Designed for teachers in grades 4–12.

Our public schools are encountering a multicultural diversity challenge. Minority students (and all students) need to see positive verbal and visual images of children like themselves in the books they read. When children see themselves in books they are motivated to read more books and read more often. It can increase self-esteem and make them feel part of the larger society. Reading literature about people from other cultures can increase sensitivity to those who are different from themselves, improve their knowledge of the world, and help them realize that although people have many differences, they also share many similarities. Learn to identify and evaluate books and online literacy resources that you can use to build a positive multicultural classroom. Become familiar with grants and other sources you can use to acquire multicultural resources.

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Many schools are jumping on the Maker Movement bandwagon and are creating MakerSpaces and Maker Carts for students and teachers to use. However, often times we put things in place and then ask ourselves, now what? In this program, teachers will have an opportunity to explore what is next for our MakerSpaces while keeping an equitable lens in mind. We will focus on how to create an environment that allows all students to work collaboratively in order to create innovative projects that are tied to content standards.

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Designed for teachers of grades 6–8.

During the middle years, students move from concrete to abstract thinking. Developing understanding, not simply rote memorization of concepts, is imperative in these grades. Through integration of mathematical practices, we will create contexts for mathematical concepts that lead students to deep understandings of the why and how of middle grades standards. Collaborate with colleagues to develop a differentiated math classroom that engages students of all skill levels in lessons.

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The North Carolina FIRST Lego League (NCFLL) has quickly spread across NC with over 500 teams last year. Students in grades 4th-8th compete by designing and programming LEGO Mindstorm robots, working in collaborative teams, and engaging in research projects about real-world challenges such as recycling and hydrodynamics. This program will give you the tools you need to not only maintain a LEGO Robotics team at your school but also program and test autonomous robots. We will focus on robot programming, leading research projects, and finding support.

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Designed for teachers of grades 5–8.

As our students transition to Reading to Learn, we are often unsure how to support those who struggle with comprehension. Knowing how to identify reading deficiencies and provide necessary interventions is unknown territory for many late elementary and middle school teachers. Learn how to drill down and assess individual gaps in reading skills and the intervention strategies to help students become better readers. Focus on vocabulary strategies for building students’ word knowledge and access to difficult texts. Explore close reading and comprehension strategies for empowering students to think deeply about text.

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Whether or not your school or district has adopted a Google Chromebook environment, if your LEA infrastructure allows for the use of Google Tools and/or Apps, the “Googlesphere” can be an immense help. It can aid in engaging students, keeping in touch with parents, automating feedback and assessment, sharing documents, and more. Hone your skills with the Google Chrome Browser, with Google Apps, with Android Apps, and with Chrome OS so that you can engage your students using freely available tools on almost any platform.

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Instructional coaches have a direct impact on instruction and student achievement in today’s schools. Coaches use their role in the schools to enhance others’ abilities through motivation and support. This role can be an overwhelming and daunting task. This program will offer inspiration, guidance, training, strategies, and evidence-based practices for the 21st century instructional coach.

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Join educators from the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences and the North Carolina Museum of History to explore the rich natural and cultural resources of the Outer Banks. Immerse yourself in coastal ecology and follow the paths of influential historical figures to spark your interest and imagination. Learn to use these connections to expand student learning through reading, writing, and research. Human history and the natural environment are inextricably tied in our ever-changing coastal environment. This program will focus on the use of non-fiction texts, legends and historical fiction, and inquiry-based learning to make cross-curricular connections that enrich classroom instruction.

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We know STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) is a hot topic but, just how important is it that we integrate STEM into our classrooms? The short answer is that our world depends on it. According to the Smithsonian STEM Imperative, 2.4 million STEM jobs will go unfilled this year and it is projected to grow by 13% over the next 10 years. As teachers, we have an important role to inspire and teach our students the skills they will need to be successful in an ever-changing world. In this program we will focus on how to integrate content standards as we STEMify our classrooms to enhance our students innovative thinking.

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Designed for teachers of grades 4–12

Students are engaged when they are involved in their work, persist despite challenges and obstacles, and take visible delight in their accomplishments. Solving student engagement issues is complex. What works in one class may be a failure in the next, with every year presenting new challenges for engaging students in various lessons. This program will use a collaborative classroom process to address questions with how to create a classroom culture and how to create classroom instruction that facilitates self-motivation, personal responsibility, and perseverance. Participants also will review and evaluate motivational strategies for engaging students.

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