Peace Education (Classroom Management)

This workshop concerns the building of community and belonging in the classroom. It guides teachers toward the promotion of self discipline within the young child so conflict resolution is much easier and the outcome makes teachers’ jobs more enjoyable.

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The Church and Transitions in Childhood

This presentation will outline the main daunting transitions faced by children in any given strata of society. Key skills for managing transitions will be presented, along with strategies to help children develop resilience, which will help teachers and leaders guide children through the transitions of life.

Integrating Bible into the Early Childhood Classroom

In this session you will learn practical ways to integrate Bible into secular curriculum and thematic units. Tired of having to use two separate curricula? Learn how to make spiritual connections the center of your teaching. Time will be given for collaboration and sharing.

Handwriting Without Tears: Strategies for Success

Handwriting fluency is an essential component of early learning. Our strategies are developmentally appropriate and encourage oral language proficiency, fine and gross motor skills. This interactive session provides engaging teaching strategies for developing pencil grip, letter formation and sizing, word spacing, sequencing, and sentence skills.

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Observation and Planning

High-quality observations are the key to responsive planning and intentional teaching. Teachers will learn how to collect objective, unbiased observation notes and then use that information to plan individualized learning experiences for each child, respond to children “in-the-moment,” and incorporate observation into each part of the day.

Enrich Your Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Program by Emphasizing Emotional Intelligence

This session gives participants a clear understanding of what emotional intelligence (EQ) is; why a high EQ is so important; learn how emotions work; and leave with EQ skill-building exercises proven to increase a child’s emotional intelligence.

Lapbooking Fun in K-1

Come and enjoy a fun time learning how to use lapbooking in the K-1 classroom. Teachers will be given ideas on ways to incorporate this fun learning option. Brings scissors and glue sticks and have a blast making and taking this great learning tool!

Let’s Keep Moooving! Physical Fitness Activities for Grades K-4

Dr.Don Morgan will begin this session by summarizing data highlighting the increase in levels of overweightness and obesity among American children over the past 30 years. Dr. Debbie Morgan will follow with a demonstration of innovative activities that motivate students to become physically fit. (Participation-oriented presentation.)

Aspiring Actors and Authors: Classroom Productions Without all the Drama

This session will share ways to use drama and student writing in the classroom to create meaningful learning experiences. Specific examples of powerful student presentations to parents will be included.

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Kindergarten Stepping Stones Language Arts

The Language Arts curriculum in Kindergarten Stepping Stones is based on routines that include the foloowing compononets and activities: Phonomic Awareness, Sound-Letter Awaremenss, Reading Wrokdhip, Signing-In, Writing Workshop, Fine Motor Skills, Listening/Speaking. See how these routines work together to help children enjoy literature and become lifelong readers and writers.

Kindergarten Stepping Stones Bible & Math

To provide strong support for teaching in each core subject area a cycle of routines is followed throughout the year for the areas of Bible, language artes, and math. Kindergarten teachers will learn how to actively engage children in a variety of activities when teaching the routines in Bible and math.

We’ve Got the Beat: How Rythym Improves Critical Thinking

In this workshop, poet-songwriter, educator Mike Mennard shows how metered poety , jump-rope rhymes, and rythmic activities have a measureable affect on thinking. By ecnouraging metered poetry, jump-rope rhymes, rhythm exercises, and music, a teacher may discover increased attention skills and thinking skills. Teachers will leave with activites ready for the classroom.

READY…SET…GO MATH!

Receive an overview of the new elementary mathematics materials for the students in grades K-6. Each group will have an opportunity to look at the new “Go Math” materials, learn about the program’s organization and resources, view technology demonstrations, and interact with several activities designed to meet the needs of your classroom.

Get the Big Picture about Big Ideas Math

Come for the snapshot tour of hte Big Ideas Math Common Core Program for your 6-8 grade students. Big Ideas Learning will describe all the Big Ideas materials and how they will create enthusiasm, excitement and deeper understanding of mathematics for students. The album includes activities, Laurie’s Notes, cutting-edge technology and more.

Teaching French as a Second Language Using Pathways to French

This program has been created to help teachers who teach French as a Second Language in a multi-grade class, but are not bilingual themselves. The goal is to help teachers foster in their students the skills, abilities, and attitudes required for the development of communicative competence in French.

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BirdSleuth: Most Wanted Birds

Open your students’ eyes to the birds all around them! The Most Wanted Birds kit includes full-color focus cards, interactive computer-based bird ID quizzes, posters, and hands-on activities. Your students will learn how to identify the birds in your schoolyard and to report their bird sightings on eBird!

