Oct. 26 - Dec. 6 An unprecedented pandemic may change the definition of classroom, but it doesn't have to change your definition of good teaching. Now that you're making the shift to online teaching, it's time to answer your biggest questions about remote, digitally based instruction: *How do I build and nurture relationships with students and their at-home adults from afar? *How do I adapt my best teaching to an online setting? *How do I keep a focus on students and their needs when they aren't in front of me? Jennifer Serravallo's Connecting with Students Online gives you concise, doable answers based on her own experiences and those of the teachers, administrators, and coaches she has communicated with during the pandemic. Posts will be due each week by Sunday at 8 p.m. This book study will be online and housed in Schoology. Once registered, a code will be sent to you. To receive credit, all coursework will need to be completed on time each week and done by Dec. 6. The first post is due on Nov. 1. To learn more or to sign up, click here: https://www.mylearningplan.com/WebReg/ActivityProfile.asp?D=17189&I=3642667

Determining the writer's next step is often challenging! We can study a piece of writing and see a laundry list of things to teach. In this series of workshops, Lauren Kolbeck will explore the qualities of good writing to assist you in assessing your students' writing pieces. Then, we will explore how to prioritize your writing goals. After that, we will work on goal setting conferences and plan instruction to help the writers master the goals. Lauren will also share best practices for working with students remotely and in-person. Participants are encouraged to have a copy of The Writing Strategies Book by Jennifer Serravallo to use a reference. This workshop will be 3 sessions and 90 minutes each session

Nov. 1 - Dec. 20 For teachers of grades K-12 The pandemic teaching of mid-2020 was not really distance learning, but rather crisis teaching. But starting now, teachers have the opportunity to prepare for distance learning with purpose and intent-using what works best to accelerate students' learning all the while maintaining an indelible focus on equity. Harnessing the insights and experience of renowned educators Douglas Fisher, Nancy Frey, and John Hattie, The Distance Learning Playbook applies the wisdom and evidence of VISIBLE LEARNING® research to understand what works best with distance learning. Book study will be based in Schoology and starts with first asynchronous assignment due Nov. 1 and runs through Jan. 10, 2021. One live session will be scheduled. To learn more or sign up, click here: https://www.mylearningplan.com/WebReg/ActivityProfile.asp?D=17189&I=3643033

Students living in poverty encounter barriers at school that make learning and academic achievement difficult. Based on Regina Rawlinson's book, A Mind Shaped by Poverty: Ten Things Educators Should Know, this Fishbowl Chat will examine how poverty affects academic success and what educators can do to help students. This quick chat will be led and hosted by Kathy Bellows, High School Social Studies Teacher, MCSD. Fishbowl Chats are quick 20-minute chats that inspire brainstorming and conversation around a K12 education topic or idea.

Determining the writer's next step is often challenging! We can study a piece of writing and see a laundry list of things to teach. In this series of workshops, Lauren Kolbeck will explore the qualities of good writing to assist you in assessing your students' writing pieces. Then, we will explore how to prioritize your writing goals. After that, we will work on goal setting conferences and plan instruction to help the writers master the goals. Lauren will also share best practices for working with students remotely and in-person. Participants are encouraged to have a copy of The Writing Strategies Book by Jennifer Serravallo to use a reference. This workshop will be 3 sessions and 90 minutes each session