PD Webinars- Advancing Online Learning for Educators

An Education Week PD Webinar With Alan Blankstein

Tuesday, June 5, 2012, 2 to 3 p.m. ET.

Many students face significant obstacles in day-to-day learning, including learning disabilities or differences, language barriers, behavioral problems, socio-economic disadvantages, and family difficulties. How can educators ensure the success of these students in addition to more mainstream students? According to prominent education author and speaker Alan M. Blankstein, the answer lies in building resourceful and confident school cultures.

Blankstein will identify concrete strategies for creating that kind of culture in your school or district. You will learn how to put into place goal-oriented collaborative teams, develop comprehensive prevention and intervention systems, and use effective methods to evaluate student work.

Expert Presenters:

Alan M. Blankstein is the founder and president of the HOPE Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting education leaders in creating effective learning cultures where failure is not an option for any student. He is the author of Failure is Not an Option: Six Principles That Guide Student Achievement in High-Performing Schools® and The Answer Is in the Room: How Effective Schools Scale Up Student Success. A widely-recognized speaker on school improvement, Blankstein has also provided keynote addresses at conferences throughout the world and for many major educational organizations in the United States.

Moderator:
Anthony Rebora, managing editor, Education Week Teacher and Teacher PD Sourcebook

Available On-Demand

Three Part Series: Reading the Future: New Directions in Literacy and Language Arts Instruction

Literacy and language arts education today is in a period of profound transition and development. Advances in digital technology, the adoption of new common standards, and refinements in instructional practice all present new challenges and opportunities for teachers. In this webinar series, top names in the field will explore these changes and provide actionable advice on adapting to new understandings and methodologies, accessing powerful resources, and providing the best instruction possible to your students.

View this on-demand webinar.

New personal technology platforms, including tablet computers, have had a profound effect on literacy education for students with disabilities. For example, some students with autism have new ways of effectively communicating via applications on their tablets. Students with print disabilities now have access to the same books as their classmates, thanks to free digital book-sharing services that provide audio or special, dynamic text versions. And some deaf students are getting a better grasp of English by using sign-language translation apps on their iPads. In this webinar, two experts in assistive technology will bring you up to date on the platforms and programs that educators are using to enhance literacy learning for students with disabilities and reveal what changes and improvements can be expected in the near future. Our experts will also discuss how teachers are integrating new assistive technologies into their lessons and planning and offer practical tips on transitioning from paper-based classroom environments.

Expert Presenters:

David H. Rose, an award-winning developmental neuropsychologist, is the founder and chief education officer Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST). He is the co-author of Teaching Every Student in the Digital Age: Universal Design for Learning and Learning to Read in the Computer Age and editor of The Universally Designed Classroom: Accessible Curriculum and Digital Technologies. Rose regularly advises state departments of education on policies related to students with disabilities and assistive technology.

Glinda Hill is an education program specialist at the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), where she oversees work on accessible educational materials. She currently manages several discretionary projects in technology, accessibility, and personnel development. Prior to joining the Department, Hill worked as a special educator in Chicago and Nashville and directed a regional program serving infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families at Vanderbilt University.

Moderator:
Nirvi Shah, staff writer, Education Week

View this on-demand webinar.

Forty-five states and the District of Columbia have adopted the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts, with implementation scheduled to take place over the next few years. Among other changes, the common standards place new emphases on independent learning, textual complexity, and the use of informational or nonfiction texts. Are you prepared for the instructional shifts such changes will require? In this webinar, 2010 National Teacher of the Year Sarah Brown Wessling will take you inside the CCSS documentation and explain what the standards mean in practical instructional terms. Wessling will explore ways teachers can begin integrating the language arts standards into their planning and contextualizing them in relation to the specific learning needs of their own students. Get your questions answered in an extensive Q&A segment. While Wessling teaches at the high school level, she is prepared to discuss the ELA common standards for earlier grades as well.

Expert Presenters:

Sarah Brown Wessling, the 2010 National Teacher of the Year, is an English teacher and professional development coordinator at Johnston Senior High School in Johnston, Iowa. A National Board-certified teacher in English/language arts and widely sought speaker, Wessling is the co-author of the recently published Supporting Students in a Time of Core Standards: English Language Arts, Grades 9-12. She is the current Teacher Laureate for the Teaching Channel.

