Learn how the SMART Board interactive whiteboard can be used to engage students, Grades K-5. Designed for the beginner to intermediate user, participants will gain experience with the features of the SMART Board and SMART Notebook software. They will also learn how to create interactive lessons using the SMART Notebook software. Examples of successful lessons will be demonstrated, and participants will be given hands-on time to create their own SMART lessons for the subjects that they teach.

How do we define ethics? What is the process for ethical decision-making? How do you teach ethics in your subject area? How do you incorporate ethics into your classroom? This two-day interactive workshop will provide teachers with the opportunity to explore the meaning of ethics and values identification, learn the ethical decision-making process and assist teachers in creating ethics-centered lessons. The workshop will include discussions with professionals in the field of ethics and the use of case studies, articles and video clips depicting real-life scenarios. The goals of the workshop are to assist faculty members in integrating an informed, ethical decision-making process into the daily curriculum and to support teachers in developing an interdisciplinary ethics approach that will help students identify their values and increase their abilities to make more informed decisions when facing ethical dilemmas. Participants will be asked to answer a pre-workshop survey to ascertain the backgrounds and areas of focus for the second day of the workshop.

When we hear about global learning in schools today, we often think about middle or high school initiatives such as international trips and global learning standards. As we prepare students for their 21st century real-world journeys, we recognize that global thinking, teaching and learning all need to play a more prominent role in primary school discussions. At this workshop, participants will learn how Primary School teachers can bring global learning experiences into their classrooms. From using Skype with international pen pals to using Web 2.0 tools for student reflection and discussion, and much more, the opportunities are endless. Resources and practical takeaways will be shared.

Kent Place School's advisory program takes into account students' developmental milestones, varied learning styles and school resources. The program also prioritizes student self-reflection, character development, advocacy and goal setting through on-going support and dialogue with individual faculty advisors and the larger advisory community. At this workshop, participants will learn how to create and implement effective advisory programs; how to plan for ways in which their program may change over time to meet students’ changing needs; and how to support and train faculty in their roles as advisors.

Participants of this workshop walk away with the basic skills to create a still life drawing they never imagined they could do. Attendees will discover how an artist uses tricks to find shapes, angles and relative proportions; how the artist simplifies perspective for everyday drawings; how the artist develops form and substance through shading; how the artist uses a viewfinder to establish basic compositional elements; and how the artist selects the right materials for a specific work of art. All participants will leave with a completed still life drawing, a pencil and sketchbook, and handouts illustrating perspective and shading techniques.

Gain the tools needed to help faculty craft effective student comments. Attendees will learn how to lead faculty in writing comments that guide students and families in next steps for growth and goal setting. They will also learn how to help faculty, students and families become more engaged in the value of narrative comments. All participants will leave with strategies, samples and guidelines for generating a vision to match their own school.

This session is designed to help faculty and staff involved with global service travel to Africa. The Kent Place School Global Service Learning Initiative has been in place for the past two years and is embarking on its second trip to Africa. Learn about the curriculum, policies and planning that was necessary in implementing their service learning experiences. Participants will explore such topics as travel, curriculum, documentation, medical care and safety, student and family pre-trip preparation, and post-trip debriefing. Participants will leave the session with practical tools to help make their global service learning a success in their schools.

At this workshop, participants will walk away with the strategies and tools they need to grow, support and coach program leaders. Attendees will learn about a leadership model that includes goal setting, structured feedback and goal-centered professional development. Participants will also gain insights into how this model can be aligned with institution mission, vision and goals, and will learn when and how to shift into evaluation mode as part of this model. All attendees will leave with strategies and handouts for building an effective system at their own schools.

Participants will leave this workshop with a deeper understanding of how to use pedometers, heart-rate technology and tracking tools with their students. Attendees will learn how to develop pedometer-friendly activities for Grades 4-12; how to use step activity, distance and calorie-counting features; and how to utilize software tracking systems. Participants will also learn how to develop units and protocols for Grades 7-12; how to determine resting heart rates; how to calculate target heart rates; and how to create user-friendly challenges to motivate students and encourage learning. Finally, attendees will discuss the use of tracking tools and will have time to share best practices as they pertain to teaching a self-directed, high-autonomy curriculum tailored to their school environments. All participants will leave with handouts and resources.

Student bullying, also known as “relational aggression,” was once considered a rite of passage with benign emotional consequences. Advances in child and developmental psychology reveal that relational aggression has a profound impact on a student’s ability to learn, to navigate social systems and to maintain his/her sense of self-esteem. Schools, educators and counselors now have a greater responsibility to recognize these behaviors and to respond to them effectively. This workshop will help participants to develop a working model of relational aggression; recognize the social, emotional and educational impact of bullying; employ language and programs to target at-risk students; develop policies and faculty training that can reduce incidences of aggression; and create a safe learning environment for all students.

Workshop participants will gain strategies and tools needed to work most effectively in the role of department chair. Attendees will learn how to develop and implement a programmatic vision; how to facilitate curricular conversations; how to employ leadership preferences to their advantage; how to work with administrators to hire high-performing department members; how to lead effective department meetings; how to engage in difficult conversations with key constituents; and how to budget with vision. All participants will leave with strategies and handouts to support their work as current or prospective department chairs at their own schools.

Diversity demographics are only part of what’s needed to create an inclusive school community. Oftentimes, organizations may have “the numbers” but may not completely know “how to make them count”: the knowledge, skill set and practices to support a multicultural school community. This session is designed to help participants explore their organization through a multicultural lens. Participants will have the opportunity to reflect on the behaviors and practices that promote and inhibit diversity at the interpersonal, cultural and institutional levels within their organizations. Exploring the different levels will prepare practitioners to support and also to advocate on behalf of groups facing bias. Participants will leave the session with practical tools to help them assess their organizations and build multicultural awareness with school constituents.