Session Summaries for the 2006 Annual Teaching
Conference
Early Childhood Interest
The World of Arts and Crafts for the Four Seasons presented
by Patricia Solano, Art Teacher, Summit-Questa Montessori
School. Teachers will leave this session with great ideas
on how to incorporate arts and crafts into their curriculum
based on the four seasons theme. Help your young students
enjoy the changing seasons with fun, hands-on arts and
crafts activities. Handouts will be provided.
“Making Waves” — Exploring Movement Ideas for Kindergarten
through Second Grade presented by Danella Bedford,
Dance Instructor, Conchita Espinosa Academy. The session will provide monthly lesson plans teachers can
use to enhance the process of learning with specific activities designed to help
develop children’s creativity, self expression, confidence, social skills
and physical awareness.
Butterfly Gardening for Education! presented
by Charlene Strauss, Butterfly Enthusiast.
Butterflies provide children with fascinating opportunities to watch a life cycle
in a simple form. Time will be given to identify plants that attract butterflies
and ways to bring caterpillars into the classroom for observation. Handouts will
be distributed as instructional resources.
Pre-Primary & Elementary
Interest
Strategies for Success with Parent
Conferences presented
by Dr. Robert Hersh, Academy Psychologist, Killian Oaks Academy.
Drawing on a thirty-year career convening with parents regarding
their children’s psycho-educational program needs,
the presenter will identify representative topics discussed
in parent conferences, describe effective communication styles
that maximize conference outcomes, and review the ethical
considerations governing discussions with parents and the
documentation methods employed in the meetings. Handouts
will be distributed for future reference.
Breaking the Code: The New Science of
Beginning Reading and Writing presented
by Dr. J. Richard Gentry, Researcher, Author, Educational
Consultant and our Keynote Speaker. Did you ever
wonder where reading is located in your brain? Attend this
session to find out the answer, to learn some of the myths
and solve some of the mysteries of dyslexia, and to learn
how we can help beginning readers and struggling readers
break the code. Dr. Gentry’s participation is a contribution
from Zaner-Bloser Educational Publishers.
Elementary (Grades 1-6) Interest
Making Math Multi-Sensory presented
by Dr. E. Judith Cohen, Faculty Member, Department of Education
and Psychological Studies and Director, Office of Field
Experiences, College of Education, Florida International
University. This session
will present strategies and techniques for teaching mathematics
in a multi-sensory way. Activities that integrate visual,
auditory, and tactile-kinesthetic pathways will be demonstrated.
Elementary (Grades 1-5) and special education teachers will
gain the most benefit. Handouts will be provided.
Lessons from the Village … Building Character and
Community, presented by Kathy
Pickrel, Director of Children’s
Ministries, First Presbyterian Church of Fort Lauderdale
and Former Head of Lower School, Pine Crest School, Fort
Lauderdale Campus. Through discussion, hands-on activities,
and presentation of real-life examples, you will discover
ways to personalize and create your own character education
program, see how writing skills and self-esteem can be improved,
discuss how to convince parents of the importance of character
education, and learn how shared values can create community — with
children, parents and teachers.
Five Steps to Reading in 72 Lessons:
A Systematic and Comprehensive System Using Phonics presented
by Dr. Ijya Tulloss, Associate Professor and Program Director
of Montessori Education, Barry University. Teachers in Montessori and traditional classrooms
will gain a repertoire for enhancing the teaching of phonics
through hands-on and multi-sensory approaches. A step by
step lesson building in skills of decoding to reading will
be shown in a well-illustrated PowerPoint presentation.
Middle & Upper School
Interest
Cyber Bullying: A Concern for All
Schools presented by Peter
Gulotta, Headmaster, American Academy of Plantation, Suzanne
Bogdan, Attorney, Fisher & Phillips, LLP, Henry Schmitges,
Dean of Arlington Campus and Head of IT, DePaul School and
Rosemary Cvammen, Junior High Principal and Dean of Students
Grades 7-12, American Heritage School of Plantation. E-mails,
text messaging, voice mail and more are creating significant
challenges for students, parents and schools. The panel members
will define several problem areas and offer suggestions for
technical, school and legal procedures to meet the challenges.
There will be time for questions and answers.
Security Issues Related to Controlled
Substances in Schools,
presented by Chief Gerald Darling and
Commander Charles J. Hurley, Miami-Dade County Schools Police
Department. Through
their experience in Police Narcotics, these speakers recognize
the dangers the substances pose to our students, staff and
schools. There will be content presented on search and seizure
as it relates to schools. A static display will be shown
as a first-hand look at these dangerous substances. Handouts
will be distributed.
Anyone Can Be a Millionaire: Resources
for Economic Education presented
by Susan Spaulding, Director, Professional Development for
the Florida Council on Economic Education and Lyn Vital,
Director of Education for the National Foundation for Debt
Management. How do you get the attention of a room full of
fidgety students? Mention money! Using the programs of the
Florida Council on Economic Education and the National Council
on Economic Education, teachers can engage students in activities
that provide real-life opportunities to practice their writing,
reading, research, math, and technology skills while developing
financial literacy. Many of FCCE’s programs are FREE!
