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Relevance Sessions
Saved by PBL
This workshop will be highlighting the basics of PBL (project-based learning) and how to turn traditional curriculum into PBL with minimal changes. No time to plan? There is no need to reinvent the wheel. This workshop will provide you with tools you need to turn any curriculum into rigorous and relevant curriculum and save you from days of planning. Forget the bell, you will be saved by PBL! Presenter: Maria Rojas (TCSJ and EJ Gallo)
Exploring Equitable Grading Practices
In this interactive session, participants will be introduced to a foundational knowledge of equitable grading practices with an emphasis on the origins of our traditional grading methods and how we can make grades more accurately reflect student learning, which encourages them to be the drivers of their own success. We will discuss how our current biases in our grading practices can result in misleading descriptions of student performance, and we will explore how to develop a practice of grading that is equity focused. Presenter: Sally Glusing (SJCOE: Continuous Improvement and Support Director)
Integrating performing arts into the classroom - free resources for all California
Performing arts videos are now part of COMPASS (California Online Media Program for Access and Student Success) from the State Library and available for free for all California. View or listen to world-renowned theater, dance, and musical performances in the classroom as part of an arts program, or integrated with other classes like ELA, social studies, or Ethnic Studies. Calm a boisterous elementary class by watching the LA Philharmonic for San Francisco Ballet. Watch a performance of FRANKENSTEIN from the National Theatre of Britain or examine performances from the Royal Shakespeare Company. Listen to an audio play from LA Theatre Works with Hollywood stars. There's also unique behind-the-scenes videos about dance, world music, classical music, theater, and more. These resources are FREE to all California school districts and local libraries, paid for at the state level. Presenter: Mary Beth Barber
Ultimate Express Creative Playground! featuring Adobe Express!!!
In this exhilarating workshop, I, your quirky and passionate guide (@TheTechProfe), will take you on a whimsical journey through the vast, colorful landscapes of Adobe Express. Think of me as your creative sherpa, leading you up the mountain of imagination! Why This Matters: In our fast-paced world, creativity is no longer just an artistic endeavor but a critical skill for problem-solving, innovation, and personal expression. Adobe Express stands at the forefront of this creative revolution, offering tools that transform your ideas into visual masterpieces. Please bring a laptop for this journey :-) Presenter: Adobe PD Team-Martin Cisneros
AI in Action: Authentic Assessments with Adobe Express!!!
Dive into "Creative Learning Across the Curriculum with Adobe Express," a workshop for educators eager to spice up any subject with creativity and AI with K-12 guardrails! Discover how Adobe Express can transform assessments into exciting projects, making learning fun and engaging for all students! This quick, hands-on session will equip you with innovative strategies to invigorate your teaching across all disciplines. Join us to spark your students' creativity and curiosity, no matter the subject! Get ready to bring a fresh wave of innovation into your classroom. Let's make learning unforgettable together!!! Presenter: Adobe PD Team-Martin Cisneros
Practices and Resources for students with Extensive Support Needs
In Practices and Resources for Special Education we will look at: Special Education Core Content Connectors (state standards for students in special education), evidence based tools for teaching students with needs, and you will be given all of these resources and a guideline of how to create meaningful and relevant lessons for students in Special Education. Presenter: Caity Carter (Sequoia Grove Charter Alliance)
Environmental and Climate Literacy in Every Classroom
Did you know that every student in California is expected to learn about climate change and environmental justice? Learn how our state's standards, frameworks, and instructional materials support environmental literacy in every subject and every grade level. Everyone from new teachers to seasoned administrators are welcome in this workshop. Leave with a stronger connection to nature and an understanding of California's Environmental Principles & Concepts, the national Principles of Climate Literacy, and a curated set of free resources to begin integrating content in your courses immediately. Presenter: Amy Frame (Ten Strands)
Give our students a STEAM advantage with COMPASS resources!
