PETERBOROUGH, N.H., March 12, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — First grade teachers have the unique responsibility of getting children truly ready to be students—a daunting task! That's why Staff Development for Educators (SDE), one of the nation's leading providers of professional development for K-12 educators, is pleased to announce its annual I Teach 1st! National Conference for First Grade Teachers, taking place July 6-10, 2015 in Las Vegas.
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This highly anticipated annual professional development event offers first grade teachers five days of intense focus on the strategies, techniques, tips, and ideas they need to be successful throughout the year. The conference delivered hundreds of ready-to-use strategies, starting from the opening keynote and going through the final session. I Teach 1st! is structured to make every teacher better at what they do.
Last year's event was so popular that this year, it has been programmed to be more action-packed than ever, with a focus on targeted content, interactivity, classroom management, and incorporating fun into learning—all in an environment that is collaborative, upbeat, and fun.
How can teachers fit it all in? That's one of the big themes of this conference—powerful daily and yearly planning tactics that teachers can quickly implement to end frustration and take back control of their day and their classroom.
"Las Vegas is the place where all the pieces come together in a live, face-to-face format—the practical tools, proven strategies, and powerful tips that drive instructional excellence in the first-grade classroom," reports SDE's Kymra Kurinskas, who planned and programmed the event. "I Teach 1st! is loaded with content-specific sessions arming teachers with items that are so crucial to a first grade teacher."
I Teach 1st! aims to provide teachers with the precise tools needed to foster student independence, recognize and identify gaps in learning, and build upon the components of literacy and numeracy students attained in Kindergarten. Hundreds of sessions are available to choose from as teachers look to find new and effective tools to transform the classroom, align with the standards, address learning gaps, and balance all the demands of the first-grade classroom.
Designed to be interactive, educators will see learning in action through video, make & takes, and hands-on experiences. Sessions are facilitated by more than 30 expert presenters, including nationally-known names, classroom practitioners, and popular bloggers. The conference kicks off with an opening keynote by author Todd Parr (The I LOVE YOU Book) and features a closing keynote by presenter-songwriter Jack Hartmann.
Sessions are facilitated by expert presenters, including nationally-known names, classroom practitioners, and popular bloggers. Featured presenters include "1st grade bloggers and Teachers Pay Teachers best-sellers Cara Carroll, Rachelle Smith, Reagan Tunstall, Jodi Southard, and more!" enthuses Kurinskas.
I Teach 1st! also features some exciting conference additions, such as a Meet & Greet for teachers and presenters, the return of the Techie Throwdown, a Pinterest Party, Jazzercise class with presenter Smith, author signings, and more.
This year's conference is especially exciting as it features a new conference add-on: the inaugural DI Encore event. This bonus day of professional development, offered exclusively to first grade teachers and their kindergarten colleagues, is designed to provide outstanding differentiated instruction to further address the specific needs of early learners. Teachers will meet with engaging DI expert thought-leaders and leave with ready-to-implement strategies, tools, and lessons. Educators will discover best practices based on current research and differentiation topics appropriate for early learning, as well as qualitative instructional tools that are student-centered and use a mix of whole-class, small-group, and individual instruction.
"We just know our teachers will love the special DI track we've designed for our K-1 educators," raves Kurinskas.
I Teach 1st! is the only national event for first grade teachers. It is developed and programmed by experts who understand child development and the wide range of abilities, developmental levels, and prior knowledge in a first grade classroom. Teachers return to their students with up-to-date knowledge of the latest issues and developing trends and armed with simple and effective techniques and strategies to sustain them throughout the school year.
About SDE
SDE is one of America's leading providers of professional development for PreK through Grade 12 educators. Through Onsite PD, PD Events, Web-based PD, and PD Resources, the company empowers teachers and administrators across the country with ongoing professional development that is not only research-based, innovative, and rigorous, but also practical, motivating, and fun. All SDE training is presented by the nation's top authors and educational experts, with the goal of creating extraordinary classrooms that prepare students for the evolving demands of the 21st century.
For more information about SDE, educators are encouraged to visit www.sde.com, or to call 1-800-462-1478.
Educators who register for I Teach 1st! by March 15th will receive an Early Bird discount.