Session Schedule: August 2014

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Monday, August 18

1:00 PM (* asterisk denotes repeated session, check schedule for time and location)

Library (How Big is Your Brave?, A. Maiers) No one doubts that bravery is essential if we are to lead and succeed. What does BRAVE look like? How does BRAVE act and behave? And most importantly how big can YOUR BRAVE be? This presentation puts these elusive concepts of leadership and learning into place.
103 (*Professional, Proactive, & Productive, 6-12, C. Anderson) Secondary Proactive Classroom Management is a great way to turn your classroom into a "well oiled machine." Routines and procedures will help it run smoothly and effectively. Come learn how to best implement the concepts taught by RSVP for ProActive Classroom Management and create your own classroom filled with learning and positive relationships!
104 (*Fostering Grit, C. Lee) Grit is tenacity, hanging in, being resilient, not giving up, and forging ahead despite difficulties. Do you have the grit to create a classroom that fosters not only the three R's but also teaches our students to have grit? Come join us and learn the nitty-gritty of grit!
106 (Check Please!, T. Utley) How many times have you used "thumbs up or thumbs down"? Would you like some alternatives? Checking for understanding is a great way to encourage participation, make a quick assessment, decrease down time, and keep learning at a maximum. Come check out this session for a variety of strategies, tips, and ideas on how to check for student understanding. Can I get a thumbs up?
110 (Active Learning for Beginning of Year, PK-5, K. LaBlue, P. Kniffin) Remember those wiggly kids from last year? Remember how they drove you crazy some days? It can be difficult to be a kid, especially when you like to move, fidget, and wiggle. Come explore all the materials available to accommodate those active learners in a positive, supportive, less stressful manner. Get your groove on. You'll be glad you did!
Old Gym (*Teaching Soft Skills in KickStart, 6-12, B. Mendez) This session is an interactive approach to show how Kickstart kids introduce the values of discipline, respect, and inner strength while setting daily classroom standards and pre-framing student performance expectations. Come see how to "kickstart" your school year!
202 (Cool Tools for Parents, H. Witherwax) How can we help parents deal with stress in the fast paced world in which we live? This session will offer quick, easy-to-use strategies that will positively enhance the time parents have with their children. Be the cool parenting person with these tools!
204 (*Pick Me! Pick Me!, K. Ramsey) Ever wonder what the best advice is for team formation? If so, this is the session for you! Kagan has several recommendations for forming mixed ability teams. Learn how to best put your students into cooperative groups so that they are engaged, pay attention, and are motivated to learn!
205 (Proactive Discipline in Secondary Classrooms to Prevent Chronic Misbehavior, R. Lester) Come join us for a session geared to help new and existing teachers on ways to prevent and/or address behavior concerns. Attendees will learn the concepts from the Safe & Civil Schools positive discipline approaches, of CHAMPS (Elementary) & ACHIEVE (Secondary). Activities and handouts will help participants plan for the upcoming school year.
206 (Functional Fun! Increasing Engagement, C. Merritt, K. Hoke) By building mutual support among all students in a class, we can create a classroom community in which learning becomes a positive endeavor. Students become empowered and feel a sense of ownership that increases engagement through fun interactions with all members of the classroom. Students are provided opportunities to do some of their favorite things: be out of their seats, moving around, and interacting with other students and with academic content. But relax. It's not a free-for-all, but completely structured!
413 (Using Music to Teach Secondary Students, 6-12, J. Steels) Your students may not remember important moments in history or how to work a algebraic equation, but you can bet they know every word to their favorite song! Why not tie the two together? Music is a great tool on which to "hang academic knowledge" to increase student learning. Come hear the music. You just might learn something.
415 (Using Google Drive to Streamline Engage Learning, 4-12, D. Sawyer, E. Hulsman) This session will help you ease the grading process for Engage Learning and increase parent involvement. We will use spreadsheets and the comment feature to explore easy ways to grade student progress and help keep parents informed.

