Title IIA Offerings for Houston Independent School District May 2014
Title IIA Offerings for Houston Independent School District
The following pages comprise a listing of Title IIA offerings from Catapult Learning that support Houston Independent School District's Title IIA needs. Professional Development for Leadership .................................................. Page 1 Multi‐faceted professional development opportunities applicable to elementary, middle, or high school settings.
College and Career Ready Workshops ........................................................ Page 4 Three‐hour workshops designed to build instructional capacity to teach to college‐ and career‐ready standards.
Professional Development Seminar Series ................................................. Page 9 Three‐hour workshops designed to enhance a broad range of instructional strategies, including Literacy, Writing, Math, STEM, Technology, and more.
Instructional Strategies Seminar Series .................................................... Page 13 Two‐hour workshops designed to enhance the instructional skills of math, English language arts, or ESL teachers who teach small groups of students.
The Multi‐Age Classroom Series .............................................................. Page 16 Three‐hour workshops and coaching designed to support implementation of multi‐ age classrooms.
Inclusive Practices for the Regular Education Classroom ........................... Page 17 Three‐hour workshops and tools designed to support inclusive instructional practices in regular education classrooms.
Readers and Writers Workshops .............................................................. Page 18 Multi‐day training sessions explore strategies for differentiating instruction within the classroom to support academic growth for all students.
Reading Comprehension Seminars ........................................................... Page 20 These seminars are designed to develop new teaching skills and strategies for teaching reading and comprehension.
Coaching .................................................................................................. Page 21 Collaborative coaching differentiates professional development and guides teachers to meet their goals.
Online Professional Development ............................................................ Page 22 Professional development videos, virtual courses, tools, and print resources, available online.
Title IIA Offerings for Houston Independent School District
Professional Development for Leadership
The following aspects of leadership are offered as single, but multi‐faceted professional development opportunities applicable to elementary, middle, or high school settings, and may be tailored to meet the specific needs of the school or school system. Leading for Academic Excellence Principals and/or administrative teams will be introduced to a four‐pronged approach that, when intentionally employed, can bring about significant school‐wide academic improvement. This approach includes: Analyzing and sharing data Developing school culture and implementing professional learning communities Leading for change and innovation Aligning standards, instruction, assessment, and resources and ensuring implementation. The facilitator will lead principals in conducting an assessment of the current status of the four prongs in their school and will offer tools for conducting similar assessments with their teachers. The facilitator will lead principals in a discussion of best practices associated with each prong and principals will leave the workshop with a draft of their strategic plan to implement "a Perfect Storm" in their schools. Each participant will receive workshop handouts and materials for use at their school site. Optional 1:1 Leadership Coaching: depending on the needs of the school leader, coaching may include working with the principal to: assess teachers’ perspectives as to the status of each prong, further develop and implement strategies to remediate weaknesses in each prong, further develop and implement the plan according to the four pronged approach. Optional Workshops: depending on the needs of the school, workshops may include working with the principal and teachers to: use data, plan and teach lessons according to the standards, develop a professional learning community among the teachers, and encourage teachers to be innovative and try new approaches for student engagement, instruction and assessment.
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Title IIA Offerings for Houston Independent School District
Professional Development for Leadership The Soft Skills of Leadership Principals and/or administrative teams must possess certain “soft skills” in order to be effective school leaders; these attitudes, habits, and approaches include: motivation, optimism, strong communication (verbal and written), time management, problem‐solving, team building, self‐ confidence, the ability to accept and learn from criticism, flexibility and adaptability, and working well under pressure. This professional development opportunity offers school leaders provocative self‐reflection questions, case study exercises, individual mentoring and/or small group discussions, and guidance in the development and monitoring of personal and professional growth plans. Action Planning in Professional Learning Communities Professional Learning Communities are opportunities for principals to improve their performance as administrators and as instructional leader’s along‐side colleagues in order to improve their schools. The goal of this professional development opportunity is the growth and development of each principal in order to better lead their school using intentional action research via a professional learning community that moves principals along a continuum from low‐ to medium‐ to high‐risk PLCs. Low‐risk PLC’s call for little engagement and is non‐threatening; an example of a low‐risk PLC is a book study. Medium‐risk PLC’s call for some engagement, offered by those willing to speak and therefore open themselves up to criticism from colleagues which is therefore, somewhat threatening; an example of a medium‐risk PLC is a best practices discussion. High‐risk PLC’s call for serious engagement, an expectation of criticism from colleagues which is therefore, threatening; an example of a high‐risk PLC is a school visit by colleague principals. In multiple workshops, the facilitator will introduce action research, introduces principals to the concepts associated with PLCs, coach individual principals through the action research process, and coach groups of principals along the PLC continuum moving from low‐ to medium‐ to high‐ risk PLCs. This professional development opportunity may also include 1:1 school‐based coaching or small‐group coaching of principals at multiple school sites.
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Title IIA Offerings for Houston Independent School District
Professional Development for Leadership TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Teaching for Academic Excellence Using Teach Like a Champion: Field Guide to Move from Good to Great by Doug Lemov, the facilitator will work with teachers to thoughtfully examine strategies and techniques relative to teacher performance as they plan and deliver lessons. Teachers will conduct a self‐ evaluation relative to essential strategies of high quality planning, including: using standards, utilizing data, producing high level lesson plans that include critical thinking questions, and engaging students via content and rigor, as well as, creating an invitational classroom environment. Teachers will investigate and practice several techniques that they may employ to engage each student and to ensure high academic and behavioral expectations of every student. Each participant will receive a copy of the book Teach Like a Champion: Field Guide by Doug Lemov, as well as handouts. This professional development opportunity may also include school‐based coaching of teachers; depending on the needs of the teacher, coaching may include working with each teacher or small groups of teachers to: create lesson plans using standards, use data to inform lesson plans and re‐teaching, create high level questions and challenge students, create an invitational classroom environment, practice teaching techniques to ensure student engagement and set high academic and behavioral expectations. Teaching for Academic Excellence: Using Action Research to Move from Good to Great Action Research is a quest for knowledge about how to improve teaching practices and student learning; it is a disciplined investigation conducted by a teacher, group of teachers, or school‐ wide, with the intent that the research will inform and alter teaching practices. Using Action Research methodology, the facilitator will ask teachers to thoughtfully engage as they move through the Action Research cyclical approach that includes: identifying one or more problem areas; collecting, organizing, and interpreting the associated data; determining or developing and implementing actions items; and evaluating and reflecting upon the results. Each participant will receive handouts and materials for use in their classroom. This professional development opportunity may also include school‐based coaching of teachers; depending on the needs of the teacher, coaching may include working with each teacher or small groups of teachers to: discern academic problems, behavioral concerns, and student engagement issues and related action research topics; determine quantitative and qualitative data associated with the topics; determine solutions as action items; and assist with evaluating and reflecting upon the results of the action research.
