Professional learning

Online and Face-to-Face Professional Learning Opportunities Available

Power of the Formative

Formative assessments are ongoing assessments that are used to evaluate students' understanding and learning during instruction. These assessments are typically used to inform instruction, guide further learning, and provide feedback to both teachers and students. 

In this session, participants will identify the various forms of formative assessments.  They then will practice creating formative assessments that can be used in an upcoming lesson. 

Choose to Be Different

Students are different from one another in size, shape, and how they learn. Research has shown that differentiating instruction increases student engagement, enhances achievement,  supports diverse learners, improves teacher-student relationships, and creates flexibility in meeting individual student needs. 

During this session, participants will learn the best practices and techniques for differentiated instruction.  This will include practical techniques in their content area and processes they can use to adjust learning based on individual student's knowledge.  At the end of the session, participants will have the tools needed to strategically plan and execute differentiated instructional strategies to meet the needs of every student in the classroom.

Teaching So They Will Remember

Have you ever taught a incredibly amazing lesson and the students were the most engaged than they have ever been. But they seem to forget everything you taught when its time to take the test.  They tell you  "you did not teach us that." 

What happened!  During this session, participants will discussion how the brain processed events to store memory and what teachers can do to help their students remember beyond the engaging activities. 

One Size Fits All

Learning new academic vocabulary is tough for students at all levels. It takes all students time and effort to build vocabulary and it is important to be consistent and practice regularly.  In this session, participants will engage in strategies designed to help Emerging Bilingual, Special education, Gifted and Talented , and general education students build vocabulary in a general education class along with their peers. 

What Does the Data Tell You? 

Data-driven instruction (DDI) is an approach that uses assessment data to inform teaching decisions and strategies. This includes using standardized test scores and other forms of evaluation to tailor lessons to individual student needs, identify strengths and weaknesses, and adjust teaching methods to help students succeed. This approach encourages continuous improvement by promoting constant evaluation of teaching methods and adjustments based on student needs.

During this session, participants will be introduced to the seven mistakes associated with data and the processes schools must go through to ensure instructional decisions are data-driven. They will examine real data using protocols and then make instructional decisions based on their data analysis. 

Teaching with Stations

When students work in stations, it allows for personalized learning, active learning, increased interaction, time management, varied activities, and improved student motivation. Teachers can differentiate instruction, students can explore concepts in different ways, and students can work at their own pace, which may lead to improved academic performance and self-efficacy.

During this session, participants will learn the techniques for creating engaging student-centered activities for students.  They will learn techniques for preparing student expectations to work in stations, management, and organization of setting up. 

Expect the Unexpected

Positive classroom management is essential to create an optimal learning environment. It is needed to ensure students focus on learning, establish routines and expectations, ensure student safety, and support differentiated instruction.  If a considerable number of students are misbehaving in the classroom, class-wide interventions are needed. 

During this session, participants will engage with five effective classroom behavior management techniques. They will develop a plan for their classroom, discover ways to organize it, determine student expectations, correction procedures, and much more. At the end of the session, attendees will have the tools they need to create and implement a  Classroom Management Plan specific to their class. 

The EOC

In this session, participants review resources and methods to prepare students for success on the Biology End of Course exam in ten days.