Questions? Please see a staff member at the 2nd floor registration table.
| Time | Schedule |
|---|---|
| 8:30-9:00am | Registration & continental breakfast |
| 9:00-9:15am | Welcome and orientation to the day |
| 9:15-10:30am | Concurrent sessions |
| 10:30-10:45am | Break |
| 10:45-12:00pm | Concurrent sessions |
| 12:00-1:00pm | Lunch served |
| 1:00-2:15pm | Concurrent sessions |
| 2:15-2:30pm | Break |
| 2:30-3:45pm | Concurrent sessions |
| 3:45-4:00pm | Break |
| 4:00-4:45pm | Closing ceremony with speaker Kirstin Milks, Class of 2010 |
| 4:45-5:45pm | Reception |
What do Spanish grammar, French pronunciation, and Mandarin tones have to do with anything? This presentation will explore the ways in which world language classes can complement and extend learning in other disciplines, and how teachers of world language and other content areas can collaborate for interdisciplinary learning. We will share some examples of what we ACTUALLY do in the classroom that may surprise those who cringe at the thought of conjugation drills, dictations, and monotonous repetitions.
Why isn't teaching always considered a profession? What interests motivate and drive the national political conversation around education? How can we, as almost-STEP graduates, enter into this conversation as leaders, activists and advocates for our students and ourselves? In our conference presentation, we'll explore different national narratives about teaching and offer a set of talking points to help us-- and anyone-- effectively and respectfully talk about such important issues with folks who may disagree.
This practical workshop is designed for people who are sympathetic to LGBTQ issues and would like to grow as a functional ally. By the end of the session, attendees will have a greater understanding of:
Everyone is welcome regardless of knowledge, experience, or identity. This will be an interactive workshop followed by a Q&A.
“Schools are more than institutions where teachers impart skills and lessons; they are places where teachers transmit cultural knowledge... Education is as much about being inculcated with the ways of the 'culture of power' as it is about learning to read, count, and think critically.” (Prudence Carter) In our presentation we expand upon Carter’s characterization of schools and inquire into the role of hidden curricula that work to sustain the norms of a dominant culture. We examine explicit academic curricula and the implicit norms around student language, body, and emotions. What are examples of hidden curricula in our classrooms? How does this curricula privilege a dominant culture? To what extent are teachers complicit in the teaching and performance of dominant culture? Do teachers have a responsibility to teach students how to navigate and participate in the dominant culture? How are students impacted by the hidden rules of the dominant culture?
We believe that all teachers must be allies in movements for social justice. However, our presentation will move beyond this foundational belief in order to question the complex and potentially problematic role of white teachers. We will consider the definition of social justice and the implications of being a social justice oriented teacher. Through a combination of relevant theory, practices, and our own personal reflections, we hope to clarify our role as white teachers in the struggle for a more socially just education system. Guests will engage in group discussions and scenarios to develop strategies that will help build equitable and socially just classrooms.
Too often students end up sitting in classes, sitting at desks, sitting for hours, sitting… The monotonous, confining, stagnation of sitting in uncomfortable school desks without break is the sad reality students face on a daily basis. How can we change thisprogram of tedium? Simple: kinesthetics. In our presentation we explore what kinesthetics looks like in the classroom and the effects it has on academic learning, social emotional development, as well as the different effects on each gender. We explore different strategies andtechniques to add to your teaching repertoire and hear the perspectives of students in classes incorporating kinesthetics. Join us for these intellectual endeavours and a relaxing session of student-led yoga.
In traditional math classes students are often asked to be nothing more than passive learners , and success in math means simply memorizing rules and procedures and using these to perform rote drills and routine tasks. Students are also taught that there is one “right” way to do math, with no room for creativity or imagination. Students in these classrooms often develop anxiety surrounding doing math that limits student engagement, participation, and ultimately achievement. In contrast, we focus on student sense-making, exploration, and collaboration and our goal is for students to no longer look to the teacher as the owner of knowledge, but rather to their mathematical reasoning skills in order to justify their accuracy. In this discussion, we will explore ways in which teachers can focus on student sense-making and how this affects student outcomes and the development of a positive disposition toward mathematics. Math is fun and interesting – come let us prove it to you!
Do you remember your kindergarten teacher? Regardless of what kind of pre-elementary environment students are coming from, starting Kindergarten can be a huge transition in a child's life. We will explore the role of play in learning, standards in ECE and Kindergarten, transitional Kindergarten programs, and other elements of the Kindergarten and early elementary environment that affect students' experiences. Bring your inner child and come ready to play!
