Events

This virtual book study will provide all teachers with a clear understanding of how the brain learns to read, and how to address the needs of struggling readers of all ages.  In addition, provided within this book are “One Minute Activities” for phonological awareness, which can immediately be put to use in all K-8 classrooms. Author David A. Kilpatrick shares, "In recent years, scientists have made great strides in understanding how children learn to read, as well as how to prevent and correct most reading difficulties. However, the American Federation for Teachers, the Journal of Learning Disabilities, and School Psychology Review have all highlighted the fact that these findings have not become widely known or used in our schools. The book Equipped for Reading Success is designed to summarize these research results in a clear and easy-to-read manner, bringing K-8 teachers up to date on these exciting findings."

 Through 5 weekly virtual meetings, we will read and discuss the research shared in the first half of this book through the use of guiding questions.  During the last week we will work on how to assess for, and utilize, the one-minute phonological awareness activities included.

5 Zoom meetings from 9:30am-10:30am on 7/2, 7/9, 7/16, 7/23, and 7/30 with assigned weekly readings. IMPORTANT: For each zoom - you will need manipulatives to use such as tokens, Unifix cubes, small erasers, etc. on hand to use for activities. Chapters 1 and 2 will need to be read prior to our first meeting on 7/2. Note - please do not sign up for this virtual book study if you are enrolled in any other summer pd that would conflict with these dates/times. There will not be any make-up sessions, registered participants are expected to attend all sessions and complete the work as outlined to earn the full 15 pd hours (partial pd hours will not be issued). Missing a session will result in a $35.00 invoice.

As stated by The Reading League, Equipped for Reading Success provides “appropriate phonological awareness assessment for ages 5 to 105.” While there is a strong emphasis on grades K-5, strategies for students in grades 6-8 and all K-12 struggling readers can be applied within this book.  For teachers of students in grades 6 and up, Equipped for Reading Success will help you uncover and address holes in the reading foundations of your middle school students, which will positively impact their reading comprehension. Spots are limited, registration closes 7 days prior to the event.  Participants will have to purchase the book on their own. The link will be sent by Erin Connolly prior to July 2, 2024.

The purpose of this session is to provide educators with a practical overview of dyslexia. To begin, we will cover relevant background information, exploring brain research related to dyslexia, dyslexia myths, and practices not aligned with research. Next, we will discuss the role of screening and practice using the PAST. We will conclude with a quick review of effective teaching practices and a dive into the Illinois Dyslexia Handbook.

Registration closes 4-5 days prior to the event unless tickets are sold out.

PD Co-op member districts $175.00 Non PD Co-op districts $200.00 Are you interested in attracting, hiring, and sustaining more teachers and leaders of color but you do not know where to start? Then this session is for you! During this virtual academy, strategies will be shared to increase the number of teachers & leaders of color you attract, improve your hiring process with a focus on candidates of color, and support those educators through the years. To participate in the virtual workshop, you must have Internet access, a web camera, and a microphone (note a link with handouts and instructions will be sent prior to the event date

This session aims to provide upper elementary educators in grades 3-6 with a practical overview of the science of reading. We'll begin by delving into relevant background information, exploring the brain processes involved in reading and essential conceptual frameworks like the Reading Rope. Transitioning from theory to practice, we'll briefly cover phonics basics such as the alphabetic principle, blends, digraphs, syllable types, and multi-syllabic word decoding. Moving beyond fundamentals, we'll delve into vocabulary and morphology instruction, alongside strategies for promoting fluency. Finally, we'll conclude by focusing on facilitating student text engagement and support strategies to maximize reading instruction. Registration will close 4-5 days prior to the event unless tickets are sold out.

Note: This event will be held at Central Jr. High (library) 1801 Central School Rd. Belleville, IL 62220.   This free interactive training session sponsored by the Congressional Medal of Honor Society   https://www.cmohs.org/  (with lunch on site) will provide you with all the tools you need to bring the Medal of Honor Character Development Program into your 6-12 classroom. The flexible, cross-curricular resource, which uses the oral histories of Medal of Honor Recipients and citizen heroes, focuses on how students can use these examples of courage, commitment, sacrifice, integrity, citizenship and patriotism to influence change in their own communities. Middle and high school teachers from all subject areas along with counselors, coaches, and administrators are invited to attend this free training. Participants will need to bring a fully charged device to this workshop.  Spots are limited - registration closes 4-5 days prior to the event date unless tickets are sold out.

