Workshops

Pedagogy & Curriculum

Promote General Pedagogy & Curriculum

For: K-12 Teachers, Instructional Leaders

Academic learning time is evident when all students are actively manipulating content in a variety of modalities. It is imperative that teachers create opportunities for students to discuss their thinking, practice new skills, and re ect on their learning. This workshop explores the notion of “time on task” and the kinds of active learning strategies teachers can incorporate to ensure that classroom time is used productively. Participants will:

  • Define academic learning time
  • Understand the components of the “anatomy of a lesson”
  • Learn a framework for planning instruction
  • Explore ways to engage students with the content and reflect on their own learning

For: K-12 Teachers, Instructional Leaders

When teachers teach content in multiple modalities and students apply knowledge to a variety of contexts, conceptual understanding and transfer are increased. Teaching to the concept and providing exibility and “play” in the active manipulation of content aids memory building and retention, along with ease of access in a variety of different contexts outside the classroom. In this session, participants will learn the foundations of conceptual learning and practice the process for concept-based planning and instruction that will help students build schema to enhance learning and apply and transfer knowledge and understanding. Participants will:

  • Understand how concept-based teaching can lead to higher levels of understanding and transfer of knowledge
  • Explore the relationship among key concepts, essential questions, skills, and understanding in curriculum development
  • Design a unit that leads to conceptual understanding across multiple disciplines

For: K-12 Teachers, Instructional Leaders

In order to effectively engage students, teachers should be crafting objectives, questions, and assessments at each level of cognitive demand throughout their units of instruction. Educators will practice writing objectives, questions, and assessments that are aligned to the intended level of thinking and be prepared to design learning experiences that engage students at each level of Bloom’s Taxonomy. Participants in the workshop will:

  • Understand the levels of cognitive demand presented in Bloom’s Taxonomy
  • Recognize the level of taxonomy in objectives, questions, and assessments
  • Align questions and tasks to various levels of cognitive demand
  • Identify instructional strategies that will develop and reinforce the levels of thinking targeted in objectives and assessments

For: K-12 Teachers, Instructional Leaders

Creating a classroom environment in which all students can learn at high levels and can demonstrate depth of understanding is an essential part of rigorous, standards-based instruction. Webb’s Depth of Knowledge (DOK) is a system educators can use to analyze the complexity intended by standards, learning activities, and assessment tasks. Participants in this session will explore the difference between dif culty and complexity and learn to use Webb’s DOK as they design rich, complex lessons. Participants will also:

  • Distinguish between Webb’s Depth of Knowledge and Bloom’s Taxonomy
  • Examine the difference between difficulty and complexity
  • Categorize questions and tasks by complexity of thinking required to successfully complete them
  • Craft questions at each level of the DOK framework

For: K-12 Teachers, Instructional Leaders

Research-based instructional strategies maximize a teacher’s ability to enhance student achievement in all grades and subject areas. Used strategically and in conjunction with a high-quality curriculum and effective management techniques, the nine high-yield strategies imparted in this session can have a powerful effect on student learning. Educators will learn how to systematically and intentionally incorporate the strategies into planning and instruction. Participants will also:

  • Learn the nine high-yield strategies
  • Understand how and why the strategies are organized into a framework for instructional planning
  • Recognize how the use of high-yield strategies can support the development of college-and career-readiness skills
  • Plan to incorporate the strategies into classroom instruction

For: K-12 Teachers, Instructional Leaders

Learning is most efficient when students know the objectives of a lesson or activity. When teachers set clear objectives, they give students a target for their learning. The process of setting objectives begins with knowing both the standards and the knowledge and skills that teachers aim to develop in their students. In this session, participants will learn how to write measurable objectives and engage students in the learning process. Participants will also:

  • Explore the purpose of learning objectives and the research supporting their use
  • Practice crafting strong learning objectives
  • Unpack curriculum standards into learning objectives
  • Plan to assess and provide feed back on learning objectives
  • Design a rubric that clarifies what proficiency looks like for setting learning objectives

For: K-12 Teachers, Instructional Leaders
Curriculum mapping is at the core of planning for teaching and learning. It is a powerful tool for recording and examining a school’s operational curriculum and can be used to focus school improvement and as a process for the ongoing review of curriculum, instructional strategies, and assessments. In this workshop, participants will:

  • Understand the benefits of curriculum mapping
  • Examine the curriculum mapping process
  • Prepare to adopt the curriculum mapping process

For: Pre-K-K Teachers and Leaders
Teachers will explore early childhood research and instructional strategies for the development of oral language and vocabulary. In this session, teachers will examine their current teaching practices and study intentional strategies for developing students’ oral language and vocabulary throughout the entire school day. Participants will also explore how reading aloud can enhance oral language and vocabulary development. Participants will:

  • Analyze the research and concepts of oral language and vocabulary
  • Analyze intentional strategies to enhance oral language and vocabulary development
  • Analyze the importance of reading aloud as a viable and effective strategy to enhance oral language
    and vocabulary development on a daily basis

