AOD Catholic Schools
Professional
Development Days
2023-2024
01 Sessions
Participants attend the in-person PD at designated locations and/or access the archived recordings found on this website.
02 SCECHs
Adhere to SCECH PROCESS guidelines to ensure receipt of SCECHs.
03 Survey
Please provide your valued feedback for any professional development you attend or recordings you view using this link.
SESSIONS
Sessions from prior PD Days can be found by clicking on the "Archive Sessions" link on the upper right of this website.
PRE-K
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9:00 AM - 12:00 PM | 3 Training Hours
Higher Order Thinking: Creativity
This professional development segment builds upon the Higher Order Thinking module from the fall, and specifically focuses on the inherent value in open-ended art experiences. We will learn and discuss how technology can be incorporated into creative classroom experiences and how teacher interaction can facilitate higher order thinking (HOT) skills.
High Order Thinking: Tinkering
Building upon the Higher Order Thinking module from the fall, this professional learning will help to develop strategies promoting higher order thinking skills and a deeper understanding of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) in the preschool classroom. We will work on designing STEM challenges that are appropriate for preschool children, offering an engaging, hands-on experience that will enhance critical thinking skills and collaborative work.
Presenter: Cathy Rowe
Bio:
Cathy Rowe teaches prek-4 at Guardian Angels Catholic School where she is also a member of the SIP committee and leadership team. Cathy holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Northwestern University and holds her CDA in Early Childhood, Preschool. She has worked in both the private and public sectors before pursuing teaching, her true vocation. She is a member of the NAEYC, MiAEYC, and the Oakland County Child Care Council. She is originally from the great state of New Jersey, but has called Michigan her home for over 30 years.
Cathy began teaching in 2004 and came to Guardian Angels in 2015. She is the product of 12 years of Catholic education herself and chose Catholic schools for her son as well! Cathy believes very strongly in the impact of Catholic education and the importance of introducing small children to the love of Jesus Christ. She feels privileged to teach in the Archdiocese of Detroit and to serve its littlest students.
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1:00 PM - 2:30 PM | Cathechesis of the Good Shepherd: Lenten Lessons
We will continue to explore Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, a hands-on, Montessori-based approach to faith formation. Building upon the learnings from the fall, we will specifically focus on a lesson that can be used during Lent within the preschool classroom. Some lessons will be demonstrated exactly as they would take place within an Atrium. Jill will provide hands-on CGS materials for Preschool teachers to examine and utilize as she guides them through a re-enactment of The Last Supper.
Presenter: Jill Gaylord
Bio:
Jill Gaylord is a parishioner and Catechesis of the Good Shepherd catechist at Our Lady of Good Counsel in Plymouth, MI. She coordinates the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program at the parish school where she works with the students in preschool through third grade. She holds a degree in Music Therapy from MSU, has been married for 22 years to her husband John, and has two boys, Tyler (19) and Evan (15).
K-8
Differentiated Instructional Strategies and Practical Uses of Artificial Intelligence (5 SCECHs)
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Description and Objectives
Description for grades K-8:
On day two of our differentiation journey, we’ll continue to explore the principles and practices that are foundational to cultivating a responsive classroom, as well as practical strategies to support the needs of diverse learners. Specifically, we’ll investigate readiness-based differentiated strategies, choice-based differentiated strategies, ideas for flexibly grouping and managing the classroom, and how Artificial Intelligence (AI) might aid in the planning process. Participants will leave the session empowered and equipped with a toolkit of differentiated teaching strategies and resources to apply immediately in their classrooms.
Key Objectives:
- Review and Deepen Understanding of Differentiation Principles: Participants will review the foundational principles of Differentiation through interactive discussions, case studies, and practical examples. Explore how Differentiation contributes to inclusive and student-centered instruction.
- Apply Differentiation Strategies in Lesson Planning: Educators can apply differentiation strategies practically by creating lesson plans tailored to students' varied learning styles, abilities, and interests. Gain hands-on experience in crafting engaging and inclusive lessons.
- Collaborate Effectively for Differentiated Instruction: Engage with collaborative planning strategies to enhance your ability to work collectively with colleagues. Leverage diverse perspectives and techniques to seamlessly incorporate Differentiation into upcoming lessons or units.
- Integrate Technology to Support Differentiation: Explore and effectively integrate cutting-edge artificial intelligence technology tools to support differentiation and personalize learning experiences for students with varying needs and abilities, ensuring an inclusive and tech-savvy classroom environment.
Resources Needed for Professional Learning Session:
Please ensure that you have access to the following materials. These items will enable you to actively participate in the activities and make the most of the learning opportunities:
- Laptop or Tablet: Access to a device will enhance your experience by integrating technology to support Differentiation during the session. All handouts will be online.
