Overview of Secondary Sessions
tuesday, August 12, 2014
Special Seminars
9:00 - 10:25 A.m.
Essentials of Teaching Religion: Teaching in a 21st Century Catholic School
Special Seminar for Catholic SecondaryTeachers
There is no greater reward for a teacher than leading one’s students closer to God, yet worry about misleading “these little ones” (Mt 18:6) can leave teachers in fear and trembling when it comes to religious instruction. This session will equip you with the resources and strategies you need to teach your students about the Catholic faith with inspiration and confidence. Topics to be covered include what content is most crucial to teach your students, how to teach religion at developmentally appropriate levels, instructional strategies particular to teaching religion, and how to incorporate transformative prayer into the classroom. Participants will leave the session with a wealth of resources including activities and lesson plans, religious artwork and videos, dynamic prayer experiences, and resources for learning Catholic teaching on the fly.
Patrick Manning, Boston College's School of Theology & Ministry
Location: Stokes Hall S209
Tears, Fears and Sneers: How to Deal with the Social Emotional Issues of Teenagers in the Classroom
Special Seminar for All SecondaryTeachers
Students are now faced with more and more challenges in and outside the classroom. Social emotional issues of teenagers keep growing and teachers and school personnel are charged with helping their students navigate through them. During this session we will look at how teachers can help their students with social emotional issues in the classroom. We will discuss how to set up a classroom that meets the needs of all students. We will also discuss useful books that will help you to reach your students who are struggling.
Rebecca Harrington, Framingham Public Schools
Location: Stokes Hall S211
Student Engagement for Urban Public Schools
Special Seminar for Urban Teachers of All Levels
One of the most common misconceptions of students in high poverty, urban schools is that they are uninterested in school. Too often, this assumption seeps into a teacher’s mindset when beginning work in schools in these settings. This session will offer advice and practical strategies for combating this negative, deficit-oriented assumption. Also, this session will allow teachers an opportunity to explore what positive student engagement in high poverty urban settings looks like and how such engagement can be fostered from the first day of school.
Catherine Wong, Director of Urban Outreach Initiatives & Donovan Urban Teaching Scholars, Boston College
Joe-Joe McManus, Rootstrong
Location: Stokes Hall S213
Special Seminar for Catholic SecondaryTeachers
There is no greater reward for a teacher than leading one’s students closer to God, yet worry about misleading “these little ones” (Mt 18:6) can leave teachers in fear and trembling when it comes to religious instruction. This session will equip you with the resources and strategies you need to teach your students about the Catholic faith with inspiration and confidence. Topics to be covered include what content is most crucial to teach your students, how to teach religion at developmentally appropriate levels, instructional strategies particular to teaching religion, and how to incorporate transformative prayer into the classroom. Participants will leave the session with a wealth of resources including activities and lesson plans, religious artwork and videos, dynamic prayer experiences, and resources for learning Catholic teaching on the fly.
Patrick Manning, Boston College's School of Theology & Ministry
Location: Stokes Hall S209
Tears, Fears and Sneers: How to Deal with the Social Emotional Issues of Teenagers in the Classroom
Special Seminar for All SecondaryTeachers
Students are now faced with more and more challenges in and outside the classroom. Social emotional issues of teenagers keep growing and teachers and school personnel are charged with helping their students navigate through them. During this session we will look at how teachers can help their students with social emotional issues in the classroom. We will discuss how to set up a classroom that meets the needs of all students. We will also discuss useful books that will help you to reach your students who are struggling.
Rebecca Harrington, Framingham Public Schools
Location: Stokes Hall S211
Student Engagement for Urban Public Schools
Special Seminar for Urban Teachers of All Levels
One of the most common misconceptions of students in high poverty, urban schools is that they are uninterested in school. Too often, this assumption seeps into a teacher’s mindset when beginning work in schools in these settings. This session will offer advice and practical strategies for combating this negative, deficit-oriented assumption. Also, this session will allow teachers an opportunity to explore what positive student engagement in high poverty urban settings looks like and how such engagement can be fostered from the first day of school.
Catherine Wong, Director of Urban Outreach Initiatives & Donovan Urban Teaching Scholars, Boston College
Joe-Joe McManus, Rootstrong
Location: Stokes Hall S213
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
10:30 - 12:00 P.M.