For: Pre-K-K Teachers and Leaders
Teachers will explore the assessment of early literacy skills, the implementation of literacy centers, and the use of assessment data for differentiating classroom instruction. Participants will use their available resources to plan for effective literacy centers that meet the needs of their early learners. Teachers will use their assessment data to plan for differentiated instruction in small groups and literacy centers. Participants will:

  • Analyze the Emergent Literacy Checklist and its classroom application for literacy instruction
  • Analyze the planning, organization, and management of literacy centers to reinforce literacy skills
  • Analyze data and match assessment results with instruction by choosing appropriate instructional
    activities from available resources

Early Childhood

For: Pre-K-K Teachers and Leaders
Teachers will explore early childhood research and instructional strategies for the development of oral language and vocabulary. In this session, teachers will examine their current teaching practices and study intentional strategies for developing students’ oral language and vocabulary throughout the entire school day. Participants will also explore how reading aloud can enhance oral language and vocabulary development. Participants will:

  • Analyze the research and concepts of oral language and vocabulary
  • Analyze intentional strategies to enhance oral language and vocabulary development
  • Analyze the importance of reading aloud as a viable and effective strategy to enhance oral language
    and vocabulary development on a daily basis

For: Pre-K-K Teachers and Leaders
Teachers will explore the assessment of early literacy skills, the implementation of literacy centers, and the use of assessment data for differentiating classroom instruction. Participants will use their available resources to plan for effective literacy centers that meet the needs of their early learners. Teachers will use their assessment data to plan for differentiated instruction in small groups and literacy centers. Participants will:

  • Analyze the Emergent Literacy Checklist and its classroom application for literacy instruction
  • Analyze the planning, organization, and management of literacy centers to reinforce literacy skills
  • Analyze data and match assessment results with instruction by choosing appropriate instructional
    activities from available resources

Reading

For: K-12 Teachers, Instructional Leaders
(K–5, 6–8, 9–12)
Close reading is a thoughtful, critical analysis of text that leads to a deeper understanding of the text’s form, academic vocabulary, author’s purpose, and overall meaning. Research has shown that close reading helps increase the reading proficiency of all students and is critical for college and career readiness. This workshop will explore the use of close reading at all grade levels as a way to build the knowledge that is essential for comprehension of complex texts. Workshop participants will:

  • Review the process for creating text-dependent questions
  • Discuss the five steps of the close reading process
  • Practice note-taking and text annotations
  • Explore how discussion and writing support a deeper understanding of the text
  • Create a close reading lesson

For: K-12 Teachers, Instructional Leaders
(K–5, 6–8, 9–12)
A variety of resources can be used to enhance rigorous and relevant instruction and learning. In this session, participants will use text samples and complexity rubrics to explore various texts based on language, structure, purpose, and meaning. Workshop participants also will:

  • Explore the purpose of text complexity and the research supporting its use
  • Identify the criteria used to select complex grade-level text
  • Investigate how the measures of text complexity affect the classroom
  • Examine a variety of strategies to help students grapple with increasingly complex texts
  • Design a “Reading for Meaning” strategy lesson to help students engage with and comprehend complex texts

For: K-12 Teachers, Instructional Leaders
Asking text-dependent questions builds student knowledge and the ability to think in complex ways. These questions guide students back into the text to look for evidence and can spur classroom discussion wherein students are both asking and answering high-level questions. In this session, participants will analyze the purpose for questioning and its connection to the close reading process. Workshop participants also:

  • Explore the purpose of asking text-dependent questions
  • Learn how asking complex text-dependent questions supports the close reading process
  • Identify key indicators of complexity
  • Practice writing high-level text-dependent questions
  • Learn a process for creating a coherent sequence of questions that scaffolds toward a culminating task

For: K-8 Teachers, Instructional Leaders
Guided reading is a research-based instructional approach that enables teachers to exibly group students to help them learn effective strategies for comprehending texts. The purpose is to meet the varying instructional needs of every student with the goal of developing independent readers who can read increasingly challenging texts with understanding and fluency. Participants in this session will learn how to incorporate guided reading into their reading instruction. They will:

  • Understand the components of guided reading
  • Explore the framework for guided reading lessons
  • Know how to flexibly group students for effective instruction
  • Select, introduce, and use leveled texts for guided reading lessons
  • Plan a guided reading lesson

For: K-12 Teachers, Instructional Leaders
Also available as a 6-hour workshop
Complex literary and informational text often contains specialized vocabulary. In this session, participants will practice intentionally selecting vocabulary to explicitly teach and develop students’ ability to access and use words that appear in everyday text, especially those that may be slightly out of reach. Workshop participants also will:

  • Understand the connection between vocabulary knowledge and comprehension
  • Identify a model that describes three tiers or categories of words
  • Examine the criteria for identifying Tier ll words
  • Describe criteria for selecting which words to teach
  • Explore specific vocabulary strategies to teach essential terms and increase student engagement with words
  • Apply a six-step process for vocabulary instruction

