazon Kindle to gather and obtain eBooks for your new digital library.
Scaffolding vs Differentiation for ELLs
Differentiation and scaffolding are terms that are used nearly every day in an educational environment. They are used so often that sometimes it may seem like they could mean just about anything. In this course, we will take a deep dive into what exactly these words mean, why they are important tools for teachers and students, and how we can use these strategies most effectively in the classroom.
Election 2020: Teaching Politics without Being Political
Another presidential election cycle is upon us, and for many secondary teachers, this might be an uncomfortable thought. However, teaching politics does not have to be political! In this course, we'll take a look at teacher neutrality, and how you can best present political issues to your students and engage them in discussion— without being accused of political bias.
Demystifying STEAM in Early Childhood Education
Join us as we demystify STEAM and its integration into early childhood education. Walk away with some tips, tricks, and confidence to take back to your classroom to rock STEAM even without high-tech devices.
Creating a Personal Needs Profile
Are you looking to individualize the testing experience? Do you want to enhance access to the standardized testing administered to your Special Education students? The abundance of accessibility features can be overwhelming for teachers. In this course, we’ll provide guidelines to help you select appropriate, individualized accommodations rather than make a group decision for your class — just in time for testing season!
Building Phonological Awareness
Join us as we take a look at unique tips and tricks to promote phonological awareness in your classroom! In this session, we'll review phonological awareness concepts, and how to identify if a student is struggling in this area. Then we'll focus on several literacy apps that can engage your early learners while building a foundation for success with reading. We'll also cover some creative classroom activities that take your students from noticing words to reading, speaking, and writing their own.
Increasing STEM literacy is essential in the 21st century classroom, but often, subject-specific teachers do not know how best to reach ELL students. In this course, we will discuss strategies for teaching content area skills while encouraging literacy and language skills to ensure that all students are getting the most out of the material.
Wouldn’t it be great to have super tools on the web that would help you tackle teaching skills like vocabulary building, main idea and summarizing? What if we said we will share our favorite web resources for teaching your students how to mind map and brainstorm to organize their ideas and plan their work around a particular topic or subject? Join our team as we share our favorite web resources to facilitate instruction in the classroom and take your literacy classroom to a well-developed Common Core classroom.
Digital Storytelling for Halloween
Get ready for some Halloween fun with digital storytelling! In this course, you'll learn about a variety of apps and resources to enhance digital storytelling in your classroom. We will focus on how to enhance creativity and convey elements of effective storytelling across curriculum.
How to Create a STEAM Curriculum
Ever wondered how to implement STE(A)M in your classroom? Maybe you have been assigned the task to be the newest STE(A)M teacher at your school? Don't fret--You have the world in your hands! STE(A)M education is at the forefront of teaching students how to problem-solve, think critically, and be prepared for the world that awaits them once they finish their education. Be a part of that revolution, and join us as we discuss the easiest way to go about conceptualizing, building and scaffolding curriculum in your STE(A)M classroom.
Civics - Type of Elections: School Board Elections
As citizens and/or residents of our local communities, it’s important to understand the different types of elections that we have the right to participate in. As residents of a local school district, you have the right to vote how school budgets are enumerated and spent. School board elections and budget votes tend to vary between states and even local municipalities — join our session as we dig into the details!
Resources for Teaching Students with a Specific Learning Disability in Reading
Reading is an integral part of our everyday lives. For students with a Specific Learning Disability (SLD) in reading, something most of us take for granted is for them an extremely difficult task. Join our Curriculum Specialists as we take a look at some great tips and resources to use as you teach students with an SLD in reading.
Tips and Resources for Starting a Computer Science Club in Your School
Clubs can be an exciting way to get students involved in programs outside of the classroom. Join us to learn about setting up your own computer science club, measuring the impact once it’s up and running, and growing your program to have a positive impact on even more students in your school!
Using Your Library to Create a Makerspace
The purpose of a traditional school library is to is to encourage curiosity, innovation, and problem-solving. Did you know the purpose of a makerspace is the same? If you have been thinking about creating a maker space in your library, go ahead and take the plunge! In this session we'll talk about the many advantages of giving students a hands-on place to learn and apply concepts from all fields of study.
There is so much to monitor in our natural world — too much for scientists to handle alone! To maximize efforts, scientists often recruit citizen scientists to help. A citizen scientist is a member of the general public or an amateur scientist. While issues with data validity and collection standardization exist with this method, without it much of the natural world would go unobserved. Join us to learn about citizen science, how you can use it in your classroom to provide authenticity to a project, and learn some tips for keeping your collections valid!
Increase Retention and Beat the Summer Slide!
Fight back against academic regression during the summer months, and say goodbye to rusty skills and forgotten knowledge. In this session we'll review some ways to engage students in activities that will encourage learning throughout their time away from school.
