InspireOK 2024 Sessions
Session 1
The Ultimate Guide to Oklahoma Alternative Education:
What You Need to Know: In this session, you will learn how to meet the 16 criteria in state statutes and how Alternative Education programs across Oklahoma have a less than one percent dropout rate. We will discuss why you need an Alternative Education program and the resources and supports OSDE can offer you. This information will help you make informed decisions on how to help your most at-risk students.
Technology in the Math Classroom:
There are many tools out there to help students with math practice. Join this session to help students leverage the technology tools for learning instead of getting a quick answer to a problem.
Enhancing Best Practices for Behavior by Incorporating Organizational Wellness:
Overview of Organizational Wellness & Psychological Capital.
Integrating AI in the Social Studies Classroom:
In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, integrating AI into the social studies curriculum presents opportunities to engage students in critical inquiry and foster analytical skills. Come and discuss practical ways to use AI in the social studies classroom.
English Language Arts Standards & Framework:
Refresh yourself on the 2021 Oklahoma Academic Standards for ELA and explore the resources on the ELA Framework website, including the newly added exemplar lesson plans and updated engagement strategies. (With an educator)
Turning Point USA:
Why Educators Matter, will explain Turning Point USA's mission to empower students by giving them opportunities to lead civically. Educators are necessary for this because, without the voice of a teacher, students can be timid about leading a club or taking an internship opportunity without encouragement. Through understanding what TPUSA does for students, an educator can help students identify an area they are passionate about within the values of TPUSA. This not only leads to a positive outcome in their school but community. TPUSA believes educators have the greatest voice in student's lives.
Building Your Foundation of Resilience:
You're overworked, overstressed, and underfunded--but you are not underappreciated. Educators change lives every day all over our state, and the impact you leave in the pond of just one life can ripple out to touch many other lives over the years. In this breakout session, get reacquainted with your why as an educator, and build up the resilience you need to handle whatever life throws your way.
Navigating Science Teaching:
In this session, we will discuss the Oklahoma Academic Standards for Science (OAS-S), including the current process of reviewing and revising the standards. We will then examine the various OSDE resources and supports available to teachers that assist with engaging students in science learning aligned with the OAS-S. This session is appropriate for Grades PK-12.
Strategies and Assessments Supporting the Oklahoma Academic Standards for World Languages:
In this session, we will explore what the Oklahoma Academic Standards for World Languages look like in action, what the role of the teacher is, what the student does, and assessments that align with language acquisition. A panel of World Languages educators will share and discuss their successful strategies for acquisition and assessment.
Oklahoma's Early Literacy Legislation:
This session will address the requirements of Oklahoma's early literacy law for students in kindergarten-3rd grade, as well as any legislative changes that might be applicable for this year.
Movies with a Message: A Film-Based Approach to Mental Health Education:
Join us for an engaging session with filmmaker Kyle Roberts as he dives into the importance of using engaging, conversation-starting films to address mental health in students. Discover how incorporating dynamic movies, paired with a comprehensive curriculum, can cultivate essential coping skills and open vital conversations among students. Learn why this innovative approach is crucial for educators and how it can transform the mental health landscape in schools.
Session 2
Effective Classroom Management Strategies:
Improving School and Community Relationships - Learn practical methods to improve effectiveness in the classroom.
Are You All in on AI?
Learn about Artificial Intelligence and how it can be used to lighten your load as an educator.
Meeting the Linguistic and Academic Needs of Your English Learners:
This will be an interactive session where participants will be given a topic (math or reading/language arts) and build a lesson that incorporates strategies for English Learners. Firstly, we will examine the demands of the state standards, state testing, and the needs of an English Learner. Secondly, introduce strategies that aim to increase discourse, rehearsal and practice, extension of thinking, and learning from mistakes. Lastly, build a lesson from a topic by applying the strategies.
Using the Personal Financial Literacy Framework:
Come examine the new Oklahoma Academic Standards for Personal Financial Literacy and explore valuable resources in the framework.
Enhancing Best Practices for Behavior by Incorporating Organizational Wellness-Work Sessions:
Working session where practical exercises will assist in developing skills from the first session.
Simply Civics:
A Free Civics Curriculum to Create an Active and Informed Citizenry in Oklahoma.
Literacy Instruction in the Elementary Classroom:
This session will provide an overview of the Oklahoma Academic Standards for English Language Arts, the ELA frameworks, and the elements of effective literacy instruction for foundational skills, comprehension, and writing.
Effective Site Team Meetings:
Are your site team meetings feeling unproductive? In this session, we will talk through a tool site teams can utilize to give their meetings structure, organization, and focus on data-based decision-making. We will also discuss best practices to incorporate the role of school and community specialists in the teaming process.