2:00 PM (* asterisk denotes repeated session, check schedule for time and location)

Cafeteria (*Education Foundation Grant Training, D. Baletka) Each year teachers write grants and receive funding for supplies and activities for their classrooms through the Navasota ISD Education Foundation. To be eligible to submit a grant, all teachers must go through this training every two years.
204 (*Is Marilyn Monroe Kin to the Monroe Doctrine? Solving History's Mysteries, 6-12, K. Day) Bring your toughest history lessons that you have to teach and let's brainstorm possible ideas. Based on 32 years of teaching and workshops, there will be suggestions for songs, activities, reviews, videos and whatever ideas that might help you plan your lessons.
401 (*So Much, So Close, City of Navasota) The City of Navasota has multiple areas where citizens and volunteers can participate in community events, as well as growth and development. The City has volunteer positions in boards and commissions, as well as community events such as Texas Birthday Bash, Home for the Holidays, Blues, Bluebonnets and BBQ, among others. The City seeks to continue to develop relationships with district personnel and create a synergy to continue to improve our great community.
403 (Rubrics Don't Have to be Barbaric, C. Moreland) Is it a challenge to write a rubric? I will share what I have learned that has saved me time in writing rubrics with the Engage Learning Model. Participants will have a chance to work on their standards and fit them into rubric format. Participants are encouraged to bring a copy of their TEKS (digital/hard copy).
404 (*Drive Your Own Professional Development, J. Moreland) We all like to be in the driver's seat! Just like our students, we all like to have a choice! Why not drive your own professional development and choose the route your learning takes you? Come learn more about how to do this!
602 (*Skyward: The 2nd Year and Beyond, K. Finke) Skyward, after the first year of learning the basics, is the topic for this session. You know how to take attendance and how to enter grades, but what other things can you do in Skyward?
603 (*Strategies to be a Classroom Whisperer, N. Robinson) This is a short presentation on strategies on classroom management and instruction to improve the culture of your classroom. This is a presentation for first time and young teachers to improve management skills and veteran teachers to learn new skills.
604 (Seriously? That's How it Works? School Finance Basics, T. Seymore, D. Morgan) In 50 short minutes, you can learn more about school finance than most of the legislators that vote on school finance legislation.
607 (*Foundations of Dyslexia K. Marshall) This presentation will cover the foundations of Dyslexia, including: definition and characteristics of dyslexia, educational research on dyslexia and English Language Learners, The Dyslexia Handbook, litigation and legislation.
608 (Teacher STAAR Progress Report, C. Woehler) There is a new measurement criteria to use when analyzing student STAAR/EOC data in Eduphoria. Learn more about the Quick View "Teacher STAAR Progress Report".
609 (*Board Talk, R. Gesch) Informal conversation with members of the Navasota ISD Board of Trustees and Superintendent of Schools.
702 (*Creative Assessments, 3-12, J. Barrett) We all know that all our students are not the same, so why should we make them all do the exact same assignments? Workshop will cover creating assessments that encourage student choice and "safe" failure. Workshop will look at specific Word and Excel files that can be used by teachers, of all content areas, to provide choice and hopefully motivation.
709 (*iPads Tips & Tricks, C. Martin) iPads are becoming more and more prevalent in classrooms. Here are some tips and tricks for beginning users, or for those who may just want to know more about their device.
710 (*Add-ons for Google Docs, D. Wilson) Plug-in scripts and apps for Google Docs - some useful for teachers, some useful for students, some for both
706 (*TEKS Resource Navigation, J. Nickle, K. Meschke) Introduction to TEKS Resource online platform; basic navigation and access to relevant documents.

3:00 PM (* asterisk denotes repeated session, check schedule for time and location)