Strategies for Long-Term Science Investigations
In this session, we'll introduce you to strategies to make your long-term science investigations run smoothly! Explore a variety of topics, the different steps and sections of a science investigation, and then view samples to guide your students to success. With help from resources like Urban Advantage, you'll have everything you need to have your students hit the ground running!
Resources for Teaching Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students
Teaching hard of hearing students might cause you to change your teaching strategies for the entire class. If you typically speak to give directions, ask questions, or even just have casual conversation in your class — and you have a hard of hearing student — this course is for you! Join our Curriculum Specialists as we take a look at some great tools and techniques to help support your students.
Resources for Teaching Students with Visual Impairments
Teaching students with visual impairments can be a very different experience to teaching students with other disabilities. Join our Curriculum Specialists as we go over some teaching tips and various tools you can use in the classroom to help support these students and create a welcoming environment for all.
Technology Integration for the ENL/ELL K-2 Classroom
One of the most challenging situations for young ENL/ELL students is being tasked with learning a second language at an age where they have not yet mastered their first. For young children, the overload to learn multiple languages at the same time can be tremendous. Teachers also face difficulties, and can sometimes struggle to communicate and teach effectively. Join this session for some technology integration tips along with a few savvy strategies to bridge this gap, and help make your students both comfortable, and ready to learn!
Revising Traditional Labs with Inquiry Thinking - Part 2
Don't let those old textbook lessons go to waste! Now that you are familiar with inquiry thinking, join us as we transform traditional labs through the various levels of inquiry: confirmation, structured, guided, and open. After this session, you'll be ready to customize your own resources to best suit your classroom's needs.
Resources for Teaching Students with Down Syndrome
Working with students who have Down Syndrome can be both a difficult and rewarding experience. Trisomy 21 is a genetic disorder which can cause growth delays and intellectual disabilities. Join us as we go through some teaching tips and digital resources to help you be prepared for working with students with Down Syndrome. Having a set of tools ready to go at any time can be the difference between a great lesson and a failed lesson.
Tools for Self-Paced Learning Environments
Now that we've learned about the key differences between traditional and self-paced classrooms, we'll dive into the tools, platforms, and applications that we can utilize to foster this kind of learning environment. Join us for Part 2 in our Self-Paced Learning Environments series and uncover ideas to get started in your classroom, all while going at your own pace!
Resources for Teaching Students with ADD/ADHD
Students with ADHD/ADD can experience attention difficulty, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness. Join our session to learn some techniques, strategies, and resources you can use to best support these students.
Self-Paced Learning Environments
Explore the model of self-paced learning environments as we focus on the key elements that showcase the differences from a more traditional teacher-led whole classroom model. We’ll discuss the importance of the role of educators to provide guidance and feedback, what it looks like when students design their own learning experiences, and all about interactive learning spaces, both in and out of the classroom!
Supports in SMART Notebook for the Special Education Classroom
When using the SMART Notebook software in your special education classroom, you may want to change the way you use it to better fit the individual needs of your students. In this session we will show you how SMART Notebook activities and content creation techniques can be adapted to address specific IEP goals. We will also provide you with strategies to systematically monitor these teaching adaptations for maximum impact in the classroom.
Introducing STEM Role Models Through Literacy
Why are role models so important? Some reasons to have a role model include inspiration, learning how to overcome struggles, and garnering the traits of a successful individual to become the best version of you. It's important to provide students with numerous opportunities to find role models for themselves. As educators, we may sometimes want to suggest role models for specific behaviors and characteristics we think our students would benefit from — like opening up the world of STEM, for instance. Join this session to learn about some elementary level literacy resources you can use to introduce STEM role models to your students.
Revising Traditional Labs with Inquiry Thinking - Part 1
Have you ever experienced the following scenario? A science teacher gives his students a lab on the rock cycle. The students spend 20 minutes working through the lab, following each step closely. After the lab activity the teacher administers an exit ticket as an informal way of assessing understanding, only to see little to no improvement. If you're looking for strategies to increase content retention in the science classroom, join our session to learn some ways to revise traditional labs and increase inquiry thinking.
Resources for Teaching Students with Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, or Dysgraphia
Students with Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, and Dysgraphia see and interpret things on paper in a much different way than students without these disabilities. Join our Curriculum Specialists as we show you some techniques to give you a sense of what these students might be seeing, as well as some strategies and resources you can use to support these students.