Writing

For: K-12 Teachers, Instructional Leaders
(6–8, 9–12)
Good writing rubrics help students both understand what good writing looks like and identify ways to improve the quality of their writing through self-assessment and feedback from teachers and peers. In this session, participants will develop a standards-aligned writing rubric they can use in the classroom with students. Participants also will:

  • Explore norming with rubrics using sample student papers
  • Identify the characteristics of effective writing rubrics
  • Design a standards-aligned writing rubric to use in the classroom
  • Develop next steps for sharing rubrics with students and norming with rubrics using student writing samples

For: 6-12 Teachers and Instructional Leaders
(6–8, 9–12)
To be college- and career-ready, students at the secondary level must be able to produce informative, or explanatory, writing that examines and conveys complex ideas and information clearly and accurately. In this session, participants will examine how teachers across all content areas can support the development of writing skills in this genre. Participants also will:

  • Explore provisional and readable writing strategies to support informative writing in the classroom
  • Describe the informative/explanatory texts students are expected to write in your content area
  • Identify provisional and readable writing strategies that support informative writing in the classroom
  • Develop mini-lessons and tasks that integrate provisional and readable writing strategies for informative writing

For: 6-12 Teachers and Instructional Leaders
(6–8, 9–12)
To be college- and career-ready, students at the secondary level must be able to write arguments that support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. In this session, participants will explore strategies that support students in each step of the writing process: pre-writing, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing. Participants will also:

  • Develop standards-based writing prompts to use in their classroom
  • Describe what college and career readiness standards for argumentative writing expect students to be able to produce
  • Identify strategies at each step of the writing process that help students develop strong argumentative texts
  • Create standards-based writing prompts to use in the classroom

For: 3-12 Teachers, Instructional Leaders
Real-world writing demands require the ability to write in response to written texts. To do so, writers must have the fundamental skills to read analytically, summarize texts, and synthesize information from multiple sources into an original document. Participants in this session will explore strategies for annotating and summarizing texts and will learn to develop well-crafted writing assignments. Workshop participants also will:

  • Understand the components of an effective writing assignment
  • Use close reading and text annotations as a strategy to engage with complex texts and prepare to write from sources
  • Build opportunities for students to analyze and synthesize ideas across texts
  • Design a writing assignment to support writing from sources

For: K-6 Teachers; Instructional Leaders
Writing and speaking to topics or texts and supporting a point of view with relevant and suf cient evidence are critical skills required for college and career readiness. In this workshop, participants will develop an understanding of the expectations for opinion writing based upon evidence from the text and learn speci c strategies for teaching opinion writing. Participants also will:

  • Explore the skills necessary for opinion writing
  • Determine qualities of effective writing
  • Learn strategies for teaching students to support a point of view with relevant and sufficient evidence
  • Create real-world prompts for opinion writing
  • Develop a rubric to assess student writing

For: 6-12 Teachers, Instructional Leaders
Rigorous writing expectations include argumentative and research writing that requires clear reasoning and sufficient evidence. Educators will learn a process for writing in which students defend claims by gathering and evaluating information and presenting it in a structure and format that addresses task, purpose, and audience. Workshop participants will:

  • Understand the essential components of argumentative writing
  • Identify the purpose of argumentation in the teacher’s discipline
  • Craft effective argumentative prompts
  • Use graphic organizers as a tool for scaffolding argumentative writing
  • Annotate and evaluate student argumentative writing

For: K-3 Teachers, Instructional Leaders
Practicing different types of writing is essential to student success in writing—even at the earliest stages. K−3 educators will explore the process of early writing and strategies, tools, and techniques to use in the classroom to support emergent writers. Workshop participants will:

  • Understand the developmental stages of early writers
  • Determine the qualities of good writing
  • Create a classroom environment that supports the development of young writers
  • Learn to teach the craft of writing as a process
  • Design a writing unit of study

For: 4-8 Teachers, Instructional Leaders
As students in grades 4–8 continue to develop their craft as writers, they are expected to use writing to convey knowledge and to effectively communicate ideas. Educators will explore techniques for teaching the craft of writing to developing writers and learn how to build a writing-rich classroom. Workshop participants also will:

  • Understand the developmental stages of developing writers
  • Determine the qualities of good writing
  • Create a classroom environment that supports the development of writers
  • Learn to teach the craft of writing as a process
  • Design a writing unit of study

For: K-12 Teachers, Instructional Leaders
Writing is a powerful tool for communication and one that must be developed and honed across the curriculum. Students bene t from writing in all content areas—it enhances critical thinking, allows students to take greater responsibility for their learning, promotes re ective thinking and questioning, and helps them to make connections. Participants will explore content-area writing strategies that will enhance learning and help prepare students for the writing demands of college, careers, and beyond. Participants also will:

  • Incorporate opportunities for writing into every lesson
  • Explore strategies for using writing as a tool for learning
  • Learn how to design effective and purposeful writing assignments

ELA & Literacy

For: K-12 Teachers, Instructional Leaders
The ability to communicate effectively is necessary for success in college, careers, and beyond. Participants in this session will learn techniques to teach the art of speaking and listening in the classroom. Strategies for incorporating these skills into authentic learning activities across content areas will be explored. Participants also will:

  • Determine the role that the development of oral communication plays across grade levels and content areas
  • Learn a strategy that will ensure the use of a consistent language when teaching students to be effective speakers
  • Explore techniques for structuring meaningful classroom conversations
  • Design lessons that incorporate purposeful speaking and listening components

For: 6-12 Teachers, Instructional Leaders
To ensure student success in the 21st century, teachers of all disciplines—including science—must become skilled at teaching literacy. In this session, participants will gain an understanding of the application of reading and literacy strategies to a variety of fiction and non fiction texts through the unique perspective of a scientist. Participants will:

  • Understand the difference between content-area reading and disciplinary literacy
  • Analyze literacy demands of the discipline
  • Identify rich, complex texts to use in instruction
  • Practice high-leverage instructional strategies, such as close reading, as a means to interpret scientific text
  • Explore various scientific lenses scientists use to ask and answer questions about complex texts

For: 6-12 Teachers, Instructional Leaders
To ensure student success in the 21st century, teachers of all disciplines—including social studies—must become skilled at teaching literacy. In this session, participants will gain an understanding of the application of reading and literacy strategies to a variety of fiction and non fiction texts through the unique perspective of a historian. Participants will:

  • Understand the difference between content-area reading and disciplinary literacy
  • Analyze literacy demands of the discipline
  • Identify rich, complex texts to use in instruction
  • Practice high-leverage instructional strategies, such as close reading, as a means to interpret historical text
  • Explore various questioning themes that frame historical thinking

Math: Instructional Practice

For: K-12 Teachers of Math (grouped flexibly)
In 2014, NCTM (the National Council of Teaching Mathematics) articulated the essential practices of strong math instruction. This workshop provides educators a broad but valuable opportunity to reflect on these areas. Participants will:

  • Distinguish eight teaching practices that describe what effective math teachers do
  • Clarify them with examples and non-examples
  • Analyze a classroom video using these practices as lenses
  • Reflect on current math instructional strengths and set goals for growth

For: K-12 Teachers of Math (grouped flexibly)
Math standards have increasingly emphasized that students need to not only learn math topics, but also develop the core critical thinking skills that come with being a young mathematician. In this workshop, participants will:

  • Distinguish eight “Math Practices” that describe the skills of mathematicians at all age levels
  • Learn how to embed these skills in problem solving
  • Identify techniques for questioning and teaching that develop these skills on a day-to-day basis
  • Self-assess teachers’ own strengths and weaknesses as mathematicians and critical thinkers in everyday life to
    establish a baseline for helping their students improve as well
  • Create tasks with varying levels of cognitive demands and differentiate tasks so that all students can grow

For: K-12 Teachers of Math (grouped flexibly)
While newer textbooks often align well to state standards, older textbooks can still be useful if used strategically. This workshop helps teachers identify and address a range of challenges, such as misalignment to standards, poor concept development, overwhelming scope, and lack of flexibility. With the guidance of the facilitator, participants will:

  • Eliminate nonessential content from textbooks and identify gaps that must be filled in
  • Outline step-by-step processes for planning a well-sequenced year of coherent units of instruction
  • Learn how to frame lessons and units with strong questions that increase the coherence in learning
  • Use math-specific techniques to unpack standards into detailed objectives for upcoming units of study
  • Create stronger unit and lesson plans using several exemplars as models

Math: Deep Understanding

For: K–12 Teachers of Math (grouped flexibly)
Today’s math standards emphasize conceptual understanding as the foundation for procedural fluency and application. To address this important component of math teaching, participants in this workshop will:

  • Breakdown what “deep understanding of math” really means
  • Structure math learning as a sequence of stages
  • Represent math using concrete, representational, and symbolic forms for a range of topics
  • Build fluency out of conceptual understanding instead of in spite of it
  • Self-assess and plan to improve the depth to which they teach each grade-level topic/standard

For: K–12 Teachers of Math of Specific Grades
Also available as a 3-hour or 6-hour workshop
Strong math instruction must be rooted in deep understanding of both the mathematics itself and pedagogy. Each of the workshops of this series focuses on a specific set of topics, giving participants the opportunity to:

  • Attend to precision with key vocabulary and notation
  • Connect and use multiple representations of the math
  • Examine common problem types and compare multiple ways to solve these problems
  • Scrutinize the standards associated with the topic
  • Identify new teaching strategies—or refine existing techniques—to help students build deeper understanding and computational fluency

Topical Workshops

Math: Problem Solving & Numeracy

For: K-12 Teachers of Math (grouped flexibly)
This introductory workshop seeks answers to two key questions: What do good problem solvers think about? How can we teach students to be better problem solvers? In this workshop, participants will:

  • Break down the process of problem solving into clear, manageable steps
  • Help students gradually develop independence as problem solvers
  • Become more conscious of a wider range of problem-solving strategies
  • Detect and address student errors using purposeful questions and evidence of their thinking

For: K-12 Teachers of Math (grouped flexibly)
One step of problem solving commonly skipped by both students and teachers is the representation of problems. Reformulating a problem as a picture, table, or actions not only can clarify the problem itself but also lead to better strategizing. To improve this practice, participants will:

  • Justify representation as a key step in problem solving
  • Represent a variety of word problems using pictures, tables, and actions
  • Pose purposeful questions to help students represent problems independently
  • Use representations to choose solution strategies
  • Commit to connecting representations in day-to-day problem solving

For: K-12 Teachers of Math (grouped flexibly)
When students know how to manage the process of problem solving, a teacher can leverage these skills in many ways. Yet most textbooks water down problem solving for students, leading teachers astray. In this workshop, participants will:

  • Define an effective lesson flow for rich problem solving experiences
  • Choose problems that address both topical goals and mathematical practice
  • Do fewer problems, making them more engaging and digging deeper into them
  • Guide students as they compare and contrast multiple solutions to the same problem
  • Leverage problem “remixes” to efficiently extend learning from problems

For: K-12 Teachers of Math
Learning vocabulary is a challenge in all academic areas, but teachers of math face additional challenges. In this workshop, participants will:

  • Identify and address the major variables in vocabulary acquisition: exposure, time, and a variety of contexts
  • Use root words and cognates to help students learn and remember vocabulary terms
  • Try out a range of other fun, structured vocabulary instructional strategies

For: High School Math Teachers
To increase students’ readiness for the SAT Math, participants in this workshop will:

  • Detail the SAT’s increased emphasis in four areas: the “heart” of algebra, problem solving, data analysis, and “passport” to advanced math
  • Assess the school’s curriculum to ensure that students will be prepared for the challenges of the SAT
  • Devise a test-readiness plan

STEM

For: K-12 Teachers, Instructional Leaders
Twenty-first century careers demand that students develop STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) habits of mind. STEAM topics are addressed together not only because these fields are deeply intertwined in the real world, but because that is how students learn these content areas most effectively. In this workshop, teachers will explore ways to use inquiry-based methods to engage students in investigating the world around them. Workshop participants will:

  • Articulate the importance and goals of STEAM education in the 21st century
  • Identify the principles and practices of inquiry-based learning
  • Define criteria for a strong inquiry-based learning experience
  • Use those criteria to evaluate activities and revise them to make them more inquiry-based
  • Explore online resources for collaborative learning
  • Use a 5E model for lesson planning to promote inquiry and problem solving

For: K-12 Teachers, Instructional Leaders
(K–2, 3–5, 6–8, 9–12)
Also available as a 6-hour workshop. This workshop requires materials for exploring hands-on, inquiry-based labs.
STEAM education paves the way for students to become the next generation of innovators, educators, researchers, and leaders who can tackle our most pressing challenges. This workshop is designed for schools that have begun to implement inquiry-based learning and are moving forward with their STEAM initiatives. Teachers will learn how to incorporate project-based learning strategies and challenge students to apply scientific principles to real-world problems. In the workshop, participants will:

  • Explore the power of questions to spark inquiry in all learners
  • Investigate the engineering and mathematical practice standards
  • Examine the role of inquiry-based learning in both STEAM and non-STEAM disciplines
  • Make connections between STEAM and the school’s curriculum and other programs
  • Generate a plan for implementation and transfer to the classroom

For: K-12 Teachers, Instructional Leaders
Inquiry-based labs use real-world problems to help students build the skills essential for the 21st-century workforce. In this session, educators will review the components and guidelines for inquiry-based learning and examine the role of learning and innovation skills in inquiry-based labs. Participants will:

  • Identify and use prompts to support inquiry in the classroom
  • Explore the steps to create an inquiry-based lab
  • Generate a plan for implementation and transfer to classroom

For: K-12 Science Teachers, Instructional Leaders
(K–2, 3–5, 6–8, 9–12)
Also available as a 6-hour workshop. This workshop requires materials for exploring hands-on, inquiry-based labs.
Understanding the interconnected nature of science as it is practiced in the real world is central to the mission of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). These essential science skills are critical not only for college and career readiness, but for all citizens who must make daily decisions based on research and data. In this workshop, participants will:

  • Explore the NGSS
  • Understand how inquiry is incorporated into the NGSS
  • Discuss and experience the difference between hands-on and inquiry-based instruction
  • Investigate the levels of inquiry in an inquiry-based lab
  • Modify inquiry-based labs to reflect differentiated levels of inquiry required for the NGSS

For: K-12 Teachers, Instructional Leaders
Also available as a 6-hour workshop
Project-based learning is a dynamic, inquiry-based classroom approach in which students gain important knowledge, skills, and understandings by investigating open-ended questions. Project-based learning requires critical thinking, collaboration, and creativity and helps to develop the skills required for success in college, careers, and beyond. In this session, participants will learn the fundamentals of project-based learning and work to develop engaging classroom projects. Participants will also:

  • Explore the components of project-based learning
  • Understand how project-based learning helps to develop 21st-century skills
  • Examine sample projects
  • Design an interdisciplinary project

