Relevant, engaging
professional development.

Applying her experiences as a curriculum director, former district-wide literacy coordinator, and professional development coach, she partners with teachers to implement innovative practices in the classroom.

Kim is known for her fiercely energetic presentations, and she combines her dedication to the teaching profession with a positive message of inspiration, leaving teachers feeling both empowered and confident to take what they’ve learned back to their classrooms.

In 2010, she was awarded a grant from the Lilly Endowment Teacher Creativity Fellowship, which she used to study the practice of meditation and how to use it in the classroom. Most recently, she’s taken her vision of reimagining education to the national stage as a featured speaker at the Innovative Schools Summit in Atlanta, and the School Discipline Conference in Las Vegas.

Interested in Kim? Email us at hello@DitchThatTextbook.com to learn more!

WORKSHOPS

Growth Mindset: Boosting Motivation and Achievement

This full-day workshop will help teachers implement a growth mindset curriculum, which has been proven to lead to greater motivation levels and higher achievement for students, in their classrooms. Through experiential and interactive activities, teachers will learn strategies to increase their own growth mindset as an educator, as well as how to develop and integrate the growth mindset philosophy in the classroom. Attendees will leave with ready-to-go lessons designed to foster gritty, determined, self-reliant students who know that if they work hard enough they can—and will—accomplish great things.

Genius Hour: Incorporating Passion, Play, Purpose, and Creativity

Genius Hour is a movement that allows students to explore their own passions and interests and encourages creativity in the classroom by providing students a choice in what they learn during a set period of the school week. This full-day workshop will help educators understand the importance of developing new skills and talents and help them implement a plan that easily integrates the Genius Hour concept with their curriculum and academic standards. The result: learners who come alive and display increased levels of engagement and motivation!

Formative Assessment: Classroom Strategies to Check for Understanding

Formative assessment is among the most effective ways for teachers to make adjustments to their instruction, ensuring that their students are engaging more meaningfully with the information.This full-day workshop will show teachers how to determine what their students already know, what they need to know, and what kind of instruction will prove most effective. Attendees will leave with not only the techniques for effective classroom formative assessment, but also an understanding of how to use them to improve teacher practice and student achievement.

Trauma-Sensitive Classrooms: Reaching and Teaching Challenging Students

Brains affected by trauma require a different kind of instruction—and a special kind of care. The goal becomes unlocking the potential that exists within every student and developing an instructional approach that recognizes and works past the stresses, traumas, and self-imposed mentalities and behaviors that can limit learning and achievement. Teachers will leave this full-day workshop with strategies to build resiliency and grit in even the most challenging students, ideas for encouraging positive behavior and creating effective classroom management, and a plan of action that can be immediately put in place to start increasing student motivation.

Standards-Based Grading: Incorporating and Implementing a Meaningful Grading System

This full-day workshop provides the tools to transform a school’s grading system. Educators will learn what makes a meaningful grade, methods for evolving current classroom practice and curriculum to include regular assessments, and how standards-based grading and assessment lead to a more accurate measurement of student achievement. Plus, attendees will leave with practical steps and strategies for guiding your fellow educators, students, and parents through the implementation of a standards-based grading system.

Interested in Kim? Email us at hello@DitchThatTextbook.com to learn more!

KEYNOTES

Science of Happiness and Its Impact on School Culture

In her role as a happiness coach, Kim has extensively studied and researched the topics of Happiness and Positive Psychology. She has found that when one’s personal happiness increases, he or she is able to affect positive change in education and business outcomes. And she’s captivated audiences of teachers by showing them how the Science of Happiness can help transform your classroom into one where students love to learn and are able to thrive.

Shifting to a Positive Mindset: Boosting Professional and Personal Success

Through her work as both a teacher and consultant, Kim has discovered that many dedicated educators have lost their joy, which has led to increased negativity and unhappiness with the job. But she shows teachers that the choice to be positive is theirs to make. She shows them how to refocus their energies on doing what is RIGHT for their students—beyond the standardized tests and professional politics—and how to rediscover a positive mindset and a joyful heart.

Reimagining Education: A Mission to Make the System Work for All

Schools are struggling … administrators are frustrated … teachers are overworked … students are paying the price. And everyone is looking for a way to reform—and transform—a troubled education system. Kim believes the answer lies in reimagining education in really BIG ways. Ways that support our students’ abilities, yet push them to accept new challenges. Ways that recognize the sacrifices teachers make, yet encourage them to embrace new perspectives and techniques. Ways that understand administrative limits, yet push for the reform and resources our schools need and deserve.

