Welcome and Conference Charge Dr. James J. Fedderman Fedderman, President, VEA and Dr. Brenda Pike, Executive Director, VEA

Panel Discussion with VDOE 7:15pm

Door Prizes

Carol Bauer, Vice-President, VEA
Jessica Bailey, President, SVEA-AE

Door Prizes

This interactive presentation will explore ways teachers can utilize the UN Sustainable Development Goals in any curriculum or in an interdisciplinary manner to promote the skills necessary for success in the modern world (the 5 C’s): communication, collaboration, critical thinking, creativity, and citizenship, as well as promoting cultural competency.

We will discuss the benefits and responsibilities to which you agree when accepting school employment.  What aspects of employment are the same for all Virginia public school employees?  What others vary between local school divisions, and how can you review and compare?  How do school boards set employment terms now, and why does VEA support collective bargaining?  This session is your chance to ask VEA Legal Service Director Dena Rosenkrantz questions about school employment.

Understanding Trauma’s Impact, How it Presents in Classroom and Implementation

The first step to creating a trauma-informed classroom is becoming a trauma-informed teacher. In order to begin, you must understand the impact trauma has on brain development, the ability to learn, and the impact on behavior so you can incorporate trauma-informed practices into your classroom. This session gives you a background on the effects of trauma, explains what trauma looks like in the classroom, and provides you with concrete practices you can implement immediately.

This presentation will demonstrate the features of One Note, a Microsoft tool for keeping digital notebooks. The attendees will learn how to create a notebook and add content to it. Attendees will learn about Microsoft Learning tools, Immersive Reader and the Office Lens App as tools to help students who learn differently. Participants will learn how to instruct students in the use of the tools to help them with executive functioning skills.

This session provides insight into the origins and purpose of National Board Certification, an overview of the recently revised process to achieve and maintain a certificate, and a discussion of the positive impact of certification can have on teachers and their students.  Additional topics addressed include VEA supports for members pursuing certification, opportunities available to our current NBCTs, and advocacy issues related to NB certification.

During the pandemic, mental health issues increased dramatically for teens and children stuck at home. This session will focus on how to check in with our kids (anonymously or not) in the secondary classroom to facilitate a safe environment and increase teacher-student rapport. Key takeaways: data collected should inform lesson planning, sometimes shared with students, and the session should allow time for teachers to plan and/or create their own first “temperature gauge” to use tomorrow!

Far too often, professional learning focuses on checking off another box or earning “hours” rather than strengthening skills that impact student learning. Micro-credentials are an alternate form of professional learning- they are job-embedded, sustained, relevant, and focused on student outcomes. A micro-credential, as we define it, is a performance-based assessment intended to allow the educator to demonstrate competency in a skill. Educators completing micro-credentials document evidence of proficiency in the context of their daily work. This interactive session will provide essential information and “lessons learned” for those looking to elevate their own professional learning.

VDOE and BOE are involved with a three-phase plan to revise the approved Teacher Evaluation Guidelines. Additionally, new legislation and regulations have been passed that impact teacher evaluations across Virginia and will change current evaluation models. Come learn what “Culturally Responsive Teaching and Equitable Practices” means and review revisions to the other Performance Standards in the VDOE guidelines. Learn how you can include practices and indicators that meet the revised Standards in your instruction.

This hands-on workshop will give educators ideas on how to check with their students emotional state throughout the day. The participants will create items that can be used in any grade level classroom that will assist the educator on how to decide if the lesson they are teaching is reaching them or if the classroom atmosphere needs some adjusting.

Dr. Eric M. Carbaugh, James Madison University

Recognitions
Announcements
Door Prizes

Join this interactive session to walk away with tangible tools and strategies to forge through a common occurrence we see in Education…Compassion Fatigue!

We will:

-Acknowledge limitations

-Hold ourselves Accountable

-Identify ways to build resilience in our various education spaces so we can continue to cultivate impactful, equitable learning experiences for students and foster those sustainable, supportive relationships with peers.

This workshop brings awareness to the societal/environmental issues/childhood traumas that educators face on a daily basis with a specific emphasis on parental incarceration. It also showcases an understanding of how to effectively engage students through culturally responsive educational practices. It introduces specific strategies/research-based practices to all students to include an applied studies theory of practice that creates resiliency. It highlights how the community aids in the successful implementation of a school-based intervention.

In this session, we will explore dynamic ways to create safe spaces for marginalized students in the classroom. This will be an experience rather than a typical “session.” Educators will dive into the incorporation of diverse student perspectives into strategic planning so that this becomes fluid in their day. By embracing and incorporating student voices and adopting Anti-racist Instructional Practices in the Classroom, we are increasing opportunities for deeper learning for ALL students!