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Title IIA Offerings for Houston Independent School District
College and Career Ready Workshops These three‐hour workshops are designed to build teachers’ instructional capacity and improve student learning.
Topics Covered: Planning and Instruction Reading Math Writing Disciplinary Literacy Assessment PLANNING AND INSTRUCTION Grade Level
Grade Bands: K‐12 K‐5 K‐8 K‐9 6‐8 6‐12 9‐12
Title
Description
K‐5 6‐8 9‐12
Planning: Putting the Question First
K‐5
Planning: Building Knowledge with Close Reading
K‐8
Planning: How to Promote Inquiry in Math
Rigorous Standards signify the need to change practice in the areas of content, instruction, and assessment. Intentional, standards‐based planning will be an essential foundation for these changes. Participants will explore how student engagement and teaching for transfer can be more effective when we put the question first. Participants in this session will learn the principles of backwards design and how to align standards and assessments to daily lesson planning. Using reading to build knowledge in the disciplines is essential for complex comprehension. Teachers must ensure that students are closely reading more complex texts, provide time and experience with those texts, and engage students in rich conversations about what they read. Participants will learn strategies for using the text to build knowledge as opposed to building knowledge prior to reading and develop an understanding of how to scaffold instruction so all students will experience success with increasingly complex texts. In this workshop, teachers discuss a process and template for planning a coherent unit of instruction. Attention is giving to a special set of math‐ specific strategies for unpacking standards into knowledge and skill objectives that can be used to organize and plan lessons in a unit. Participants will also learn how to write and use essential questions and lesson questions that promote inquiry into mathematics and make math learning more coherent. As time allows, participants will try these strategies with an upcoming unit of study.
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Title IIA Offerings for Houston Independent School District
College and Career Ready Workshops
Grade Level
Title
Expectations for 21st century career and college readiness include a focus on technology integration for communication and productivity. This session Instruction: Building College provides an overview of the ways in which technology is important for and Career Readiness with communication and productivity and examples of how participants can apply Technology technology tools to help students achieve the complex thinking, learning and communicating required. This seminar introduces a variety of strategies for engaging students in the learning process. Participants will discuss guidelines for establishing and Instruction: Designing maintaining an active classroom, and will leave with activities to implement Student‐centered and ideas to use that will create a student‐centered environment that fosters Classrooms investigation, discussion and argumentation. Increasing student engagement and developing critical thinking are central to Instruction: How to Engage preparing students for college and career. Participants will explore the Students with Inquiry‐based characteristics of project and problem‐based learning, integrated curriculum, backward planning, and the use of essential questions, and how each of these Instruction supports students learning through inquiry.
K‐12
K‐12
K‐12
Description
READING Level K‐5 6‐8 9‐12
K‐5 6‐8 9‐12
K‐6 6‐12
Title
Description Participants will practice applying a process for engaging students in close reading of complex texts and understanding the importance of setting a clear purpose and recognizing text structure. Participants will also learn methods Close Reading for having students reread the text and annotate it to examine vocabulary, structure, language, and meaning. Learn about the variety of resources that can be used to enhance rigorous and relevant instruction and learning. Participants will use text samples and complexity rubrics to explore various texts based on language, structure, Exploring Text Complexity purpose and meaning. Participants will use a text analysis protocol to learn to choose appropriate texts for instruction including: journal and magazine articles, historically situated primary documents, full length books, newspapers articles, book chapters, multimedia and digital texts. Participants will analyze the purposes for questioning and the connection to the close reading process. Participants will practice writing high‐level, text‐ How to Incorporate Text based questions and collaborate to analyze, edit and improve each other’s Dependent Questions questions. Participants will reflect on how they can increase the level and text dependency of the questions being asked within their classrooms.
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Title IIA Offerings for Houston Independent School District
College and Career Ready Workshops
Level
Title
K‐5 6‐8 9‐12
Developing Academic Vocabulary
K‐9
Connecting Reading to Writing
Description Complex literary and informational text often contains specialized vocabulary. In this session, participants will practice intentionally selecting vocabulary to explicitly teach and develop students’ ability to use and access words that appear in everyday text and that may be slightly out of reach. Participants will categorize vocabulary into tiers and discuss strategies to teach the essential vocabulary that has been selected through associations rather than in isolation. Making the connection between reading and writing is an important way for students to communicate complex understanding. Participants will examine sample Read to Write lessons to learn a process for developing text‐based questions, leading rigorous, text‐based discussions, and structuring writing assignments in which students state opinions and defend claims by gathering and evaluating information and presenting it in a structure and format that addresses task, purpose, and audience.
MATH Level
Title
K‐12
The Process of Problem Solving
K‐8
Problematic Math Problems
K‐12
Implementing Effective Math Practices
Description Participants will solve a grade‐level appropriate word problem and debrief their solutions. This will serve as a springboard for analyzing the universal steps of problem solving as a process. Participants will explore strategies for teaching students that process (including language and classroom tools such as a problem solving poster). They will also explore the role of the 8 Mathematical Practices and multiple representation (verbal, symbolic, numeric, and graphic) in the problem solving process. As time allows, participants will also analyze how that process plays out in three diverse problem solving cases: (a) routine problem solving; (b) so‐called "rich" or "authentic" problems; (c) end‐of‐year testing. Explore the need for students to engage with more rigorous, abstract, unpredictable problems as part of math instruction in order to meet the expectations set by the CCSS. Examine the limitations of most textbook math problems and learn strategies for altering materials in ways that increase both rigor and engagement. Rigorous standards in math have an increased focus on the essential practices of mathematically proficient students. In this session, participants will examine effective math practices with a focus on how each one informs and affects the way math is taught, learned, and used. Participants will discuss how these standards can be implemented throughout the year in support of all content standards. An exemplar lesson will provide the foundation for in‐depth analysis of the mathematical practice standards and the relationship to the overall instructional shifts of mathematics.
