STMA staff, call Denice at x1300 for more information or to register.
All newly hired , non-tenured staff will come together to learn, problem solve, address concerns, and SHARE! Each session will focus on a topic specific to being a new teacher in the STMA school district.
All New Teachers
Albertville Primary - Staff Development Room 207
4 sessions: 3:45-5:00; Sept.23, Oct. 21, Jan. 20, Feb. 24
Teri Johnson, District Mentorship Director
Roger Bovee
Teachers
7 per session
All classes will take place in Technology Training Lab unless stated otherwise.
Learn how to use Windows Movie Maker to implement movies, pictures, and sounds to jazz up your lessons. See real examples of how STMA students have used this application at the elementary level. We will edit movie clips from United Streaming and other media sources. Completing the project will be the addition of voice and/or sound effects. When the project is done, learn how to save, transfer, and play the video on your computer. It is best if you have access to digital photos and some music to complete a simple music video.
Oct. 21st or April 8th from 3:45-5:45
Sept. 24th or April 7th from 2:30-4:30
Tired of trying to make fancy posters on Word? Create business cards, tri-fold brochures, or fancy newsletters like the pros! Publisher is an application which allows you to easily manipulate pictures, clip art, graphics, and text to make newsletter and dynamic posters. Learn how students can use this to complete assignments like never before.
Nov. 19th or Feb 11th from 3:45-5:45
Nov. 18th or Feb. 4th from 2:30-4:30
So you wished the school web site could do a little more? Your wish is our command. Moodle is a system that is designed to teach complete courses without ever seeing your students. No, you can’t shed the little ones, but you can still use Moodle to enhance your curriculum like never before. Learn how SMART Boards and Moodle can reinforce your dynamic lessons and save you time in the long run… lots and lots of time.
Oct. 29th or Jan. 14th from 3:45-5:45
Oct . 28th or Jan. 11th from 2:30-4:30
Technology-Based Project Learning, or TBPL, is an instructional approach that facilitates a culture where students are self-motivated. It challenges students to be more creative and do more critical thinking. When project-based learning is integrated with technology, it becomes an even more powerful strategy in preparing students for the future. ($20 registration fee)
Jan. 20th from 3:45-5:45
You will learn tips and tricks regarding the newest version of Notebook to make your lesson more dynamic for your students. In addition, you will learn about the student clickers, called Response (formerly Senteo) and how to add this interactive tool to your lesson. Participants will have time to create an engaging lesson involving the free application SMART Notebook and learn how to share it with other colleagues.
September 22nd or October 1st from 3:45-5:45
September 14th or September 23rd from 2:30-4:30
Learn some cool web 2.0 tools to use with your students. Google offers many free online tools that are simple to use. Google has simulated Word, Powerpoint, and Excel and offer them free to you. In addition, they are always online, so you can edit them anywhere without ever having to move them. PLUS, you can share them with anyone. Talk about collaboration!
Feb 8th from 2:30-4:30
Feb 15th from 3:45-5:45
Rita Swansen-Valerius
Paras
7 per session
All classes will take place in Technology Training Lab unless stated otherwise.
Would you like your documents and letters to look more professional? This class is an introduction to Microsoft Office Word 2007 where you will learn how to create, save and edit and format documents and prepare them for printing. Some of the tools you will use and learn are formatting text, line spacing, margins and tabs.
Oct. 13 from 3:30-5:30
Jan. 20 from 2:30-4:30
Continue learning how to create and edit professional looking documents in Microsoft Office Word 2007. In this class you will learn to create tables and manage multiple-page documents by using headers & footers and page numbering. You will also learn to use indentations, bullets & numbering, working with Styles and Formatting tools, and clip art.
Jan. 18 in the MW Media Computer Lab from 9-11:00 am
Feb. 3 from 2:30-4:30
Learn your way around Microsoft Office Excel 2007. We will start at the beginning and eliminate your spreadsheet fears! In this class you will: Understand the screen environment, set up a basic spreadsheet, create simple formulas, manipulate your document by adjusting text alignments, changing row/column height widths, format your data with enhancements such as font style, font size, font color, borders and currency and preview and print your document.
Nov. 17 from 3:30-5:30
Jan. 26 from 2:30-4:30
Continue learning skills in Microsoft Office Excel 2007 so you can format spreadsheets, by creating custom Auto Fill lists, headers and footers and templates. You will learn how to freeze and unfreeze panes, work with functions, auto sums, linking worksheets, hyperlinks, sorting and filtering data and charts.
Jan. 18 in the MW Media Computer Lab from 1-3:00 pm
Feb. 9 from 2:30-4:30
Would you like to learn how to create tri-fold brochures, fancy newsletters, greeting cards, award certificates, posters, or business cards, like the pros? You can be the creative one or you can allow Publisher 2007 to be creative for you. Microsoft Publisher 2007 is an application which allows you to easily manipulate pictures, clip art, graphics, and text to make your creations look like the pros!
Oct. 6 or Oct. 20 from 3:30-5:30
Nov. 12 or Jan. 7 from 2:30-4:30
With today’s times; you need to have the skills when it comes to “electronic communication”. This class covers the basics of emails, attachments, creating and organizing contacts and distribution groups. Also covered will be the basics of using the calendar, reminders and tasks.
