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Vienna 2008 Program The Conference in 2008 will be in Vienna from January 24th to January 27th. Please check back here for the latest Program information.
Carol Ann Tomlinson 90 Minute Breakout Session Grading and Differentiation: Can Grading Really Take into Account Student Differences and Promote Quality Learning? Perhaps the question teachers ask most commonly about differentiation around the world is, “How would I grade it?” Even when teachers understand the philosophy of differentiation and can translate its principles into action, there seems to be a persistent conflict between grading practices and the teaching practices of differentiation. This session will examine factors that seem to cast differentiation and grading as foes and will also take a look at the degree to which applying the principles and practices of effective grading would resolve the dilemma of grading in a differentiated classroom. 50 Minute Breakout Session #1 Managing a Differentiated Classroom: Surviving and Thriving in a Classroom that Uses Multiple Approaches to Learning and Teaching While many middle grade teachers want to created classrooms that respond effectively to student diversity and promote quality learning for each student, most middle grades teachers have not had broad experience in managing classrooms that provide flexible approaches to teaching and learning. This session will examine some common concerns of teachers in learning to plan for and guide differentiated classrooms and some practical strategies for ensuring smooth and effective classroom routines to support the varied learning needs of middle grade students. 50 Minute Breakout Session #2 Getting Started with Differentiation: Early Steps in Creating Middle Grades Classrooms that Respond to Student Differences The middle school philosophy and the approach to teaching called “differentiated instruction” call for classrooms in which: each student feels an honored part of a community of learners, the environment feels safe for learning, every student experiences high expectations and support to achieve them, on-going assessment guides teaching and learning, and students are cast as active learners in pursuing ideas they find relevant. An image of such a classroom sounds appealing, but it’s clear that teachers have to create such a setting thoughtfully and over time. This session will examine some important first steps in beginning to differentiate instruction in order to move methodically and effectively toward flexible teaching and learning practices that work for each student.
Elizabeth Schroeder
Studies have found that the topic of sexual orientation is extremely uncomfortable for teachers to address in a classroom setting -- more uncomfortable than addressing issues pertaining to race and ethnicity, religion, and disabilities. Those who do address the issue often have very This interactive workshop will provide clear comparisons between currently-used methodology in teaching about and being inclusive of all sexual orientation and more effective techniques that educators can incorporate immediately into their lesson plans. In addition to presenting the rationale for long-term, ongoing infusion of diverse examples within a sexual health program, this program will offer specific guidelines for providing this type of program if an educator only has one meeting with participants or only one class session in which to discuss orientation. What about the Boys? How Sex Education Ignores Adolescent Males, and What You Can Do About It The vast majority of sexuality education curricula and programs worldwide are created with the needs of girls in mind. Even if we don’t believe it ourselves, the saying, “boys will be boys” pervades sexuality education programming. Girls are set up as the sexual gatekeepers and decision-makers. Boys are either set up to be feared, or widely ignored. This training will provide the most up-to-date information available about how boys learn (and the social contexts within which they learn), how co-ed sexuality education programming has failed boys, and what educators can do to be sure to reach ALL students and workshop participants. Sample activities and teaching methods will be provided. This interactive workshop will offer tips and strategies for teaching young people how to avoid falling victim to sexual predators, bullies and inappropriate content. Extensive online safety resources and activities for communicating this information to adolescents will be provided.
Dave Youngs 90-minute session: In its document This We Believe, the National Middle School Association (NMSA) states that “students and teachers should be engaged in active learning.” The NMSA also notes that curriculum should be “relevant, challenging, integrative, and exploratory.” AIMS (Activities Integrating Math and Science) science curriculum embodies these worthy goals. This workshop will present a number of engaging, hands-on, minds-on science activities that integrate math. 50-minute session This workshop will introduce a variety of engaging AIMS mathematical puzzles written by the presenter that embody the ideals of NMSA’s This We Believe. Learn how to help your students develop more positive attitudes towards mathematics as they become better problem solvers. 50-minute In this workshop, the presenter introduces a number of powerful mathematical investigations that he has written for AIMS. These investigations come from the field of recreational mathematics, which involves doing math just for the fun of it. These activities embody many of the NMSA ideals from This We Believe and have the potential to help students develop better problem-solving abilities. Patrick M. Jones 90–Minute Session Curriculum for the “New Economy”: Making School Meaningful for Students’ Lives. 50-Minute Session #1 Arts as Nexus/Arts as Bridge: Bringing the Middle School Curriculum Together and Discovering the World Just Beyond the School Walls. 50-Minute Session #2 Assessing Artistic Learning With Credibility: Assessment and Evaluation for the Arts Classroom. Melvyn Ramsden Into Orthographic Orbit 1: focus on the all-important structural basis of English spelling Teacher Sessions: Robin Christopher - Creative Criticism Embedded in John Dewey's Art as Experience can be found an outline for a framework that highlights the overwhelmingly complementary relationship between creativity and criticism. From this perspective criticism springs from the creative process and creativity is inspired by the critical. This framework can be used when crafting transformative learning experiences that require middle schoolers to engage in critical endeavors that culminate in imaginative, original products. It is important that as students navigate through the disciplines they participate in such experiences so that they gain an understanding that answers for today's many questions can be found in creative solutions grounded in careful, critical thinking.