Remembering Your Why: Meaning, Purpose, and Passion in Education

As a teacher herself, Kim is all-too familiar with the moments of powerlessness and helplessness that can plague even the most dedicated educators. So, she’s committed herself to helping teachers not only rediscover their passion for teaching, but also reclaim their lives and stand proud on this path they have chosen. Audiences are moved to tears hearing Kim’s very personal story about a student who had a profound impact on her life—and helped her rediscover her own “why.”

Genius Hour: Bringing Creativity and Innovation Back to the Classroom

Genius Hour empowers students to wonder, to explore, and to create. And Kim believes it is the job of educators to encourage this critical thinking and inspire creativity—skills that are needed for the 21st century learner. The future belongs to creators and empathizers, pattern recognizers and meaning makers, artists, inventors, designers, storytellers, innovators, and big picture thinkers—and Kim shows teachers that Genius Hour is where it can all begin.

Growth Mindset: Increasing Achievement & Boosting Motivation

Research shows that a growth mindset can foster grit, determination, and work ethic within students, athletes, and people of all ages. During this presentation, Kim will explain the foundation of growth mindset—that skills are built not born; show teachers how students learn by doing, experiencing, and practicing; and demonstrate why productive struggle is necessary for true growth to happen.

BREAKOUT SESSIONS

Kim offers breakout sessions on all Workshop and Keynote topics tailored to your scheduling needs. These sessions present a concise, focused discussion of the subject matter that encourages further exploration.

Interested in Kim? Email us at hello@DitchThatTextbook.com to learn more!

Jed Dearybury began his education career in 2001. During his 13 year early childhood classroom tenure, Jed received numerous awards. He was featured in GQ Magazine as Male Leader of the Year, met President Obama as the SC winner of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching, and was named as a top 5 finalist for South Carolina Teacher of the Year because of his passion, love, and success in education. Since leaving the classroom in 2015 he has been leading professional development across the country, as well as training the next generation of educators through his work with Higher Ed. 

Interested in Jed? Email us at hello@DitchThatTextbook.com to learn more!

KEYNOTES

(All keynotes end with me and a piano. It is very helpful if you have one available. It is kind of difficult to put a piano in checked baggage.)

Creativity, Courage, and Change… & The Real Reason I Hate Squirrels

Tackling the bad teacher, while motivating the great ones. This keynote is funny and challenging. I may have a squirrel costume.

You All Get An F

Reminds teachers why we do what we do. It is not about a grade. It’s about Foundation, Faith, Feelings, Fun, and Future.

Metamorphosis

We all grow and transform in the profession. Some of us go through this cycle of growth and change multiple times. The end goal… we all need to fly!

Exceptional

Teachers are exceptional. In this keynote we will sing, dance, and reflect on just how awesome we are.

SPARKLE

Teachers need to sparkle and shine all year long. This keynote shows them how!

Interested in Jed? Email us at hello@DitchThatTextbook.com to learn more!

BREAKOUT SESSIONS

Donors Choose (1hr)

Donorschoose.org is a crowd sourcing website just for public school teachers. Have an amazing idea for your students but do not have all the materials you need? Donorschoose.org is the the place to make your classroom dreams come true. Need just the basics? You can get that too! Learn from an expert who has received over $25,000 worth of materials through 107 funded projects. This session will change your classroom and empower you to become an advocate for your students in a whole new way! Join us!

Full STEAM Ahead (2hrs)

Have you heard a about Arts Infused Inquiry Based Learning (AIIBL™),  or STEAM but really have no clue where to start? This session is for you. Presenter, Jed Dearybury, serves on the Education Council for the national non-profit, Lily, Sarah, Grace. LSG is leading the way in educating elementary teachers in this process of this innovative, best teaching practice and helping them get funding they need for their arts integrated, inquiry based projects. Want to take your students to the deeper depths of knowledge, then make sure to add this hands-on, fully engaged, out of your seat session to your list!

Tech 2.0 (1hr)

Are you seeking new and exciting 21st Century tools to hook and engage learners in your elementary classroom? Do you need apps, websites, and tech tools that are more than games and indoor recess tools? Do you need students in your classroom to share their learning with a finished product that was made digitally rather than with the traditional poster and diorama? Join this session to leave with a bag full of tricks to use with your students tomorrow.

Twitter for Educators (1hr if everyone has an account, 2hrs otherwise)

Twitter is the fastest growing social network of educators, yet many in the profession are still not tapping into this world-wide collaboration of teachers. Imagine planning, participating in, and leading your own professional development at your own pace and place. Every teacher knows their greatest professional need and Twitter is the place to get exactly the learning you need. Whether you have had a Twitter account for years or if you still think “tweeting” is what a bird does, this session is for you. Learn how the power of a being a globally connected educator can free your classroom from the boundaries of four walls and bring a world of learning to you and your students!