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Mathopoly – Engagement for Students, Assessment for Teachers

Come to learn, stay and play! Mathopoly has given students the opportunity to strengthen skills in a fun and engaging way and given teachers unique assessment opportunities. Driven by curriculum and rich in assessment, come see Mathopoly in action.

Managing and Organizing the Multigrade Classroom

A well-managed classroom is a teachers’ dream. See how students can work with you, not against you, to make learning happen. This model works well for all elementary classrooms and uses techniques that are essential to the multi-grade classroom. Learn the steps to build an organized, well-managed classroom.

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Drama in the Classroom: How to take Your Lesson from Dull to Dramatic!

An introduction to using basic drama skills in the elementary classroom. Role playing, Reader’s Theater, class skits, and school plays will be discussed. Come prepared to use your imagination and make learning fun again.

Web 2.0 Applications that Support 21st Century Learning

Instilling 21st century skills has emerged as a critical teaching goal. Commercial software programs incorporate these objectives, but the 7 C’s can be met by free- or low-cost cloud computing applications via Web 2.0 sites. (The 7 C’s – Creativity, Critical Thinking, Communication, Collaboration, Computing, Career learning, and Cross-cultural understanding).

CREATION Health Schools: Helping Schools Become Healthy, Happy, and Whole

Based on Florida Hospital’s CREATION Health and developed for schools in partnership with Florida Conference Office of Education, CREATION Health Schools offers a certification process designed to improve the holistic health of schools. It seeks to help both students and schools approach God’s ideal of health, happiness, and wholeness.

Number Talks: Students Building Mental Math and Computation through Discourse

Number Talks are powerful 10 to 15 minute classroom conversations around purposeful, contextual computation problems solved mentally. Designed to elicit specific strategies that focus on number relationships, number sense, and operational sense, students share and defend their solutions and strategies, collectively reasoning about numbers while building conceptual ideas and connections.

Ideas for Organizing a Small Library

If you need to get your small library organized and/or automated, you will find some great ideas on how to do this quickly and easily even if you don’t know how to catalog like a librarian.

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Pathways Resources for Easy Planning (P.R.E.P.)

The Pathways Resources for Easy Planning (P.R.E.P.) is a multi-grade tool for grades 1-8, prepared to meet the needs of educators teaching more than one grade. While the PREP helps the multi-grade teacher, it may be useful to any teacher using Pathways 1-8.

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Iowa Assessments, The Future is Now

Iowa Assessments are changing! Learn how the new tests integrate Common Core learning standards and improve a teacher or administrators access to understand results. In preparing for full digital testing many new features will be in the hands of classroom teachers and school principals. Learn how to maximize the test data to drive decisions about helping each student succeed.

By Design: A Journey to Excellence through Science for Grades 1-8

This engaging, rigorous, and developmentally appropriate curriculum nurtures a child’s natural curiosity as they explore the wonderment of God’s creation through the lens of the Bible. The program focuses on the users’ experience so that all elements invite, engage, instruct, and motivate students and teachers to continue learning and building their science knowledge.

Adventist History Resources for the Classroom—Integrating Adventist History into the Elementary Curriculum

Learn how to access a wealth of Adventist history resources and explore ways to integrate them into the elementary classroom. Each participant will receive access to digital resources and how to create a classroom project.

You can put on a “Science Show”

Learn how you can get your students excited about science by putting on a “Science Show” for them. Come learn step by step instructions that will transform you into a “Science Showman.”

Do I Have to Teach Reading?

Does teaching reading interfere with the teaching of the content information? Does a science, social studies or other content area teacher have to teach reading? This presentation focuses on the role of the content area teacher as a “reading” teacher. Discuss best practices and strategies for teaching reading in secondary content areas.

Outlining Strategies—Better Writing, Starting Today

This session will provide teachers with practical outlining strategies for improving students’ writing and analytical thinking skills. Utilizing these pre-writing strategies will help your students become careful readers, critical thinkers, and competent writers. These strategies can be applied to any writing activity in grades 6-12.

Preparing Students for College Science Courses

Join three science departments from Southern Adventist University in discussing the challenges high school students face when they take introductory science courses and the knowledge and skills we expect them to bring into the classroom and laboratory.

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Physical Activity and Academic Achievement

This presentation will review research regarding physical activity and academic achievement. Discussion will include the impact of physical activity on student attention and behavior. Information on practical ways that teachers can incorporate physical activity into the school day will be offered.

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Learning and Teaching Strategies for Foreign Language

Join a mini-presentation of strategies and methods for second language teaching, followed by round-table discussion. Bring ideas to share as well as open minds to carry ideas home with you.