Want to create fun movie shorts that illustrate a concept taught in your subject area? Want to break the laws of physics and dazzle your audience? Better yet, do you want your students to be the cinematographers? Then this is the session for you.
PHSE is of paramount importance in education but is not always accorded the time or status in the curriculum that it requires. The intention of this session is to share existing programmes and discuss possible alternatives to meet the needs of today's students.
A Choral Reading Session is being offered to help choral and general music educators to learn new repertoire for their concert programs. Music with two-parts, three-parts treble, and three part mixed (SA, SSA, SAB) voicings. We will sing through the music in the reading session and copies of the music can be taken away from the session.
Due to the complex world in which we live, it is paramount for middle level adolescents to receive social, emotional, and academic support. Well-planned advisory programs can be a valuable means by which this support is offered. This session explores the benefits of middle school advisory programs and provides active strategies that foster positive classroom community, enhance team building, encourage peer interaction, and highlight reflection and self-exploration.
We likely all have memories of our parents going to the school to meet with our teachers for parent-teacher conferences while we sat nervously in the hallway wondering what was being said behind closed doors. Traditionally, parent-teacher conferences have excluded the most important player: the student. Student-led conferences offer an opportunity to transform parent-teacher conferences at your school, allowing students to take an active role in articulating their learning. This session will explore the potential benefits of student-led conferences and outline considerations to implement them effectively.
There is more to our classroom than our curriculum, and more to our curriculum than the subject material. Our students' social and emotional development is constantly in play with academics, and our best educational environments actively incorporate all three. This workshop draws on elements of The Examined Life, a program that identifies inter- and intra-personal components of resilience, ethics, critical thinking, and openness to spirit. Participants will discuss a framework from TEL that identifies opportunities for social and emotional learning, and will discover ways to identify these areas in their curriculum, constructing lessons that address them in their students and in themselves.
This session is designed for World Language Teachers who use or are considering using a SMART Interactive Whiteboard in their classrooms. The session will focus on using a SMART Interactive Whiteboard to create lessons that are visual, auditory, and interactive.
Glimpse the totality of life in Ancient Egypt and the timeless tales of Ancient India. Both of these studies end with a culminating activity which celebrates student learning and success. For Ancient Egypt, classrooms are transformed into the wings and halls of a Living Museum, where the school community is invited to participate. For Ancient India, students present a dramatic interpretation of the Hindu epic, "The Ramayana." Parents are invited to join in the celebration, with music, dance and food. Both of these projects embrace literature, culture, history, music and art, and facilitate student achievement in a way that allows every child to shine.
Animation technology can captivate students while exposing them to a variety of academic subjects. An innovative, project-focused curriculum can encourage teamwork, planning, and thoughtful execution as students use visual communication tools and techniques to explore specific topics and present what they have learned.
Classroom Walkthroughs provide a quick and efficient snapshot of school-wide instructional practices. The data sets obtained from a series of walkthroughs act as a platform for collaborative discussion and reflection. Trends can be identified and professional development plans can be created on the basis of this data collection technique. Learn more about the research that supports this assessment process and how other educators are using this tool.
Learn how to fully integrate the SMART Interactive Whiteboard into your classroom. Learn about ways to put together interactive math lessons in the SMART Notebook and explore some websites that allow students to learn math in a way that is fun and exciting! Using the SMART Interactive Whiteboard in the Mathematics Classroom
This session will discuss the journey of working with a middle school on making adequate yearly progress in literacy. Key strategies that facilitated literacy improvement will be highlighted.
Students with Learning Disabilities and special learning needs often lack self-advocacy skills, which are vital for meeting with success in school and later as adults. This workshop will present a model for teaching self-advocacy skills to Middle School and High School students, as well as discuss the process of Student-Led IEP meetings.
Last year at ELMLE, I listened to David Lynn's exceptional presentation about Middle School Model United Nations. As an upper school MUN Director, I knew MUN was an exceptional learning activity but, was also aware of my wife's antagonism toward another conference. So we decided to do an MUN at ICS and it was great! Learn how to prepare an in-school MUN in 12 easy class periods. Aaron Tyo- Dickerson - Social Constructivism and Peer Assessment through Moodle Ubiquitous "Wed 2.0" technologies have taught today's students that the real world is participatory. Our students are already highly skilled social learners. They share information with others, create new ideas collaboratively, and critique the quality of their own work and that of their peers. Participants in this session will explore how Moodle (a free, open-source, virtual learning environment) can be used to create intentional social learning and peer assessment situations for students. Real examples from Middle School classes will be shared and interested participants will have the opportunity to enroll in a free, online follow-up workshop.
