To empower educators with the skills to utilize Canva for streamlining their teaching tasks and enhancing student engagement through visually appealing and interactive content.

We live in a highly polarized time when the need for understanding, empathy and solidarity is of the utmost importance.  With the continuing wave of book bans and attacks on freedom of speech this textbook project exercises our right to tell our stories in the fullness of our humanity.  This session discusses the AAPI multimedia textbook, an ambitious narrative change project initiated by the UCLA Asian American Studies Center that brings together distinguished scholarship, open access technology, and ethnic studies pedagogy to deepen public knowledge about who we are, foster equitable classroom environments and strengthen students' historical empathy.

Make a difference in students’ lives with lessons, activities, and stories proven to enhance the learning environment. These are simple, yet effective ideas, that can be used in any classroom and completed in as little as five to fifteen minutes a week. Experience these ideas today and use them in your classroom tomorrow. These tools will impact student’s character, improve motivation and lead to greater success in the classroom. An outline and handouts will be provided.

CTA President David Goldberg talks about current issues in education. 

CTA President David Goldberg talks about current issues in education. 

An educator since 2005, CTA Secretary-Treasurer Erika Jones is an elementary school teacher at Los Angeles Unified School District and member of United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA). She was elected as secretary-treasurer in 2023 after serving eight years on the CTA Board of Directors.

A second-career educator, Gray has been helping students find their voices and chase their dreams since 2017, when she began teaching.

A second-career educator, Gray has been helping students find their voices and chase their dreams since 2017, when she began teaching.

An educator since 1992, CTA Vice President Leslie Littman taught AP U.S. history, economics and government at Hart High School in the William S. Hart Union School District in Santa Clarita. She previously served as CTA Secretary-Treasurer from 2019 to 2023 and on the CTA Board of Directors representing District I before that.

Littman comes from a family of public school educators – her mother, two aunts, two uncles and many cousins were all public school educators. Arriving at Hart Union School District in 1994, Littman advised the yearbook class for a decade, led the school’s accreditation review twice and served as a mentor teacher to new educators.

In this session, Leslie talks about the current issues educators face and how the power of unions can help with those struggles. 

California is an expensive state for residents; thus, many feel the increase in financial stress. Understanding personal finance, planning ahead, and sticking with your plans will be the best path to managing your finances. Let’s start your financial plan at this session, includes debt reduction, saving strategies, buy vs rent, refi or not? Ask your questions without getting your name on sales/call lists because I have nothing to sell.

Research shows that math is a key component of future academic and financial success. Incorporating small group activities into the curriculum can effectively transition students from traditional, non-contextual math worksheets to engaging, collaborative play. Math games, in particular, are excellent tools for fostering a deeper understanding of numbers. They provide a structured environment where children can engage in problem-solving to achieve specific goals. While reaching these goals may be challenging, it is precisely this challenge that makes game-playing enjoyable.  In a game setting, children have the autonomy to make their own decisions about the moves they will take, allowing them to experiment with different strategies through repeated play. Additionally, working in small groups encourages students to use essential math vocabulary, facilitating better communication of their ideas and enhancing their overall learning experience.

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.

This session will introduce educators to the Lawson/Huerta Nonviolence Education Project, a comprehensive program designed to teach high school students the principles and practices of nonviolent social movements. Established under Senate Resolution 38 in 2023, this curriculum aims to empower students to channel their passion for justice into collective action promoting social justice, health, and racial equity. Participants will gain insights into the curriculum's foundational concepts, key historical case studies, and practical strategies for integrating nonviolence education into their own classrooms. By the end of this session, educators will be equipped with the tools and resources necessary to foster a culture of nonviolence and social responsibility among their students.

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.

With what feels like a new tech tool available each day that we are encouraged to incorporate, where is the balance in using something new and doing what is best for our students? This session is an activity-based experience in making choices about technology use in your classroom. Teachers will learn by doing, discussing with peers, and through decision making. We look ahead to a tech reliant world and it is important to consider and discuss collaboratively when and how to use tech in our classrooms to support learners with a goal of balance, especially with the introduction of AI as a major consideration. 

Motivate students by doing “Whatever It Takes” to move them from the toilet bowl syndrome to the success cycle. Participants will discuss four types of motivation and different keys to unlocking the potential within their students in the classroom. David Inemer, will share a number of tools including “The Value of an Education” proven to make a difference in your students attitude, motivation and performance.

Did you know the minimum qualification to teach at CC is a master’s degree, no teaching credential required? Come and learn the opportunities at CC, what’s it like, how to apply and more. I will share my 24 yrs of teaching Biology at a CC and serving on multiple hiring committees. 

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.