2020-2021 Professional Development

NJAIS offers many different Professional Development opportunities for faculty, administrators, and Trustees.  We aim to be relevant and responsive, and welcome your ideas and participation in these workshops and conferences.

 

NJAIS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS AND CONFERENCES

EVENT CALENDAR 2020 - 2021

 

We will be adding to and updating these offerings frequently.  Please check back for the latest professional growth offerings.

Contact Rachel Folan, rfolan@njais.org, with any questions, suggestions, or partnership ideas.

 

Monday, August 10, 2020:

RACE AND RACISM IN 2020: 
UNDERSTANDING SYSTEMIC RACISM AND WAYS TO DEVELOP RACIALLY LITERATE SCHOOLS

For: Faculty and School Administrators

In order to foster an anti-racist growth mindset, it is vital that we better understand how systemic racism created segregated, unequal living standards and limited access to social, economic, legal, and residential opportunities for people along lines of race. And once we gain such knowledge, it is essential that we have guided conversations with our children and/or students about race and systemic racism.  this two-part workshop will First trace the emergence of race and systemic racism in the United States, such as the limits placed on personhood, citizenship, immigration, housing, and other civil rights.  Next,  we will review key racial literacy ideas and frameworks, highlighting resources and discussion topics that are incorporated in Pollyanna’s K-8 Racial Literacy Curriculum –– a free resource for educators.

Please register in advance for this experience:
https://www.njais.org/cf_forms/view.cfm?formID=432

 

Wednesday, August 12, 2020:

WHY SCHOOLS NEED TO TALK ABOUT RACE AND RACISM, ESPECIALLY WHITE PEOPLE

For: All Educators

It is imperative that our schools engage purposefully in conversations of race and racism as we strive to be anti-racist institutions.  Join Dr. Ali Michael for a presentation and discussion about why schools must engage in these conversations and how white educators and students can, and must, be vital participants in this process.  As Dr. Michael states, “Race questions are not meant to lead us into a quagmire of guilt, discomfort, or isolation. Sustained race inquiry is meant to lead to anti-racist classrooms, positive racial identities, and a restoration of the wholeness of spirit and community that racism undermines.”  Ali is white and will share stories and examples from her own life.

Please register in advance for this session:
https://www.njais.org/cf_forms/view.cfm?formID=429

 

Monday, August 17, 2020:
LOOKING BACK AND MOVING FORWARD: 
TEACHING WORLD LANGUAGE LEARNERS THROUGH THE PANDEMIC

For: World Language Teachers
 

In this session, we’ll draw upon teacher experience to chart a course forward using the best of what we all have collectively learned. Whether your next school year is in person, remote, or a hybrid, we'll make sure you're equipped to handle it. Attendees will reflect on their past experiences and look at case scenarios of other educators. Presenters will lay out the process and tools to plan and organize, to teach synchronously and asynchronously, and to aim for proficiency growth in evaluation.

Please register in advance for this session:
https://www.njais.org/cf_forms/view.cfm?formID=417

 

Tuesday, August 18 - Thursday, August 20, 2020:
INSTRUCTIONAL EXELLENCE WORKSHOP:
DESIGNING DIVERSE LEARNING EXPERIENCES WITH THE SCIENCE OF LEARNING IN MIND

For: All Teachers and Administrators
 

Decades of cognitive science research demonstrates that learners encode, store, and retrieve memories in similar ways as they critically think, make decisions, problem-solve, and develop their conceptual understandings and skill sets. To encourage and support all students’ cognitive, social, and emotional growth, the role of teachers is to design a diverse repertoire of learning experiences that require students to “think to learn” and respond to ongoing feedback that moves their learning forward. This workshop explores the many ways teachers can design learning in different contexts based on best-practice research about how children learn.
This 3-day workshop for K-12 teachers will explore the current understanding of how children learn and  investigate an array of teaching strategies and assessment techniques based on these learning principles. Participants will derive principles of effective learning, including the role of learner beliefs and mindsets in influencing that effectiveness. Using the lens of cognitive science, the workshop will examine how these understandings and strategies are applied in different contexts, both in the classroom and online.

