PETERBOROUGH, N.H., March 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ — 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 K! National Conference for Kindergarten Teachers, taking place July 18-22, 2016 in Las Vegas.
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Each summer, thousands of kindergarten teachers from across the country gather to learn how to energize their classrooms, meet the needs of today's students, transform their teaching, and maximize student learning. The conference delivers hundreds of ready-to-use strategies over five exciting days.
Now in its 16th year, the increasingly popular professional development event provides teachers with fresh instructional strategies and support from top kindergarten experts—all in an environment that is collaborative, upbeat, and fun.
"This is a must-attend event for Kindergarten teachers, year after year," reports SDE's Kymra Kurinskas, who planned and programmed the event. "The conference is full of practical, hands-on, and interactive sessions that kindergarten teachers absolutely love! It is always so inspiring to see the energy and excitement of the kindergarten teachers coming together and sharing in such a special week together."
SDE knows that kindergarten teachers are foundational in building excitement and preparation for the remainder of a student's educational career. Because kindergarten teachers encounter such a wide range of abilities—from social, to emotional, to cognitive development—the focus of I Teach K! is always to help teachers reach all learners. Specialized sessions on techniques for behavior and classroom management, learning through interactive means, and infusing fun into teaching all help energize teachers as they return to the classroom.
This year's agenda features 140+ sessions on the most relevant topics for kindergarten teachers, such as shaping behaviors, thinking skills, writing, differentiated instruction, literacy, and math. 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.
"We have some amazing presenters lined up for this year," says Kurinskas. "I Teach K! features keynotes by author Sara Pennypacker and teacher favorite Dr. Debbie Silver!"
Other top presenters include popular author and educational expert Donna Whyte, experienced consultant Dan St. Romain, and popular kindergarten bloggers and featured Teachers Pay Teachers sellers such as Deanna Jump, Kim Adsit, and Deedee Wills.
I Teach K! also features some exciting conference additions, such as a Meet & Greet for teachers and presenters, an afternoon sketch comedy musical by Story Pirates, a morning mindfulness day-starter, Sketch Noting 101, author signings, and take-away tips.
This year's conference is especially exciting as it features a new conference add-on: the inaugural Math Encore event. In addition to last year's DI Encore, kindergarten teachers now have the option to attend a bonus day of professional development, either with a focus on math or on differentiated instruction. Each Encore day is designed to address the specific needs of early learners, allow teachers to meet with engaging expert thought-leaders and leave with ready-to-implement strategies, tools, and lessons. Educators will discover best practices based on current research and 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.
I Teach K! is the only national event for kindergarten 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 kindergarten 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.
"A child's attitude towards school and whether they develop a love of learning starts in kindergarten—with the teacher," says Kurinskas. "At I Teach K!, we make the difficult job of teaching our youngest students easier by breaking down complex concepts into manageable pieces. Teachers expect us to tackle the issues that matter most to them, and we do it in ways that are motivating and fun."
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.