Teacher Conference Information

2023 NYACS EDUCATORS CONFERENCE

-WORKSHOPS-

Pastor Harold Akey - (Adirondack Christian School)

Using a homeschool hybrid model in your Christian School

Navigation in the new educational landscape in a post-COVID era has been challenging. All schools, including our Christian Schools, have seen enrollment and parent engagement declines. Implementing a homeschool hybrid program inside your Christian School can help. Learn the triumphs and tripwires of our experience.

Dr. Steve Harness (President NYACS)

THE FIVE CIRCLES OF LEARNING

Embracing Effective Teaching Factors

THE DAYLIGHT ON DARK DAYS

Encountering the Darkness of Discouragement

Rev. Tom Stiles – Arise Ministry, NYACS liaison to NYSED

Making sense of the SED new pathways to Substantial Equivalency

You may have received the twenty-eight-page document from the NYSED explaining all that is needed to know about Substantial Equivalency. Tom will seek to bring understanding and security to your knowledge.

Over One Hundred Years of Christian School Ministry

A Q&A open Forum with Seven Pastor/Administrators/NYACS Board

Dr. Steve Harness, Dr. Orlando Buria, Pastor Harold Akey, Pastor Terry Fenton, Rev. Tom Stiles, Pastor Mark Kelly, Pastor Ron Woudenberg

Dr. Orlando Burio – West Seneca Christian School – NYACS Board

The Electromagnetic Spectrum

[Upper Elementary through 12th Grade Science]

Knowledge of the electromagnetic spectrum is vital to understanding science and many daily phenomena. It also can deepen a student’s appreciation for God’s greatness in His design of the universe. This workshop will deal with ways to teach about the electromagnetic spectrum. Practical, hands-on activities will be considered. A free spectrum identification tool will be given to the first 20 participants.

STEM Camp; Citizen Science

[Middle School through 12th Grade Science]

The first command given to people in the Bible, found in Genesis 1:28, encourages the study of STEM. In this workshop, teachers will be shown methods to get students involved in doing authentic science that will assist professional scientists. Also, participants will conduct a fascinating lab activity that will engage and promote STEM thinking at all levels.

Bethany Howard – Maranatha Baptist University

Title: Inclusion in the Christian School

Description: When you partner with families, do you mean the entire family? What about the sibling who has a disability? Do those students have a place in your school or classroom?

Maybe you don’t know how the details will work, but are you willing to try? We’ll look at practical ways to make your school and classroom more inclusive to students with disabilities.

Target Level: All

Title: Special Education 101

Description: If the world of special education seems like a foreign language, take a practical look at special education and the students you might have the opportunity to work with. We’ll take a broad look at special education categories and develop ideas for supporting these students in your classroom.

Target level: All

Title: Don’t wait until your plans are done to adapt; start your planning with ALL students in mind.

Description: A solid curriculum is essential to planning, but not every student fits the plans in the teacher’s manual! Learn ways to address what, why, and how of learning in a way that provides access to students. Instead of making your plans first and then adjusting for a few students, learn ways to begin your planning in a way that helps all students, including struggling learners.

Target Level: All

Title: Don’t take it personally! A look at the ABCs of behavior struggles.

Description: We all have students with behavior struggles. What are you doing as the teacher to reflect on what went wrong today that could be addressed tomorrow? We need to look objectively at behaviors and put a plan in place to address the struggles specifically. Learn about the ABCs of conduct and make a plan to teach replacement behaviors.

Target Level: All

Title: Teaching Digital Citizenship in the Christian School

Description: Having technology can be a fantastic tool, but are we teaching our students to be stewards of the tools they have at their fingertips? Are we modeling responsible digital citizenship?

Yes, our students need to be safe online, but there is so much more we need to teach. Learn about the areas of Digital Citizenship and find ways to integrate these ideas on a classroom and school-wide level.

Target Level: All

KIM SMITH - Pensacola Christian College

Mrs. Smith has a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and a Master’s Degree in Education Administration from Pensacola Christian College. She began teaching at Pensacola Christian Academy in 1998, became a first-grade video teacher for Abeka Academy, and taught in the Education Department at Pensacola Christian College for several years. As an Educational Consultant for Abeka, she provides teacher training and consulting to Christian schools. She is the mother of two toddlers and currently serves in her local church as a Children’s Church teacher and assists in her local Christian school.

