Did you know that Heidi is giving a Professional Development Workshop in Oakdale, CA on June 10, 2014? It is sponsored by the California Kindergarten Association, and it is being hosted by the Oakdale Joint Unified School District. and it is open to anyone! It will be held at Sierra View Elementary School. You can register by clicking here.
Come have some fun, meet some new friends, and learn some new teaching techniques with Heidi!
Registration is $150 for members of CKA, and $160 for non-members, and I believe that this even includes a continental breakfast AND lunch! (I still need to double check on that one… I’ll update this post just as soon as I get confirmation.) As I recall, CKA was going to provide lunch, and the Oakdale school district was going to providing muffins for breakfast! You may need to bring your own coffee, though!
Here is what we have planned. I’m pretty darned excited!
Common Core Tools, Tips, and Tricks for TK, K, and First Grade
Overview of Schedule:
Registration: 8:00-8:15 Continental Breakfast Provided
8:15-9:45: Session 1
9:45-10:00: Break
10:00-11:15: Session 2
11:15-12:15: Lunch Provided
12:15-1:30: Session 3
1:30-1:45: Break
1:45-3:00- Session 4
Here is a description of the sessions that Heidi is giving. (Yes, she is doing all four!)
Note: “TK” stands for “Transitional Kindergarten,” which is like Pre-K in CA, except it is currently only open to children that turn five during the months of Sept., Oct. and Nov.)
8:15-9:45: Session 1
Helping Your Struggling TK, K, and Grade One Students Meet the Common Core Standards
Participants will learn some time tested tricks and tips to help slow learners, budding English language learners, and special needs children meet the Common Core State Standards. Topics will include teaching the alphabet, numeral recognition, developing math concepts, learning sight words, sounding out words, and behavior management.
10:00-11:15: Session 2
Developmentally Appropriate Ways to Get Your TK, K, and 1st Graders Writing- Fast!
Have you ever struggled to get your TK, K, and First Grade students off and writing? This workshop is chock-full of ideas and techniques that will help all children get started writing fast. Lots of ideas for active learners, musical learners, second language learners, and special needs children, too!
12:15-1:30: Session 3
Fun and Easy Ways to Use Technology With TK, K, and 1st Graders
Come learn some great ways to use a projector, digital camera, document camera, and a digital video camera with your TK, K, or First Graders to support the Common Core! Some great ideas to make use of internet access in the classroom will also be given, plus an awesome list of Heidi’s favorite classroom tested iPad apps for each CCSS subject.
1:45-3:00- Session 4
Critical Thinking Skills: Big Ideas for Little Learners in TK, K, and First Grade
Is it possible to make critical thinking skills developmentally appropriate, and bring those questions down to a TK, K, or First Grade level? YES, and it’s easier than you think! Come learn how in this interactive workshop. You’ll leave with lots of specific techniques on creating critical thinking questions for both fiction and informational texts that are appropriate and “do-able” for young children, as well as a make it and take it teacher tool to help you implement this in the classroom on Monday morning. Please bring scissors, some markers, a hole punch, and one-inch book ring for this session.
In case anyone wants to know, YES- I’m bringing my FABULOUS daughter Krissie to run a HeidiSongs booth, too. And that’s a great thing, because we almost NEVER do that! (I only ever exhibit at CKA and SCKC events, because if we exhibit at other events outside of CA, we would have to buy a business license for that state and file taxes there. Yuck!) We’ll have great prices on CD’s, DVD’s, and lots of other goodies. Oh, boy! 
