K-12 Annual Conference South
December 1-3, 2011, San Diego, CA
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Workshop Sessions
Following is a sample list of sessions offered with conference registration. Sessions are listed by day and you will receive a formal schedule at conference check-in.
Thursday, December 1
Change Leadership: Is It Necessary for School Reform?
Nancy Barker, Loma Vista Elementary School
Gain an understanding of three critical elements necessary for the
implementation of Response to Intervention (RTI); understand the importance of
"change leadership" in the initial and continuous implementation of
RTI. You will have the opportunity to examine your own leadership practices and
identify practices that may be helping or hindering implementation efforts.
Examples of successful professional development practices and the efficient use
of existing resources that maintain integrity of implementation will be shared. Grade Level: Elementary
Vocabulary Development for English Learners
Ana Hernandez, California State University San Marcos
Understand the challenges English Learners face in middle school when
vocabulary affects comprehension of content. Research indicates that the lack
of success with reading comprehension skills for ELs is related to their
limited knowledge of academic vocabulary. Discuss ideas for vocabulary
development and activities across content areas that are appropriate for second
language acquisition and access to the curriculum. Grade Level: Middle
School
Literacy: From "Once Upon a Time" to
"Happily Ever After"
Becky Rasmussen, Riverside Preparatory School
Learn to utilize fairy tales to teach story elements, writing techniques,
reading comprehension, understanding contextual meaning, cultural transference,
real -life application, technology, and comparing/contrasting in
cross-curricular or single-subject K-12 classrooms. See free, interactive
websites and selections of fairy tales in action (via iMovie, Garage Band and
sample student work.). Information will be presented in a project-based
learning format as you participate in the small-group design of a fairy tale
project custom-made for the requirements of one classroom. Grade Level: K-12
It's All About the Calamari: Common Core Math
Practices
Maryann Bingham, Wayne Ruble Middle School
Walk away with a plethora of ideas, problems, lessons and pedagogy to implement
the eight mathematical practices established in the California Common Core
Standards for Mathematics. The standards are changing philomaths of the world;
we just have to include the mathematical practices (calamari). This is a
hands-on focus group to allow participants to "DO" the math as well
as learn how to implement mathematical practices into an already impacted,
time-intensive program! Grade Level: Middle School
The Organized Binder: Creating Powerful Learning
Communities
Mitch Weathers, Sequoia High School
With The Organized Binder, your classroom will become an organized, highly
structured and dependable environment with clear expectations that boost
literacy and allow all students to succeed. Receive a copy of a hands-on,
tangible organization system that will challenge and rework your pedagogy. I
personally promise that you will leave seeing the teaching-learning experience
in a new light. You and your students will achieve in ways you may have thought
were impossible. Grade Level: K-12
Response to Intervention in the High School World
Tawnya Rhoades-Hensley, San Bernardino High School
Learn how a Response to Intervention lab, centers and technology can be
utilized at a comprehensive high school to fill the gaps at the tiers two and
three levels of intervention. See which techniques and strategies have been
most beneficial for supporting students in passing the CAHSEE and wiping out
problematic behaviors. Take away a stronger sense of how to pinpoint areas of
need and implement a learning environment more conducive to filling gaps for
individual students at a large comprehensive high school. Grade Level: High
School
Bridging the Digital Divide: For Educators
Darlene Kanzler, San Diego Police Foundation
Internet education in regard to cyberbullying, sexting, Internet safety and
copyright laws are mandated to be available to California teachers and students
by Assembly Bill 307, an unfunded mandate. Come learn what middle schoolers are
doing online, how to protect yourself as an educator, and the legalities of
these cyber issues. The San Diego Police Foundation and the San Diego Internet
Crimes Against Children Task Force can provide no-cost daytime assemblies for
grades 6-8 students and evening workshops for parents. Join us in keeping kids
safe online. Grade Level: Elementary School
It's My Life
Chip Fraser, Pacific High School
Discover a student-centered program that helps students become happier adults
with more opportunities for success. The program educates, empowers and
encourages students regarding goal setting, problem solving, critical thinking,
character development, motivation, passion and confidence building. Receive
useful supplements, sample daily plans, a website, and other resources. Grade
Level: High School
Game Boards: A Creative Way to Motivate Students
Terri Burgess, Orange Grove Middle School
In this session you will learn how to use student-created game boards to
motivate students as well as increase participation. Game boards can be used as
a study tool, assessment or project. Participants will leave with a packet
including ideas, examples and rubrics. Grade Level: Middle School
Utilizing Relevant Read Alouds to Develop Excellent
Writers
Allison Williams, Zaner-Bloser Educational Company
The Common Core State Standards describes a literate student as one who