- Smartphone: QR codes may be available during the presentation to access activities and survey.
- Notebook and Writing Utensils: Bring a notebook and writing utensils to take notes during the sessions and actively engage in collaborative planning activities.
- Lesson Plans or Unit Outlines: Bring or have access to any existing lesson plans or unit outlines you have developed. You will apply differentiation strategies to your materials during the workshop. If you select Option 1 for the afternoon session, also bring your Star Math or Reading Screening Report and Instructional Report, as well as an upcoming Math or Reading lesson.
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Presenters
K-3 ASCD Presenter: Jennifer Beasley, Ed.D.
Bio:
Jennifer Beasley, Ed.D., has more than 25 years of experience in education as an elementary school teacher, gifted facilitator, and university professor. After receiving an M.A. in Education Administration and Gifted Education, Jennifer completed her doctoral work in Educational Psychology at the University of Virginia. She is currently the Director of Teacher Education at the University of Arkansas and works preparing teacher candidates for today’s classrooms. She has been a member of ASCD’s Differentiated Instruction Cadre for over a decade and provides engaging workshops both nationally and internationally. Dr. Beasley has also facilitated ASCD Professional Development Institutes across the United States focusing on Understanding by Design, Differentiation, and Assessment.
Link to Jennifer’s Google Drive for Resources
4-8 ASCD Presenter: Eric Carbaugh, Ph.D.
Bio:
Eric Carbaugh, Ph.D., is a skilled educator with primary and secondary teaching experience; an award-winning, tenured university professor; and an effective and seasoned member of ASCD’s Differentiated Instruction and Understanding by Design (UbD®) Cadres. He is currently a full-time professor at James Madison University in the Department of Middle, Secondary, and Math Education where he teaches a variety of education classes across all content areas. He has co-authored several books including The Differentiated Flipped Classroom: A Practical Guide to Digital Learning, Designing Authentic Performance Tasks and Projects: Tools for Meaningful Learning and Assessment, and Building Educator Capacity Through Microcredentials. A common thread among all his work is the relationship between the learning environment, curriculum, instruction, and assessment, and how educators can leverage each of these to better meet the needs of diverse learners. Dr. Carbaugh holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Psychology from the University of Virginia, a Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Mary Washington, and a Bachelor of Arts in Government and Economics from the University of Virginia.
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K-8 Agenda
8:30 AM - 8:45 AM: Sign In
8:45 AM – 9:00 AM: Welcome/Prayer
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM: Differentiated Instructional Strategies & Practical Uses of AI
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM: LUNCH
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM: Instructional Planning & Implementing DI Strategies
- Option 1: Analytical - Formative Assessment Analysis. Use information from either a formative assessment or recent STAR data to design a tiered activity as modeled during the morning session. Templates and examples will be provided.
- Option 2: Practical - Design a choice-based differentiated activity for an upcoming lesson. You can choose to use either learning menus, TriMind, or RAFTs. These strategies were part of a jigsaw activity completed during the morning session.
2:00 PM – 2:50 PM: DI Creation & Collaboration
In small groups of 3-4, design a poster using either Google Drawings or chart paper to be shared on Padlet.
- On your poster, you will visually summarize what you’ve learned about differentiation, including what you think is most relevant to your classes. Think of this as an infographic where you can use a mixture of words and pictures. Again, the idea is to be creative with how you represent your learning!
2:50 PM - 3:00 PM: AOD Survey & Sign Out
HIGH SCHOOL
Differentiated Instructional Strategies and Practical Uses of Artificial Intelligence (5 SCECHs)
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Description and Objectives
High School Description:
Embark on a transformative journey in Differentiated Instruction. This holistic, hands-on workshop, intended to build upon the content from the fall by deepening and extending your learning, emphasizes effective strategies, collaborative planning, and technology integration across diverse content areas. Engage in collaborative planning sessions, create differentiated lessons, explore technology integration, and refine monitoring and evaluation strategies. Our workshop goes beyond theory, offering practical insights and resources to create inclusive, student-centered instruction that caters to every learner's diverse needs and abilities. Join us on this enriching journey to empower educators with practical tools and strategies for creating inclusive and effective learning environments.
Key Objectives:
- Review and Deepen Understanding of Differentiation Principles: Participants will review the foundational principles of Differentiation through interactive discussions, case studies, and practical examples. Explore how Differentiation contributes to inclusive and student-centered instruction.
