Breakout Session 1
Monday, October 23 - 1 p.m. - 2 p.m.
Monday, October 23 - 1 p.m. - 2 p.m.
Tests. Grades. It’s what we know; it’s what we’ve lived for almost 100 years. Attend this session to gain insights into how the land of Assessment has changed in the past 10 years, as well as learn foundational concepts and terms to help navigate upcoming changes in the Virginia Accountability and Assessment System. This session will also address best practices in identifying students for special academic programs.
Administrators, Parents, Teachers Grades K-12
Energy 1
Studies show chess improves math, reading and problem-solving skills, while also increasing concentration and boosting creativity. Steve Schneider, author, teacher and proponent for scholastic chess, will discuss positive benefits chess can offer students, introduce successful methods he has developed over the past 40 years to help children learn to play chess, and share sample materials and tips.
Administrators, Parents, Teachers Grades K-8
Momentum 3
This session will relate to the significance of incorporating critical thinking strategies, to develop and nurture gifted potential, in students from underrepresented populations. The presenter will share effective strategies, for developing Habits of Mind, to foster Learner Independence and Growth Mindset in students. Emphasis will be placed on facilitating meaningful and rigorous opportunities within underrepresented student populations, to include Socratic Discussions, and lateral thinking. The presenter will also share engaging ideas for extracurricular enrichment.
Teachers Grades K-8
Granby B
Ozobot, Sphero, Dot & Dash, Make-Do, Stop Motion, Little Bits... what are these all about? What is being a Maker and how is it related to gifted and creative problem-solving? How do I incorporate technology in a meaningful way to enhance my gifted curriculum? This session has a hybrid-format: first, showing sample projects and explaining the process of integration; then, providing time to have a Maker playground so that attendees can experiment with the technologies.
Administrators, Teachers, Grades K-5
Granby C
This session will focus on the effective use of the Socratic circle to engage all students with any text. The session will focus on the structure and delivery of a Socratic Circle, as well as how to implement these structures in a classroom setting. Participants will use a selection from Romeo and Juliet to apply the concepts of a Socratic Circle, Shared Inquiry, Questioning, and other reading strategies.
Teachers Grades 6-12
Energy 2
What is a journey? Why do people take journeys? What is a destination? How do you know if you’ve reached your destination? These are the essential questions that are asked in this multi-cultural thematic literary study. Through reading and discussing the experiences of others, students explore their own beliefs, traditions, and the cultural influences that define who they are as well as whom they want to become.
Teachers Grades 3-12
Momentum 2
How can questioning build student self-efficacy? Presenters will explain and model the process of Question Focus Technique as developed by Rothstein and Santana. QFT develops participants' divergent, convergent, and metacognitive thinking. This process can be used with a variety of subjects and ages. Participants will engage in this process focused on Mindset. This combination of practice and theory offers participants easily accessible tools to take back to their schools.
Administrators, Teachers Grades 3-12
Adrenaline
Student led conferences allow students to feel empowered and confident about their own learning. Come learn how student led conferences can help students be responsible for their own learning. Leadership notebooks and conference templates will be provided.
Teachers Grades K-8
Fusion
This session, which utilizes Arlington Public Schools' Critical and Creative Thinking (CCT) Skills Framework, is designed to support teachers as they establish routines and procedures, conduct team and class-building activities, and nurture a classroom environment that supports the social and emotional needs of their learners. Teachers will leave with low-prep and high-yield strategies and resources for integrating CCT lessons throughout the year.
Teachers Grades K-5
Momentum 1
Differentiation through learner profile using Triarchic Choice Tasks has empowered self-expression and concept mastery for gifted learners in our school. The use of this strategy has generated greater student engagement, stronger work samples, and an increase in teacher-generated gifted referrals in underrepresented groups. A brief introduction of Sternberg’s Theory of Triarchic Intelligence will be followed by a more in-depth look at practical and classroom-tested formative and summative Triarchic Task samples from across the disciplines.
Administrators, Teachers Grades 6-12
Granby A