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Deans’ 24/7 Lifeline: Support and Resources for Deans

24/7 Lifeline is a new support program for deans developed to supply resources regarding hot topics deans face. This program centers around an online website where deans can support one another, access resources, post prayer requests, etc. Learn about this exciting new program and how it can enrich your deaning experience!

Stimulating the Spiritual, Moral, and Faith Development of Children and Adolescents

This presentation is appropriate for all grade levels and goes “across the curriculum.” Spiritual development does not simply happen; it has to be stimulated, taught, and modeled. Presentation based on research, best practices and theoretical concepts.

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Facilitating Students’ Transition from High School to College

Nationwide, the majority of high school seniors entering college are unprepared for the academic rigors of higher education. How can we facilitate the transition from high school to college?

Heroes, Villains, and the Universal Epic: Unveiling the Great Controversy in Popular Media

In this media-saturated culture, many students respond readily to fictional characters but struggle to find real-life relevance. Join a Religion teacher and an English teacher as we explore, through media, the key elements in every great story and find answers to our deepest questions in the Great Controversy.

Wild Mushrooms of Washington County, MD: A Toyota Tapestry Project

The project, featured in the 2011 Pearson Environmental Science textbook, is a 9th grade project that was funded by a Toyota Tapestry grant of $10,000. Students produced a pictorial database of wild mushrooms, and investigated the various roles fungi play in forest ecosystems and in our lives.

Striving for Excellence in Choral Music

An intensive touching on the essential elements of developing and maintaining a successful choral ensemble.

SHOPTALK: Secondary Computer Education & Technology Specialists

SHOPTALK: Academy Residence Hall Deans

SHOPTALK: Secondary Foreign Language

The Cooperative Agreement between Middle States Association and the Adventist Accrediting Association

Come find out how Middle States Regional Accrediting Agency can assist you in your needs for accreditation.

SHOPTALK: Secondary Guidance Counselors

Comic Strip Mathematics

Participants will see examples of how mathematics permeates many comic strips. Sometimes comic strips bring laughter to both students and teachers while others explore new mathematics. Participants will laugh and explore, then leave with a comic strip activity used to teach statistics to middle school or high school students.

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Building a School Library that is Budget-Friendly and Useful

Does your school have trouble affording new books? Usborne Books & More is the perfect solution! Usborne works very hard to print quality reading material within all budgets. We have four programs that every school should know about, as well as our connections to Pathways and CCSS (Common Core State Standards).

Neuroeducation: Lessons from Neuroscience for Teaching and Learning

This session provides an overview of how the brain processes information and how that process fits into a model for teaching and learning. Use of this model allows teachers to self-assess to ensure balance in honoring active/passive processing, skills development/creative expression, differentiated instruction, whole-person nurture.

Creating the Best Classroom Theme Ever

Seasonal themes, Pathways themes, science themes – teachers love themes! But do you have the most important theme, a Spiritual Theme? This workshop offers easy ways to create a spiritual theme for your classroom that will last throughout the year and throughout your students’ lifetime.

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Whole Health Across the Life Course: What Teachers Can Do

This seminar will discuss how educators can incorporate health education in a fun, motivational way. Helpful tools and resources will be discussed, including initiatives to reduce childhood obesity, such as Adventists InStep for Life , Let’s Move Day, and lifestyle challenges to be used in conjunction with the curriculum.

Call All Soul Shapers

Fellow SDA educators join Jim Roy, author of Soul Shapers, in presenting how non-coercive principles and strategies have changed their personal lives and their classrooms. You will get ideas on how to implement Soul Shapers in the classroom and connect with others who are also on the non-coercive journey.

Hydroponic School Gardens—As Easy As 1, 2, 3

Leonardo da Vinci’s Art and Science Connections

Integrating diverse subjects can sometimes prove challenging. Leonardo da Vinci is primarily remembered as a great artist, yet his connections to science are profound. This presentation discusses ways we can integrate science and art by examining themes from the life of the Renaissance man himself.

“Discipline, Whose Problem is it Anyway?”

“Discipline” is everyone’s problem, beginning with the home and even society as a whole. Unfortunately,it has now come to rest on the doors of our learning facilities. Today it’s your problem. How are you going to solve this problem before it becomes out of control in your schools or your classrooms?

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Ten Things Every Child With Autism Wishes You Knew

Based on Ellen Notbohm’s book “Ten Things Every Child With Autism Wishes You Knew.” This presentation will share the top ten characteristics that will help teachers better understand the hearts and minds of children with autism.

