2020 Summer Season
Link to the session descriptions can be found at the top of each section.
General Sessions
Opening Keynote Session with CTA President, E. Toby Boyd
Welcome and introduction from CTA President Toby Boyd.
Science & The Law: Public Health, Workplace Safety, and COVID-19
In this session, health and legal experts discuss strategies to mitigate COVID-19 in our schools. They will talk about how
COVID-19 prevention in our schools matters for our communities, partnering with your local health department, and key
features of a good school-based COVID-19 prevention plan. You will learn what you need to know to help keep our schools
safe for educators and our students.
Closing Keynote Session with California Senator, Toni Atkins
Our Closing Keynote will be Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins. Toni G. Atkins was born and raised in southwestern Virginia, the daughter of a miner and a seamstress, and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in political science from Emory & Henry College in Emory, Virginia. In 1985, she moved across the country to San Diego, Calif., to help care for her sister’s young son while her sister served in the U.S. Navy. In San Diego, before becoming involved in public service, she worked as director of clinic services at Womancare Health Center.
Bargaining
Enhancing Basic Bargaining Skills in a COVID-19 Era
Participants will learn basic skills and knowledge important to all bargaining team members, particularly our right to bargain and what we can bargain. Using true-to-life examples, the trainers will highlight the skills needed for bargaining remotely, writing contract language, and using verbal techniques to help you be successful bargaining during this COVID era.
Presenters: Andrew Oman, Tom Pinkava, Rosemary Louissaint, Jim Rogers, Alva Rivera
Bargaining During the COVID-19 Pandemic
This session will examine current bargaining issues during the COVID-19 pandemic. Topics may include return to school, bargaining during difficult economic times, distance learning, and/or the use of recent bargaining advisories.
Presenters: Vern Gates, Kris Dickson
Communications
Digital Tools: Canva, Animoto, Action Network
So many digital tools, so little time! This session will provide an introduction to digital tools to help you look awesome while you’re organizing online using social media. Digital tools reviewed include Canva, Animoto and Action Network — tools to help you create graphics, awesome photos and videos, and the tools to share them online and via email, respectively. Templates for COVID-19 and school-related issues will be shared.
Presenters: Terry Ng, Gabriella Landeros, Ed Sibby
Social Media Strategies to Support Local Advocacy Campaigns
The first half of this session will help enhance your skills on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The second half of this session outlines strategies in using social media to support what your union is doing at the bargaining table, campaigns and elections and to deal with crises that arise because of the COVID pandemic and its impact on students and educators.
Presenters: Sam DeMuro, Julian Peeples, Ed Sibby
Involving Parents and the Community in Advocacy Efforts
Educators must continue to be part of conversations and decisions that directly impact their students, along with how and when and how schools and colleges will reopen. Make sure members’ voices are heard when it comes to teaching and learning resources, concerns about student safety during the COVID-19 pandemic, and what needs to be in place for a safe working and learning environment (online and on-site). This session will focus on internal and external communication examples and tools and explores networking, branding and communicating with public education stakeholders as well as building your union’s professional reputation to be prepared for whatever the year presents.
Presenters: Frank Wells, Gabriella Landeros, Julian Peeples
Community Engagement
Community Engagement & Coalition Building – Day 1-2
Through the lens of Social Justice Unionism, the Community Engagement & Coalition Building session will explore making connections and deepening relationships with parent and community groups. This session will address equity issues within education and our communities; as well as examine how we can systemically dismantle inequities. Building on the backdrop of the current pandemic, and the racial and class injustices plaguing many of our students, schools, and communities, we will explore how bargaining for the common good can be used as a tool for social justice. This session will provide participants with the tools needed to analyze power in their own communities, with the goal of leveraging such power. Lastly, this session will look closely at how unions continue to be strong advocates for public education.
Presenters: Salina Joiner, Aisha Blanchard- Young, Brian Eldridge
Economic Justice
This session will discuss the role politics plays in economic justice, including funding public education, privatization, and how unions help promote a just, democratic, and equitable society.
