MPACT 2013

In this interactive session participants will learn quick strategies to actively engage students in vocabulary development and leave with BOY activities to implement.  Higher level thinking skills paired with visual memory help ensure that key content/elective words are remembered. Participants are encouraged to bring their laptops.

• Teachers will use available technology to access resources.
• Teachers will gain comfort and become familiar with the functionality of our ebook platform.
• Teachers will introduce students to ebook access thereby expanding the library beyond the limits of a brick and mortar building.

Utilizing a synthesis of Continuous Improvement Cycle models, the MISD leaders will provide information on the strategies utilized to improve ELL Secondary Student Success and facilitate a group of Secondary Educators through a roundtable discussion of critical success factors for ELL success identified as a fourfold: 1) Keys to Relationship Building with Secondary Students; 2) Building Trust Amongst Staff: 3) Building a Collaborative Culture Continuum; 4) From Data to Action-Monitoring Systems for Interventions. Participants will have have a chance to provide personal insight on these key variables for ELL success.

Does anyone question the need for students to critical thinkers? The answer many may seek is how to do this in a systemized manner across all subjects: You can do assist the students at any grade level 6-12 in any class subject. Come and join us in the demonstration of different ways of Socratic Seminars. In this session, teachers will understand how to conduct while participating in various Socratic Seminars.

• Running your classroom in Edmodo with online quizzes, assignments, and planners
• Creating open online discussions with students using Edmodo posts.
• Cutting your paper consumption using Google Drive.

Take the technology that is a typical distraction for students and put them to educational use.

1. Ideas for iPad use in the classroom

2. A look at assignments created using iPad apps

3. See how easy it is to create templates and assignments for students on iPads.

Participants will:

* discuss examples of successful routines that build student buy-in and increase engagement

* collaborate on the DOs of successful relationship building – an essential factor in student and teacher success

• Receive information about the LGBTQIA teen population.
• Gain appropriate language to use when working LGBTQIA youth. 
• Have the opportunity to process issues they have experienced with LGBTQIA youth in the school system.

• Learn basic grant writing skills.
• Find where and how to apply for grants.
• Partner with other school employees to make the best of your grant writing experiences.
• You've got the money, now what?

Over the past several years much has changed in schools.  Federal education laws have raised student academic standards; professional accountability for student outcomes is a requirement--everyone counts; and access to the curriculum is the expectation for all students--it is no longer an option. As these changes have occurred, co-teaching has increased in importance.  As educational personnel strive to meet state and federal accountability mandates to improve the achievement of students with disabilities, schools are exploring various inclusive service delivery models to fulfill the needs of diverse learners. The co-teach model is one effective model allowing general and special educators to differentiate and deliver instruction with assurances that all students have full access to the grade-level expectations of the general curriculum. The purpose of this presentation is to help participants establish a common understanding of various co-teaching configurations and to explain considerations necessary to implement and evaluate an effective co-teaching program. The Power of 2 video provides a comprehensive look at co-teaching as part of the foundation of an inclusive and collaborative school. 

Take the technology that is a typical distraction for students and put them to educational use.

1. Ideas for iPad use in the classroom

2. A look at assignments created using iPad apps

3. See how easy it is to create templates and assignments for students on iPads.

Participants will engage actively in strategies that link thinking, speaking and writing.  Through group and individual activities, participants will learn and create thoughtful, interactive writing activities to jump start the beginning of the year in any content/elective area!  Participants are encouraged to bring their laptops.

• STAR math administration
• STAR  math reports
• STAA math for instruction

How do we respond when students don’t master the learning objectives?  This session will provide participants a process for planning small group instruction within the Tier 1 lesson cycle.   Participants will engage in the process from setting expectations, to data disaggregation and vertical alignment, ending with re-assessing standards.   While this session will focus on math content, other content area teachers may attend to engage in the framework that may be applied to all content areas.

This session is open exclusively to teachers who have attended the Think Forward PBL Institute.

Come learn some strategies to teach students how to manage projects.  Topics will include scaffolding critical thinking and inquiry, facilitating "Next Steps", and implementing group contracts.

• Reading across the curriculum uses different thought patterns and skills.
• Writing across the curriculum uses different thought patterns and skills.
• Teaching reading text structures across the curriculum can facilitate more effective writing across the curriculum.

• Be more mindful of the structure of the text in their subject materials.
• Be able to point out text structures to students to facilitate understanding and participation.
• Be able to help students use reading text structures to enhance writing in each subject area.
• Be able to require a greater variety of writing assignments in their subject area.

