Midwest Teachers Week

Observe a class of children who are taught a shortened lesson from the Early Church unit. The last half of the class will be tips and solutions to obstacles you may face in teaching LHT such as review and tests. Also, we will have a discussion on how to teach difficult subjects such as persecution and war to children in third and fourth grade.

Teaching someone how to read and enjoy great literature is one of the great opportunities we have as teachers. This class gives you tools to be an effective reading teacher.

Do You Believe In Bigfoot?

What is Phonics Foundations? Why was it developed? How does it work? We will dig into to these questions, and more. If you've used PF, come prepared to share about your experience.

We’ll brainstorm ways to both pique student interest and help them thrive in language arts. “Quoth the maven, ‘Never bore!’” -William Safire

Learn from colleagues in this interactive workshop. We’ll watch several teachers model a math class, discuss their strengths and suggest improvements, and try to answer any questions you may have.

While learning to read is quite natural for some children, others struggle to keep up and seem to be missing something critically important. We will explore the different threads of teaching a child to read and how to determine which ones are missing when students struggle. This workshop is geared to first through third grade general classrooms.

As a head teacher of a small school, you wear many hats. This session is designed to help you wear them effectively. We'll explore the foundational routines that are crucial for successful leadership, offering practical tips for your routine schedules. Learn how to prioritize, organize, and execute, to create a thriving learning environment without burning out.

This is a continuation, hopefully with plenty of time for questions and discussion. It will likely stand alone if you cannot make it to both.

The connection between who people are and where they live is stronger than what is superficially apparent. The purpose of these workshops is to stimulate an interest in other people and their environments, provide some content for what geographical data should be taught, and offer a compass of sorts on how to bring a geographical awareness into the classroom.

This practical, interactive workshop offers tips, tools, and demonstrations to help you teach upper-grade music with confidence and creativity. We’ll explore ways to build musical skills that students can use in church, school, and family settings. Bring your questions and leave with ready-to-use strategies for teaching music effectively and engagingly.

As board members what is your vision for the school? How will we pass on that vision to new Board members and new teachers? Do you really know how your teachers are handling the challenges they face? We will discuss ways to to enhance communication and relationships between Board members, teachers and parents.

Join us for a practical workshop on how to grow music culture in your school. Learn simple strategies to build student engagement, encourage worship, and create meaningful musical experiences.

Why is the purpose of the School Board? What is their Mission? Do Board meetings have to go till midnight? How can you have an effective Board Meeting? Join us as we delve into some of these Question in a practical way.

Teaching little ones to read is a rewarding experience that can lay the foundation for a lifelong love of learning. In this workshop, we want to look at some ways that can help a child flourish in Reading and also his comprehension of what he is Reading.

An iPhone can effortlessly solve mathematical problems. But it’s much more brilliant to utilize a God-grown apple. Within it we find geometry, algebra, and questions such as: Can Math be more than rules and memorization?

We will be talking about some tips for teaching a typical language lesson. Come prepared to share your successes or struggles with teaching middle grade language.

“There should be no such thing as boring mathematics.” Edsger W. Dijkstra Come watch a first-grade math class, then join in a group discussion on ways to make math ‘stick’.

Is this student with failing grades just lazy? Why is Lynette always uptight on test day? How do I know how much to push George? Is Trevor's hair trigger temper a sign of ADHD? Or is it just ADAM's disease? We will look at the some of the common situations we face with difficult students.

How does music affect a child? Is music class important? In this workshop, we'll consider the impact music can have in a child's life. We'll also explore some practical ideas for making music class profitable and encouraging singing.

Our schools teach many things, and character development weaves throughout our curriculum and activities. We will talk about ways and areas to focus our energies, including the most important element.

A school that does not produce knowledgeable students is like a chef who does not produce edible food: a misnomer. Yet we may feel hesitant about the pursuit of knowledge. Is it a noble goal? We’ll explore this question, and we’ll discuss ways to create a culture of curiosity and knowledgeability in your classroom.

It has been said there are no "bad" students only unmotivated ones. How does that apply to teachers. In this workshop we want to discuss the importance of high motivation, how it comes "naturally" and how to gain it when it doesn't. We also want to discuss some of the dangers that accompany high motivation and the connection between low motivation and "burnout."

Novice Teacher Track How do I “catch” my student’s attention? What do I do once they are “on the hook”? What is the purpose of a presentation at the class table?

Novice Teacher Track Everyone makes mistakes. But we don’t need to repeat all the mistakes of our predecessors. Come to learn about the common pitfalls that teachers can fall into and how we can avoid them. The first step in avoiding a pitfall is seeing it before you fall in!