VDOE and BOE are involved with a three-phase plan to revise the approved Teacher Evaluation Guidelines. Additionally, new legislation and regulations have been passed that impact teacher evaluations across Virginia and will change current evaluation models. Come learn what “Culturally Responsive Teaching and Equitable Practices” means and review revisions to the other Performance Standards in the VDOE guidelines. Learn how you can include practices and indicators that meet the revised Standards in your instruction.

Creating a Culture of Compassion in an educational setting requires educators to take risks so that staff, students, and families thrive. Given the increased demands placed on educators, it is paramount that we work to create a compassionate culture. Compassionate cultures benefit the emotional and physical health and well-being of educators and allow them to better meet the needs of students.

In this session, participants will learn how the Polyvagal Theory and sensory integration systems have an impact on the emotional and behavioral presentation of students affected by trauma. Participants will be able to describe the “Window of Tolerance” and “Social Engagement System” and their impact on student regulation. Classroom interventions that calm down and integrate these systems will be discussed and experienced.

This session will explore the ways English Language Learners (ELLs) may struggle with writing, why they may struggle, and how a teacher is able to take into consideration whether there are biases or assumptions that prevent the student from achieving. Outcomes include the teachers’ ability to be reflective of their curriculum and practice, learn writing strategies, and understand their own culture in order to understand their students in a more holistic way.

How does a seat at the table create a better professional experience for educators? (Teachers and ESPs)

We will have concrete examples from other locals and ask participants how they would use their seat at the table to begin the conversation.

We will share how one driving question can shape instruction for the year. We will present our non-traditional approach to building literacy units, helping teachers embrace cultural diversity, promote critical thinking, and prepare students for a globally-connected future through meaningful text selection. We will explain how to design and pace out units that incorporate Virginia’s 5 C’s and SOL’s, modeling how to facilitate student-driven inquiry through short story and novel studies – grades 2-6.

Analyzing primary sources teaches valuable critical thinking skills, and starting with visuals is perfect for students just learning to read. We will model ways to use visual primary sources like photographs, art, maps, etc. We will focus on how primary sources can support student inquiry and expand the diversity of the narratives. This session is most relevant for teachers of grades K-2, but would also be applicable to any teachers of beginning readers and/or English language learners.

Lead with your ARTS! This session is designed for non-arts teachers and will present ways to engage and enhance understanding of core content using the arts. Strategies using visual art, drama, poetry, movement, and music will be presented to deepen student knowledge and comprehension. Attendees will participate in activities that can be used to address the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse learners and the multiple learning styles presented in the classroom.

This session will discuss project based learning strategies to allow students to learn through hands on and engaging activity. It will walk practitioners through the process of creating a meaningful project based learning activity or assessment and tools to aid in meaningful grading and feedback. Teachers will be able to leave the session with knowledge to implement project based learning regardless of content area.

The purpose of workshop is to design learning progressions to identify and address gaps in learning due to COVID-interrupted education.

1.Presentation: Process for designing learning progressions that emphasizes backwards-design, vocabulary and student discourse, and pragmatic connections. (Approx. 30-40 minutes.)

2. Participation: Participants will design learning progressions in the second half with instructor facilitation. (Remaining time)

As you build your classroom library it’s vital to ensure that you are including/featuring texts that reflect your students and represent all races.  Join us to understand how to diversify and decolonize our bookshelves.

How does a seat at the table create a better professional experience for educators? (Teachers and ESPs)

We will have concrete examples from other locals and ask participants how they would use their seat at the table to begin the conversation.

Using writing as a form of expression can be a powerful tool for our children of color. This session will focus on the rationale behind this, focus on ideas, and a chance to brainstorm about a plan as to how to incorporate this into your classes daily.

In this session I will discuss ways to modify elementary music education instruction to meet modifications to our music activities that will keep everyone safe, but also meet the needs of our students. This will include interactive activities for teachers to discuss and plan ways to modify musical activities in primary and intermediate grades, suggestions for technology that enhances reflection on the activity, and proven ways to keep the students engaged.

Maintaining Self: Self-Care for Educators Experiencing Secondary Trauma Summary: Individuals who work with children who have experienced trauma often feel the impact of compassion fatigue and burnout. Such work can also trigger one’s own trauma history. How can educators take care of themselves amid such overwhelming factors? Creating and being intentional about self-care is the cornerstone of health. However, self-care is an area that is often neglected by those in the education community. This presentation will address the ways in which personal trauma and secondary trauma impact educators and their work with students. Participants will work on creating an intentional self-care plan that will help them mitigate the secondary trauma that they experience.

Learning Objectives 1. At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to describe ways in which compassion fatigue, burnout, and secondary trauma influence their work with students. 2. At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to identify ways in which they may be triggered by their personal trauma history and how such triggers may influence their work with others. 3. At the conclusion of this session, participants will assess their level of self-care as well as create an intentional self-care plan.

Presentation – Eileen Rodgers, Virginia Lottery
Announcement of Mini-Grant Recipients
Door Prizes
Remarks
Dr. Fedderman, President, VEA
Dr. Pike, Executive Director, VEA