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Title IIA Offerings for Houston Independent School District
College and Career Ready Workshops
WRITING Level
Title
K‐9
Connecting Reading to Writing
K‐8
Writing from the Sources
K‐5
Teaching Strategies: Opinion writing
6‐12
Teaching Strategies: Argumentative Writing
Description Making the connection between reading and writing is an important way for students to communicate complex understanding. Participants will examine sample Read to Write lessons to learn a process for developing text‐based questions, leading rigorous, text‐based discussions, and structuring writing assignments in which students state opinions and defend claims by gathering and evaluating information and presenting it in a structure and format that addresses task, purpose, and audience. Student writing should include a balance between literary and informational writing assignments for students. Teachers need to build opportunities for students to analyze and understand the structure and purpose of both literary and informational writing. This session will build participants’ capacity to use mentor texts to teach text features and structures and apply them to writing, provide opportunities for students to synthesize and analyze ideas and concepts across many texts in order to draw a conclusion, structure assignments that require students to write from multiple sources about a single topic and model expectations for writing using rubrics and student work to help students learn how to self‐evaluate. Writing and speaking to topics or texts and supporting a point of view with relevant and sufficient evidence is one of the critical skills required for college and career readiness, and teachers are expected to introduce and build upon this skills beginning in the elementary grades. In this workshop, participants will develop an understanding of the expectations for opinion writing based upon evidence from the text. They will explore the connection between close reading and writing from sources, understand the components of a reading to write lessons, and learn specific strategies for teaching opinion writing. Rigorous writing expectations include writing for argumentation and writing sustained research projects that require clear reasoning and sufficient evidence. Learn a process for moving beyond standard book and lab reports to writing in which students defend claims by gathering and evaluating information and presenting it in a structure and format that addresses task, purpose, and audience.
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Title IIA Offerings for Houston Independent School District
College and Career Ready Workshops
DISCIPLINARY LITERACY Level
6‐12
6‐12
Title
Description Participants will gain an understanding of the application of reading and literacy strategies to a variety of fiction and non‐fiction texts through the Disciplinary Literacy in the unique perspective of a scientist. Participants will focus on analyzing author’s Science Classroom purpose, integrating and evaluating multiple sources of information and evaluating scientific processes, data and conclusions. Participants will gain an understanding of the application of reading and literacy strategies to a variety of fiction and non‐fiction texts through the Disciplinary Literacy in the unique perspective of an historian. Participants will focus on issues of causation and corroboration, separating fact from speculation and Social Studies Classroom understanding how cultural or political context can affect an author’s voice and point of view.
ASSESSMENT Level K‐5 6‐8 9‐12
K‐5 6‐8 9‐12
Title
Description Students must graduate high school not only college eligible, but college ready. How will next generation assessments be changing to determine Next Generation mastery of the standards? Participants in this session will examine sample Assessments: Determining test items with a focus on how they assess student learning. Participants will Readiness determine the instructional implications of more open‐ended, performance‐ based and cross disciplinary assessment items. Participants will explore the ways formative classroom assessment strategies can drive instructional decision‐making and make the distinction between assessment for learning and assessment of learning. In this session, participants will examine their current practices and gain a deeper understanding of how formative assessments can provide information about Formative Assessments: Monitoring Student student understanding and progress to make immediate and future Progress adjustments to instruction. Teachers will build their capacity to plan and implement effective formative assessments that provide specific evidence of learning and develop tasks that, when completed, will yield actionable results. Teachers will leave with an array of best instructional practices, which can be applied across grade levels and content areas.
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Title IIA Offerings for Houston Independent School District
Professional Development Seminar Series These three‐hour workshops are designed to enhance a broad range of instructional strategies. These workshops build the capacity of all teachers to improve student learning. Topics Covered: Best For: Literacy Teachers of at‐risk students Writing Teachers of small group Math General educators STEM Grade Bands: Technology K‐12 Instructional Strategies Collaboration Data & Differentiation Classroom Management Bullying
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Title IIA Offerings for Houston Independent School District
Professional Development Seminar Series
CATEGORY
LITERACY
SEMINAR
Literacy First Seminars (K‐12)
DESCRIPTION Literacy First’s research‐based seminars provide teachers with effective, easily implemented instructional strategies in reading. Schools or districts may choose from any or all of Literacy First’s customized reading seminars. Titles include Phonological Awareness, Phonics and Word Study, Fluency, Vocabulary Development, Comprehension Skills, Strategic Reading/Thinking Tools & Metacognitive Processes
PLEASE REFER TO THE LITERACY FIRST SEMINAR SERIES FOR THE COMPLETE LIST OF OPTIONS. This seminar focuses on the characteristics of writers in grades 4 through 8, who are building the craft of writing, while also being expected to use writing across the curriculum to demonstrate their thinking and their growing knowledge base. Strategies, tools, and techniques for creating a writing‐friendly environment and for embedding writing instruction throughout the curriculum will be explored and practiced.
WRITING
Supporting Developing Writers (4‐8) Parts I and II
WRITING
Supporting Emergent Writers (K‐3) Parts I and II
This seminar focuses on the developmental stages of early writers and the importance of writing for K‐3 students. Participants will explore the process of early writing and strategies, tools, and techniques to use in the classroom.
WRITING
Writing Across the High School Curriculum
Although there is general agreement that high school students need to be developing their writing skills in all their classes, many high school teachers have no training in the teaching of writing, and find it difficult to integrate writing into their already packed class time. This seminar provides an overview of the writing process, provides some techniques for incorporating writing tasks into every discipline, and equips teachers with a framework for assessing writing.
MATH
Instructional Strategies for the K‐8 Math Classroom
In this seminar participants will explore best practices in math instruction, and learn and experiment with a variety of tools, techniques, and approaches for teaching math.
MATH
Making Problem Solving the Focus of Instruction
What does “teaching for understanding” look like in math class? How do we ensure that all students see themselves as “doers” of math? This seminar explores the kinds of flexible approaches and problem solving methods that today’s students need to develop and what teachers can do to help develop their students’ problem solving abilities.
STEM / TECHNOLOGY
Introduction to STEM: Inquiry Based Learning Part I and Part II (K‐5, 6‐8, 9‐12)
Teachers will explore ways to use inquiry‐based methods to engage students in investigating the world around them. Teachers will learn how to develop strategies for STEM activities linked to course curriculum. Participants will understand how to facilitate inquiry‐based learning as part of regular instruction and engage students in experiential and discovery‐based learning.
STEM/ TECHNOLOGY
Incorporating STEM: Embedding Technology Part I and Part II (K‐5, 6‐8, 9‐12)
Teachers will learn how to incorporate project‐based learning strategies and technology into instruction by employing prototyping as a strategy to create, test, and refine ideas and strategies. Participants will explore how to leverage technology in the instruction and practical application of literacy, math, and science lessons and challenge students to apply scientific principles to real‐world problems.