“actively seeks to understand others' perspectives and cultures through reading
and listening, and are able to communicate effectively with people of varied
backgrounds.” Discover a program that teaches writing while developing
perspective taking and communication. Voices Literature and Writing utilizes
relevant and culturally responsive literature to motivate students to become
great writers. As students write about issues that are meaningful to them, they
gain a sense of belonging to the classroom and the school community. Students
become literate citizens who can communicate effectively within our diverse
world. Grade Level: Elementary
Engaged in School and Career Ready
John Merris-Coots, California Department of Education
Receive an overview of California Career Resource Network (CalCRN) resources,
including the enhanced California Career Zone and under-development My Career
Center. These career guidance resources can help schools engage students by
helping them see the relevance of their current school experience to pursuing
their own life and career goals. Grade Level: Secondary
FlexBooks: Make a Book that Fits Your Class
Opeyemi Bukola, CK-12 Foundation
The use of digital textbooks is growing, as more teachers reject the “one size
fits all” philosophy of textbooks and California’s Digital Textbook Initiative
increases access. Come learn about CK-12’s online system for collaborative, self-publishable
educational content that can be adapted for individual needs in a digital
textbook known as a FlexBook. FlexBooks are free and aligned to California
state standards. Understand how to use a FlexBook “as is,” assemble chapters by
deleting or combining books, edit content and make your own book, or author
your own content. Please bring a laptop for maximum interaction. Grade
Level: Middle School
Middle-Level Credentials: Is this Teacher
"Qualified"?
Janet McDaniel, California State University, San Marcos
The world of teacher credentialing in California is complex and ever-evolving,
especially for middle level teachers. There is much more to the landscape than
simple Multiple or Single Subject Credentials. Do you understand Subject Matter
Authorizations, Foundational Single-Subject Credentials, Bilingual
Authorizations, and California Teachers of English Learners? These are but a
few of the new credentials/certificates that impact middle level teachers. This
session will help administrators determine which middle school teachers can
safely be deemed NCLB-compliant, and help middle school teachers decide next
steps in adding to their credentials for career flexibility and job security. Grade
Level: Middle School
The 21st-Century Literature Circle
Tiffani Brown, Rio Seco School
The Literature Circle has been a long-standing staple of many Language Arts
programs, but could use a revamping to meet our students in the 21st century.
Transform traditional roles into “Power Roles” by introducing technology,
social media, collaboration and leadership to foster student understanding,
incorporate NETS standards, layer in 21st-century skills, and meet state and
national standards for comprehension, writing and critical thinking -- all
while making learning meaningful, fun and differentiated. Grade Level: Middle
School
How PLCs Can Focus on English Learner Strategies
Melina Castillo, Ambassador School of Global Leadership
Professional Learning Communities are the norm for how educators work together;
accreditation organizations look for PLCs during audits. In this interactive
workshop, you'll understand and develop your own definition of a PLC based on
DuFour's research, discuss various PLC groupings depending on school needs, learn
easy-to-implement literacy strategies for English learners that teachers from
all academic areas can use, and practice these strategies. Grade Level: K-12
Can You MOBI Now? Tools of a Digital Classroom
Jim Hudson, Digital Edge Learning
Formative assessment is foremost on the minds of teachers. Discover how using
the MOBI View, in combination with CPS Clickers, is a teacher’s best
21st-century tool. Ask a question to your class and see all the students’
responses directly on the MOBI’s data screen. The result is increased student
engagement and simpler teacher adjustment of lessons. See how Exam View’s
question banks can easily integrate into interactive lessons without extra
work. Free MOBI View giveaway! Grade Level: Choose One
Productive, Purposeful Programming
Scott Moss, Innovation Middle School
Explore free programming tools and techniques that allow students to create
their own computer programs that apply mathematical concepts such as
coordinates, variables and functions; promote higher-level thinking and
problems solving; and help students enter the job market later. Despite the
global economic slowdown, programming skills are still in high demand. Further,
programming skills allo students to "write their own ticket" and
express themselves in new ways. Grade Level: Middle School
Working with School Boosters Post-ACLU Settlement
Stephen Glass, Buena Park High School
The California State Constitution entitles children to a free and equal
education. The ACLU has challenged a wide range of required student fees and
charges. As school districts review their current policies, what can we do to
continue to support student activities such as athletics and student
government? This presentation will cover the impact of the ACLU settlement on
school funding for student activities and athletics. Grade Level: Secondary
Hands on Writing
Jill Conforti, Riverside Preparatory School
Learn techniques and strategies that will inspire your students to master
critical thinking skills, writing strategies, applications, and conventions in
order to communicate their thoughts and ideas effectively in a writing format.