A4. @Networking: Building a Professional Learning Network Using Social Media
The first years as a teacher are the hardest...followed closely by...harder years with different challenges! As teachers, we face daily, weekly, monthly and yearly challenges but don’t always have the time or opportunity to connect with colleagues for collaboration, networking, and personal growth. This session will focus on the marriage of social media and personal learning networks (PLNs) that extend your learning interests out to other like-minded individuals. Learn how to use social media professionally, build connections to a learning community, and avoid the pitfalls of social media mistakes that can affect your career in education. In this session, we will focus on two specific web 2.0 tools: Facebook and Twitter. We will discuss the basics of each for professional use, how to separate your professional from your personal use, and how to build a professional learning community that serves as a model for professional growth and responsible social media use for students. The novice, the occasional and the regular user will benefit from this session! #seeyouthere!
Elizabeth Stringer-Keefe, Boston College & Lesley University's Graduate School of Education
Location: Stokes Hall S209
A5. Surviving Survival Mode: Tackling the First Few Weeks of School
Already biting your nails and pacing your floors? As best you can, relax. This session will show teachers how to progress through the first few weeks of school without falling prey to the inevitable “survival mode” that all teachers go through. The session will provide ideas on room organization, behavior management strategies, and curriculum preparation. The hope is that every teacher understands that we all go through this period in our careers, but finds various means in this session to confidently confront those first few weeks and looks forward to the ones that follow. So stop losing sleep today and come by to find out ways to make your teacher life just a little bit easier.
Jay Peledge, Framingham Public Schools
Location: Stokes Hall S211
A6. Educating Diverse Students with Cultural Competency
In this session we will address the elephant in classrooms across the nation, how can all these white female teachers reach these students of color who are not achieving at the same rates of their white peers? This is a tough question that first year teachers should be prepared to think about. I have seen many teachers break down into tears over their inability to reach their students of color. During this session we will learn strategies and approaches to create an all inclusive and tolerant environment for all types of students. We will learn how seemingly small things like the mispronunciation of a students' name or the use of sarcasm can greatly impact how some students relate to you as a teacher. We will also equip ourselves with a starter tool belt of cultural competency and trouble shooting techniques that will help you better understand and connect with students coming from different backgrounds.
Sean Guthrie, Cambridge Public Schools
Location: Stokes Hall S213
The first years as a teacher are the hardest...followed closely by...harder years with different challenges! As teachers, we face daily, weekly, monthly and yearly challenges but don’t always have the time or opportunity to connect with colleagues for collaboration, networking, and personal growth. This session will focus on the marriage of social media and personal learning networks (PLNs) that extend your learning interests out to other like-minded individuals. Learn how to use social media professionally, build connections to a learning community, and avoid the pitfalls of social media mistakes that can affect your career in education. In this session, we will focus on two specific web 2.0 tools: Facebook and Twitter. We will discuss the basics of each for professional use, how to separate your professional from your personal use, and how to build a professional learning community that serves as a model for professional growth and responsible social media use for students. The novice, the occasional and the regular user will benefit from this session! #seeyouthere!
Elizabeth Stringer-Keefe, Boston College & Lesley University's Graduate School of Education
Location: Stokes Hall S209
A5. Surviving Survival Mode: Tackling the First Few Weeks of School
Already biting your nails and pacing your floors? As best you can, relax. This session will show teachers how to progress through the first few weeks of school without falling prey to the inevitable “survival mode” that all teachers go through. The session will provide ideas on room organization, behavior management strategies, and curriculum preparation. The hope is that every teacher understands that we all go through this period in our careers, but finds various means in this session to confidently confront those first few weeks and looks forward to the ones that follow. So stop losing sleep today and come by to find out ways to make your teacher life just a little bit easier.
Jay Peledge, Framingham Public Schools
Location: Stokes Hall S211
A6. Educating Diverse Students with Cultural Competency
In this session we will address the elephant in classrooms across the nation, how can all these white female teachers reach these students of color who are not achieving at the same rates of their white peers? This is a tough question that first year teachers should be prepared to think about. I have seen many teachers break down into tears over their inability to reach their students of color. During this session we will learn strategies and approaches to create an all inclusive and tolerant environment for all types of students. We will learn how seemingly small things like the mispronunciation of a students' name or the use of sarcasm can greatly impact how some students relate to you as a teacher. We will also equip ourselves with a starter tool belt of cultural competency and trouble shooting techniques that will help you better understand and connect with students coming from different backgrounds.