TECHNOLOGY
Using the Internet to Enhance Instruction (K‐12)
This seminar explores various internet‐based tools and techniques that can be used for instruction and assessment, as well as active student engagement both inside and outside the classroom.
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Title IIA Offerings for Houston Independent School District
Professional Development Seminar Series
CATEGORY
SEMINAR
DESCRIPTION
E‐Teaching With Your Interactive Whiteboard (IWB) (K‐12) –
Whether you use a SMART, Promethean, or other brand of IWB, this seminar will help you learn tools and techniques for using the IWB as more than just a presentation tool. Participants will leave with approaches and activities that integrate the use of the IWB in a meaningful and purposeful way.
TECHNOLOGY
iPads for Creativity
In this workshop, learn how to use the iPad for collaboration, creativity and innovation. Topics covered in this workshop embody the principals of Universal Design for Learning, differentiated instruction, and support the Common Core standards. Participants of this workshop will explore multi‐sensory note taking, movie making, use of audio, digital storytelling, writing and vocabulary using the iPad to enhance student learning. Teachers will gain strategies to increase critical thinking with this engaging, dynamic new entrant in the world of educational technology. Apps utilized in this session include, but are not limited to Inspiration Maps, Garage Band, Puffin Browser, Comic Life, Drawing Pad, iMovie, iStop Motion, Notability and Whiteboard HD.
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES
Interactive and Engaging Teaching Strategies
This seminar introduces a variety of strategies for engaging students in the learning process. Participants will discuss guidelines for establishing and maintaining an “active” classroom, and will leave with easy‐to‐implement activities and ideas to use with their students.
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES
Maximizing Instructional Time
This seminar explores the whole notion of “time on task,” and the kinds of active learning strategies teachers can incorporate to ensure that classroom time is used productively.
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES
RTI: What Is It?
This seminar provides an introduction to, and rationale for the implementation of RTI. In addition, participants will explore how differentiation is fundamental to RTI.
RTI: A Framework for Instruction
Why is it being emphasized? What are the implications of RTI for the classroom teacher? This seminar explores the roots of RTI as well as what it means for educators and their students. With a focus on reading and math, participants will leave with an understanding of the what, why, and how of RTI, the criticality of differentiated instruction to RTI, as well as specific tools and techniques for planning Tier I and II instruction.
Developing Effective Grade Level Teams
We all have heard about the value of collaboration and working as a team, but how do you go about creating a team that is productive and helps achieve results? In this session participants will learn about the skills that are needed for successful collaboration, and how to ensure that teamwork is sustained and leveraged, even when team members change.
Building a Professional Learning Community
For school‐wide change to take hold, teachers must be actively involved in the process, communicating and collaborating to achieve results. For some time now, professional learning communities (PLCs) have been recognized as an effective way of achieving this. This introductory seminar addresses the what, why, and how of establishing a PLC. Participants will gain tools and techniques for creating shared goals, developing a structure for working together, and devising ways to monitor results.
TECHNOLOGY
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES
COLLABORATION
COLLABORATION
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Title IIA Offerings for Houston Independent School District
Professional Development Seminar Series
CATEGORY
SEMINAR
DESCRIPTION
DATA & DIFFERENTIATION
Data can be our best instructional tool. This 3‐hour introductory seminar explores what constitutes data driven decisions, and how to establish an effective data Data Driven Decision driven instructional system. Participants will reflect on their current beliefs about Making: Getting Started and commitment to data‐driven decision‐making, and will examine changes that may be needed to establish an effective data‐driven instructional system.
DATA & DIFFERENTIATION
Data Driven Decision Making: Moving Forward
Participants will review the essential building block of clear learning goals, focus on creating assessment plans that support worthwhile learning goals, and practice developing instructional activities that allow for ongoing data collection and assessment of individual student progress.
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
Classroom Management: Behavior Interventions in the Classroom (1‐8)
This seminar builds on the topics introduced in Classroom Management: Strategies for Developing a Behavior Management Plan. Participants learn about the attitudes that contribute to escalation and de‐escalation in student behavior, components that contribute to student behavior escalation, and remediation strategies. Tools and techniques for setting limits will be explored as will how to intervene during particularly difficult situations.
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
Classroom Management: Strategies for Developing a Behavior Management Plan (1‐8)
Participants will explore research on why behavior management plans work, learn key components of behavior management plans, and review/practice strategies for implementing plans in the classroom. Participants focus on creating and enforcing positive behavior through appropriate consequences and positive recognition. Bullying behavior exists in the best of schools, but it’s not enough to simply acknowledge the problem exists. In this 3‐hour seminar participants will explore the following questions:
BULLYING
Bullying: On the Schoolyard and Beyond
What constitutes “bullying” in today’s environment?
How will I know that bullying is occurring?
What actions can I take to deal with it?
What can I do to prevent it?
Participants will examine how statutes and case law influence their existing anti‐ bullying policies and practices, and how to modify or create policies that can be upheld – especially in the area of cyber‐bullying.
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Title IIA Offerings for Houston Independent School District
Instructional Strategies Seminar Series These two‐hour workshops are designed to enhance the instructional skills of teachers of at‐risk students or any other math, English language arts, or ESL teachers who teach small groups of students. Grade Bands: Topics Covered: Best For: ELA Teachers of at‐risk K‐2 students 3‐5 Math Teachers of small group ESL 6‐8 CATEGORY
SESSION NAME
DESCRIPTION
Grades K‐2
ELA (Grades K‐2)
ELA (Grades K‐2)
ELA (Grades K‐2)
ELA (Grades K‐2)
Facts and Details
Successful readers continually monitor their understanding of key facts and details throughout a text. Whether during independent, group or read‐aloud interactions with text, students need strategies for identifying and recording key facts and details. During this session, teachers will learn ways to help students identify facts and details during fiction and non‐fiction reading by using graphic organizers and charts to identify and record key facts and details.
Main Idea
What is the main idea? Students who cannot answer that question will have trouble getting beyond basic understanding to deeper levels of meaning. During this session, teachers will learn to use picture walks and annotation strategies to provided a scaffolded approach so that students can identify and articulate the main idea of both fiction and non‐fiction texts.
Sight Word Recognition
Successfully recognizing and reading sight words and high frequency words is essential to beginning readers. In this session, teachers will learn strategies for helping students to recognize sight vocabulary accurately and fluently. Teachers will discuss effective ways to use Word Walls and create print rich environments so that students will be exposed to new words and increase sight vocabulary.