A NUMBERS CLASS THAT HOLDS THEIR ATTENTION (PRESCHOOL-KINDERGARTEN)

Numbers Class is an active class. How can the preschool/kindergarten teacher effectively teach concepts and maintain attention? Gain insight on successfully involving the class to make learning numbers an enjoyable experience.

ATTRACTING ATTENTION AND KEEPING IT (GRADES K-6)

Gaining the student’s attention is the easy part. Keeping that attention throughout the lesson is often difficult. Learn techniques that set the atmosphere for learning as you teach students how to develop concentration skills that will last a lifetime.

IMPROVING COMPREHENSION TECHNIQUES (GRADES 1-6)

Comprehension and application go hand in hand. If comprehension skills are weak, the ability to apply to higher-level thinking and life in general is limited. Learn nine techniques that will improve comprehension across the reading subjects.

MAKING AN ORDINARY SPELLING CLASS EXTRAORDINARY (GRADES 1-6)

Daily spelling classes can often fall into a rut. Learn effective ways of making spelling classes anticipated by both students and teachers.

REVIEW—THE SECRET OF ACADEMIC SUCCESS (GRADES K-6)

Academic success is the goal for each student, and the secret to achieving that goal is a review time that has variety and moves rapidly from one review to the next. Learn how to develop a plan for effective review that encourages student involvement.

CINDY QUINLAN – Pensacola Christian College - Abeka

Growing up on the mission field of Indonesia, Cindy Quinlan remains grateful for her parents’ example of dedicated service to the Lord. After graduating from Pensacola Christian College with undergraduate and graduate degrees in education, Cindy began teaching junior high and high school classes for several years at a Christian school in Virginia. She now works with Abeka as an educational consultant and seeks to help and encourage other Christian educators. Always desiring to improve and learn more, she recently earned an MA in English through Morehead State University.

TIGHTENING GRAMMAR’S NUTS AND BOLTS . . . WITHOUT BRUISING YOUR KNUCKLES (GRADES 7-12)

Too often, English teachers can get bogged down by the very nuts and bolts of grammar that make it so important for clear and accurate communication. If you’ve ever found yourself bored when teaching the more fact-based, detailed aspects of grammar, find in this session many specific ideas that will keep your grammar lessons effective and interesting.

STRENGTHENING THE NUCLEUS OF SCIENCE CLASS (GRADES 7-12)

With great fondness, I remember peeling pieces of the skull off a fetal pig’s brain as a sophomore in high school. It’s no wonder that labs, dissections, and hands-on activities are often the highlights of science class—not just for the students! Yet exciting and pivotal as these facets of science class may be, their overall success relies on the students’ foundational understanding of the science concepts being demonstrated. This session focuses on the oft-overlooked yet core part of science class—teaching content--and seeks to help and challenge teachers to make their explanations of science concepts clear and memorable.

SMOOTHING THE RESEARCH-PAPER ROAD (GRADES 7-12)

The research paper is just one of many opportunities students have to develop their communication and writing skills. As we go through the steps of the research paper, we’ll look at several ideas that can lead to a smoother and more effective research paper process for all involved.

RAISING RIGOR WITH THE 2RS (GRADES 7-12)

Technically, every secondary student can read and write, but does he read and write well? No matter the subject you teach, you can help your students improve these essential skills. This session—which mainly benefits English, science, history, and Bible teachers—presents simple strategies to incorporate into your reading assignments and class discussions to help students read with greater comprehension and express themselves with greater clarity.

MATH CLASS FUNDAMENTALS (GRADES 7-12)

Designed for newer teachers, those that fall into the “Surprise, you’re teaching math this year” category, or veteran teachers seeking to review and strengthen their core practices, this session highlights the essential pattern for each math class that leads to smooth lessons, crisp explanations, and solid learning.

Dr. Brian Carruthers – Bob Jones University

1.     The Influence of the Godly Teacher

2.     Providing Guidance Services When You Don’t Have a Guidance

3.     Counselor

4.     Teaching Your Students to be Good Stewards of Their Minds

5.     Reclaiming Lost Instructional Time: Working on Your Classroom

6.     Transitions

7.     Implementing Survival Techniques for the First-Year Teacher

Mrs. Anne Carruthers – Bob Jones University

1.     Ideas and Activities to Make Your Secondary World Language

2.     Classroom More Exciting (Foreign Language)

3.     Ideas for Teaching Spanish in the Elementary Classroom

4.     Digital Scrapbooking for the Classroom

5.     Helping Your Students Become More Globally Minded

6.     Helping Your Students Develop Critical Thinking Skills