Two-day Virtual Educator PD Seminar

Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School (STS) is pleased to host globally renowned education experts Dr. Jennifer Chang Wathall and Dr. James Tanton for a two-day virtual professional development seminar, facilitated by learning specialist, Dr. Gina Cherkowski

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We invite educators across the world to join us July 8 and 9, 2021 for four half-day sessions:

  1. Dr. Jennifer Chang Wathall presents: Transforming our Pedagogy to Thrive in a Hybrid Learning World
  2. Dr. Jennifer Chang Wathall presents: Teaching for Deep Conceptual Understanding; Designing for Inquiry in the Mathematics Classroom
  3. Dr. James Tanton presents: Fractions: A Helpful Overview of this Mathematical Gatekeeper
  4. Dr. James Tanton presents: Fostering Mathematical Thinking Through Exploding Dots: The Global Mathematics Phenomenon

Two-day Seminar Schedule:

July 8 Program (all times below in Mountain Standard Time) :

  • 8:00 am, gathering and introductions
  • 8:10 – 8:30 am, Dr. Gina Cherkowski opens with: Adaptive Intelligence; The most important critical skill in our dynamic, digitized world
  • 8:30 – 11:30 am, PD session with Dr. Jennifer Chang Wathall: Transforming our Pedagogy to Thrive in a Hybrid Learning World
  • 11:30 – 12:00 pm, Dr. Gina Cherkowski leads closing discussions
  • 12:00 – 12:30 pm, lunch break
  • 12:30 – 12:40 pm, gathering and introductions
  • 12:40 – 1:00 pm, Dr. Gina Cherkowski opens with: Why is Mathematical Thinking critical for ALL learners?
  • 1:00 – 4:00 pm, PD session with Dr. Jennifer Chang Wathall: Teaching for Deep Conceptual Understanding; Designing for Inquiry in the Mathematics Classroom
  • 4:00 – 4:30 pm, Dr. Gina Cherkowski leads closing discussion

July 9 Program (all times below in Mountain Standard Time) :

  • 8:00 am, gathering and introductions
  • 8:10 – 8:30 am, Dr. Gina Cherkowski opens with: Early Math is the Key to Later Academic Success Across all Subjects
  • 8:30 – 11:30 am, PD Session with Dr. James Tanton: Fractions: A Helpful Overview of this Mathematical Gatekeeper
  • 11:30 – 12:00 pm, Dr. Gina Cherkowski leads closing discussions
  • 12:00 – 12:30 pm, lunch break
  • 12:30 – 12:40 pm, gathering and introductions
  • 12:40 – 1:00 pm, Dr. Gina Cherkowski opens with: Why it is Critical to Develop a Positive Mathematical Identity in all Learners
  • 1:00 – 4:00 pm, PD session with Dr. James Tanton: Fostering Mathematical Thinking Through Exploding Dots: The Global Mathematics Phenomenon
  • 4:00 – 4:30 pm, Dr. Gina Cherkowski leads closing discussion

Half-day PD Session Descriptions:

Transforming our Pedagogy to Thrive in a Hybrid Learning World, Dr. Jennifer Chang Wathall

What will the “new normal” look like for learning after this global pandemic? This workshop will focus on the lessons learned during this challenging time and share different practical strategies to engage students both in the virtual environment and for in-person learning.  

The following questions will be addressed in this workshop:

  • What are effective eLearning practices for blended learning/hybrid models?
  • What are the affordances of utilizing an eLearning environment?
  • How do we best utilize new pedagogies for the hybrid environment?
  • What are some strategies to help our learners thrive both online and in-person?

Audience: All educators seeking the ‘silver lining’ from the past year, and a better understanding of how to help students thrive in a new world of learning.

Teaching for Deep Conceptual Understanding; Designing for Inquiry in the Mathematics Classroom, Dr. Jennifer Chang Wathall

Mathematics is often seen as an elusive discipline and one that is a deductive science. One of the most common questions posed by teachers is how do we create learning experiences that help our students explore mathematics? This highly interactive workshop will incorporate practical strategies to promote inquiry-based learning while teaching for deep conceptual understanding.

The following questions will be addressed in this workshop:

  • What is teaching for deep conceptual understanding in the mathematics classroom?
  • How do we use inquiry to focus on deep conceptual understanding when learning mathematics? 

Audience: Educators of all levels looking to inspire deeper understanding in mathematics.

Fractions: A Helpful Overview of this Mathematical Gatekeeper, Dr. James Tanton

Did you know that early intervention for concepts like fractions is critical to future academic success across all subject areas?

Many a student—and adult—openly admits to being scared of fractions. Their reasons why are natural and absolutely appropriate: fractions are nuanced, subtle and hard!

In our early years we learn that fractions are "parts of a whole," portions of a pie, points on a number line between the whole numbers, and the like. That is, we are given a series of models for what a fraction is. But it is never made clear which of these models speaks the final, definitive truth. We march from one model to the next and are left to believe that, somehow, that covers it all.