Project Based Instruction (PBI) gives students the tools to connect to the real
world by using hands-on experiences that can be applied to the writing process.
This hands-on approach to writing has taken years to develop and includes the
latest research on motivating students to write. See project ideas that
integrate writing in a variety of formats, from brochures to magazines, books
and blogs. Grade Level: Elementary
Tying It All Together: Integrated Curriculum
Rachelle Barkus, Johansen High School
Integrated curriculum is a common practice among teachers that provides
students relevance for the different subjects they are taught. Learn tools and
methodology on how to work with one, two, or a whole team of teachers on
creating integrated coursework that ties career technical and/or academic
courses together. Grade Level: High School
Freshman Passport to Success: Anything's Possible!
Denise Hitch, Oakdale High School
In "Whatever It Takes," DuFour states that 75% of high school
dropouts make that decision by October of the freshman year. Learn how to
implement the Passport to Success intervention program early in the freshman
year to address this shocking statistic. Freshmen move through four stations to
hear motivational stories that help them see how to “do high school right.” Grade
Level: High School
Digital Media Arts and Social Networking
Zoelle Egner, Champions Adventure After School & Sports Programs
Five years ago, teacher-student communications meant handwritten notes in
backpacks and homework transcribed from blackboards. Today’s youth lives in a
hyper-connected technological world. YouTube lessons, Skype tutoring and art
conceived in SCRATCH are today’s opportunities. You will receive online
resources and hands-on opportunities to experience and evaluate current and successful
programs. Through experiential learning, you will leave with a firsthand look
at best technological practices to teach 21st Century skills in school
programs. The overall goal of the session is to present and explore effective,
accessible tools that link academics with cutting-edge technologies to improve
student success. Grade Level: High School
Friday, December 2
People Management to Improve Student Achievement
Donald Evans, Compton Unified School District
Learn from an educator with 23 years of urban school and district administration
experience how site leaders can overcome the micro-politics present at any site
and get adult stakeholders on board to improve student achievement. Discover
how leaders' self-efficacy can combine with useful strategies to move from
power dynamics to a student-centered culture that includes teachers, parents
and district-level staff. Grade Level: K-12
Implement a CAHSEE Success Plan
Greg Rankin, Godinez Fundamental High School
How does a high school with a high English learner, low socio-economic status,
high minority student population achieve a 94% pass rate in English and 95%
pass rate in math on the CAHSEE? In-class strategies and month-long
extra-curricular sessions have made it possible. Teachers share the
interventions which have proven popular and successful. Grade Level: High
School
Is Comprehension Just an English-Language Arts Skill?
