{"success":true,"data":[{"ID":1351,"Class":"Conversation","Created":1730478219,"CreatorID":72,"RevisionID":null,"Status":"Accepted","Title":"Cultural Storytelling with Physical Computing","Handle":"cultural_storytelling_with_physical_computing","ShortDescription":"Explore how to combine cultural storytelling and social justice with robotics in this hands-on workshop using Hummingbird kits. Educators will learn to create interactive student-led projects that celebrate cultural heritage, advocate for change in community spaces, and empower students with voice, agency, and technological skills.","Description":"Content Summary\r\nThis workshop introduces educators to combining culturally relevant storytelling with robotics to promote social change in their communities. Content covers the fundamentals of culturally relevant pedagogy, project-based learning (PBL), and hands-on use of Hummingbird Robotics Kits to create interactive, student-led projects that connect cultural narratives with social justice initiatives.\r\n\r\nEngagement Summary\r\nParticipants will be actively engaged through a mix of peer-to-peer discussions, hands-on device-based activities, collaborative group work, and a showcase of ideas. The session encourages participants to connect personal experiences with technology integration and share insights and feedback with colleagues.","Link":["https:\/\/www.geraldaungst.com","https:\/\/www.amandajeane.com","https:\/\/www.birdbraintechnologies.com\/about-us\/research\/","https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/1rzOzScgaxZSUZ3-7_FDNtUUfQSw_OHiD\/view?usp=drive_link","https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/00131725.2021.1957632","https:\/\/d"],"Audience":["All School Levels"],"Practice":"The session will be structured as an interactive maker space where conversation naturally flows through collaborative exploration and creation. Here's how we'll ensure dynamic engagement:\r\n\r\nParticipants will begin in small teams at maker stations, each equipped with a Hummingbird kit. As they explore the technology, they'll share stories about their communities and brainstorm how their students might use robotics to tell these stories. This hands-on exploration drives organic discussion about both technical and cultural considerations.\r\n\r\nParticipants will be encouraged to  rotate between stations to share their emerging project ideas and build upon each other's concepts. Each rotation adds new perspectives on both the technical possibilities and cultural applications.\r\n\r\nA shared document  will capture the group's collective insights about connecting robotics with cultural storytelling. Participants will contribute tools, resources, story frames, and other strategies, creating a living document of project ideas, cultural connections, and technical tips.","Presenter":["Gerald Aungst","Amanda Jeane Strode"],"PresenterAffiliation":["Gerald: Cheltenham School District","Amanda: CodeJoy Director of Learning"],"PresenterEmail":["geraldaungst@gmail.com","amandajeane@codejoy.org"],"ScheduleSlotID":182,"ScheduleLocationID":36,"SubmitterID":72,"AdditionalComments":"CodeJoy will be providing material resources for this session and will share information about available professional development programs with the participants, but the session will not focus primarily on products or services sold by the company.","LiveChannel":null,"Hashtag":null,"VokleID":null,"RecordingURL":null,"ConferenceID":12},{"ID":1370,"Class":"Conversation","Created":1731981339,"CreatorID":79,"RevisionID":null,"Status":"Accepted","Title":"Good Faith Responses to Bad Faith Arguments about Classroom Race Conversations","Handle":"good_faith_responses_to_bad_faith_arguments_about_classroom_race_conversations","ShortDescription":"How can good teachers respond, in good faith, to bad-faith arguments against discussing race in the classroom? In this session, we figure out how to win over the \"middle third\" of parents who doubt that their children should be thoughtfully discussing race.","Description":"This session encourages teachers to think of ways to respond authentically and deliberately to arguments that various bad actors make to discourage the practice of leading race conversations in the elementary classroom. We will unpack and prepare responses to three separate arguments. In the second part of the session, Jen will lead a model conversation about a children\u2019s book - and teachers will practice designing their own conversation about the same text.","Link":["http:\/\/www.notlight.com"],"Audience":["High