Utah LEARNS Session Descriptions
| Session Title | Description | Presenter(s) | Grades |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dropping the Walls of Your Classroom in Practical Ways | Join us on an outdoor experience up Logan Canyon where we will integrate reading, writing, the arts and science in a powerful way. We will engage in discussions about how to tap into community resources available to you to create engaging experiences for your students that they will never forget. By coming on this adventure with us, you will leave not only knowing more about beavers, subject integration, and community access, but also how to turn a field 'trip' into a field 'experience'. | Cami Player Lorena Jiménez |
2-5 |
| Social and Emotional Learning: The Root of Classroom Management | Join us for an engaging session where we'll explore the importance of Social and Emotional Learning in elementary education. Discover practical strategies to teach your students to foster resilience and regulate emotions creating an inclusive and supportive classroom environment. Walk away with actionable insights and tools to seamlessly integrate SEL into your teaching practice, empowering young learners to thrive academically and emotionally. | Cami Player | K-6 |
| A Discussion on Full-Day Kindergarten | After the passing of HB477 in March of 2023, funding has been expanded to allow for greater availability of full day kindergarten classrooms across the state. While some districts have already been implementing this model, it is new and evolving for many. Join this discussion to share what’s been working, brainstorm how to meet challenges of this change, and learn ways to better our classroom practices within a full day kindergarten setting. | Krysta Hamilton | K |
| The Whole-Brain Child | Analyze the science of how a child’s brain is wired to better understand how to foster healthy brain development and create happier and calmer children. Using the book "The Whole Brain Child" by Daniel Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson, we will learn 12 actionable strategies to implement with students of all ages to help them self-regulate. We can have a massive positive impact on classroom community and management by integrating emotional learning and utilizing social coaching to nurture developing minds. | Krysta Hamilton | K-3 |
| Creating an Inclusive Classroom | Do you have students with disabilities in your classroom? This session will look at some case studies where students with extensive needs were integrated into the classroom setting. Strategies and appropriate accommodations will be discussed along with the benefits of inclusive practices. | Dr. Rachel Fields | K-6 |
| Positive reinforcement to motivate students | Students with problem behaviors can sometimes disrupt the classroom. In this session, we will discuss ways to use positive reinforcement to help improve disruptive behavior. We will look at some case studies and where positive reinforcement made a difference in student behavior. We will discuss how to strive for intrinsic motivation in place of extrinsic rewards. | Dr. Rachel Fields | K-6 |
| Getting Littles Outside in Every Season! | Nature and young children go together, like flowers and honeybees. One of the very best things about experiencing nature is that it is free. Anybody, no matter their resource level, can access nature, just take a walk outside. Join me as I share some easy to implement tips, tricks, lessons, and safety procedures to help guide you in getting our littlest learners outside for field experiences, in all seasons and weather! I will guide you through the process I have used in multiple settings to get our students outside, feeling safe, confident, and connecting with nature. I will show you how I integrate the standards in our outside classroom. We will have time to talk ideas, ask questions, and create a plan to help you get your students outside feeling confident and safe as you lead the way. | Leslie Larsen | K-2 |
| The Floating Classroom: Integrating science and writing in the field. | Learn how to teach science and literacy in the field while paddling on the gentle Little Bear River in Cache Valley. This will be an inspiring and unforgettable conference experience. Though geared for 4th through 6th graders, the concepts modeled are applicable in the classroom and for younger grades as well. No experience necessary. It’s so easy even a 4th grader can do it—and you’ll be sure to go home with a smile. | Stu Baggaley Jennifer Jenkins Dr. Eric Newell |
5-6 |
| Birding: An Integrated Approach to Teaching Early Literacy | Participants in this session will get a firsthand experience on how a 2nd-grade classroom integrates the topic of birding across all classroom instruction. This session will be facilitated in the 2nd-grade classroom which has many student artifacts and work samples that demonstrate how birding is integrated into math, reading, writing, art, music, social studies, and science lessons. Participants will leave this session with the building blocks for how to infuse their passion with instructional content, and how to integrate that into an effective classroom. | Dr. Joey Kozlowski | 2-4 |
| Unlocking Creativity in Teaching: Practical Strategies for Educators | Discover how to bring creativity into your teaching at our session during the Utah Educators Conference. Led by experienced educators, we’ll explore simple ways to make learning more engaging and inspiring. Learn how to use activities, technology, and a supportive environment to encourage creativity in students. Join us to share ideas and overcome challenges together, creating dynamic classrooms where curiosity thrives. | Jill DeVilbiss Ida Walters |
K-6 |
| Teach Math Understanding (not tricks!) through Active Learning | Jan Farmer Nancy Stewart |
4-6 | |
| Diving Below the Surface with the Math Iceberg Model | Learn a new perspective to use when helping children who struggle with mathematical concepts. We will introduce the Iceberg Model and explain how we have developed and used the model. As a group, we will experience the power of the model by analyzing student thinking to pinpoint their strengths and weakness and to develop learning trajectories specific to the student’s needs. Together, we will work through number sense and place value examples as we dive below surface appearances to unpack exactly what a student needs. | Jalyn Kelley Arla Westenskow |
K-6 |