Letter Sound Correspondence
Students who successfully decode words are able to apply multiple strategies including their knowledge of letter sound correspondence. In this session, teacher will learn strategies including games and letter books that will help students to match each letter to its corresponding sound.
Math (Grades K‐2)
Who Has More?
Math (Grades K‐2)
Addition and Subtraction
Math (Grades K‐2)
The Properties of Shapes
Solid number sense includes the ability to order and compare quantities. Students need to be able to sequence numbers and have an understanding of the quantities those numbers represent. In this session, teachers will learn strategies and games including the game "Who has more?" to help students order and compare numbers 1 through 99. Teachers will also learn how to use manipulatives, objects and drawings to help students recognize whether the number of objects in one group is "less than, greater than or equal" to another group. Difficulty with foundational computation skills will prevent students from achieving higher levels of mathematical understanding. In this session, teachers will learn creative ways to help students add and subtract one‐ or multi‐digit numbers with or without regrouping successfully. Teachers will learn to use manipulative and games that encourage fluency and enable students to move towards deeper understanding. The properties of geometric shapes are essential to understanding their place in the world around us. Students need to understand the properties that define shapes, solids, and special figures. In this session, teachers will learn strategies for helping students use shapes and puzzles to recognize and identify geometric shapes and solids. Teachers will practice strategies and games for actively engaging students in understanding and sorting shapes.
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Title IIA Offerings for Houston Independent School District
Instructional Strategies Seminar Series CATEGORY
SESSION NAME
Math (Grades K‐2)
Place Value
ESL (Grades K‐2)
Vowel Patterns
ESL (Grades K‐2)
Number Patterns
DESCRIPTION Understanding the place value within multi‐digit numbers is essential to the understanding of computation with multi‐digit numbers. In this session, teachers will learn methods for helping students understand place value and identify the value of each digit in numerals 1 through 99. Strategies including the use of place value counting cards, place value mats and games will be introduced to provide opportunities for students to identify and quantify the place value of digits. The “silent e” spelling pattern can be challenging for English Language Learners. In this session, teachers will learn strategies to assist ELLs to read words with long vowel sounds that contain the "silent e" spelling pattern. Teachers will learn to integrate word banks, games and other multisensory materials, as well as decodable text to provide direct instruction in the silent e rule and silent e words. Patterns are the language of mathematics. English Language Learners can use the patterns of math to communicate understanding. In this session, teachers will learn daily math activities that will help students identify, analyze, and complete number and shape patterns. Teachers will practice strategies including using daily math problems, Sudoku games and partner games to demonstrate number and shape patterns.
Grades 3‐5
ELA (Grades 3‐5)
Analyzing Author’s Purpose
Recognizing author’s purpose can be crucial to understanding the meaning behind text. Student’s often have difficulty focusing on the key words of the text that enable them to determine the author’s purpose. In this session, teachers will practice using an anchor chart to outline the author's purpose and key vocabulary related to author's purpose. Teachers will learn structured activities for having students compose their own essay intended to inform, entertain, or persuade their audience.
ELA (Grades 3‐5)
Questions to Guide Inference
Getting beyond basic comprehension requires the ability to draw inferences from the text. Students who read at a literal level often struggle with uncovering deeper levels of meaning. In this session, teachers will learn a series of guiding questions that will help students to combine clues from the text with prior knowledge in order to make inferences and uncover meaning.
Compare and Contrast
There are always two sides to a story. In this session, teachers will learn strategies for integrating fiction and non‐fiction texts that allow students to compare and contrast differing accounts of the same story or event. Teachers will practice using specific organizers to structure student comparisons of story elements (narrative) and factual information (expository) using two different versions of the same story.
Where Does It Fit?
Understanding how words work together is an important part of building comprehension and literacy. Students need to internalize the ways in which words, topics and ideas can be grouped together to form meaning. In this session, teachers will learn to use flash cards and organizers to assist students as they sort words and information from within fiction and non‐fiction texts.
ELA (Grades 3‐5)
ELA (Grades 3‐5)
Math (Grades 3‐5)
Take a Guess
Math (Grades 3‐5)
Addition and Subtraction
Math (Grades 3‐5)
The Properties of Shapes
Making thoughtful predictions about data and numbers can help students to understand reasonable outcomes. In this session, teachers will explore methods for students to use including collecting data and using spinners to practice determining reasonable outcomes. Through these activities, students will learn how probability can be used to formulate predictions. Difficulty with foundational computation skills will prevent students from achieving higher levels of mathematical understanding. In this session, teachers will learn creative ways to help students add and subtract one‐ or multi‐digit numbers with or without regrouping, up to four digits successfully. Teachers will learn to use manipulative and games that encourage fluency and enable students to move towards deeper understanding. The properties of geometric shapes are essential to understanding their place in the world around us. Students need to understand the properties that define shapes, solids, and special figures. In this session, teachers will learn strategies for helping students maintain a classification booklet that identifies, describes and classifies geometric shapes. Teachers will practice strategies and games for actively engaging students in understanding, analyzing and classifying geometric shapes.
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Title IIA Offerings for Houston Independent School District
Instructional Strategies Seminar Series CATEGORY
SESSION NAME
Math (Grades 3‐5)
Solving Complex Problems
ESL (Grades 3‐5)
What’s the Main Idea?
ESL (Grades 3‐5)
Fact or Opinion?
DESCRIPTION Given real‐world problems, students need to increase their ability to choose and apply the appropriate math concepts and calculations to solve the problem. In this session, teachers will learn to strategies to help students use manipulatives, base ten blocks, or fraction tiles to represent the numerals in a given word problem and model any combination of operations required to solve the problem. Students who are English Language Learners need to employ specific skills to comprehend what they are reading and determine the main idea of the text. In this session, teachers will learn to use the Guided Practice technique, with a Main Idea Graphic Organizer, to help students comprehend what each paragraph or text selection describes and to identify the main ideas. One of the key nuances that English Language Learners struggle with is distinguishing between facts and opinions presented in informational text. In this session, teachers will learn to use a Fact/Opinion Exemplar Chart to help students learn the definitions and associated exemplars and use them to judge between fact and opinion in texts.
Grades 6‐8
ELA (Grades 6‐8)
Analyzing Author’s Purpose
Recognizing author’s purpose can be crucial to understanding the meaning behind text. Student’s often have difficulty focusing on the key words of the text that enable them to determine the author’s purpose. In this session, teachers will practice strategies for identifying the topic and intended audience within a variety of text including poetry, narratives and newspapers and helping students to indentify words or phrases that determine the author's purpose.