Presenters: Angela Su, Mitch Olson
Emerging Leaders
Building Relationships in the Midst of a Pandemic – Part 1-2
Building relationships as a new leader is difficult, but more critical than ever in the era of social distancing. This session will provide a general overview of tools needed by members who are new to union work.
Presenters: Josh Kob, Nicole Love, Sonya Lowe, Tomas Martinez, Halimah Mekki, Kim Mina, Lian Shoemake, Brian Stafford, Rose Luna
Instruction and Professional Development
IPD Keynote: Creating a Healing-Centered School in a Post-COVID World
This talk will explore the disproportionate impact of this crisis on communities that are already adversely impacted by health disparities, food deserts and economic disinvestments. The role of arts, culture and education can be used as powerful avenues through which to address and explore healing, racial and social justice. Dr. Ginwright will discuss tools, techniques and insights to address racial and social inequality and create a climate of healing.
Presenter: Dr. Shawn Ginwright
Strategies and Tools for Resilience
Dr. Gray is a classroom teacher and Certified Resilience Toolkit facilitator. In this session participants will learn how to develop self-awareness of the body and nervous system. They will also have the opportunity to discuss and practice multiple strategies to develop personal resilience.
Presenters: Dr. Salina Gray
To Your Health!
According to a recent American Psychological Association survey, over two-thirds of Americans report increased levels of stress due to the Covid-19 situation, and almost half- 48%- report severe anxiety about their future. This fall, we will open schools facing new challenges and many unknowns. We can only expect that our stress levels will continue to rise as that arrives. Dan will share 31 simple, proven strategies for responding to anxiety in healthy and positive ways. These techniques and habits can prevent us from spiraling downward into poor mental, physical and emotional health when we start to feel “stressed out.”
Presenters: Dan Wold
School Finance
In this session, you will learn about the documents needed to analyze district finances, when each document becomes available, and how to find the necessary information within each document. Participants will learn to calculate a district’s total outgo, its recommended reserve level, the percentage of the budget spent on bargaining unit salaries, and the cost of a 1% salary increase.
Presenters: Dave Brown, Brian Breslin, Daryl Hemenway, Mark DeWeerdt, Lisa Eck, Allyson Schweifler, Jeremiah Hewitt
School Finance During Challenging Times
This session will apply the knowledge gained in School Finance: The Basics to current, real-world situations. Participants will calculate the cost of a chapter’s bargaining proposal regarding class size, learn the factors to consider in determining a rational settlement, and use this knowledge to prepare for negotiations during an economic recession.
Presenters: Dave Brown, Brian Breslin, Daryl Hemenway, Mark DeWeerdt, Lisa Eck, Allyson Schweifler, Jeremiah Hewitt
Member Benefits
Get on the Right Track with CTA/NEA Member Benefits
Hop on the express train to the wide array of benefits available through your union membership! In our informative Member Benefits track, you’ll get an overview of the most popular member benefits to share with your members including:
– Educators Employment Liability (EEL) & Group Legal Services Program (GLS)
– CTA Access to Savings – Discounts and Travel program
– CTA Death & Dismemberment Plan and NEA Complimentary Life Insurance
– Group Voluntary Life and Disability Insurance provided by The Standard
– Auto/Home/Renter’s Insurance provided by California Casualty
– CTA Retirement Savings Plan 403(b)
– Pet Insurance, Retail & Travel Discounts, Long-Term Care, Financial Services and More!
Presenters: Henry Ahn, Mindy Bartlett & Sean Mabey
All Aboard! CTA/NEA Member Benefits for Leaders
In this workshop, you will learn about many member engagement tools including:
– Building member appreciation, involvement, and loyalty
– Sharing information about exciting Member Benefits programs and discounts
– Using the value of membership and Member Benefits to engage members
– Improving your members’ financial well-being with benefits designed for them and a quality, low-fee retirement savings plan
– Combating threats from non-endorsed vendors, anti-union sentiments and campaigns
Presenters: Mindy Bartlett & Sean Mabey
Journey to Financial Independence
In this session, we’ll help you get started toward a financially secure retirement, review how to avoid the suboptimal plans, and discuss the basics of saving for retirement using easy-to-understand terms. We’ll highlight the CTA Retirement Savings Plan which was designed for educators and the only plan endorsed by CTA. This plan has high-quality investments at a low cost and a simple “quick enrollment” process that makes saving for retirement easy.