Sue Kaiser, Hacienda La Puente Unified School District
With the rise of the Common Core Standards, we must begin to apply what we know
about reading comprehension to the core areas. Receive a framework for teaching
reading and understanding in social studies, science, math and English, learn
how the common core standards infuse literacy into the content area standards;
and see practical samples of how to process content-area lessons. Develop your
understanding of these new standards and how to teach them. Grade Level: Middle
School
Teaching Diverse Learners
Adeline Carroll, San Juan Hills High School
More and more students with disabilities are being placed in general education
classes, and the general education teacher is responsible for delivering
instruction that meets the unique needs of kids receiving special education
services. Come review the definition of learning disabilities and see how all
teachers can deliver instruction using strategies that support unique learning
styles and needs, not only of kids with disabilities, but with all kids! Grade
Level: High School
ELA Common Core Standards: Text Types, Prompts and
Differentiated Assessments
Kathy Glass, Glass Educational Consulting
Explore major aspects of the English-Language Arts Common Core Standards such
as text types, writing prompts, and how informational text differs from
nonfiction. The common core standards emphasize informational text, so you will
need to understand this specific genre. Differentiated formative and summative
assessments tied to the ELA common core will also be featured along with
accompanying rubrics that have been used in classrooms. Grade Level: Middle
School
Parent Facilitators: The Key to Connecting School to
Home
Gerhard Grotke, James Madison Elementary School
Learn about a program that uses Economic Impact Aid categorical funding to
train and employ parent facilitators who represent each significant language,
culture and ethnicity on campus to create and foster parent outreach. The
parent-to-parent connection alleviates fears parents have regarding access to
school and creates ownership. Students see their culture, ethnicity and
language validated in their school which increases engagement and academic
rigor. Parent facilitators work in classrooms; call, meet and connect with
every family to help them understand how school works; troubleshoot, translate
and navigate meetings; and support teachers. Grade Level: Elementary School
The 21st-Century Middle School
Heather Wolpert-Gawron, Jefferson Middle School
The blended learning model is made for tweens, encouraging constant
communication and collaboration. So what do future lessons, assessments and
interactions look like, and what do teachers, schools and districts have to do
to prepare for this inevitability? The time of the tween is here, and it's got
technology written all over it. See outside research and classroom lessons
while looking down the path towards the future of the middle school model. Grade
Level: Middle School
School-Wide CST Growth through Songs, Video and Games
Vinod Lobo, Learning Upgrade
California schools have achieved significant math and reading gains with
innovative Learning Upgrade online courses. Teachers give each below-proficient
student access to an intervention course featuring teaching songs, videos and
practice games. Students complete lessons in class, in pullouts, after school
and at home. Web-based reports track progress to mastery. Find out how teachers
transform classes using whole-class interactive math and reading lessons for
smartboards. Receive a free course to use in your classroom. Join us for
learning, music, and fun! Grade Level: Middle School
Google Lit Trips: Place-Based Literature
Jerome Burg, Google Lit Trips
Google Lit Trips is an internationally recognized award-winning project
providing free educational resources focused on place-based literature study.
Whether you teach first grade or a university course, you’ll learn how the
blending of modern mapping technologies with the wisdom of the world’s great
literature adds engaging relevance to the study of literature. And best of all,
from lesson plans to classroom integration tips and tutorials, it’s all free. Grade
Level: K-12
Critical Creativity: The Importance of Arts
Integration
Kellori Dower, Riverside Unified School District
This presentation highlights the effectiveness of fostering student creativity
as a K-12 intervention strategy. Receive "hands on" training in the
integration of the arts into the four core areas of English, mathematics,
social science and science. Recent data and a student performance will be a
culminating event for this session. Grade Level: K-12
Supporting Students, Saving Lives: LGBT Youth
Vinnie Pompei, Center for Excellence in School Counseling and Leadership
Did you know that nearly nine out of 10 LGBT youth are harassed at school? The
dropout rates for these youth are nearly 3 times the national average. Even
more concerning is that LGBT youth are four times more likely to attempt
suicide and make up nearly 40% of the homeless youth population. Come hear the
most recent data and real stories from California schools as well as effective
strategies and resources you can use to create needed change on your campus. Grade
Level: K-12
Teacher Beliefs Systems and Retention
David Franklin, Alum Rock Union Elementary School District
A significant number of studies have been conducted on student retention, and
most have indicated that the negative effects of retention far outweigh any
short-term benefits. Data collected over the last several decades has revealed
that students from diverse ethnicities are recommended far more for retention
than their white student counterparts. This presentation will uncover the links
between teacher demographics (ethnicity, gender, years of experience and
education level) and retention, provide valuable alternatives to retention, and
examine potential policy changes for this controversial topic. Grade Level: Middle
School
Flipteaching: Shifting the Instruction-Homework
Paradigm through Screencasting
Ramsey Musallam, Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory School
Flipteaching, or “Reverse Instruction”, is gaining popularity as an
instructional methodology. In flipteaching, instruction moves from class time
to homework time using teacher-produced, annotated and narrated screencasts. As
a result, an online catalog of content is built for students, leaving teachers
free to create dynamic, student-centered classrooms. This session will
introduce you to the research, cross-disciplinary variations, and production
specifics of flipteaching. Whether you are a Mac or a PC user, this session
will provide you with a cost-effective way to flip your teaching overnight. Grade
Level: High School
Common Core State Standards Update
Barbara Murchison, California Department of Education
Come examine the content of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for
English-language arts and mathematics, engage in collegial conversations
regarding the standards, and see how their full implementation is likely to
affect both teaching and learning. You will also receive an update about
California’s CCSS implementation plan, including the latest information about
instructional materials and assessments. Grade Level: K-12
Rediscovering Superman
Matthew Cox, Never Give Up Foundation
Do you remember being a little kid and wanting to grow up to be a superhero?
