Creating a positive classroom culture is essential for student engagement and achievement. In this session, educators will explore practical strategies to build a classroom environment grounded in respect, safety, affirmation, and academic excellence. Participants will reflect on current practices, analyze real-world scenarios, and walk away with actionable tools and a personalized culture action plan. Join us to strengthen the foundation that makes rigorous and joyful learning possible.
Dr. Terry L. Buxton, Sr. is a veteran educator, pastor, and speaker with over 25 years of experience in K–12 and higher education. He currently serves as an EnglishLanguage Arts teacher and has led district professional development workshops, drawing from his deep background in... Read More →
Starting next year, every student will begin their day in the general education setting—an exciting shift toward belonging and meaningful engagement for all. In this session, you'll hear directly from general education teachers who’ve successfully created purposeful experiences for students with moderate academic and adaptive needs. Discover practical strategies to foster independence, build strong peer relationships, and make every moment count in your classroom. Following the whole-group discussion, attendees will break into grade-level teams to explore age-appropriate strategies and share practical ideas.
Changing the world doesn’t always mean grand gestures. As educators, small consistent actions—like showing up, building relationships, and modeling integrity—are world-changing. That same principle applies in personal life, reminding fellow educators that the quiet acts of love and responsibility matter deeply. I hope to focus on three areas: 1. Helping in the kitchen-“The classroom sink.” I want participants to gain knowledge and ideas that inspire daily habits that build classroom culture, emotional safety, and trust. (Discuss and share micro-practices that make a huge difference). Share personal practices and anecdotes. 2. “Do your own dishes-how to avoid teacher burnout.” Self-care, boundaries, and reclaiming personal identity outside of teaching. (Discuss and model self-respect and balance that teaches self- resilience. Share personal stories how I have learned this principle with 6 of my own children, working full-time, and completing a Master's Degree). Participants will create their own personal “dishes list”—daily actions that restore peace, pride, and power. 3. “Getting my kids to do the dishes”- Creating a legacy. Share stories of impactful teachers that have changed my life and the lives of my family. Discuss the hidden impacts of showing up everyday. Participants will write a legacy letter and set goals. Leave with a 30-Day Dishes Challenge handout that is a calendar-style sheet with one small, doable action each day (e.g., write a sticky note of appreciation, go tech-free for 30 minutes, smile at your toughest student, take a deep breath before replying). Conversation prompts on tables: “What’s one small act that changed your life?” “The student I teach for…” “In 20 years, I want to be remembered for…” “This is why I keep showing up…”
Format-a blend of reflective and practical strategies and discussions.
Students enter our classrooms with a wide range of learning styles, needs, and skills. In this course, participants will learn how Universal Design for Learning (UDL) concepts aim to support the diverse needs of all students by minimizing barriers in the curriculum and maximizing student outcomes. Attendees will explore the UDL tools available in the Read&Write extension that support reading, writing, note-taking, studying, and learning. Participants will learn how to use the OrbitNote extension to convert PDFs into accessible digital documents that students can annotate while using the literacy and learning supports. In addition, attendees will learn how to determine what, if any, reading accommodations work best for their students using the uPAR. Participants will leave with practical strategies for making learning accessible and engaging for ALL students.
Assistive Technology Specialist/SLP, Edmond Public Schools
Emily Boyett, M.A., CCC-SLP, ATP is an assistive technology specialist and speech-language pathologist for Edmond Public Schools in central Oklahoma. She has worked 25 years in public education providing AT and speech language services for students with a broad range of disabilities... Read More →
This session provides a comprehensive overview of Google Classroom for educators at all experience levels. Participants will learn how to create and manage classes, post assignments, communicate with students, and use grading tools. Those already familiar with the platform will also discover advanced tips and time-saving features to enhance their current practice. Bring a charged device.
Is your data analysis process a tyrannosaurus wreck? Too often, we are data rich, but information poor. Join us to learn how to sift through your school English Language Proficiency data to unearth a treasure trove of information which can be used to guide programming and instruction. This data dig will walk administrators through their own data to uncover how data can be mined in a meaningful way. Participants will reflect on data and backward plan ways to address strengths and weaknesses.
