This course will explain, demonstrate and explore SmartBoard technology. You will learn how to use the SmartBoard with the MacBook so that you will be able to use the Mac Mobile unit and SmartBoard in your classroom with your students. This workshop follows the Mac workshops help on Feb 2nd or 9th. You must have completed the Mac training before you can take the SmartBoard training. TARGETED AUDIENCE: Middle School, Classroom teacher & TA’s

This class will train the participants to make the move from a PC to a MacBook. Participants will learn to be comfortable with Mac technology so you will have the confidence to use the MacBook in your classroom. This workshop is a PREREQUISITE and the needs to be completed before you can take the SmartBoard training on Feb. 13th or 14th from 2-4 PM. Targeted Audience: Middle school, Classroom teachers & TA’s

A look into the different cultures and effective teaching strategies to accommodate a linguistically and culturally diverse classroom. Targeted Audience: Middle school, High school & Classroom teachers, Administrators, Support Staff, TA’s, Special Education teachers & Specialists

This class will examine the NECAP test scores for 2007 to our 2006 scores and determine areas of strength and weakness. We will look at changes that need to be recommended for our curriculum and SIT plan. Targeted Audience: Middle School, Classroom Teachers, Special Education Teachers

The goal of this class is to provide participants with the tools to be able to develop, implement and evaluate an individual learning plan program. The resource that will be used is Rhode Island School Counselors’ Toolkit #8 from the RISCA Professional Development Initiative. Individual Learning Plans are a program to personalize student learning and contribute to their academic, career and personal/social success. The Individual Learning Plan (ILP) helps students focus on their goals. Each ILP is differentiated according to the students’ specific goals and needs. It is primarily authored by students themselves with guidance. The ILP helps students focus on their goals and how to use their school time to accomplish their personal objectives. As part of our School Improvement Plan, the School Administration will ensure that Individual Learning Plans will continue to be developed and implemented. Targeted Audience: Middle School, High School

This is offered as an advance workshop for participants who have completed the introductory workshop Differentiated Instruction for Mixed Ability Classrooms. This workshop will build on the theory of DI by providing in depth discussion and experience in the application of differentiation with your students. Topics will include how to differentiate for various learning strengths, tiered instruction, tools and strategies for differentiation of curriculum in the classroom, creating task cards for a differentiated learning center within a classroom, and building a learning contract for various themes Units. There will also be reviews of DI concepts and theories. Audience: Pk-12 Teachers and Administrators

Learn how to manage the realities of our curriculum goals and the challenges associated with supervision and instruction of students with multiple learning styles and needs. Have collegial discussions of ongoing formative assessment and tiered activity building. Use templates, actual lesson plans and formal curriculum goals, to help each other execute and modify our plans to engage every learner and improve student achievement. Targeted Audience: High School & Special Education Teachers

This course will review many features of the TI-83 graphing calculator to include: Windows, table y=, scatter plots, linear regressim eqvations and point of intersection. Upon completion, the participant will be able to integrate the graphing calculator into daily lessons. Targeted Audience: Middle School & High School

Custom tailored inclusion workshops and classroom visits to assist grade level instructional teams improve the quality of inclusion for all middle school students. Audience: Middle School Teachers, Specialists, Administration, Teacher Aides & Special Education Teachers. Audience: All middle school teachers, Specialists, Administration, Teachers aides, Sp. Ed. Teachers

What is inclusion? What does high quality inclusion look in the middle school and high school? Through discussion, film clips, reflections, and case studies we will examine the eight indicators fo quality inlcusive programs, consider the historical background of inclusion, discuss different models of service delivery. we will develop a list of future topics to explore in the 2007/2008 academic year as well as select potential classrooms for teacher support from the presenter.

Providing quality instruction for all students from the most accomplished to the most challenged is the goal of every educator. This course is designed to provide participants with instructional strategies that meet all students’ needs at all grade levels. Emphasis will be placed on the misconceptions of failure, as well as on effective instructional tools and other research-proven instructional strategies that enhance and improve student performance in all content areas. Included in the workshop will be presentations on background knowledge, judicious review, conspicuous strategies and strategies integration, among others. This 10-hour workshop will be offered in 5, 2-hour sessions over 10 weeks, so that, to paraphrase researcher Robert Givers, “Learn it…practice it…reflect on it.” (AFT ER&D workshop) NOTE: Session II meets for 2 hours per week for 5 consecutive weeks.

presented by AFT ER&D Thinking Math Trainers: Carolyn Carnevale & Debra Ramm Through this workshop series teachers will examine current research and best practices for delivering mathematical instruction. Sessions will build on understanding of the additive structure of numbers, and how to think, reason and communicate mathematically. Participants will learn, practice, and reflect upon teaching strategies that promote mathematical thinking, and will be required to utilize models presented and return to the workshop session with student work, questions regarding application, and ideas for further study. (AFT ER&D workshop) Audience: Pk-5 Teachers, TAs, Admin,, Support Staff

The course will cover an overview of the Lexia reading software program including the program’s development from the Orton-Gillingham tradition. Teacher will explore the various levels of Lexia reading activities with hands-on computer experience and will learn how to level students appropriately according to developmental needs and access progress reports through each teacher’s personalized Lexia web page. Targeted Audience: High School Special Ed. Teachers