Presenters: Gary Allen, Henry Ahn
Member Organizing
Building Site-Based Power – Part 1-4
In this virtual course, we will focus on the skills, abilities, and proven best practices to recruit, engage, and organize members in our chapters and at every worksite. We’ll discuss the connection between building site structures, site leadership, and having organizing conversations that move our co-workers into action, including bargaining campaigns, site-based issues, and electoral efforts like Schools & Communities First. We’ll also demonstrate practical tools for integrating our organizing to win on issues people care about and to strengthen our local unions.
Presenters: Arleigh Kidd, Caroline Gonzales, David Partida, Memo Durgin
General Sessions
Opening Keynote Session with CTA President, E. Toby Boyd
Welcome and introduction from CTA President Toby Boyd. President Boyd shares insights about the important role that local presidents have and how they can be successful.
Closing Keynote Session with CTA President, E. Toby. Boyd
New Presidents
New Presidents Training – Module 1-4
These 4 modules are designed for new presidents to assist them in learning their new role as local leaders.
Presenters: Karmen Ortloff & Kenya Spearman
C4OB
Member Organizing – Planning Your Year
In this virtual webinar, chapter presidents and other chapter leaders will gain an introduction to the fundamental tools and approaches necessary to build a strong chapter. Given our current context with proposals to drastically cut an already underfunded public education system, require educators and students to return to school without adequate health and safety plans, now is the time to intensify our organizing against these cuts and ill‐founded proposals that put students and educators at risk. To win these campaigns, the foundation of building chapter power begins at our school and work sites. Participants will learn some best practices for welcoming new educators into our union, building site structures, the importance of site leadership, union membership, and overcoming objections to union membership.
Presenters: Caroline Gonzales, Memo Durgin, Arleigh Kidd & David Partida
Communications
eOrganizing Digital Toolbox New CTA Website + Action Network + Social Media
In an era of mass online activism, how can we use digital tools and tactics to harness the power of energized members and allies? Join this training for an overview of the tools we have at our fingertips starting with the NEW CTA website and the powerful tools within Action Network. We’ll also discuss best practices and tips for cutting through the noise and build power for your local through social media. Learn about which platforms can best help build an organizing culture, engage members and community members, improve communication with members and the community, promote coalition building, and advocate for public education and social justice.
Presenters: Cyndi Menzel, Sam DeMuro & Terry Ng
Leadership Resources and Member Engagement Strategies
This new world of online advocacy, distance learning and social media blended with offline, real time activism provides greater opportunities for member engagement. We’ll discuss and share examples of online member engagement strategies and actions, both internally and externally. In this session, we’ll share resources and strategies to help your member and community engagement campaigns be more effective, efficient and successful. We’ll also provide a review of resources and a schedule of localized, topic‐specific online training that will sharpen your skills in media relations, interview skills and getting news media to take notice of what’s happening in your local. We’ll discuss resources and strategies to help you and your members better participate in local, state and national conversations.
Presenters: Ed Sibby & Katharine Fong
Governmental Relations
Candidate Recruitment and Recommendation Process
In this session we will talk about the rationale and techniques behind ways to help you and yours find and recruit candidates to run for your local school or college board of education. We will also discuss the importance of why it’s so critical to recommend candidates running for your local board and how to create an endorsement process that is consistent, transparent and fair to your membership and the candidates you interview.
Presenter: Rick Wathen
Building and Maintaining Relationships with School Boards and College Trustees
This workshop will explore the importance of building and cultivating relationships with School Board and College trustees. We will review practical strategies and metrics that can be used by local chapters to maximize the level of cooperation between educators and elected leaders.
Presenters: Eric Alfaro & Rick Wathen
Human Rights
Intersectionality of Organizing
In a strong local, the strengths of the diverse members are utilized. Reaching out and involving the membership is valued. Diversity among members and students is viewed as a benefit. Furthermore, understanding intersectionality can assist a chapter in creating an all‐inclusive, high participating local. Participants will look at how intersectionality can be used in organizing and advocacy for public education. There are successful strategies that have been used by chapters to promote cross‐cultural understanding among members, among students in the classrooms and their families. These approaches support effective learning environments and greater advocacy for public education. This session will outline ideas and resources for developing on‐going equity programs and greater involvement in your chapter.
