Teacher Workshops

A Reader’s Workshop in the Arabic Class, 3-8
Strand: Reading/Writing Workshop Models
Take a journey through the Reader’s workshop steps as applied in the Arabic class: read aloud, guided reading, independent reading and conferencing. Participants will see how Arabic language teachers can help students to become successful and independent readers.
SARAH ABDALLAH, American Community School Beirut, Lebanon

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Creating Voice and Choice in Our Classrooms, K-12
Strand: Human Flourishing
We will share our journey of discovering the importance of learner agency in our classrooms and share ways to implement agency by shifting our teaching methodology and empowering students to personalize their learning by identifying and pursuing their areas of interest/passion.
NAZLI AHMED & SAADIA HAMMAD, International Schools Group, Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia

Please bring a laptop/tablet.

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UDL as a Framework for Personalized Learning, K-12
Strand: Meeting the needs of all learners
Personalized learning creates customizable, student-driven learning experiences. While great in theory, planning for this approach is challenging. Learn how UDL (Universal Design for Learning) is a tool for meeting that challenge. We will review UDL principles and apply UDL to your curriculum design process, discovering opportunities for personalization.
LINDSEY ANDERSON, American School of Bombay, Mumbai, India

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We Can Do Hard Things, PK-12
Strand: Human Flourishing
Comfort zones and fear of failure hold us back from growing and flourishing. As educators, we need skills, strategies and mentalities (ie, "grit," "growth mindset”, and the power of the word "yet") to welcome challenges as opportunities for growth and to better model and instill these values and mindsets in our students.
ROSLYN DOTTERWEICH, The American International School of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

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Please bring a laptop/tablet.

Executive Function and Empathy: Skills for Life, K-12
Strands: Meeting the needs of all learners, Human Flourishing, Creating a Culture of Thinking, Instructional Coaching, Early Childhood
Are you struggling to meet the social and academic needs of all students? The development of Executive Function Skills is foundational to cognitive and social growth. Learning how to embed empathy, skills and strategies in everyday practice gives students access to their greater potential while enhancing their social emotional wellbeing.
HEATHER KINGSTON & SUANNE WALLIN, American School of Dubai, UAE

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Scaffolding NGSS with 5E, 3D, and Inquiry, 6-12
Strand: Science
This session focuses on planning inquiry-based science curriculum using the NGSS 3-Dimensions within the 5E lesson plan. Participants will engage in a short inquiry investigation, learn about the Model-Based Inquiry Learning Framework, and plan a lesson or share ideas. Many helpful planning resources will be shared.
JENNIFER LeBLANC, Riffa Views International School, Manama, Bahrain

Please bring a laptop/tablet.

Math Class: Let's Get Them Engaged, 1-12
Strands: Meeting the needs of all learners, Standards-based Learning, Math
Pose a problem. Withhold some information. Get students curious. Get them to put some skin in the game. Have them notice, wonder, and make predictions. Now they are likely to learn and retain new knowledge. Learn how to adjust your text problems so students want to engage with the math.
ALAN LITTLE & CAROL LITTLE, American School of Doha, Qatar

Please bring a laptop/tablet.

Our Learning Journey in Early Childhood Education, PK-1
Strand: Early Childhood
We are excited to share the evolution of our Pre-K program, from creating a philosophy to implementing our research. We strive to provide a play-based learning environment with an emphasis on the Reggio Emilia approach. Participants will also share to create a collaborative learning community around Early Childhood practice.
EMMA NELSON & DIANA AJAMIAN, American Embassy School, New Delhi, India

Please bring a laptop/tablet.

Teaching with the Heart in Mind, 6-12
Strands: Human Flourishing, Creating a Culture of Thinking
As we pursue cultures of thinking in our schools, let’s not forget the transformative power of emotion to engage students, make learning stick, and inspire active citizenship. Learn a simple adaptation of Visible Thinking routines that creates vital, though underutilized, opportunities to teach critical feeling and develop empathy.
KEVIN WORKMAN, Saudi Aramco Expatriate Schools, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia

Help! Does anyone here know RTI?!, K-12
Strand: Meeting the needs of all learners
RTI is a powerful, innovative school-wide approach that identifies students who need academic or behavior support. Explore the multi-tiered approach of RTI and how to customize it for your school setting. You will have Padlet access to tools, activities, and research websites to support your RTI implementation.
NOUR ARKADAN & GREG OVERLIE, American Community School Beirut, Lebanon

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Please bring a laptop/tablet.

