Professional Development Workshops for Educators
Steve offers two distinct types of workshops, one based on the philosophical framework that comprises his UCLA Extension course and his book Eight Essentials for Empowered Teaching and Learning, K-8 and the other based on the brain-friendly learning strategies found in his book Rock Your Students’ World. Each type is described below, and each type can be easily adapted to fit a variety of time formats, ranging from hour-long conference sessions to multiple-day course offerings.
"Since I worked with Steve at Roosevelt Elementary School, I have observed hundreds of teachers. I have rarely seen any who approach his level of skill in building student-centered learning and self-reflective learning for young people. No one comes close to Steve in creating self-directed learners! If you have a chance to learn from Steve as a child or an adult, you are indeed fortunate- he is a gifted teacher, a role-model for all of us."
- Amy Fowler, Educational Consultant
Eight Essentials for Empowered Teaching and Learning
Steve's Eight Essentials for Empowered Teaching and Learning comprise a comprehensive approach to organizing and managing classrooms at any level. Come discover the promise these principles hold for improving the effectiveness of your teaching.- Help your students develop positive habits and take greater responsibility for their own learning.
- Establish high expectations for your class while still preserving student enjoyment and love of learning.
- Bring out the best in your students by establishing an environment of trust, respect, and cooperation.
- Learn strategies for increasing students’ self-esteem, confidence, and intrinsic motivation.
- Empower your students by involving them in group problem solving and in the process of continuously improving your daily classroom life.
- Examine the connections that exist between these ideas and such current topics as differentiated instruction, multiple intelligences, parental involvement, and authentic assessment.
Rock Your Students’ World
This activity-based workshop is intended for classroom teachers who are looking to incorporate music, movement, and storytelling strategies into their standards-based instruction to improve student learning and transform their overall classroom environment. Strategies that incorporate movement, music, and storytelling offer unparalleled novelty, interest, stimulation, excitement, and joy, and as a result, students become emotionally involved in these activities, pay more attention, remember better, and, in short, learn better. In addition, the activities featured improve class morale, build self-esteem and enthusiasm for learning, and increase feelings of student “connectedness” to the class and to one another.Contact
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Teaching Tip of the Week
Teaching Kids How to Get "Unstuck" While Writing (Teaching Tip #106)
In this Teaching Tip I provide a link to a short YouTube video I created. The video features two effective strategies that help children become “unstuck” while they are writing. The first of these strategies is a familiar one, while the second is less well-known and a bit more novel. Try these ideas in class with your students or at home with your children.» See all Teaching Tips
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