How many adults retain that belief in themselves? Life has a way of beating the
superhero out of you...especially when you are faced with the challenges of
having a learning disability. Matthew Cox will share his story of growing up
with a learning disability and how, by reconnnecting with his inner superhero,
he graduated college with an advanced degree. Administrators, teachers and
parents need to hear this inspiring story. Grade Level: K-12
Advanced Placement for All: Promoting Academic Rigor
and Success
Donald Mitchell, College Board
Examine best practices from school districts that have developed and
implemented equitable Advanced Placement programs and review key components of
successful models, including student and teacher recruitment, academic
infrastructure support and retention, leadership training, Pre-AP supports and
AP professional development. Develop strategies to address barriers and
challenges that emerged during developing effective AP programs, identify local
partners with vested interests in establishing effective AP programs, and
explore ways to leverage existing resources to acquire external funding for
long-term sustainability. Grade Level: Secondary
An Instructional Sequence for Strategic Learners
Ron Klemp, California State University, Northridge
New core standards call for students to have extended exposure to informational
text, yet students at the Response to Intervention Tier 2 level need extended
support to access informational text that may be above their reading grade
level. The Instructional Sequence provides teachers with a series of 20 lesson
and assessment templates that can be implemented across the curriculum. See the
sequence and upload the templates for adaptation in your subject area. The use
of literacy strategies to teach behavioral management will also be shared. Grade
Level: Middle School
Student-Empowered Education: Implementing
Project-Based Learning
Scott Kunkel, Consultant Learning Foundation, Inc.
Go beyond ways to create valuable and interesting projects for Project-Based
Learning (PBL) and explore managing the PBL class, grading projects, motivating
students and implementing projects. See why PBL is the teaching method of the
future. Student Empowered Education has been used by dozens of high school
teachers and university professors in San Diego and around the country. Grade
Level: High School
Another Black Boy Lost
Ron Thomas, Oak Ridge High School
One of the most vexing problems confronting educators today is the chronic
achievement gap between African-American male students and their peers. This
presentation will provide strategies for ensuring success in the classroom and
beyond for teachers who work with African-American males who are at risk. The
presentation will provide real-world experiences alongside theories, making the
information provided a great guide for educators, counselors and others
involved with black male adolescents. Whether your school is urban, suburban or
rural, this session addresses the root causes of low achievement among young
African-American males and offers strategies to overcome them. Grade Level: High School
Enhanced STEM Programs: Cabo Verde Tenth Island
Project
Bob Barboza, Super School University
Teachers and students in the USA have an opportunity to collaborate with
teachers and students around the world on the Cabo Verde Tenth Island Project.
Our goal is to use cloud technology, Macs, PCs, iPads, iPhones, iTouch, the
Internet and productivity software to build the world’s most perfect island. This
Enhanced STEM Program is the first of its kind. Our USA STEM team traveled to
the Cabo Verde, presented at the International Fifth Congresso, and
demonstrated the program to Cabo Verde President Pedro Pires. We invite you to
join our team. Grade Level: High School
Birth of Complex Systems: Montessori's Golden Beads
Jim Fitzpatrick, Santa Barbara Montessori School
Explore one of Dr. Maria Montessori's core didactic materials--the Golden
Beads. The beads can be used by children five and up as an introduction to the
decimal system of numbers and as an avenue for addition, subtraction,
multiplication an division calculations. The same materials are used by seven
to 11-year-olds for calculations of area, surface area and volume; binomial and
trinomial multiplications; and binomial and trinomial area calculations. By the
time children reach middle school, they are ready for higher-level exploration. Grade Level: Elementary
Finding Common Ground with Unwrapping the Standards
Ingrid Forbes, Olive Peirce Middle School
Studies show that success in 8th grade is the number one predictor of high
school success. Learn how one school has analyzed the eighth-grade
English-language arts standards and categorized them as essential, developing,
and emerging. Students unwrap the essential standards throughout the year in
order to help them become active participants in their learning. Through this
journey of unwrapping, students become empowered learners who are focused on