- Apply Differentiation Strategies in Lesson Planning: Educators can apply differentiation strategies practically by creating lesson plans tailored to students' varied learning styles, abilities, and interests. Gain hands-on experience in crafting engaging and inclusive lessons.
- Collaborate Effectively for Differentiated Instruction: Engage with collaborative planning strategies to enhance your ability to work collectively with colleagues. Leverage diverse perspectives and techniques to seamlessly incorporate Differentiation into upcoming lessons or units.
- Integrate Technology to Support Differentiation: Explore and effectively integrate cutting-edge artificial intelligence technology tools to support differentiation and personalize learning experiences for students with varying needs and abilities, ensuring an inclusive and tech-savvy classroom environment.
Resources Needed for Professional Learning Session:
Please ensure that you have access to the following materials. These items will enable you to actively participate in the activities and make the most of the learning opportunities:
- Laptop or Tablet: Access to a device will enhance your experience by integrating technology to support Differentiation during the session. The majority of our handouts will be online.
- Smartphone: QR codes may be available to access activities and survey.
- Notebook and Writing Utensils: Bring a notebook and writing utensils to take notes during the sessions and actively engage in collaborative planning activities.
- Lesson Plans or Unit Outlines: Bring or have access to any existing lesson plans or unit outlines you have developed. You will have the opportunity to apply differentiation strategies to your materials.
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Presenter
ASCD Presenter: Opal Dawson
Bio:
Opal Davis Dawson is an author, consultant, coach, facilitator, and award-winning retired PreK–5 public Montessori school principal with over 30 years of experience in K-12 education. Dawson is an ASCD Faculty Member and has led the implementation of the Understanding by Design® framework and the implementation of professional learning communities (PLCs) to work collaboratively to improve teaching skills and students' academic performance.
Opal has worked extensively with K-12 educators in Title 1 and non-Title 1 schools, spanning small, large, urban, rural, and suburban districts at all levels, both elementary and secondary. She supports school leaders, district leaders, and teachers nationally and internationally. In addition, Opal plans and implements improvement initiatives and capacity-building and supports high academic achievement for diverse student populations and instructional best practices.
Mrs. Dawson presents various topics to K-12 educators, including conducting instructional rounds, coaching teachers and school leaders, balanced literacy, assessment practices, social-emotional learning, adult self-care, differentiated instruction, developing school culture, supporting students with behavioral and emotional challenges, defining para-educators roles and responsibilities, and increasing instructional leadership capacity. In addition, Opal has worked with educators to transition to a blended learning environment during the
pandemic and has developed and adapted tools for use while conducting classroom observations.
Dawson holds a Master of Education and Bachelor of Arts from the University of Louisville. She also has an Administration Certification from the University of Louisville.
Dawson has co-authored the book Best College Match: 5 Steps that Earned $1 Million in Scholarships (BK Royston Publishers, 2016), which focuses on college and career readiness for middle and high school students.
In addition, she works and helps students find scholarships for their best post-secondary match where they will meet with the most success. Opal is a native of Chicago, IL, and lives in Louisville, KY, with her husband.
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High School Agenda
8:30 AM – 8:45 AM: Check In/Sign In
8:45 AM – 9:00 AM: Welcome/Prayer
9:00 AM - 9:30 AM: Session 1: Differentiation Principles
- Review of Differentiated Instruction
- Interactive Discussions on Inclusive Instruction
- Case Studies and Practical Examples
9:30 AM – 11:30 AM: Session 2: Applying Differentiation in Lesson Planning
- Dynamic Lesson Planning: “Chopped” Style Activity
- Hands-on Differentiation: Crafting Differentiated Lesson Plans
- Peer Review and Feedback
10:15 AM - 10:30 AM: Break
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM: LUNCH
12:30 PM – 1:30 PM: Session 3: Collaborative Planning for Differentiated Instruction
- Collaborative Planning Strategies
- Inclusive Curriculum Development
- Flexible Grouping Strategies
- Break (1:30 PM - 1:45 PM)
1:45 PM – 2:45 PM: Session 4: Integrating Technology to Support Differentiation
- Exploring Technology Tools
- Personalizing Learning Experiences
- Tech Integration Strategies
2:45 PM – 3:00 PM: Closing Remarks and Evaluations
3:00 PM: Sign Out
STAR HOW-TO WEBINARS
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Pre-Recorded
These pre-recorded webinars offer beginner to advanced learning on the Star assessments, Interpreting Data, and Enhancing instruction.
SCECH: 1 each
Troubleshooting?
Click here: Joining and participating in a Zoom Webinar (attendee)
Questions?
Contact Dr. May Bluestein, Assistant Superintendent, at bluestein.may@aod.org .