Energizing Your Creative Edge:
As an educator, what's your superpower; Do you have any superpowers your colleagues might not know about? By leveraging creativity and innovation, you can tap into your superpower and inspire your students and teammates like never before. In this breakout session, you'll learn techniques to hone your creative edge, and then you'll put them into practice through a hands-on exercise.
Building and Sustaining a Quality STEM Program:
Join us to discuss the attributes of a quality STEM program. Examine how the integration of the individual STEM subjects, engineering, and robotics can enhance student understanding and engagement, then review OSDE resources and guidance that can assist with building and sustaining a quality STEM program at your school. This session is appropriate for Grades PK-5.
Optimizing Outcomes: Community-Based Instruction for Empowered Learning:
Discover how integrating community-based instruction into educational practices creates a dynamic environment that fosters independence, real-world application, and lasting success for students with disabilities. Participants will gain valuable insights and practical approaches to enhance their teaching methodologies, transition services, and programs, ensuring students are well-prepared to achieve their postsecondary goals.
Session 3
School-Based Mental Health Protocol:
Building Your Program: An introduction to the school mental health protocol required by House Bill 4106. Learn the legal intent of the law, how to build the protocol to fit the needs of your district, and utilize your community-based mental health partnership to provide a comprehensive school mental health program.
Using Technology to Engage Learners:
Learn how you can use technology to engage learners.
Q & A with TOY Finalists:
This will be a panel discussion with the 2024 State Teacher of the Year Finalists.
Increasing Students' Focus with Physical Activity Opportunities during the School Day:
Physical activity can serve as an effective strategy to improve students’ focus, attention, and mood while decreasing off-task behaviors. Teachers are invited to learn research-based instructional practices that can be used as classroom activity breaks, recess, or physical education courses.
Small Groups that Rock:
Get ready to jam with us as we crank up the volume of small group counseling! Like a guitar solo, we'll break down the essential elements of Define, Manage, Deliver, and Assess, teaching you how to rock your group sessions like a true virtuoso. Whether you're a newbie looking to riff or a seasoned rocker ready to shred, this session will have you leaving with the skills to create unforgettable group experiences that hit all the right notes.
Using the Social Studies Framework:
Oklahoma teachers have developed guidance and resources for the Oklahoma Academic Standards for Social Studies. Explore the many facets of the Social Studies Framework, including instructional resources and ideas that will help your students engage fully in the practice standards and formative assessments.
The Power of Text Sets:
Students can use teacher-designed text sets to build background knowledge that is complementary to a novel they study as a class or in a literature circle. Learn how to build a text set, see an example for The Outsiders, and plan a text set of your own.
Do This, Not That for the Science of Reading:
This session will explore implementation practices in literacy that are supported by research from the science of reading. Participants will also discuss practices that should be abandoned and how to replace those practices with more effective strategies.
Building a High-Performance Team:
Integrating Meaningful Computer Science into the Elementary Classroom:
This session explores how computer science education can be meaningfully integrated into elementary subject areas. This integration enhances student engagement and builds solid learning connections for students.
Preparing Students for the Oklahoma Seal of Biliteracy:
Come discover how to prepare your students to earn the Oklahoma Seal of Biliteracy credential. This session will help educators and administrators understand how to support student achievement as outlined in Administrative Rule 210:10-1-16.
Session 4
Effective Classroom Management Strategies:
Improving School and Community Relationships - Learn practical methods to improve effectiveness in the classroom.
How to Get My English Learner to Write an Open-Ended Prompt:
English Learners may struggle when they have to answer a question in writing. We want to break down this multi-step process by providing students opportunities to verbally discuss, read, and understand the question, locate evidence within the text, and color code to respond appropriately. Participants will be able to practice the strategies learned with text and prompts.
Formative Observational Assessment and the Early Learning Inventory:
This session will introduce and provide an overview of formative observational assessment in the PreK and Kindergarten classrooms. We will discuss best practices and explore OSDE's Early Learning Inventory (ELI) tool. The ELI is an observational measure designed to help educators understand and respond to student's academic skills and needs. (PreK - K)
Q & A with Superintendents:
This will be a panel discussion with local superintendents.
Introducing the Oklahoma Comprehensive School Counseling Implementation Guide:
This session will take a look at the new implementation guide for school counselors who wish to implement a comprehensive school counseling program in their schools.
Family Engagement:
Then and Now: Participants will hear from a panel of Oklahoma stakeholders as they tell the stories of their family engagement journeys at their sites or districts. Best practices and tips for truly engaging students and their families will be the focus of this session.
