The Role of Teachers in School Improvement
Jill Torres
Research roundtable, room 305
Audience: K-12
What is the impact of large scale assessment in our classrooms and in our schools? Through evidence gathered from pre-service teachers at UMD, find out ways classroom teachers can improve their individual and collective role in meeting the demands of standardized testing while ensuring student learning. Join in a discussion about the potential and actual roles teachers play in examining data and creating goals and strategies that will affect students.
Math Curriculum Wars: A Peace Treaty for Student Learning
Laura Myers
Interactive workshop, room 324
Audience: math
"Math wars" between traditional and reform math curriculums are alive and well in the schools, but which approach best supports student learning? Examine data on student perception and performance using traditional math vs. IMP, and what happened when teachers used "Understanding by Design" to create reform math curriculum units that replaced some of the traditional curriculum approaches.
The Effect of Classroom ENVoY Strategies on Homework Completion
Kaoru Thompson
Research roundtable, room 325
Audience: K-12
As a result of implementing ENVoY strategies, students showed remarkable improvement in homework completion, which in turn led to increased academic learning, advancement of study skills, and higher grades. ENVoY strategies also proved successful in creating a feedback system in which individual students’ areas of academic need could be discerned and addressed accordingly.
Put a Beat Behind It: Using Garage Band® for Construction of Performance Reading
Brock Dubbels
Interactive workshop, room 303
Audience: language arts, K-12
In this literacy activity, students rap literature and build a hot new single for their iPods while practicing their oral fluency and understanding of the elements of voice in literature and composition. Students reflect on their learning using a scale for fluency and performance.
Collins Writing in World Languages and ELL
Anne Marie Plante, D.Mus.
Research roundtable, room 323
Audience: ELL and world language
Collins Writing offers World Language, ELL, and other teachers a dynamic and easy-to-use program for integrating writing across the curriculum that fosters both personalization of instruction and student accountability.
The Kara Walker Experience: An Art and Social Studies Quest for Meaningful Learning
Cecily Spano and Nonie Kouneski
Research roundtable, room 326
Audience: secondary
Using heated issues can help students engage in school. Hear how an art teacher and a social studies teacher used the controversial work of Kara Walker to help students understand issues of power and race in our society and their lives. See the student work and hear how students responded to this arts-integrated collaboration.
Featured speaker: Jan Mandell and St. Paul students
Mississippi Room
Jan Mandell is a teacher-researcher, leading authority on arts integration, and an exemplar of a teacher-professional grounded in practice. She will speak on how arts integration can be a tool for promoting student learning and equity.
Ms. Mandell uses her passion for teaching and theater to create a more equitable society inside the walls of St. Paul Central High School and beyond. As founder of the school’s Central Touring Theater (CTT), Mandell has led the way for nearly 30 years in a creating safe space which attracts a multi-racial, multi-economic and multi-intellectual group of students who come together to be themselves, tell stories, break down barriers and produce theater that is as powerful as it is entertaining.
Session 2
Teaching Mathematics is a Group-Worthy Task
Anne Bartel and Betsy Ford
*Double Session* 10:30am-12:25pm
Interactive Workshop, room 323
Audience: math
Experience Complex Instruction--a different approach to group work that supports mathematical rigor and student achievement. This model empowers students by broadening their understanding of how they are mathematically competent.
Science Notebooks Inside & Out: Using Art as an Instructional Tool to Teach Science
Charlene Ellingson and Mary Jo Thompson
*Double Session* 10:30am-12:25pm
Interactive workshop, room 324
Audience: science
In this interactive workshop, presenters will model and discuss how science notebooks and arts integration can be used as learning tools for students and instructional tools for teachers. Participants will understand and experience how scientists use notebooks in order to provide space for student thought, reflection, observation and questions. All participants will receive a CD and other resources.
Assessments: Summative? Formative? What's BEST for kids?
Claude Paradis
Research roundtable, room 325
Audience: K-12
What are formative assessments? How are they different? How can assessments increase learning? Come and view data, look at a bit of research, see some samples, and engage in lively discussion and sharing of ideas. We learn; we grow; teaching--learning--our students: all improve; all benefit.
Want to Teach Reading and Math? Try Singing!
Elizabeth Olson Ph.D. and Ann Kay
Interactive workshop, Mississippi Room
Audience: elementary
Participate in a fun-filled session that demonstrates how to use singing as a primary source for learning. Learn how Affirming Parallel Concepts among reading, math, and music has contributed to dramatic improvement in student achievement in Minneapolis Public schools. Experience how to create a classroom environment that engages and excites students, keeping them open to learning.
Use The Go-Fish Strategy to Teach Academic Skills
David Sapp, Ed.D.
Research roundtable, room 325
Audience: K-12
What are formative assessments? How are they different? How can assessments increase learning? Come and view data, look at a bit of research, see some samples, and engage in lively discussion and sharing of ideas. We learn; we grow; teaching--learning--our students: all improve; all benefit.
Teamwork That Gets Results!
Holly Kragthorpe-Shirley
Research roundtable, room 305
Audience: K-12
The right kind of teamwork leads to a more effective examination and implementation of best practice. This session will describe the structure, expectations, professional context, and practice of interdisciplinary teams at an urban high school that significantly contributed to increased student achievement as measured by a 10th grade writing exam and a 10th grade reading exam.
An Introduction to Nonviolent Communication
Margarita Mac and Robert Reed
Interactive workshop, room 326
Audience: K-12
Love teaching? Abhor classroom management? Marshall Rosenberg, Ph.D. has developed a proven process for creating a classroom environment in which students and teachers can truly thrive and learn. Nonviolent Communication (NVC) emphasizes compassion as the motivation for learning rather than fear, guilt, blame, coercion or threat of punishment. In this workshop we will demonstrate the transforming power of reframing how we express ourselves and hear others.
Session 3
Storytelling: A Student-centered Approach to Language Learning
Gaelle Berg, Nancy Gustafson, Tina Maynor, Amanda Stuckey
Research roundtable, Mississippi room
Audience: K-12
How can language teachers engage students in language acquisition? TPRS is a storytelling method that results in language retention, more engagement, reinforced literacy skills, and reaches diverse students.
In this round table discussion, teachers will present evidence of the successful use of this method in their classes.
Walking The Talk
Frank Suppa and Tim Leach
Interactive workshop, room 325
Audience: K-12
This workshop will examine various approaches to designing and integrating activities that raise awareness of bias and that empower students to become advocates for change, especially regarding anti-GLBT bias.
Designing Groupwork
Ken Beck and Sue Benhardus
Interactive workshop, room 305
Audience: math
Learn several ways to adjust your classroom structure and curriculum to use group work as an intervention tool. Participate in a group work simulation and discuss how student collaboration can help students
Teacher Mentorship Advances Professional Development and Student Learning
Bruce Black, Paul Klym, Matthew Boucher
Research roundtable, Mississippi room
Audience: K-12
How can language teachers engage students in language acquisition? TPRS is a storytelling method that results in language retention, more engagement, reinforced literacy skills, and reaches diverse students.
In this round table discussion, teachers will present evidence of the successful use of this method in their classes.
Student Intrinsic Motivation: Perception vs. Reality
Anna Beal, Torrey Lau, Natalie Rasmussen
Research roundtable, room 326
Audience: secondary
This research focuses on the role of effort, ability, and attitude in learning for students in secondary science classes. We will share data comparing student perceptions to classroom realities and engage participants in a discussion of what teachers can do to increase motivation and student achievement.