Progress Monitoring Social Emotional Learning, All
Strand: Meeting the needs of all learners
In this session, participants will understand the impact of SEL on learning and life outcomes, learn SEL progress monitoring frameworks, and explore tools and data.
PRISCILLA BADE-WHITE, American School of Bombay, Mumbai, India

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Please bring a laptop/tablet.

Who Can be "Smart" in this Classroom?, 3-12
Strands: Meeting the needs of all learners, Content Area Pedagogy: All areas
As students engage with their peers during group work, they bring perceptions of who is/isn’t “smart” which can present barriers to equitable and successful learning. When teachers pay attention to “status hierarchies” in the classroom through the use of three key strategies, groups can function more equitably.
(SARA) SUNSHINE CAMPBELL, American Embassy School, New Delhi, India

It’s All About the Thinking, 5-12
Strands: Meeting the needs of all learners, Human Flourishing, Learning Innovations, Content Area Pedagogy: All areas
Working with mediums such as literature, non-fiction, and art, we nudge students to reach for a greater depth of understanding. As students merge their thinking with themes and concepts, they build empathy and develop deeper connections. Whether you teach art, science, or ELA, you will find some takeaways.
LISA COOKE, Saudi Aramco Expatriate Schools, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia

Please bring a laptop/tablet.

Personalizing Thinking Routines: Meeting Standards, 3-12
Strands: Standards-based Learning, Creating a Culture of Thinking
The power of Thinking Routines lies in selecting those that foster the learning you most value and wish to promote in your classroom, then using those routines routinely. See examples of routines adapted to meet teachers' goals and standards, then begin personalizing thinking routines for your own classes.
CLAYTON FILTER, American International School Chennai, India

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Positive Education: May the Force be with you, K-12
Strands: Meeting the needs of all learners, Human Flourishing, Content Area Pedagogy: All areas
Positive Education is where academics, character and well-being meet. Learn about the work of Martin Seligman, Carol Dweck, Lea Waters and Angela Duckworth, and how a strengths-based approach can revolutionize you personally and professionally. Leave with practical strategies and materials to enhance your personal well-being and educational practices.
JEN HAMMONDS, American School of Doha, Qatar

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Big Learning, Small Communities: Approaching Personalized Education, 9-12
Strands: Meeting the needs of all learners, Standards-based Learning
Get a taste of life in a Small Learning Community—a place where students are encouraged to dream wildly as they synthesize standards into interdisciplinary projects. Together we will unpack standards, design projects, and reflect on what it means to put individualized student learning at the heart of teaching.

LORA HAWKINS & MICAH ZEIMETZ, American School of Kuwait, Hawalli

Third Culture Kids: Knowing Their Stories, K-12
Strands: Meeting the needs of all learners, Human Flourishing
Teachers will walk away with a greater understanding and awareness of Third Culture Kids (TCKs) in international school communities and have practical skills to apply within their roles as educators to support this population. The resentation is based on TCK literature and a TCK documentary filmed by the presenter.
ADAM KARSTEN, International Schools Group, Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia

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Creating a Collaborative Coaching Culture, K-12
Strand: Instructional Coaching
An instructional coach at AIS Kuwait, Dr Kisicek will describe the journey of developing a collaborative coaching culture rooted in the professional practices the instructional coaching team has established. Engage in a learning experience involving key coaching tools and strategies.
SANJA KISICEK, American International School Kuwait, Salmiya

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Teaching Young Students to Set, Monitor and Accomplish Goals, K-5
Strands: Meeting the needs of all learners, Human Flourishing, Creating a Culture of Thinking
Learn the importance of goal setting with students to promote self-reflection, monitoring and a sense of accomplishment. Setting goals promotes positive learning, a growth mindset, intrinsic motivation, reflection and awareness in children. This initiative can help teachers to improve classroom management, behavior issues, differentiation and lack of motivation.
ANA GABRIELA MORALES, Cairo American College, Egypt

Improving Pedagogy Through Meaningful Lab Sites, K-5
Strand: Content Area Pedagogy: All areas
Learn how to introduce, educate, set up, and conduct meaningful lab sites, from exploring their purpose and rationale and understanding how to implement them, to ensuring they become an integral and sustainable practice. The presenters are lab site participants who will provide authentic and current learning experiences.
ANN PETERSON & ASHLEY SHEPPARD, American Community School of Abu Dhabi, UAE

Creating a More Compassionate Curriculum, K-12
Strands: Human Flourishing, Service and Sustainability
Looking for ways to connect classroom learning to real-world issues? To better answer the question, “Why are we learning this?”? To help students develop greater compassion? We will explore how the UN Sustainable Development Goals and compassionate action can be used as the framework for learning.
CALLIE BUSHMILLER, Riffa Views International School, Manama, Bahrain

Please bring a laptop/tablet.

