ESU plans conferences, workshops for teachers
Emporia State University
Friday, September 4, 2009
A highly sought-after, if not the most in demand, speaker in education will be speaking in September to audiences of early career teachers and educators who support them.
Harry Wong, author and authority in effective instruction, will be speaking in Kansas and Oregon at events coordinated by Emporia State University, the National Teachers Hall of Fame, and Concordia University in Portland, Ore. The conferences are funded by the U.S. Department of Education.
Wong will speak at the Overland Park Convention Center on Sept. 17 and at the Crowne Plaza Portland-Downtown Convention Center in Portland, Ore., on Sept. 25.
“It’s a good problem to have but, as of August 27, we hit the limit on the number of people who can attend the Overland Park conference,” said conference coordinator, Toni Bowling, of the Jones Institute for Educational Excellence at ESU. “However, in case of cancellations, we have a place on our Web site where people can sign up to be on a waiting list.”
Bowling said there are still spots available for the conference in Oregon.
The conferences, called “From Surviving to Thriving! Empowering the Early Career Teacher,” are not just for early career teachers, but their mentors, administrators, and classroom teachers wanting grow professionally.
Both conferences will feature Wong and breakout sessions presented National Teacher Hall of Fame members and regional educators. These sessions will focus on equipping and mentoring early career educators; as well as speak to the honing the skills and strategies of well-estab?lished educators.
Wong’s presentation will demonstrate what effective teachers do to cause student achievement. The material will consist of common sense, research-based, non-controversial basic information and techniques used by effective teachers shared in an entertaining easy-to-implement format.
Online registration, as well as information regarding fees, locations, and breakout sessions to be held can be found at www.emporia.edu/jones.
Workshops
The Jones Institute for Educational Excellence also is offering educators opportunities to train with technology, learn a new system of support methods and to explore the great outdoors in through offerings provided this fall. Online registration, as well as information regarding fees and materials needed for the workshops can be found at www.emporia.edu/jones.
The workshops are:
• Sept. 14-15 — Multi-Tier System of Support (MTSS) Training: Structuring. This training session is designed to help schools create a structure to implement MTSS. It is recommended schools send teams to the training including: a district/building administrator, classroom teachers, Title 1 teacher, reading specialist, instructional coach, special education teacher, and — if possible — an ELL teacher, school psychologist, or counselor. See the web site below for more information.
• Sept. 23 — Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve Educator Workshop Series: Land of “Ah-has! ” Educating in the Outdoors — A one-day workshop for grades 3-5 teachers providing an introduction to the educational possibilities at the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve and to the unique benefits of natural, scientific, historical, and cultural education available in an outdoor setting. The day offers a series of sessions by biologists, historians, park service staff, and educators.
• Sept. 30 — Multi-Tier System of Support (MTSS) Training: Implementation — A training session for schools to help schools analyze data, elect interventions for supplemental and intense instruction, and improve data-based decision-making processes.
• Oct. 9 — Technology-Infused Learning for a Digital Generation — This one day conference sponsored by the Kansas Association for Educational Communications and Technology is offered for K-12 classroom teachers, technology teachers, and technical college instructors. The conference offers numerous sessions, all aimed at sharing ideas, tips and tricks to challenge learners through the use of technology.
• Oct. 12 — Multi-Tier System of Support (MTSS) Training: Structuring — This training session is designed to help schools create a structure to implement MTSS. Schools may choose to begin this training either on Sept. 14-15 or on October 12. Subsequent training will be necessary; see the web site for more information.
• Nov. 13 — Empowering Students through Assistive Technology Infinitec Statewide Assistive Technology Conference 2009 & Outstanding Student Technology Awards Presentation — This annual conference sponsored by the Kansas Infinitec Coalition offers full and half-day sessions on the use of assistive technology. Students will be recognized at a luncheon for their use of technology in their instruction.
For more information about the conference or workshops, visit www.emporia.edu/jones or contact Toni Bowling at mbowling@emporia.edu, 1-877-378-5433, 620-341-5372.