Presenters: David Hernandez, Mary Levi & Temish Brame-Carter
Looking at Union Work Through a Social Justice Lens
Social justice focuses on equity for all. It requires action and systemic change. Too often bandage‐type solutions are inadequately used to solve urgent and emerging problems. A social justice lens provides a framework for our union and for our schools to help guide policy, plan actions, and evaluate resources for social change. Participants will engage in dialogue and receive ideas and resources on how to work with their chapter to expand the union’s purpose within the bigger picture of social justice.
Presenters: Lisa Adams & Aisha Blanchard‐Young
What Chapters Leaders Need to Know About Black Lives Matter and the Fight for Racial Justice
Saying “Black Lives Matter” isn’t enough: we need to actively show it in our work toward anti‐racism on a personal, structural, and institutional level. As union leaders and members, we must continue the call for racial justice and to hold powerful people, organizations, and each other, accountable. In this session we will discuss:
- Why locals should be part of the fight for racial justice.
- How to talk to your members, district and community about Black Lives Matter, Anti‐Racism and Racial Justice.
- Resources to engage your chapter in Racial Justice work.
Presenters: Lisa Adams & Aisha Blanchard‐Young
As educators we must learn what stress is, what it does to our bodies, and how we can control it so that we can accomplish our personal, professional, and Association goals. This session examines how to effectively manage stress through lifestyle and behavioral changes.
Presenter: Alyson Brauning
An Exploration into SOGI Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in Schools
Do you have LGBTQ+ students and/or colleagues? Do you have the courage to create a safe environment that fosters bravery to explore sexual orientation, gender identity and expression? This workshop is a transformative experience into privilege, identity, laws and terms as it applies to SOGI. It may be of particular interest to those who want to foster positive relations and support LGBTQ+ students and colleagues.
Presenter: C. Scott Miller
Navigating Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity for CTA Leaders
There are many items to juggle as a Chapter President and leader. Advocacy on issues that challenge the identity of members and students are particularly vital. This session will most benefit those who want to develop skill and provide member resources in dealing with, organizing and engaging members in Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity concepts.
Presenters: Nichole DeVore & Daniel Gallegos
This session focus is on the President’s fiduciary responsibilities which includes working with the district in ensuring a healthy and safe environment prior to the re‐opening of public schools, the performing of the duty of fair representation, and the enacting of oversight over association finances.
Presenter: Scott Postel
IPD/IFT
What Presidents Need to Know About Distance Learning
This webinar will examine new realities about teaching and learning for our members. As a chapter president, your role places you in the driver’s seat to ensure your members have the necessary tools, training, and devices for online or distance learning. As your members, students, parents, and communities cope with a new normal and ongoing pandemic issues, it is crucial to know what to be prepared for and how to support your members during this transition to different models of delivering instruction, ensuring access and equity, and keeping everyone safe.
Presenters: Marlene Fong, Adam Ebrahim & Drew Warden
Special Education Post COVID-19
Returning to school will be anything but normal in the Fall. Many special education teachers and support providers are facing extensive workload issues as they make up IEP meetings, assessments, and in some cases deal with making up services from the Spring. How do leaders navigate this changing field on behalf of their members to ensure equitable working conditions and equitable learning conditions?
Presenters: Karen Taylor & Tom Pinkava
Institute for Teaching: Utilizing IFT Resources for Member Engagement
One of the keys to breaking through barriers and building capacity at a local level is member engagement. This session will provide an overview of how the Institute for Teaching’s (IFT) strength‐based approach has empowered CTA members to transform their classrooms, their schools and their school communities. Over the last 10 years, the IFT grant program has engaged members statewide and provided over 4.1 million dollars in resources to fund the passions that our members feel for their work and their students. The IFT awards grants ranging from $5,000 to $20,000 for classroom or school site projects.