Join me to learn about or get new ideas for your Brain Smart Start! It's expected in all EPS classrooms, so what is it and how do I make them engaging? No slidedeck needed! Conscious Discipline's Brain Smart Start is where classroom connections begin and classroom management is maintained. Let's talk about the who, what, when, where, and why of it!
Feeling overwhelmed by stacks of district documents and the constant search for what to teach next? This hands-on workshop is your solution! Explicitly designed for self-contained elementary teachers, "Pacing Power-Up" will transform your planning process by allowing you to consolidate all district-provided pacing information into one dynamic, easy-to-use Google Sheet.
Why You Should Attend 1.) Reclaim Your Time: Stop sifting through multiple resources. Create a single, centralized digital pacing guide that you can access anywhere. 2.) Boost Your Organization: Gain clarity and confidence in your instructional flow for the entire school year, ensuring all standards and curriculum components are covered efficiently. 3.) Empower Your Planning: Learn practical strategies for organizing standards, units, resources, and assessment timelines in a digital format, tailored to the unique needs of a self-contained classroom.
What You Will Learn & Do In this interactive session, you will learn the step-by-step process for: 1.) Deconstructing District Pacing: Identifying key info from existing district pacing guides. 2.) Building Your Digital Hub: Setting up a personalized Google Sheet template to house all your pacing details, including standards, topics, suggested activities, and assessment windows. 3.) Customizing for Your Classroom: Tailor your digital pacing guide to reflect your students' needs and classroom rhythm.
What You Will Take Away You will leave with: 1. A foundational, personalized Google Sheet digital pacing guide template that you can immediately implement. 2. The skills and confidence to maintain and adapt your digital pacing guide throughout the year. It can also be updated easily for future years.
Bonus: If time allows, we will introduce strategies for integrating digital lesson planning directly into your new pacing guide, further streamlining your workflow.
This session will be structured with direct instruction, guided practice, and collaborative work, ensuring you leave with tangible progress on your digital pacing journey. No advanced Google Sheets knowledge is required. Please bring your Chromebook. I will provide printed copies of district pacing guides during the session.
I have had the honor of teaching in Edmond Public Schools for 6 years now. I am LETRS trained, as well as a teacher consultant through the Oklahoma Writing Project, an affiliate of the National Writing Project. I have taught Kindergarten, 1st grade and am currently going into my 4th... Read More →
Bring the forest to your K–5 classroom with Explore Your Environment, Project Learning Tree’s K–8 activity guide! This hands-on workshop focuses on engaging, age-appropriate lessons that build science, ELA, and math skills while encouraging students to explore the natural world. Aligned with academic standards, these flexible activities can be used indoors or outdoors—and they’re easy to plug into what you're already teaching. Participants will receive the full EYE guide and leave with practical tools and fresh ideas to spark curiosity, support inquiry, and bring learning to life outside the textbook.
Are you ready to upgrade your lesson planning game? In this interactive session, you’ll explore cutting-edge AI tools that can streamline your workload, boost creativity, and increase student engagement. From generating differentiated materials in seconds to building interactive activities and feedback tools, you’ll see how AI can enhance—not replace—your teaching.
This interactive session empowers educators to cultivate a positive classroom culture through intentional practices. Participants will explore strategies to enhance student connection, establish consistent routines, and align classroom practices with school-wide expectations. You will receive a structured guide for developing a personalized plans and a resource list for further learning.
Curious about AI but not sure where to start? This session is designed especially for elementary educators who want to understand what artificial intelligence is—and what it isn’t. We’ll explore beginner-friendly tools that can support your teaching and spark student creativity. Walk away with practical ideas and a better understanding of how AI can fit into your classroom in safe, age-appropriate ways. Bring a charged device.
Imagine a classroom where conflicts become opportunities, emotions are tools for connection, and discipline is rooted in compassion rather than control. Conscious Discipline isn’t just a behavior management strategy—it’s a transformational approach to teaching and leading with intention. In this workshop, you’ll discover how to create a safe, connected environment where both adults and children thrive.
Are you tired of manually calculating student proficiency and struggling to visualize your grade level essential skills data? This hands-on workshop is designed for elementary-grade teams ready to revolutionize their data tracking and collaborative planning! You'll learn to build and utilize a dynamic Google Sheet dashboard that automatically calculates student proficiency based on your essential skills rubric scores (1-3).