How do we help all of our 6-12 students do the work of learning, with care — as best they currently can? I've spent the past ten years of my teaching career reading, experimenting, and interviewing experts about what lies at the heart of student motivation. What I’ve found is straightforward: for our students to flourish long-term and move toward mastery, they need to be motivated from the inside-out. Specifically, they need to believe five key things.

• Credibility: I have a good teacher.
• Value: This work matters to me.
• Belonging: People like me belong in classes like this.
• Effort: I can improve my knowledge and skills through effort.
• Efficacy: I can succeed at the challenges this class presents.

Cultivating these five key beliefs in the heart of each learner doesn't mean becoming a miracle worker or a workaholic. Instead, it takes understanding how the beliefs work in the heart of a learner and what evidence-based strategies most efficiently help them to grow. Participants will:

• Understand how the belief spectrum works to help or hinder motivated student learning;
• Apply simple, robust methods for cultivating the Credibility, Value, and Effort beliefs in every classroom;
• Understand how motivation relates to engagement and why the difference can help us find efficiencies in the face of overwhelming demands on our time; and
• Leave with practical next steps for teaching and learning.

  Advance Reading or Viewing (optional)

• A Micro-Primer on How Motivation Works in People, Why Demoralization is So Prevalent Right Now Amongst Teachers, and What We Can Do About It
• Five Key Beliefs: The Source of Abbe's Superpowers
• Students Won't Read? Start with Their Beliefs
• The Five Key Beliefs that Motivate Student Writers
• The #1 Place in School Where Students' Key Beliefs are Shaped
• When It Comes to Student Motivation, There Are No Novices
• Livestream Recording: A Conversation with Nancy Frey and Doug Fisher re: Motivation Amidst the Closures

     

Dave Stuart Jr.

• Husband and father who refuses to sacrifice family on the altar of professional success.
• Bestselling author of The Will to Learn and These 6 Things — beloved by teachers in dozens of countries.
• Online PD developer on student motivation, teacher credibility, classroom management, and time management.
• Keynote speaker at conferences and events. Spoken in over 45 states and internationally.
• Popular writer on literacy, motivation, and the inner work of teaching; 50,000+ monthly readers.
• Award-winning educator who leads workshops for teachers around the world.

Registrations will close 5 days prior to the event date unless tickets are sold out.

What if the key to increasing the long-term impact of our 6-12 classrooms and schools was doing fewer things much better? In These 6 Things, I lay out a practical, research-backed manifesto for doing focusing on six areas of professional practice for the sake of building sustainable, high-impact classrooms all across the school day. It is my firm belief, and the workshop will be rife with the evidence to support this, that if educators and coaches and administrators, particularly in secondary and upper elementary settings, became experts at these six things, then so much of the rest would take care of itself. From increasing student achievement scores, to moving forward building literacy initiatives, to improving inter- and intra-departmental collaboration, to making the school day a lot more sensible to our students — These 6 Things is a session that can help.   https://davestuartjr.com/

Dave Stuart Jr.

• Husband and father who refuses to sacrifice family on the altar of professional success.
• Bestselling author of The Will to Learn and These 6 Things — beloved by teachers in dozens of countries.
• Online PD developer on student motivation, teacher credibility, classroom management, and time management.
• Keynote speaker at conferences and events. Spoken in over 45 states and internationally.
• Popular writer on literacy, motivation, and the inner work of teaching; 50,000+ monthly readers.
• Award-winning educator who leads workshops for teachers around the world.

Registration closes 5 days prior to the event unless tickets are sold out.

 Join Dana Fredwell, Instructional Technology Coach from Mascoutah # 19 in this interactive session on AI.  This workshop aims to equip secondary educators with the knowledge and skills to effectively integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into their teaching practices. Participants will explore various AI tools and platforms tailored for personalized learning, differentiate instruction using AI, and discuss strategies for leveraging AI in the classroom to enhance student engagement and achievement. Please bring a fully charged device with you to this session. Registration closes 4-5 days prior to the event date unless tickets are sold out.