Sean Guthrie, Cambridge Public Schools
Location: Stokes Hall S213
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2014
1:00 -2:20 P.M.
B4. Never Let Them See You Sweat: Subtle Management Strategies for the Secondary Classroom
Are you worried about the unruly mob you’ll face in the fall? Have you woken up in a cold sweat wondering what you’ve gotten yourself into? You are not alone! Invariably, when asked about their fears as they enter the profession, many beginning teachers cite classroom management as their greatest area of concern. However, with a bit of preparation and a few tricks, you can have the well-ordered classroom that you’ve dreamed of – and get the peace of mind that you need to sleep soundly at night! In this session you will learn how effective planning combined with subtle management techniques can help you to create a safe, respectful, and engaging learning environment. You will have the opportunity to share your fears and questions, and also to work cooperatively with your peers to prepare yourself for the challenges of managing a secondary classroom.
Derek Vandegrift, Waltham Public Schools
Location: Stokes Hall S209
B5. Avoiding the Past’s Mistakes: Improving the Teaching of Social Studies/History
So your school gave you a textbook, now what? Maybe it’s updated post-Cold War. Maybe not. How are you going to tackle the teaching of presumably hundreds, maybe thousands of years of history? Come to this session to find out. The session aims to help teachers of social studies and history navigate their ways through a year’s worth of teaching. Whether it be U.S. or world or ancient civilizations, this session will help you find the means to confidently approach each class without worrying how you’re going to make it to the next topic. App’s, primary source collections, and key websites will be highlighted to give each teacher in the session tools to engage in their classroom in ways this history teacher knew about ten eleven years ago teaching his first history class. Highlights of some pitfalls will also be noted to assist teachers in realizing what can happen, but also how to plan for them.
Jay Peledge, Framingham Public Schools
Location: Stokes Hall S211
B6. Educating Diverse Students with Cultural Competency
In this session we will address the elephant in classrooms across the nation, how can all these white female teachers reach these students of color who are not achieving at the same rates of their white peers? This is a tough question that first year teachers should be prepared to think about. I have seen many teachers break down into tears over their inability to reach their students of color. During this session we will learn strategies and approaches to create an all inclusive and tolerant environment for all types of students. We will learn how seemingly small things like the mispronunciation of a students' name or the use of sarcasm can greatly impact how some students relate to you as a teacher. We will also equip ourselves with a starter tool belt of cultural competency and trouble shooting techniques that will help you better understand and connect with students coming from different backgrounds.
Sean Guthrie, Cambridge Public Schools
Location: Stokes Hall S213
Are you worried about the unruly mob you’ll face in the fall? Have you woken up in a cold sweat wondering what you’ve gotten yourself into? You are not alone! Invariably, when asked about their fears as they enter the profession, many beginning teachers cite classroom management as their greatest area of concern. However, with a bit of preparation and a few tricks, you can have the well-ordered classroom that you’ve dreamed of – and get the peace of mind that you need to sleep soundly at night! In this session you will learn how effective planning combined with subtle management techniques can help you to create a safe, respectful, and engaging learning environment. You will have the opportunity to share your fears and questions, and also to work cooperatively with your peers to prepare yourself for the challenges of managing a secondary classroom.
Derek Vandegrift, Waltham Public Schools
Location: Stokes Hall S209
B5. Avoiding the Past’s Mistakes: Improving the Teaching of Social Studies/History
So your school gave you a textbook, now what? Maybe it’s updated post-Cold War. Maybe not. How are you going to tackle the teaching of presumably hundreds, maybe thousands of years of history? Come to this session to find out. The session aims to help teachers of social studies and history navigate their ways through a year’s worth of teaching. Whether it be U.S. or world or ancient civilizations, this session will help you find the means to confidently approach each class without worrying how you’re going to make it to the next topic. App’s, primary source collections, and key websites will be highlighted to give each teacher in the session tools to engage in their classroom in ways this history teacher knew about ten eleven years ago teaching his first history class. Highlights of some pitfalls will also be noted to assist teachers in realizing what can happen, but also how to plan for them.