Special Interest
Psychopharmacology “101”:
What You Can Expect to See from Medications in the Classroom
presented by David Cremer, MD. Dr. Cremer will answer your
questions to help with understanding medications and their
use in the classroom. The speaker maintains a practice in
general, child and adolescent, and addiction psychiatry in
North Miami Beach.
Integrated Planning for Special Needs
Students in the General Education Classroom: How to Make
Inclusion Work presented
by John Carrier, Psycho-educational Specialist and Norka
Concepcion, Psycho-educational Specialist, Bertha Abess Children’s
Center, Inc. This session will address social skill interventions,
curriculum modifications and school-wide behavioral support
in a general education classroom setting.
Assistive Technologies for Struggling
Learners presented
by Roger Steinberg, Product Specialist, Kurzweil Educational
Systems. After an overview of the basic technologies such
as text-to-speech, talking word processors, screen readers,
word prediction and others, teachers and administrators will
learn what fundamental characteristics should be considered
when acquiring these technologies from a variety of sources.
School Leadership
Controlling Workers Compensation So
That It Does Not Control Your Budget presented
by Beth Block, Insurance Agent, Block Insurance Agency. School heads and senior administrators
recognize workers compensation coverage as a major budget
item. This popular speaker who has presented at several
AISF conferences returns to define the challenge from the
viewpoint of an insurance agent and to suggest ways to
control costs.
How to Use Your Local Media to Gain
Publicity for Your School presented
by Stacey Chejanovski, Marketing Coordinator, University
School of Nova Southeastern University. Small and large schools
seek efficient and effective ways to make contact with local
media. This session will describe how to easily access the
media and how to get recognition for your school’s
programs and activities. Attention will be given to what
the media likes to cover and how to recognize these types
of stories within your school.
Co-Accreditation for SACS and AISF Schools presented
by Dr. Judy Flatt, Associate Executive Director, Southern
Association of Colleges and Schools and Council on Accreditation
and School Improvement. Co-accreditation procedures can eliminate
the duplication of school effort by providing accreditation
from both agencies simultaneously. AISF was a pioneer in
recognizing the value of this relationship to its member
schools. Dr. Don Petry, Executive Director, National Council
for Private School Accreditation, will participate in this
session. There will be time for questions and answers.
General Interest I
Proper Selection and Care of Animals
in the Classroom, presented
by Jessica Potter, Miami-Dade County 4-H Youth Development
Agent and Christian Miller, Miami-Dade County Aquaculture
Agent, University of Florida IFAS Extension. This is a
useful introduction to terrariums and aquariums as well
as small caged animals that are seen in the classroom.
The presenters will introduce appropriate husbandry practices,
describe qualifications for selection, and explain proper
ways to maintain animals in a classroom environment.
Training Children on Ways to Prevent
Abuse presented by Melissa
Martin, Executive Director, and Rebecca Fernandez, Social
Worker, Program Coordinator, The Child Assault Prevention
Project of South Florida. Today’s society requires
that all teachers have increased awareness of potential child
abuse. The presenters will describe ways to prevent abuse
and different strategies to work with children who are affected.
CAPP handouts will be distributed.
Science Everyday! Develop Reasoning
Skills through Hands-on Labs Using Simple, Everyday Materials presented
by LaVerne Naffziger, Science Teacher, Consultant and Author. Touching
all grades and levels, the presenter will provide teachers
with suggestions of new instructional techniques, explore
systems and issues in assessment and grading, and address
integration of science across the curriculum.
General Interest II
The Role of Mission in Marketing Faith-based
Schools presented
by Dr. James Colee, Headmaster, St. Mark’s Episcopal
School. Many private schools are mission driven. The presenter,
former President of AISF and a past recipient of the Distinguished
Educator Award, will briefly focus on developing and implementing
mission statements in faith-based schools and then discuss
the importance of incorporating the mission statement into
the marketing plan.
Strategies to Help Teachers Manage
their Personal and Professional Liability in the Private
School Environment, Beth Block,
Insurance Agent, Block Insurance Agency. This session will
focus on the litigious nature of America today as it affects
the private school setting. A major theme will be advice
to teachers about providing adequate supervision for the
student during the school day and during off campus events.
“Emahaayeeke”: An Introduction to the Characteristics of Seminole
Students, Their Needs and Their Rich Cultural Heritage presented
by Louise Gopher, Director of Seminole Education, Lynn Himebauch, Education Advisor,
and Dr. Marsha Minkin, Licensed Psychologist, Seminole Tribe of Florida. Recognizing the goal
to foster the development of every Seminole child through education, culture
and language, this panel will share with you the characteristics of Seminole
students and how teaching methods and the curriculum can respond to the needs
of all Native Americans.