Focusing on Comprehension in Elementary:
The session will provide an overview of best practices related to comprehension instruction in the elementary classroom and showcase the new exemplary lesson plans on the English Language Arts framework. Participants will hear from the teachers who created parts of the framework resources and how they apply comprehension practices in their classrooms.
Improving School Climate Through Building Positive Peer Relations:
Peer relationships play an important role in creating positive classroom and school environments. In this session, we will discuss tier 1 and tier 2 interventions to improve students’ relationship-building skills.
Prioritizing Oklahoma’s State Budget: A Simulation:
If you could determine where Oklahoma prioritizes its tax dollars, how would you spend the revenue? Join colleagues in a lively discussion of how the budget is established, the actual FY-25 budget numbers, and how you think the money should be spent.
Integrating Meaningful Computer Science into the Elementary Classroom:
This session explores how computer science education can be meaningfully integrated into elementary subject areas. This integration enhances student engagement and builds solid learning connections for students.
OKMTSS on EDPlan:
OKMTSS is Oklahoma’s Multi-Tiered System of Supports Framework comprised of components that are aligned with state-level activities related to MTSS implementation. OSDE's goal is to provide school districts with professional development, systemic data collection, and resources to build a robust MTSS framework using evidence-based practices within each school district. Come hear about one of the major free resources OSDE will provide to districts to assist with systemic data collection. OKMTSS on EDPlan is a data management system that is available to schools across Oklahoma. OKMTSS on EDPlan includes the following: Intervention Management System for ALL students (EDPlan is no longer just a program for students on an Individualized Educational Program (IEP)); Early Warning Dashboard for all students regarding literacy, math, behavior, and attendance; and Advanced Reporting capabilities for sites, districts, and the state.
Movies with a Message: A Film-Based Approach to Mental Health Education:
Join us for an engaging session with filmmaker Kyle Roberts as he dives into the importance of using engaging, conversation-starting films to address mental health in students. Discover how incorporating dynamic movies, paired with a comprehensive curriculum, can cultivate essential coping skills and open vital conversations among students. Learn why this innovative approach is crucial for educators and how it can transform the mental health landscape in schools.
Session 5
Fine Arts Standards and Framework:
Delve into the 2023 Oklahoma Fine Arts Standards and updated Framework website. Discover fresh classroom and performance ideas, network with peers, and explore available resources. Join us!
Play to Learn:
Come discover the Play to Learn Act and explore research-based and evidence-based practices. This session will help teachers effectively implement play in their classrooms while teaching content standards.
Ability, Achievement, and Excellence:
A Practical Implementation of Strategies for Gifted Learners: In this session, we will focus on ensuring alignment between gifted identification and services provided. We will also highlight strategies for customizing gifted education programs to match the unique differences among learners. Educators will examine instructional practices that align identification processes with gifted services.
Social Studies Standards Focus Group:
The Oklahoma Academic Standards for Social Studies will be up for review and possible revision in the 2024-25 school year. Come join other social studies teachers in giving feedback about the current standards.
Universal Design for Learning in English Language Arts:
English language arts (ELA) teachers can use the principles of universal learning design (UDL) to ensure that all their students have access to learning experiences in their classrooms. Explore the nine facets of UDL in an ELA lesson for your grade and leave with implementation ideas for your classroom.
Applied Imagination: How to Teach the Repeatable Behaviors of Innovative Thinkers:
Creative thinking, problem-solving, teamwork, and converting ideas from concept to reality are all greatly needed in the workforce of the 21st Century. Educators who can introduce these concepts and teach from an "innovator's mindset" have never been more essential. In this session, we'll discuss the repeatable behaviors of innovative thinkers and explore how these concepts can be presented in the classroom. And along the way, you might just reconnect with your 5-year-old self.
Parents + Teachers = Successful Students:
Educators, come hear directly from parents how truly valued you are, how we can advocate on YOUR behalf, and leave with realistic, actionable steps you can implement in your classroom and school immediately! When educators connect with parents, the ripple effect is profound. Parent and teacher partnerships relieve burdens placed on teachers and create a positive school culture that fosters enhanced student achievement. It's a win-win-win!
Transforming Student Mindsets in Science through Practice:
Student mindsets affect their desire to wonder, investigate, and engage with new ideas and overcome challenges. In this session, we will examine how the use of crosscutting concepts and science and engineering practices can help improve student mindsets in their ability to do science. This session is appropriate for Grades 6-12.
Dual-Language/Immersion and FLES Models:
Starting Students on the World Languages Pathway in Elementary Grades: Explore Dual-Language/Immersion and FLES, two key models to support young learners and initiate them on the pathway of biliteracy through immersive experiences. Research shows students from every background benefit, from gaining literacy skills in English and another language while cultivating global awareness, laying a strong foundation for future academic and personal success, and career readiness.