Ever wanted an online resource with basic information, activity suggestions, and videos in the STEM subjects for our youngest students? How about cool reading materials like National Geographic Kids, or interactive modules where students can look at the parts of a frog or dolphin, see components of the water cycle, or have 3D printer files on these subjects? How about supports for books to encourage a love of science and tech? You can! The California State Library’s COMPASS program provides these resources from PebbleGo, Gale, TeachingBooks, and more – no cost to any individual district, school, teacher, or student. Presenter: Mary Beth Barber
Crafting Wonders with Adobe Express: A Workshop for Creative Wizards!!!
Embark on an enchanting journey to unleash your creative potential with "Express Yourself with Adobe: A Magical Journey into Creativity." This dynamic workshop is designed for educators who are eager to inspire and cultivate creativity in their classrooms using Adobe Express!!! Presenter: Adobe PD Team- Cate Tolnai
I’ve got gifted students in class-Now What?
In this session, participants will learn about traits that make gifted students tick and how to best meet their needs using a variety of strategies. Presenter: Adrianne Go-Miller (Lodi Unified School District)
Perplexity AI: The One Stop Artificial Intelligence Shop
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is taking the world by storm and it's here to stay. There are so many AI apps out there to discover and explore, so it can be quite overwhelming. In this session, you'll learn about Perplexity AI, the Artificial Intelligence app that I call a One-Stop Shop. What are you waiting for? Bring a device, some questions you want answered, and be ready to create some AI magic with Perplexity AI. Presenter: Dr. Myra Gardea-Hernandez (Teachers College of San Joaquin)
Early Literacy School-Library Tools, Free for LEAs
In January 2024, the California State Library announced the addition of early learning and literacy tools as part of the COMPASS program (California Online Media Program for Access and Student Success) formerly known as the K-12 Online Resources Program. We'll take a look at how to set up our youngest students for STEM success with PebbleGo Science and PebbleGo Ciencia (duplicate resources in Spanish), as well as take a look at new phonetic and phonological awareness tools from TeachingBooks. National Geographic Kids and Britannica School and Escolar will be examined, too. All these resources are FREE for all LEAs, paid for by the state. Presenter: Mary Beth Barber
Magic of Making: Spark Your Creativity with Adobe's Enchanting Challenges!!!
Join us for this fun, engaging, and transformative workshop designed for educators who are eager to infuse their teaching with creativity and innovation. This session is an exploration into the boundless possibilities of Adobe Express, a powerful tool for digital storytelling and creative expression!!! Please bring your laptop to use as a creative wand :-) Presenter: Adobe PD Team- Cate Tolnai
Relationships Sessions
Creating Connections
Attendees will walk away with multiple ways to create connections with their students during the beginning of the school year. Presenter: Anne Swehla Garcia (Lodi Unified School District)
Strengthening Student-Teacher Relationships
This session will dive into how to build strong authentic, caring relationships with students post pandemic conditions. Presenter: Dr. Vickie M. Trask (Teachers College of San Joaquin)
Nature Connections
Join me in an engaging conference session where we'll explore the wonders of building connections to nature through your school campus. We will step outdoors to make observations of plants and animals that visit our school sites. We'll touch upon the best practices for outdoor education, discussing simple yet effective tools that enhance students' observations and facilitate data recording. Additionally, we'll uncover the basics of nature journaling, a powerful tool for fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of the natural world. Get ready to transform your school campus into a vibrant outdoor classroom where learning about nature becomes an immersive and unforgettable experience. Presenter: Kristine Stepping (SJCOE: Environmental Literacy Coordinator)
Returning the "FUN" back in Fundamental
How can teachers better meet the needs of all students? Prioritizing student/teacher engagement is a critical piece when building your classroom management routines and procedures. Together let's normalize and support each other in putting the "FUN"back into teaching all the fundamentals. Presenter: Elizabeth Lowy
How to Create Meaningful Relationships
In How to Create Meaningful Relationships we will dive into Brene Browns findings from her book Atlas of the Heart to understand how we can use our understanding of how others think, feel, and behave to create meaningful relationships that last and allow us to grow together as humans within our classrooms and communities. Presenter: Caity Carter
It's ok to shout "OH EFF!" - Increasing student/teacher efficacy
This presentation is for all educators that feel like shouting "Oh EFF" or have found themselves thinking...What the EFF? If you are an educator that is passionate about the subject/grade you teach. If you are an educator that feels frustrated and desires a different type of professional teaching experience. If you are a teacher that is motivated by the phrase " When we know better we do better" and if you desire your students to do better when they know better....this is a perfect session to attend. This workshop is for those seeking a little theory and a lot of collaborative dialogue on the partnership between empowering all learners and increasing student self efficacy. Presenter: Elizabeth Lowy (Linden Unified School District)