the learning targets for success in high school and beyond! Grade Level: Middle
School
The AVID College Readiness System and School-wide
Change
Robin Kisinger, AVID Center
AVID’s (Advancement Via Individual Determination) mission is to close the
achievement gap by preparing all students for success in higher education. The
AVID College Readiness System (ACRS) helps students through a
college-preparatory elective course, rigorous curriculum, trained college
tutors, and a site team for school-wide issues. Learn the AVID methodologies,
including Cornell note-taking, Socratic seminars, tutorials, and organization. Grade
Level: K-12
Stress, Students and Learning
Lucy Vezzuto, Orange County Department of Education
Often symptoms of unmanaged stress are mistaken as inappropriate behavior in
children and teens. Explore what young people say about their stress, signs of
stress in youth, and how toxic stress can impact their brains, bodies, learning
and behavior. Learn strategies to help students self-regulate, self-calm and
become resilient learners. Grade Level: K-12
Engaging Students in Career and College Planning
Kevin Linell, Career & College Clubs
Now in its fourth year, the Career & College Clubs (CCC) program has been
adopted by over 200 middle schools across California. CCC is a two-year program
that helps students take responsibility for their future success in college and
careers. Curriculum, training and support are free for all California schools
and nonprofit organizations serving seventh- and eighth-grade students. Sites
with over 70% FRPM eligibility may receive small grants to assist with
implementation. Learn about the program's student leadership philosophy,
subject matter, and applying for participation and funding. Grade Level: Middle School
Web 2.0 Tools for Mathematics Teaching and Learning
Rong-Ji Chen, California State University, San Marcos
Want to create a technology-supported environment with a community of learners
that actively participate in collective learning? Explore how new and old
Internet tools can help you provide opportunities for students to create
mathematics objects, share their thinking, critique the reasoning of peers, and
discuss mathematics concepts and problem-solving strategies. We'll also discuss
the pros and cons of technology in mathematics teaching and learning. Grade
Level: Secondary
M.E.R.I.T. System
Perry Wiseman, Rodriguez PREP Academy
Discover an incentive-based system that will have kids popping out of bed each
morning, excited about coming to school. In the Meeting Expectations &
Realizing Individual Talent (M.E.R.I.T.) system, students earn points and
privileges for involvement in extra-curricular activities and excellence in
academics, behavior and attendance. Grade Level: K-12
Google Forms for Assessment, Classroom Walkthroughs,
and Interventions
Jody Oliver, San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools
Teachers can use Google Docs Forms to design formative assessments that
instantly see and analyze how students grasped today's lesson. Administrators
can design a classroom walkthrough observation form for use on an iPad or
smartphone, with results stored on a spreadsheet for further analysis and
reference. PLC teacher teams can use Google Forms to guide PLC conversations
around individual student data regarding behavior, concerns, daily successes,
trends and progress. Obtain the basic skills and samples to produce school-wide
improvement tools. Grade Level: Secondary
Reading-Writing Reciprocity: Inquiry in the Classroom
Erika Daniels, California State University, San Marcos
In this high-stakes testing culture, many students cannot find reasons to
engage in learning. Explore an inquiry project that engaged 60 struggling and
reluctant middle school students in critical reading and writing through
reading a core text, maintaining class blogs, commenting on peers’ ideas, and
asking questions to further their collective understanding of the text. You
will receive lesson plans that were used, see examples of the blogs, and engage
in conversation about what worked, what didn't, and what you can do to engage
and challenge students. Grade Level: Middle School
Using Concept Cartoons to Stimulate Scientifically
Accurate Thinking
Muriel Gross, Thurgood Marshall Middle School
Imagine sets of students discussing a scientific concept, staying on-task, and
actually enjoying the experience! Concept Cartoons address the national
standard of “communicating scientific understanding” in a format that engages
students of all levels to reach scientifically acceptable understandings.
Students choose to identify with one of the cartoon characters, and then
explain their choice. Conceptual cartoons provide an easy way for teachers to
engage students in conversing about science. Come participate and see how this
can work for you. Grade Level: Middle School
Effective Behavior Management: The Classroom Plan
Noah Salzman, I understand. Tools for Schools
Leave with a behavior management plan that reduces negative behavior by 85%.