Jay Peledge, Framingham Public Schools
Location: Stokes Hall S211
B6. Educating Diverse Students with Cultural Competency
In this session we will address the elephant in classrooms across the nation, how can all these white female teachers reach these students of color who are not achieving at the same rates of their white peers? This is a tough question that first year teachers should be prepared to think about. I have seen many teachers break down into tears over their inability to reach their students of color. During this session we will learn strategies and approaches to create an all inclusive and tolerant environment for all types of students. We will learn how seemingly small things like the mispronunciation of a students' name or the use of sarcasm can greatly impact how some students relate to you as a teacher. We will also equip ourselves with a starter tool belt of cultural competency and trouble shooting techniques that will help you better understand and connect with students coming from different backgrounds.
Sean Guthrie, Cambridge Public Schools
Location: Stokes Hall S213
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2014
2:30 - 4:00 P.M.
C4. Tech Integration Shouldn’t be Complicated - Learn How to be Smart & Resourceful with Your Technology!
Web 2.0, Glogster, Sqworl, web quests, CAST, #edtech, flipped class – there’s so much new technology and jargon every year – as a new teacher, how do you decide what will work for you and your students? Whatever technology you decide to use – it has to be manageable and should enhance your lessons. You may find yourself signing up for computer lab times, checking out laptops or iPads. However, not every school is equipped with a computer lab, iPads to check out or dependable wi-fi. Join me to learn how to use technology available in your building to help enrich your lessons for your middle school and high school students. I’ll be covering resources to help you with assessments, to use as incentives, homework help, research and engaging projects. Bring your computer and I’ll walk you through some of my favorite resources to help make this year a manageable one with your technology!
Michelle Sánchez, Boston Public Schools
Location: Stokes Hall S209
C5. Surviving Survival Mode: Tackling the First Few Weeks of School
Already biting your nails and pacing your floors? As best you can, relax. This session will show teachers how to progress through the first few weeks of school without falling prey to the inevitable “survival mode” that all teachers go through. The session will provide ideas on room organization, behavior management strategies, and curriculum preparation. The hope is that every teacher understands that we all go through this period in our careers, but finds various means in this session to confidently confront those first few weeks and looks forward to the ones that follow. So stop losing sleep today and come by to find out ways to make your teacher life just a little bit easier.
Jay Peledge, Framingham Public Schools
Location: Stokes Hall S211
C6. Complex Sentence Seeks Simple Comma
Seeking some simple tools for a seemingly complex objective? Teaching grammar often feels out of reach: many of us were taught it and promptly forgot it; many feel as if they know the rules intrinsically but would be hard pressed to teach it; many were not taught it at all. What’s a new teacher to do? Go back to basics: (re)learning grammar is not as hard as you might think. In this workshop we will cover the main components of grammar, including parts of speech, parts of a sentence, types of sentences, clauses, and phrases. We will cover some straightforward punctuation rules that match the grammatical rules. We will then talk about instructional tips and share ideas about practicing and assessing concepts. Our students need to know how to write clearly and cleanly, and we need to feel confident in providing them with rules to do so. Walk away with content knowledge, instructional ideas, handouts and assessments.
Heather Conroy, Framingham Public Schools
Location: Stokes Hall S213
Web 2.0, Glogster, Sqworl, web quests, CAST, #edtech, flipped class – there’s so much new technology and jargon every year – as a new teacher, how do you decide what will work for you and your students? Whatever technology you decide to use – it has to be manageable and should enhance your lessons. You may find yourself signing up for computer lab times, checking out laptops or iPads. However, not every school is equipped with a computer lab, iPads to check out or dependable wi-fi. Join me to learn how to use technology available in your building to help enrich your lessons for your middle school and high school students. I’ll be covering resources to help you with assessments, to use as incentives, homework help, research and engaging projects. Bring your computer and I’ll walk you through some of my favorite resources to help make this year a manageable one with your technology!
