I have had the opportunity to participate in the Because Kids Count Conference, sponsored by the Indiana Youth Institute, for the past 3 years. Every year, I leave with an abundance of resources and ideas to integrate in the classroom.
This morning began with a Morning Energizer and an Opening Keynote Speech by Brad Meltzer. Meltzer is the author of the #1 New York Times bestsellers The Inner Circle and The Book of Fate. He also wrote the nonfiction books, Heroes for My Daughter and Heroes for My Son. These books were inspired by Meltzer's want for his children to become better people and leave a legacy. He included many influential people in these books such as, Rosa Parks and Abraham Lincoln. Meltzer's speech began with a question: "What is your legacy?" He discussed that your legacy is shaped by your family, friends, co-workers, the community, and strangers. If you impact just one person, you have made a difference. I purchased his newest book titled History Decoded: The 10 Greatest Conspiracies of All Time. Also, I had the opportunity to meet Meltzer and have my book signed. His speech was inspiring to me as an educator and an individual.
I participated in three different workshops today. The first workshop was titled "Communicate, Lead, and Succeed!" The speaker focused on ways that we can easily change our speech and words to be more successful in the classroom. Eleanor Roosevelt once said, "Train other people how to treat us." It is important as educators that we act as role models and model effective communication by maintaining a positive attitude and avoiding 'toxic' people.
The second workshop that I attended was called "Cooling Down Your Classroom." The founder of Mindful Practices is an educator from Chicago that realized that students need social and emotional learning along with the academic curriculum. Throughout her discussion, she introduced ways to integrate yoga and breathing exercises into the classroom. Her ideas may be found in her book titled Cooling Down Your Classroom. I also have a PDF version of the handout that outlines several ideas that I would be more than happy to share.
Lastly, I attended a workshop that introduced a variety of games and activities for all ages. He shared many ideas for grouping students, teambuilding, and grabbing the students' attention. All of the activities that we completed during the session required little to no equipment and could easily be modified to meet the needs of all grade levels.
I look forward to participating in a few more workshops tomorrow and listening to Keynote Speaker F
This morning began with a Morning Energizer and an Opening Keynote Speech by Brad Meltzer. Meltzer is the author of the #1 New York Times bestsellers The Inner Circle and The Book of Fate. He also wrote the nonfiction books, Heroes for My Daughter and Heroes for My Son. These books were inspired by Meltzer's want for his children to become better people and leave a legacy. He included many influential people in these books such as, Rosa Parks and Abraham Lincoln. Meltzer's speech began with a question: "What is your legacy?" He discussed that your legacy is shaped by your family, friends, co-workers, the community, and strangers. If you impact just one person, you have made a difference. I purchased his newest book titled History Decoded: The 10 Greatest Conspiracies of All Time. Also, I had the opportunity to meet Meltzer and have my book signed. His speech was inspiring to me as an educator and an individual.
I participated in three different workshops today. The first workshop was titled "Communicate, Lead, and Succeed!" The speaker focused on ways that we can easily change our speech and words to be more successful in the classroom. Eleanor Roosevelt once said, "Train other people how to treat us." It is important as educators that we act as role models and model effective communication by maintaining a positive attitude and avoiding 'toxic' people.
The second workshop that I attended was called "Cooling Down Your Classroom." The founder of Mindful Practices is an educator from Chicago that realized that students need social and emotional learning along with the academic curriculum. Throughout her discussion, she introduced ways to integrate yoga and breathing exercises into the classroom. Her ideas may be found in her book titled Cooling Down Your Classroom. I also have a PDF version of the handout that outlines several ideas that I would be more than happy to share.
Lastly, I attended a workshop that introduced a variety of games and activities for all ages. He shared many ideas for grouping students, teambuilding, and grabbing the students' attention. All of the activities that we completed during the session required little to no equipment and could easily be modified to meet the needs of all grade levels.
I look forward to participating in a few more workshops tomorrow and listening to Keynote Speaker F