| Building your own Curriculum Map | The curriculum serves as the foundation of all that we teach. In this interactive session we will learn how to break down the curriculum and build a comprehensive scope & sequence map. Learning this process will help to ensure you are providing a guaranteed and viable curriculum. The more a teacher knows and understand their standards and when they will be taught the more powerful and effective their instruction can be. | Dr. Laura Reina | K-6 |
| Writing Through Voice: The Integrated Approach | Teaching opinion writing can be challenging when the pencil hits the paper. Through this session we will learn how to use voice, debate, and discussion to engage students in the writing process. Students will generate ideas, organize their thoughts, talk it out, and when it's time to write they will be excited and ready to go! Activating students learning through their natural tendency to talk can take writing to a whole new level. | Dr. Laura Reina | 3-6 |
| Fostering Positive Relationships to Improve Student Learning | Relationship building is important in setting up your classroom for success for both your students and yourself. By helping students develop and practice basic skills for goal-setting, decision-making, and healthy relationships we can establish a classroom culture that is rich and nurturing. In this session we will explore various strategies that promote positive mental and emotional health by setting specific and measurable short-term goals and tracking student progress. We will discuss ways teachers can provide students with opportunities to develop their understanding of how their choices can have positive and negative consequences. It is critical that students are challenged, have autonomy, and a strong sense of belonging if we are to help them reach their full potential. | Joel López Mandy Seifert |
2-6 |
| Using Movement to Motivate and Manage | Through movement activities, you can create a more dynamic, interactive, and enjoyable learning environment for your students and yourself. Such activities can help enhance cognitive, emotional, and social skills; as well as academic performance and motivation. Come see how easy it is and you can experience the difference! When you enjoy what you are doing, moving along the way, so do your students. It’s a win-win! See you in June! | Analisa Smith | K-6 |
| Classroom Environments: Flexible Seating and Data-Driven Motivation | Explore the transformative power of classroom environment, flexible seating, and data-driven motivation strategies. Discover how to create a dynamic and inclusive learning space that enhances student engagement and academic success. We will be learning inside a classroom that uses flexible seating and multiple approaches to address students motivation and sensory processing needs. | Shannin Kishbaugh | K-2 |
| Award-Winning Literacy Lessons: Recreating a Utah Science of Reading Award-Winning Lesson | Participants in this training program will have the invaluable opportunity to immerse themselves in the strategies and methodologies that have garnered widespread recognition. By delving into practical applications, educators will gain firsthand experience in integrating the principles of the Science of Reading into their teaching practices. This comprehensive approach encompasses various facets, including phonics instruction, decoding strategies, vocabulary development, comprehension techniques, and assessment methods tailored to individual student needs. | Shannin Kishbaugh | K-2 |
| End the Battles: Foundational and Relationship Building Strategies for the Classroom | Want way less burnout, stress, frustration, and exhaustion this school year? How about more youth engagement and positive behavior in the classroom? Get ready to create the classroom environment you have always wanted. In this session, practical, battle tested, and easy to use behavior strategies for the classroom will be shared. You will be able to put power struggles in the rearview mirror and teach with joy and confidence, as you have always wanted to do. You will also learn how to differentiate behavioral supports to meet student need. At the conclusion of the session, you will be able to: 1) Build youth social and emotional strengths; 2) boost educator wellness; 3) deepen youth engagement, voice, and leadership; 4) Create a positive and engaging classroom environment. | Dr. Greg Benner | |
| Putting Power Struggles in the Rearview Mirror: Boosting Engagement with Classroom Reset | The purpose of this presentation is to equip you with practical trauma-sensitive emotional and behavioral strategies for the classroom. You will be able to establish the positive classroom culture you envision and to keep it going all year. Techniques for ending power struggles and responding effectively to disruptive behavior will be modeled. You will be able to pull youth into classroom instruction rather than pushing them further from it. In this session, Be ready for an engaging, user-friendly presentation with two primary goals: 1) Be able to build youth emotional and behavioral competencies; and 2) enhance your wellness by ending the use of power struggles. | Dr. Greg Benner | |
| Supporting Students with Mental Health Concerns: Tier 2 and Tier 3 Behavioral Interventions (Two Parts) |
The purpose of this presentation is to build your capacity to infuse practical and powerful behavioral interventions into your school. Practical strategies for building social and emotional learning competencies of youth in need of Tier II or III emotional and behavioral supports will be demonstrated. Attendees will be able to: Build social and emotional strengths of youth with mental health concerns; 2) Apply simple strategies for emotional co-regulation and put an end to power struggles; and 3) easily differentiate function-based social and emotional learning support based on behavioral need. | Dr. Greg Benner | |
| Practical Trauma-Informed Behavioral Strategies for the Classroom | Ready to cut your exhaustion, burnout, and stress? Ready to boost youth engagement and self-management? We will learn to infuse powerful and practical trauma-sensitive behavioral strategies into the classroom. Strategies for building social and emotional strengths of youth with emotional and behavioral challenges will be demonstrated. Easy techniques for ending power struggles will be modeled. Simple ways to differentiate classroom behavioral strategies based on youth behavioral need will be shown. | Dr. Greg Benner |