School","Middle School","Elementary School"],"Practice":"Discussion and Case Study","Presenter":["Matthew Kay","Jennifer Orr"],"PresenterAffiliation":["SLA","Stenhouse Publishers","ASCD"],"PresenterEmail":["mrkay@notlight.com","jenorr@gmail.com"],"ScheduleSlotID":182,"ScheduleLocationID":26,"SubmitterID":79,"AdditionalComments":null,"LiveChannel":null,"Hashtag":null,"VokleID":null,"RecordingURL":null,"ConferenceID":12},{"ID":1321,"Class":"Conversation","Created":1729865968,"CreatorID":79,"RevisionID":null,"Status":"Accepted","Title":"Human-Centered Wellness","Handle":"human-centered_wellness","ShortDescription":"Explore human-centered wellness in schools, focusing on strategies to support the holistic wellbeing of students and staff. This conversation will offer practical approaches for fostering emotional, social, and physical wellness, building resilience, and creating balanced, connected educational environments that prioritize the growth and engagement of all community members.","Description":"Let\u2019s delve into the transformative potential of human-centered wellness in schools, focusing on how it fosters holistic success for students and staff alike. Leading with human-centered wellness means prioritizing the social, emotional, and physical wellbeing of all stakeholders, moving beyond simply meeting basic needs to create a supportive, balanced community. By embracing this approach, schools can address the multifaceted impact of physical spaces, emotional climate, and social support systems, fostering environments where individuals feel safe, valued, and empowered to thrive.\r\n\r\nIn this collaborative conversation, we will discuss practical strategies for embedding human-centered wellness into middle and high school settings. Participants will examine how to design programs and policies that prioritize holistic wellbeing, tackle challenges such as stress, burnout, and disengagement, and promote resilience. By sharing insights and best practices, we\u2019ll work together to identify actionable approaches that create a culture of wellness, emotional intelligence, and sustainable growth in educational communities. This session is an opportunity for educators to reconsider traditional wellness approaches, exploring new ways to cultivate personal balance, wellbeing, and a deep sense of connection across their school communities.","Link":["http:\/\/www.innovageous.com"],"Audience":["High School","Middle School"],"Practice":"Our team uses the following principles as a guide when facilitating group conversations: \r\n\r\nEstablish Ground Rules: Clearly communicate expectations for respectful communication, active listening, and turn-taking. \r\n\r\nFlexibility: Be prepared to adjust the discussion flow as needed to address emerging topics or concerns. \r\n\r\nPrepare Conversation Starters: Have a few icebreaker questions or prompts ready to initiate discussion and engage participants. \r\n\r\nPhysical Space Arrangement: Arrange chairs in a circle to foster a sense of equality and connection. \r\n\r\nUse a Talking Piece: Introduce a designated object that signifies who has the floor to speak, ensuring everyone gets a chance to share. \r\n\r\nEncourage Participation: Prompt quieter participants to share their thoughts and perspectives. \r\n\r\nMaintain Confidentiality: Respect the privacy of shared information within the circle. \r\n\r\nTime Management: Be mindful of time constraints and ensure everyone has a fair opportunity to speak. \r\n\r\nSummarize Key Points: Briefly recap the main insights and themes that emerged from the discussion. \r\n\r\nAction Steps: If appropriate, discuss potential next steps or follow-up actions based on the conversation.","Presenter":["Shira Woolf Cohen","Tiffany Searles"],"PresenterAffiliation":["Innovageous"],"PresenterEmail":["shira@innovageous.com","tiffany@innovageous.com"],"ScheduleSlotID":182,"ScheduleLocationID":31,"SubmitterID":79,"AdditionalComments":null,"LiveChannel":null,"Hashtag":null,"VokleID":null,"RecordingURL":null,"ConferenceID":12},{"ID":1309,"Class":"Conversation","Created":1728388312,"CreatorID":79,"RevisionID":null,"Status":"Accepted","Title":"Leveraging Student Interest to Engage Learners:  An Exploration of Sneakerhead Culture","Handle":"leveraging_student_interest_to_engage_learners--an_exploration_of_sneakerhead_culture","ShortDescription":"We will be learning how to engage students in learning by leveraging a topic of interest (sneakers, sneakerhead culture, etc), use various principles of culturally responsive pedagogy