Michelle Sánchez, Boston Public Schools
Location: Stokes Hall S209
C5. Surviving Survival Mode: Tackling the First Few Weeks of School
Already biting your nails and pacing your floors? As best you can, relax. This session will show teachers how to progress through the first few weeks of school without falling prey to the inevitable “survival mode” that all teachers go through. The session will provide ideas on room organization, behavior management strategies, and curriculum preparation. The hope is that every teacher understands that we all go through this period in our careers, but finds various means in this session to confidently confront those first few weeks and looks forward to the ones that follow. So stop losing sleep today and come by to find out ways to make your teacher life just a little bit easier.
Jay Peledge, Framingham Public Schools
Location: Stokes Hall S211
C6. Complex Sentence Seeks Simple Comma
Seeking some simple tools for a seemingly complex objective? Teaching grammar often feels out of reach: many of us were taught it and promptly forgot it; many feel as if they know the rules intrinsically but would be hard pressed to teach it; many were not taught it at all. What’s a new teacher to do? Go back to basics: (re)learning grammar is not as hard as you might think. In this workshop we will cover the main components of grammar, including parts of speech, parts of a sentence, types of sentences, clauses, and phrases. We will cover some straightforward punctuation rules that match the grammatical rules. We will then talk about instructional tips and share ideas about practicing and assessing concepts. Our students need to know how to write clearly and cleanly, and we need to feel confident in providing them with rules to do so. Walk away with content knowledge, instructional ideas, handouts and assessments.
Heather Conroy, Framingham Public Schools
Location: Stokes Hall S213
THURSDAY, AUGUST 14, 2014
9:00 - 10:20 A.M.
D4. Using Your Spidey Sense: Classroom Management in the Secondary Classroom
Sometimes it feels like only a superhero could make a classroom run smoothly, but the truth is that when we feel confident and in control in our classrooms, we can often use our own teacher “spidey sense” to prevent classroom management issues before they strike. Even a superhero has to face a challenge, so when they occur in our classrooms, this workshop will give you the tools to identify the causes of student misbehavior and to identify the strategy that will be most effective to use when responding to our students’ needs. Put away your cape, web slingers, and masks and join us as we use our own classroom experiences to find out more about our needs as teachers, and the tools that we already have to make our classroom a safe, productive, and inclusive environment where everyone is a hero!
Danielle Murray, Boston Public Schools
Location: Stokes Hall S209
D5. Preparing for the Unpredictable: Learning How to Confront What Your Practicum Didn't Teach You
So now that you have completed your pre-practicums and full practicum, you feel prepared, ready, and excited for the upcoming year. However, there is something nagging you and causing more anxiety than you had on your first day flying solo. It usually begins with a "what if", "how", or a "when will." Teaching is acting. Your performance in the classroom is a significant component and determining factor of your success as an educator. This session is designed to prepare you for those unpredictable moments in teaching: When your lesson, something you prepared three hours for, fails in the first five minutes; A student challenges you in front of the whole class for giving you the grade that you did; Two students begin swearing and threatening each other; A capricious student is preventing other students from attaining an education. As an educator, it is imperative to maintain composure and assurance. It is challenging to accomplish that in your first year, especially when you are learning the curriculum, procedures, and so many other things. While the session will not cover ever possible aspect that you may confront in your first few years of teaching, the session is designed to give you the confidence to react appropriately to the unforeseeable aspects of being an educator.
Brian Menna, Framingham Public Schools
Location: Stokes Hall S211
D6. Planning with Purpose: Tools & Strategies for Organizing Your Classroom
Whether you were born with a label maker in hand or haven’t used a calendar since your own school days, there is no doubt that planning and organization will be what helps you survive your first year of teaching and beyond. Between scheduling lessons and assessments, collecting and distributing student work, keeping track of administrative duties, and more, organization can have an overwhelming impact on your practice as an educator. Having a system in place even before you begin, and sticking with it in those first frantic months, will allow you to focus less on where that extra handout went and more on how to engage your students. This session will guide you to becoming a primo planner in an organizational oasis by providing a number of suggestions to help set up and sustain a well-structured classroom. We will look at some of my favorite digital tools and general classroom practices as examples of how to keep the most common mess and mayhem at bay. Come to this session to start organizing your organization and planning how you’ll plan; you and your new To-Do list won’t be disappointed.
