PETERBOROUGH, N.H., April 4, 2014 /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 7-10, 2014 in Las Vegas.
Now in its 14th year, the increasingly popular professional development event offers kindergarten teachers strategies, techniques, tips, and ideas for becoming more effective educators—all in an environment that is upbeat, fun, and full of excitement.
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 four exciting days.
"Kindergarten teachers consistently remark how this conference is uniquely for them. That is our goal—to combine our deep insight into kindergarten instruction and the emotional, social, cognitive, and physical development needs of students into a one-of-a-kind learning event," reports Kymra Kurinskas, who planned and programmed the event.
The agenda features 200+ sessions, such as the new standards, shaping behaviors, thinking skills, differentiated instruction, literacy, and math. Sessions are facilitated by more than 30 expert presenters, including nationally-known names, classroom practitioners, and popular bloggers, and are designed to meet the biggest challenges educators are experiencing in today's kindergarten classroom. Designed to be interactive, educators will see learning in action through video, make & takes, and hands-on learning.
"A child's attitude towards school and whether they develop a love of learning starts in kindergarten—with the teacher. At I Teach K!, we make the difficult job of teaching our youngest students easier by breaking down complex concepts into understandable, exciting, and fun strategies. Teachers expect us to tackle the issues that matter most to them, and we do not disappoint," Kurinskas reports.
At the top of the list of challenges is technology—how to keep up with it, understand it, and use it meaningfully in the classroom. "A lot of teachers are overwhelmed by technology and not sure how to integrate it into their classroom. New for this year are sessions dedicated to iPad® technology. We show attendees how to easily and confidently use it to differentiate their instruction, conduct interventions, and perform assessment," Kurinskas says.
In specific and in-depth sessions, I Teach K! addresses the understanding and implementation of the Common Core State Standards by walking attendees through their CCSS journey, from beginning through lessons and best teaching strategies.
Kicking off the conference will be Marc Brown, author and illustrator of the popular Arthur Series. He also will be on hand to sign copies of his books. Best-selling author and teacher favorite Dr. Jean Feldman will lead the full-day Camp Common Core. Attendees also will hear from author of Bookmaking Bonanza and Read with Ease Kim Adsit, number-one seller on TeachersPayTeachers.com Deanna Jump, 25-year kindergarten teacher Shari Sloane, master teacher and language arts mentor Kimberly Jordano, and many others.
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. It provides an intimate setting in which attendees can learn from and connect with people who are genuinely committed to learning. 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.
"We believe kindergarten teachers have the most unique teaching job of all. We believe it is a privilege to shape and form our youngest students. With this conference, we help teachers lay the foundation for their children's future educational careers with learning that is positive, motivating, and fresh," Kurinskas says.
Immediately following I Teach K!, kindergarten teachers can find added value in their trip by attending the Teachers pay Teachers: Supercharge Seller Success event on July 11th. SDE is proud to be working with TPT to reach educators across the country to help in their professional development—both personally and professionally.
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.