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The Emerging Face of Special Students; Strategies to Assist These Students Succeed in School

Utilize current curricular models to meet the needs of Autistic students/students classified with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Participants will go away with strategies and materials to work with and better understand these students in their classroom. This session will also give information on working with students with disabilities in our Adventist school setting.

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Valuegenesis III – Developing Faith, Values, and Commitment in Adventist Students

A complete report of the findings of this significant study of Adventist youth in Adventist education and the influence of family, school and church on faith maturity, values adoption, and a commitment to the church. This third survey provides valuable trend data built off the first two Valuegenesis studies that began in 1990 and 2000.

Tammy’s Favorite Technology Tips, Tricks, and Tools

There are so many new technology gadgets, apps, and websites, that it is nearly impossible to keep up. In this fast-paced session, Tammy will share her favorite newly-discovered tips, tricks, and tools for teachers and students.

Power the iPad with Powerful Utilities

Make audio recordings, screencasts, turn the iPad into an interactive whiteboard, get driving instructions and more. Find out which apps really make your iPad a useful, powerful and fully equipped computer.

iPads in the Classroom

Let the iPad be your teaching assistant! With a myriad of inexpensive, innovative apps, it can be used for differentiated instruction, project-based learning, classroom management, and organization for busy teachers. For all grades and subjects, big school or small, come see how the iPad can benefit your classroom!

I Have to Take A Course Online! What Now?

This session will discuss the basics needed to be successful in the virtual learning classroom. See what a student needs in equipment, technology and time. We will look at the components of a class and talk about the strategies needed to be successful.

Google…More Than Just a Search Engine

Many people may not be familiar with the Google tools and applications that can be utilized in education. A brief overview of the following Google tools will be presented – Presentations, Docs, Forms, Earth, Maps, Voice, Groups, and Sites.

Collaborative Projects—Bringing the World to Your Classroom

Adventist Education has an advantage few other systems can compete with: our worldwide presence. Is now the time to take advantage of that? Come and see how current technology can bring the world to your classroom and together provide amazing opportunities.

iTeach: Technology for Teachers

This workshop will expose teachers to the latest technologies and share ideas on how to utilize and incorporate them in the classroom.

Who are the AFDA and who do they represent?

From the American Food Distributors Association, they represent and sell vegetarian food products to ABC’s, hospitals, colleges, academies, churches and groceries stores. Learn exactly who they are and all about the products they represent.

RenWeb’s Online Application

Eliminate paper applications. An online application provides a more polished image for your school, simplifies processes, and lowers costs by eliminating manual data entry. Online Application dramatically simplifies the admissions process by integrating configurable applications with RenWeb’s admission management feature to provide schools a complete online application process.

How to Use Moodle to Organize, Sequence, and Share Digital Content in a 1:1 Device Program

When launching 1:1 device programs, schools often focus on management of the devices, not the content. How will you organize and save your content so you can reuse it? See how Moodle can maximize a school’s investment in their 1:1 program by organizing content to create a rich, interactive learning experience for students.

InformationNOW Classroom Attendance, Rosters, and Reports

This hands-on style session, designed for the classroom teacher, will guide InformationNOW users through the process of taking attendance, viewing and managing rosters and seating charts, and running reports from within the classroom menu.

InformationNOW Classroom Lesson Plan, Grade Book Setup and Entry

InformationNOW teachers will be led through a hands-on style session that will cover initial grade book setup, daily activity and lesson plan entry, and using the grade book as tool to communicate with parents.

HELP I HAVE A NEW STUDENT!

What to do when a student joins your school. This will include demonstration on all the steps necessary to successfully transfer students INSIDE ssm, how to retrieve them from previous years and how to work with their records in the database. . Following the short presentation there will be time for participants to receive individual help.

Early Intervention Procedures when Allegations of Child Abuse Occur

What procedures should school administrators take when a student accuses a staff member of sexual abuse? How can we protect our institutions and families, and in the process help to keep these volatile issues from being litigated?

Campus Crisis and Emergency Planning! Are You Prepared?

Do you have a campus plan when a crisis occurs? Current risk plans in our schools must involve more than fire drills. Emergency plans and their implementation and rehearsal are critical for all prepared schools. Come and learn how you can be more prepared.

“Teaching In the Spirit” – Gaining Spiritual victory in Your Classroom!

Understand and experience the power of following in the footsteps of the Teacher, Jesus Christ! We will learn practical principles on how to teach on a spiritual plane to effect dynamic change in your students from the inside-out.