Moderator:
Anthony Rebora, managing editor, Education Week Teacher and Teacher PD Sourcebook

View this on-demand webinar.

Basal readers and one-size-fits-all literacy curricula weren’t getting Gail Boushey and Joan Moser the results they’d hoped to see from their young student readers. So the two veteran teachers, who are also biological sisters, delved into the most current reading research to design their own reading system—and “CAFE” was born. An acronym for comprehension, accuracy, fluency, and expanding vocabulary, CAFE is a way for teachers to work methodically through the literacy standards based on individual student needs. Teachers regularly assess students in small, flexible groups or one-on-one, and adjust their individualized instruction accordingly. Once Boushey and Moser implemented the system in their own classroom, their students began to average 2 1/2 years of growth in reading annually. In this webinar, Boushey and Moser, now literacy consultants, will give a brief overview of the CAFE system and answer your questions on implementing a systemized approach to reading instruction. Among other topics, they will discuss formative assessment, grouping, goal-setting, current research on reading instruction, and evolving best practices for literacy educators.

Expert Presenter:

Gail Boushey and Joan Moser, known to many as “The Sisters,” are veteran K-6 teachers turned renowned literacy consultants. They are the authors of The Daily 5: Fostering Literacy Independence in the Elementary Grades and The CAFE Book: Engaging all Students in Daily Literacy Assessment and Instruction. They are nationally known consultants specializing in literacy, assessment, and creating beautiful spaces for learning in classrooms.

Moderator:
Liana Heitin, associate editor, Education Week Teacher and Teacher PD Sourcebook

Three Part Series: Reaching All Learners: Tools and Strategies for Teaching Diverse-Needs Students

Many teachers today feel overwhelmed by the wide range of their students' learning needs and levels of preparedness. This webinar series is designed to provide background and actionable tips in key pedagogical areas to help teachers better identify and respond to students' unique gaps and capabilities. All sessions will highlight concrete strategies for managing diverse-needs classrooms, developing knowledge and skills, and maximizing students' learning potential.

View this on-demand webinar.

Differentiated instruction—the practice of accommodating and building on students' diverse learning needs—is often prescribed as a key to effective pedagogy today. But as many teachers know, it can be extremely difficult to implement successfully and—to make matters worse—is often subject to varied, sometimes perplexing interpretations. In this webinar, two educators with direct experience in working with diverse-needs students will seek to demystify differentiated instruction and offer actionable strategies to help teachers make this practice work in their classrooms. Topics to be discussed include classroom management, effective grouping, formative assessment, and skills development.

Expert Presenters:

Vicki Gibson, Ph.D., is a nationally known education consultant and trainer. A former kindergarten teacher, learning disability specialist, and school leader, she is the author of a number of books on effective pedagogy, including Differentiated Instruction: Grouping for Success. Ms. Gibson is the chair and president of Gibson Hasbrouck & Associates, a consulting group focused on providing research-based and skills-focused professional development.

Katie Hull Sypnieski recognized by peers as a master of differentiated instruction, is an English and English Language Development teacher at Luther Burbank High School in Sacramento, Calif. In her 15 years as an educator, she has taught English-language learning at all grade levels. She has also served as a teaching consultant in writing for the University of California-Davis School of Education and as a district lead trainer for the WRITE Institute.

Moderator:
Anthony Rebora, managing editor, Education Week Teacher and Teacher PD Sourcebook

View this on-demand webinar.

In this webinar, two instructional intervention experts will provide research-based guidance for planning and implementing reading interventions to meet the varying needs of students. Jeanne Wanzek, a leading researcher on literacy development, will describe strategies for pinpointing—and subsequently addressing—core instructional problems in reading. School district consultant Amanda VanDerHeyden will discuss how to identify students in need of additional support, match them with the "right" intervention, and monitor progress. Both experts will highlight websites with free resources and intervention protocols that teachers can begin using right away.

Expert Presenters:

Jeanne Wanzek, Ph.D., is an assistant professor at Florida State University and is on the research faculty at the Florida Center for Reading Research. She is a former special educator and elementary teacher. Ms. Wanzek conducts research examining effective reading instruction and intervention for students with reading difficulties and disabilities.