Cultivating Connections and Belongingness: The Power of Restorative Circles
Restorative circles are not just for addressing unwanted behavior! This session will explore the importance of fair process and ways to engage youth and staff in accountable discussions utilizing the circle as a vehicle. Participants will receive an overview on how to create a psychologically safe space and focus on the importance of building relationships and community. We will explore types of restorative circles and how to utilize circles to improve relationships, examine relevant topics, and resolve conflict. Participants will receive practical strategies that can be used for immediate implementation upon return to their classroom or school communities. Presenter: Yvette Menchaca (SJCOE)
All means All
Embrace neurodiversity through a model of Inclusion and equity. Join me to explore strategies and tools to create an environment where all students belong. It turns out that organizations that make space for difference are seeing an improvement in engagement and performance. Presenter: Shannon Hess (Stanislaus Union School District)
Nurturing Educator Well-being
This engaging presentation helps educators to explore practical strategies for enhancing their overall well-being. We'll cover key aspects of physical, mental, emotional, and social health, providing participants with immediate and actionable insights to foster a healthier and more balanced professional life. Presenter: Teri Dix (Lodi Unified School District)
Working with Your (Special Education) Parents and /or Developing Independent Skills
In this session we will share strategies, techniques, and benefits of having a relationship with your families. We will share and discuss techniques, curriculum, and importance of Community Based Instruction for the classroom. Presenter: Rick Calbreath (Merced County)
Reflection Sessions
The "How" and "Why" Teachers Should Think Aloud and Integrated Art Activities
In this workshop, teachers will be introduced to “why” and “how” to do think-alouds, as well as activities that integrate art activities with ELA concepts. Presenter: Kecia Won Jones (Lodi Unified School District)
Reflective Rhythms: How to incorporate Reflection in your Daily Practice
This workshop aims to introduce new teachers and veterans to the concept of reflective teaching, emphasizing its importance in professional growth and student success. Through a combination of informative and interactive activities, participants will leave with a better understanding of how to incorporate reflective practices into their teaching journey.
Reflective Practices to Improve Instruction
In this session we will explore reflective Practices to Improve Instruction. Presenter: Charalee Cunningham (Lodi Unified School District)
Hello Stress - I'm Coming For You!
This workshop is designed for anyone who experiences stress in their role as an educator - teacher, administrator, counselor, staff member, etc. Whether you work in a school setting, district/county office, or community agency, you’ve likely encountered some form of personal or work-related trauma + stress = traumatic stress. In this workshop, you will: 1) identify the signs and triggers of traumatic stress and burnout in yourself and others; 2) discover why it is important to prioritize your mental health; 3) devise a self-care plan that fosters wellness and resiliency, and 4) envision a pathway that dispels the silence and normalizes conversations around traumatic stress in your school/workplace. Presenter: Carol Brooks (Teachers College of San Joaquin)
Rigor Sessions
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Opening Keynote speech that encompasses the 4 Core Values. Presenter: Luis "Tito" Talamantes, Stockton USD
From Re-telling to Writing With Your Littlest Learners
Roll up your sleeves and get ready to incorporate FUN with Rigor! This session will give you the tools to help children re-tell stories, develop oral language skills, integrate literature, and recognize the foundational building blocks of sentence structure. In this Make-&-Take session, you will discover hands-on projects that give children the tools needed to re-tell a story and highly motivational projects and activities that will leave your students excited about writing their own sentences! Presenter: Palma Lindsay (Newhall School District, retired, presented for Staff Development for Educators for 10 years)
Differentiation 101
Exploring differentiation through the lens of Carol Ann Tomlinson's definition of varying content, process, product, and environment. Differentiation will be introduced. Audience will update an upcoming lesson. Audience will present their lesson for feedback from their peers. Presenter: John Kanemoto (Differentiation 101)
Making Content Accessible to Multilingual Learners
With respect to Multilingual Learners, teachers have a two-fold mission: facilitating their students’ English language acquisition, while simultaneously providing access to grade level content. To accomplish either of these, students must understand the messages they are receiving. In this session, we will explore the Why, What, and How of making content accessible to multilingual learners through compelling comprehensible input (CCI). This will include several high-leverage, language-based strategies that can be used in both Integrated and Designated ELD.
