Transform your classroom from passive knowledge consumption to one of active, dynamic engagement! In this in-person session, you will explore strategies designed to foster deep-level processing and active participation. Using 50 Strategies to Boost Cognitive Engagement: Creating a Thinking Culture in the Classroom as our anchor text, we will analyze practical methods to build a thinking-centered learning environment. Participants will receive a complimentary copy of the book and walk away with innovative ideas and actionable strategies to shift from traditional, teacher-centered models to a culture of thinking and meaningful engagement. Learn how to sustain a thinking classroom and reimagine student engagement—from passive participation to driving curiosity and learning. 6 hours of PD/EILA credit will be earned upon completion of this workshop.
Contact amanda.burrows@ckec.org for more information.
This full-day, in-person workshop will help you unlock the power of visible thinking strategies. Participants will learn foundational information about the goals and practices of making thinking visible (MTV) and the six powers of visible thinking. The session will also workshop 15+ visible thinking routines that help teachers and students engage with others, engage with ideas, and engage in action. Each participant will receive a free copy of The Power of Making Thinking Visible by Ron Ritchart and Mark Church. 6 Hours of EILA/PD Credit
Participants will learn essential strategies for building and maintaining a strong writing community in the elementary classroom. Discover what students should know and be able to do as writers, along with key instructional practices that support growth and foster independence. We will explore how to use assessment to benefit students, tailoring feedback and instruction to develop writers. Participants will also learn how to shift agency from teacher to student, creating a classroom environment where writers feel empowered and responsible for their own work. The first 15 participants to register will receive a copy of the book Answers to Your Biggest Questions About Teaching Elementary Writing to support the application of these practices in their classrooms.
6 hours of PD/EILA credit will be provided.
This two day cohort designed for 6-12 ELA teachers will support educators in inspiring inquiry and student centered discussions. In Day 1 of the cohort, participants will learn the what, why, and how of essential questions to build a culture of sustained inquiry in their classroom. This professional learning experience will teach participants to frame student learning around thematic ideas and essential questions, utilize 10+ instructional tools to engage students in meaning making, and engage in active reading strategies for student engagement. Day 2 of the cohort will focus on how to implement a student-centered literature program that promotes critical thinking and literary understanding through the study of novels and other texts. Participants will learn how to use whole-class novels as a model to guide students to choice books and book clubs that build on skills taught through whole-class novels.
Anchor texts for this training include Essential Questions: Opening Doors to Student Understanding by Jay McTighe and Grant Wiggins, Whole Novels for the Whole Class by Ariel Sacks, and A Novel Approach by Kate Roberts. Participants will receive free copies of these texts over the course of the two day cohort to support their learning and implementation of ideas.
For more information, contact Amanda Burrows (amanda.burrow@ckes.org) or Erin McIver (erin.mciver@ckec.org)
This session equips teachers with easy-to-use tools to improve student writing in any subject at any grade level. Based on Judith Hochman’s The Writing Revolution, this session covers clear, step-by-step methods for building sentence and paragraph writing skills. Teachers will learn ways to help students express ideas clearly, understand content better, and gain confidence in their writing. By the end of the session, participants will have a toolkit of effective, research-based strategies to transform writing instruction and boost student success.
All participants will receive a free copy of The Writing Revolution. For more information, contact Amanda Burrows (amanda.burrows@ckec.org) or Erin McIver (erin.mciver@ckec.org).
Start the second semester off strong! Help students make over their minds through the four academic mindsets. The strategies taught in this session help to increase students’ academic perseverance and improve academic behaviors, leading to better academic performance. Participants will leave this session with over 20 ready to use instructional strategies and resources to help them develop the four academic mindsets in students:
- I belong in this academic community.
- My ability and competence grow with effort.
- I can succeed at this.
- This work has value for me.
6 hours of PD/EILA credit will be provided.
During a virtual session, explore how to foster a family engagement mindset that strengthens connections with families and supports student achievement. Discover a collection of resources, tools, and activities based on research-informed best practices designed to make family engagement impactful and sustainable. Participants will learn methods to systemize family engagement best practices, creating consistent and intentional outreach. By focusing on building two-way relationships and actionable best practices, educators will leave equipped to create a positive and supportive school community that values family collaboration. The Zoom link for this session will be shared no later than February 3, 2024. 2 hours of EILA credit will be provided.
In this two-day cohort, educators will explore the potential of artificial intelligence in the classroom, centered on the six educator functions presented in The Artificial Intelligence Playbook by Meghan Hargrave, Douglas Fisher, and Nancy Frey. Through these interactive sessions, participants will engage in hands-on activities that demonstrate how AI can streamline lesson planning and boost student engagement.
Day 1 will explore managing content, fostering student engagement, and meeting students’ instructional needs. Day 2 will focus on assessing student learning, providing effective feedback, and supporting lifelong learning. By the end of the cohort, participants will have a toolbox tailored to their teaching context, leaving with new, time-saving tools to enrich learning experiences in meaningful ways.
The first 32 participants to register will receive a free copy of The Artificial Intelligence Playbook.
6 Hours of PD/EILA Credit
Visual supports are one of the most common areas of need for a student on the autism spectrum. Join us as we discuss visual supports, and learn why they are one of the “Foundational Five” best practices to use when working with autistic students. Schedules, classroom routines, expectations, communication, and more will be discussed during this session. Practical ways to apply these interventions in a resource room or general education classroom will also be discussed. Participants will receive two hours of professional development credit for completing this session. Contact claire.johnson@ckec.org with any questions.
This professional learning opportunity will explore the ideas of being a “rough draft” mathematician. Participants will work through what a rough draft math framework looks like and how to encourage productive struggle and conceptual thinking when working with students with disabilities on math tasks. There will be an emphasis on how to incorporate Rough Draft Math thinking into a school or district’s High Quality Instructional Resource (HQIR).
Contact jane.goatley@ckec.org with any questions.
