Presenter: Dr. Melinda Schwartz, Ed.D., ORIGO Education
How do educators provide a pathway for young learners to develop mathematical ideas and numeracy concepts? Many mathematical concepts and skills begin with the cluster of activities that are referred to as mathematical processes. In this session, participants will explore five beginning processes that are at the core of early childhood mathematics. They will participate in activities to engage young children of many different developmental levels in the five processes. Participants will also investigate children’s symbolic and language development and the use of a research-based pathway, alongside a developmentally appropriate trajectory of the counting principles, that will lead young learners down the path to numeracy success. Session content will be presented by Dr. Melinda Schwartz, Ed.D., ORIGO Education, and the day will wrap up with a live, virtual one hour Q&A.
Strands: ECSE, Curriculum & Instruction
Learner Outcomes: Participants will learn how to:
Provide vocabulary-rich learning activities where each child can acquire mathematics in a natural, social, and non-threatening way
Offer play-based and arts-integrated activities where children acquire the mathematical concepts necessary to excel in higher elementary grades
Provide social and emotional support to ensure a community-based learning environment is cultivated
Enhance mathematical learning with literacy by using captivating language and pictures to introduce key math language and ideas.
Audience: ECSE
Handouts: Pathways to Numeracy handout.
Presenter: Monique Coleman
The increasingly diverse racial and ethnic diversity among K-12 blind and visually impaired (BVI) students has been long acknowledged by professionals in the field of BVI education. Yet, there is a lack of professional development opportunities focused on instruction in the Expanded Core Curriculum that is responsive to students' social and cultural realities. This workshop will help fill this critical need by addressing instructional and family engagement practices that affirm students' diverse cultural, linguistic, and literacy practices. These practices center the whole child and promote equitable learning experiences and outcomes.
Strand: Collaboration & Leadership, Curriculum & Instruction
Learner Outcomes: Develop an understanding of how the intersection of multiply marginalizing identities impact the educational experiences of blind and visually impaired (BVI) students. Understand how to apply asset-based principals and practices to improve instruction in the Expanded Core Curriculum and increase engagement with the families of culturally, linguistically, and economically diverse BVI students."
Audience: General Education Teachers, Instructional Specialists/Support Staff, OT/PT and/or APE, Paraeducators, Parents, Special Education Teachers, Speech Language Pathologists, Teachers of the Visually Impaired
Handouts: Cultural Self-Inquiry, Early Childhood Funds of Knowledge Worksheet, Family Cultural Inventory, Funds Of Knowledge Inventory MB
Presenter: Justin McCullick
The 2020 school year has brought an abundance of change and uncertainty for many of our students which has impacted their physical, social, and emotional health. Exercise and movement are a key part of an individual’s development and can be a useful tool for improving a student’s physical and mental health. This session will review the benefits of exercise and movement for our students with disabilities and provide resources and instructional strategies for increasing students’ movement both in physical education and throughout the school day. Hint: Have your phones ready to engage in some Peardeck interactions!
Strand: Inclusion
Learner Outcomes: The attendee will be able to identify the benefits of exercise and movement on the physical and mental health of individuals with disabilities. The attendee will be able to apply at least two tools for increasing physical activity for students with disabilities back in their district and classrooms.
Audience: Instructional Specialists/Support Staff, OT/PT and/or APE, Paraeducators, Parents, Special Education Teachers, Transition Specialists
Handouts: Exercise and Movement
Presenters: Rebekah Bolls and Jocelyn Alvarez
In this session we will discuss how we use campus, student and staff data to create schedules that support student and program needs. We will give examples of scheduling for behavior programs and foundational units. The training will show a schedule creation from beginning of the year, to end of the year supports. Participants will learn how to collect data that they can use to create and maintain schedules for their programs.
Strand: Behavior, Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE formerly PPCD) /Early Childhood
Learner Outcomes: Learn why data is important when creating schedules and how to use data in schedule creation and maintenance.
Audience: Early Childhood/ECSE (formerly PPCD) Staff, General Education Teachers, Instructional Specialists/Support Staff, Paraeducators, Special Education Teachers
Presenter: Dr. Melinda Schwartz, Ed.D., ORIGO Education
Presenter: Monique Coleman
Presenter: Rebecca Bloxham
Based on PLAAFPs, visual supports and schedules can be developed based on student reading levels to provide understanding and instruction to students. As a result, students will become independent (at their level) in transitions, work tasks, and functional activities. Behaviors significantly decrease in the classroom, students are constantly engaged, and teachers are able to provide more rigorous instruction. Student interest is taken into account and reward/choice options are available to encourage participation and completion of work. Students will be able to demonstrate self-determination as they utilize tools to communicate, including demonstrating mastery of content. The use of visual supports is needed at all grade and age levels... each of uses visuals daily. So why are we not providing them to our most involved students?
Strand: Communication
Learner Outcomes: Identifying the student reading level in order to provide instruction that is clear to students. Diminish behaviors and increase instructional rigor as students become self-determined.
Audience: Early Childhood/ECSE (formerly PPCD) Staff, Paraeducators, Parents, Special Education Teachers, Speech Language Pathologists
Handouts: Visual Schedules
Presenter: Debbie Braungart
Are you a new early childhood teacher who wants to learn how to set your up your classroom learning centers for successful and rich learning experiences? Or, are you an experienced teacher who wants to get back to your roots in logistical classroom planning? Either way, this session is for you! In this content-rich session, participants will learn what to include and what to promote in each of the various learning centers that will target the needs and various learning styles of all early learners. Participants will also learn how to incorporate activities and materials which will target the four early childhood developmental domains. Additionally, ideas on modifying, adapting and including materials to promote cultural diversity, learners with special needs, English-learners and/or typically-developing learners will be discussed.