A large number of American children exhibit symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and this absolutely affects their lives in school. What can we as elementary teachers do to help students process stress, trauma, and violence? This presentation will include an overview of the need for social-emotional learning and a series of practical, interactive workshops to help classroom teachers better support their students. These workshops will include mindfulness practices, conflict resolution, restorative justice, empathy, and strategies for processing trauma.
What does it mean to teach for social justice and what is the role of teachers of color in this effort? A 2004 report indicated that increasing the percentage of teachers of color in classrooms was related to closing the achievement gap. Because teachers of color are essential to the increasingly diverse student body of the US, we examine the methods by which such teachers are prepared to enter the profession. Social justice pedagogy, or incorporating social justice to promote unity and mitigate institutional barriers, is a vital strategy in the classroom. This presentation examines the role of teacher preparation programs in preparing and supporting teachers of color. Through a case study of STEP, we examine the efficacy of different methods in creating a supportive environment for teachers of color. Through testimonials from STEP teacher candidates, a critical examination of educational research, and close analysis of methods used by teacher preparation programs across the nation, we offer suggestions for best practices that support teacher candidates of all backgrounds.
Language teachers cannot teach the target language without introducing and integrating culture. However, the teaching of culture can present unique challenges: What elements of culture do we teach? How do we portray the target culture? Does the target culture need to be foreign? We examine these questions and others as we begin to form our own beliefs about teaching students about culture. We will explain our own thoughts, invite audience participation, and offer some examples of best practices.
Every day, students enter our classrooms carrying far more than books in their backpacks. Academic and social pressures profoundly affect students’ holistic well-being and academic performance. How can we, as teachers, lighten their load through effective uses of Social-Emotional Learning? How can we make sure that classroom norms are more than just good intentions? In our conference, we will present practical SEL-based strategies to build classroom community and to strengthen students’ inter- and intra-personal skills.
Mathematics plays an important role in our everyday life. Basic math skills are used anywhere from balancing a checkbook to operating a register at a restaurant or interpreting and analyzing data. Being math literate is a must in order to be a competent member of society. Algebra especially has become a gatekeeper to success in college and career life. Unfortunately, access to mathematical success in school seems to be based on more than just merit. Too often race impacts student status, and their likelihood of taking and mastering challenging math classes. Issues of access, status, and tracking negatively impact student achievement, thus creating social inequities in and out of the math classroom. In this presentation, we will discuss some of the issues that affect academic achievement and college eligibility for students of color. We aim to raise awareness of the issues and discuss with the audience potential solutions.
So I got the job! What do I have to work with? It’s a not-so-hidden fact that public schools in the US lack funding, and many classrooms end up with bare bones materials with which to support their diverse students. We fresh teachers ask ourselves, “Where does the money to fund schools come from?” and “If it’s not enough, how do I fill my classroom with supplies without investing my already minor paycheck?” This session attempts to confront the confusion of school funding and investigate ways to gain access to classroom resources: community involvements, tech philanthropy, grant writing, and family engagement. Join in on a hands-on exploration of materials and resources to outfit a sample Oakland classroom. Come kick-start a design-thinking discussion of how teachers can best prepare themselves and their classrooms!
Topics of diversity abound in discussions of the challenges facing education today. One of these topics is the disproportionate representation of teachers of color to students of color. In California alone, three-fourths of our students identify as ethnic minorities, while only one-fourth of our teachers identify as such. In their mission to serve as visible role models who provide unique, relatable perspectives to a diverse student body, these teachers encounter a plethora of issues. We first address the need for recruiting teachers of color. Second, we outline a variety of challenges related to this issue. Third, we suggest solutions and supports that may empower and sustain these educators. Our hope is to spread awareness of the importance of teachers of color, the obstacles they encounter, and strategies that may help navigate these issues.
We see a problematic under representation of the arts in low-income elementary schools. Students’ home cultures and competencies need to be validated, examined, and incorporated into the classroom via the arts. Together in this session, we will explore resources for teachers to teach the arts in order to make the classroom a more equitable place.
