Session Breakout Descriptions April 1st 2020
Wednesday, April 1st AM Sessions
10:00-10:50
Self-Paced Playlists in the Science Classroom
Chelsea Jay, Waterloo
Empire Room
Experience an example of a self-paced playlist that contains various independent activities and serves as guidance and sequencing using technology instead of real-time teacher actions. Discover how to direct students without having to be present, thus freeing yourself up to work 1:1 or with small groups of students, manage behavioral challenges, observe and respond to academic struggles, offer tech support, provide feedback, and meet the different needs of all your students.
Assessment is Not a Four Letter Word
Nick Ganster & Dave Wise, Marion
Gala Room
Formative assessment and the production of student data is central to personalized learning. Attendees will be provided an overview of the benchmark assessment system at the Marion Jr.-Sr. High School including the creation of benchmark assessments with complementing assessment item maps, the production of student data, and how the student data is critical for our MTSS teams, tier one intervention (classroom), and tier two intervention (AIS, Learning Center etc.).
From Blah and Monotonous to Brave and Meaningful: Two ELA Teachers' Journey to Personalize Learning in their Classrooms
Bobbie Dardano & Melissa James, Penn Yan
McIntosh Room
Do you find your classroom/instruction to be in a rut? Can you teach those lessons with your eyes closed? Do you dream of transforming your instruction? Have you heard about book clubs? Conferencing? Workshops? More student ownership? Engaged students? Do you want to learn more about these topics? Join two secondary English teachers as they share their journey from "blah and monotonous to brave and meaningful." You will walk away with a variety of digital platforms, structures, resources and the confidence to try to shift your classroom to a more personalized and engaged environment.
Using Test Data for Student Reflection
Stacy Liberati, Red Jacket
Cortland Room
This workshop will show participants how students can reflect on their own learning by analyzing their personal assessments, then choosing for themselves the areas they need to focus on. With assessments aligned to NYS NG standards, students graph their progress based on the class focus standards (ie Reading 1-6), then self-select their next teacher created personalized lessons based on their weaknesses. By doing this, students actively reflect on what skills they are doing well and what skills need reinforcing, and can track their progress over the course of the year/unit. Applicable to all contents.
TBD
Thomas Murray
Diamond Room
11:00-11:50
Students Swiveling Their Way to the Path of Success
Cassandra Montemarano & Anneke Radin-Snaith, Naples
Empire Room
During this workshop we'll share a unique way to use video for student reflection. Using video as a reflective tool can empower students to create their own learning goals, reflect on current performance and engage in meaningful conversation with peers and teachers. This encourages students to take both an active role in the instructional cycle and ownership of their own learning.
Show what you know!
Kate Rice, Palmyra-Macedon
Niagara Room
Attendees will learn how to use Google Drawings, QR codes, and the green screen as tools that will empower students to take ownership of their learning and showcase what they know. Tips will also be shared for how to differentiate how students are assessed.
Student Voice=Student Choice - Choice Boards for Student Agency
Erika Asquino, Wayne-Finger Lakes BOCES
Gala Room
Choice boards give students autonomy and choice in their learning while allowing teachers to differentiate, observe, and assess in real-time. In this session, participants will explore the creation and use of choice boards to increase student engagement, ownership, and reflection. Participants will be provided with numerous templates and organizers, digital and non-digital choice options, and student reflection tools in order to get started right away with the implementation of choice boards in their classrooms.
Taking Seesaw to the Next Level
Jed Moomaw & Brittany Sculli, Palmyra-Macedon
McIntosh Room
Seesaw is a digital Portfolio tool that is a valuable resource for any classroom. Do you have a Seesaw account for your room but are not sure how it all works? Then this is the session for you! In this session you will learn how to take Seesaw to the next level through the use of folders, activities, app smash and more! This session is meant for those who are already familiar with Seesaw but want to learn more.
EBN: Leveraging Video Content in a Student-Centered Learning Environment
Bill Campo & Gordy Baxter, EduTech
Concord Room
Ensemble is a new service being offered by EduTech. Learn how subscribing Districts can create, manage and publish video learning assets and products. Organize in playlists and channels that you control. Create video quizzes and interactive transcripts. Students can submit video projects for review before sharing. Manage collections of your still images for projects or to share with parents. Ensemble is Ed Law 2D compliant and no outside provider (YouTube/Vimeo) content filter issues or terms of service restrictions. Ensemble is a great way to give student ownership of their learning and build a blended learning environment that is safe and easy to use.
TBD
Thomas Murray
Diamond Room
Wednesday April 1st PM Sessions
1:00-1:50
Minecraft - Pixels to Pedagogy
Aaron Sweet, Newark
Concord Room
Minecraft is a game-based learning platform that offers you a transformative way to engage your students and ignite their passion for learning. Minecraft can be applied to any age and subject with awesome 'ready-to-use' lessons and ideas! Minecraft promotes collaboration, communication, planning, execution, and helps build '22nd Century Skills.' Oh, and you can code with Minecraft too!
