SDE's Conference for Ohio Second and Third Grade Teachers

This week was a big week for me.  Not only did we return to school, I also started another round of graduate classes.  Some of you may recall that I obtained my Masters in Literacy Curriculum & Instruction last December.  Well, after a year-long hiatus, I am back at it again!  This time, I'm working towards a gifted endorsement, and I'm enrolled in an online program.  So far, I'm really impressed with the staff and how well they keep in touch even though I'm taking classes from a school that's nearly four hours from my home.  If I'm being honest though, as good as the program is and as fabulous as their staff is, I just don't LOVE online classes.  That may come as a shock to you since I blog and operate a few related social media pages, but it just isn't my thing!  Even though I am trilled about the convenience...and even though I consider myself a very self-directed learner by nature... it's missing something.  It's missing that human interaction that no online blackboard or forum can replicate.  I THRIVE when I am given the chance to chat with my cohorts and glean little nuggets of wisdom from our conversations.  I'm actually someone who LOVES attending classes and professional development trainings for that reason.  I just love to pick people's brains... and I love how invigorated I feel when I learn something that I can take away and apply in my own classroom!

I'm really trying to keep all of that in mind as I continue preparing for my sessions at SDE's Conference for Ohio Second and Third Grade Teachers!  As the facilitator of four sessions, I want to help my participants stand on a firm foundation of academic research, but I also want to give everybody fun, creative, practical, and effective ideas to take back to their classrooms!  I also strive to make my sessions interactive and engaging because that's what I crave as a student and a participant.  I'm starting to get really excited!  Especially since one of my blogging besties, Hope King from Second Grade Shenanigans, will be there too, and there are already plans involving Jeni's ice cream.  Get in my belly, Salty Caramel ice cream!  Ahem... I digress.

The Conference for Ohio Second and Third Grade Teachers will be held on February 3rd and 4th in Columbus, Ohio.  This conference was designed to be helpful to Ohio teachers, in particular.  If you teach in the Buckeye State, it's no secret that this is a really pivotal year for us with the full implementation of the Common Core, the new Ohio Teacher Evaluation System (OTES), the Third Grade Guarantee and its inherent high stakes, and the corresponding shifts in how we are doing our jobs.  It's intense, but it's not insurmountable.  :)  Thankfully!  So, that's where this conference comes into play.  Key topics include Ohio's new learning standards, games and centers that teach, struggling and at-risk learners, literacy-based activities, technology integration, classroom management, and so much more! You'll definitely want to check out the session descriptions in the link above!  I, personally, wish I could attend each and every one of them.

If you're curious about what I will be presenting about here are the session descriptions! I can't wait to get my hands dirty and share a TON of ideas with my participants!

If you're interested in knowing more about the Conference for Ohio Second and Third Grade Teachers, you can look at the rest of the session descriptions by following the link, clicking on the sidebar, and selecting "View/Print Brochure".  There are so many wonderful presenters and sessions... I think it would be hard to choose who to see!  :)  To register, click HERE!  I hope to see you there!

What do YOU look for in a professional development session?