Why Your Team Should Attend: 1. Effortless Proficiency Tracking: Say goodbye to manual calculations! Our template automatically updates proficiency percentages, providing you with an instant, clear view of your grade level progress on essential skills. 2. Streamlined Standards-Based Grading: Acquire a powerful tool to enhance your standards-based grading efforts. This dashboard delivers concrete data to inform instruction and reporting and functions as an invaluable reference document, simplifying the grade logging process into systems like Infinite Campus. 3. Empowered Collaborative Planning: Centralize your data to promote more effective team meetings. Teams can easily analyze trends, pinpoint areas of need, and strategically plan Common Formative Assessments (CFAs) for the entire year, ensuring focused instruction and interventions.
In this interactive session, your grade level team will: 1. Understand Data Points: Identify essential skills and the relevant data points needed for effective tracking using a 1-3 rubric score. 2. Build Your Team Dashboard: Work collaboratively to customize a Google Sheet template to input student scores and automatically calculate proficiency across your essential skills. 3. Strategic CFA Planning: Utilize the dashboard to collaboratively decide upon and map out future Common Formative Assessments, aligning them with areas of greatest need and curriculum progression.
You will leave with: 1. A ready-to-use, collaborative Google Sheet proficiency dashboard tailored to your grade-level team's essential skills data. 2. A clear understanding of interpreting proficiency data to drive instructional decisions. 3. A roadmap for planning future Common Formative Assessments based on real-time student needs.
This session will blend guided instruction with dedicated teamwork time. Please bring your Chromebook and come prepared to collaborate with your grade-level colleagues if possible. Familiarity with your grade-level essential skills and assessment rubrics is recommended.
I have had the honor of teaching in Edmond Public Schools for 6 years now. I am LETRS trained, as well as a teacher consultant through the Oklahoma Writing Project, an affiliate of the National Writing Project. I have taught Kindergarten, 1st grade and am currently going into my 4th... Read More →
Bring the forest to your middle school classroom with Explore Your Environment, Project Learning Tree’s K–8 activity guide! This hands-on workshop focuses on engaging, age-appropriate lessons that build science, ELA, and math skills while encouraging students to explore the natural world. Aligned with academic standards, these flexible activities can be used indoors or outdoors—and they’re easy to plug into what you're already teaching. Participants will receive the full EYE guide and leave with practical tools and fresh ideas to spark curiosity, support inquiry, and bring learning to life outside the textbook.
This session will show you all the features of our reading curriculum. We will model how to implement this in the classroom. You will have time to explore with the trainers and ask any questions you might have while actively using the dashboard and curriculum materials. This will give you a better understanding and plan for our reading, language and writing curriculum. Bring a charged device.
Are you new to our district? Come learn all that you can about our ELA Curriculum. Not only will you learn where to find things, you will see a lesson modeled for you! Bring a charged device.
Want to increase student engagement and student creativity? This hands-on session will show you how WeVideo can transform traditional assignments into dynamic, student-created videos. Perfect for grades 6–12, you’ll explore ready-to-use templates, collaborative project ideas, and classroom-tested tips to help students take ownership of their learning.
Hey there! Are you looking for practical ways to better support your English Learners and ensure their academic success? Then join us for an insightful and hands-on professional development session focused on empowering you with the knowledge and tools you need! We will dive into EL Scorecard, demystify English language proficiency scores, gain clarity on ELD services, and so much more! Come ready to explore and leave with a renewed sense of confidence in supporting your ELs!
Are you starting your first (or second… or third) year of teaching and looking for ways to get your classroom running smoothly while staying calm and confident? Join the Secondary Early Career Coaches for a session on seven classroom management basics as well as key questions every classroom needs answered before day one. With these tools, you’ll create an environment where everyone feels supported, engaged, and ready to succeed. Come connect, reflect, and leave with a few solid strategies to start the year strong.
Jordan is an Early Career Coach at EPS and a former Psychology teacher and History teacher of 16 years. He currently works mostly with first-year secondary teachers in the district helping them develop classroom management and instructional skills.
Feeling overwhelmed by lesson planning, differentiation, planning school events or initiatives, or parent emails? You're not alone - and you don't have to do it all from scratch. In this hands-on session, you'll learn how to use ChatGPT and AI tools to save time, spark ideas, and simplify your workflow - all without giving up your teacher voice.