Technology to Support T-TESS: Domain 4 - Professional Practices and Responsibilities
Teachers often struggle with juggling their many roles and responsibilities throughout the school year, on top of priority number one: teaching. With a profession as challenging as an educator's, self-reflection is one of the best things a teacher can do for him or herself as it presents opportunities for growth. Thinking about what works, and why it works, as well as what didn't work, and why it didn't work, plays an integral role in the process of becoming a better teacher - and role model for students. Join our Curriculum Specialists as we go through strategies for reflecting on teaching, maintaining accurate records, communicating with families, participating in the professional community, growing and developing professionally, and showing professionalism - all while creating engaging lessons for our students and keeping students informed, motivated, and performing at their best. As the final session of our "Technology to Support T-TESS" series comes to a close, we'll help support you as you juggle your many responsibilities.
Technology to Support T-TESS: Domain 3 - Learning Environment
Students and teachers sometimes consider school their "second home." Because of this, establishing a positive culture for learning and a productive classroom environment full of respect and rapport is not just the teacher's responsibility anymore. Teachers and students must work together to establish routines, behavior management plans, and everyday procedures. Even the physical space should be organized in such a way that benefits all learning styles. Teachers shift to being the advocator for the needs of all students in the classroom, and the students shift to being the collaborators, encouragers, and supporters of the peers around them. Join our Curriculum Specialists as we dive into the third session of the Technology to Support T-TESS (Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System) series, exploring a variety of resources and technology to support both teachers and students.
Growth Mindset: Addressing Failure
If Albert Einstein, Benjamin Franklin, or Alexander Graham Bell gave up in the face of failure, we might not have the knowledge we do today about physics, electricity, or the telephone. A commonality among successful engineers and scientists is what we call "growth mindset," or the ability to see failure as a springboard for success. In this session, we will provide you with strategies to teach growth mindset and use failure to encourage your students to stretch their abilities and reach higher levels of achievement.
Co-teaching Models for Your ENL/ELL Population
Do you have extra teaching support in your classroom? And if so, are you leveraging that support to its fullest potential, especially for your ELL population? Join our session to discover the many co-teaching models you can use to restructure your classroom - and the ways you can use each of them to best support your English language learners.
Digital Tools for Argumentative Writing
Join us as we take a look at some useful digital tools for argumentative writing! We’ll see how students can fill in graphic organizers digitally with Kami, how teachers can leave voice comments with Kaizena, as well as how teachers can easily fill out rubrics right from Google Docs. In a paperless classroom, teaching argumentative writing has never been easier!
Creating Your Own STEAM Makerspace Program: Ideas & Considerations
Were you unable to attend our session at ISTE 2018? Well, here it is! Makerspaces are becoming cornerstones of schools’ STEAM offerings. From low-tech buildable options to high-tech coded 3D prints, and some things in between, we’ve got a session to help you figure out what’s right for your solution. Bring your imagination and flex your creative muscles!
Technology to Support T-TESS: Domain 2 - Instruction
This is the second of a four-session series reviewing the Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System. Join our Curriculum Specialists as they help you to incorporate technology into the second standard of T-TESS, Instruction. The T-TESS is a set of standards with the purpose of reviewing teacher performance to inform the training, appraisal, and professional development of teachers. From demonstrating knowledge of resources, content, and pedagogy, to designing student assessments, our Curriculum Specialists will guide you through their favorite websites, platforms, and software programs for Instruction!
Technology to Support T-TESS: Domain 1 - Planning
This is the first of a four-session series reviewing the Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System. Join our Curriculum Specialists as they help you to incorporate technology into the first standard of T-TESS, Planning. The T-TESS is a set of standards with the purpose of reviewing teacher performance to inform the training, appraisal, and professional development of teachers. From demonstrating knowledge of resources, content, and pedagogy, to designing student assessments, our Curriculum Specialists will guide you through their favorite websites, platforms, and software programs for Planning!
Mindfulness Activities for Middle and High School
Are your students having trouble paying attention, coping with change, or difficulty expressing their emotions? There are many layers of mindfulness that you might not know of. Join us as we share ways you can help your middle or high school students build flexibility and emotional toolkits. With these activities, your student will be well on their way to becoming mindful individuals capable of dealing with emotional challenges to be fully present and aware of whats happening in your lesson.
Resources for Teaching Idioms and Colloquialisms to ELL Students
While understanding the English language might seem like a piece of cake to a native speaker, to someone learning it as a new language, they might as well be fighting a losing battle. We won't beat around the bush in this session about idioms and colloquialisms, so you can be ready to explain them at the drop of a hat. Let us put the ball in your court so you can hit the nail on the head with your next English lesson. A picture may paint a thousand words, but you will be beside yourself as you join our Curriculum Specialists for the best session since sliced bread. We're going to let the cat out of the bag with some great resources to help your English Language Learners understand common idioms and colloquialisms.
Demonstrating Understanding with Infographics
When students create infographics, they are using information, visual, and technology literacies. When teachers create infographics, they can spark classroom debates, gamify the activity, or provide aid for a difficult concept. Infographics can make wonderful study guides, but what happens when students can't understand what they mean? Join the Curriculum Specialists as we dissect these graphically designed tools and learn how to develop assessments where students create their own visual representations of data which will help students successfully showcase their mastery of knowledge.
