Thursday, November 4, 2010

Featured Speakers: 8:30 -11:00 am

Doug Fisher

Better Learning Through Structured Teaching

Building student competence requires precision teaching and not prescriptive methods for engaging students.  This session focuses on the Gradual Release of Responsibility and provides participants with information about implementation of an instructional framework that ensures student success, including establishing purpose, modeling thinking, guiding instruction, productive group work, and independent learning tasks.

We will examine the outcomes of high quality instruction, including increases in student achievement and decreases in drop-out rates and attendance problems.
 
Purpose and Objectives
1)    To introduce a structured teaching model based on the Gradual Release of Responsibility
2)    To view classroom video footage, and discuss with peers, the instructional moves that develop student competence
3)    Determine what to look for, based on the Gradual Release of Responsibility, in classroom observations

Joseph Johnson

Leading Transformation: Lessons from High-Performing Schools

Here is a proposed session description -- The National Center for Urban School Transformation identifies and studies many of the nation's highest performing urban schools.  In this session, the Center's executive director will synthesize lessons learned from the transformational principals of these elementary, middle, and high schools.  Participate in frank discussion and get honest answers about the leadership factors that make a difference.

Susan Scott

Fierce Conversations

During this session you will be introduced to the transformational ideas and principles that will shift your basic understanding of conversations and the power they hold in leadership, achieving results, and building relationships. Learn how to possess the skill and the will to tackle and resolve your organization’s toughest challenges, while building an open, direct and respectful culture. Fierce Conversations change the way we connect with each other, they alter our perceptions of what it means to lead, and they become the behavior that propels individuals and teams toward success.

Whether you focus on implementing key initiatives, managing top talent, improving customer acquisition and retention, developing leaders, or simply igniting productive dialogue that generates clarity and impetus for change—success occurs one conversation at a time.

Aida Walqui

Equipping Teachers to Meet the Needs of English Learners

Teachers need specialized knowledge and strategies to meet the needs of English learners and ensure these students' success in today's standards-based, high-stakes education system. This session examines ways to help teachers acquire needed knowledge and skills, and what teachers themselves report about their preparation.

·         What approaches prepare teachers to use instructional strategies that simultaneously develop English fluency and academic competence in subject areas?

·         What school and classroom conditions help teachers succeed with English learners?

·         What systemic conditions and policies support culturally proficient instruction for English learners?

Todd Whitaker

What Great Principals Do Differently

What are the specific qualities and practices of great principals that elevate them above the rest? This workshop reveals what the most effective principals do differently than their colleagues. Blending school centered studies and experience working with hundreds of administrators, this workshop will focus on 14 things that most successful principals do… that other principals do not. Participants will leave knowing what great principals do differently, why these things make them more effective, and how to immediately implement each of these practices into your school.

Friday, November 5, 2010

Featured speakers: 3:00 – 5:30 pm

Alan J. Daly, Ph.D.

Building, Growing, and Connecting our Strengths in Complex Times

We are in a historic time of unprecedented change.  The opportunity to envision and create a future that builds on strengths, celebrates diversity, and honors compassionate and skilled educators has never been more important.  As we move toward the horizon of tomorrow, the time to connect to our collective strengths, wisdom, and hope in an interdependent web of possibility is upon us.  This interactive workshop will focus on envisioning the kind of educational future that support a journey toward excellence and the practical steps to take in meeting such an important goal. 

Josefina Alvarado Mena

Addressing the Root Causes of Violence: A Middle School Model

The Safe Passages Middle School Strategy aims to integrate education and social services at school sites in order to make school communities catalysts for social change within the larger neighborhood context.  Through multiple funding streams, the collaborative has effectively co-located services on school campuses. School staff works closely with the family, therapists, case managers, and other providers to address high need student’s needs. As an effect participating schools have experienced a 72% decrease in suspensions due to violence.

Other featured speakers:

Otto de Santa Ana

Kenji Hakuta

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Featured Session: 8:30 – 10:00 am

Apple’s Innovation in Learning