Bullying In School, The Myths and the Facts

Take the first step in reducing the threat of bullying on campus by learning what is myth and what is fact. The public believes many things about bullying, some from experience and more from the media. Come learn how 35 years of research data from Dan Olweus and others can dispel the myths which enable bullying to remain a problem for schools.

CognitiveGenesis: Relationship Results

CognitiveGenesis collected achievement and ability test data from over 50,000 students in all Adventist schools in North America over a four-year period and survey information data from their parents, teachers, and school administrator. Models have been developed that describe the relationship between achievement and student, home, teacher, and school characteristics.

Thinking About Retirement? Part A

This is the first of two workshops designed for those approaching retirement from the denominational retirement plans. Outline: A. Introduction to Retirement Planning B.The Financial Plan C.The Frozen Legacy (Pre 2000) Pension Plan

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The Power of Positive

Tired of all the negativity that surrounds us today? Learn how a few small changes can make big differences in your life and in the life of your family, friends and students. Find out the value of being positive.

The Power of Listening for Principals

Listening is often misunderstood and rarely taught. School leaders know listening is important, but many are unable to use it to their advantage. Many fail to incorporate listening as a strategy to serve their students and enhance their career. This session is designed to highlight listening strategies for career and personal enhancement.

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Understanding Suicide: Warning Signs, Prevention, and Coping with Loss

Suicide is an ever-increasing option for students in pain. This seminar includes information about loss by suicide from both a personal and school perspective. Also addressed are current statistics and data, recognizing the signs of suicidal behavior, professional resources available, an educational video, and dealing with loss.

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Hosanna Tabor: Poof there go your legal rights!

The U.S. Supreme Court recently handed down a landmark decision taking away the employment-related civil rights of most American teachers in the Seventh-day Adventist school system. Law professor Bruce N. Cameron explains your loss and what you might be able to do about it.

How To Really Love Your Children

Do you ever wonder why students race to a teacher’s side everytime they see her/him? There is a reason for this. Bonding with students must happen for real learning to take place, and through practical ways of making a child feel loved, they will be racing to your classroom as well.

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Bullying and Harassment in Schools

Hear the latest statistics on bullying and harassment in schools and learn strategies to combat problems or avoid having problems in your schools.

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Financial Indicators for Academy Administrators

When senior academies are struggling with reduced revenue sources in a challenging economy it is vital that all pertinent business information be analyzed. Financial indicators are key measures of the school’s health and viability. Learn how to find, report and use these data points to make sound financial plans for your school.

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Meeting Your School’s Internet Needs

This session is about getting your school online and managing internet connectivity. Now that hand held devices have invaded our classrooms, the instructional needs of our schools have changed. In this session you will learn how plan, install and manage your school’s internet access.

Does Carrying a Smart Phone and an iPad make a Principal a Technology Leader?

Many school principals feel inadequate if they are not conversant with the latest and greatest technologies used by students and colleagues. Often, if they are not carrying a smart phone or an iPad, they feel they are not technologically “with it.” Can’t principals be strong leaders without having the latest technology?

How to Breathe Life Back into Your School

Come get wonderful tips on recruitment, retention, marketing and best practices to increase your enrollment. If your school is in need of revival then this is a seminar you want to put on your list.

Educational Fundraising: What Works and What Doesn’t in 2012

Beginning with an introduction by PSI leadership on today’s trends and practices that work, a panel of successful educators will discuss the topic and provide workable suggestions. The session will close with a summary of today’s top trends that can be applied to educational fundraising.

Performance-Based Supervision of Instruction

Today’s student population represents a global, multilingual and multicultural society. Effective teachers are expected to be proficient in addressing differentiated instruction, ESL, multiple intelligences, and diverse socio-economic backgrounds. Effective supervision of instruction must work in conjunction with student learning outcomes as it supports teacher learning.

Communicating in a Time of Crisis

Crises don’t work on a schedule or when we are anticipating them. This seminar will cover issues administrators need to be aware of to effectively communicate with stakeholders, media and the public when a crisis occurs. Receive step-by-step guidelines on what to do or not do when the press calls or inquiring minds want to know.

ABC’s of Leading for the New Principal

An interactive session in which induction and preparedness strategies for the new principal will be introduced. If you are an entry level school administrator, or are returning to school administration, then this session is for you! Join us for an engaging session in which proven strategies for new principals will be shared.

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Word of Mouth Marketing: The Real Deal

Fasten your seatbelts for the newly revised version of GraceWorks’ classic presentation on growing the enrollment of your Christian school through enhanced word of mouth marketing. Identify promoters, increase the number of promoters, throw fuel on the word of mouth fire, and build a word of mouth referral culture at your school.