Do you feel like fun has been removed from writing instruction? Are students groaning when informed they will be completing a writing assignment? Writing memoirs brings excitement back and allows students to explore their identities while improving writing abilities. By engaging in memoir writing, students will learn narrative techniques such as dialogue and figurative language. Writers must discover how to engage readers by addressing plot features and using effective word choice. Sharing memoirs can be cathartic while also building community within the classroom.
Dr. Katie Hoving has been a high school teacher for 18 years. She taught special education for ten years with a focus on teaching Reading and English. She earned her Masters in Literacy from Judson University in 2009. Eight years ago, she made the switch to teaching general education... Read More →
Kim Millard has been a special education teacher at the high school level for 12 years. She currently co-teaches English 10 and Literacy Lab, the reading intervention course, as well as these same courses at the resource (self-contained) level. However, she has been teaching some... Read More →
Monday December 9, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am CST
Ballroom I-J
Are you eager to ignite a dynamic fusion of learning in your classroom? Dive into our session and discover the art of weaving together diverse content standards through the dynamic framework of the 5Es lesson design. Explore invaluable resources to seamlessly blend various subjects, empowering your students with engaging and interconnected learning experiences. Walk away equipped with the expertise and tools to cultivate impactful educational journeys in your classroom. Join us and unlock the potential of cross-curricular exploration!
Word problems are always an area of frustration for teachers as well as students. Identifying key words to solve world problems in math is a common practice that often confuses students. Come find out how to shift the focus from identifying keywords to modeling and making sense of problems that you can make work in your classroom tomorrow!
What does Taylor Swift have to do with the Trojan War? What does Black Panther have to do with the Epic of Sundiata? Embark on a journey through the realms of mythology and folklore in this breakout session designed for educators seeking to develop an engaging curriculum for high school students. Mythology and folklore serve as windows into the collective imagination of cultures around the world, offering rich opportunities for exploration and interpretation. In this session, we will delve into the process of designing a comprehensive course that goes beyond Greek mythology and introduces students to the captivating tales, symbolic motifs, and cultural significance embedded within world mythology. Learn how to select compelling narratives from diverse cultures and time periods, fostering cross-cultural understanding and empathy among students. Discover innovative teaching strategies for bringing these ancient tales to life, from multimedia presentations to interactive storytelling activities. Gain practical tips for integrating critical analysis, creative expression, and multimedia resources into your curriculum to enhance student engagement and foster deeper connections with the material. Whether you're a seasoned mythology enthusiast or new to the world of folklore studies, this session offers valuable insights and resources for creating an immersive and transformative learning experience for high school students.
In a world of sound bytes, memes, and instant information, how do we help students ethically navigate it all to connect, rather than divide, our society? Dive into how the transformative power of digital literacy and AI, often perceived as nothing more than a cold, mechanical form of cheating, can actually foster our students’ most human traits—empathy, critical thinking, and community building. Gain an understanding of the ISTE standards for both educators and students and how they can support both academic and social-emotional growth. Explore how to use a variety of digital platforms, apps, and assistive technology to revolutionize and energize your teaching and engage students in innovative ways. Learn how to embed inclusive literature, digital resources, and student-centered strategies within a digital literacy framework that facilitates authentic learning opportunities for students across all grade levels and content areas to produce, communicate, interpret, and socialize fluidly and critically between the digital and print worlds. Whether you're a tech-savvy teacher or new to the world of embedding digital instruction, this session offers valuable insights and resources for creating an immersive and transformative learning experience for your students.
In this session you will learn how we transformed our foundational skills instruction to better meet the needs of our students. You will leave with practical ideas to implement in your classrooms right away. With this information you will be able to build a consistent daily routine that will help your students’ reading skills soar.
Co-teaching is a collaborative special education service delivery model designed to enhance learning outcomes for all students. In this approach, the general education teacher and special education teacher partner together to provide instruction in a shared classroom with a diverse student population. This session offers valuable insight for educators seeking to understand the principles, purpose, and key components of effective co-teaching practices.
It is no secret that teachers are facing intense learning barriers in the classroom today. In this session, teachers will work on worthwhile ways to build successful scholars from the ground up, igniting a love for learning along the way. Teachers will be introduced to the “Core 4” goals to develop a rigorous, meaningful classroom environment that increases student achievement.
What do you want your students to be able to do at the end of the year? We will lead teachers in developing individualized “Core 4” learning principles. From there, teachers will create a blueprint for success that establishes how to get to your students to reach new heights.
The cornerstone of this session will be creating Growth Mindset Gadgets. These student-generated building blocks are color-coded with meanings, positive affirmations, and can be used with any lesson across the curriculum. Scholars can continually monitor their learning process, offering opportunities for immediate intervention and student leadership. As a result, your classroom environment is transformed into a site where all stages of learning are celebrated.
With the 2010 inception of the ELA CCSS, the push for a cohesive, common curriculum and literacy experiences came to the forefront of schools. However, the resources and materials of the past do not necessarily connect with our current demographic of students. Research shows that students are motivated and engaged in texts and tasks when they perceive them as pertinent to their lives. Schools champion a focus on equity, inclusion, and the celebration of diversity, but the required curricula do not necessarily reflect these values and student voices. How can students use their schema to decipher, interact, and construct text if they lack the necessary background, experiences, tools, and the desire to do so? Literacy instruction should include the cultures, backgrounds, and language practices of all students. This session will provide strategies for bridging CCSS standards and texts with multimodality and relevancy that appeal to students’ interests, identity formation, and range of ability levels to account for multiliteracies and view language as a resource. These facilitate students’ self-efficacy, a primary motivational determinant of achievement and a critical precursor to student success. We help students redefine literacy beyond an emphasis on skill and drills to unlock the transformative power within the classroom community.
Calling all instructional coaches! Are you looking to build buy-in for your coaching program? Join us to learn some tips and tricks for getting staff to embrace coaching and increase your interactions! We will discuss how to foster a collaborative environment and share ideas to build positive relationships by developing trust and mutual respect through engaging morale boosters. During the session, we hope to help you discover the "entrepreneur" within you and help you learn to advocate for yourself. We will discuss the importance of doing your own PR by mastering the art of self-promotion and effectively communicating your coaching expertise.
