* New workshop added  Oct 18th  4:00 pm - 6:00pm  SMART Board User Group

The goals of a SMART Board User Group are to network with fellow SMART Board users to share ideas and to use the SMART Board and SMART Notebook software effectively to improve student outcomes in the classroom.

 The Middlesex ETTC will host a SMART Board User Group that will meet 4 times during the school year. All experience levels are welcome. It does not matter whether you are new at using the SMART Board in the classroom or have been using it for years.

 First meeting of the SMART Board User Group at the Middlesex ETTC will be sponsored by Keyboard Consultants, Inc. and will be facilitated by Carolyn Bennett, SMART Certified Education Consultant.

 Come with your enthusiasm or inspire others with your expertise and take away ideas and best practices to use in your classroom.

 Fee: $ 0.00

 

 

 

Learning through Learning Centers

Whether you have one computer or four computers in your classroom, learning centers can be an integral part of the learning environment. Come explore a collection of learning center ideas and learn to create some of your own.

Recommended for:  K-6 teachers.

 

 

Getting Started on Moodle: Your Online Classroom   

Having an online classroom is a great way to engage and energize your students while in school and at home. Moodle is the free software that makes this possible. Learn how to create an interesting and interactive environment where resources are shared and students can collaborate. Just think of all the paper you'll save by having digital handouts and having students take quizzes and submit assignments online.  This class will teach you how to set up your Moodle classroom. (You will need to talk to your technology department f your school does not yet use Moodle. This class does no include setting up a Moodle server.)

Recommended for: teachers interested in Moodle 

 

 

Holidays and Thinkfinity

This workshop will give you lessons for every holiday that you celebrate with your students. Included with this workshop will be the first weeks of school, first 100 days, and testing tips. You will walk away with lesson plans, web interactives, worksheets, and a variety of other resources. Have this information available for your use as the holidays approach and enhance your curriculum.

Recommended for: Teachers of grades k-8, special education

 

 

Centers from Heaven 

Are you stuck trying to develop centers for your classroom.  Do you have at least one computer center?  Then this is the class for you.  Using the FREE (yes, FREE) site, Thinkfinity, you will leave this workshop with more interactive sites, lesson plans, and ideas than you ever have at any workshop.  This workshop will help you with every curriculum you teach now and in your future.   This is a must for the first year teacher to the very seasoned teacher.  
Recommended for: Teachers of grades K-5, special education teachers

 

 

Presentations I: Microsoft PowerPoint and Google Docs

This full-day workshop will enable participants to create multimedia presentations to support all aspects of teaching and learning. Participants will explore features in PowerPoint, which bring slides to life. You will learn how to animate your slides and how to add interesting transitions between slides. To help with the creation of your own PowerPoint presentation you might want to bring a textbook or other curriculum material. Tests drive the PowerPoint like presentation part of Google Docs. Share your presentations via the internet with students, parents, and colleagues.

Recommended for:  Anyone who wants to create dynamic presentations. Some computer experience is required.

 

 

Spreadsheets I: Microsoft Excel and Google Docs

Ready for the next step beyond calculators? This workshop will cover the skills needed to create basic spreadsheets using Microsoft Excel. Learn to create, save and open spreadsheets; enter and edit data in a spreadsheet; build formulas and create charts. Upload spreadsheets to Google Docs for your private use or share and collaborate with others.

Recommended for: Anyone interested in creating spreadsheets. Experience using a mouse

 

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SMART Notebook for English and World Language

Create lesson plan templates with the latest NJ Core Content Curriculum Standards and incorporate interactive activities to teach vocabulary, idea sequencing, and spelling. Use Venn diagrams, T-charts, and graphic organizers to assist the writing process.

Recommended for: English and world language teachers

 

 

Blogs, Podcasts and the Classroom

Blogs and podcasts form a new partnership in communications media. Students and teachers can become personal publishers and broadcasters in ways that connect the subject area with writing and speaking skills. In the morning we will explore the world of blogs and how a blog can relate to your instructional goals. You will establish a blog on the Internet for future use. The afternoon will be devoted to the world of podcasting. You will learn the vocabulary, the tools and the process used to locate, download, create and publicize your own podcasts. Find out what all the buzz is about and learn how these tools can amplify student projects as well as your own listening interests.

Recommended for: K-12 teachers, all subjects                            

 

 

 

Time Travel with Photoshop: An Introduction

Adobe Photoshop is a key tool of the 21st Century technological revolution. With a little practice, one can merge and edit images, retouch photographs, design sophisticated print and electronic materials, and produce computer art. In this introductory hands-on workshop, you will learn Photoshop foundational skills. You will capture and transfer images with a digital camera; use Photoshop’s selection and painting tool palettes; and take a picture of yourself and blend it into an image of the past. You will be working and having fun throughout the session.