Globally Connected Classroom (1hr)

The world is shrinking every day thanks to the amazing technology we have through Skype and other free global connection tools. The learning experiences that are available to your students through these tools are endless. If you are interested in starting with the basics of Mystery Skype, advancing forward with classroom partnerships, or digging deeper with global collaboration projects, these session is for you. A bad Skype call is better than a good worksheet any day! Join me in this session to bring the world to your classroom.

Destroy the Box From the Inside Out! (2hrs)

Research shows that all students, young/old, black/white, rich/poor, benefit from from the arts and creativity in classroom. It is time for all teaching to reflect that. Let’s throw away the textbooks for hands-on, engaging, creative, arts infused lessons. Any subject, any grade, this professional development session includes brainstorming ideas, growing staff creativity, observing model lessons. During this session, you will learn some unique ways to bring creativity and the arts into every lesson you teach. Join me, as we destroy the confines of  “the box: from the inside out.

Depth of Knowledge (1hr)

For classroom teachers, one of the most important questions of one’s of practice: How do we create rich environments where all students learn at a high level? One useful tool, Norman Webb's Depth of Knowledge Levels, can help teachers meet that challenge. Depth of Knowledge (DoK) categorizes tasks according to the complexity of thinking required to successfully complete them. In this professional training session your staff will walk through the basics of DOK and learn some hands-on engaging strategies to bring depth of knowledge and understanding to your lessons.

Science Integration (1hr)

Science and literacy learning make a dynamic duo, the perfect tag-team. Inquiry-based science requires students use the tools of science to seek answers to their questions about real world phenomena. Students compare their thinking, communicate with each other, and express their ideas through words and graphics. The use of literacy skills while learning science content  extends and expands their] scientific reasoning. Leave this session with tips for bring these two worlds together for student success. (Elementary K-5)

BreakoutEDU (1.5hrs)

Are you looking for ways to bring the 5 Cs of 21st Century learning into your classroom? BreakoutEDU is exactly what you have been looking for. Breakout EDU creates ultra-engaging learning games for people of all ages while growing creativity, critical-thinking, collaboration, communication, and community building skills. Games (Breakouts) teach teamwork, problem solving,  and troubleshooting by presenting participants with challenges that ignite their natural drive to problem-solve. Breakouts are perfect for classrooms, staff trainings, dinner parties, and at home with the family! At the end of a Breakout, your players will be eager for the next! Speciality K-12 Breakouts can be used to teach core academic subjects including math, science, history, language arts and have embedded standards that apply problem solving strategies within a real world OR collaborative context. Want to know more? Join me for this high energy, hands-on learning session.

Connected Educator (1hr)

17 years into the 21st Century and the world is literally at our fingertips. There has never been an easier time to take your class on a virtual field trip to Kenya, have a professional learning network with teachers from 5 continents, or have an artist from Spain teach your students here in America. Social Media tools like Facebook and Twitter and video meeting tools like Skype and Google Hangouts have made connected us more than ever. Using these tools in light of Covey's 7 habits of highly effective people will guarantee that you are a highly effective educator. Join me in this workshop type presentation where you'll leave knowing the ins and outs of being a connected educator.

A Class that Laughs Together Learns Together (1hr)

Is your class in need of a community makeover. Are your students connected with each other as a team? Does your space encourage collaboration? Are you creating learners who are risk takers? Do you students build each other up? If you answered yes to any of these questions, join me for this classroom community session where will dive head first into the deep end of social emotional learning. We try out some tips and tricks, review some resources, and practice our own bit of community building.

No Topic Session (1hr)

Educators rarely toot their own horns, yet we are often the best experts at our craft. We all have so many tips and tricks that we can share if only given the time to communicate and collaborate. In this “no topic session” your learning experience will be facilitated following the Edcamp.org model for teacher learning. We will assess the greatest needs and greatest expertise in the room and learn together. It may sound odd at first, but through sessions like this teachers have learned things they didn’t know they needed as they heard from their professional peers. Want a unique conference session, then join this “un presentation” and learn how you can facilitate this kind of learning experience with your students and school peers. I look forward to the wisdom and learning you will bring!

Let’s Take a Walk “Arts”side (Time is flexible, but 2hrs is better)

Art, creativity, innovation, and wonder are all key components of 21st Century learning. Thank goodness all of those things can be found with just a quick walk through nature. Have you ever stopped to look at all the learning opportunities that present themselves just by walking through the woods, by a pond, passed a meadow? Join presenter, Jed Dearybury for an interactive session like you’ve never done before. We will literally take a hike through the outdoors and see what learning experiences we can find together. This will be your favorite session for sure!

