Designed for teachers of grades K–3.

Discover new ways to turn reading strategies into writing opportunities that deepen comprehension and extend student learning. This interactive program will explore multiple tools to unlock “thinking” in the classroom, including the use of journal responses, writing as inquiry across the content areas, and the power of authentic interactions with poetry and prompts.

Designed for ELA teachers of grades 6–8 and those who coach them.

Middle grades ELA inhabits a type of educational limbo. Intellectually, students are capable of taking on complex reading and writing tasks but many are still developing the necessary maturity to do so. This program will examine the knowledge and skills necessary to transition successfully from elementary to high school. Teachers will engage in and then craft their own language arts activities that engage both the child and the budding adult in each of their students. Activities will address reading, writing, thinking, speaking, and listening skills.

Designed for those that have participated in NCCAT’s “Canvas Connections: Beginning Users” program or that have comparable intensive Canvas training.

Canvas, North Carolina’s Learning Management System (LMS), is your place for one stop learning and course management. Teachers who are currently using Canvas will learn how to use buttons and banners to give their course a more professional look. Engage students by creating blended lessons using Canvas and a variety of Web tools. Design an ePortfolio for professional use. Become more familiar with using an LMS to collaborate with teachers from across the state. This program is designed for intermediate users and will allow teachers time to map their course for an entire semester using the calendar feature.

Extreme weather events offer multiple opportunities to create engaging lessons across grade levels and the curriculum. Real-time media coverage of devastating storms like Katrina creates the ideal catalyst for motivating student interest in science, math, literacy, technology, and social studies lessons. Hear accounts from Outer Banks residents who have experienced hurricanes firsthand and see evidence of damage caused by recent storms. Partner with science, literacy, and digital learning experts to explore how extreme weather events are the perfect curriculum storm for creating lessons that will enhance K–12 instruction.

The 21st Century has revealed a rapidly changing and evolving world that has affected teaching and learning. With advances in technology, teachers and students have instant access to vast amounts of information. What literacy strategies do teachers employ to help today’s learners process, critique, and analyze this endless stream of data? Participants will investigate information literacy, intentional questioning, and dialogue. Using informational text, teachers will explore how intentional questioning can foster student dialogue and effective communication. Additionally, teachers will examine how current events and technology can be used to foster critical thinking skills and collaborative problem solving.

It’s time to start thinking outside the box! Teachers often think projects take too much time to plan or don’t know how to align them with curriculum. Project Based Learning (PBLs) are an effective and enjoyable way to learn that allow students to work as a team, reflect, ask questions, build confidence, work with a purpose, problem solve, and learn time management. Investigate what essential questions, unit questions, and content questions will enable you to develop your own PBL unit. Return to your classroom with a PBL unit you create that will excite and engage your students as they claim ownership of their learning.

Designed for those who regularly deliver staff development to faculty and/or staff.

Standard 1 of the North Carolina Professional Teaching Standards reads, “Teachers demonstrate leadership”. More and more, they are being asked to lead outside their classrooms by presenting new ideas or initiatives in their PLCs or at school and district-wide professional development sessions. This can be a daunting prospect. Teachers who wouldn’t flinch in the face of a roomful of hostile teenagers are paralyzed by the idea of that same room filled with their peers. Participants in this program will learn how to structure presentations for maximum engagement at the learning level of an adult audience.

It can be a struggle for career and technical education teachers to find appropriate resources to engage their students when designing their courses to fit the 16 Career Clusters and 79 related pathways that are a part of the CTE essential standards. Join CTE experts as we investigate digital resources, community partnerships, and strategies that provide enhanced instruction across the multiple curriculums in this field. Create lessons that enrich and extend these standards. Explore the policies and best practices of CTE education and how they can help launch students for success in a broad range of occupations and career specialties.

Canvas, North Carolina’s Learning Management System (LMS), is your place for one-stop learning and course management. Teachers will become familiar with the features of Canvas such as the settings, notifications, and tools in building a course. Create modules using a variety of items such as discussions, assignments, quizzes, and content pages. Set up generic or tailored rubrics for use with a variety of content. This program is designed for beginning users and will allow time to experiment, collaborate, and build at your own pace. Teachers will have a module or more ready to implement on returning to the classroom.

Designed for teachers of grades K–5.

Good readers ask questions before, during, and after reading to make sense of text. Questions provide the opportunity to interact with the text and figure out the deeper meaning of what is being read. How do teachers model good questioning strategies? How do teachers pose questions that foster critical thinking? What types of questions help readers understand confusing parts of a book? Learn how to use questioning strategies to enhance reading comprehension for all students.