Megan Tincher, Needham High School
Location: Stokes Hall S213
Sometimes it feels like only a superhero could make a classroom run smoothly, but the truth is that when we feel confident and in control in our classrooms, we can often use our own teacher “spidey sense” to prevent classroom management issues before they strike. Even a superhero has to face a challenge, so when they occur in our classrooms, this workshop will give you the tools to identify the causes of student misbehavior and to identify the strategy that will be most effective to use when responding to our students’ needs. Put away your cape, web slingers, and masks and join us as we use our own classroom experiences to find out more about our needs as teachers, and the tools that we already have to make our classroom a safe, productive, and inclusive environment where everyone is a hero!
Danielle Murray, Boston Public Schools
Location: Stokes Hall S209
D5. Preparing for the Unpredictable: Learning How to Confront What Your Practicum Didn't Teach You
So now that you have completed your pre-practicums and full practicum, you feel prepared, ready, and excited for the upcoming year. However, there is something nagging you and causing more anxiety than you had on your first day flying solo. It usually begins with a "what if", "how", or a "when will." Teaching is acting. Your performance in the classroom is a significant component and determining factor of your success as an educator. This session is designed to prepare you for those unpredictable moments in teaching: When your lesson, something you prepared three hours for, fails in the first five minutes; A student challenges you in front of the whole class for giving you the grade that you did; Two students begin swearing and threatening each other; A capricious student is preventing other students from attaining an education. As an educator, it is imperative to maintain composure and assurance. It is challenging to accomplish that in your first year, especially when you are learning the curriculum, procedures, and so many other things. While the session will not cover ever possible aspect that you may confront in your first few years of teaching, the session is designed to give you the confidence to react appropriately to the unforeseeable aspects of being an educator.
Brian Menna, Framingham Public Schools
Location: Stokes Hall S211
D6. Planning with Purpose: Tools & Strategies for Organizing Your Classroom
Whether you were born with a label maker in hand or haven’t used a calendar since your own school days, there is no doubt that planning and organization will be what helps you survive your first year of teaching and beyond. Between scheduling lessons and assessments, collecting and distributing student work, keeping track of administrative duties, and more, organization can have an overwhelming impact on your practice as an educator. Having a system in place even before you begin, and sticking with it in those first frantic months, will allow you to focus less on where that extra handout went and more on how to engage your students. This session will guide you to becoming a primo planner in an organizational oasis by providing a number of suggestions to help set up and sustain a well-structured classroom. We will look at some of my favorite digital tools and general classroom practices as examples of how to keep the most common mess and mayhem at bay. Come to this session to start organizing your organization and planning how you’ll plan; you and your new To-Do list won’t be disappointed.
Megan Tincher, Needham High School
Location: Stokes Hall S213
THURSDAY, AUGUST 14, 2014
10:30 - 12:00 p.M.
E4. Everyone is Welcome: Creating an Inclusive Classroom Culture
Classroom culture is something that we often talk about, but what does it really mean? We may know it when we see it, but how can we create a classroom culture that welcomes and affirms all of our students? We all want this, but we don’t always know how to get it. In this workshop we will identify what it means to have a positive classroom culture. We will also look at scenarios from both our own classrooms and classrooms in the area. By looking closely at these scenarios we will identify the messages that students are receiving about who is welcome in the class, and then we will brainstorm ways to make that messaging even more inclusive. You will leave this workshop with the tools to intervene in situations that limit our classroom culture and the confidence to use them!
Danielle Murray, Boston Public Schools
Location: Stokes Hall S209
E5. Adaptability: How to Improve Instruction, Curriculum, and Assessment when Teaching and Evaluating Diverse Learners
Having the ability to teach diverse learners is paramount to an educator’s career. This session will help prepare you for just that. The session will include workshops on how to to adapt and edit existing lesson plans to fit the standards of each diverse learner. Furthermore, the session will also review the importance of communication with administration, guidance counselors, parents, and each student. Ultimately, this session will provide a brief overview on how to ensure that you begin and maintain an inclusive classroom that supports cultural, linguistic, and cognitive diversity.
