MATHEMATICAL MINDSETS: A Book Study

Instructor - Beth Read

45 CTLE hrs; 3 Ins. Credits

Dates:  July 1st - August 19th     K-12 Math

Time: Asynchronous     Fee: $150

        “This book changed the way I think about math and how I teach.”  So says Beth Read, Math teacher and OWL instructor.  Participants will read and discuss Mathematical Mindsets by Jo Boaler.  Mathematical Mindsets shares research and many practical classroom strategies for developing a growth mindset around learning math.  This is a powerful concept that can open math learning for teachers as well as students.  In this book study, adult learners can reflect on their own relationship with learning math as well as develop concrete strategies for approaching math.  You’ve heard your colleagues say things like “I’m not a math person,”  “I went into teaching because I love books,” “I’m not good at math either . . . she must have gotten that from me. . .” 

        What this book study is meant to do is teach you that you are good at math; you just weren't good at mindlessly applying formulas that you didn’t understand or solving story problems that made no sense.  We need to learn about our students as mathematicians, as well as beginning to think about their "math life". We need to learn how to undo math trauma.

Join me on this journey of becoming a mathematician!  This course will have chapter by chapter discussions, questions, and assignments.   Participants will learn the key concepts presented in Mathematical Mindsets and  apply these concepts in their own classroom  settings.  They will deepen their knowledge through online discourse.

Participants buy or borrow a copy of Mathematical Mindsets, by Jo Boaler.

Upon completion of this course, participants will have:

• An understanding of how the brain functions when students learn math, make mistakes, and struggle.

• The ability to create mathematical mindsets in their students.

• Learn how to create rich mathematical tasks.

• The knowledge to create heterogeneous groups that lend themselves to higher mathematical thinking.

• Learn how to create assessments for a growth mindset.

• Strategies for creating a classroom based positive growth mindset.

**************************************************************************************************

BUILDING BRIDGES BETWEEN SCHOOL & HOME: Establishing and Nurturing Parent-Teacher Relationships

Instructors: Heather Catron and Debbie Weinstein 

45 CTLE hrs; 3 Ins. Credits                    Fee: $150                                     Grades K-12 all areas

Dates and Times:                          

• Thursday, July 6, 2023 through Monday, August 7, 2023

• Thursday, July 6: Google Meet from 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm (synchronous)

• Weeks of Monday, July 10- Monday, July 31: Participants are expected to log in for 6 hours per unit for asynchronous learning and assignments.

• Monday, August 7: Google Meet from 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm (synchronous)

Fostering positive parent-teacher relationships is essential to the well-being of our students.  Working as a team can help our students succeed academically, provide an emotional support system for them, and diminish unwanted behaviors.  This course will help you to build a foundation for effective and appropriate parental involvement in your classroom community.  

Units to be Presented:

1- Starting off the School Year on the Right Foot 

2- Parent-Teacher Conferences

3- Gaining Support at Home for Academic Achievement

4- Working Together to Eliminate Behavior Issues

5- Handling Conflicts with Parents

6- Involving Parents in the Classroom Community

7- Communicating with Parents Who Do Not Speak English

**************************************************************************************************

BRINGING MATH TO LIFE WITH PICTURE BOOKS!

Instructor: Deb Fitzpatrick

45 CTLE Hours; 3 inservice credits Grades

Dates: July 1, 2023 - August 11, 2023         Fee: $150

Time: Asynchronous

What child or adult doesn’t like to hear a good story? This is a tradition in almost every culture and a wonderful way to teach our children! Reading a picture book is something that every single student, regardless of ability level, can enjoy.  While they may not catch or understand all the math in the story, they will at least see it in action and hear appropriate math vocabulary.  They begin to make connections between what they already know and what they heard in the book. Bring your math lessons back to life with math picture books! 

Participants will:

Explore a new strategy for each particular math operation.