ELA (Grades 6‐8)
Questions to Guide Inference
Getting beyond basic comprehension requires the ability to draw inferences from the text. Students who read at a literal level often struggle with uncovering deeper levels of meaning. In this session, teachers will learn a series of guiding questions that will help students to combine clues from the text with prior knowledge in order to make inferences and uncover meaning.
ELA (Grades 6‐8)
Unlock Meaning through Root Words
Decoding complex words is essential to the increasingly complex demands of informational text in the middle grades. Students need to be proficient with using root words to read unfamiliar words in context and out of context. In this session, teachers will learn strategies to increase students’ abilities to use known root words, including Greek and Latin root words, as clues to the meaning of unknown words. Teachers will practice using a word web to help students break apart words by identifying root words.
ELA (Grades 6‐8)
Clues to Content Vocabulary
Content specific text often contains specialized vocabulary. Students need to be able to determine the meaning of those specialized words in order to gain content knowledge. In this session, teachers will learn specific strategies, including the Vocabulary Improvement Strategy, which provide students with tools to learn and retain content vocabulary.
Math (Grades 6‐8)
Putting the Pieces Together
Math (Grades 6‐8)
Solving Complex Problems
ESL (Grades 6‐8)
What’s the Main Idea?
ESL (Grades 6‐8)
Fact or Opinion?
Computation with fractions can present a real challenge for students and make a significant difference in their ability to progress into higher levels of math. In this session, teachers will learn how to help students add, subtract, multiply and divide fractions with like and unlike denominators. Teachers will learn specific strategies including modeling with fraction tiles so that students will gain deep understanding of computing with fractions. Given real‐world problems, students need to increase their ability to choose and apply the appropriate math concepts and calculations to solve the problem. In this session, teachers will learn to strategies to help students use manipulatives, base ten blocks, or fraction tiles to represent the numerals in a given word problem and model any combination of operations required to solve the problem. Students who are English Language Learners need to employ specific skills to comprehend what they are reading and determine the main idea of the text. In this session, teachers will learn to use the Guided Practice technique, with a Main Idea Graphic Organizer, to help students comprehend what each paragraph or text selection describes and to identify the main ideas. One of the key nuances that English Language Learners struggle with is distinguishing between facts and opinions presented in informational text. In this session, teachers will learn to use a Fact/Opinion Exemplar Chart to help students learn the definitions and associated exemplars and use them to judge between fact and opinion in texts.
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Title IIA Offerings for Houston Independent School District
The Multi‐Age Classroom Series Catapult Learning understands the perceived challenges of implementing multi‐age classrooms. We are able to support schools with a workshop series and correlated workshop application coaching. The Multi‐Age Classroom: Learning Environment (3 hours) Addressing individual student needs is essential to student success. In this session, participants will focus on creating school and classroom learning environments that honor and support the needs of all students within multi‐age settings. Participants will consider ways to maximize growth and development for students by ensuring that multi‐age classrooms are conducive to a variety of learning needs and pedagogical approaches. Participants will plan for active communication with parents and community to highlight the enriched learning environment for students in multi‐age settings. The Multi‐Age Classroom: Planning for Learning (3 hours) Participants in this session will explore tools for structured planning to address the needs of all students within a multi‐age classroom. Focusing on a competency‐based approach, participants will learn strategies for determining student readiness, assessing learning style and uncovering student interest levels. Participants will learn how to use data and information from a variety of pre‐assessments to plan for flexible skill groups addressing a variety of needs within a multi‐age classroom. The Multi‐Age Classroom: Instructional Strategies (3 hours) Participants in this session will gain instructional strategies for monitoring and adjusting instruction according to the demonstrated competencies and needs of the multi‐age students within their schools and classrooms. Participants will be introduced to methods for supporting differentiation in a mixed‐ ability classroom including ways to differentiate content, process, and product. Participants will focus on strategies that encourage and empower students to become independent learners within multi‐age classrooms. Participants will collaborate on plans for implementing new strategies within their multi‐age classrooms. Follow‐Up Coaching for the Multi‐Age Classroom Catapult Learning professional development coaches will provide onsite, job‐embedded, follow‐up support as teachers apply concepts from the workshops to their multi‐age classroom environments and instructional practices, with a focus on improvement in student learning. Catapult Learning’s coaching program enables teachers to implement best practices for the multi‐age classroom effectively, assist teachers as they define measureable and observable learning goals for all students, and successfully differentiate instruction to meet those goals. Participants of the follow‐up coaching program will:
Incorporate the skills and strategies presented in the workshop in their planning for the multi‐ age classroom. Apply the skills and strategies presented in the workshop to their multi‐age classroom teaching practices, and track the effects of these skills and strategies on student learning. Explore the impact of the use of strategies learned in the workshop with the coach in terms of multi‐age student outcomes, and using data as evidence for such discussion. Identify specific changes that may need to occur in their instructional practices to impact and enhance the end results for students in ongoing, differentiated lessons within the multi‐age classroom. 16
Title IIA Offerings for Houston Independent School District
Inclusive Practices for the Regular Education Classrooms These three‐hour workshops and tools are designed to address the needs of special education student and support inclusive instructional practices in regular education classrooms. Identifying & Understanding the Needs of Special Education Students (3 hours, up to 40 participants) During this session, participants will learn strategies for observing and assessing students to determine potential areas of learning disabilities. Participants will learn about the common attributes of various disabilities and how to identify specific learning needs of individual students. Specific strategies for a multi‐tiered process of providing instructional support in the general education setting will be provided. Participants will also be given tools to support the continuous progress monitoring of individual students. Tools for Implementing Modifications and Accommodations (3 hours, up to 40 participants) In this session participants will learn practical instructional and assessment strategies that classroom teachers can implement easily to modify and accommodate students with special needs who are in the regular classroom. Ideas for modification to help students who need more structure and for students who have difficulties with attention, memory, organization skills, following directions, on task behavior, and language skills (vocabulary, etc,) will be shared. Tools will be provided to support the following: Informal assessments to understand & plan for all students Strategies to provide accommodations & modifications to the general education curriculum Tools to help prepare supplemental lessons & activities to the general education curriculum
Technology Supports for Universal Learning (3 hours, up to 40 participants) During this session, participants will learn how to leverage 21st century technology tools to support the specific needs of individual and small groups of students. Participants will understand how to design flexible groups in the classroom so that the content, process and product of instruction can best meet student needs. Technology tools for accessing content in a variety of ways and altering final products to build on student strengths will be shared. In addition, participants will leave with a wealth of ideas for developing center‐based classroom activities that utilize technology tools to reinforce and individualize learning for students. The use of 21st century thinking and tools will help to support the unique needs of special education students while at the same time supporting the learning of all students within the classroom.