What to Expect: This session is built for educators - PreK through 12th grade - who want practical, beginner-friendly ways to try AI. You'll be introduced to 10 types of AI prompts that can support everything from lesson planning to behavior strategies.
Each prompt type with come with: -Real examples from a mix of elementary, secondary, special education, and electives/specials course content. -Live practice time to try it out for yourself -Tips and templates you can take home and use right away.
What you'll do: -Watch short demos of high-impact teacher prompts -Practice creating your own customized prompts in ChatGPT -Explore ways to differentiate, plan, communicate, and learn faster -Reflect on when and how to use AI responsibly in your classroom
Takeaways: -A printable prompt guide with 10 ready-to-use prompt types -A clear understanding of how to collaborate with AI, not just use it -More time for the parts of teaching you love -Confidence to keep experimenting on your own
I graduated in 2011 from Missouri Southern State University with a degree in Elementary Education where I got the opportunity to complete an internship and research program in eastern Europe (Kosovo and Bosnia & Herzegovina). I began my teaching career at Sequoyah Middle School where... Read More →
Wednesday July 16, 2025 8:30am - 10:30am PDT Edmond Public Schools1001 W Danforth Rd, Edmond, OK 73003, USA
This session will provide games and activities that support SOR. We will learn games that you can take back to your class and use with minimal prep if any. Come join us for some fun!
Using manipulatives facilitates understanding. Learn how common supplies such as note cards, playing cards, and popsicle sticks (among other things) helps students make connections in Algebra and Geometry.
Teachers will explore the language acquisition portion of the reading rope to help improve comprehension instruction. We will look at how language comprehension, vocabulary, and language structure instruction can improve students' comprehension as well as learn and practice specific activities to improve each strand.
Building relationships with students is essential for student success in the classroom. In this short hour, we will dive back into the early theories that you may have forgotten and why relationship-building strategies are key to building confidence, motivation, and a sense of security in each student in our classroom. Educators will have time to reflect on their current strategies in place and collaborate on strategies help students feel seen, supported, and valued. We will discuss why interventions and instruction in these values can create a positive and productive learning environment. Every student deserves to have someone in their corner and that someone can be you.
The Tulsa Leadership Effectiveness (TLE) framework isn’t just an evaluation tool — it’s a roadmap for professional growth, student-centered instruction, and instructional clarity. In "Empowering Excellence: The TLE Toolkit Unpacked", teachers will explore how to use the TLE rubric to reflect on practice, set meaningful goals, and engage in authentic conversations about instruction. This hands-on session will break down key indicators, share classroom-aligned tools, and help educators walk away with practical strategies they can use immediately to feel more confident and in control of their professional journey.
Unlock the Power of 3D Design with Tinkercad! Join us for a hands-on workshop where you'll dive into the world of 3D modeling using Tinkercad—a fun, easy-to-use platform perfect for beginners and educators alike! You'll learn how to create, manage, and share your very own Tinkercad class, master the basics of 3D design, and even transform images into 3D models. By the end, you’ll be exporting your creations like a pro and ready to bring 3D printing into your classroom or personal projects. Don't forget to bring a fully charged device—your imagination is the only limit!
This is a great session that will help you learn more about birth order, how it affects world view, perspectives and even behavior. Learn to "hook" kids based on their Birth Order and learn about yourself too! This informative class will help you design your seating chart, your lesson planning and your interactions with students.
3rd & up teachers... Do you find yourself dreaming of a classroom full of students self-motivated to learn the latest cool lesson you are planning? While you're teaching, do you dream of all eyes looking at you while all ears are eagerly soaking up every word you're saying? Then this is the right presentation for YOU!
You will explore how to create lessons for students to perform via a me-video and how to set up an actual Recording Studio right in your classroom! Students use their own chromebooks to record themselves and their 'me-video' is immediately available to you on your device! You will be amazed at how self-motivated your students will be to learn as they prepare themselves to present their newly acquired knowledge in youtube-like style!
Sample Lessons: Reading: They can read aloud, ask questions, and provide connections. Reading: They can give a review, or tell the summary of a book or story. Math: They can teach the breakdown of how to work the problem. Math: They can use manipulatives to make a tutorial. Science: They can use manipulatives to prove a reaction, discussing it as they go... Social Studies: They can chose a debate topic side and give reasons, or state why the other side feels the way they do. Writing: They can read their own work of art, or disect a peer review reading.