Fostering a Culture of Thinking, 6-12
Strand: Creating a Culture of Thinking
This workshop embraces and encourages students to pause and work on creating skills of a lifelong-learner, valuing the learning process over the end result. Get students on board with new teaching models by focusing on ways to teach them how to think as they learn each day.
AMANDA DUNN & JOSEPH DUNN, American School of Kuwait, Hawalli

Error Analysis and Critical Thinking in Math, 6-12
Strands: Standards-based Learning, Math
Designed for Grades 6-12 teachers of mathematics, this workshop’s essential question is: "Can the use of error analysis (erroneous examples) - help encourage critical thinking in math class?" In particular, can it help with regards to the Common Core Standards for Mathematical Practices 1, 3 and 6?
WILLIAM EVERETT, The Universal American School, Khaldiya, Kuwait

Dynamic Language Based Activities, 1-12
Strand: Meeting the needs of all learners
This workshop is geared towards improving student communication skills in a structured and interactive way. Students love to talk, so why not hone those skills, and help build confidence in English Language Learners? You will leave with easily adaptable activities to use in your classroom the next day!
SAMANTA FLEURANT, American International School Kuwait, Salmiya

Culturally Responsive Teaching, K-12
Strand: Meeting the needs of all learners
How can we ensure students feel included and appreciated in our increasingly diverse classrooms? This workshop aims to begin a dialogue about becoming more culturally inclusive so students from all backgrounds feel recognized and valued. Leave with practical strategies that can be implemented right away.
NINA GILLUM-ROME & MARK SUTTERLIN, Saudi Aramco Expatriate Schools, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia

History Day Projects: Inquiry for Historical Thinking, 7-12
Strand: Learning Innovations
Project based learning, inquiry, and historical thinking — all powerful ideas within a Social Studies classroom. Examine student work from the National History Day (NHD) contest and consider how this extended project can meet the inquiry and history objectives of C3. Useful resources and teaching tools provided.
ROBERT GOLD, American International School Chennai, India

Please bring a laptop/tablet.

Teaching Grammar & Conventions in Workshop Model, 1-6
Strand: Reading/Writing Workshop Models
Writing Workshop is an excellent way to share the craft of writing with students, but sometimes it feels like it is missing the “basics”. Join me as I share some tips for planning and incorporating the teaching of grammar and conventions into your one-on-one or small group conferences with students.
KATHERINE LUM, American School of Kuwait, Hawall

Change Your Words, Change Your Mindset, K-12
Strand: Human Flourishing
Gain insights on growth mindset and how to apply it to cultivate a growth mindset culture. Explore how to address students’ individualities by building relationships with them, establishing a positive classroom environment and encouraging students to learn how growth mindset “language” influences the way they think and learn.
ELEFTHERIA MARATOU & CHRISTINA VENOS, American Community Schools of Athens, Greece

Please bring a laptop/tablet.

Systems Thinking Tools for Deeper Analysis & Decision Making, 3-12
Strands: Human Flourishing, Learning Innovations, Creating a Culture of Thinking, Content Area Pedagogy: All areas
Things don't happen in isolation — systems thinking is always helpful for you AND your students. This session will define systems thinking and engage with systems thinking tools for use in your classroom, meeting room (or even family meetings). Walk away with a new idea/tool to use immediately!
LAURENCE MYERS, American School of Dubai, UAE

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Hack Google Classroom and Form, K-12
Strands: Learning Innovations, Standards-based Learning
This workshop provides a walk-through of how to manage Google Classroom. Learn how to create a Google Classroom class, then fully experience it from the student’s perspective. Finally, explore how to create an interactive Google Form and connect it to Google classroom (quiz) or Google Sheets for data analysis.
SHERIF NABAWY*, Cairo American College, Egypt
*Google Certified Trainer

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Please bring a laptop/tablet.

The Practice of an Inclusive Education, K-12
Strand: Meeting the needs of all learners
This workshop will briefly review the history of inclusion, give a detailed definition of inclusion, and examine instructional practices which support this educational model. It will clarify the role of general education teachers and other collaborators, as well as review some advantages and disadvantages of inclusive education.
MELICIA SPURGEON, Al-Bayan Bilingual School, Hawally, Kuwait

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School Maker Faire: How We Did It!, K-12
Strands: Meeting the needs of all learners, Learning Innovations, Service and Sustainability
Do you want to highlight Making at your school in an interesting and fun way? Hold a Maker Faire! Learn what a Maker Faire is, how ASD is building its Maker culture, and get help on how to conduct your own school or community Maker Faire.
BRIAN WRIGHT, American School of Doha, Qatar