Strand: Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE formerly PPCD) /Early Childhood
Learner Outcomes: Participants will learn how and what to incorporate into early learning centers in order to promote developmentally-appropriate learning experiences
Audience: Early Childhood/ECSE (formerly PPCD) Staff, Paraeducators
Handouts: Slides and Notetaking Guide
Presenter: Lisa Rukovena
Shared Reading is the interaction that occurs when and adult and a child look at a book together. Shared Reading is also an evidence-based practice that grows vocabulary, grammar, social skills, early literacy skills, and a love for reading. Whether at home, in the classroom, or in a therapeutic setting, Shared Reading requires virtually no preparation, but there are techniques that adults can employ to make the experience maximally beneficial for children. In this session, participants will learn the fundamental techniques and necessary elements to make Shared Reading a thoroughly enjoyable strategy.
Strand: Communication, Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE formerly PPCD) /Early Childhood
Learner Outcomes: Participants will explain the relationship between expressive language, receptive language, writing language, and reading language. Participants will list at least three Shared Reading strategies from memory.
Audience: Early Childhood/ECSE (formerly PPCD) Staff, General Education Teachers, Instructional Specialists/Support Staff, OT/PT and/or APE, Paraeducators, Parents, Special Education Teachers, Speech Language Pathologists, Teachers of the Visually Impaired
Handouts: Shared Reading
Presenter: Dr. Melinda Schwartz, Ed.D., ORIGO Education
Presenter: Chris Nikic
Presenter: Dr. Melinda Schwartz, Ed.D., ORIGO Education
Presenter: Robbin Keating Clark
This session will provide you with a detailed look at the Expanded Core Curriculum for students with vision impairments/deafblindness. Participants will link Expanded Core skills with teaching strategies that can be used in school, home and community. The Expanded Core Curriculum is not a functional skills curriculum. Rather, it is a nationally recognized education necessity for students with vision impairments and/or deafblindness. The Expanded Core is taught with academic skills. The combination of both sets students up for a successful adult life. Come see how to put these two critical parts of education together!
Strand: Curriculum & Instruction, Sensorimotor
Learner Outcomes: Participants will identify the need for Expanded Core skills for students with vision impairments/deafblindness. Participants will identify strategies for combining Expanded Core skills with academic skills.
Audience: Parents, Special Education Teachers, Transition Specialists, Teachers of the Visually Impaired
Handouts: Get Set Up for a Successful Life with the Expanded Core Curriculum, The nine areas, ECC Components, Tips for having a successful therapy session, Teacher ECC Overview
Presenter: Phuong Lien Palafox
As workload increases for educators and service providers, current challenges and needs must be acknowledged. Special education educators across the United States are impacted by increased caseloads (and subsequent workload), lack of opportunity to collaborate with educational staff, increased paperwork and, ultimately, decreased job satisfaction and increased mental health needs. Attendees will walk away feeling acknowledged, empowered and ready to proactively embed advocacy within their specialized roles within schools.
Strand: Collaboration & Leadership
Learner Outcomes:
List the concerns of educators and service providers per research-based data.
Discuss effective, day-to-day considerations to support workload.
Discuss considerations and effective, research-based interventions to support the mental health of educators and service providers.
Identify effective strategies to communicate concerns with district leadership, regional leadership, and policy makers."
Audience: Early Childhood/ECSE (formerly PPCD) Staff, General Education Teachers, Instructional Specialists/Support Staff, OT/PT and/or APE, Paraeducators, Parents, Special Education Teachers, Speech Language Pathologists, Transition Specialists, Teachers of the Visually Impaired
Presenter: Courtney Forman
This session will provide a brief overview of "the why" that led our team to combining a popular communication program (PECS) for students that are non-verbal or have developing communication skills with tactile symbols that can be a important component of access for students with visual impairments, how we combined these strategies to meet unique communication needs, the progress it allowed for, and what further research needs to be done in this area.
Strand: Communication
Learner Outcomes: The learner will gain insight to the unique experience of combining communication practices to meet unique needs. The learner will gain insight on combining the PECS protocols with tactile symbol strategies to allow for progress in the areas of partner communication.
Audience: Early Childhood/ECSE (formerly PPCD) Staff, General Education Teachers, Instructional Specialists/Support Staff, Paraeducators, Parents, Special Education Teachers, Speech Language Pathologists, Teachers of the Visually Impaired
Presenter: Daniel Rigney
The Academy Award nominated documentary “Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution” tells the story of how an entire disability rights movement grew out of a summer camp for teens with disabilities. Through the stories of those involved, we learn how these campers turned activists fought for accessibility legislation that improved the lives of millions with disabilities.
Join us for this “book club” style discussion. We will talk about themes, inspiring moments, and what lessons educators can take away. Make sure you watch the movie beforehand! It’s available on Netflix and for download wherever you get your movies. Caution: it’s rated R.
Presenter: Monica Kurtz
This session will focus on how we can create spaces in our classrooms where students (and staff!) can go when the are feeling disregulated.
Strand: Behavior, Communication
Learner Outcomes: The learner will explore different ideas for calming spaces in their classrooms. They will also learn how to teach the usage of the calming space to their students.
Audience: General Education Teachers, Instructional Specialists/Support Staff, Paraeducators, Special Education Teachers
Handouts: Creating Calming Spaces handout. Explore this Virtual Calming Room