Given that our students will someday no longer be in high school, what do we need to do to prepare them, for the many years ahead? Though much of our society stresses preparing students for higher education at college, we know they will go on to be challenged in a far broader variety of settings for the rest of their lives. Keeping this in mind, we need to be sure to prepare our students for college-level coursework as well as whatever vocation or career they may pursue, while also teaching important life skills that every contributing member of adult society needs to possess. The following essential questions will guide our exploration of this complicated topic:
An effective classroom community creates a safe learning environment. Trust, empathy, and respect for one another as learners and as people, facilitates a communicative and equitable environment. An effective classroom community is important for teaching and learning and if not addressed can have a negative impact on student' learning. Creating an effective student centered classroom environment fosters students’ social learning and enhances their academic understanding. In a history classroom a safe environment is key as we study controversial topics such as racial prejudice, slavery, colonization, and gender inequality. Regardless of subject matter, trust, empathy, and respect will allow students to engage richly and deeply with texts, people, and their surroundings. Our presentation explores various strategies to ensure a safe community built from the beginning and maintained throughout the year.
As teachers we have to get to know our students’ backgrounds and contexts of development such as their home, community, and school. We must use what we know about our students and their interests to design our curricula, instruction and assessments. Our schools and classrooms should be a safe learning environment for all students. Yet, the infiltration of gang cultures into the educational space of children might be a threat to their psychological, emotional, and physical safety and may affect their identity and social development. In turn, that may negatively impact their learning. In our presentation we help create awareness about the “warning signs” related to identifying students at risk of potential gang affiliation. We hope teachers can use this knowledge, while avoiding prejudice or discrimination against perceived or suspected gang members.
Too often there is a disconnect between what students are asked to do in school and some of the authentic challenges they face. In the real world, problems are interdisciplinary and open-ended; however, in traditional schooling, problems are presented to students as isolated formulas with predetermined answers. Design thinking is one approach that gives students the opportunity to use 21st century problem solving skills in the classroom. This approach integrates the mindsets of empathy, bias towards action, iteration and collaboration to generate creative solutions to difficult problems. By promoting these design thinking mindsets, teachers can construct classroom cultures in which students learn to tackle complex challenges with resilience. We explore how classroom space, management, instruction, and assessment can work together to foster design thinking mindsets in our students.
12 Years a Slave and Gone with the Wind. The Handmaid’s Tale paired with Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines.” These are just a few of the curricular possibilities that using multimedia in the English classroom enables. Multimedia increases student interest and broadens students’ range of analysis. This could take multiple forms: using music as an entree to poetry, or using film as a conduit for literary themes. Multimedia can also be useful for examining difficult, multifaceted issues, such as race, class, gender, and sexuality. In this session, you will participate in a model lesson that incorporates multimedia with room for student choice and engagement.
Interested in building a classroom that is centered around inquiry and creativity? In this session, we will explore how design thinking can empower students to solve complex problems through empathy, collaboration and experimentation. We will roll up our sleeves and engage in our own design thinking challenge, and we will also explore how the design thinking process can be incorporated across subject areas. Educators (elementary and secondary) and non-educators alike should come prepared to innovate and ideate with us!
We have all been victims of the pervasive and provocative articles that flood our social media: “Your bra may be killing you!” “Boycott autism-causing vaccines!” “Genetically-modified organisms leach toxins into your family’s food!” Such articles manipulate readers into believing their “scientific” claims. Some even come from reputable sources, and many leave us questioning, are these claims valid? We need scientific literacy to answer this question. Scientific literacy is a skillset involving the ability to think, read, write, and argue like a scientist, and these critical thinking skills are vital tools in the Information Age. The Next Generation Science Standards call for a shift away from a purely content-driven curriculum toward a curriculum that encourages students to act, think, and argue like scientists. We will develop this skillset together by analyzing a popular media article, interrogating the source through the lens of science practices such as analyzing, evaluating, and questioning the evidence behind the claim.
How do we teach about climate change in a way that is sobering yet empowering? How do we get our students to want to do something about climate change, and help them find concrete ways to act? The current approach to climate change education often makes the issue feel too big, too far off, and too impersonal for many students. In this session, we investigate ways to blend the science discourse and social discourse on climate change. First, we consider the teaching strategy of “hooking” students through outdoor experiences to create a more personal connection to the Earth. Second, we consider the value of educating students about the disproportionate toll of climate change on historically disadvantaged communities globally and locally. Third, we discuss ways that students might “do something” about climate change.
Homework. The word itself inspires a visceral feeling in most of us. A debate rages nationally about homework, with some arguing that it helps students practice necessary skills and others criticizing it for causing unnecessary stress to students and parents. As student teachers at Eastside College Preparatory School, we have assigned lots of homework, but we have many lingering questions about this practice. Just how stressed are our students? Do they think their homework is helping them learn and succeed? And, if they could advise new teachers about what kind of homework to assign, if any, what would they say? As we transition into the profession, we aim to infuse our homework practices with our students’ voices in our quest to create equitable classrooms.
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