Make connections between various math topics or between math and the real world

Visualize math concepts as you see it play out in the story and illustrations

Provide new schema for mathematical ideas

Design lessons to integrate literacy and mathematics

Support math and STEM understanding

Understand how visuals help students make sense out of the content

This course will be conducted in an asynchronous online setting utilizing Google Classroom as the delivery platform. Participants meet virtually in  online communities to discuss and share lessons and strategies. Personalized meetings (optional) will be available via Zoom to help guide you through the process. . Personal Google accounts will be required to access the course.  

*************************************************************************************************

TEACH LIKE A PIRATE: Increase Student Engagement, Boost Your Creativity, and Transform Your Life As An Educator

A Book Study

Instructor: Debbie Salitsky, LCSW

45 CLTE Hours, 3 In Service Credits Grades K-12                 Fee: $150

4.0 Hour Synchronous Participation Dates: July 6, 2023 & July 13, 2023             8:30-10:30 AM

41.0 Hour Asynchronous Assignments and Book Read to be completed by August 24, 2023

Educators and support staff may feel that they’re losing their spark or oomph as curriculum demands and student’s social emotional needs are constantly changing. This book study will take a deep dive into ways to transform the classroom/support staff office and life as an educator. “Teach Like A Pirate” will explore and offer ways to enhance classroom climate, kindle creativity, and reconnect with the passion of why you became an educator. Additionally, book chapters will provide the foundation for asynchronous study, providing ideas, new lesson plans, self-reflection and collaboration so that each educator feels revitalized to begin a new school year with their own personal treasure box for renewing and rejuvenating their classroom or office.

* Participants must purchase the book Teach Like A Pirate: Increase Student Engagement, Boost Your Creativity, and Transform Your Life As An Educator By Dave Burgess

Course Objectives:

Increase student engagement. Engage in greater understanding of restorative justice practices and community circles.

Reignite creativity to produce meaningful lessons or counseling group activities.

Transform classroom/office space to welcome and accommodate the “whole child”.

Re-engage with that professional spark that may have dimmed over the years.

*************************************************************************************************

THE DEMOCRATIC CLASSROOM

Instructor: Midge Mirabile                         

15 CTLE Hrs; 1 ins.credit Fee: $50                     K-12

Dates: July 10 - August 14, 2023

Time: Asynchronous

In the past, classroom techniques have focused on teachers—giving advice on how to instruct students and manage their behavior. In contrast, the democratic classroom calls for a shift to student-centered approaches that place students at the center of the learning experience.

In this course, you will learn how to work with your students to set up a classroom that supports exploration, collaboration, motivates students, and authentically engages them in meaningful learning experiences. You will develop techniques for building positive teacher–student relationships and dealing with difficult students to prevent power struggles.

With student-centered instruction, your students will practice taking responsibility for themselves, making good choices, and taking ownership over their own learning. You can aid them in this process by creating activities with high levels of engagement and nurturing a prosocial learning environment that drives positive academic and social outcomes.

With the strategies you learn in this course, you will be able to transform your classroom into an environment where students take charge of themselves and their learning. 

Connections to Practice

This course provides the following classroom connections:

Strategies for shifting the classroom from teacher centered to student centered

Techniques for addressing student misbehavior and preventing power struggles

Tips for managing difficult students while also building positive student–teacher relationships

Techniques in building a strong classroom community that cultivate a democratic classroom, foster students’ taking responsibility for their behavior, and support students in making good choices

Ideas for creating, communicating, teaching, and enforcing meaningful class expectations, procedures, and routines

Tips for creating powerful learning activities and assessments that build student academic, social, and emotional success 

This course will be conducted in an asynchronous online setting utilizing Google Classroom as the delivery platform. Participants meet virtually via online communities to discuss and share lessons and strategies. Personalized meetings (optional) will be available via Zoom to help guide you through the process. Personal Google accounts will be required to access the course. 