This session will discuss the Curriculum & Instruction Department’s Book Study of Enrique’s Journey by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Sonia Nazario.  This presentation provides implications for teaching immigrant English language learners (ELLs). The second portion of the presentation will embed interactive, reflective practices in the discussion of a secondary ELL student’s journey in search for his mother.

At the conclusion of this session, participants should have a better understanding of secondary ELL’s and their family struggles, narrative qualitative research, and strategies on how to effectively make a difference in an ELL’s life. Participants will leave the training with a personal copy of Enrique’s Journey by Sonia Nazario purchased by the Bilingual/ESL Department.

• Review the ELAR Research TEKS and the research process.
• Participate in active hands-on lessons that they can easily implement into their current program.
• Receive materials that can be easily modified to differentiate instruction.
• Have the opportunity to collaborate with other colleagues.

Inform - Teachers will be informed of what characteristics and attributes students might possess to constitute a good dyslexia referral for testing.

Review - Teachers will review the dyslexia process of referrals, paperwork, and protocol will be addressed and reviewed in detail.

Apply - Teachers will learn what accommodations and modifications students who qualify for services can utilize in the classroom.

By the end of this session, teachers will understand which students in their classrooms are good candidates for dyslexia testing based on primary and secondary characteristics of dyslexia. Teachers will be aware of what documentation is required before testing and the process of compiling the necessary paperwork for referred students. Teachers will learn to utilize appropriate and necessary accommodations in their classroom in order to positively impact student achievement. 

• Attendees will examine first-year college level syllabi in order to understand what skills may need to be strengthened in the high school classroom
• Attendees will learn what first-year students research strengths and weakness are according to college faculty as well as LIS survey data of incoming freshman
• Attendees will pick up practical tips and tools for beginning a conversation about integrating information (aka research skills) into the library classroom

• Participants will walk through all the steps of QTIPS, including creating the foldable as a student would.
• Participants will learn how to present the QTIPS method in a way that creates a space for meaningful "table talk".
• Participants will brainstorm ideas for finding and sharing more rigorus questions that will benefit from the QTIPS method. 

Explore Popplet, Animoto and student-video making (including Blabberize!) to determine their uses for student-created products that indicate learning and mastery of content from literature and curriculum texts.

Develop rubrics as a viable tool to assess both creativity and content of the student-products.

•  Identify how to use Popplet, Animoto, and other applications for student productivity
•  Explore multiple ways to produce content-based and curriculum - driven products
•  Have fun creating on your iPad!

One, two, three kick. Turn, two, three kick. Come on down to the cafeteria and let's get moving with Go Austin Dance. Join us for Line Dancing lessons. There's a place in line for you.

• Utilize the teacher management system;
• Create Accelerated Math libraries; and
• Use Accelerated Math Live on IPads.

How can you get students to connect with what is going on in class or the textbook? Participants will learn, use, and create simple thought-provoking writing activities that cause reflection and meaningful response.  These activities will work in any content/elective area.  Participants are encouraged to bring their laptops.

• Teachers will feel refreshed and inspired to begin the journey of a new school year.
• Teachers will learn how a personal narrative can be transformative.
• Teachers will be able to use the power of the personal narrative in the classroom.

• Receive information about the LGBTQIA teen population.
• Gain appropriate language to use when working LGBTQIA youth. 
• Have the opportunity to process issues they have experienced with LGBTQIA youth in the school system.

• STAR math administration
• STAR  math reports
• STAR math for instruction

• Participants will have an understanding of how to use the small group, grade book, and quiz features of Edmodo to manage multiple Literacy Circles
• Participants will discuss and share ways to teach proper "online etiquette" elementary students
• Participants will discuss and share resources for setting up Literacy Circles on their individual campuses.

• TEKS; 
• Driving question; 
• Rubric; and
• An idea for an entry event (rough drafts are good too!).  

• Participants will understand ways in which art can be integrated in literacy instruction.
• Participants will discuss ways to tailor some of the ideas presented into their teaching.
• Participants will understand how art can be used to know their students culturally and individually.

This session focuses on helping teachers develop an asset-based framework for working with English-Language Learners. Teachers will review historic and current deficit discourses about language minority students and will engage in activities that allow them to critically examine related concepts.  This session will focus on counteracting dominant deficit-based perspectives by learning about asset-based perspectives like student “funds of knowledge” and linguistic and familial “community cultural wealth.” Finally, teachers will consider how asset-based perspectives can help them improve their practice and better meet the needs of their English Language Learners.

At the conclusion of the session, participants should have a better understanding how developing “soft skills” like asset-based perspectives can improve student outcomes and decrease the achievement gap within their own classrooms. By creating a space for teachers to think deeply about and discuss the sociocultural influences on learning, this session will reinvigorate and recommit teachers to create classrooms that facilitate the success of all students.  