Diggin’ Up Bones (1hr)

​Social Media is one of the most powerful tools I have ever used in the classroom. It connects me to parents, businesses, and organizations who can strengthen the work I do with students. It brings parts of the world to my classroom that would not be possible otherwise. It allows me to publicly share the amazing work that is public education in a way not possible in years gone by. It is also one of the most destructive tools I’ve seen for teacher careers. Join me in this session to learn more about the power and danger of social media for educators.

Growth Mindset (2hrs)

The way we approach any task determines the outcome. If we begin defeated, discouraged, and down, the results will reflect that. If we begin our work with a positive, “can do” mindset, we will be successful. Teachers need to know the powerful affect our mindsets have on our students, parents, co-workers and selves. During this workshop, we will participate in numerous growth mindset learning experiences that will challenge us all and vault us forward in the way we think about our lessons, our plans, and our work as educators.

Sketchnoting 101 (1hr)

Are you curious about sketchnoting? Do you need to know the who, what, where, when, why of it all? Do you feel like you can’t draw so there’s no hope? Do you want to teach your students how to do it but don’t know where to start? This session will answer all of your questions and provide you with a great model to replicate with students tomorrow.

Technology for Effective Leadership (1hr)

Apps abound for classrooms, but administrators need tools too. Discover apps & websites that will help you become a more effective leader with professional development, communication and data organization. This session is geared for school leadership, but will greatly benefit teachers as well.

A Dearybury of A Day (6hrs)

If you cannot decide which of this sessions you would like to book, pick several and make a Dearybury of a Day of it! Create your own unique day of professional development by selecting sessions that total up to 6 hours. Let’s plan a day of fun soon!

Interested in Jed? Email us at hello@DitchThatTextbook.com to learn more!

In her eleven years in K-12 classrooms as a high school English teacher, a  gifted + talented course developer, a technology teacher, and a district technology coordinator, Stephanie has researched, tried, failed, tried again, tweaked, and evolved as a digital learner herself. She embraced digital teaching and learning with her first paperless classroom in 2008 and loves sharing her experiences and ideas--as well as those she's observed from amazing teachers--with others. 

Stephanie is an expert in digital design and is highly sought after for her expertise in re-visioning digital learning. She's also a Google-Certified Trainer and an ambassador for Flipgrid, Edpuzzle, Screencastify, BookCreator, Quizlet, and Ditch That Textbook. You can connect and learn more at stephaniedemichele.org/.

Interested in Stephanie? Email us at hello@DitchThatTextbook.com to learn more!

KEYNOTES

If You’re Going To Fail, Make It Epic
Don't let your fear of technology preclude your students' engagement with it.

TBH...Gen Z Is Awesomesauce!
Generation Z is unlike any other generation in history. Here’s how to know them--and how to teach them.

The Facebook Generation Vs. The Snapchat Generation
Drawing upon my personal experiences, I provide 10 teaching strategies for the digital age.

No One Needs To Teach Us
What a broken vacuum cleaner taught be about self-directed learning--for both teachers AND students.

{ YOUR TOPIC HERE }
I'm more than happy to design a keynote to meet your organization's specific concerns!

WORKSHOPS + BREAKOUT SESSIONS

• Mixtape Your Curriculum & Go Textbook-LESS
• Google4Creativity
• You Might Be Doing 1:1 Wrong If...
• Ditch Those Exams! Showing What They Know
• Instructional Swaps: Try This, Not That!
• Tinder Tech: Matching Your Instructional Strategy with the Right EdTech Tool
• Hyped Up for HyperDocs: The New Digital Pedagogy
• Yes, We Need Those Stinking Badges! Why Gamification Works
• Born in Another Time: Reaching (and Teaching) #GenZ

NetflixPD: Self-Paced, On-Demand Professional Development for Today's Busy Learners

NetflixPD is designed for you to watch whenever and wherever you choose to do so: in PLCs, during team planning times, for PD days, or even faculty meetings. You can also choose how you want to learn: alone, with a group, or with a crowd. Learn more about the available courses here.

Interested in Stephanie? Email us at hello@DitchThatTextbook.com to learn more!

Currently, she is an Assistant Professor at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, teaching psychological science to exceptional undergraduate musicians.

Pooja leads RetrievalPractice.org, a hub of cognitive science research, resources, and tips for educators. Pooja's research is supported by grants from the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Education. In addition, her work has been featured in the New York Times, Education Week, and Scientific American, as well as academic journals, books, and podcasts. For more information, visit poojaagarwal.com and retrievalpractice.org.

Interested in Pooja? Email us at hello@DitchThatTextbook.com to learn more!

KEYNOTES, WORKSHOPS, & BREAKOUTS

Unleash the Science of Learning: Transform Teaching with Strategies from Cognitive Science

Description:

There is a lot to learn in the world. Students can’t learn everything, and educators can’t teach everything. Especially not over, and over, and over again each time students forget. What can we do to improve learning and reduce forgetting? How can we use our limited amount of classroom time and make learning stick?