Brian Menna, Framingham Public Schools
Location: Stokes Hall S211
E6. You’ve Got Mail: Strategies & Etiquette for Emailing in Schools
You know how to use it in your personal life, and may have even dabbled in professional correspondence, but what role does email play in communicating in schools? The answer is: a bigger one than you ever imagined. In a world of egregious emoticons, absurd acronyms, and pointless punctuation, email in the world of education is a constant, complex creature. Messages must be descriptive, yet concise, and firm, but understanding. A subtle skill that needs sharpening, email writing for the many audiences of a school community is something that’s likely been left out of your teacher prep. This session will combat the common chaos of a beginner’s inbox by providing concrete strategies for managing the demands of incoming and outgoing email, adhering to practices of communication etiquette, and overcoming the overall writing process. We will review the major missteps and must-haves, as well as practice brainstorming and writing using real scenarios involving students, parents, administrators, and faculty. Come to this session to enter the world of email and emerge a more confidently communicating champion.
Megan Tincher, Needham High School
Location: Stokes Hall S213
Classroom culture is something that we often talk about, but what does it really mean? We may know it when we see it, but how can we create a classroom culture that welcomes and affirms all of our students? We all want this, but we don’t always know how to get it. In this workshop we will identify what it means to have a positive classroom culture. We will also look at scenarios from both our own classrooms and classrooms in the area. By looking closely at these scenarios we will identify the messages that students are receiving about who is welcome in the class, and then we will brainstorm ways to make that messaging even more inclusive. You will leave this workshop with the tools to intervene in situations that limit our classroom culture and the confidence to use them!
Danielle Murray, Boston Public Schools
Location: Stokes Hall S209
E5. Adaptability: How to Improve Instruction, Curriculum, and Assessment when Teaching and Evaluating Diverse Learners
Having the ability to teach diverse learners is paramount to an educator’s career. This session will help prepare you for just that. The session will include workshops on how to to adapt and edit existing lesson plans to fit the standards of each diverse learner. Furthermore, the session will also review the importance of communication with administration, guidance counselors, parents, and each student. Ultimately, this session will provide a brief overview on how to ensure that you begin and maintain an inclusive classroom that supports cultural, linguistic, and cognitive diversity.
Brian Menna, Framingham Public Schools
Location: Stokes Hall S211
E6. You’ve Got Mail: Strategies & Etiquette for Emailing in Schools
You know how to use it in your personal life, and may have even dabbled in professional correspondence, but what role does email play in communicating in schools? The answer is: a bigger one than you ever imagined. In a world of egregious emoticons, absurd acronyms, and pointless punctuation, email in the world of education is a constant, complex creature. Messages must be descriptive, yet concise, and firm, but understanding. A subtle skill that needs sharpening, email writing for the many audiences of a school community is something that’s likely been left out of your teacher prep. This session will combat the common chaos of a beginner’s inbox by providing concrete strategies for managing the demands of incoming and outgoing email, adhering to practices of communication etiquette, and overcoming the overall writing process. We will review the major missteps and must-haves, as well as practice brainstorming and writing using real scenarios involving students, parents, administrators, and faculty. Come to this session to enter the world of email and emerge a more confidently communicating champion.
Megan Tincher, Needham High School
Location: Stokes Hall S213
THURSDAY, AUGUST 14, 2014
1:00 -2:20 P.M.
F4. Tech Integration Shouldn’t be Complicated - Learn How to be Smart & Resourceful with Your Technology!
Web 2.0, Glogster, Sqworl, web quests, CAST, #edtech, flipped class – there’s so much new technology and jargon every year – as a new teacher, how do you decide what will work for you and your students? Whatever technology you decide to use – it has to be manageable and should enhance your lessons. You may find yourself signing up for computer lab times, checking out laptops or iPads. However, not every school is equipped with a computer lab, iPads to check out or dependable wi-fi. Join me to learn how to use technology available in your building to help enrich your lessons for your middle school and high school students. I’ll be covering resources to help you with assessments, to use as incentives, homework help, research and engaging projects. Bring your computer and I’ll walk you through some of my favorite resources to help make this year a manageable one with your technology!
