We are thrilled to be able offer a variety of free webinars and two separate virtual courses for the fall of 2020. The free webinars are single event one-hour sessions to introduce participants to an instructional practice that they can take away immediately. Courses offer a deeper dive into specific practices and include multiple sessions for a cohort of educators to develop expertise, to try innovations, and to build on shared learning. Each course costs $250 and will include virtual sessions and access to expert consulting outside of the sessions.
Two Rivers Learning Institute Courses Fall 2020
Learning and Loving MathKathryn Mancino, 4th and 5th Grade Teacher and Two Rivers Learning Institute Faculty Member
This course will help teachers establish a culture of student-centered mathematics in their classrooms. Specifically, we will explore how to pose open-ended questions, how to draw out and respond to student thinking, and how to develop a classroom culture that encourages students to grapple with mathematics. In this opening session we will focus on the purpose and components of open-ended problem solving as a strategy for math instruction. This course will meet at 4:00 PM on Tuesdays on the following dates: September 29; November 17; January 12; February 9; and March 9 Cost: $250 ($200 per person if registering three or more people from the same institution) 
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Students in the Driver's Seat: The Power of Student-Led Conferences Antoinette Smith Guyton, 4th and 5th Grade Teacher and Two Rivers Learning Institute Faculty Member
Rachel Owens, 2nd and 3rd Grade Teacher and Two Rivers Learning Institute Faculty Member It’s that familiar time of the year... anxiety-inducing, boring family conferences… YIKES! Why must teachers carry the weight of talking about the work that students do? Why are students not sharing their thoughts on their work and progress? If you’ve experienced these all too familiar feelings, then Students in the Driver’s Seat is perfect for you! We will explore student-led conferences as an approach to building relationships with families and putting students in the driver seat as leaders of their own learning. Over five sessions, we consider the benefits of SLCs, unpack the structures that promote successful SLCs in all grades, create developmentally appropriate plans for implementation, and reflect on student progress through implementation. This course will meet at 4:00 PM on Thursdays on the following dates: September 17; October 1; October 29; January 14; and February 11 Cost: $250 ($200 per person if registering three or more people from the same institution) |
Two Rivers Learning Institute Free Webinars Fall 2020
Being a Great Party Host: Best Practices for Running a Virtual Class MeetingMonica Powell, 7th Grade English Language Arts Teacher and Two Rivers Learning Institute Faculty Consultant
The way we gather matters. Strong gatherings can shape the way we think, feel, and make sense of the world. With this webinar, we will explore how we can think about planning for virtual class meetings through the lens of a party host in order to create each lesson as a transformative experience! As an EL Education school, we call our class meetings at Two Rivers crew. Whether you call it crew or advisory, creating space to connect with students is more important now than ever. This webinar is a great fit for anyone looking for a new, unique lens to approach planning for class meetings as we continue remote learning. Tuesday, September 8 - 4:00 PM EDT Missed this webinar? Check out the recording here. Teaching Students Social Emotional Skills Through Virtual Second Step LessonsMyShia Cheatam, Assistant Teacher and Two Rivers Learning Institute Faculty Consultant
Drawing on Two Rivers work with scholarly habits that identify social emotional skills and our use of the Second Step program, this session will explore how we can engage students in developing skills related to engagement, perseverance, and collaboration. Tuesday, September 15 - 4:00 PM EDT Missed this webinar? Check out the recording here. Collaborative Problem Solving: Working With Students that have Challenging BehaviorsAyawnie Wingate, Assistant Teacher and Two Rivers Learning Institute Faculty Member
This session will help teachers develop the skills to help all students be successful in school. Specifically, we will explore how to gain the trust of students that are struggling in class and convey to them that we care and have their best interest at heart. We will explore strategies for how to build relationships with students and families to work together so students want to be the best version of themselves. Tuesday, September 22 - 4:00 PM EDT Missed this webinar? Check out the recording here. Bring on the Drama: Actively Engaging Students During Virtual LearningTonia Vines, Arts Coordinator, Drama Teacher, and Two Rivers Learning Institute Faculty Consultant
Drama-based instruction is an area of curriculum that is usually taught and experienced live. Students are able to connect and collaborate, express themselves, and draw deeper meaning to classroom content through various dramatic activities and tasks. During this time of virtual learning, students need increased opportunities to construct and demonstrate their understanding in creative ways within the constraints of a Zoom screen. This webinar will allow participants to learn tips and tools for developing fun, purposeful, and innovative ways to use drama-based teaching strategies in a virtual setting. Students can and will be more actively engaged when you bring on the drama! Tuesday, October 6 - 4:00 PM EDT Missed this webinar? Check out the recording here. 
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Virtual Vocabulary: Helping All Students Broaden Their Word Bank During Remote LearningStephanie Cade, Special Education Teacher and Two Rivers Learning Institute Faculty Member
In this session, participants will review current research on how students not only learn, but take ownership of new words. We will explore the different categories of words, how to select and prioritize word lists and ways to layer meaning within a virtual learning landscape. Tuesday, October 13 - 4:00 PM EDT The Language of Problem Solving in the Early Childhood Grades: From Social Emotional Development to Making Thinking Visible Helen Gasperetti, Preschool Teacher and Two Rivers Learning Institute Faculty Member
As young children learn language, they are simultaneously building the foundation for higher order cognitive skills like problem-solving. By providing and facilitating multiple opportunities for students, the teacher can help young children learn to use language for both social and academic problem-solving. In this session, we will explore how the use of a regular problem-solving routine can be utilized to model language that students can then apply across social and academic contexts. Participants will leave with practical tips for using a problem-solving approach in their early grades classrooms. Tuesday, October 20 - 4:00 PM EDT The Transformational Power of Critique: How to Up Product Quality and Collaborative Culture in a Jiffy!Carolina Ruenes-Riveros, 6th Grade English Language Arts Teacher and Two Rivers Learning Institute Faculty Member
Want to transform the quality of work that students produce in your class? Teaching your students to critique both their peers and their own work is one of the most powerful ways to improve quality. This webinar will familiarize participants with the basics of critique and its impact in transforming student work. Participants will experience first hand how to run a critique session, as well as illuminate the ways critique can give you the most bang for your buck in improving student work quality. By the end of this session, participants will identify places in their own practice where critique could be an easy lift and best fit, and will begin planning for critique inclusion in their classes. Tuesday, October 27 - 4:00 PM EDT Collaborative Problem Solving with Student in the Virtual School SettingAma Teasdel, 8th Grade English Teacher and Two Rivers Learning Institute Faculty Consultant
In our current state of virtual classrooms, how we engage and build relationships with students has shifted. We no longer have the opportunity to meet with them in person, we don’t have the ability to read each other’s body language, or use a face to face interaction as a way to connect. This can make problem-solving with students even more difficult, than before. One way to help solve this issue and be more intentional with how we are building trust, and helping students problem solve, is to combine and align critical thinking routines with the collaborative problem solving (CPS). In this webinar, you will learn how to align and use the steps of CPS with three critical thinking routines to help you and your students implement effective plans that target behaviors which lead to more authentic relationships and overall student success. Tuesday, November 10 - 4:00 PM EDT |