Based on more than 100 years of research, cognitive scientists have established powerful strategies that substantially improve learning for diverse age groups, subject areas, and education rigor. In this workshop, Assistant Professor and Cognitive Scientist Pooja K. Agarwal, Ph.D., goes behind the scenes and illuminates key discoveries, teaching strategies, and classroom resources based on the science of learning. Armed with evidence-based strategies, it’s time to challenge our perceptions of learning and transform teaching in our classrooms.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of each keynote, workshop, or breakout, attendees should be able to:

1. Understand how evidence from cognitive science is acquired through the use of empirical research in laboratory and K-12 settings

2. Identify key features of teaching strategies that improve learning based on cognitive science research

3. Implement essential teaching strategies, based on cognitive science, for a variety of ages, content areas, and settings

Customized Topics Include:

• Cognitive science research: Go behind the scenes of landmark studies, current investigations, and future directions in the world of cognitive science.

• It’s all about retrieval practice: Explore the what, when, why, where, and how of retrieval practice! What is it, how does it work, why is it powerful, and what are some classroom strategies that are practical and powerful?

• Power ups: Dive into research and applications of spaced practice, interleaving, feedback, and metacognition.

• Practicing what I preach: Learn more about how Pooja applies cognitive science in her own classroom. How does she “practice what she preaches when she teaches?” How does she use retrieval to promote class discussion, participation, collaboration, and learning?

• Building a supportive classroom culture: How can we get students on board with cognitive science-based strategies? How can we reduce student anxiety, promote engagement, and increase metacognition?

Features Include:

• Modeling of research-based practices in each keynote, workshop, and breakout

• Interactive discussion, with dedicated time to collaborate

• Emphasis on brainstorming next steps: today, tomorrow, next month, and beyond

• Personalized materials, handouts, resources, and a website

• Continuing conversations and collaboration to support innovation

Interested in Pooja? Email us at hello@DitchThatTextbook.com to learn more!

He is a learner, sharer, traveler and giver of high fives. Noah is a hardcore fan of Duke basketball, makes his own buttons and collects ViewMasters.

Interested in Noah? Email us at hello@DitchThatTextbook.com to learn more!

Keynotes:

Know Your Place: Placemaking, Storytelling & the Struggle for Human Relevance

We are preparing students for successful futures in a world of automation and outsourcing. This session investigates and unpacks skills that people do better than machines and that can't be shipped to other countries. Let's be human and start making meaning together.

Beyond "We should do something about that": Actually Doing Something.  (30 minutes)

There are big and exciting problems facing Education and Educators today.  Identifying these problems an coming up with a novel way of portraying them is the easy part. Our learners need us to go beyond tropes and platitudes and to be actively trying to solve these problems. This talk shines a light on colleagues doing just that and offers a blueprint for others to follow in their footsteps.

Don’t Get Ready, Get Started

We miss out on great opportunity when we overplan and don't execute. How can we seize the moment and create memorable learning for our students by taking action?

Interested in Noah? Email us at hello@DitchThatTextbook.com to learn more!

Sessions:

Mobile Storytelling (½ day workshop or session)

Let's push the boundaries of digital storytelling! Technological advances combined with increased access and connectivity have given rise to Mobile Storytelling.  The next evolution of digital storytelling, Mobile Storytelling is distinctive in two ways. First, it enables stories to be told anywhere that a creator has an internet-connected device. Second, it facilitates a reciprocal current of information between content creators and content consumers.  We will explore free apps and take the time to dive deep with each so that you have expertise and exemplars to share with your learners on Monday

Measuring Student Growth Data That Matters (aka Things You Can’t Google)

Teachers work in a data-driven world and are evaluated based on student growth. A growing chorus of the community is stressing the importance of “soft skills” (such as empathy, creativity and the ability to synthesize information) for success in college and the workplace. In this session, we will seek to address these concerns by modeling how we can hack existing tools in order to begin measuring student growth in valuable areas of inquiry but in which the answers can not be found in a Google search or easily assessed with standardized, objective tests. Participants will be actively engaged in thinking about and designing solutions that may fill this void.

Literally The Best Ever: 3 Chrome Extensions for Literacy That Changed My Life

Chrome Extensions are apps for your Chrome web browser.  Because they live in the cloud and not on a specific device, they are accessible to students and teachers anywhere and on any machine to which they are able to log in to Chrome.  In this session for all abilities, learn about, install and play with a social reading extension for collaboration and critical thinking, a research extension for powerful organization and sharing functions and a reading extension to get credit for the time spent reading online.