Aaron Tyo- Dickerson -Alternatives to Copyright: Creative Commons and the Public Domain The World Wide Web, peer-to-peer networks, and other evolving technologies make it easy to locate digital content. Easy access to content does not always include rights to that content. Participants in this session will learn the basics of copyright law and the principal of "fair use", then explore alternative sources of audio, video, text, and graphics. Participants will learn how to find and use copyright-free stock photography and clipart, public domain works of classical literature, free-for-non-commercial-use video clips, and other forms of unrestricted content suitable for integration into classroom instruction. Participants will also learn how to label their own work for further sharing with the educational community and the world at large. Susan Keiffer- Barone - Reading Labs: Inquiry in English Tired of book reports? This session explores the use of inquiry methods of science in enjoying and analyzing a variety of literary genres. Participants will be introduced to a grade 6 through grade 10 program of Reading Labs, and will produce one of their own! William Hoffmann - DIG This!! Digital Images in the Middle School Science Classroom Using digital images in the classroom is easier than ever! Digital microscopes, visualizers, and cameras, as well as easy-to-use software packages, make it simple for students to "see" and present their work in another way. Scientists have long used technology to speed up, slow down, magnify and stop the world around us, consistently opening new doors and views. Now bringing these techniques to your classroom is easy (and affordable)! From cellular processes to exploding balloons and chemical reactions, now our students can capture images of these events on their own. Come see (and try) some of these technologies and techniques in this workshop and take home some ideas that you can use right away! Robert Lashier - Transformation of the Learning Environment Throughout all disciplines, there is a stated, or unstated, expectation that learners translate increasingly complex information in ways that allow them to think not only inductively, but access previously learned information in ways that allow them to prioritize sequential actions. So what detracts, rather than enhances a learner's ability to make meaningful connections with course content? Transformation of the Learning Environment.pdf Jonathan Levy - EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES FOR U.S. TEACHER TAXPAYERS OVERSEAS This workshop explains advantageous tax strategies for overseas U. S. teachers. There are several benefits to teaching and living overseas and your position in realtion to U.S. tax laws is one of them. Several tax strategies can be employed to protect one's income and investments from taxation, both current and future. General topics of discussion include preparation of your 2007 tax return, how to qualify for the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion, Roth IRA's, 403B rollovers and Roth IRA conversions, elimination of taxes on current taxable gains, etc. Anita Sandoval - Vail - The Many Faces of Portfolios This interactive session allows participants to explore the many ways portfolios can be put together from boxes to the electronic media! Various models of rubrics, descriptors and assessment schemes will be shared. Portfolio assessment will be viewed from semester mark to final assessment and as a tool to acquire longitudinal data of student achievement and progress. Practical handouts and constructive discussion are key elements of this session. The Many Faces of Portfolios ELMLE 2008.ppt Kevin Hawkins - Conflict management Conflict as opportunity - managing conflict and creating a healthy climate for the exchange of information and understanding in an international school. How can we best deal with difficult conversations and crucial confrontations that we may face with colleagues, bosses, parents and students? Why do those conversation sometimes go wrong? How can we connect how we work together as professionals with how we teach (and expect) middle school students to collaborate? Participants will explore these and other issues related to effective communication, drawing on skills and experience from mediation and conflict management. There will be opportunities to work on participant concerns about recent or current conflict situations. William Flanagan - The Wonders of the Internet. Is it really safe for children? The Internet is, without a doubt, one of the greatest educational tools ever developed. However, is it really safe for students to surf without parental or teacher supervision? The December 24, 2007 issue of Time magazine reports that 32% of surveyed teenage Internet users indicated they have been contacted by a stranger online. This session will discuss new international initiatives that have been launched by law enforcement, NGO's and the computer industry to ensure the Internet safety of children around the world. William Flanagan is assigned to the U.S. Embassy in Vienna as the Attaché for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE). He is responsible for law enforcement matters for thirteen countries in central and southeastern Europe. Mr. Flanagan has twenty-seven years of law enforcement experience and has been involved in child exploitation investigations in numerous countries. Andy Murphy - Is History True? How true is history? Have fun finding out! James Ellis - Effective Classroom Management Using Teambuilding Activities This course is designed to give teachers effective skills and strategies using teambuilding activities to manage their classroom. Teambuilding games and activities have far more value then we often know. Teachers will learn how to make any teambuilding game purposeful to the growth of their students. This is done by giving teachers great new games, teaching them how to frame a game to achieve a specific function and giving secrets on excellent facilitation. Furthermore, teachers will learn how to use these activities to dramatically add to their classroom management by showing them how to take simple observational data and turn it into a successful strategy.
Vienna 2008
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