to address the needs of our students in our curriculum writing, talk about how we build relationships with our students organically and of course you will leave here having a jumpstart knowledge on a little bit about sneakerhead culture and the history of sneakers to flex on with your students.","Description":"We will review strategies to engage student interest and build relationships naturally, we will go over what sneaker head culture is and some facts on sneakers and the industry, we will make our own connections to our classroom and have time to share our wonderful wealth of knowledge that we have together, and then there will be actual work and collaboration time where you can start to plan out a lesson with feedback for your peers and myself. At the end, I will ask that you share your ideas and we reflect with each other and go over any questions you may have.","Link":[],"Audience":["High School","Middle School","Elementary School"],"Practice":"We will have a living google document and google drive folder that teachers will share the lesson plan ideas they got from the lesson and be able to share their cross curricular ideas and continue the conversation virtually over the document.","Presenter":["Allison Aubry"],"PresenterAffiliation":["Julia R Masterman School"],"PresenterEmail":["aaubry@philasd.org"],"ScheduleSlotID":182,"ScheduleLocationID":34,"SubmitterID":79,"AdditionalComments":null,"LiveChannel":null,"Hashtag":null,"VokleID":null,"RecordingURL":null,"ConferenceID":12},{"ID":1342,"Class":"Conversation","Created":1730314601,"CreatorID":79,"RevisionID":null,"Status":"Accepted","Title":"Reducing Teacher Burnout and Boosting Retention","Handle":"reducing_teacher_burnout_and_boosting_retention","ShortDescription":"Philadelphia Learning Collaborative\u2019s approach to increasing teacher retention creates opportunities for educators to build skills, networks, a sense of autonomy, and to take on leadership roles. Experiences like help to retain a talented corps of educators. Come hear from teachers energized by these strategies and apply them in your school.","Description":"An October 2024 Inquirer article states, \u2018Philadelphia\u2019s pool of effective teachers is shrinking every year.\u2019 Districts nationwide are experiencing the same trend. Increased financial compensation is a first step in retaining educators. It\u2019s one of a menu of strategies that should be employed to reduce burnout and high turnover rates in the profession.  According to research from the Research for Action, schools that empower teachers through leadership opportunities, a strong sense of community, and expanded autonomy see higher retention rates and greater teacher satisfaction.\r\nIn this session, Philadelphia Learning Collaborative will share how it has operationalized these recommendations. Teachers will share what role participating in PLC\u2019s retention initiatives has played in helping them reconnect with their purpose, avoid burnout, and thrive in their roles.\r\nKey use-now strategies from PLC\u2019s experience include:\r\nSkill-Building for Teachers: Teachers will discuss how professional development, including teacher-led sessions tailored to their needs, gave them the confidence and skills to succeed, further increasing retention.\r\nCreating Leadership Opportunities: Educators will share how leadership roles\u2014such as mentoring, and opportunities to lead professional development for colleagues \u2014fostered their professional growth and engagement.\r\nBuilding Community: You\u2019ll hear about structured support systems like workshops and peer networks that have helped teachers feel more connected and supported in their schools.\r\nExpanding Teacher Autonomy: Learn how PLC helps educators increase their autonomy in classroom decisions and school initiatives, leading to higher job satisfaction and reduced burnout.\r\nAttendees will leave with concrete strategies they can implement to retain talented staff in their schools.","Link":["https:\/\/www.phlcollab.org\/"],"Audience":["High School","Middle School","Elementary School"],"Practice":"The session will begin with a brief introduction to the issue of teacher retention, including key research findings from Research for Action in the School District of Philadelphia highlighting strategies to strengthen teacher retention. Following the introduction, practicing teachers will share personal stories about how their practices have been revitalized by participating in PLC initiatives that promote leadership,community-building, and increased autonomy.