Personalized Profiles and Instructional Pathways
Laura DeYoung, Jenna Atkins & Ellen Lloyd, Marion
Cortland Room
In this session participants will learn about how to identify different sources of student data and how to analyze that data to create individual student instructional profiles. Additionally, we will share how those instructional profiles are used to form groups and to help determine students' instructional path in both WIN groups and core instruction. Participants will have the opportunity to share best practices, so please bring your favorite data analysis tools and student grouping ideas to share with the group! Participants should also bring a device and recent student data (writing samples, running reading records, unit test results, iReady results, exit tickets, etc.). There will be time for teachers to use their own student data to apply what they have learned.
Year Four: Enduring “Lessons” from our PL Journey
Jennifer Bartlett-Prati, Chris Puylara & Marty Rotz, Romulus
Niagara Room
In year four of personalized learning, how has our culture and instruction changed at Romulus? In this session, we will share how the work we did around personalized learning changed our teachers, changed our instruction and changed our students--for better and worse.
Students Take the Wheel
Stacey Baxter, Anna Brouse & Shanelle France, Geneva
Gala Room
Self Reflection and Student Ownership are a critical part of the core elements for personalizing student learning. Once done successfully, a classroom will begin to thrive. Students will feel empowered, motivated, and academic/behavioral growth will occur. Join us as we share the journey of how teachers and coaches work together to empower students.
An Alternative Approach to Alternative Education
Carrie Goodell, Victor
McIntosh Room
After losing their traditional alternative high school several years ago, Victor High School found itself struggling to meet the needs of at-risk students. After visitations to model programs, VSHS was determined to create an inclusive alternative program that kept at-risk students immersed in the school building/community. This commitment, coupled with an interest in personalized learning, helped us to develop a successful programming plan that supports students with unique profiles. This session will focus on the structure/mission of the program, highlight student success stories, and will provide resources used in our process around alternative programming decisions.
Neuroscience of Well-Being: Empowering Kids by Teaching Brain Architecture
Kyle Inda & Anneke Radin-Snaith, Naples
Empire Room
Although educators strive daily to increase learning for students, we spend very little time exploring the primary structure of learning, the brain, and even less time considering its impact on the soft skills of well-being. Deepen your understanding of brain architecture while exploring some of the neuroscience behind well-being such as growth mindset and mindfulness. What does neuroscience have to offer in teaching well being? We will discuss the implications for our own teaching as well as the benefits of teaching kids about the architecture of their own brains.
Book Signing
Thomas Murray
Diamond Room
2:00-2:50
What's On Your Playlist?
April Seeley, Honeoye
Cortland Room
In this session, participants will learn how playlists can be used to differentiate and personalize instruction. We will focus on how playlists work, as well as examine sample playlists utilized in an ELA class, math class, and Resource Room. In addition to providing a method for meeting the needs of all students, participants will explore how playlist-based instruction can furnish students with greater choice opportunities and motivation, as a means to increase ownership for meeting academic objectives, while simultaneously giving teachers more time to implement small group support. Time will be built into the workshop for participants to create their own playlist, with guidance from the instructor.
The Power of Student-Led Conferences
Kelley Johnson & Kyle Gobe, Penn Yan
Niagara Room
Learn how the implementation of school-wide student-led conferences increases student reflection and ownership as well as parent involvement. During this session, participants will understand the purpose of this structure as well as how to put processes in place that support successful implementation.
Empowering Students Through Reflection & Feedback
Tim Padden, Ben Herendeen & Emily Seneca, Sodus
Gala Room
Student reflection and ownership is one of the key elements to personalized learning, yet is often one of the most difficult goals to achieve. In this session we will examine how students at an elementary level can be empowered to take more ownership over their learning by participating in student led conferences as well as explore how quality feedback can be provided to students in a digital format using Screencasting and Google Forms. In both instances students become more empowered and invested in the learning process, regardless of grade level, by interacting with teacher feedback in new ways.
Setting the Stage for a Whole Child PL Classroom
Jacki Mader & Melissa Reeves, Gananda
Empire Room
This workshop will allow teachers time to explore the physical set-up of their classroom (and how it impacts the climate and culture of their class), as well as delving deeper into knowing your students and creating positive classroom families.
An App, A Toy, & A Strategy
Jerry Scoppa, Palmyra-Macedon
Concord Room
OK, Hive Minds Unite! Come to find out about a new app, a new tech toy, or a new strategy. The purpose of this session is to learn about some new things to do in the classroom. Have a great app, toy, or strategy to share? Jump on in and share it with the rest of us! Links to the apps, toys, and strategies will be shared so you can bring it back to your district.
Spice Up Your Content with Newsela
Kathy Uerz & Suellen Terranova, Wayne
McIntosh Room
Newsela is an incredibly valuable resource for giving students and teachers choice in what they read in all content areas. It provides teachers and students with content that’s active and engaging, relatable and real. It empowers teachers to select the best content for their students while giving administrators the assurance that all content is vetted and aligned to standards. Students also have the power to select articles of interest and track their own learning and teachers can interact with students in real time as they work.