For: K-12 Teachers, Instructional Leaders
Blended learning brings face-to-face and online learning together in an integrated learning experience that enables personalization, mastery-based progression, and use of real-time data to monitor and adjust instruction. During this workshop, educators will learn to distinguish blended learning from technology integration. They will also examine the different models of blended learning that can be implemented in the classroom and the roles of the student and teacher in a blended learning environment. Participants will:

  • Assess their current practices as they relate to blended learning
  • Transform a traditional lesson to a blended learning one
  • Develop solutions to challenges they face in integrating blended learning in their classroom

For: K-8 Teachers, Instructional Leaders
How do we develop authentic assessments for STEM and inquiry-based learning? In this session, participants will explore examples of performance tasks from inquiry-based learning and STEM lessons to measure them against the criteria for an authentic assessment. Participants will also use the GRASPS framework to start designing a performance task.

  • Identify formative and summative assessment techniques appropriate for authentic learning
  • Examine performance tasks that integrate technology and the arts to help students show mastery of content
  • Begin creating an assessment tool for an inquiry-based learning lesson or project that involves an authentic performance task

For: K-12 Teachers, Instructional Leaders
The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) encourages teachers to introduce students to a phenomenon and use that experience to build their knowledge around a concept. This is a more constructivist approach, and one that better emulates the processes scientists and engineers follow in their careers as they work in collaboration to ask questions, test hypotheses, and make discoveries. Workshop participants will:

  • Use the Science and Engineering Practice standards as an anchor to lesson development
  • Analyze an NGSS-aligned lesson based on observable phenomena
  • Apply NGSS elements to cross-curricular lessons
  • Explore the critical role of collaborative learning in support

For: K-8 Teachers, Instructional Leaders | This is a six-hour workshop
(K–3, 4–8)
STEM learning requires an innovative, collaborative, and interdisciplinary approach to problem solving. For students to cultivate these skills, they need access to learning environments that engage them in authentic, real-world exploration. In this session, participants will learn to plan inquiry-based units designed for 21st-century learning environments that support the development of STEM skills students need to succeed beyond the classroom. Participants also will:

  • Describe the characteristics of 21st-century learning environments
  • Identify the stages of backward design and how they align with the steps involved in planning inquiry-based STEM instruction
  • Apply backwards design to plan a grade-appropriate STEM unit that aligns with the academic and developmental needs of students

Differentiated Instruction

For: K-12 Teachers, Instructional Leaders
Differentiation is a flexible, responsive, and proactive approach to meeting the needs of every learner in the classroom. Differentiating instruction ensures that all students are able to access, understand, and apply new skills and concepts. Educators will learn how to provide different paths to learning and consider ways to differentiate instruction based on content, process, product, and learning environment to provide appropriate levels of challenge for all students. During this workshop, participants will:

  • Understand the principles of effective differentiation
  • Determine the teacher’s role and responsibilities in a differentiated classroom
  • Learn strategies for differentiating content, process, product, and environment according to readiness, interest, and/or learning preference
  • Practice differentiating a lesson

For: K-12 Teachers, Instructional Leaders
Planning for instruction in a mixed-ability setting takes special consideration. Educators in this session will explore tools and strategies for planning to address the needs of mixed-ability learners within the classroom. During this workshop, participants will:

  • Understand how pre-assessments support growth, motivation to learn, and efficiency of learning in mixed-ability classrooms
  • Explore strategies for assessing and differentiating according to readiness, interest, and/or learning preference
  • Create a tool that assesses readiness, interests, and/or learning profile
  • Learn how and why to use flexible groups
  • Plan opportunities for the use of flexible groups throughout a lesson

For: K-12 Teachers, Instructional Leaders
A mixed-ability classroom can present unique challenges for instruction and management. Educators in this session will learn instructional strategies for monitoring, delivering, and adjusting instruction according to the readiness and learning styles of the students within their mixed-ability classes. Workshop participants will also:

  • Understand how differentiation of content, process, and product maximizes student growth and ensures that the needs of individual students are met
  • Explore strategies for differentiating content, process, and product
  • Create possible product assignments to address various learning preferences
  • Plan to differentiate content, process, and products in the mixed-ability classroom

For: K-12 Teachers, Instructional Leaders
Addressing individual student needs within a mixed-ability classroom is essential to student success. Educators will focus on creating learning environments that honor and support the needs of students within mixed-ability classes and explore strategies for building successful partnerships with parents. During this workshop, participants will also:

  • Learn strategies for building classroom community
  • Design the physical classroom space to maximize opportunities for teaching and learning
  • Develop a plan to increase parental involvement

For: K-12 Teachers, Instructional Leaders
Twenty-first century classrooms must embrace technology as a tool for learning and use it to optimize instruction for digital learners, who receive and process information in fundamentally different ways. Educators will explore how to use technology to cultivate authentic learning experiences and to motivate and support students in the classroom with different learning styles, interests, and levels of readiness.