Explore Popplet, Animoto and student-video making (including Blabberize!) to determine their uses for student-created products that indicate learning and mastery of content from literature and curriculum texts.

Develop rubrics as a viable tool to assess both creativity and content of the student-products.

•  Identify how to use Popplet, Animoto, and other applications for student productivity
•  Explore multiple ways to produce content-based and curriculum - driven products
•  Have fun creating on your iPad!

Learn and share 4th grade high inquiry science labs . Incorporate PBL and technology within your lessons. Explore labs then create rubrics and lesson plan ideas to take back with you. Share ideas as a team and then share an example to the audience. 

By the end of this session, you will have more knowledge of Cscope and AIMS labs.  Motivate students with high inquiry labs and PBL presentations including technology. Leave with lab resource packets, power points and lesson plans that you can apply right away to your curriculum. End session by learning and sharing  your amazing work with all the fourth grade teachers. 

This session addresses some common assumptions about language that linguists recognize to be false.  The implications for teaching English language learners (ELLs) will be discussed.  The interactive second half of the session will focus on practical application of sociolinguistic theory within the bilingual or ESL classroom. 

Participant Outcome:
At the conclusion of this session, participants should have a better understanding of fundamental linguistic principles.  Participants should leave with multiple classroom activities and ideas to apply this new knowledge in the classroom. 

This session is intended for all teachers of ESL and Bilingual Education 

Participants will:

* discuss examples of successful routines that build student buy-in and increase engagement

* collaborate on the DOs of successful relationship building – an essential factor in student and teacher success

Share our first year of teaching experiences.  Prepare mentally, emotionally and physically for the first year.  Exercise your inner teacher!

1. Develop a sense of confidence in tackling their first year. 
2. Share different experiences and how first year teachers can make the best of the their first 180 days.
3. Begin the process of learning about themselves, their students and developing allies. 
4. Have Fun!

• Running your classroom in Edmodo with online quizzes, assignments, and planners
• Creating open online discussions with students using Edmodo posts.
• Cutting your paper consumption using Google Drive.

Over the past several years much has changed in schools.  Federal education laws have raised student academic standards; professional accountability for student outcomes is a requirement--everyone counts; and access to the curriculum is the expectation for all students--it is no longer an option. As these changes have occurred, co-teaching has increased in importance.  As educational personnel strive to meet state and federal accountability mandates to improve the achievement of students with disabilities, schools are exploring various inclusive service delivery models to fulfill the needs of diverse learners. The co-teach model is one effective model allowing general and special educators to differentiate and deliver instruction with assurances that all students have full access to the grade-level expectations of the general curriculum. The purpose of this presentation is to help participants establish a common understanding of various co-teaching configurations and to explain considerations necessary to implement and evaluate an effective co-teaching program. The Power of 2 video provides a comprehensive look at co-teaching as part of the foundation of an inclusive and collaborative school. 

• TEKS; 
• Driving question; 
• Rubric; and
• An idea for an entry event (rough drafts are good too!).  

• Reading across the curriculum uses different thought patterns and skills.
• Writing across the curriculum uses different thought patterns and skills.
• Teaching reading text structures across the curriculum can facilitate more effective writing across the curriculum.

• Be more mindful of the structure of the text in their subject materials.
• Be able to point out text structures to students to facilitate understanding and participation.
• Be able to help students use reading text structures to enhance writing in each subject area.
• Be able to require a greater variety of writing assignments in their subject area.

• Review the ELAR Research TEKS and the research process.
• Participate in active hands-on lessons that they can easily implement into their current program.
• Receive materials that can be easily modified to differentiate instruction.
• Have the opportunity to collaborate with other colleagues.

• Participants will have an understanding of how to use the small group, grade book, and quiz features of Edmodo to manage multiple Literacy Circles
• Participants will discuss and share ways to teach proper "online etiquette" elementary students
• Participants will discuss and share resources for setting up Literacy Circles on their individual campuses.

Inform - Teachers will be informed of what characteristics and attributes students might possess to constitute a good dyslexia referral for testing.

Review - Teachers will review the dyslexia process of referrals, paperwork, and protocol will be addressed and reviewed in detail.

Apply - Teachers will learn what accommodations and modifications students who qualify for services can utilize in the classroom.

By the end of this session, teachers will understand which students in their classrooms are good candidates for dyslexia testing based on primary and secondary characteristics of dyslexia. Teachers will be aware of what documentation is required before testing and the process of compiling the necessary paperwork for referred students. Teachers will learn to utilize appropriate and necessary accommodations in their classroom in order to positively impact student achievement. 

