Author: Stephanie D. Jacobs
Hats off to SCASCD for an amazing Spring Conference. As some educators have been eager to get back to opportunities for face-to-face conferences, this event was just what was needed before that final push heading into Spring Break. It was a chance to connect, rejuvenate and learn with the dynamic keynote speaker, Michael Bonner.
The conference kicked off with two award presentations. Congratulations to the winners of the Whole Child School Award.
If you are a South Carolina school with a focus on educating the Whole Child, you can find details about how to apply here: Whole Child Initiative
Healthy*Safe*Engaged*Supported*Challenged
Highlights from the Keynote: “Now What? Winning from Within”:
The keynote address began with some inspirational words:
“Energy cannot be created or destroyed, it can only be transferred.”
“Ships don't sink because of the water around them, ships sink because of the water that gets in them.”
From the beginning, the goals were clear: Michael Bonner would set out to transfer his energy to the audience and provide strategies that would be essential to protecting their ships.
The three main focus areas of the address were: 1.) Self-Efficacy, 2.) Servant Leadership, and 3.) Innovative Suggested Practices.
1-”Everything in education should begin with the students in mind.”
2-”Every stakeholder has the capacity to lead.”
3-”We are in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. What are we going to do about it?”
The morning and afternoon sessions with Bonner had something for everyone: a focus on teaching (teachers), a focus on learning (students), coaching, and administration. In a study that was referenced, the findings suggest that there were 3 common beliefs shared among teachers who demonstrated success with students. These beliefs were:
All students can learn.
Student learning is a direct reflection of his/her teaching.
Teachers must be engaged in their own professional learning and provide appropriate instruction.
Bonner shared his characteristics of productive and unproductive school leaders with the following suggested solutions:
School Culture
Intentional Modeling
Teacher Voice
Embrace the Evolution of Professional Development
Below you will find resources that were shared in the day’s presentation which include classroom tools to support instruction, podcasts, Facebook groups, and two book titles.
TopTakeaways of the day:
HighFlex Course Design Examples https://bit.ly/3kujcH0
Top 10 Skills for the current workforce https://bit.ly/2Vuuv84
School Data https://bit.ly/3FcDL2B
Article: “Differentiated Instructional Coaching” https://bit.ly/3tNThNz
Online Tools for Teaching and Learning https://bit.ly/3pT0jjb
Classroom Resource Classroom Screen
Suggested Podcasts:
Science of Reading: The Podcast
Think Differently and Deeply Podcast
Urban Teachers Lounge
Ditch That Textbook Podcast
Up First (NPR)
Hidden Brain
Revisionist History
Facebook Groups:
Passionate Readers Books Club
Science of Reading-What I Should Have Learned in College
The Reading and Writing Strategies Community
Suggested Titles:
Get Up or Give Up by Michael Bonner
Nothing’s Impossible by Lorraine Monroe
Call To Action:
The SCASCD Fall Conference is coming soon! Go ahead and save the date. Don’t forget to tell a friend and/or colleague.
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About the Author:
Stephanie D. Jacobs serves as Math/Tech Coach at Indian Land Intermediate School in the Lancaster County School District. Connect with Stephanie @MsClassNSession on Twitter.
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