  • Explore the transformative effects of technology on teaching and learning
  • Understand how to use technology to foster 21st–century skills and engage students in the process of learning
  • Design authentic learning opportunities for students with different learning styles, interests, and levels of readiness

Virtual and Blended Learning

For: K-12 Teachers, Instructional Leaders
Blended learning brings face-to-face and online learning together in an integrated learning experience that enables personalization, mastery-based progression, and use of real-time data to monitor and adjust instruction. During this workshop, educators will learn to distinguish blended learning from technology integration. They will also examine the different models of blended learning that can be implemented in the classroom and the roles of the student and teacher in a blended learning environment. Participants will:

  • Assess their current practices as they relate to blended learning
  • Transform a traditional lesson to a blended learning one
  • Develop solutions to challenges they face in integrating blended learning in their classroom

For: Beginning and Intermediate Users | Length: 3 Hours
One of the challenges of transitioning to blended learning is ensuring students can be successful in both the in-person and virtual learning environments. Flipped learning is a type of blended learning that focuses on organizing asynchronous remote instruction intentionally linked to active in-class learning to support application of learning. In this session, participants will learn ways to differentiate instruction within the flipped classroom design and plan a flipped learning lesson that models gradual release of responsibility. Participants will:

  • Examine blended learning and flipped classroom design
  • Identify and design key practices for planning and implementing successful flipped learning
  • Evaluate and develop assessment and feedback components needed to determine student success
    in a flipped classroom

For: Beginning Users | Length: 90 minutes*
In this session, participants will explore the use of a web browser and learn basic computer skills like how to manage Zoom meetings, window tabs, how to create a personal Google Account, how to manage bookmarks, how to use Google Drive, and how to use the copy and paste function when using links. Participants will:

  • Manage Zoom as a host
  • Establish and organize bookmarks and shortcuts to frequently used Google and work-related sites
  • Create a Google Account and be able to utilize personal and work profiles
  • Manage Google Apps using multiple methods
  • Identify and Integrate copy and paste functionality into Google Apps using links

*This is a remote only workshop, unless combined with at least one additional 3-hour on-site workshop

Length: 1 hour*
Participants will explore best practices inherent in models such as TPACK, SAMR, and PEERS to super charge your remote lessons. We will also provide a curated list of free technology enhanced resources for elementary, middle, and high school students. Participants will:

  • Make informed decisions regarding inclusion of technology to support effective learning
  • Create learning experiences that consider constraints and possibilities of in-home learning

*This is a remote only workshop, unless combined with at least one additional 3-hour on-site workshop

Length: 1 hour*
Continuous learning in a virtual environment is challenging for any age, but these challenges can seem magnified when working with K-2 students. In this session, we will explore best practices inherent in models such as TPACK, SAMR, and PEERS to super charge your remote lessons for young students. We will also provide a curated list of free technology enhanced resources specifically designed to engage early elementary school students. Participants will:

  • Make informed decisions regarding inclusion of technology to support effective learning
  • Create learning experiences that consider constraints and possibilities of in-home learning
  • Create learning experiences that target the foundational skills of the K-2 classroom

*This is a remote only workshop, unless combined with at least one additional 3-hour on-site workshop.

For: Beginning and Intermediate Users
Multi-Access Learning is an environment where a teacher engages in traditional and digital learning simultaneously. The multi-access learning environment can be either/or both synchronous and asynchronous. The series focuses on the planning, implementation, and refining of a Multi-Access Learning environment. Participants will:

  • Explore learning frameworks
  • Understand the impact of Multi-Access Learning
  • Evaluate planning needs for implementation
  • Align teaching strategies for both online and traditional learning
  • Evaluate assessment strategies to impact learning in traditional and digital classes
  • Build an effective Multi-Access lesson
  • Evaluate planning implementation and refine strategies

Planning and Teaching in a Multi-Access Learning Environment – Part One

Length: 2-3 hours
This session should be offered first. In this session, participants will explore what is Multi-Access Learning, how it impacts the learning environment from the teacher’s and student’s perspective, discuss implications and considerations of teaching dual modalities, and begin planning for multi-access instruction.

Planning and Teaching in a Multi-Access Learning Environment – Part Two

Length: 2-3 hours
This session should follow Part One. In this session, participants explore best teaching strategies in both traditional and digital classes, evaluate assessment tools that can be used successfully online and in the classroom, and finalize the multi-access learning plan.

Length: 90 minutes*
Close reading is a thoughtful, critical analysis of text that leads to a deeper understanding of the text’s form, academic vocabulary, author’s purpose, and overall meaning. Research has shown that close reading helps increase the reading proficiency of all students and is critical for college and career readiness. This workshop will explore how we can leverage digital tools to set students up for success as they close reading in a distance learning environment and build the knowledge that is essential for comprehension of complex texts. Participants will:

  • Review the steps of a close reading
  • Explore tools to do a digital close-reading
  • Begin developing a digital close reading
  • Determine next steps for doing a digital close reading

*This is a remote only workshop, unless combined with at least one additional 3-hour on-site workshop.