\r\nAfter hearing from teachers, participants will break into small groups to discuss how to apply these use-now strategies to their own schools. The whole group will reconvene to share the insights and ideas that emerged. The session will conclude with a brief reflection and action-planning segment, where participants create personalized plans for implementing the strategies in their schools.\r\nThis session is designed for school leaders\u2014principals, assistant principals, instructional coaches, and district administrators\u2014who are seeking practical, research-backed strategies to reduce teacher burnout and improve retention. By learning from the Philadelphia Learning Collaborative\u2019s experience, participants will leave with ready-to-implement ideas to re-energize staff teams.","Presenter":["Crystal Cubbage","Jennifer Brevoort","and Philadelphia School District teachers to be confirmed"],"PresenterAffiliation":["Philadelphia Learning Collaborative"],"PresenterEmail":["crystal@phlcollab.org","jennifer@phlcollab.org"],"ScheduleSlotID":182,"ScheduleLocationID":32,"SubmitterID":79,"AdditionalComments":"Thank you!","LiveChannel":null,"Hashtag":null,"VokleID":null,"RecordingURL":null,"ConferenceID":12},{"ID":1382,"Class":"Conversation","Created":1735423562,"CreatorID":5101,"RevisionID":null,"Status":"Accepted","Title":"Teaching Adulting Skills Throughout Your School","Handle":"teaching_adulting_skills_throughout_your_school","ShortDescription":"Explore with other educators how they teach (or don\u2019t) life skills in their classrooms. Learn from students what they most want to learn, and discuss tricks to sneak these adulting lessons into your existing curriculum and school day. Hear from existing and former students how adulting lessons have impacted their transition into their independent lives.","Description":"Many young people leave high school unprepared for the transition to adulthood, which comes rapidly in the years following graduation. Educators commonly talk about the need to teach our students financial competency, smart consumerism, professionalism in the workplace, and other adult skills. But we often find that time pressures, standardized curriculum, and lack of knowledge or materials, limit our ability to include those topics in the school day.  \r\n\r\nWe will hear from actual students what they most want to learn as they enter adulthood, and will hear from young adults how this kind of learning has aided their transitions. Come prepared to discuss how and what you learned, and importantly, what you most wished someone had taught you in secondary school. \r\n\r\nWe\u2019ll discuss how these skills are taught at SLA and learn about curricular resources and tricks for squeezing lessons into existing curriculum and across classrooms.","Link":[],"Audience":["High School"],"Practice":"We will begin by polling participants for their experiences in learning life skills - which were helpful, and which would have been. We\u2019ll talk with existing and graduated students to learn their perspectives, and then explore our own challenges in bringing adulting lessons to our own classrooms. The point of these conversations is not to come to conclusions, but to explore options for implementing these needed learnings.","Presenter":["John Kamal"],"PresenterAffiliation":["Science Leadership Academy"],"PresenterEmail":["jkamal@scienceleadership.org"],"ScheduleSlotID":182,"ScheduleLocationID":38,"SubmitterID":5101,"AdditionalComments":null,"LiveChannel":null,"Hashtag":null,"VokleID":null,"RecordingURL":null,"ConferenceID":12},{"ID":1348,"Class":"Conversation","Created":1730410687,"CreatorID":79,"RevisionID":null,"Status":"Accepted","Title":"We\u2019re All Coaches: Enhancing Teacher Support in Non-Traditional Roles","Handle":"we-re_all_coaches--enhancing_teacher_support_in_non-traditional_roles","ShortDescription":"Educators in various school roles\u2014principals, tech specialists, librarians, and more\u2014can support teachers by adopting coaching techniques. This interactive session invites participants to explore facilitative, dialogical, and directive coaching styles through role-play, reflection, and collaborative resource-building, empowering them to foster growth and innovation in their schools.","Description":"In the last decade, instructional coaching has grown rapidly, with 59% of public schools now employing at least one coach (Ng, 2024). Yet, many other educators\u2014principals, technology specialists, librarians, learning specialists, and others\u2014are also in unique positions to offer coaching support, even without the formal title.