*************************************************************************************************

LEVERAGING TECHNOLOGY & BEST PRACTICES TO SUPPORT THE MTSS FRAMEWORK

Instructor: Kim Turri

45 CTLE Hours; 3 Ins. Credits Fee $150               Grades K-12

Dates: July 3, 2023 - August 14, 2023    

Time: Asynchronous

This course will explore the Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) framework and how it can be implemented to provide effective educational and behavioral strategies for students with diverse needs. With the increasing number of students struggling in today's learning environment, it has become crucial for educators to utilize tools and best practices that support students emotionally, academically, and behaviorally. This course will explore the best practices and tools that can help create positive learning experiences and provide equitable learning opportunities for all students. Participants will learn how to effectively implement the MTSS framework to meet the needs of their students and support their academic and emotional growth. By the end of this course, participants will have gained the knowledge and skills necessary to support the current learning environment and provide effective support to all students.

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Understand the Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) framework and its key components, including how it can be used to support students with diverse needs.

Explore best practices and tools that support students emotionally, academically, and behaviorally, as well as how to use these tools to create positive learning experiences.

Develop an understanding of how to effectively implement the MTSS framework to meet the needs of their students and support their academic and emotional growth.

Identify and use effective strategies to support struggling students and implement interventions to help them succeed.

Gain the skills and knowledge necessary to create equitable learning opportunities for all students, regardless of their individual needs.

Participants meet virtually via online communities to discuss and share lessons and strategies. Personal Google accounts will be required to access the course.

************************************************************************************************

HOW TO CREATE ENGAGING, SELF-CHECKING RESOURCES USING GOOGLE SHEETS

Instructor: Nicole Markowski

45 CTLE Hours - 3 Inservice Credit         Fee: $150                                                             Grades: K-12

Dates and Times:   July 5th-August 30th (8 weeks) - 30 asynchronous hours

15 synchronous hours: Thursdays 7/6, 7/13, 7/20, 7/27, 8/3, 8/10 and 

Monday 8/21 - Google Meets from 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm.

Thursday 8/24 - Google Meet from 7 pm - 8 pm.

Participants are expected to spend 3-4 hours each week independently completing the weekly requirements.

Are you looking for new ways to keep your students engaged in the classroom?  When Covid hit, digital activities and resources became more popular in all subjects and grade levels.  This course will walk you through how to create many engaging, interactive and self-checking resources using Google Sheets.  Participants will walk away with eight ready to use resources as well as templates that can be used to create future resources.  This course is ideal for all subjects and grade levels.

Participants will create the following resources:

• Self-Checking Do-Nows/Exit Tickets

• Self-Checking Maze

• Pixel Art Activity

• Digital Self-Checking Task Cards Puzzle Pixel Art Activity

• Progress Monitoring Activity

• Two Player Race

• Digital Escape Activity

• Culminating Activity

**************************************************************************************************

PHONEMIC & PHONOLOGICAL AWARENESS: WHY THEY ARE IMPORTANT TO YOUR STUDENTS

Instructor: Kim Snyder

15 CTLE Hours - 1 Inservice Credit             Fee: $50                                                              Grades: K-8

Dates:    July 31 - August 21, 2023                                                                                   

Time:   Online synchronous meeting is to be held on Monday, July 31, 2023, from 4:00 - 5:00 pm. 

 14 hours are asynchronous and entail online reading, reflection, lesson development, and sharing.    

Before children learn to read print, they need to become aware of how the sounds in words work. They must understand that words are made up of individual speech sounds, or phonemes.  Children must learn that we talk in sentences, that sentences are made of words, and that words are made of phonemes.  With this ability to think about the building blocks of spoken words, children can apply their knowledge to the task of learning how speech sounds are represented by letters.  A child's skill in phonological and phonemic awareness is a good predictor of later reading success or difficulty.  According to Marilyn Jager Adams, “The two best predictors of early reading success are alphabet recognition and phonemic awareness.” (1990)   This course will present terminology, activities, and specific strategies that will assist teachers in facilitating the phonemic and phonological awareness skills of their English speaking students and English Language Learners (ELLs).