Michelle Sánchez, Boston Public Schools
Location: Stokes Hall S209
F5. Don’t Smile ‘til Christmas: Advice for Surviving and Succeeding in the First Weeks of School
You've completed your thesis, finished your portfolio, read the latest educational research, and formulated your philosophy of education, but one question remains: where is the copy machine? Join us in a discussion of the big questions of new teachers, including the following:
Is it true I can't smile till Christmas? Do I HAVE to call their parents? I finished my lesson and there’s still 20 minutes on the clock. Now what?In this session, you will hear stories from the front lines and be able to share your concerns about the beginning of school. We will discuss topics such as establishing routines, creating a classroom culture, finding your way in a new work environment, and communicating with parents. The goal of this session is to provide you with practical ideas and advice to make your first few weeks of school (at least a little) easier.
Elizabeth Hegarty, Boston Public Schools
Location: Stokes Hall S211
F6. Planning with Purpose: Tools & Strategies for Organizing Your Classroom
Whether you were born with a label maker in hand or haven’t used a calendar since your own school days, there is no doubt that planning and organization will be what helps you survive your first year of teaching and beyond. Between scheduling lessons and assessments, collecting and distributing student work, keeping track of administrative duties, and more, organization can have an overwhelming impact on your practice as an educator. Having a system in place even before you begin, and sticking with it in those first frantic months, will allow you to focus less on where that extra handout went and more on how to engage your students. This session will guide you to becoming a primo planner in an organizational oasis by providing a number of suggestions to help set up and sustain a well-structured classroom. We will look at some of my favorite digital tools and general classroom practices as examples of how to keep the most common mess and mayhem at bay. Come to this session to start organizing your organization and planning how you’ll plan; you and your new To-Do list won’t be disappointed.
Megan Tincher, Needham High School
Location: Stokes Hall S213
Web 2.0, Glogster, Sqworl, web quests, CAST, #edtech, flipped class – there’s so much new technology and jargon every year – as a new teacher, how do you decide what will work for you and your students? Whatever technology you decide to use – it has to be manageable and should enhance your lessons. You may find yourself signing up for computer lab times, checking out laptops or iPads. However, not every school is equipped with a computer lab, iPads to check out or dependable wi-fi. Join me to learn how to use technology available in your building to help enrich your lessons for your middle school and high school students. I’ll be covering resources to help you with assessments, to use as incentives, homework help, research and engaging projects. Bring your computer and I’ll walk you through some of my favorite resources to help make this year a manageable one with your technology!
Michelle Sánchez, Boston Public Schools
Location: Stokes Hall S209
F5. Don’t Smile ‘til Christmas: Advice for Surviving and Succeeding in the First Weeks of School
You've completed your thesis, finished your portfolio, read the latest educational research, and formulated your philosophy of education, but one question remains: where is the copy machine? Join us in a discussion of the big questions of new teachers, including the following:
Is it true I can't smile till Christmas? Do I HAVE to call their parents? I finished my lesson and there’s still 20 minutes on the clock. Now what?In this session, you will hear stories from the front lines and be able to share your concerns about the beginning of school. We will discuss topics such as establishing routines, creating a classroom culture, finding your way in a new work environment, and communicating with parents. The goal of this session is to provide you with practical ideas and advice to make your first few weeks of school (at least a little) easier.
Elizabeth Hegarty, Boston Public Schools
Location: Stokes Hall S211
F6. Planning with Purpose: Tools & Strategies for Organizing Your Classroom
Whether you were born with a label maker in hand or haven’t used a calendar since your own school days, there is no doubt that planning and organization will be what helps you survive your first year of teaching and beyond. Between scheduling lessons and assessments, collecting and distributing student work, keeping track of administrative duties, and more, organization can have an overwhelming impact on your practice as an educator. Having a system in place even before you begin, and sticking with it in those first frantic months, will allow you to focus less on where that extra handout went and more on how to engage your students. This session will guide you to becoming a primo planner in an organizational oasis by providing a number of suggestions to help set up and sustain a well-structured classroom. We will look at some of my favorite digital tools and general classroom practices as examples of how to keep the most common mess and mayhem at bay. Come to this session to start organizing your organization and planning how you’ll plan; you and your new To-Do list won’t be disappointed.
Megan Tincher, Needham High School
Location: Stokes Hall S213