Recommended for: Beginner Photoshop users

 

 

Teaching Math in the 21^st Century Classroom

Are you looking for:

§       an understanding of the new math standards?

§       free resources to make mathematics “come alive” in your classroom?

§       free tools to engage students in their own learning with hands-on activities that will both motivate and improve learning?

This series is designed just for you! 

Each class will begin with a comparison of the old and new standards followed by hands-on discovery based activities that can be used with teacher directed lessons with one computer and projector or/and then by students with individual computers to help build proficiency based on a better visualization of mathematical concepts. Online resources for student activity sheets that can be printed out and used offline will also be provided. Choose your grade level and apply for the day/s.  Bring your math textbook and a flash drive and you will leave with marvelous free resources. You'll also have time to develop an interactive unit to use with your students.  New standards, old standards, these classes will give you the valuable tools needed to teach today’s students who live in such a “multi-media” world.

 Recommended for:  Classroom teachers, special ed math teachers, math coaches and math supervisors

 Number sense and computation to support the new (and old) standards

Grade level appropriate activities including real world applications and problem solving

 

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Google Docs and more: Connect, Create and Collaborate

Take advantage of Google's powerful, free, collaborative tools in your classroom and beyond. Learn how to make the most of what Google has to offer and have your students working with 21st century skills every day. Become a 21st century educator

Recommended for: All Teachers

 

 

 

BYOIP: Bring Your Own iPad for Beginners        

Do you need to learn how to use your iPad? We will start at the beginning … no prior knowledge required. Then we'll move on to making use of your iPad in and out of the classroom. Join us for a day of iPad learning. You will need to bring an iPad to this workshop. Please make sure that your iPad is running iOS 4.3

Recommended for: iPad users

 

 

 

UDL-What is it and When can I Start Using These Strategies  

Learn the “ins” and outs” of how to use Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in your classroom. Begin to see how these techniques allow all students to learn and grow academically as well as socially and emotionally. Perfect your use of menus to promote learning. You'll see why so many grants want this type of model in your curriculum.

Recommended for:  All teachers.

 

 

Learning Styles - Activities to Reach All Learners

What is your learning style? Come have some fun investigating how you learn in order to better understand your students’ strengths and weaknesses. We will then explore some activities that are aligned to these learning styles and develop lessons specific to your students’ needs.

Recommended for: Interested teachers

 

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Give your Students a Choice with Thinkfinity Interactives        

Are your students at different levels? Do your students have a wide-spectrum of strengths, interests, and needs? Give your students’ choices with the interactive games and tools on the Thinkfinity website. Pique their curiosity. Give them a chance to explore and choose. Come and familiarize yourself with Thinkfinity’s FREE standards-based interactive resources that reach across curricula.

Recommended for: Teachers grade 7-12

 

 

SMART Board across the Curriculum: A First Course

Make the most of your SMART board and watch class participation and engagement soar. First you will master SMART board basics. Then you will learn how to plan and prepare your SMART lessons on any computer using SMART notebook software. Come and take back interactive enhanced lessons to use with your SMART board. We will provide a list of websites that are particularly SMART board

“friendly.” No more fumbling for transparencies, hyperlinks, diagrams, or files. Your lesson will flow seamlessly and learning will increase as students participate as active learners. Please bring your curriculum materials.

Note: Smart board software is free to Smart board users and can be purchased for use on other boards

Recommended for: Anyone interested in using a SMART board

 

 

Mystery Festival: CSI in the classroom

Mystery Festival uses a classroom learning-station format; students study a "crime scene," then conduct crime-lab tests on the evidence, analyze the results, and try to solve the mystery. These forensic science activities absorb students from the start and keep them intensely involved throughout. In this workshop, teachers will play the role of students/detectives to uncover the mystery.

Recommended for: K- 8 teachers interested in spicing up science

 

 

Strategies to Meet the Common Core Literacy Standards in Content Areas: K – 5

The new Common Core English Language Arts standards require specific literacy proficiencies in all content areas. The new Standards require from 30% to 50% of all reading instruction to be completed with informational texts, a move away from instruction that has been based primarily on all narrative texts.

This workshop will focus on specific strategies to enable students to read and comprehend complex informational texts and to respond in well written answers to Open Ended prompts.  Additionally, an analysis of the type of Multiple Choice questions that are presented to test comprehension will be discussed and practiced.   Through a variety of activities, participants will gain skills to promote close reading of informational texts and strategies to promote proficiency.

This workshop is appropriate for all content areas as well as reading and language arts teachers. 

Recommended for: Grade 1- 5 teachers

 

 

 

Thinkfinity and Testing       

Do you want to have a plethora of student test prep sites and resources?  Attend this workshop and you will be able to direct your students to an amazing supply of reinforcing materials that will enhance their abilities and skills.  Spend a few hours and come away with a variety of ways to help your students.

Recommended for: All Teachers

 

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