The Why, What and How of UDL Lesson Design
UDL lesson design considers materials, methods, assessment, and environment that are foundational to support student learning. Join this learning session to dive deeper into how these considerations address barriers that may be in the design, how variability is contextual, and the goal of UDL to promote expert learning. Participants will walk away with strategies to support all learners through varied means of engagement, representation, and action & expression. Presenter: Fred Cochran, SJCOE
Empowering Writing Instructors: Exploring AI for Planning, Instruction, and Assessment, with a Student-Centric Focus
Strategies for writing and teaching writing. Elementary through Higher Education. Presenters: Dr. Lori Morgan & Anne-Marie Mason (Teachers College of San Joaquin)
Grading for Equity and Rigor
This workshop will discuss and explore some best practices in grading that increase equity and increase rigor by reducing the "just get it done" mindset in students. We will discuss the purpose of grading, common inequities built into traditional grading systems, and look at multiple strategies and solutions that increase student engagement and rigor. This workshop is based on the work of Thomas Guskey, Joe Feldman, and Tom Schimmer. Presenter: Chris Brown (Ripon Unified School District)
Reading At Your Fingertips-- Multisensory Reading Instruction
20% of students can learn to read just by learning letters and sounds, but the other 80% need so much more. Learn multi-sensory ways to make reading engaging and tangible for all learners. Presenter: Jenna Valponi (Ripon Unified)
Meeting Rigorous Math Standards with Kid Friendly Strategies
Discover appropriate levels of rigor for the math standards by exploring hands-on activities that foster conceptual understanding of numbers so even your youngest learners will develop an understanding of number sense and algebraic operations of addition and subtraction that are developmentally appropriate. Rigor has never been so much FUN! Presenter: Palma Lindsay
Cultivating Excellence with AI
Reimagine the educational landscape, where AI serves as a catalyst for fostering intellectual rigor, nurturing meaningful relationships, encouraging introspective reflection, and delivering education that resonates with real-world relevance. In this session, we will explore how we can leverage AI to meet the diverse needs of our students to cultivate excellence. Presenter: Kristin Ward (Lammersville USD)
Increasing Student Engagement
This is a dive into three specific areas of student engagement, and how teachers can strengthen engagement in those areas. Presenter: Rachel Knoepfle (Modesto City Schools)
First Research Report: how to use CA school-library resources for research and report writing in upper elementary
Students' first research reports or presentations done well set them up for success in future years, including college. But exactly where should students look when finding sources? And what about choosing a topic and analyzing information? The California State Library provides school-library resources for all K-12 students in the state through the COMPASS program, no cost to local districts or schools. These leveled resources allow teachers to scaffold and guide students through the process and meet kids where they are. And there are handy research guides and videos too! Come learn what's available from Gale, ProQuest, and Britannica for early researchers.
Deep Inquiry: using online library resources for inquiry projects, including Ethnic Studies and environmental literacy (middle and high school)
Inquiry and research requires resources - lots and lots of repositories of information that are typically found in an academic library. In California, academic school-library databases are available for all LEAs and local libraries, with vast repositories of articles, images, and videos. The State Library's COMPASS program (California Online Media Program for Access and Student Success) was established to give students the tools they need to research on their own. These resources from Britannica, ProQuest, Gale, and others are ideal for inquiry and research projects in social studies, environmental literacy, ELA, and Ethnic Studies. There's even a performing-arts repository that can support these subjects too! Presenter: Mary Beth-Barber