Cafeteria (*Education Foundation Grant Training, D. Baletka) Each year teachers write grants and receive funding for supplies and activities for their classrooms through the Education Foundation. To be eligible to submit a grant, all teachers must go through this training every two years.
401 (*A Framework for Understanding Poverty, K. Oncken) This presentation is developed by Ruby Payne, Ph.D. to help educators better understand students that live in poverty.
403 (*Google Extensions, C. Smith, L. Nobles) Extensions are extra features and functionality that you can easily add to Google Chrome. Come check out how to get the most out of Google Chrome.
404 (*Take a Spin Through Google Drive, J. Moreland) Come take a spin through Google Drive and learn about some of the basic features of Google's vehicle for communication, collaboration, and connectivity.
501 (*PLN Speed Dating, Ronnie Gonzalez) Have you ever experienced speed dating? It's a fantastic way to meet new, exceptional people in minutes. Basically, you sit across the table from these intriguing people and share a little about yourself. After a minute of sharing something about yourself the person across from you will share their experiences for one minute. You then move on to meet someone new and exciting. What if we took this concept, “tweaked” it a bit, and put an educational spin on it? What if we told you that you could walk away from this session with 24 new ideas, new instructional strategies, new educational websites, new people to network with, or simply the possibility of meeting new passionate educators just like you? What if we could do this all in 48 minutes? Would you be willing to take the leap and PLN speed date?
602 (*Emergency Management, D. Bowman) Did you know there is a Teacher Emergency Guide in your classroom? Do you know what to do in the event of a fire, severe weather, or bomb threat? Come find out why preparation is important and how to be a leader during an emergency.
603 (*Facilitation, K. Austin, S. Charles, H. Gesch) This session will give you tips and pointers of the dos and don'ts of becoming the facilitator of learning in your classroom.
604 (*So Many Books, So Little Time, PK-5, H. Wisnoski) Show an assortment of fiction/nonfiction books that can be used throughout the curriculum for elementary classrooms.
CANCELED 606 (iStation, 3-8, M. Brewer) Come learn about iStation and how it could help you in your classroom. (possible reschedule for Tue. or Wed.)
607 (*Leading is Accepting Responsibility, R. Gesch) Come join the superintendent in a conversation about education in the past, present, and future in Navasota ISD.
608 (How to Analyze CBA & STAAR Data, C. Woehler) Eduphoria is a powerful program to use when analyzing any testing data, especially when you have copies of the tests used. Come to this session to learn how to use different Quick Views in Eduphoria to analyze your data and impact your instructional strategies.
609 (*Foldables in the Classroom, 3-12, M. Wilkinson) Foldables are study organizers that are 3- dimensional, interactive graphic organizers that can help your students organize, remember, review, and learn many kinds of information. They encourage students to use their creativity in a kinesthetic learning environment while reinforcing important thinking and communication skills.
702 (*Gamifying a Classroom, 4-12, J. Barrett) Discuss the method by which a teacher may turn the classroom/grading system into a model based on video/board games. Model applies to grades above 3rd grade and encourages students to choose assignments and engage in activities and lessons that they are attracted to.
709 (*Strategies to Boost Student Vocabulary Development, PK-5, O. Aguinaga, K. Hinojosa) This presentation gives teachers fun ways to improve students' vocabulary development specifically targeting ELLs.
710 (*TEKS Resource Navigation, J. Nickle, K. Meschke) Introduction to TEKS Resource online platform; basic navigation and access to relevant documents.
706 (*Ready, Set, Go with Your Classroom Pages!, M. Guerrero, C. Smith) Teachers will be shown how to access their class pages. A brief overview of what's available on the class pages will be shown (adding links, profile photos, photo albums, calendars, and more) Time will be given for teachers to set up their class pages for the first day of school. An example page will be shown to give PBL teachers an idea on how to organize the online resources for parents and students. This session will be held in a computer lab, but feel free to bring your own laptop.

Tuesday, August 19

8:30 AM (* asterisk denotes repeated session, check schedule for time and location)