Length: 3 hours
A mixed-ability classroom can present unique challenges for instruction and management, which can be even further compounded in a virtual learning environment. In this session, participants will learn instructional strategies to maximize student achievement and ensure the needs of individual students are met in a virtual learning setting. Participants will:

  • Identify ways to develop a virtual learning community that embraces a differentiated approach
  • Apply strategies for differentiating instruction in a virtual learning environment
  • Create virtual learning opportunities that address students’ needs

Google Classroom Workshops

For: Beginning Users | Length: 3 hours
In this session, new Google Classroom users will participate in creating their own Google Classroom, inviting students to the classroom space. Participants will use digital tools to create and post two assignments for their students. Participants will review student work, providing feedback to improve student learning. Participants will:

  • Understanding Google Classroom and how it supports learning
  • Creating and building a Classroom
  • Developing assignments with digital tools
  • Reviewing student work and grades

For: Beginning Users | Length: 3 hours
In this session, participants will explore and use G-Suite applications to build documents, incorporate presentations, and explore data in spreadsheets to support learning. Activities will incorporate advanced search techniques with Google Search, Google Books and Google Scholar for instructional delivery. Participants will learn the tools to support teaching as well as enhance student learning. Participants will:

  • Exploring G-suite applications (Docs, Slides, Sheets)
  • Searching with Books or Scholar

For: Intermediate Users | Length: 3 hours
In this session, participants will explore and use digital tools to enhance instructional practices and explore Flipped Learning opportunities. Activities will incorporate using Google Maps and Google Earth to conduct virtual field trips and explore knowledge of the world. Additionally, participants will integrate videos and digital tools such as video conferencing, YouTube, and Chrome extensions to extend learning opportunities. Participants will:

  • Exploring virtual fields trips with Google Maps & Google Earth
  • Extending learning opportunities with digital tools such as YouTube
  • Integrating video conferencing with digital tools
  • Exploring Chrome Extensions

Designed For: Advanced Users | Length: 3 hours
In this session, participate will engage in tools to provide appropriate feedback and use assessments for learning. Participants will use Google Forms to create custom formative and summative assessments. Using effective practices and digital tools, participants will explore various ways to support student growth through appropriate feedback methods. In addition, participants will use Google Sites to examine options for student portfolios. Participants will:

  • Using Google Forms to develop formative and summative assessments
  • Extending learning experiences by building student portfolios with Google Sites
  • Providing effective feedback using Google comment features

High School Workshop Series

For: High School Math, Science, ELA, Social Studies | Length: 2 hours*
Can educators keep expectations high and craft engaging, rigorous lessons that encourage continuous learning outside of the physical classroom? Can this be done asynchronously to ensure access for students who are unable to meet with teachers in a live session? This series of content-based 2-hour webinars allow for concrete ideas and tangible next steps to guide teachers as they shift to a distance learning model with a focus on asynchronous learning. Throughout the session, teachers will actively manipulate various platforms and engage in examples of standards-based asynchronous learning opportunities. Participants will:

  • Set up distance learning expectations
  • Delineate between asynchronous versus synchronous
  • Use the SAMR model to explore instructional strategies within a distance learning environment
  • Explore feedback options with the distance learning

*This is a remote only workshop, unless combined with at least one additional 3-hour on-site workshop.

For: High School Math, Science, ELA, Social Studies | Length: 2 hours*
Synchronous engagements provide teachers and students the opportunities to connect and allow for continuous interactive and engaging learning from a distance. However, the time allowed for this type of engagement is limited and must be planned with thoughtfulness and intentionality. This series of content-based 2-hour webinars provide examples of synchronous distance learning that follows the progression of a Core Instructional Model. Participants will be exposed to options of virtual tools and strategies that can be utilized as they Activate and Assess Relevant Knowledge, provide Teacher Input, plan for Student Active Participant, and Identify Student Success. Throughout the session, teachers will engage in reflection opportunities and discussion to help equip them with the tools and understanding as they design standards-based, synchronous learning opportunities. Participants will:

  • Describe best practices for synchronous engagements
  • Apply synchronous distance learning in practice – aligning to the Core Instructional Model
  • Connect asynchronous and synchronous learning
  • Utilize exploring assessment/feedback within the distance learning environment
  • Evaluate options of models for synchronous engagements

*This is a remote only workshop, unless combined with at least one additional 3-hour on-site workshop.

For: High School Math, Science, ELA, Social Studies | Length: 2 hours*
Gauging student understanding and providing timely feedback are vital components of the cycle of instruction. However, doing so from a distance while ensuring integrity and reliability can be challenging. In this session, participants will explore opportunities to embed assessments in the middle and high school virtual learning environment. During this interactive virtual session, auto-scored assessments, digitally enhanced traditional and authentic assessments will be covered along with the use of digital portfolios and rubrics. Finally, using effective practices and digital tools, participants will explore various ways to support student growth through appropriate feedback methods. Participants will:

  • Apply best practices of assessment in the virtual learning environment
  • Discuss ways technology-enhanced tools can be used to develop formative and summative assessments for middle and high school students
  • Explore various forms of authentic tasks and how these can provide evidence for learning
  • Provide effective feedback using technology-enhanced tools

*This is a remote only workshop, unless combined with at least one additional 3-hour on-site workshop.