Chart a New Course: Teaching Essential Skills for Tomorrow's World

Purpose & objective

Finding ways to reach all students and effectively implement new strategies and digital tools into the classroom can be overwhelming. The purpose of this session is I want to share how some of the changes I have made in my classroom structure, and instruction as well as the different digital tools that I have integrated into my classroom, have led to great benefits for my students as well as to my own practice as a teacher.
This session will share ideas for creating a flexible, student-driven learning environment, where students build their confidence, and relationships and collaborate on a learning adventure.
Success: I will share how my students emerged as leaders, through observing their interactions, and they openly shared their experiences, contributed to blogs, stepped out of their comfort zone, and took some risks
Some examples of how giving students a choice in how to show what they know and can do will enhance their learning experience and retention by making the learning more meaningful and personal.
I will share some of the most versatile tools and methods that are beneficial for anywhere learning and help students to develop the skills they need to be successful now and in the future while also developing essential SEL skills.

Outline

During the session, we will talk about projects, assessments, and different methods to engage and involve students more in having choices in their learning experiences. I will share many student samples and have presentations available to show attendees how the tools are used and the benefits.
We will discuss SEL and the essential skills cited by the World Economic Forum and then explore methods that foster the development of these skills and that provide differentiated instruction for students.
Introduction and overview of SEL 10 minutes
Discussion of methods with audience participation - 15 minutes
Exploration of digital tools and resources to facilitate these methods 15-20 minutes
Creation of activities/templates to use - 15 minutes
Time for questions throughout the session. Also a survey will be used at the beginning to gather information about audience roles, experience, questions, and ideas, and the survey will be shared and also monitored during the session to adjust as needed.

Some examples
The different activities and ways to promote more active learning, which requires mixing up the classroom structure and set-up, and enabling students to lead more will be shared. We will explore how using activities like Choose your Own Assessment or HyperDocs, Choice Boards, Genius Hour, and also PBL for example. In addition to these topics, we will look at mixing tech and no tech and creating learning stations, for students to drive their own learning experience. Time for attendees to share their own stories will be included and time for questions.

I want to provide a very open, collaborative learning experience with my attendees and serve as a resource to share what has worked and really benefitted the students in my classroom, and also how I have benefitted as the teacher.

Supporting research

Supporting research:
www.casel.org
https://casel.org/fundamentals-of-sel/
Frye, K. E., Boss, D. L., Anthony, C. J., Du, H., & Xing, W. (2022). Content Analysis of the CASEL Framework Using K–12 State SEL Standards. , 1-15.

Ramirez, T., Brush, K., Raisch, N., Bailey, R., & Jones, S. M. (2021, August). Equity in social-emotional learning programs: A content analysis of equitable practices in PreK-5 SEL Programs. In (Vol. 6, p. 679467). Frontiers Media SA.

Rodriguez, M. C. (2022). Standards for SEL assessment. In (pp. 57-76). Routledge

Stefanovic, M., Reyes-Guerra, D., & Zorovich-Godek, D. (2021). SEL starts at the top. , (1), 58-62.
https://www.techlearning.com/how-to/what-is-sel

https://www.gettingsmart.com/2020/06/preparing-for-the-future-career-and-college-ready/
https://www.gettingsmart.com/2020/03/choosing-the-right-tools-for-remote-learning/
https://www.gettingsmart.com/2020/03/fostering-connectedness-during-remote-learning/
https://www.gettingsmart.com/2020/08/why-sel-is-more-important-than-ever-meeting-sel-needs-virtually/
https://www.nu.edu/blog/social-emotional-learning-sel-why-it-matters-for-educators/
http://www.teachthought.com/the-future-of-learning/50-ways-empower-students-connected-world/
https://www.iste.org/explore/articleDetail?articleid=719&category=In-the-classroom&article=

https://www.christenseninstitute.org/blog/blended-learning-can-help-students-take-ownership-of-their-learning/
https://www.weareteachers.com/increase-student-ownership/