Library (*Boys At-Risk: A Game Plan for Reversing the Trend - PART 1, Dakota Hoyt -Gurian Institute) This session equips educators with the science and strategies to confront the institutional structures that confine boys and the classroom instruction that fails to connect with their hearts, bodies, and brains.
Cafeteria (Google Tips & Tricks, T. Nesloney, A. Marvel ) Google's latest updates to Gmail, Docs, and more help you stay organized and improve productivity.
401 (*A Framework for Understanding Poverty, K. Oncken) This presentation is developed by Ruby Payne, Ph.D. to help educators better understand students that live in poverty.
403 (*Augmented Reality 101, M. Donnelly) This presentation will introduce you to a few examples of ways to use Augmented Reality (AR) in your classroom. We will go over how I have used AR in an elementary classroom along with other potential uses. After this you will be given time to work on creating an AR experience. You should bring one or multiple devices including tablets, laptops, or smart phones. You can sign up for a free Daqri 4D Studio account for educators at http://goo.gl/ijiflA (DAQRI 4D Studio) and you should also download the Aurasma App on your smartphone, tablet, or both!
404 (*Association of Texas Professional Educators, M. Burgess) Information regarding ATPE.
415 (*Using Eduphoria to Grade Your Tests, 6-12, P. Downie) The "Aware" application in Eduphoria can be used to create exams and scantrons. During this presentation you will learn how to use Eduphoria to create exams and scantrons. This application can accompany your favorite text making program by making a custom scantron for each of your students. Tests can be graded in minutes.
501 (*Am I Going to Learn or Do Something Else?, Dr. Vickie Phelps) Participants will deepen their understanding of the role of students as volunteers along with the the key concepts underlying the learning platform: engagement, design qualities, design, transformation, and the redefined roles of teacher and student.
602 (Have Your Bucks in a Row, T. Seymore) If you sponsor a student group that has an activity account, you need to make sure you HAVE YOUR BUCKS IN A ROW!
603 (Teaching with the Student Expectations in Mind, N. Robinson) This presentation focus is for core teachers to keep student expectations from the TEKS in mind in the classroom. This is just time to know what the state mandated test are looking for students to know and where to find easy accessible information about the SE's.
604 (Library 101, H. Wisnoski) Where we can gather together to learn about what the library has to offer.
606 (But He Needs Help! , R. Calhoun, C. Welch, S. Boudreaux, K. Roberts) Teachers and administrators often are curious about the process required for a student to qualify for special education services. This session will give basic information about students with Emotional Disturbance and Autism.
607 (Google Drive Will Help it All Work Out, D. Sawyer, E. Hulsman) Learn how to use your Google Drive to streamline the management of student projects and incorporate more parental involvement within your class.
608 (*Drive Your Own Professional Development, J. Moreland) We all like to be in the driver's seat! Just like our students, we all like to have a choice! Why not drive your own professional development and choose the route your learning takes you? Come learn more about how to do this!
609 (*Let's Go Mining, Data Mining That Is, K. Finke) We now have one year of using Skyward behind us, and we have learned most of the basics to using this system. However, our training on data mining was fast and furious. Let's learn more about data mining and creating reports and labels and creating spreadsheets with data that may be used for creating mail merge documents. Bring a list of things you would like to learn more about, and we will see if we can conquer it. We will "fly by the seat of our pants" in this session and address issues as they arise during our discussion. Designed for office personnel who works with data mining in Skyward.
703 (*Using Video to Engage Students, J. Henson) The availability of classroom-friendly film and video formats and tools has made it easier than ever to use video to engage students in learning. Come learn about video workflow systems (iPad related), flexible rubrics, implementation ideas, and good and less-than-good examples of previous projects and work.
709 (*iPads Tips & Tricks, C. Martin) iPads are becoming more and more prevalent in classrooms. Here are some tips and tricks for beginning users, or for those who may just want to know more about their device.
710 (*TEKS Resource Navigation, J. Nickle, K. Meschke) Introduction to TEKS Resource online platform; basic navigation and access to relevant documents.
706 (*"Classroom" by Google, 4-12, M. Guerrero, C. Moreland) Classroom will be part of Google Apps for Education, a free suite of productivity tools including Gmail, Docs and Drive. Classroom is designed to help teachers create and collect assignments paperlessly, including time-saving features like the ability to automatically make a copy of a Google Document for each student. It also creates Drive folders for each assignment and for each student to help keep everyone organized. Students can keep track of what’s due on the Assignments page and begin working with just a click. Teachers can quickly see who has or hasn't completed the work, and provide direct, real-time feedback and grades right in Classroom.

9:30 AM (* asterisk denotes repeated session, check schedule for time and location)