Dec. 8 from 3:30-5:30
Oct. 22 from 2:30-4:30
Become more organized with Microsoft Office Outlook by taking this class! This class will refresh you on the correct way of saving attachments from an email, organizing your contacts, and working more with distribution groups. We will also cover more ground on using the calendar, appointments, reminders, tasks, and different printing options for some of the applications.
Jan. 12 from 3:30-5:30
Nov. 2 from 2:30-4:30
This short book, written by Steven Leinwand, focuses on ten highly effective strategies for math instruction. Examples of how small adjustments to your teaching can lead to deeper student understanding is the basis of this book. Read it, discuss it and try the suggestions in your classroom.
ALL Math Teachers
Albertville Primary: Staff Development Room 207
3 Sessions, Sept. 30, Oct. 12, Oct. 28 3:45-5:00
Teri Johnson, District Staff Development Director
With this book as our guide, we will read about and discuss some effective strategies for the adolescent classroom “You’ll find best practices in key areas such as writing, comprehension, vocabulary, cooperative learning, new literacies, assessment and the content areas.” Included are “effective teaching methods for the general secondary student and specific populations such as struggling readers and English-Language Learners”. Learn ways to help all students become academically literate in the content areas.
Middle School and High School Teachers
Albertville Primary: Staff Development Room 207
5 Sessions, Oct. 13, Nov. 10, Dec. 8, Jan. 19, Feb. 16; 3:45-5:00
Karla Wheeler, District Reading Specialist
Join us in discussing this wonderful book on teaching students with autism. As the back cover reads, “Brought to life with powerful first-hand stories and creative strategies that really work, ‘You’re Going to Love this Kid!’ is your practical guide to understanding students with autism and including them fully in the classroom.” Many of the strategies and insights offered are applicable to other special needs (emotional/behavioral, English Language Learners, etc…) as well as to “regular education” students.
ALL
Big Woods Media Center
3 Sessionsm, January 4, January 25 & February 22; 3:45-5:00
Lisa Sorensen, Autism Consultant for Sherburne, Northern Wright Education Cooperative & Cathy Thomas, STMA Social Worker
In this class, we will discuss the philosophy behind Response to Intervention (RtI), a method of academic intervention designed to provide early, effective assistance to children who are having difficulty learning. We will also discuss the branch of RtI that addresses social, emotional and behavioral difficulties (Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS)). This class will allow time for ongoing networking for teachers, discussion, implementation and evaluation of RtI practices.
ALL
STMA High School (Room to be determined)
Oct. 22, Nov. 5, Nov. 19, Dec. 3; 3:45-5:00
Joanna Vagle, Teacher
Discover the science behind teaching! Learning & Memory: The Brain in Action will review what brain researchers are discovering about learning and memory and apply it to the situations educators face in the classroom everyday. How to Teach so Students Remember explains the seven steps necessary to store information in to the long-term memory, or “learn” it. The author of both books, Marilee Sprenger, a practicing teacher, has spent years studying neurological research and training educators in brain-compatible teaching methods. These books are practical, interesting, and a must-read for any educator.
ALL
Albertville Primary: Staff Development Room 207
6 sessions: Sept. 21, Oct. 26, Nov. 16, Jan. 12, Jan. 26, Feb. 23; 3:45-5:00
Teri Johnson, District Staff Development Director
Accommodating the full range of student diversity is a challenge faced by every teacher. “So Each May Learn: Integrating Learning Styles and Multiple Intelligences” is a book that provides a means of meeting that challenge. Increase your understanding of these powerful learning models and have some extra time to make your lessons and units more student friendly.
ALL
Albertville Primary: Staff Development Room 207
5 Sessions, Nov. 12, Dec. 10, Jan. 7, Jan. 28, Feb. 18 3:45-5:00
Teri Johnson, District Staff Development Director
Learn how this innovative art-based approach to literacy instruction can transform your classroom. By using an Artist/Writers Workshop mode, Beth shows how to use quality picture books and hands-on art experiences to visualize and “paint pictures with words”. This is not an add-on activity but rather a way of presenting the existing curriculum. All students can benefit from this approach, but it is especially helpful for those learners who struggle with verbal skills.
The book is written primarily for grades 1-6 but the approach has been used successfully with Kindergarten and Secondary students as well.
3 Sessions: Sept. 22, Oct. 20, Nov. 17; 3:45-5:00
Albertville Primary: Staff Development Room 207
Karla Wheeler, District Reading Specialist
Selecting the Right Research-Based Strategy for Every Lesson is a repertoire of twenty strategies proven to reach diverse learners and organized into five groups of instruction.
ALL
Albertville Primary: Staff Development Room 207
5 Sessions: Oct. 8, Nov. 3, Jan.5, Feb. 9, March 2; 3:45-5:00
Teri Johnson, District Staff Development Director
Join Cathy Thomas, school social worker, in reading and discussing “Teaching Children to Care”, a Responsive Classroom book that offers practical strategies for creating a respectful, friendly classroom. As highlighted in the April 2009 Responsive Classroom Newsletter, this book “offers practical suggestions for classroom management, and it explains the philosophy behind the techniques…. It’s a rare book that provides teachers with ideas in the moment and food for thought over the long term.”
K-2 Teachers
Albertville Primary: Staff Development Room 207
3 Sessions: Sept. 14, Oct. 5, Nov. 2 ; 3:15-4:30
Cathy Thomas, STMA Social Worker