These are just a few ideas & we will brainstorm more together!
Do you have an EL student in your class? What about a newcomer? You might benefit from participating in CLASSROOM SUPPORTS FOR ENGLISH LEARNERS. This interactive presentation will offer you many resources and clarify policy and procedures for how to support English Learners. Much like IEPs, every English Learner has an ELAP - English Language Academic Plan. In this hands-on session, we will review some of the most commonly recommended modifications, check out some of our students' ELAPs, and ensure you leave understanding how to provide your ELs with the recommended supports.
In this session, I'll share how I've transformed my students' writing abilities over the past three years through short, daily writing sessions, or "Sacred Writing Time." We'll model how this writing time functions in my classroom and explore how writing can connect to other subjects. At the end of this session, you'll walk away with a wealth of prompts to get you started in your own classroom!
Have you ever wondered what activities are best to use with your small groups? Teachers will learn which SOR based activities provide the most impact for small group instruction. Teachers will take away a small group plan with ideas and resources that can be implemented almost immediately next school year.
This session will show you all the features of our reading curriculum. We will model how to implement this in the classroom. You will have time to explore with the trainers and ask any questions you might have while actively using the dashboard and curriculum materials. This will give you a better understanding and plan for our reading, language and writing curriculum. Bring a charged device.
Are you new to our district? Come learn all that you can about our ELA Curriculum. Not only will you learn where to find things, you will see a lesson modeled for you! Bring a charged device.
Stop Motion is a series of pictures played back as a movie. Seemingly making inanimate objects come to life! An assignment using Stop Motion Studio which you can download on an ipad, grabs your students' attention & motivates self-learning! Imagine all eyes looking at you, all ears eagerly listening to every word...as you present your lesson! SMS is something the student does on their own, can be set up as a station, & requires only a rubric & any needed manipulatives. The student end-product can be used as a final presentation or as quick check points along the way.
Students actually want to learn so they can make a successful Stop Motion presentation.
Students use manipulatives to: Reading: Make, or use pre-made characters and manipulate them to summarize a story. Vocabulary: Words can be made to reinforce spelling & animated to show meaning. Math: Problems just seem to solve themselves! You will see their problem solving strategy step by step! Science: Showcase erosion over time sped up. Connection: Use characters to set up scenarios to learn how to speak with each other.
These are just a few examples & we will brainstorm & explore more of your specific needs while we're together!
Many of our student population is dealing with childhood bereavement. 1 in 10 oklahoma students will lose a parent or sibling before the age of 18. Come learn how you can better support your students in their grief!
Today’s students are juggling distractions and limited attention spans—and so are we. This session dives into the power of “chunking” instruction to match how the brain learns best. By breaking content into manageable segments and using intentional transitions, teachers can boost student focus, improve behavior, and create smoother lesson flow. We’ll explore brain-based research, practical examples, and classroom-tested techniques that help students stay attentive, engaged, and on track. Walk away with tools to plan lessons that feel lighter, flow better, and work harder—bit by bit.
Working with English Learners in the early childhood classroom can feel overwhelming, but this session will focus on practical strategies to support language development in early elementary school. You will explore techniques for creating an inclusive, language-rich environment that fosters communication and learning. Through hands on activities, sharing instructional strategies and materials, and collaborative discussions, you will gain tools to effectively support all student's academic and social emotional growth in the classroom. Bring a charged device.
Hi! As a long time elementary educator, literacy is my passion. This will be my 22nd year teacher, while I’ve spent the last couple years as a Title 1 Reading Specialist K-5, the bulk of my career has been in 1st grade and kindergarten.
Discover the power of purposeful teaching with Backward Planning! This session guides educators in breaking down standards to identify key skills, choose assessments that measure mastery, and plan aligned, impactful lessons. Gain practical tools and a deeper understanding of how to create intentional instruction that drives student success—ready to apply in your classroom immediately!
Classroom management got you down? Frustrated by students challenging your classroom systems? Hair going gray running into the same issues week after week? Come and learn what teachers have in common with engineers and architects and how we can use lessons from the world of design to shift our perspective in the classroom, and decode what our students are trying to tell us! You'll leave with a new perspective on teaching and a tool to bring back to your classroom to help you refine your systems! (I don't have anything for your gray hair though, sorry.)