This program establishes a safe and orderly environment that increases learning
time and develops positive relationships. Learn how to work with colleagues and
parents on a behavior management program that prevents misbehavior and
motivates students to succeed. Grade Level: K-12
How to Work with Disinterested, Defiant and Disruptive
Students
Donald Price, Alvarado Intermediate School
Gain many strategies to use the very next day. Much research, including a
dissertation, has informed the information; you will be energized and ready to
return to your classrooms to use the tips, strategies, and packets handed out
in this session. If you have students that are disinterested, defiant or
disruptive, then this session is for you. Grade Level: Middle School
Student Tech Leadership Intersects with California
Standards
Sarah Buck, Parkview Elementary School
Hear from students how they use the nonprofit MOUSE Squad Student Tech online
curriculum and hands-on activities to provide tech support and leadership at
their school. Learn from students, teachers and administrator show the program
teaches language arts, math, and technology skills while also providing the
school with cost-efficient tech support. Participate in a Computer in a Box
activity and gain ideas for after-school or in-class tech programs that
correlate to state standards. Grade Level: K-12
Teaching Literacy Across Curricula
Janet Nasir, Sierra Vista Middle School
Content area literacy is the key to closing the achievement gap and boosting
students' abilities across the curriculum, yet many kids don't know how to read
their content course textbooks. Learn how to utilize your textbook as a tool to
increase your students' reading abilities, while also teaching rich content.
This workshop will teach you effective strategies you can take back to your classroom to get kids
reading - and comprehending - expository text. Grade Level: Middle School
Comparing Education Systems: U.S., China and India
Keith Ballard, Southwest Middle School
Discover overwhelming differences between students that are educated in China
and India compared to the USA model. At high school graduation, a typical
student in either of these countries is two to three years ahead of a typical
U.S. student academically. The Chinese and Indian economies are growing at or
near double-digit rates while ours is declining. Additionally, we’re not
providing school to career services for most students. If we’re to groom our
students for jobs in a global economy, we’ll have to drastically change the way
we prepare our students for work after high school. The presenter visited 14
schools in China and India during September 2011. Grade Level: K-12
Empowering Teachers
Greg DiGiovanni, CTE Teach
Teachers are the single most important influence on student success. By helping
teachers succeed, students succeed. The first days of school are a critical
time for new and veteran teachers. CTE TEACH will share strategies to help new
and veteran teachers understand what is expected of them, create a culture of
effective teaching, and gain the training necessary to accomplish those duties
and responsibilities. The curriculum is available 24/7and the training is free. Grade Level: Middle School
Bringing Traditional Teaching Practices into the
Online Classroom
Amy Gross, Online Edge
Each year, more California public schools integrate online courses into their
core offerings. The courses may vary from Credit Recovery to Advanced
Placement, but each one must be supported by a highly qualified teacher. There
are many parallels between instruction in a traditional classroom and
instruction in an online classroom, and we will explore them during this
interactive session. At the end of the session, participants will be able to
explain how their current instructional practices may be adjusted for use in an
online environment. Grade Level: Secondary
The Wealthy Way to College
Kyle Shelley, All in Education
Discover a substantial resource for your college-prep initiatives that adds
value for families and enhances student success. The Wealthy Way to College is
saving families tens of thousands of dollars on the cost of college regardless
of income with no loans or scholarship scams. At a time when schools need
increased resources and families are looking for every opportunity to save,
this is a win-win solution and a popular fundraiser for high schools, athletic
departments, booster clubs and PTAs. Grade Level: High School
Five Easy Ways to Integrate Technology
Deborah McInerny, Pinon Mesa Middle School
See how you can increase home-school communication, student participation and
student achievement with five free and easy web tools. Learn to use Wikispaces,
web games, Weebly and more to easily integrate technology in your classroom.