Please register in advance for this workshop experience:
https://www.njais.org/cf_forms/view.cfm?formID=427

 

 

Wednesday, August 19, 2020:
TRAUMA-INFORMED SCHOOL RE-ENTRY: 
BEST PRACTICES AND ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION

For: School Leaders, School Counselors, Deans of Students, Guidance Departments, and Advisors

During the COVID-19 pandemic and national racial justice crisis, we  -- educators, individuals, family members -- are experiencing collective trauma. Along with students,administrators,  faculty and staff continue to process the feelings of loss and uncertainty brought about by the closing of our schools in particular.  In the context of looming unknowns (e.g. rapidly changing virus transmission patterns, ever-evolving classroom and campus protocols and increasingly prominent social discord) this interactive Webinar will address how the school re-entry process can support the emotional wellbeing of not only students, but faculty and staff. Following a brief presentation, we will provide ample time for participants’ questions and discussion with clinical psychologist and student affairs consultant, Deborah Offner, and also time to break into professional affinity groups in order to discuss, process, and collaborate to strengthen all of our school communities.

Please register in advance for this session:
https://www.njais.org/cf_forms/view.cfm?formID=435

 

Tuesday, September 1, 2020:

PREPARING YOUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY FOR THE PRESEDENTIAL ELECTION

For: All Educators, Especially School Leaders

Racial tensions, a global pandemic, economic crashes, and overwhelming uncertainty define our days.  And, the intensity of the election is just heating up.  As we face another potentially contentious presidential election and navigate these defining months, how can this be an experience of connection rather than division in our school communities?  Join Dr. Janine Domingues of The Child Mind Institute as she shares frameworks for addressing the election and the significant ongoings of our country with your students, faculty, and parents.

Please register in advance for this session:
https://www.njais.org/cf_forms/view.cfm?formID=436

 

Thursday, September 3, 2020:

I'M NOT RACIST... AM I?
FILM SCREENING AND DISCUSSION

For: All Educators, Especially School Leaders

Join André Robert Lee as he shares his expertise in race, racism, and guidance for strategic action plans for schools to move forward. This opportunity allows you to see the film, perhaps in a new light, while reflecting upon the culture and community in your own schools.  With conversations regarding how to navigate the @BlackAt movement, how to use the movement and the film to examine bias, and how to move forward with connection and action, this experience serves to strengthen the start of your school year and support inclusive school communities.

Please register in advance for this session:
https://www.njais.org/cf_forms/view.cfm?formID=438

 

 

Completed or In-Progress Programs

 

Thursday, August 6, 2020:

UPDATED MEDICAL AND LEGAL GUIDELINES FOR SCHOOL RE-ENTRY

For: Heads of School, Finance Officers, HR Managers, Health Professionals, and other Operations Personnel

 

This two-part webinar serves to guide school operations teams through necessary considerations regarding possible medical and legal issues in the school re-entry process.  Each session will include a 30-minute presentation to support the navigation of these situations, followed by a 30-minute open question and discussion time with the presenter(s).

 

Tuesday, August 4 - Wednesday, August 5, 2020:
INNOVATING INSTRUCTION CONFERENCE

For: All Teachers, Administrators, and Tech Directors
 

This two-day comprehensive experience featuring A.J. Juliani will provide reflection and action to take our best practices in pedagogy/instruction and turn them into today’s practices that promote authentic learning experiences for all students, whether in-person, or in blended or virtual learning environments.  From the top blended learning tools for all ages to assessment, curriculum development, and instructional methods, this conference serves to provide depth and breadth of content to prepare for any learning platform for the fall.

 

Tuesday, July 28 - Thursday, July 30, 2020:
MIND, BRAIN, AND EDUCATION AS A PLATFORM FOR EXCELLENCE IN A BLENDED LEARNING CLASSROOM

For: K - 8 Teachers and School Leaders
 

Good teaching is good teaching, and good teaching is backed by research. This three-part workshop will provide teachers with the research behind making learning meaningful and making it stick. Each session will include an expert morning presentation, followed by an afternoon workshop session.  With the support of a cohort of teachers, translate the research into your classroom virtual or in person. Consider recommendations to increase engagement, assess understanding, and provide meaningful feedback in the context of your unique classroom. Make small adjustments to your current curriculum and have a big impact on your students’ learning.