Professional Development

SYNOPSIS
Student reading and writing abilities directly affect their success in school and on standardized tests. Schools can help by increasing exposure and practice of reading and writing strategies throughout the day, not just during Language Arts classes. This in-service is designed to help teachers in ALL academic areas use reading and writing strategies to enhance their own curriculum, and provide additional exposure and practice for students in reading and writing. Participants will learn about reading and writing strategies, how to utilize specific reading strategies with their textbook, integrate writing assignments into their curriculum, and assess student writing through rubrics.

Required Materials:
Survival Kit for New Teachers: Empowering Educators for Classroom Success
OR
Classrooms that Spark!

AGENDA

1. Introductions
2. Writing Basics
   1. Writing in All Subject Areas
   2. Writing Instruction
      1. The Writing Process
      2. Writing Modes - practice
3. Incorporating Writing through Research
   1. Note taking - model/practice
   2. Research for ALL Grade Levels
4. Reading Basics
   1. Having a special place for reading in the classroom
   2. Reading Skills within other subject areas
      1. Knowing objectives
      2. Integrating objectives into other subject areas
5. Incorporating literature into other subject areas

*Note - This is a participatory workshop. Teachers will be actively engaged throughout the entire day in writing, reading, and developing lessons/ideas to be used in the classroom. We encourage teachers to come prepared knowing specific topics/units taught throughout the year. This information will be used to apply strategies from the workshop when planning for upcoming units of study.

SYNOPSIS
Research shows us that students learn best when actively engaged in their own learning. Through modeling and hands-on activities, teachers learn practical strategies to implement in the classroom that encourage active learning. Additionally, teachers will begin to see how their classroom leadership style affects student learning as a whole. The workshop includes strategies for classroom organization, classroom management, and brain-based teaching strategies. When finished, teachers will be energized and ready to teach students HOW to learn as well as work towards developing a classroom full of life-long learners.

Required Materials:
Survival Kit for New Teachers: Empowering Educators for Classroom Success
OR
Classrooms that Spark!

AGENDA

1. Introductions
2. Setting Goals
3. Expectations
   1. For the workshop
   2. For students
   3. Tips for setting expectations
4. Well-disciplined Class vs. Class Discipline
5. Classroom Management
   1. Leadership styles
   2. Tips
   3. Organization
   4. Monitoring and recording behavior
6. Developing a Brain-Based Classroom
   1. Leadership styles
   2. Tips
   3. Organization
   4. Monitoring and recording behavior
7. Teaching Strategies that encourage active student learning
   1. Learning Pyramid
   2. Team/ Group Activities
   3. Discovery Learning
   4. Projects
   5. Integrating
   6. Learning Centers
   7. Field Trips
8. Assessment Strategies
   1. Varying assessments
   2. Using Bloom's taxonomy

SYNOPSIS
The teacher-parent relationship is one that directly affects the student. Without a positive partnership between parents and teachers, the learning process is hindered and students suffer. This in-service is designed to help teachers understand the different characteristics they will encounter when communicating with parents, and provide practical strategies for developing and maintaining a positive partnership with parents. The in-service includes background information on different family variables, ways the classroom environment affects parent-teacher relations, how to conduct the initial parent contact, ways to keep parents informed of student progress, strategies for communicating with parents, and practical tips for increasing parent involvement in the classroom.

Required Materials:
ABC's of Effective Parent Communication: Informing, Involving, and Interacting with Families for Student Success

AGENDA

1. Opening Activity
2. Partnership with Parents - Why?
   1. 3-legged stool
   2. Benefits & Barriers
3. Parent Variables
   1. Available Resources
   2. Parenting Styles
   3. Family Structures
   4. Parental Beliefs about schools
4. Classroom Leadership Styles
   1. 3 different leadership styles
   2. How does your leadership style affect your relationship with students and parents?
   3. Practical strategies to create a balanced leadership style
5. 3 I's of a Positive Parent Partnership - Practical Strategies
   1. Informing - How can we keep parents consistently informed?
   2. Interacting - Interpersonal skills
   3. Involving - How can we involve ALL parents in our classrooms?