We offer students a spaghetti bowl of ideas and justifications, and never come back to bring all the strands and pieces of intuition back together into one cohesive story. Let’s conduct that final step for our middle-school and high-school students!

In this workshop, we’ll put into context and provide a comprehensive and natural story of fractions for middle-school and high school teachers.

Audience:

  • Elementary school educators looking for the bigger context and place of the fraction models they teach.
  • Middle-school and high-school teachers looking for ways to help students master fractions without cost to teaching time.
  • Everyone and anyone who secretly knows they never “got” fractions and want to finally get them.

Fostering Mathematical Thinking Through Exploding Dots: The Global Mathematics Phenomenon, Dr. James Tanton

October 2017 saw the start of the world’s inaugural Global Math Week, with over one million students and teachers from 170 different countries and territories taking part in a common joyous uplifting piece of classroom mathematics together. That program has since organically grown to 4.6 million students worldwide. What is this common thrilling mathematics? It’s the story of Exploding Dots, the play of place value.

The invention of place value is one of humankind's greatest intellectual achievements. It is surprisingly nuanced, and it permeates the entire K-12 curriculum. So many Mathematics Standards from the elementary to the high school grades rely on a deep understanding of it.

In this workshop, we’ll play with the story of Exploding Dots and see how, in one astounding fell swoop, it unites grade school, high-school, college mathematics—and beyond! See the mathematics you and your students think you know so well in a stunning new light. Transform your mindset as to what mathematics doing, understanding, and seeing can be!

Audience: Educators of all levels looking for astounding joy in mathematics.

Registration:

Sessions will be available individually or as one or two-day packages. All participants will receive a certificate of completion for each session.

  • $215 per each half-day session
  • $370 for one day (two half-day sessions)
  • $685 for full two days (four half-day sessions)

*all prices in Canadian dollars and include tax and fees

Register Online TODAY

Jennifer Chang Wathall

Dr. Jennifer Chang Wathall

Speaker

Jennifer is an author, educational consultant and part-time instructor for The University of Hong Kong for the education faculty in the field of mathematics education. With over 25 years’ experience in the education field, Jennifer has worked in several international schools in Hong Kong and New York. Based on her graduate studies in Educational Technology, Jennifer has designed numerous online courses that have reached thousands of educators from all over the world. Her research areas include blended learning methodologies and teaching for deep conceptual understanding.

In the international arena, she has presented numerous keynote addresses and workshops about effective eLearning practices, concept-based mathematics, and concept-based curriculum and instruction to Pre-K-12 educators. In her role as an independent consultant, she supports the development of curriculum and instruction which integrates effective eLearning practices and teaching based on deep conceptual understanding.

James Tanton

Dr. James Tanton

Speaker

James earned his PhD in mathematics from Princeton University. He is an author, a consultant, and ambassador for the Mathematical Association of America in Washington D.C., chair of the Advisory Council for the National Museum of Mathematics, and a founder of the Global Math Project, an initiative to transform the entire world’s perception of what mathematics can, and should, be. This program has now reached over 6 million students and teachers across the planet. James has taught mathematics both at university and high-school institutions. He advises on curriculum, consults with teachers, and gives demonstration classes, lectures, and professional development sessions across the globe. James is also a recipient of a Joint Policy Board for Mathematics communication award for 2020.

Gina Cherkowski

Dr. Gina Cherkowski

Facilitator

Gina is the Senior School Learning Strategist at Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School. As a STEM education thought-leader and social justice advocate, Gina has worked and spoken all over the world tackling issues such as engaging all students in high-quality STEM education, reducing barriers for all students in math, and on the importance of entrepreneurial and innovative thinking for diverse learners. Dr Cherkowski has extensive experience in supporting student learning with a particular focus on how to optimally engage students to maximize their learning.

As an educator, Dr. Cherkowski has served as a STEM education professor at the University of Calgary where she taught courses to Elementary, Middle, and Senior School teachers in training in the U of C education program. She also served as an adjunct professor for the Masters in Teaching Program at Gonzaga University (Calgary Campus). Dr. Cherkowski has also taught extensively in Elementary, Middle and Secondary Schools across Western Canada, with a focus on connecting with students with different learning needs, and implementing research-based strategies for teaching mathematics.

Dr. Cherkowski received her Ph.D. in mathematics education and culture studies in education from Washington State University. Her Ph.D. dissertation is titled "A Critical Exploration of How Social Capital Influences Student Engagement in Learning Activities in a Middle Year Mathematics Classroom". She is also an author of several refereed publications and presentations. More recently, Dr Cherkowski founded STEM Learning Lab Inc. and led them to an international merger with Edgemakers and finally, a sale to CodedMinds Global. In five years, the company moved from start-up to a world-renowned international company focusing on delivering innovative STEM programs to teachers and youth from Pre-K to Grade 12.

For more information, contact:
Dr. Gina Cherkowski, CherkoG@sts.ab.ca