Presenter: Anita Benitas
Legal
What President’s Should Know About Employer Bargaining Obligations in Difficult COVID‐19 Times – Part 1 & 2
CTA’s Legal Department and CTA’s Center for Organizing and Bargaining (C4OB) have joined together to provide presidents and chapter leaders with an overview of the key legal issues related to collective bargaining in difficult economic times. Presidents will leave this session more familiar with their and their district’s rights and responsibilities and will have an understanding of key legal terms relating to negotiations (i.e., demand to consult/bargain, impact bargaining, mandatory vs. permissive subjects of bargaining, unilateral changes, employer claims of “emergency” and “business necessity” to avoid bargaining), as well as practical pointers regarding bargaining and organizing opportunities.
Presenters: Jean Shin & Mandy Hu
Member Benefits
Get on the Right Track with CTA/NEA Member Benefits
All Aboard! Looking for new ways to connect with and engage your members? We’ll share great strategies to add variety to your Association’s member engagement and retention efforts. Member Benefits staff will provide you with the Leader Pocket Guide and tips on how to use Member Benefits in your member organizing strategies, from one‐on‐ones to chapter events. Also, to assist with building member appreciation and loyalty, an overview of all Member Benefits will be provided including information on the CTA Retirement Savings Plan. Join us and learn how to use one of the many tools available to you when demonstrating the value of membership.
Presenters: Henry Ahn, Mindy Bartlett & Sean Mabey
Journey to Financial Independence
CTA wants you to have a long and happy retirement. CalSTRS and CalPERS will only cover about half of the income you will need in retirement, so it is essential that you start a retirement savings plan to make up the difference. There are a lot of plans offered to educators, but many have high fees or surrender charges. In this session, we will help you get started toward a financially secure retirement and avoid the suboptimal plans. We will review the basics of saving for retirement using easy‐to understand terms. We will highlight the CTA Retirement Savings Plan which was designed for educators and the only plan endorsed by CTA. This plan has a simple “quick enrollment” process that makes saving for retirement easy.
Presenters: Gary Allen, Henry Ahn & Mindy Bartlett
Membership
Working Together While Apart – Organizing Through Technology with CTA’s Membership Tools
Get trained on CTA 360Pro and the CTA 360 app, CTA’s Membership tools for local leaders. Bring your device and follow along to learn to mobilize your membership with the CTA 360 app. In this interactive session we will show you how to more effectively manage your membership data, update contact information, assign chapter and site roles and have all your membership data at your fingertips as you plan your organizing efforts. You will learn how to enroll new members via the app –no paper form required. We will show you how to access detailed membership reports and identify potential members.
Presenters: Rosanne Hugo & Gabby Reilly
Strengthen Your Local – A Leader’s Guide to Membership
All local leaders, membership chairs and site reps play a crucial part in recruiting, engaging and maintaining membership for your local. Attend this fast‐paced session to get familiar with the important roll you fulfill regarding local membership management. Learn how to communicate the value of membership, answer the tough questions, understand your role in member retention and how to easily keep records current. You will learn about all the apps and resources available to you locally. We will also introduce you to all the various ways to sign up new members, including the brand‐new online enrollment. Take this course to energize and organize your membership efforts.
Presenter: Steve Perry
2019-20 Winter/Spring Season
Supporting Long-Term English Learners in the Secondary Classroom
This workshop will be an overview of principles for supporting LTELs, and will walk you through a unit that demonstrates these principles in action.
Presented by: Rosie Reid
Our #StrengthBasedSuperpowers are no secrets! Invisibility, telepathy, and teleportation are everyday magical tools that will support new teachers in the area of #RelationalLearning–getting to know your students, and your students getting to know you, too! Our session is about tech-savvy tools that you can use when you get back to the classroom, plus our session is largely about how to create and deepen relationships with students so that an ethic of CARE is at the center of all that they do and all that you do, too!
Presented by: Tricia Gee & Judy Blakeney
The first portion of the presentation will be focused on how to create a NGSS classroom and engaging activities. The second portion of the presentation will focus on secondary demonstrations that have been used in chemistry, biology, physics, marine biology and anatomy.
