Voyager Sopris - Michelle Smith
Michelle Smith, Implementation Specialist with VoyagerSopris Learning, has over 7 years of experience with program implementation, training and support at a district, school site and classroom level. With 38 years of education experience in a variety of literacy programs, Michelle has successfully supported literacy program implementation from kindergarten through high school.
As an educator in the Klamath County School District, Michelle worked as an elementary teacher and a literacy coach supporting implementation of an Oregon Reads grant for struggling readers in grades K-6. As a literacy coach she worked directly with at risk students while implementing intervention programs and increasing their literacy skills. This position enabled her to support and mentor teachers in the area of literacy, which led to a Central Office position as a literacy facilitator and Oregon Reads Project Director. In this position, she provided literacy support to principals, school-site facilitators, and teachers across 18 elementary school sites and 7 secondary schools. As Staff Development Coordinator she was responsible for development, planning, presentation and implementation of a variety of literacy-related professional development sessions for elementary, middle and high school administrators and teachers.
Includes two follow up ZOOM meetings in January and March from 2:00-3:15pm
Understanding how the brain functions in a school context allow educators to design efficient learning experiences that are compatible with how young brains naturally function (Jensen, 2005). The last ten years’ worth of brain research findings on cognition, emotional states, stress, behavioral therapies, neuroplasticity, memory, and learning suggest that cognitive neuroscience still has much to teach us about how to optimize learning in today’s classrooms.
PRESENTED BY Dr. Teri Cox Session Handout
Dr. Teri Cox is a 20-year veteran of education with a passion for empowering students and educators. Teri’s expertise includes project-based learning, differentiated instruction, mathematics (computation strategies, problem solving with visual models, instructional coaching, guided math), teaching students with special needs, inclusion and co-teaching, the impact of the brain on teaching and learning, middle level teaching and learning, and best instructional practices. Teri provides practical, brain-compatible, research-driven ideas that can easily be implemented the next day to meet the needs of each learner in the classroom.
Includes two follow up ZOOM meetings in January and March from 2:00-3:15pm
Critical thinking goes beyond memorization, encouraging students to connect the dots between concepts, solve problems, think creatively, and apply knowledge in new ways. Critical thinking and problem-solving skills must be explicitly taught, and students must have opportunities to practice those skills (Bangert-Drowns & Bankert, 1990). The cognitive skills at the foundation of critical thinking are analysis, interpretation, evaluation, explanation, inference, and self-regulation (Facione, 2010). When students are taught how to think critically, they actively engage in communication, analysis, synthesis, problem-solving, evaluation, and reflection.
PRESENTED BY Dr. Lori Elliott Session Handout
Dr. Lori Elliott is an energetic and passionate National Board-Certified teacher and trainer. Throughout her career, Lori has trained teachers, coaches, and administrators in using interactive, innovative instructional methods to guide and support peers with enriching their teaching and motivating students. Lori now consults and provides staff development in project-based learning, differentiated instruction, technology integration, literacy, and best instructional practices and teaching methods. Most recently, Lori served as the Director of 21st Century Learning in Springfield Public Schools, Missouri. Lori is the co-author of Different Strategies for Different Learners and author of the Teach Like a Techie series.
Includes two follow up ZOOM meetings in January and March from 2:00-3:15pm
PRESENTED BY Kristin Hilty Session Handout
Kristin Hilty offers 17 years of experience teaching special education students as well as elementary grades 2-5. Kristin specializes in Singapore Math strategies, best instructional practices, differentiation in math, guided math routines, and job-embedded support for teachers and instructional coaches with content development and classroom instruction. Kristin has been trained by Char Forsten and other top SDE Singapore Math consultants, and was originally identified by Char Forsten to become a Singapore Math consultant for SDE. Kristin led her district in Kettering, Ohio in achieving a systemic shift in their math instruction which focuses on the habits of learning and math practices used by teachers in Singapore. Kristin’s patience and thoughtful, consistent approach empowers teachers with the confidence and expertise needed to keep walking the path to better math instruction.