Amanda M. VanDerHeyden, Ph.D., is a private consultant and researcher who has worked as a researcher, consultant, and national trainer in a number of school districts and published more than 60 scholarly articles and book chapters related to response to intervention. In 2006, Ms. VanDerHeyden was named to a National Center for Learning Disabilities advisory panel to provide guidance related to RTI. She co-authored Essentials of Response to Intervention and also serves as research advisor to iSTEEP, a web-based data management system.

Moderator:
Liana Heitin, associate editor, Education Week Teacher and Teacher PD Sourcebook

View this on-demand webinar.

In this webinar, renowned psychologist Carol Dweck will discuss how teachers can use new discoveries in cognitive development to improve student motivation and engagement. Through her intensive research, Ms. Dweck has found that students who believe intelligence is a fixed quality are more likely to avoid challenging tasks, while students who believe intelligence can be developed with effort tend to be more successful. She'll discuss some of the most common mistakes teachers make in trying to motivate students and detail strategies for promoting a "growth mindset" rather than "fixed mindset" in the classroom.

Expert Presenter:

Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D., author of Mindset: The New Science of Success, is the Lewis and Virginia Eaton Professor of Psychology at Stanford University. Her research focuses on why students succeed and how to foster their success. She has held professorships at Columbia and Harvard Universities and has lectured and worked with schools and other organizations all over the world. She is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and recently won the Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award from the American Psychological Association—the highest honor in psychology.

Moderator:
Liana Heitin, associate editor, Education Week Teacher and Teacher PD Sourcebook

Underwriting for the content of this webinar has been provided by The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.

Two Part STEM Series: Outside Learning and Student Engagement

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics—or STEM—coursework ultimately teaches students to solve problems and design solutions in a way that they'll be asked to do in the workplace and in life. This STEM webinar series will help you integrate real world, outside materials and relevant concepts to help keep students engaged.

Choose one of these vital webinars for just $49, or select both and pay only $89.

Underwriting for the content of this webinar has been provided by The GE Foundation.

View this on-demand webinar.

Thanks to advances in technology and a growing interest in partnership programs, teachers of science, technology, engineering, and math have a greater number of high-quality resources from outside the classroom at their disposal than ever before. This can enable teachers to take on new, applied-knowledge projects with their students. And it can at once make teaching more exciting and more complicated. In this webinar, you'll learn how innovative STEM teachers are locating and coordinating outside materials and expertise and integrating them into their curriculum and instruction—taking on the role of a project manager. The presentation will also explore how the effective use of such resources can enhance students' content knowledge and problem-solving skills.

Expert Presenters:

Susan A. Pruet is the Director of Engaging Youth Through Engineering (EYE), a community partnership program of the Mobile (Ala.) Area Education Foundation that aims to link science and math curricula with real-life engineering projects. She is a former middle grades mathematics teacher and mathematics education professor.

Deborah L. Ives is the mathematics instructional leader in the Morristown, N.J., school district and Llad content advisor for WNET THIRTEEN's Get the Math program. She has led curriculum design and implementation projects in engineering and aerospace.

Moderator:
Anthony Rebora, managing editor, Education Week Teacher and Teacher PD Sourcebook

View this on-demand webinar.

Women, minorities, and people from economically disadvantaged backgrounds have long been underrepresented in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math. In fact, President Obama has made it a priority to strengthen STEM education in this country, both by preparing new teachers and expanding education and career opportunities for underrepresented groups. Yet many teachers are struggling now with how to get students from all demographics involved in and energized about advanced STEM subjects.

In this webinar, you will learn about specific programs and strategies for engaging students—in particular those who are statistically less likely to pursue STEM careers—in science and related academic areas. You will discover, among other topics, how teachers can put concepts in context to help students see STEM's relevance to their daily lives.

Expert Presenters:

Dr. Mary Kirchhoff, Ph.D., is the director of the Education Division at the American Chemical Society. She previously served as chair of the Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics at Trinity College in Washington, D.C. She has also worked with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's green chemistry program and is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Regis Goode is a science teacher at Ridge View High School in Columbia, S.C. She worked as a chemist for 10 years, focusing on environmental analysis, before becoming a high school teacher. She received her National Board Certification in 2001.

Moderator:
Liana Heitin, associate editor, Education Week Teacher and Teacher PD Sourcebook