Insights and Learnings from NEW Conference Participants 

CTA President David Goldberg talks about current issues in education. 

CTA member and one of only a few people that has visited every country in the world. Lucy will share her unique perspective as a world traveler as well as her passions for teaching and inspiring students.

Differentiation in a STEM classroom with over 35 students, which is often the case in a public school, will involve many strategies to address all students' diverse learning needs, interests, and abilities. Planning for classroom management in such a setting would benefit from clear expectations, efficient space use, and effective collaboration in professional learning communities. These strategies can be applied to both math and science classrooms, or a collaboration between both. Teachers can establish and communicate clear expectations and routines to manage the flow of activities and transitions smoothly. They may also arrange the classroom to facilitate small group activities and ensure that all students have access to the needed materials. When professional learning opportunities are provided, teachers continually seek new differentiation strategies and best practices in collaboration with peers. In a math classroom, the teacher can provide several activities to scaffold levels on solving equations, gamify practice, and set up a station with real-life problem scenarios involving math applications. In a science classroom, students have their choices for the concept of the day to create models, write reports, or present the ideas using multimedia.

In this evolving landscape of education, teachers continually seek innovative resources and strategies to meet the diverse needs of their students. This session introduces powerful and perhaps popular platforms designed by educators to support educators in this endeavor: California Educators Together and Tools for Teachers. In this session, attendees will explore the features and benefits of both platforms, learn how to integrate these tools into their teaching practice and discover how collaboration in these communities may enhance instructional effectiveness and student success. This presentation highlights key aspects of both platforms and their benefits, setting the stage for an informative and engaging conference session.

Insights and Learnings from NEW Conference Participants 

Trans and nonbinary students face unique challenges in the classroom, and it is important for educators to create safe, brave, and inclusive learning environments for all students. In this presentation, we will explore strategies for supporting trans and nonbinary students including: 1. Understanding terminology and language related to gender identity. 2. Creating a classroom culture that is supportive of trans and non-binary students. 3. Addressing issues related to gender identity in the classroom. 4. Providing resources and support for trans and non-binary students.

CTA member and one of only a few people that has visited every country in the world. Lucy will share her unique perspective as a world traveler as well as her passions for teaching and inspiring students.

The kinesthetic learner is often overlooked because there is a fear of chaos if you get your students up and moving. However, there is an abundance of research that supports that value of physical activity as it will increase the opportunities to learn. This presentation is packed with easy to implement activities that incorporate physical activity in your academic lessons. The strategies and ideas will enhance lessons and increase student understanding and engagement."

Teaching Ethnic Studies is a gift you give to your students. ESResources.org is a gift to you – California’s hard-working and devoted teachers. Take a guided tour of the website, and learn how ethnic studies teachers are utilizing this expansive and free resource to animate their students’ learning experience. The website features teacher-friendly access points to California’s Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum (ESMC), straightforward touchpoints to downloadable lesson plans, curricula, visual media, and hundreds of other resources that center learning around African American Studies, Asian American Pacific Islander Studies, Chicana/o/x & Latina/o/x Studies, Native American Studies, and Interethnic Bridge Building Studies.

Class Management is the key to success in creating a positive and productive classroom. However, implementing procedures are often time consuming and not effective. Teachers lose five to nine hours just dealing with behaviors rather than teaching the curriculum. My presentation is packed with strategies that have been tried and proven to be effective that are easy to implement the very next day in class. Strategies on class organization, time management, and helping students make good behavioral choices will be addressed. Taking the time to implement effective class management strategies minimizes office visits and increases teaching and learning opportunities.