Presented by: Nicole Byslma & Susanna Lee
Protecting Students and Preparing Leaders When White Nationalist Ideology Comes to Campus
This workshop is an opportunity for educators to build a foundation of knowledge that will help them recognize when white nationalism comes to campus and feel more prepared to take action to protect students.
‐What is white nationalism, who are they and what is their ideology?
‐How are white nationalists targeting and recruiting students?
‐How can educators recognize the warning signs?
‐How can educators prepare to respond?
Presenter: Aisha Blanchard‐Young & Dr. Shelly Tochluk
Knowing ourselves and who we are as educators helps us find the power within ourselves to thrive as teachers because by doing so we gain clarity on our purpose. Knowing our students; who our students are, where they come from, and what they bring into the classroom as a starting point, before we even think about teaching them academics or bringing in the pedagogy and theory of education, helps provide a safe zone in the classroom so that social emotional learning can be our foundation to grow academically.
Presented by: Angela Censoplano
Are School Site Councils Game Changers in Accountability?
The passage of AB 716 (O’Donnell) places some new responsibilities on School Site Councils and increases their role in empowering and engaging schools and communities in the LCAP and accountability process. Districts are required to consult with SSCs and seek their input prior to writing or revising the LCAP for submission to the county office. The School Plan for Student Achievement is now directly connected to the district’s LCAP. School Site Councils can be game changers in the accountability work. Come find out how.
Presented by: Marlene Fong
Instructional Strategies for Special Education
Instructional Strategies for Special Education covers topics for teachers in a Mild/Moderate setting as well as teachers in a Moderate/Severe setting. Melisa also taught RSP so she has a background in that as well. She will give you tips on what you can do to make your life and your student’s classroom environment better for everyone.
Presented by: Melinda Killen
Up Your Social Media Game: Instagram and Facebook Live for Union Building
Many of us use social media in our everyday lives, but what’s the best way to use it to uplift your local and support our movement? This fast-paced session dives into Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook Live and gives you the best practices you need to know to address your goals. Leave this session with better understanding of hashtag use, how to create an Instagram story, and the best way to utilize Facebook Live. It is recommended participants come to this session with the apps already downloaded to a phone, tablet, and/or laptop and accounts created in order to participate effectively.
Presenters: Sam DeMuro, Terry Ng
Journey to Financial Independence
CTA wants you to have a long and happy retirement. CalSTRS and CalPERS will only cover about half of the income you will need in retirement so it is essential that you start a retirement savings plan to make up the difference. There are a lot of plans offered to educators but many have high fees or surrender charges. In this session, we will help you get started toward a financially secure retirement and avoid the suboptimal plans. We will review the basics of saving for retirement using easy-to-understand terms. We will highlight the CTA Retirement Savings Plan which was designed for educators and the only plan endorsed by CTA. This plan has a simple “quick enrollment” process that makes saving for retirement easy.
Presenters: Mindy Bartlett, Henry Ahn
Ethnic Minority Leadership Development: Empowerment for Leaders
This session focuses on the definition of power and how leaders use power to achieve their goals within the Association. The instruments and sources of power will be explored. Attention is given to campaign strategies.
Presenters: Tony Duarte, Chuck Mendoza
Public Safety Power Shut Off: Advice for Local Union Leaders
Has your local been affected by the Public Safety Power Shutoffs? Will your local be affected in the future? Is this the “new normal?” The CTA Issues Conference workshop on Public Safety Power Shut-offs will walk you through CTA’s guidance on this issue, allow you to compare on-the-ground notes with other CTA leaders from around the state and prepare you to develop a plan of action to address the impact of previous and future electricity shut-offs.
Presenters: Dave Brown, Daryl Hemenway
LGBTQ+ History: Our History Includes Everyone!
The LGBTQ+ movement has had a long and rich history but tends to dismiss the contributions of people of color. This workshop will explore the intersectionality of LGBTQ+ issues, people and struggles still to come!
Presenters: C. Scott Miller & Sonia Martin-Solis
Instant GSA (Just Add Kids!) – A GSA Quick-start Workshop
This interactive session will guide you through how to start and sustain a GSA (or similar organization) at your school site, with a particular focus on the middle school level.