Participants will:

●Gain an understanding of the terminology associated with phonemic and phonological awareness.  

●Understand the difference between phonemic awareness and phonological awareness.

●Learn about Phonemic Awareness activities and strategies.

●Learn about Phonological Awareness activities & strategies.          ●Introduction to Heggerty, a supplemental resource for literacy and phonics instruction.

This course will be conducted utilizing Google Classroom as the delivery platform.  Personal Google accounts will be required to access this course.  Participants will meet virtually for the initial session via a Google Meet link.  

*************************************************************************************************

PROJECT-BASED LEARNING WITH CANVA 

Instructor: Christine Sanfratello

15 CTLE Hours - 1 Inservice Credit               Fee: $50                                   Grades: K-12

Dates: July 10, 2023 - August 11, 2023                                             

Time: Asynchronous                                        

Project-Based Learning (PBL) Using Canva is a course designed to bring student-centered inquiry and creativity together to enhance learning and student engagement. PBLs allow students to explore real-world problems as they develop their own innovative solutions. Canva is a platform that allows students to unleash their creativity as they present their ideas to meet these challenges . Together these two ingredients are the key to developing the perfect student-driven unit that promotes inquiry, engagement, and understanding. Throughout this course, participants will explore various techniques and strategies of incorporating PBLs into their classrooms while also developing their creative design skills using Canva.

Participants will

● Apply practical design skills using Canva

● Learn the “how to’s” of creating Project Based Learning for your classroom

● Design project components and student templates using Canva

● Develop an original Project-Based Learning activity for your classroom

Participants must have a personal google account to access the course and materials.

*************************************************************************************************

FOUNDATIONS OF MENTORING: Online Training for Teachers Who Wish to Mentor 

Instructor: Jeanette Wolters-Lennon

4 CTLE Hours                   Grades: K-12                                                   No Fee for OWL Consortium Teachers; $15 fee for all others

New teachers often struggle with a predictable dichotomy. On one hand, they have completed their initial course work, and have been hired to teach. On the other hand, they are new to the profession, and don’t have the experience they might need to handle multiple, complex issues that arise with their students. They wish to appear competent since they are “real” teachers and they are expected to know what to do. They want their colleagues and supervisors to respect their position and knowledge, and don’t want to appear unsure. Enter the proficient mentor, who is able to develop a trusting relationship with the new teacher and help them navigate the many pitfalls of first-year teaching. 

This training will be presented in two parts. The first 3 hours is an online, asynchronous basic training recommended for anyone who wishes to mentor colleagues. The second part consists of a one hour mandatory synchronous meeting, described in detail below, which will help mentors internalize the skills and strategies of effective mentoring. 

Teachers who complete all four hours of training will receive a certificate for 4 CTLE hours. 

Introduction to Mentoring (3 hours) Online and asynchronous, beginning on August 2, 2023 and ending on August 23, 2023. 

- Introductory level background in mentoring including the need for confidentiality, trust and rapport 

- Introduction of important verbal skills, including 

-Choosing between open- and closed-ended questions 

-Using confirmatory paraphrasing to determine a new teacher’s “agenda” 

-Appropriately use positive phrasing and/or approval statements to overcome resistance 

                -Introduction of classroom visitation cycle (pre-visitation conference, visit, post-visitation conference with new goal       setting) 

Mentoring Forum (1 hour) Online and Synchronous 

Date: August 29, 2023 Time: 9-10 a.m. 

● A recap of mentoring skills from “Intro to Mentoring”. 

● Discussion, Q and A. 

There is no fee for this training for OWL consortium teachers (Lindenhurst, N. Babylon, Wyandanch) You must be a tenured teacher in order to participate in this training. 

Lindenhurst teachers will become part of the district mentor pool if all 4 hours are completed.

All other districts - $15 fee.