THIS IS A K-4 SCIENCE WORKSHOP (NOT 3-5 AS IN SIGN UP SHEET)
In this session, teachers will discover the power of ABC: Activity Before Content, and CBV: Content Before Vocabulary, both researchbased teaching strategies that support the NGSS and lead to deeper content understanding. These strategies can be used by teachers to make small but powerful shifts in any science curriculum. Teachers will participate in immersive science learning activities that model ABC and CBV. After unpacking these experiences and connecting to the NGSS, we will give teachers time to practice applying these strategies to existing curriculum, then time to apply what they have learned to a unit or lesson they would like to use in the coming school year.
THIS IS A K-4 SCIENCE WORKSHOP (NOT 3-5 AS IN SIGN UP SHEET)
Academy of Science
K-4 Session: Clea Matson & Sarah Soule, Teacher Professional Development
THIS IS A 5-8 SCIENCE WORKSHOP (NOT 6-8 AS IN SIGN UP SHEET)
In this session, teachers will discover the power of ABC: Activity Before Content, and CBV: Content Before Vocabulary, both researchbased teaching strategies that support the NGSS and lead to deeper content understanding. These strategies can be used by teachers to make small but powerful shifts in any science curriculum. Teachers will participate in immersive science learning activities that model ABC and CBV. After unpacking these experiences and connecting to the NGSS, we will give teachers time to practice applying these strategies to existing curriculum, then time to apply what they have learned to a unit or lesson they would like to use in the coming school year.
THIS IS A 5-8 SCIENCE WORKSHOP (NOT 6-8 AS IN SIGN UP SHEET)
ACADEMY OF SCIENCE
5-8 Session: Shumit DasGupta & Tim Nunes, Teacher Professional Development
The participants will receive the book and 2 in-person sessions. There will be eight other sessions by ZOOM. This Professional Learning is based on the principles of Jessica Shumway’s Number Sense Routines professional books for Grades K-3 and 3-5, and delivered by education consultants specifically trained by the author, the Number Sense Routines (NSR) Professional Development guides teachers as they build a community of practice to improve students’ number sense learning through quick, 5-15-minute math discussions every day. Number Sense Routines fit within any curriculum, enhance any core instruction, and meet key core standards for mathematics.
LIMIT OF 30 TEACHERS
Presented by Barbara Childs Session Handout
Dr. Gwenanne Salkind is a math consultant and an adjunct professor at George Mason University. She is passionate about elementary mathematics content and pedagogy and developing strong elementary mathematics coaches. Dr. Salkind has served as an elementary classroom teacher for 11 years and a central office administrator for 21 years. Her roles in central office included Title I Mathematics Resource Teacher, Elementary Mathematics Specialist, and PreK-12 Mathematics Coordinator.
NEW TEACHER FORMATION Session Handouts
Continuation from August 9th plus ZOOM meetings in January, March, and May.
Creating an efficient, engaging learning environment for today’s students goes beyond possessing organizational skills and a discipline plan. A successful learning environment increases instructional impact through the use of engagement strategies, purposeful grouping, and bell-to-bell teaching supported by intentional learning structures and routines. Matching effective instructional practices with intentional management practices allows for the creation of a collaborative learning community focused on engaging today’s students in meaningful learning (Handbook of Classroom Management: Research, Practice, and Contemporary Issues, 2011).
Presented by Bryan Harris, Ed.D.
Bryan Harris, Ed.D. has served as a classroom teacher, an elementary school principal, and a district-level director of professional development over his 25-year career as an educator. Now working full time as an author, speaker, and consultant he has trained over 18,000 educators in powerful and effective strategies that increase student engagement and achievement. Bryan earned a doctoral degree from Bethel University after studying issues related to new teacher induction and support. He also holds a certification in brain-based learning from Jensen Learning Corporation. His energetic and engaging presentations focus on classroom applications of poverty and equity strategies, brain research, restorative justice, student engagement, motivation, classroom management, and standards implementation. He is known for his engaging trainings and presentations that demonstrate relevant and practical strategies. Bryan is the author of five books including the popular book, Battling Boredom.