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Title IIA Offerings for Houston Independent School District
Readers and Writers Workshops Introduction to Reader's Workshop (2 days) During this introductory session of Reading Workshop, participants will receive an overview of the philosophy, structure, and implementation process of the program. The goals of Reading Workshop are to teach students strategies for reading and comprehension. Through the work, teachers will come to understand that the workshop model allows them to differentiate and meet the needs of all their students. Over the course of the two days, teachers will develop mini‐lessons that help foster a love of reading while giving students opportunities to practice and apply reading comprehension strategies both independently and with guidance. Teachers will learn how to use formative assessments to help guide students into “just right” books, tailor instruction to address all learners, and incorporate interactive read‐alouds and mentor texts. Teachers will culminate the workshop with strategies to build a reading community. Advanced Reader's Workshop (2 days) Day one of this advanced session will focus on deepening participants’ understanding of how to teach reading comprehension through the workshop model. It will help teachers set up a readers’ notebook as a vehicle for students to process their thinking through writing. Teachers will also develop reading partnerships that support targeted mini‐lesson strategies. Day two continues the conversation and examines non‐fiction texts. Teachers will discuss how to create a genre study that pushes students to think beyond just nonfiction text features. Participants will discuss think‐aloud strategies which model the habits of mind for disciplinary literacy. Teachers will understand the unique lens required to read and understand different types of text and develop lessons which support student’s content‐area literacy.
WRITER’S WORKSHOP PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SESSIONS Multi‐day training sessions will explore strategies for differentiating instruction within classroom Writer’s Workshops to support academic growth for all students, including those with special needs. Classroom Writer’s Workshops allow students to work at their own pace, while providing multiple pathways for progress towards higher‐level literacy achievement. All students benefit from direct instruction in one‐to‐one conferences and in small groups, as well as from belonging to a community of learners. Our highly interactive, hands‐on workshops will provide participants with an overview of state‐of‐the‐art ideas on Writer’s Workshop and how to effectively implement it in classrooms (especially when working within tight time frames!) Participants will leave with an understanding of the logic behind the curriculum, methods, and structures that make up Writer’s Workshop.
Teachers will co‐create a packed starter kit of materials and methods to begin the school year with a strong start and establish a productive environment that will build a foundation for the entire year. Teachers will ultimately gain a sense of control and perspective in the teaching of writing – including how to establish priorities, avoid the biggest problems, launch structures that will serve students well, and learn where to efficiently access the information needed to sustain the year. Teachers will exit the workshop with an easy‐to‐follow plan for mini‐lessons across a range of units, texts to use to support students, and with trustworthy ideas on managing productive Writer’s Workshops.
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Title IIA Offerings for Houston Independent School District
Readers and Writers Workshops Beginning Level Writer’s Workshop This beginning level institute will focus on:
Routines and Procedures to Establish Writing Workshop
The Writing Process (and how to differentiate it for students at different levels of writing ability)
Tools to Use in Writers Workshop
Developing Curriculum and Units of Study in Writers Workshop
Developing Learning Plans to support individual learners
Creative (and effective!) differentiation techniques
Strategies, strategies, strategies for supporting ALL learners
Ways to make your teaching STICK
Common problems (and lots of solutions!) writers struggle with
Creating your own writing notebook and writing folder
Creating your own Conferring Toolkit to be used when working with individual students and small groups
Advanced Level Writer’s Workshop This advanced level interactive Institute will focus on:
Innovative and creative routines and procedures to support student independence
Reviewing the Writing Process (and how to differentiate it for students at different levels of writing ability)
Adaptive Tools to Use in Writer’s Workshop
Units of Study in Writer’s Workshop (developing curriculum with the Common Core Standards, and students’ IEPs in mind)
Developing Learning Plans (and some fast, simple ways to implement them!) that can also support targeted Test Preparation
Creative (and effective!) differentiation techniques
Strategies, strategies, strategies for supporting ALL learners
Ways to make your teaching STICK
Common problems (and lots of solutions!) writers struggle with
Differentiating your Writer’s Notebook to create a powerful teaching tool
Creating your own Conferring Toolkit to be used when working with individual students and small groups and utilizing innovative strategies for conferring with student writers
Assessing the Qualities of Good Writing that really matter
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Title IIA Offerings for Houston Independent School District
Reading Comprehension Seminars Student reading achievement is dependent on knowledgeable, skilled teachers and principals. Catapult Learning’s research‐based seminars provide teachers with effective, easily implemented instructional strategies in reading and comprehension. Our capacity building seminars are designed to develop new teaching skills and apply new learning techniques in the classroom. Comprehension Assessment, Lessons, Activities Using Interactive Whiteboards and Seminar • 1 day of professional development • 1 comprehension IWB Site License • 74 Interactive Whiteboard Comprehension Lessons • 74 Interactive Whiteboard Center Activities Elementary Vocabulary Development • 1 day of professional development • 2 days of coaching/consulting • Vocabulary Teacher Manual • Up to 40 participants Elementary Comprehension Skills Part I • 2 days of professional development • 2 days of coaching/consulting PLUS unlimited • email and phone consultation • Comprehension Teacher Manual PLUS Developing • Expert Readers (DER) Comprehension Assessment (one for every three teachers) • Materials are included for up to 40 participants Elementary Comprehension Skills Part II • 2 days of professional development • 2 days of coaching/consulting PLUS unlimited • email and phone consultation • Comprehension Teacher Manual PLUS Developing • Expert Readers (DER) Comprehension Assessment (one for every three teachers) • Materials are included for up to 40 participants
Elementary Phonics & Word Study Seminar • 2 days of professional development • 2 days of coaching/consulting • Phonics Teacher Manual (includes phonics assessment) • Up to 40 participants Flexible Skill Groups & Literacy Station Seminar • 1 day of professional development • 3 days of coaching/consulting • Flexible Skill Groups and Literary Stations Teacher Manual • Up to 40 participants Comprehension Assessment, Lessons, Activity Kit and Seminar • 1 day of professional development • 75 Interactive Comprehension Lessons • 75 Interactive Center Activities • 8‐book sets of 27 original fiction and 28 original nonfiction titles • 2 CDs of books, songs, and poems • 1 CD of reproducibles • 40 kits per school Phonics Activity Center Kits and Seminar • 2 days of professional development • 1 Phonics Activity Center Kit per school • 100 lesson plans and lesson folders • 8 sets of student manipulatives • Set of 8 books, 8 white boards and markers, posters, game boards, • and pocket chart • Assessment tool and data form • Up to 40 participants
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Title IIA Offerings for Houston Independent School District
Coaching What is Coaching?
