Substitute teacher reimbursement covered on Tuesday, October 14 and Wednesday, October 15.

Never in our nation’s history has ability to produce and comprehend written information been more necessary. Unfortunately, literacy instruction is as difficult as it is essential. This program will provide early grades teachers with a complement of research-based tools and strategies to help answer some of their more burning questions: How do I teach “close reading” to students who don’t yet know the alphabet? What level of writing can I attain from children who are still learning to spell? How do I simultaneously provide enrichment for advanced readers and remediation for delayed readers? Finally, how can I integrate reading and writing instruction into all other subject areas? Preference will be given to teachers of grades K–3.

Substitute teacher reimbursement covered on Wednesday, October 8 and Thursday, October 9.

Educational pundit E.D. Hirsch has suggested that, at its core, every test is a vocabulary test. We learn to read and write to make sense of and communicate about everything we encounter. When students write about what they see, they engage with the material in an intentional manner. When they have interesting experiences, they write more and with more energy. Join us as we investigate ways of incorporating the NC State Essential Standards in Science with appropriate reading and writing activities—all aimed at strengthening our students’ facility in both areas. Taking advantage of the numerous ecosystems in close proximity to NCCAT, we will use literacy activities to enhance our engagement and understanding of several field activities. Teachers will have the opportunity to adapt the activities to their local ecosystems and students’ literacy levels. This program is primarily targeted at pre-K through third-grade teachers but is appropriate for all grade levels.

“Flipping” instruction is a method of shifting lecture and explanation to a controlled video or mixed-media format so that time in class can be spent most productively. When done properly, flipping can be of great benefit to teachers and students by allowing for more finely attuned differentiation and more class time for one-on-one instruction and meaningful learning experiences. With help from working teachers and educational technologists, this course will give you the tools and confidence you need to approach flipping your own classroom in ways that are meaningful and engaging for your students and that give you new tools for assessment and interaction.

In the current high-stakes atmosphere, the word “assessment” has become conflated with “testing.” Truly helpful, formative assessment is an ongoing process that need not involve any testing. Participants in this program will learn multiple assessment techniques and examine how to use the information they obtain from them. Participants in this daylong program (9am to 3pm) will learn several assessment techniques and examine how to use the information they gather from them. Teachers at all grade levels and in all subject areas are encouraged to attend.

Humans forget far more than they remember; the trick is remembering the important stuff. Participants in this daylong program (9am to 3pm) will learn how to use what we know about the brain to increase the likelihood that students will attend to, process, store, and retrieve material. Teachers at all grade levels and in all subject areas are encouraged to attend.

NCCAT can cover the cost of a substitute teacher for this program.

Designed for K-5 educators
The Excellent Public Schools Act of 2013 has charged teachers with the responsibility of integrating arts education across the curriculum. How can we use that challenge to super-charge early grades literacy instruction? While most teachers are aware of the research showing that children exposed to drama, music, and dance do a better job at mastering the core subject areas, many feel ill-equipped to bring the power of arts education into reading and writing. Where do the North Carolina Educational Standards connect and intersect with arts integrated learning? Join a group of dedicated colleagues as we explore ways to engage our students through visual, musical, dramatic, verbal, and movement arts. Discover how art can motivate, build persistence, improve memory, increase attention span, strengthen abstract thinking, and prepare students to deal productively with complexity, ambiguity, and frustration.

NCCAT can cover the cost of a substitute teacher for this program.

Blogs, Twitter, Facebook, Web 2.0, text messaging, Instagram, video conferencing, music downloading, video games, and online social networking communities—our students live in a digital world, with the ability to contact anyone, anywhere, anytime. How can we catch up with them? Enter this world and acquire skills needed to navigate the ebb and flow of the digital age. Learn to facilitate effective use of current and emerging digital tools. Empower all students by developing technology-enri​ched learning experiences. Gain confidence and skill in accessing information as you integrate technology seamlessly into your curriculum. Promote and model digital citizenship and responsibility. Capitalize on your students’ excitement and guide them on a safe, legal, and ethical journey into the digital universe.

The majority of teachers are middle-class, Caucasian, and female. Using the first of Stephen Covey’s seven habits, “seek first to understand, then to be understood,” teachers will investigate some of the fundamental differences between people raised in the middle class and those who live in generational poverty. They also will learn several teaching techniques to help students organize their thinking and writing and interact with each other more positively. The agenda for each daylong program (9am to 3pm) is the same. Sign up for only one. Teachers at all grade levels and in all subject areas are encouraged to attend.

The majority of teachers are middle-class, Caucasian, and female. Using the first of Stephen Covey’s seven habits, “seek first to understand, then to be understood,” teachers will investigate some of the fundamental differences between people raised in the middle class and those who live in generational poverty. They also will learn several teaching techniques to help students organize their thinking and writing and interact with each other more positively. The agenda for each daylong program (9am to 3pm) is the same. Sign up for only one. Teachers at all grade levels and in all subject areas are encouraged to attend.

NCCAT can cover the cost of a substitute teacher for this program.

In his book Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell tells us that to become expert at anything requires about 10,000 hours of practice. Unfortunately, our struggling readers will never make that investment of time if they hate what they are asked to do. Participants in this day-long seminar will learn how to transform worksheets, fluency practice, and other solo efforts into engaging activities that still reinforce essential literacy skills. The agenda for each daylong program (9am to 3pm) is the same. Sign up for only one. Teachers at the K-5 grade levels are encouraged to attend.