• Making children think using computer code.
• Establishing ownership and a higher degree of accomplishment by becoming active participants in technology.
• Creating  models of  how computer code can be use to expand on content from subject matter they present to students.
• Familiarizing yourself with the syntax of computer code use in the classroom.
• Creating a "Hello World" program using javascript, computer code.
• Enhancing teachers self awareness and the ability to assess skills from their content area.

This one-day workshop gives an ear to the voice of data, helping to uncover the stories it has to tell about instruction and advice it offers for next steps.   Data results are fact-based and support decision-making.  We approach this 1-day session by starting with the typical questions you are likely to want answered.  

·      Where does our Districts data come from?

·      What data is available to me day one?

·      How reliable is it?

·      What information does the data provide?

·      How will the data drive my lesson planning and instruction?

• Identify barriers that prevent successful guided reading
• Collaborate with other teachers to strategize
• Examine solutions to combat those barriers-plan for this year's successful implementation

• Participants will understand some of the benefits of using Reader’s Theatre in the classroom.
• Participants will be able to create or locate scripts to use in their classrooms.
• Participants will consider ways to incorporate Reader’s Theatre in their classroom instruction to meet the literacy, social, or linguistic needs of their students.

One, two, three kick. Turn, two, three kick. Come on down to the cafeteria and let's get moving with Go Austin Dance. Join us for Line Dancing lessons. There's a place in line for you.

• Participants will understand ways in which art can be integrated in literacy instruction.
• Participants will discuss ways to tailor some of the ideas presented into their teaching.
• Participants will understand how art can be used to know their students culturally and individually.

Participants will:

* discuss examples of successful routines that build student buy-in and increase engagement

* collaborate on the DOs of successful relationship building – an essential factor in student and teacher success

• Participants will understand some of the benefits of using Reader’s Theatre in the classroom.
• Participants will be able to create or locate scripts to use in their classrooms.
• Participants will consider ways to incorporate Reader’s Theatre in their classroom instruction to meet the literacy, social, or linguistic needs of their students.

• Participants will walk through all the steps of QTIPS, including creating the foldable as a student would.
• Participants will learn how to present the QTIPS method in a way that creates a space for meaningful "table talk".
• Participants will brainstorm ideas for finding and sharing more rigorus questions that will benefit from the QTIPS method. 

Learn and share 4th grade high inquiry science labs . Incorporate PBL and technology within your lessons. Explore labs then create rubrics and lesson plan ideas to take back with you. Share ideas as a team and then share an example to the audience. 

By the end of this session, you will have more knowledge of Cscope and AIMS labs.  Motivate students with high inquiry labs and PBL presentations including technology. Leave with lab resource packets, power points and lesson plans that you can apply right away to your curriculum. End session by learning and sharing  your amazing work with all the fourth grade teachers. 

• Learn basic grant writing skills.
• Find where and how to apply for grants.
• Partner with other school employees to make the best of your grant writing experiences.
• You've got the money, now what?

This session addresses some common assumptions about language that linguists recognize to be false.  The implications for teaching English language learners (ELLs) will be discussed.  The interactive second half of the session will focus on practical application of sociolinguistic theory within the bilingual or ESL classroom. 

Participant Outcome:
At the conclusion of this session, participants should have a better understanding of fundamental linguistic principles.  Participants should leave with multiple classroom activities and ideas to apply this new knowledge in the classroom. 

This session is intended for all teachers of ESL and Bilingual Education 

This session focuses on helping teachers develop an asset-based framework for working with English-Language Learners. Teachers will review historic and current deficit discourses about language minority students and will engage in activities that allow them to critically examine related concepts.  This session will focus on counteracting dominant deficit-based perspectives by learning about asset-based perspectives like student “funds of knowledge” and linguistic and familial “community cultural wealth.” Finally, teachers will consider how asset-based perspectives can help them improve their practice and better meet the needs of their English Language Learners.

At the conclusion of the session, participants should have a better understanding how developing “soft skills” like asset-based perspectives can improve student outcomes and decrease the achievement gap within their own classrooms. By creating a space for teachers to think deeply about and discuss the sociocultural influences on learning, this session will reinvigorate and recommit teachers to create classrooms that facilitate the success of all students.  

Assistive Technology consideration is mandated by law for students with disabilities.  Determining if a student needs assistive technology can be a daunting task for teachers.  Assistive Technology will be reviewed as well as how to differentiate learning for students with disabilities in the general education classroom.  Adapting instructional technology to meet the needs of students with disabilities will be also be explored.

Participants will receive a comprehensive overview of assistive technology, and how it can be integrated in the general education classroom to meet the needs of children with disabilities.