Library (*Boys At-Risk: A Game Plan for Reversing the Trend - PART 2, Dakota Hoyt -Gurian Institute) This session equips educators with the science and strategies to confront the institutional structures that confine boys and the classroom instruction that fails to connect with their hearts, bodies, and brains.
103 (Promoting Agency in Middle School Students, Kevin Haggerty) A significant number of students struggle academically or fail to reach their full potential in school. Often these students exhibit low motivation, have limited self-efficacy, experience strained relationships with educators, and are disengaged in the classroom. Student agency has been defined as the mindset and actions that students exhibit in the context of schooling that leads to social, emotional, and academic success. This workshop will emphasize evidence based teacher-delivered practice that teachers can use in the classroom to encourage agency among students.
104 (*Are They Getting It? Tips & Techniques to Check for Student Understanding, S. Chapman) In this session, you’ll learn how checking for student understanding can deepen student learning and give teachers the information they need to make instructional decisions. Learn quick formative assessment techniques you can use at various points in a lesson to ensure students understand the learning target and have feedback on their performance.
106 (10x2's Instead of 2x4's, L. Russell, B. Hunsaker, T. Utley, F. Mason) Understanding the impact ratios can have on students can lead you to creating increased student participation, increased student motivation, and better classroom relationships! Sound like a miracle? Come check it out and odds are you will leave a believer in the difference a few ratios can make!
110 (Cheers to You!, PK-5, K. LaBlue) Two bits, four bits, six bits a dollar, all for teaching stand up and holler! Explore how cheers, chants, and creating positive feedback can provide motivation for students to strive to give their best efforts daily!
112 (Glitter Skills, PK-5, G. Murray) Looking for the sparkle in every child can be a difficult task for some children. This session will help you find that sparkle, not just in your students but in people that you meet each day. Come get your glitter on and spread a little sparkle where ever you go!
Old Gym (*Relieving Stress with Yoga, J. Falco) All social emotional learning can only be successful when the teacher embraces his/her own social emotional needs. Come learn how you can decrease your stress through simple yoga methods. When your are "less stressed" your students will be "less stressed".
Library Lab (BrainConnect!, PK-5, L. Harrison, V. Sanders) How do we use learning styles to engage students in work stations? In this session, you will learn different activities to incorporate in work stations or centers that will reach learners of different learning styles. These activities will not only engage the different types of learners but they will also motivate students to become interested in their own learning.
202 (What Impact Do Kindness and Compassion Have?, 6-12, H. Witherwax) How can you incorporate Rachel’s Challenge in your classroom? Join us to learn the answers to these questions and find out how Rachel's Challenge can make a difference in your life.
204 (*Going with the Flo, PK-5, M. Cavazos) Looking for an easy way to engage your students in the learning experience? Let me introduce you to "Flocabulary". It is an easy to use, motivating, active teaching addition to any curriculum. Hear how easy it is to access and how it has been successfully used in Navasota elementary classrooms.
205 (Cooperative Learning Strategies Round Table, M. Wilkinson) Kagan cooperative learning strategies have been used to make students more involved in their learning. It is all about engagement! When students are engaged, they pay attention, they're motivated, they learn more, and the learning sticks. Each of these sessions promises to give useful techniques for engaging students to reach higher success in learning.
413 (Put a Song in Your Heart, PK-5, B. Parker) Is music an important part of your day? Think about how music affects everything you do. It's everywhere! Why not use it to support classroom instruction? The benefits of using music to teach are many! Come, sing, dance, smile, and learn how using music can make a difference in creating a positive learning environment rich in possibilities.
415 (*Do You Have Any Questions? Here's What I Want You To Do, D. Ghylin-Bennett) So are you stupid? Didn't you listen? Here's your work. Get to it. How's that working for you as a teacher? Want students to be more motivated? Want your students to participate in discussions more readily? If so, this session on questioning strategies and assigning strategies will help your students...and you! This interactive session will help you understand that how you question and how you assign can and will have a profound effect on classroom activities.
501 (*Am I Going to Learn or Do Something Else?, Dr. Vickie Phelps) Participants will deepen their understanding of the role of students as volunteers along with the the key concepts underlying the learning platform: engagement, design qualities, design, transformation, and the redefined roles of teacher and student.
710 (Using Flocabulary in the Secondary Classroom, 6-12, C. Merritt) Looking for an easy way to engage your students in the learning experience? Let me introduce you to "Flocabulary". It is an easy to use, motivating, active teaching addition to any curriculum. Hear how easy it is to access and how it has been successfully used in Navasota secondary classrooms.