\r\nWe propose that educators in various school roles can improve outcomes for both teachers and students by adopting coaching techniques. By understanding when to use facilitative, dialogical, and directive coaching styles, educators can foster collaboration, innovation, and growth within their schools. In this session, we\u2019ll explore coaching styles and techniques, practice some scenarios, and learn from one another what works when you serve as a \u201cthinking partner\u201d to a colleague.\r\nThis session will feature role-play practice and group discussions. Participants will explore practical coaching techniques, engage in scenarios, and walk away with a toolkit of sentence stems and strategies to use immediately. \r\n\r\nNg, Alexandra: https:\/\/marketbrief.edweek.org\/meeting-district-needs\/how-common-are-instructional-coaches-in-schools\/2024\/04","Link":["https:\/\/margaretpowers.com\/","https:\/\/www.kentplace.org\/academics\/primary-school"],"Audience":["All School Levels"],"Practice":"Participants will explore practical coaching techniques in small groups, engage in role-play scenarios, and collaboratively create a toolkit of strategies to use immediately.","Presenter":["Kimberly Walker","Margaret Powers","Julie Diana"],"PresenterAffiliation":["The Agnes Irwin School","Kent Place School","Creative Thinking Partners LLC"],"PresenterEmail":["jdiana@agnesirwin.org","walkerk@kentplace.org","Margaret.a.powers@gmail.com"],"ScheduleSlotID":182,"ScheduleLocationID":30,"SubmitterID":79,"AdditionalComments":null,"LiveChannel":null,"Hashtag":null,"VokleID":null,"RecordingURL":null,"ConferenceID":12},{"ID":1360,"Class":"Conversation","Created":1730569052,"CreatorID":79,"RevisionID":null,"Status":"Accepted","Title":"Why Would  Young People Come to Your School if They Didn't Have to?","Handle":"why_would_young_people_come_to_your_school_if_they_didn-t_have_to","ShortDescription":"\"Why would learners come to your school even if they didn't have to?\" Let\u2019s map how school communities create experiences that draw students into owning their learning. When students become full partners in design processes, the community\u2019s culture changes. Join us to collaboratively build a field guide on the spot.","Description":"In this conversation, participants will explore the question of what actually brings young people to school every day. Why do they come? How do educators and young people together create a context in which learning makes sense, inspires, and compels an intense desire to be a part of the community. What do young people do? What do adults do? How do they together become a collaborative teaching and learning community ? We want to converse, create, and collaboratively develop an \"on the spot\" field guide to share our co-constructed narrative in the Educon community and beyond. We believe that appreciative inquiry sets the stage for participants to emerge the strengths and assets of the \u201cpop up\u201d community in the room as they develop story shorts documenting pathways which support young people and adults of different interests, backgrounds, dispositions, experiences, and neurodivergency to form a community of learners and learning.","Link":["https:\/\/www.socolmoran.com\/","https:\/\/vascl.org\/"],"Audience":["High School","Middle School","Elementary School","All School Levels"],"Practice":"Participants will explore questions of why young people come to school - what compels them to want to be in a school community? In exploring the \"why, how, and what\" of school communities that set the stage for young people to have voice, agency, and influence in their own learning, participants will collaboratively create a field guide that narrates the \"room's\" responses to the question, \"why would young people come to your school if they didn't have to?\" This will be shared with the Educon community and beyond.","Presenter":["Ira Socol","Pam Moran"],"PresenterAffiliation":["Socol Moran Partners","Virginia School Consortium for Learning"],"PresenterEmail":["pammoran@socolmoran.com","irasocol@gmail.com"],"ScheduleSlotID":182,"ScheduleLocationID":37,"SubmitterID":79,"AdditionalComments":"I tried to submit this earlier in the week before Nov 1 but never received a submission acknowledgment so decided to resubmit today.","LiveChannel":null,"Hashtag":null,"VokleID":null,"RecordingURL":null,"ConferenceID":12}],"conditions":{"Status":"Accepted","ConferenceID":12,"ScheduleSlotID":182},"total":8,"limit":false,"offset":false}