The Next Big Thing: Uptexting with Social Reading

The phenomenon of Social Reading is allowing teachers to engage students in a more powerful and interactive form of collaborative reading. Bring a laptop and prepare to experience first-hand new ways to measure synthesis, analysis and critical thinking.

Rise of the Machines: Building Your Own Web Bot

If a machine can do it faster, easier and more accurately than us, then what are we waiting for?  Learn how to hack your life and automate with the free tool If This Then That. Get ideas from others and share your own as all attendees will create at least two web bots to work harder while you're working smarter.  

By the Power of Grayskull! | Bring He-Man Powers to Your Android Phone

Busy teachers and administrators are locked in a constant fight against Time Villains that threaten your efficiency.  For those with an Android phone, this session will help you unlock the superhero powers inside your phone that can help you battle back against the forces vying for your limited free time. Work smarter, not harder, thanks to tools that can automate some of your processes, give you reminders based on location instead of time and harness your newfound powers in a sustainable fashion with a tool that will regularly reload your arsenal with new weapons to help you win the struggle!

Cross Curricular Thinkathon

How do you answer the question, "What do you teach about?" While we think of ourselves as language teachers, we teach aboutthe world in our target languages.  In this interactive session, we will examine tools and topics to intentionally engage learners in content that need not be proprietary to our colleagues in sister disciplines.  Bring a laptop and be prepared to explore, share and create.

Interested in Noah? Email us at hello@DitchThatTextbook.com to learn more!

Lissa's main objective is to design, develop, and facilitate professional development focused on understanding and applying educational technology into the classroom. Lissa is a Google Certified Trainer, Flipgrid Ambassador, BreakoutEDU Certified Trainer, EdPuzzle Coach, and a Pear Deck InsPEARational Educator.

Interested in Lissa? Email us at hello@DitchThatTextbook.com to learn more!

Conference Presentations:

Pear Deck! There is Life After “Death by PowerPoint”

Breathe life back into your classroom presentations by using Pear Deck (a FREE Google Slides Add-on) to project to student devices and allow interaction with the presentation. See results in real time, overlay answers, even store session results for later analysis. PLUS, no anonymous student names, since everything is tied to their G-Suite account. Present in whole group or assign student-pace and allow the students to complete as homework or during a center. This session will teach you the basics of getting started with Pear Deck and using the Google Slides Add-on, allow you to experience the technology from the student perspective, and give you time to discuss the potential of creating your own slide decks to use with students, parents, and fellow staff members! All attendees will get a FREE 3-month premium subscription. Don't miss this! It's time to expand your Google skills into the magical world of Pear Deck.

KEEP Track. KEEP Organized. KEEP Sane. It’s time you met Google Keep!

Google Keep is a list maker's DREAM and a dreamer's LIFELINE. It's about time those yellow sticky notes got a digital upgrade! Google Keep brings together all of our favorite features of digital lists, but then adds the SECRET INGREDIENT...some Google magic! Need a reminder to make copies when you get to work? Want to instantly collect great websites while creating a new lesson? How about sharing a real-time running checklist with your grade level or content area team to accomplish a task? YUP! Google KEEP can do all that AND MORE! Learn the secrets about how KEEP can become your new personal assistant.

How Flippity Changed My Life: Based on a True Story

Google Sheets is probably one of the most underutilized tools in the G-Suite for Education package, but when combined with Flippity, it can create amazing possibilities for teachers and students alike! Create flashcards, draw student’s names, make groups, set up game shows, and much, much more.  Come learn how easily you can integrate this tool into the classroom and create your first Flippity activity during the session. Time to give those typical activities a Flippity makeover!

How One Little QR Code Changed My Life: Inspired by True Events

Looking to spice up your formative assessments with some new digital tools? Would you love to engage students, while still collecting data to help with instruction?

This workshop will explore FREE easy to use technologies that can work in both a one-to-one and limited technology settings. Compare and contrast major platforms (including Kahoot, Google Forms, Quizizz, etc.) and decide which will best fit in your lesson. Participate as a student with each of the technologies to get the “from the desk” perspective before learning tips and tricks on creating your own for your students. Time will be provided to work and test your new interactive formative assessments with your peers before taking them back to use live in your classroom.

Interested in Lissa? Email us at hello@DitchThatTextbook.com to learn more!

Full Day Workshops:

Google 101

When working in the Google World, it is best to work from the ground up. This workshop will start with the basics of Google Drive, Docs, Slides, Sheets, and Forms. Simple explanations and examples will be used to introduce each topic, as well as hands-on activities to show how implementation can happen instantly and without a lot of extra work. Participants will get independent work time to apply what they’ve learned and start to create using the Google Apps presented.