10:30 AM (* asterisk denotes repeated session, check schedule for time and location)

Library (*Boys At-Risk: A Game Plan for Reversing the Trend - PART 1, Dakota Hoyt -Gurian Institute) This session equips educators with the science and strategies to confront the institutional structures that confine boys and the classroom instruction that fails to connect with their hearts, bodies, and brains.
Cafeteria (App Smackdown: Ladies-in-Pink vs Men-in-Black, M. Guerrero, C. Smith, C. Moreland, R. Gonzalez, K. Bradford, T. Nesloney, C. Martin, L. Nobles) Come watch, and participate, in this show-and-tell session about iPad apps for education.
401 (*Voices for Children - Casa of Brazos Valley, E. Becker, L. Lowey) Ensuring our children's safety is everyone's responsibility. This workshop will teach participants possible indicators of abuse or neglect, requirements for reporting to the appropriate authorities, as well as responding to a child when they disclose abuse or neglect.
403 (*Board Talk, R. Gesch) Informal conversation with members of the Navasota ISD Board of Trustees and Superintendent of Schools.
404 (*Association of Texas Professional Educators, M. Burgess) Information regarding ATPE.
501 (*Am I Going to Learn or Do Something Else?, Dr. Vickie Phelps) Participants will deepen their understanding of the role of students as volunteers along with the the key concepts underlying the learning platform: engagement, design qualities, design, transformation, and the redefined roles of teacher and student.
601 (How to Handle Difficult Situations, K. Finke, M. Hudspeth) Difficult people aren't necessarily "difficult," and conflict isn't always a "bad" thing. Learn to see people and conflict in a new way, and develop a solid procedure for dealing with both in your personal and professional lives. Learn the art of Constructive Confrontation--maintaining your cool in difficult situations and communicating for conflict resolution.
602 (*X-Rays or Autopsies: Formative Assessment, L. Bailey) Formative assessment plays an important role in student learning. Emphasizing the instructional side of formative assessment, this session explores the use of classroom questioning and timely feedback to facilitate effective learning environments for students.
603 (*Facilitation, K. Austin, S. Charles, H. Gesch) This session will give you tips and pointers of the dos and don'ts of becoming the facilitator of learning in your classroom.
604 (*So Many Books, So Little Time, H. Wisnoski) Show an assortment of fiction/nonfiction books that can be used throughout the curriculum for elementary classrooms.
606 (But He Needs Help! , R. Calhoun, C. Welch, S. Boudreaux) Teachers and administrators often are curious about the process of testing required for a student to qualify for special education services, and specifically why a student may not qualify. This session will give basic information about students referred for Learning Disabilities, Intellectual Deficiency and Speech/Language Disorders.
607 (*Foundations of Dyslexia, K. Marshall) This presentation will cover the foundations of Dyslexia, including: definition and characteristics of dyslexia, educational research on dyslexia and English Language Learners, The Dyslexia Handbook, litigation and legislation.
608 (Set up Monitoring Lists in Eduphoria, C. Woehler) Are you mentoring a group of students, but they are not in any of your scheduled classes? Do you want access to their historical testing data (CBAs, TAKS, STAAR)? Then you will want to attend this session to learn how to set up monitoring groups.
609 (*Foldables in the Classroom, 3-12, M. Wilkinson) Foldables are study organizers that are 3- dimensional, interactive graphic organizers that can help your students organize, remember, review, and learn many kinds of information. They encourage students to use their creativity in a kinesthetic learning environment while reinforcing important thinking and communication skills.
702 (*Creative Assessments, 3-12, J. Barrett) We all know that all our students are not the same, so why should we make them all do the exact same assignments? Workshop will cover creating assessments that encourage student choice and "safe" failure. Workshop will look at specific Word and Excel files that can be used by teachers, of all content areas, to provide choice and hopefully motivation.
703 (*Using Video to Engage Students, J. Henson) The availability of classroom-friendly film and video formats and tools has made it easier than ever to use video to engage students in learning. Come learn about video workflow systems (iPad related), flexible rubrics, implementation ideas, and good and less-than-good examples of previous projects and work.
709 (*Strategies to Boost Student Vocabulary Development, PK-5, O. Aguinaga, K. Hinojosa) This presentation gives teachers fun ways to improve students' vocabulary development specifically targeting ELLs.
710 (*Lesson Plans in Eduphoria, D. Wilson) How to: 1-Set up your planner, 2-Enter your lesson plans, 3-Manage your lesson plans, 4-Share your lesson plans with others on your team.
706 (Everything Certification, D. Morgan) Learn how to create an account, access, and update your teaching certificates online through the state's new Texas Education Agency Login System (TEAL).

LUNCH