All tools have been used in regular middle school classrooms with great success
and increased student achievement. Grade Level: K-12
Saturday, December 3
Who Owns These Kids? Student Connections to School
Sue Kaiser, Hacienda La Puente Unified School District
Learn practical ways to prevent student disengagement and increase achievement
in the middle grades. Receive information on Dr. Robert Balfanz's Philadelphia
study linking disengagement in middle school with dropout in high school, along
with practical tools to implement ideas for each of the characteristics
explained in his research. See how focusing on attendance, math achievement,
English achievement and student behavior can be mastered school-wide, student
by student, resulting in increased test scores and increased attendance. See
how one high poverty school in Los Angeles county gained 63 API points in one
year and increased the year's attendance to 98%, achieving a similar schools'
rank of 10. It all begins by developing a system within the school whereby each
student knows that they are "owned" by an adult at school. Grade
Level: Middle School
Improve Student Standardized Test Scores without the
Hassle
Alan Haskvitz, Suzanne Middle School
In this entertaining and informative session, National Hall of Fame teacher
Alan Haskvitz will present a five-step plan on how to improve standardized test
scores. The plan helped 94 percent of his multicultural students place in the
top two state categories over the past five years. Learn where to find free
resources and do more with less effort. Topics include using technology,
evaluating research papers in record time, and integrating subjects. Grade
Level: Middle School
Creating a Sustainable Response to Intervention Plan
Kristina Lyman, Menifee Valley Middle School
Learn how to create a Response to Intervention plan that ensures learning for
all students. Explore intervention time embedded within the instructional day,
ways to work with students who require more time, and tips for those students
who need to delve deeper into the standards being addressed. Handout provided. Grade
Level: Secondary
Design Thinking: Out of the Studio and Into the
Classroom
Marcia Barton, Portola Valley School District
This session introduces you to the design thinking process and its benefits for
21st-century skill development in an era of high stakes testing. Design
thinking is an approach to curriculum delivery that leverages curiosity and
creativity, within the context of curriculum standards, to heighten engagement
in learning. Experience a design environment in which students eagerly engage
in critical thinking and collaboration to find innovative solutions to
curriculum-inspired problems. Apply the process of design thinking by preparing
a design challenge exercise for your class. Online resources provided. Grade
Level: K-12
How to Choose: Web 2.0 Tools for Learning
Jennifer Roberts, Point Loma High School
This session provides you with an overview of the many Web 2.0 tools teachers
can use with their students, with an emphasis on helping you as teachers and
administrators decide which tools are right for your school community. Do you
want a class website or a class blog? Should you use a wiki or a livebinder for
that project? Would teachers be better off collaborating in Google Docs or
Dropbox? Should I set up a class Ning or an Edmodo account? The web has given
you so many tools and so many choices. Gain the information to decide which
tools you want to learn more about and bring to your students. Grade Level: High
School
Thinkfinity
Tally Burkhart, Literacy Rules!
The Web site www.thinkfinity.org contains thousands of free lesson plans and
resources for K-12 teachers for every core subject. Each lesson is standards
based and can be searched by grade, subject area or standard. Educators will be
able to view the site and explore resources. Grade Level: K-12
Seven Criteria for Achieving Excellence and Supportive
Interventions
Paul Rodriguez, Montebello Unified School District
The Baldrige Program is a U.S. government-backed program that trains
organizations in performance-excellence management. It was established with
seven criteria providing a framework for achieving excellence. Each
organization is unique with its own culture, history, location, services and
environment. Schools and districts striving for continuous improvement through
quality can benefit from the Baldrige framework and the accompanying criteria
developed for educational organizations to achieve higher levels of success. Grade
Level: K-12
Readers Theatre for All
Susan Coffey Gaynard, Windsor Middle School
Readers Theatre is an excellent tool for improving reading and communication.
It can foster an appreciation for literature in our students, has been shown to
improve fluency, and is useful at all levels and in many academic subjects.
Readers Theatre is also fun, simple to use, inexpensive, and no special
equipment is required. We'll explore sources for free materials, selecting
material and adapting it for oral presentation, and presentation methods.
Receive a handout with ready-to-use materials. Grade Level: Middle School
Moving from Isolation to Collaboration: A PLC Journey
Robert Voelkel, Menifee Valley Middle School
Learn how to move fellow educators from a culture of isolation into one of
collaboration. Examine three essential steps for effectively shifting your
culture: initiation, implementation, and sustaining through the lens of one
middle school that has increased its API 99 points in 3 years after a decline
of 13 points over the two years prior to PLC implementation. All schools can
successfully become a PLC culture to ensure learning for all students through a
system of collaboration. Handout provided. Grade Level: K-12
Special Education Unwrapped
Ellen Gervase, California Teachers Association
In this session you will explore current information regarding special
education law (IDEA) including issues and teacher rights for special and
general educators, standardized assessment options, the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the reauthorization of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act/No Child Left Behind, and the Response to Intervention
(RtI) process and its impact on general and special educators. Grade Level: K-12
The Write Stuff: Writing Strategies for Success
Tabitha Blanton, Sierra Vista Middle School
Student: OMG...BRB...TTYL! Teacher: HUH? With technology changing faster than
the speed of light, the art of writing is becoming endangered! It's up to
teachers to preserve the skills of proper writing. Learn key components of a
comprehensive writing plan and effective writing strategies you can implement
immediately to help boost student achievement. A handout of rubrics, graphic
organizers, and prompts will be provided. Grade Level: Middle School |