Catapult Learning coaches introduce and promote the use of research‐based instructional practices while maintaining a focus on results. We view results on two levels – first, in terms of observable and sustained shifts in teacher behaviors, and ultimately, in terms of increased student achievement. Catapult Learning provides job‐embedded, classroom‐based support to help facilitate the implementation of instructional best practices and ensure that modifications in teaching and planning are reflected in positive student outcomes
Who are Catapult Learning coaches? Catapult Learning’s teacher coaches are highly experienced K‐12 educators who possess expert knowledge of research‐based instructional strategies. Our coaches demonstrate strong communication and interpersonal skills and are committed to continuous lifelong learning and development. Catapult Learning carefully selects a coach to work with a school based on the school’s individual needs and the coach’s area of expertise.
What is the work of a coach?
Who should work with a coach? Coaching works best when schools and teachers are empowered to examine and discuss teaching practices. Our experience demonstrates that coaches should work first with teachers who volunteer. Based on the foundation of adult learning theory, teachers who are self‐motivated and interested in improving their practice are the best choices for participating in a coaching program, and for ensuring that effective practices get duplicated throughout the school.
How does the program work? Catapult Learning’s coaches begin by examining data and district and school‐wide goals. Coaches then work with teachers to establish a collaborative environment focused on implementing evidence‐based strategies that support the school goals. Teachers are asked to define personal goals in alignment with school and district goals. Catapult Learning coaches provide guidance and support as teachers strive to refine their practice, meet their goals, and improve student achievement. BUILD RELATIONSHIPS & TRUST DOCUMENT PROGRESS & REFINE GOALS
ESTABLISH CONTIUUM OF BEHAVIOR & SET GOALS
ANALYZE RESULTS & REFLECT
OBSERVE & COLLECT DATA
Catapult Learning coaches recognize that effective professional development is differentiated to meet the needs of the teachers with whom they work. Coaching typically happens during the school day, in the classroom and in one‐on‐one and small group meetings. The work of a coach includes: co‐planning lessons that implement new strategies co‐teaching activities to demonstrate an aspect of instruction reviewing student products with teachers to monitor student progress and reflect on lessons and activities modeling effective instruction analyzing, interpreting, and using data to drive instructional decisions. connecting teachers with resources facilitating a discussion group of teachers about instruction observing teachers during instruction and providing data‐based feedback to inform reflective conversations
PLAN
MODEL & CO‐TEACH
How do teachers benefit from coaching? Teachers supported by coaches benefit from on‐going, job‐embedded professional development. Teachers are able to set personal goals, engage in reflective conversations about their practice, and refine their instructional strategies while receiving the non‐ evaluative, collegial support of an experienced educator.
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Title IIA Offerings for Houston Independent School District
Online Professional Development Online Teacher Training seminars are an effective part of a larger professional growth plan and give educators the opportunity to get high quality, just‐in‐time support. Flexible and convenient, the sessions provide comprehensive explorations of important topics in classroom management, teaching techniques and content area development.
ASCD PD IN FOCUS™ ASCD PD In Focus is an interactive, Web‐based professional learning application that allows educators to meet their professional development needs on their own terms. PD In Focus provides searchable streaming video and print resources of research‐based teaching practices in action. Each clip provides a powerful example of a strategy or concept that is essential to accomplishing the goals of accountability‐ based education. This constant connection to on‐demand video energizes staff members and makes theories on instructional improvement come alive. Using a unique format, learners are introduced to a channel host who sets the learning objectives at the beginning of each clip, introduces the expert speaker and video setting, and then reviews the concepts learned at the end. Features such as online journals and clip follow‐up questions complement the overall design. PD In Focus offers a rich library of video content organized into channels that are idea driven and focused on critical issues related to school improvement, including: The Art and Science of Teaching Common Core Standards — NEW Curriculum Mapping Differentiated Instruction English Language Learners Enhancing Professional Practice Formative Assessment Literacy Strategies ASCD Master Class — NEW
ASCD’S PD ONLINE Catapult Learning looks at online professional development as an integrated option in our comprehensive PD planning. Catapult Learning is proud to announce an exclusive partnership for professional development in non‐public schools with ASCD. Partnering with ASCD allows Catapult Learning to offer a wide range of high‐quality online professional development opportunities. ASCD PD Online are a series of virtual courses are led by ASCD expert authors – world‐renowned authorities on learning, teaching, and leading. ASCD PD Online also link to books, tools, and articles offered by ASCD. Each topic has correlated resources which includes information about the author, links to books which can be read online, and opportunities to do further research and exploration. These resources are aligned with 21st Century Student Learning Outcomes. Accountability and implementation of ASCD PD Online is supported when principals and staff developers set up Professional Learning Communities, make assignments, and monitor group and individual activities and progress. 22
Title IIA Offerings for Houston Independent School District
Online Professional Development PD Online makes it easier and more affordable to learn directly from ASCD's expert authors. This series of virtual courses are led by ASCD expert authors – world‐renowned authorities on learning, teaching, and leading. Each course consists of succinct learning modules reflecting current outlooks on best practice. Each course follows a six‐lesson learning design that introduces you to a concept explored by a prominent ASCD author. Engages you in a blend of media‐rich learning featuring experts and practitioners. Lets you access additional reading materials to expand your knowledge. Allows you to revisit content and video applications as often as you like. Provides opportunities for you to collaborate with colleagues through online discussion. Assesses your understanding of the content through an integrated learning management system (LMS). This learning design helps ensure that learners clearly connect their professional development experience with daily practice. ASCD’s PD Online courses give you the flexibility needed to create your ideal professional development experience. Each course we offer includes built‐in tools, like a course syllabus with course overview, a list of objectives, and a sequence of materials, making it the perfect tool for seeing the course’s big picture at a glance. In addition, PD leaders, college faculty, and others leading a group through the course find the syllabus a powerful tool for establishing a sequence and timeline. Plus, it’s an invaluable resource for those who need to blend PD Online courses with their current professional development or course material. Current courses include those in the following topic areas: Assessment The Art and Science of Teaching Classroom Management Curriculum Development Differentiated Instruction Diversity English Language Learners Leadership and Community Building Learning Theories Literacy Strategies Special Populations STEM Education Technology Understanding by Design
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