Jordan is an Early Career Coach at EPS and a former Psychology teacher and History teacher of 16 years. He currently works mostly with first-year secondary teachers in the district helping them develop classroom management and instructional skills.
Are your focus tubs gathering dust or lacking direction? This hands-on professional development session will explore practical, effective strategies for organizing and using focus tubs to support student engagement, independence, and targeted skill development. Participants will learn how to align materials with learning goals, create intentional rotations, and differentiate tasks to meet a variety of student needs. Walk away with ready-to-use ideas, management tips, and inspiration to make your focus tubs a purposeful and powerful part of your focus routine.
Come join the fun and get inspired with fresh, easy-to-use engagement strategies for bringing LETRS knowledge and the UFLI curriculum to life in your classroom! Whether you're teaching PK–2nd grade, supporting special education, or providing instructional coaching, this session is packed with creative ways to make literacy instruction more exciting and effective. You'll learn how to connect reading and vocabulary to science and social studies in ways that spark curiosity and deepen understanding—all while keeping your students actively involved and loving every minute of it! Bring a charged device.
I am a dedicated educator with 12 years of experience in both general education kindergarten and special education PK-5. As a Certified Academic Language Therapist and LETRS-trained professional, I specialize in supporting early literacy and language development. My passion lies in... Read More →
Ever wonder what accommodations are for? What do they look like? How to keep them all straight? Then this is the place for you to walk through all of those questions and come out equipped to understand, implement, and manage all of the accommodations you come across.
Video is a powerful tool for storytelling, instruction, and student engagement. In this session, you’ll get hands-on experience with two easy-to-use platforms: WeVideo and Google Vids. Learn to trim, edit, and produce your own content—and gain confidence to bring video into your classroom practice, no matter your comfort level with tech. Brign a charged device.
Attendees will learn and discuss the developmental stages of writing, the distinction between writing and handwriting instruction, modeling, and shared writing. Attendees will leave with new ideas about how to implement authentic writing into their classroom and develop independent writers.
Tired of classroom behavior struggles? Are you feeling like you're not reaching every student? This session is for you! We'll spill the tea on research-based strategies, uncover ways to respond professional, and gain a deeper understanding of why some students act out. You'll leave inspired, more confident, and equipped with a bag full of tricks.
I have had the honor of teaching in Edmond Public Schools for 6 years now. I am LETRS trained, as well as a teacher consultant through the Oklahoma Writing Project, an affiliate of the National Writing Project. I have taught Kindergarten, 1st grade and am currently going into my 4th... Read More →
Has K-Start felt more like a burden than a blessing for your team? What if there was a way to make K-Start simple, effective, and FUN? In this session you will learn how our kindergarten team structures K-Start. You will walk away with free lesson plans, slide decks, assessments, spreadsheets, and more! We hope to serve you and help problem solve whatever is keeping you from kicking off K-Start!
GOALS: 1) understand the powerful WHY behind K-Start 2) learn how to effectively structure K-Start for worthwhile results 3) walk away with tangible resources to utilize 4) collaborate to problem solve common K-Start issues
Why should you attend? In this session, teachers will gain hands-on experience with Desmos tools, including the Graphing Calculator, Scientific Calculator, and Geometry Tool, and learn how to incorporate them into their teaching practices. The session will begin by exploring the functionality of the Desmos Graphing Calculator, which is widely used on standardized tests like the PSAT, SAT, ACT, and AP exams. Teachers will learn how to use the Desmos tools not just for solving problems, but as a tool to help students visualize complex mathematical concepts. Additionally, Desmos has a set of activities in what is called Desmos Classroom. These are interactive student centered activities and lessons with the goal of fostering student thinking, collaboration and content knowledge. We will spend some time in this session going over how Desmos Classroom works and how it can be implemented into the classroom.
What is the format? The format of this session will be an informal roundtable discussion. The leader will facilitate with some guiding questions, and from there, teachers will have time to explore, work with the tools, plan lessons, and consider how to implement Desmos in their classrooms.