Intro to Google Classroom

You’re armed with the basic knowledge of Google Drive, Docs, Slides, Sheets, and Forms, but you’re ready for more! You’re ready to open your arms and invite Google Classroom into your life. Learn the basics of how Google Classroom can streamline your assignments, create engaging conversations and help your classroom GO GREEN by saving you tons of paper! Plus, learn new tips and tricks on how to utilize your Google Apps and Add-Ons in a whole new way. Participants will get independent work time to apply what they’ve learned and start to create for their own classroom.

Flipped Classroom with EdPuzzle

It’s time to turn the traditional classroom upside down. With students having more access to devices and the internet outside of school, the opportunity to flip the classroom has never been easier. Having students access basic instruction and information as “homework” through video, gives them repeated access to the information, making it ideal for review and parent involvement. This gives the teacher class time to focus on deeper thinking, collaboration, and application work. Providing students a much richer experience of the content. Learn how EdPuzzle, a free, easy-to-use tool, can easily help you create a flipped classroom environment for your students."

Tech Tools: Integration Begins

Need some new tools in your teacher technology tool belt? Bring your laptop, a smartphone, a Gmail account, and your imagination as we rapid-fire through TONS of online tools and websites available to teachers! Engage with the technology as if you were a student and observe the teacher-side at the same time. Explore and discuss a multitude of resources you can bring back to your classroom to utilize IMMEDIATELY with YOUR content at YOUR grade level.  Hands-on center-style experiences with Virtual Reality, QR Codes, and BreakoutEDU. Everything from engaging students and parents to team building, to adding some creativity to your content. Participants will also be given time to network and share their best tips, tricks, and tools that are currently being used and utilized in their classrooms.

Tech Tools: Formative Assessment

Looking to spice up your formative assessments with some new digital tools? Would you love to engage students, while still collecting data to help with instruction?

This workshop will explore FREE easy to use technologies that can work in both a one-to-one and limited technology settings. Compare and contrast major platforms (including Kahoot, Google Forms, Quizizz, etc.) and decide which will best fit in your lesson. Participate as a student with each of the technologies to get the “from the desk” perspective before learning tips and tricks on creating your own for your students. Time will be provided to work and test your new interactive formative assessments with your peers before taking them back to use live in your classroom.

Interested in Lissa? Email us at hello@DitchThatTextbook.com to learn more!

Holly has taught in both independent and public schools  and is the co-founder of #CaEdChat. You can follow her on twitter @HollyClarkEdu. ​

Interested in Holly? Email us at hello@DitchThatTextbook.com to learn more!

Keynote:

Meet Generation Z

Our students are the first real digital natives – born into a world with computers, smartphones and tablets. The problem is they are tech dependent but not tech savvy, and we must teach them the ways in which they can amplify their learning using the tools of technology. This fun and story-filled keynote will look at how we can make three simple tweaks to our instructional practices to meet better meet their needs and improve teaching in learning in the classroom.

Conference Presentations:

A Class Infused with Questions

Empowering students to ask their own questions can be game changing in the classroom . This one small shift can help our students become better thinkers and problem-solvers. In this session, you will learn a powerful Question Formulation Technique for helping students become better questioners, metacognitive learners and become more engaged in their own learning.

Let the Student’s Talk – Empowering Student Voice with Flipgrid

Student voice is more than just letting students talk it’s about allowing them to take ownership of their learning. In this session, we look at three ways you can help students develop their voice and begin to understand their strengths and passions as learners.

The Infused Classroom – Powerful Checks for Understanding!

It’s time we stop talking about technology and start focusing on how technology can improve teaching and learning in our classrooms. In this session, we will examine how we can use some fun tools to create powerful checks for understanding. This session will focus on Flipgrid and Socrative.

The Infused Classroom – Demonstrations of Learning

It’s time we stop talking about technology and start focusing on how technology can improve teaching and learning in our classrooms. In this session, we will examine how we can create powerful demonstrations of learning using apps like Book Creator and Adobe Spark.

Spark Creativity in Your Students with Adobe Spark!

Want to help your students create some really cool multimedia artifacts as demonstrations of their learning? Then Adobe Spark is the tool for you! It’s free, it connects with student Google accounts and makes a great addition to any class. Come learn and create in this hands-on session!

A Class Infused with HyperDocs 

In this fun and hands-on session, we will look at what a Hyperdoc is and is not. We will learn how we can get started with these impressive student-facing lessons the classroom. Leave with the solid background and the resources to get started making your own!

Critical Thinking and the Web -Search Strategies in a Google Infused World

With such an abundance of information available it is critical that we develop some norms around searching and information literacy. In this session, we look at the search skills students need to acquire in order to become information literate. From top level search strategies to helping student learn how to effectively validate information.

Let’s Solve That Problem!