District and School Performance Improvement Strategies
In the effort to improve student achievement and learning outcomes, it is essential for any school or district leader to know the methods and measures used for evaluating success. From unwrapping state standards, to developing academic intervention and enrichment programs, school and district leaders must understand how to design programs that will lead to improved achievement in the classroom and beyond. This series of administrator sessions will identify some successful strategies to enhance performance improvement initiatives in schools and districts.
The primary goal of every school or district is to ensure that students are well-prepared and ready for life beyond the K-12 academic program. Creating successful middle and high school programs that will increase graduation rates and prepare students for college and career readiness are essential to this process. This series of administrator sessions will provide information and strategies that can be used to support school or district efforts to promote early college awareness.
Do you find your students drifting away to a dream land during the day? Students have a limited attention span and getting students to refocus once they start day dreaming can be hard. Join our Curriculum Specialists as we explore some activities for mindfulness to help your students be fully present and aware of what is happening in your lesson.
The purpose of a chart is to visualize data in a way that accurately represents the story a dataset is telling. Tools like Excel, Google Sheets, and Numbers offer a wide variety of chart options and it is sometimes difficult to decide which works best for your purpose and identify which don’t work at all. Join us as we discuss what components are important in various chart types and the ways you can help students choose the appropriate chart for their dataset!
Web Resources to Welcome the Lunar New Year
The Lunar New Year, also known as the Chinese New Year, is just around the corner, and it's the year of the Brown Dog! The Brown Dog symbolizes a strong and active Earth. If you don't have activities planned, don’t fret! This session will provide you with plenty of resources and ideas to bring the culture and science of the Lunar New Year to your classroom!
Organizational Design and Improvement Strategies
When Designing School and District Improvement Strategies, it is Vital to Align all of your Educational Plans and Priorities Under One Large Umbrella. The Development of a Strategic Plan that Establishes Goals and Expectations, Identifies Program Strengths and Weaknesses, and Aligns Revenue and Resources into One Cohesive Document is a Necessary Tool in this Process. This Series of Admin Sessions will Focus on Key Strategic Planning Questions that can Guide the Design and Development of a Strategic Plan that Addresses Your Current Reality; Identifies Your Desired Outcomes; and Aligns Your Action Plan(s), Revenue, and Resources to School and District Priorities, Goals, and Expectations.
Effective Instructional Leadership - Introduction
Among the Many and Varied Goals and Expectations of the School or District Administrator is to Need to Demonstrate Effective Instructional Leadership at the District, School, and Classroom Levels. Research Provides Several Strategies that can Assist and Support the School or District Leader in their Efforts to Improve Performance and Create a ‘True’ and ‘Inclusive’ Academic Learning Community. This Series of Admin Sessions will Focus on Some Key Strategies and Steps that can Implemented by School and District Leaders in the Efforts to Identify and Establish Clear Academic Goals, Expectations, and Plans that can Benefit their Entire School Community
Web Resources for ELL Teachers
Educators work extremely hard to ensure their English Language Learners' needs are are met. They want to make sure their students are not only learning, but developing skills to use in their futures during the school year. There can be a variety of challenges teachers face when trying to master this task as they are often overwhelmed by the differences in each classroom. We are here to help simplify the process of finding different tools and web resources to satisfy a variety of needs.
Evaluating Effective Classroom Technology Usage
It is easy to walk into a classroom and see that a teacher has something displayed on an interactive whiteboard, but how do you really assess what type of learning is taking place? During this session, we will examine the utilization of Interactive Whiteboards, Laptops/Chromebooks, and iPads/Tablets into classroom instruction. Participants will leave this session able to apply two model frameworks for the integration of technology into classroom curriculum and content: SAMR and T-PACK. We will look at effective tools for evaluation: lesson planning templates and rubrics. If you are concerned that your school technology investments may be underutilized, or you want to highlight your great technology pioneers, this session is for you.
Identifying Effective Classroom Technology Usage
What makes a great technology-infused lesson? How can you encourage teachers to better utilize their available classroom technology more effectively? Participants will leave this session with an understanding of two popular model frameworks for integrating technology tools: SAMR and T-PACK. Administrators will be better able to motivate their teachers into higher levels of effective technology usage, and teachers will be able to do lesson planning to enable deeper understanding and increased engagement from their students.
Connecting Tools in the TEKS Math Classroom
Join us as we discuss and demonstrate a variety of instructional tools to aid in achieving Essential Knowledge and Skills for Mathematics in the TEKS math classroom. We will take a look at classroom-relevant examples and share a number of resources that can assist with the process of problem solving, modeling, and mathematical reasoning.