Lifelong Learner

On Thursday I'll be attending a professional development session entitled "OUTSTANDING IDEAS FOR STRENGTHENING YOUR FIRST GRADE CLASSROOM PROGRAM" 

The session promises to offer:

• Innovative, classroom-tested strategies for strengthening your first grade classroom program
  
• A wealth of ideas for enhancing first grade reading, writing and math instruction
  
• Every idea and strategy ideal for first grade
  
• Demonstrations, displays and an extensive first grade teacher resource handbook filled with outstanding classroom‑proven ideas 

Ten Key Benefits of Attending

1. Incorporate the Current, Best Strategies to Boost Academic Success
   Innovative, practical methods to enhance your classroom instruction and provide greater academic success for your first grade students
   
2. Meet the Needs of FIRST GRADE Readers, from Emergent to Fluent
   A variety of reading strategies to meet the needs of your first graders, from emergent readers to fluent readers … Every strategy ideal for first grade classrooms
   
3. Strengthen Reading Skills
   Specific strategies for using read alouds, shared reading and guided reading to strengthen first graders’ decoding skills and reading comprehension
   
4. What To Do With the Rest of Your First Graders When You Work With Small Groups
   Outstanding practical ideas for how to keep the rest of your first graders learning while you work with small groups
   
5. Create Competent, Enthusiastic Writers
   Effective strategies that build confident writers and improve your first graders’ written vocabulary, word choice and writing fluency … Highly practical ideas you can implement immediately in your own first grade classroom
   
6. Accelerate Math Learning
   Strategies and techniques to help your first graders learn and retain key first grade math skills
   
7. Utilize Learning Centers Ideal for First Grade
   Effectively design independent learning centers that will reinforce skills and concepts in first grade reading, writing, math, and science … Classroom-proven management strategies and organizational tips to help you differentiate instruction without excessive teacher preparation time
   
8. Art Activities that Promote Learning
   Creative art ideas perfect for first grade that use a variety of inexpensive materials and are easily integrated into your first grade classroom program
   
9. Work Smarter, Not Harder
   Timesavers and shortcuts to help you be more productive and more successful in your first grade classroom
   
10. Ideas, Ideas, Ideas
    Outstanding sample lessons, materials and techniques, all designed just for first grade classrooms … Each participant will receive an extensive first grade teacher resource handbook

Outstanding Strategies You Can Use Immediately

• Innovative, new instructional strategies to help strengthen your entire FIRST GRADE classroom program
  
• Models and ideas to help you work smarter not harder when working with first graders
  
• How to create a print-rich environment that integrates all areas of the first grade curriculum
  
• How to create a first grade classroom program where students have more opportunities to read and write and strengthen their reading and writing skills
  
• Ways to meet the needs of your emergent first grade readers as well as challenge your more fluent first grade readers
  
• Practical ways to differentiate guided reading lessons when working with first graders with diverse abilities
  
• How to teach phonics to first graders in meaningful contexts
  
• Specific ways to increase first graders’ vocabulary in both reading and writing
  
• Practical strategies for reinforcing crucial high frequency words important to first grade reading success
  
• How to increase first graders’ interest in writing and success in developing writing skills
  
• How to use graphic organizers ideal for first graders to increase writing success
  
• Ways to motivate and manage first grade students’ writing while increasing their vocabulary skills
  
• How to build writing skills while helping first graders learn about science and social studies
  
• Suggestions for using the calendar to teach number sense
  
• How to help first graders accelerate their math learning and mastery of key first grade math skills
  
• Creative ways to link art activities and descriptive writing
  
• Tips for creating literacy, math and science learning centers, all ideal for first graders
  
• How to effectively use centers in order to meet the diverse needs of all your first grade students
  
• Ideas, ideas and more ideas to help you increase the success of your first graders 

I promise to take lots of notes and bring back all of the great stuff I'm sure I'll learn!!! 

You should also check out the website www.ber.org I've been to several of the sessions and I also enjoy myself and learn lots of new things