Hexagonal thinking promotes critical thinking, collaboration and problem solving. In this hands-on and fun session participants will engage in the hexagonal thinking process and dissect how it can be used in the classroom to promote the 4 C’s of collaboration, critical thinking, communication, and creativity.

Interested in Holly? Email us at hello@DitchThatTextbook.com to learn more!

Full Day Workshops:

Get Your Google On! Full Day Workshop

New to Google Apps but want to make sure that teachers learn how to use with an emphasis on teaching and learning? This full day workshop will provide teachers the knowledge of how to use the tools, but with a strong understanding of how they impact teaching and learning.

Flipgrid University

Flipgrid is all the rage  in classrooms around the globe!- In this full day workshop,  we will learn all the powerful ways you can use Flipgrid to powerfully impact learning in the classroom.  This hands-on workshop is sure to get teachers using technology in impactful ways.

The Infused Classroom Master Class

In this hands-on and high energy masterclass, we will look at some of the most popular and simple tools that can be used to amplify teaching and learning in the classroom.  

While tools are important, understanding the pedagogical ways we can use them to transform teaching is even more critical, and this masterclass will lay out a path for allowing teachers and students to make meaning of content.

By the end of the day, educators will have learned how to better use technology to support and amplify the learning experiences in their classrooms.

This masterclass will be built around the learning framework that helps educators make student thinking and learning visible, allows teachers to hear from every student and gives students a way to meaningfully share their work.

The session will include a look at:

• Formative Assessment Ideas
• Differentiated Instruction Techniques
• Demonstrations of Learning
• Reflection Ideas
• Teachers should come prepared to create a lesson (or PD) from start to finish using the ideas presented in this workshop.

*Includes one Google Infused Classroom book for each participant

Interested in Holly? Email us at hello@DitchThatTextbook.com to learn more!

Nate Ridgway is a tech-loving history teacher in Indianapolis and specializes in fusing the worlds of tech and UDL. He's a regular blogger, podcaster, and speaker. He currently co-hosts a podcast for new teachers called "Make It 'Til Friday". Nate was also recently named the 2019 Indiana Connected Educators' Teacher of the Year.

Angie Ridgway began her career in middle and high school Spanish teaching. She's now working with future secondary teachers and new faculty members at University of Indianapolis. She supporting new teachers' work to help implement pedagogies that strive to meet all students' needs. She holds an M.Ed. and a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction with areas of emphasis in secondary education and Spanish.

Interested in Nate & Angie? Email us at hello@DitchThatTextbook.com to learn more!

Sessions:

Don’t Ditch That Tech: Differentiation in a Digital World

This comprehensive presentation touches on themes found across their premier book, Don’t Ditch That Tech, and is designed to provide a comprehensive, transformative look at how technology can--and can't--fundamentally transform our instruction to meet the needs of diverse groups of students (students with special needs, ELL's, etc). Just like the book, the presentation is differentiated itself and designed to meet the needs of different tech-skilled teachers, coaches, and administrators, and you’ll walk away with new understandings and strategies on how to differentiate your approach to teaching and education.

Don’t Ditch That Tech: For Beginning Teachers

Are you a 1st-year teacher, upper-level undergrad, or in charge of a cohort of young professionals? The early years of teaching are already pretty overwhelming, and working with a diverse set of kids in a room full of devices is a challenge all in its own. This combo presentation/workshop is designed to meet the needs of this special population of educators. They’ll leave feeling much more comfortable with knowing how to implement practical strategies based on frameworks such as UDL, Tomlinson's, and more.

Podcasting Beyond The Classroom:

This session takes on the popular medium of podcasts and shows how to expand them to connect and empower audiences beyond your classroom's--and even community's--walls.  Podcasts may not be your first-go-to when thinking about how to hit standards and learning objectives, but with some tips and tricks from our own classrooms (and backed up by some solid research), we'll show you how to make it possible. This session covers everything from brainstorming to publishing and how even small recording experiences can change students' learning for the better.

(Don’t) Teach History:
History’s relevance for students is everywhere, but it’s sometimes hard for students to see, or buried behind loads of people, dates, and concepts. What would happen if we tried to make history about the bigger skills and concepts embedded within a curriculum? Could "history" be a vehicle to even more powerful learning about human relationships? Argumentation? Gender roles? This session explores why--and how--educators can and should make it possible.

Other Session Topics:​

• How To Break EdTech
• Teaching with Metacognition in Mind
• Adding Authenticity and Realness
• Creating Personalized Content & Meaningful Learning
• Cultivating and Captivating Student Attention    
• Introducing Escape Rooms to Your Staff...with an Escape Room

Interested in Nate & Angie? Email us at hello@DitchThatTextbook.com to learn more!