Secure Oklahoma Schools:
The Okla. Dept. of Public Safety's School Safety Plan involves LASER training for law enforcement, RHF protocols for students and staff, and RAVE alerts for rapid communication during emergencies. Other key elements include the OSSI's support for security measures, RVA assessments to identify risks, and the SR0 program for training school resource officers. Additional initiatives focus on active threat response, medical training like STB, and community involvement through ASP to enhance school safety across Oklahoma.
Session 6
Effective Classroom Management Strategies:
Improving School and Community Relationships - Learn practical methods to improve effectiveness in the classroom.
FERPA 101:
Review the basics of the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), exceptions, and rights of parents and eligible students. Delve into common into common scenarios faced by districts. It is intended for anyone who works with personally identifiable student data on a daily basis, from the classroom teacher level to administration staff.
Ability, Achievement, and Excellence:
A Conceptual Investigation of Identification and Expectations of Giftedness: In this session, we will spotlight the nuanced disparities between ability and achievement in defining giftedness. Delving into these distinctions, administrators, coordinators, and teachers will explore myths that shape expectations and how recognizing differences can both empower and hinder the recognition and nurturing of exceptional talents.
Promoting Academic and Health through Collaboration and Innovation:
Research has shown a strong connection between students’ healthy behaviors and academic achievement (e.g., grades, standardized tests, graduation rates, attendance). Come to this session and take away strategies for implementing health education instruction through a collaborative approach and explore resources to ensure integration is manageable and achievable.
Labor Relations:
Get informed of your constitutional rights as an educator, how to properly exercise them when working in a unionized workplace, and ways to distinguish facts from propaganda. Learn of various union alternatives and explore ways to take legal action. Resources are available to help with all the aforementioned topics.
Empowering School Principals: Optimizing the Role of School Counselors for Student Success:
In today's rapidly evolving educational landscape, the symbiotic relationship between school principals and counselors emerges as a linchpin in cultivating a nurturing and enriching student environment. This conference proposal seeks to delve into the dynamic strategies and practices essential for school principals to effectively harness the expertise and resources of their counselors, thereby optimizing student achievement and well-being. Attendees will embark on a journey to explore innovative approaches facilitating collaborative efforts between school leaders and counselors in meeting the multifaceted needs of students, spanning academic, social, and emotional realms. Through interactive workshops and spirited discussions, participants will gain valuable insights into establishing clear communication channels fortified by counselor expertise, fostering a supportive culture, employing data-driven decision-making, and navigating barriers effectively. By the conference's conclusion, attendees will depart equipped with a robust toolkit comprising practical tools, strategies, and insights poised to fortify the collaboration between school principals and counselors, thereby bolstering student support systems and nurturing holistic development.
What is the Science of Reading?:
The term "science of reading" is used often, but there are various understandings of what this means. This session will provide a comprehensive understanding of the evidence that supports effective instruction in literacy, including those for students who have reading difficulties (including dyslexia).
The Work-Based Learning Spectrum: Merging Technical Training with Classroom Instruction: This session will cover the Work-Based Learning requirement of ICAP and place emphasis on building employer partnerships and how to maintain those relationships. Expect WBL definitions, a description of the employer engagement continuum, and resources to help persuade employers to work with schools to develop WBL activities.
Exploring Meaningful Computer Science Activities Aligned to the Oklahoma Academic Standards for Computer Science:
This session explores computer science lessons taught by an Oklahoma educator. It shows how these lessons are aligned with the Oklahoma Academic Standards for Computer Science (OAS-CS) and how they can be adapted to any computer science classroom.
OKMTSS on EDPlan:
OKMTSS is Oklahoma’s Multi-Tiered System of Support framework comprised of components that are aligned with state-level activities related to MTSS implementation. OSDE's goal is to provide school districts with professional development, systemic data collection, and resources to build a robust MTSS framework using evidence-based practices within each school district. Come hear about one of the major free resources OSDE will provide to districts to assist with systemic data collection. OKMTSS on EDPlan is a data management system that is available to schools across Oklahoma. OKMTSS on EDPlan includes the following: Intervention Management System for ALL students (EDPlan is no longer just a program for students on an Individualized Educational Program (IEP)); Early Warning Dashboard for all students regarding literacy, math, behavior, and attendance; and Advanced Reporting capabilities for sites, districts, and the state.
Teaching and Leading Like Champions:
Traci Mauel accompanied by district leadership will discuss; Today, teachers are the leading champions in the face of adversity. It is imperative that teachers keep that high momentum as they tackle the major issues plaguing the public education system. Teaching like champions will inspire many in the field to know that they are still a valuable inspiration to our next generation.