What will you learn? Participants will learn how Desmos tools are used on standardized tests Participants will learn how Desmos can be used for visualizing functions, table of values, transformations and regression. Participants will collaborate on how Desmos has already (or could be) implemented in their classroom. Participants will learn how to use Desmos tools to foster student engagement and active learning by creating interactive activities that promote exploration and problem-solving Participants will learn how to use Desmos Classroom Activities to foster student engagement and learning
Teaching Scientific Inquiry with Gizmos prepares teachers to use the inquiry process and Gizmos to support the development of deeper student understanding of important science concepts. The instructor models best practices for teaching with Gizmos in science, demonstrating a progression of inquiry that develops students’ scientific inquiry skills. Teachers become more skillful in using inquiry methods of instruction, which encourage students to ask questions, make observations, and construct reasonable explanations. Bring a charged device.
This refresher session is designed for certified elementary special educators who previously attended the week long UFLI (University of Florida Literacy Institute) training. The training will revisit core components of the UFLI Foundations program, reinforce effective instructional strategies, and provide updated guidance on implementation in the classroom. Educators will engage in hands-on activities, review key routines, and collaborate with peers to strengthen their confidence and consistency in delivering UFLI-based instruction.
Please bring the following: A fully charged device Your UFLI manual
This session aims to support continued growth in literacy instruction and ensure fidelity to the UFLI framework across classrooms.
The presentation/conversation will revolve around; Creating Safe Spaces for Student Expression, Leveraging Students' Cultural Capital, Incorporating Diverse Voices and Perspectives, Culturally Responsive Teaching Strategies, and Building Relationships with Students
Discover how Canva can be your go-to tool for designing engaging classroom visuals, newsletters, and more. This session will focus on key features of Canva's free educator platform, and you'll get time to create a personalized classroom poster you can print or share digitally. Come ready to design, explore templates, and leave with something ready to hang! Bring a charged device.
Get ready for a deep dive into the Feeling Buddies Self-Regulation Curriculum! In this session, you’ll gain a clear understanding of how to teach children to identify, manage, and respond to big emotions through Conscious Discipline’s powerful framework. We’ll explore each Feeling Buddy, uncover the important “whisper messages” behind every emotion, and practice strategies to notice and respond to emotional cues in children. You’ll also learn how to create and implement a Safe Place that truly supports emotional regulation in meaningful, lasting ways. Whether you’re new to Feeling Buddies or ready to deepen your skills, this hands-on training will equip you with practical tools to build a calmer, more connected classroom.
When teachers respond to challenging behavior with trauma-informed practices, we shift from control and punishment to connection and support. We will start by diving into trauma-informed foundations - impact of trauma on brain development and behavior, building emotional safety, trust, and relationships with students, what trauma-informed classrooms look like. Overview of the brain and behavior - how trauma keeps students in a reactive state and the behavior is communication, not necessarily a choice in the moment a trigger happens. Understanding power struggles and triggers - common triggers for students, how teachers may unintentionally escalate the problem behavior, shifting the perspective from compliance to cooperation, teaching students the skills to de-escalate, and trauma-informed alternatives to engaging in a power struggle. Practical strategies for being proactive as well as during and after escalation, followed by a period of building a toolbox together.
This will be a lecture and interactive type workshop including visual aids, scenarios/role playing, discussion, action plan template, strategy tool-kit creating, and handouts for teachers to take with them. There will be a middle school focus, however, the information and strategies shared could be applied across all grade levels.
Elementary teachers offering direct instruction in academic areas (pull out IEP services) to students requiring a mild level of support - an opportunity to brainstorm and develop IEP goals and objectives for reading, math, and written expression.
Ever feel like you can't fit it all in? Come learn how to successfully integrate science and social studies into language arts. We will focus on using our science and social studies curriculum as a focus to instruct reading, writing, grammar, and phonics. We will go through the PLC process and how it informed us on creating strong, engaging tier 1 instruction for all. Collaboration is key!
Attendees will learn rehearsal room approaches to analyzing and interpreting drama, specifically Shakespeare. These techniques can be applied to other works of literature as well.
We will start with theater games to warm up and build energy, then walk to closely read a text, followed by using groups to read and stage a scene.
Attendees will take away three activities they can use in English for teaching Shakespeare, poetry, or any play or monologue (plus warmups that are great for extra time at the end of a class period or for a brain break).