The course will cover an overview of the Lexia reading software program including the program’s development from the Orton-Gillingham tradition. Teachers will explore the various levels of Lexia reading activities with hands-on computer experience and will learn how to level students appropriately according to developmental need and access progress reports through each teacher’s personalized Lexia web page. Targeted Audience: Elementary Special Education Teachers

The course will cover an overview of the Lexia reading software program including the program’s development from the Orton-Gillingham tradition. Teacher will explore the various levels of Lexia reading activities with hands-on computer experience and will learn how to level students appropriately according to developmental needs and access progress reports through each teacher’s personalized Lexia web page. Targeted Audience: Middle School Special Ed teachers

In order for students to become more mathematical in their thinking, so do the teachers. During this institute, teachers will be engaged in mathematics content using the new version of Scott Foreman Math Investigations. They wil explore what the new units are like. There will be discussions of how to implement the new program for students in grades 3, 4, & 5. Opportunities will be available to practice using the computer software that accompanies the new program. Note: Half hour lunch. Total PDI hours 16

In order for students to become more mathematical in their thinking, so do the teachers. During this institute, teachers will be engaged in mathematics content using the new version of Scott Foreman Math Investigations. They wil explore what the new units are like. There will be discussions of how to implement the new program for students in grades K,1,& 2. Opportunities will be available to practice using the computer software that accompanies the new program. Note: Half hour lunch. Total PDI hours 16

The Middle School Physical Education Teachers will be Introduced to Strategies for the Teaching of Health and Physical Education.(Health Room)(PE Teachers Only)

Teaching Strategies for Physical Education and Health.

This workshop is designed to review the five basic components of reading: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. Participants will hear about what the researchers recommend and have an opportunity to be involved in hands on activities to strengthen understanding and provide ideas for the classroom. Paraprofessionals that took the four strands of Beginning Reading a few years ago will also benefit. This will be a review and will have some new activities that can be utilized in the classroom. Based on AFT/ER&D Beginning Reading Instruction training module. Audience: Paraprofessionals K-5

Reciprocal Teaching at work – Strategies for Improving Comprehension Recent reading research emphasizes that an urgent need exists for educators to teach reading comprehension strategies. Reciprocal teaching is a scaffolded discussion technique that directly influences and maintains comprehension skills for readers in the primary and upper grade elementary students. This professional development will be a book discussion on “Reciprocal Teaching at Work Strategies for Improving Reading Comprehension” by Lori D. Oczkus (ISBN: 0-87207-514-1) Targeted Audience: Elementary, Classroom & Sp Ed Teachers

A Scoratic Seminar is another instructional technique to encourage students to be accountable for their own learning. Participants in this workshop will learn specific management strategies, activities, and rubrics for utilizing Socratic Seminars in their classroom. After seeing examples of student work and a DVD clip of an actual 9th grade seminar, time will be alvailable for participants to create a content-specific lesson plan. A follow-up session (non-mandatory) will be scheduled in October for collegial sharing, refelction and revision of initial lesson plans that have been implemented utilizing this instructional technique. AUDIENCE MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS

Vocabulary and the word choice are an important element to all pieces of writing. Carefully chosen words enhance any piece of writing as they create interest, meaning and voice for the reader. This class will provide participants with a variety of writing lessons including some ideas for writing a response to literature. Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of vocabulary and its use in the classroom. Targeted Audience: Elementary, Middle School, classroom teacher, Administration, TA’s, Sp. Ed. Teachers,

Instruction is driven by ongoing assessment of content delivery and the learning environment must allow the student to feel emotionally safe. Engaging in active and authentic learning and receiving frequent feedback are necessary activities for effective learning to take place. Incorporation of Differentiated Instruction assists in meeting the demands of the teaching & learning research. The course will take a practical, hands-on approach to exploring the components of the differentiated classroom. We will use the professional study group format to study the topic & benefit from each others skills and expertise. We will begin by understanding the role of multiple intelligences and learning styles in the classroom. Participants will complete the course with a deeper understanding of and the ability to begin to design a differentiated classroom to engage every learner.

As title implies focus will be on picture books that can be used to help in the analysis and interpretation of tough topics in history (e.g. WWI, Civil War discrimination) and society (disabilities, tolerance). Teachers will be provided with a variety of instructional strategies to better student understanding analysis and interpretation of informational text. Targeted Audience: Elementary, Middle School, High School, Classroom Teachers, Administration, Special Education Teachers Specialists

Student achievement increases an average of 33% when students receive explicit vocabulary instruction that is relevant to the content material studied. (Marzano, 2001) This workshop will introduce participants to the research surrounding vocabulary development and the research based strategies that support student growth. A strong vocabulary base is the essential ingredient in getting students to level. Research from both the ER&D Beginning Reading and the Reading Comprehension strands will be utilized to show the progression and strategies needed in vocabulary instruction from grade 3 through middle school. During the first three sessions participants will be shown strategies to use in the classroom. Participants will then implement a strategy or two in the classroom the following week. The fourth session will be held so that everyone can share their lessons for deeper understanding and feedback (warm and fuzzies)! What an easy way to get a selection of great lessons!!!!!!!!