SYNOPSIS
This highly interactive in-service is designed to orient participants to the classroom, as well as introduce them to other new teachers in their school and/or district. Through modeling and hands-on activities, beginning teachers learn practical strategies to use in the classroom from the very first day. This workshop includes strategies for classroom organization, classroom management, parent communication, first day of school OR lesson planning/teaching strategies.

Required Materials:
Survival Kit for New Teachers: Empowering Educators for Classroom Success

AGENDA

1. Introductions
2. Setting Goals
3. Expectations
   1. For the workshop
   2. For students
   3. Tips for setting expectations
4. Well-disciplined Class vs. Class Discipline
5. Classroom Management
   1. Leadership styles
   2. Tips
   3. Organization
   4. Monitoring and recording behavior
   5. Bag of tricks
6. Parent Communication
7. Planning for a typical day
8. Teaching Strategies & Assessment
9. Other issues

SYNOPSIS
Although we may sometimes think of our more challenging students as "monsters" in the classroom, in reality they are merely misunderstood children and adolescents. This highly interactive workshop will familiarize participants with the various factors that can lead to negative attitudes and behaviors exhibited in the classroom. Practical strategies will be offered to help teachers work with these students and help them be more positive and successful. Hands-on activities will be utilized throughout the workshop for a highly engaging experience.

Required Materials:
Classrooms that Spark!

AGENDA

1. Introductions/Ice-Breaker
2. Issues to Consider
   1. Developmental Stages
   2. Home Life
   3. Peers
3. What's in the Baggage?
   1. Erikson's Stages of Development
4. Working with Difficult Students
5. What's Happening in the Brain?
   1. Maslow
   2. Triune Brain
   3. Maturity
6. Strategies to Overcome/Meet Issues
7. Strategies to Motivate

SYNOPSIS
A brain-based classroom is one in which both the teacher and the students are actively involved in learning. Recent research shows us that human beings learn best in non-threatening environments that are actively engaging. We know from experience that when students want to be in the classroom learning, teachers face fewer behavior problems and find themselves enjoying a high level of interaction with students. Throughout this hands-on workshop participants will discuss the elements of a brain-based classroom. Participants will also learn specific brain-based teaching strategies that can be easily integrated into their current curriculum.

Required Materials:
Survival Kit for New Teachers: Empowering Educators for Classroom Success

AGENDA

1. Introductions
2. Expectations
3. Understanding how the Brain Learns
   1. Triune Brain
4. Knowing Your Students
   1. Boys
   2. Difficult students
5. Knowing Your Content
   1. Using the internet
   2. Other resources
6. Engaging Students
   1. Learning Pyramid
   2. Bloom's Taxonomy
7. Team/Group Activities
8. Discovery Learning
   1. Centers/Labs
   2. Research
   3. Field Trips
9. Integrated Instruction
   1. Getting started
   2. Planning a Unit

SYNOPSIS
We all get bored doing the same thing every day. Unfortunately, it is so easy to get into a rut and plan the same type of lesson activities over and over again. This workshop is designed to help you spice up your lessons with different activities that will motivate you and your students. Most of the ideas presented are easy to implement and can be used even at the spur of the moment. Seeing yawns and bored faces? Whip out of one these ideas and get students' attention! Participants will be up and around participating in the different activities to get a first-hand experience.

Required Materials:
Survival Kit for New Teachers: Empowering Educators for Classroom Success
OR
Classrooms that Spark!

AGENDA

1. Introductions
2. Expectations
3. Background
   1. Triune Brain
   2. Learning Pyramid
4. Quick and Painless Strategies A-Z
   (Several strategies will be presented - hands-on activities)
5. Learning Labs (hands-on activities)
6. Jazzing up Lessons (brainstorming & planning session)