Dr. Doug Fisher, co-author of Rebound, Grades K-12: A Playbook for Rebuilding Agency, Accelerating Learning Recovery, and Rethinking Schools

All Learning is Social and Emotional

Academic learning may be the explicit focus of schooling, but what teachers say, the values we express, the materials and activities we choose, and the skills we prioritize all influence how our students think, see themselves, interact with content and with others, and assert themselves in the world. In this session we focus on key social and emotional learning that allows for acceleration efforts to take hold. In the past, SEL efforts were targeted to students but schoolwide efforts and supporting colleagues is critical. In this session, we focus on creating a community of care, supporting identities and belonging, building on strengths, emotional regulation, resilience, relational trust, as well as individual and collective efficacy.

Dr. Jeff Zwiers, author and senior researcher at the Stanford Graduate School of Education and director of professional development for Understanding Language, a team focused on language, literacy, and learning.

Accelerating Language Development with Authentic Communication

This session helps educators to design and deliver instruction that maximizes the quantity and quality of student speaking and listening between students to accelerate learning. It focuses on enhancing learning acceleration with three features of authentic communication in every activity: building up ideas, clarifying and supporting, and filling information gaps. Participants will engage in activities and analyze videos of students. 

Mirko Chardin, Novak Education's Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer, passionate about culturally connected teaching and learning.

Accelerating Learning through UDL and Equitable Learning Environments

Every student deserves the opportunity to be successful regardless of their zip code, the color of their skin, the language they speak, their sexual and/or gender identity, their religion, and whether or not they have a disability. If we truly want to be inclusive in our learning environments and accelerate student learning, we must proactively plan for student variability and begin to see culture and diversity as an asset. This starts with examining our implicit biases, power and privilege and universally designing classrooms and schools so all students have equal opportunities to learn, share their voice, and work toward meaningful, authentic, and relevant goals. Join us for this session on how we can implement UDL to help us build more equitable learning environments that help to accelerate student learning.