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Participant Quotes
 
"We were expecting to gain a few tidbits on teaching, but we left with strategies that have the potential to change the culture and attitude of our school forever."
...4 Teachers from Brooklyn College Academy, grades 9 - 10
"Thanks for allowing me the opportunity to share in this awesome learning experience."
...Math Teacher, Cape Coral, Florida
"This conference was the best educational experience I've had since I left college. I've been to seminars, clinics, and all kinds of workshops, but this conference was more value than anything I've experienced. In the past week, I reflected more on my teaching practices than I've ever done since I began my career."
...Teacher of Middle School Science, St. Lawrence County, New York
"I was awed by your effort to make each person at the conference feel valued."
...Middle School Teacher, ELA, State of Delaware
"We had an amazing experience at the conference!"
...Social Studies Teachers, New York City, New York
"I want to say how much I enjoyed the week. The level of learning just continues to rise every year!"
...Staff Developer, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
"Our team became a cohesive group of educators that truly have the kids at heart. We are going to really try to get together on a regular basis to discuss and encourage each other with things learned at this conference."
...Elementary Teacher, St. Lawrence County, New York
Focus Format Participants Family Costs University Credit History E-mail

 
    The Design Conference's....
    FOCUS
      Some conference participants focus almost exclusively on the task they came to achieve, while others are more interested in learning constructivist strategies they can adapt to their own work. Many participants are focused equally on their task and the strategies, which are modeled throughout the week. Whatever your goal, whatever you want to get out of the experience.... it can be achieved.
SELECT YOUR OWN TASK
    People come to the Design Conference on teams of three or more to accomplish a task they self-select.
  
Some examples of past tasks include:
  • Curriculum writing or alignment of curriculum and assessments to standards
  • Planning a new approach such as block scheduling or multi age grouping
  • Developing a plan to address a particular problem in your school
  • Create, modify, or develop implementation plans for a CDEP, AIS, APPR, or PDP
  • Prepare for ELA, Math, or Social Studies assessments
  
Some sample team objectives:
  • How do we develop a Middle School team concept?
  • How do we continuously improve our interdisciplinary cross grade level units and continue to refine our assessments?
  • How do we develop an elementary reading program?
  • How do we develop a plan to increase parent involvement?
  • How do we incorporate advanced placement, Grades 9-12, and AIS Social Studies into our program?
  • How do we generate a character education curriculum?
      A trained facilitator will be available to your team throughout the week to help guide your work and help provide you with any resources you need.
 
      You will not find long lectures or elaborate presentations at the Design Conference. This is a conference in which you will be motivated by the work environment, empowered by knowledgeable resources, and leave with a product that is completed or on its way to completion. Work and reflective time is celebrated, resources will be available to help you, and fun social activities will be offered throughout the week, which you can choose to participate in at your discretion.
 
      "The State Education Department fully supports the efforts of the Institute for Learner Centered Education to provide hands on and practical professional development for teachers in New York State. By modeling instructional strategies that are used in standards-based classrooms, [the Institute] provides teachers with the necessary tools to implement the learning standards. The training module that you are piloting with 36 teachers this year to develop classrooms that are learner centered and standards based will serve as a powerful model for replication across the state. I sincerely hope the Design Conference on Teaching and Learning is a resounding success, and look forward to continued support of the Institute to improve student achievement in New York State schools."
      Statement from James R. Butterworth,
Assistant Commissioner for Regional
School and Community Services
New York State Education Department