Presenter: Lisa Avery
Here We Are. But How Did We Get Here?
The presentation will look at LGBTQ+ history and how it correlates with what was happening in CTA and the world at the time. We need to know what happened in the past to appreciate what we have gained as a community and what we have to continue to fight for.
Presenters: Sue Cirillo
CTA LGBTQ+ Grant and Scholarship Program
This presentation will cover the grant and scholarship requirements for the LGBTQ+ Safety in Schools Grant and Scholarship Program in Honor of Guy DeRosa.
Presenter: Fidel Banuelos
Beginner to Intermediate Google Classroom in an Hour
Learn how to navigate through Google Classroom to keep your students engaged in the lesson beginning to end, all the while you go paperless as you teach and assess learning. Introduce all the great things Google Classroom can do to help teachers be organized, give assignments, quizzes, questions and grades to students.
Presenters: Kari Florez, Rafael Gonzalez & Tanisha Ross
Getting Started with Google Classroom
This beginner session will teach you the basics so that you can get started on your own. Whether you teach primary, high school, or anything in between, Google Classroom is adaptable for your students. Google Classroom is a terrific tech tool to create your very own online classroom. This session is for anyone new to educational technology, 1:1 devices, or G Suite for Education.
Presenter: MaryAlison Weintraub
Using Unconventional Methods to Engage, Empower and Educate
Every student is an “A” student if you focus on his or her strengths. Educators must take risks and find creative ways to ensure that lessons are effective and engaging.
Presenters: Nicholas Ferroni
Mind the Gap – Using Effective Feedback to Fill Gaps in Your Students’ Learning
Learn how and when to give feedback so that your students are actually motivated to make revisions. Discover how you can spend LESS time grading and more time interacting with your students. Eliminate the frustration of caring more than your students about how much they improve and master the standards, and empower them to take control of their own learning. Leave with both in-class strategies as well as knowledge of powerful online tools to make giving feedback more efficient.
Presenter: Kimberly Lepre
Simple Solutions – Rick Morris’ Top 5 Things
‘I see these 5 strategies as building blocks for the creation of a happy, productive classroom. Even if you only use one of them, you and the students will notice an improvement in how things are done.’ – Rick Morris, 31 year classroom teacher
Presenter: Rick Morris
Fostering Social Emotional Growth in the Classroom
Come find and share ways that work to foster SEL in your classroom. I’ll share with you the research and pedagogy behind incorporating SEL in your curriculum. Get lesson plans that cover grades K-2 as well as 3-6. Experience 3 activities that you can use in your classroom right away that really engage your students and encourage Growth Mindset.
Presenter: Marjorie Evans
Getting to the heART of Social Studies Through the ARTS
Watch practical ways to enhance your Social Studies and ELA programs with art integrated lessons. Primary and intermediate classroom examples will be shared. Participants will leave with resources and ideas that can easily be implemented into classrooms that will increase student engagement while enhancing learning through various VAPA strands.
Presenter: Ron Boren
Not Your Typical History Class: A Thematic Approach to Teaching History
History has traditionally been taught chronologically. Oftentimes, the subject itself can be seen as boring and simply pure memorization of facts. A thematic approach can be an alternative, especially with building historical relevance for our students. This presentation will examine the concepts behind a thematic curriculum design and provide attendees the framework necessary to build their own curriculum.
Presenter: Jayson Chang
Ally Action: Moving the Climate Needle from Bystanders to Allies
This workshop will help educators support students in taking a deep dive into empathy, solidarity, and action. It focuses on identity-based bullying. Likewise, it equips the student participants with a menu of prevention/intervention/post-vention options that THEY THEMSELVES brainstorm and evaluate for potential risk and effectiveness. Bystanders are empowered and transformed into agents of action–Ally Action–on behalf of ALL classmates when they need it the most.
Presenter: Mick Rabin
Join me to learn how you can make shared research engaging, meaningful and useful. I’ll share tips on how to integrate technology, writing and art into a K-2 based research project. Your students will become STEM-Tastic at research.
Presenter: Tracy Doverspike
