Classrooms are becoming increasingly diverse, with each student having his or her own unique instructional needs. In light of these challenges, how do teachers ensure they are appropriately growing their gifted students? Come learn how to adapt and extend classroom-learning experiences to better address the academic development of your gifted students. Focus will be given to incorporating central concepts into the curriculum, implementing the tools of inquiry and creative thinking, achieving depth and complexity within content areas, embracing acceleration in the classroom, and utilizing multiple digital resources and digital strategies.
Designed for teachers of grades 3–12, and those who coach them.
Love them or hate them, standardized tests are not going away anytime soon. Even our most capable students can become paralyzed by anxiety when confronted with page after page of multiple choice questions. If our students’ scores are to accurately reflect their abilities, they need tools to help them overcome their fears. Participants in this program will learn multiple test-preparation and test-taking strategies designed to build students’ confidence and self-efficacy while addressing content in an ethical and educative manner.
The statistics are consistent: young male readers lag behind their female counterparts in literacy skills. In many instances, the reading scores of boys bring down the reading scores for the entire school. Explore the social, psychological, and developmental reasons why boys lag behind girls. Identify reading materials you can use in your classroom to capture and keep the attention of your struggling readers. Experience a variety of instructional methods such as text selection designed for boys, contests and competitions, focus reading groups, and the latest websites and blogs to boost literacy achievement. Discover solutions to capture the attention of reluctant male readers and examine strategies that motivate boys to sustain reading in the classroom and at home.
CULLOWHEE—The North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching has added “Technology Tools To Enhance STEM” to the list of offerings at the Cullowhee campus.
The program, with course number 14359, will be held March 27–30 at NCCAT, a nationally recognized leader in professional development.
The study of STEM—science, technology, engineering, and math—stimulates children to think critically and problem solve. STEM skills are crucial to building workforce readiness. Purposeful integration of tools found in the workplace can make STEM learning more authentic and relevant. Explore various types of technology and tools that can be incorporated into these existing lessons to make them even better. Maximize classroom time by integrating technologies that can make data collection and analysis easier. Experience lessons that give students a desire to ask questions and engineer solutions. Various technologies will be explored including Vernier sensors, coding software, design software, Cubelets, Spheros, web 2.0 resources, Makey Makeys, and more. Join us as we make messes, break things, fix things, and create minds-on STEM learning environments.
CULLOWHEE—Guilford County teacher Amy Gardner came to the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching for the first time not sure what to expect during the program “Reaching Reluctant Readers: Bringing Boys To Books.”
She left four days later feeling empowered to make a difference for readers in her classroom.
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.
CULLOWHEE—During the program “4C-ing a Better Learning Experience: Technology and Tools To Transform Your Teaching” in Cullowhee Nov. 1–4, a group of North Carolina teachers engaged in professional development designed to make sure technology in the classroom is a powerful tool for students instead of something that happens to them.
BOONE—North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching Executive Director Dr. M. Brock Womble spoke to about 100 alumni and pre-service teachers at the Appalachian State University Teacher Education Professional Development Conference on Nov. 11.
Womble, who is the seventh executive director at NCCAT, received his undergraduate degree from Appalachian State. More than 15 topics were covered during the conference that allowed students and colleagues to learn more about instructional practices, learning strategies, web tools and professional learning communities.
A group of seven Davidson County School educators made the most of the extra time to dive into the world of Canvas with the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching, a national leader in professional development.